Courier goes to Peru, Panama and down south

February 24, 2009 11:21 am

— Peru is a very interesting place to visit, said Helen Hannan who, along with her husband and friends, stopped off there last month after traveling through the Panama Canal on their cruise. It was an exciting event, she said. “ Just getting through the canal is a day long trip. What impressive engineering to accomplish it. And they keep working on it, making it bigger.”
Helen and Ed Hannan of Blakesburg were joined on the cruise by Merle and Pat Lane of Sigourney and Vern and Jo Slaymaker of Ottumwa.
Machu Picchu, Lima and Cuzco were a side trip after a two-week cruise aboard the Statendam of the Holland America Line, from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Callao, Peru, the seaport for Lima. The cruise included brief stops at several islands including Aruba as well as Columbia, Panama and Ecuador. “It was fun as well as interesting and educational,” Helen said.

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Traveling to Florida recently were Dale and Janet Maddison of Albia along with their children and grandchildren Mike, Gina, Tyler, Nikki, Chase and Spencer Maddison; and Michele, Lance and Abbey Henderson.
“We took a warm winter vacation” to Disney World at Orlando, Fla., Janet Maddison said. Looks like a fun trip.

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John and Glenda Schoolen of Albia and Richard and Linda Lewman of Eddyville are shown sharing the Ottumwa Courier with Pete of Panini Pete's restaurant in Fairhope, Ala. Panini Pete's was featured on the Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

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The “ Winter Texans” from Wapello County, surrounding area, and former residences of Wapello County met at Luby’s Cafeteria Feb. 6 in Weslaco, Texas, with 55 attending the annual breakfast. The weather was beautiful and a warm 63 degrees at 7 o’clock in the morning. By the time the meeting was over, the temperature had reached 83 degrees.
Secretary Mary Scott welcomed everyone. “Sure was nice to have a microphone this year. We had a few new faces in attendance and many returning faces,” Mary wrote.
Several new guests attended and told their connection to Wapello County. Games were played including puzzles, bingo and cards. Luby’s Cafeteria gave away three free meals.
During election of officers, Dan Gullion of Ottumwa remained as president and Mary Scott, secretary.
The next meeting will be on the first Friday in February 2010 at Luby’s Cafeteria in Weslaco Texas.

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Sometimes you never know what’s going to come out of your oven.
Mary Fenton found that out recently.
She was baking an apple pie for her grandson, T.J.
As can happen when pie baking, the pie bubbled over and dripped onto the bottom of her oven.
What surprised her was to find the drippings dried in the shape of a heart.
She brought it in to show us.
Courier photographer Mark Newman suggested that next time, she bring the pie in to the Courier, too!

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An Ottumwa man who wants to help prepare ground for a community garden has received about 20 names of people interested, he said Monday.
The plans are to rent out 10-by-20-foot garden spaces in an area in Ottumwa that has plenty of sun and will be fenced in, altogether about 3,800 square feet.
He’ll prepare the seed beds so people can plant in their plots. The garden spaces will rent for $35 a year, with a second space available for $20.
Right now, he needs fencing to keep the area protected from deer.
Anyone interested in renting a plot or who can help with fencing can send me your name and phone number and I will pass it on.
The plots will be raised and divided off so people will know exactly how much space they will have for their garden.
The Ottumwan hopes to get the project under way by the middle of March.
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Judy Krieger may be reached at 683-5365; or by e-mail at j.krieger@ottumwacourier.com

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