6/23/20

Today is a Tuesday, but I took the day off because I was supposed to be in a meeting tomorrow (which normally I am off).  Plus it would have been the first day when all 4 audiologists would be working at once since pre-Covid (and pre-Covid cleaning procedures!!).  Normally I am out of the office for 1/2 day doing auditory brainstem response testing, but I didn't have access to a sedation team, so we would have been all there all day (which takes some shuffling) and so I took off!!  Then the Wednesday meeting was cancelled...oh well!!!

So every year....for a long time.....we make an annual trip to Ames to go to Hickory Park.  It is a fun restaurant that has an excellent reputation with everyone from Iowa State University and many people from Ankeny.  We first went there one summer when we went berry picking nearby and then went to Reiman Gardens.  Here we are in 2019.  Once in awhile we go when someone is at camp or Faith in Action or working, but then that person is really salty when they find out!

Well Hickory Park has probably been doing decent curb side service, because they are so well loved, but of course the campus shut down months early, so they might be hurting like anyone else.  So today was the day!!!  They opened up for in restaurant dining while back and I remember being horrified when an old neighbor's girlfriend boasted going there when Story county (where Ames is located) was open, but Polk county was still shut down.  (Ankeny is in North Polk county, just below Story), but this gal lives in West Des Moines.  I wanted to scream....Story County doesn't want your germs, but I didn't!!!  (at the time Polk county had many cases and Story was pretty sheltered)

Well all counties are open for business, but we didn't even get out of the car at Hickory Park for the photo.  We did a curbside pick-up and then went to a city park that Joel found online to eat.  (Yes Joel knew I was taking a photo....we call this an action shot.)

 First of all....excellent food (as always)...but ice cream (which kids usually get at Hickory Park) will have to wait until we get home.  Even more importantly....Bravo to Joel for finding the best city park that I have ever visited.  It is called Brookside park and initially we laughed because we passed a couple parks on our way from Hickory Park restaurant to Brookside.  Later we said it was such a blessing!  The place was HUGE.  We walked and explored.....best park ever- really!  We have nothing like this in Ankeny.  I would drive to Ames just for this park.  (Other than exploring in Colorado, this really is the nicest park I have experienced.)

 Since we missed our Hickory Park picture!!!

And we decided to save Reiman gardens for another day, since we had such a great experience at Brookside.