Taking stock of a happy holiday weekend

Random observations from a long, busy holiday weekend:

Sociological study. It is entirely possible for siblings who were raised in the same home and who for years attended the same childhood Fourth of July picnics to emerge as adults with totally different strategies for dressing hot dogs and hamburgers. One arranges dill pickles and chopped onions on his cheeseburger, while his sister insists on sliced onions – and hold the cheese. One layers ketchup, mustard, onion and relish on her hot dog, while another prefers nothing but mustard. Gratefully, the original Independence Day ensured this freedom of choice.

Proper parade procedure. If you’re participating in a Fourth of July parade with hopes of gaining visibility for your business, organization or good cause, think carefully about what type of candy you toss to the crowd. Best bet: Stick to Tootsie Rolls, Dum Dum suckers and peppermint disks. Voters should question the judgment of a politician who throws bite-size chocolate candy bars to kids on hot summer days.

The name game. A large percentage of AIB students originally hail from small communities in Iowa. Driving across the state on Interstate 80 one day, then Interstate 35 and Highway 20 the next, arouses curiosity about the interesting names of some of those towns. For example, how did founders choose the name What Cheer for the town south of Interstate 80 in Keokuk County? Google it, and you’ll see that the phrase “what cheer with you” is an ancient English greeting. Several theories suggest the name originated from that phrase.

Meanwhile, Dike – just off Highway 20 near Waterloo – has nothing to with a levee. That town was named for railroad construction engineer Chester Thomas Dike, who chose the site and laid out the town in 1900.

No word on how little Buckeye, population 108, got its name.

Lucky brides. The custom of bridal showers is said to have developed long ago to aid a poor woman’s family who might not have the money to provide a dowry for her, or when a father refused to give his daughter her dowry because he did not approve of the marriage. In such situations, friends of the woman would gather and bring gifts to compensate for the dowry and allow her to marry the man of her choice.

Aunts of the bride hosted the shower I attended in Cedar Falls, and I admit I’m envious of the bride for the new cookware and state-of-the-art appliances she received. Maybe friends and relatives should host showers for women on their 20th wedding anniversaries to update well-worn kitchen utensils and bath towels.

Green fields. Apparently, there are some traits that never entirely leave an Iowa farm girl. Get outside the city, and a flourishing field of soybeans (or corn) is still a thing of beauty to me.  

Good friends. Regardless of occupation, address or social status, there will always be people willing to sacrifice a day off to lend a helping hand. Five strong young men (plus a couple sets of parents) can make short work out of moving friends into a new home on a steaming hot day.  

Exhaustion can be a good thing. Independence Day is a wonderful holiday to celebrate with family and friends. The choked-up feeling that sets in as the high school band marches by playing patriotic songs is simply a sign of a proud American. Spacious skies and rolling farmland make Iowa a beautiful place to live, and its people – whether they’re moving a couch, sharing a blanket along the parade route or bringing tears to the eyes of a grateful bride-to-be – are overwhelmingly kind and generous.

How was my weekend? Very, very good, thank you.

See more blog posts by Jane Schorer Meisner at www.aib.edu.