We're in Wayne, Nebraska

Today we drove from Bartlett to Wayne, NE, about 520 miles. We started out on U.S. 20, and ended up traveling it most of the way. We did go off on to IL 64 and went to Anamosa, IA (where I went to high school) to visit Betty Remley (who has been featured in this blog more than once before. She was the choir director in my father's church when I was in high school!)   Betty had fallen a few days before, and was wearing  neck brace, but was in good spirits. She had called Betty Ogden Miller to come over, and she was there too. I worked for Parke Ogden, Betty's father, on their farm during the summers of 1947 and 1948. The summer of 1949, when I had just turned 16, I worked as a chauffeur for her grandfather, Dan Umbenhauer, who was a traveling salesman for the Grinnell Glove Company. So, a lot of connections for me there.

Betty Remley seated, with Ellen and Betty Miller behind

Me and Betty

Yesterday, we had lunch with Carol Plagge at our usual (and favorite) restaurant, Alexander's in Elgin.  It was good to see her again and there was a lot of news to share. I had one of my favorite meals: liver and onions.

Carol and Ellen in Alexander's

Later, after supper, we went with Maggie and Jerry to visit Stewart's grave in Bluff City Cemetery. It is a bit hard to believe that it has been over four years since he died. I miss him a lot. It was very peaceful and lovely in the cemetery in the late evening light, and it was good to be there just before Father's Day.

We'll continue on US 20 across Nebraska tomorrow and spend tomorrow night in eastern Wyoming, which should put us in a position to arrive in Alpine Sunday evening.