Billy sometimes asks me about the good old days.  He loves to hear my stories.  The other day, while we were discussing the price of a cup of coffee I reminisced about when I was part of the good old boys network in Amana.  Pretty much every day except for Sunday, we would meet at the Colony Inn before our work day started.  Sort of an early FaceBook concept.  Of course Al Gore had not yet invented the internet so this was Face to Face networking.

On any given day you would see the likes of Paul Oehl, Art Baumgartel, Ramon Goerler, Bill Hess, Jake Roemig ,Paul Hursh,  Leonard Kloubec and me.  ( Click HERE for more info on Kloubec)   Of course there were others...some of them sporadic attendees and others who I have forgotten their name.

Walt Schuerer was the proprietor of the inn and dispensed the coffee to us.  Jake Roemig* was the owner of the building and that title gave him priority seating at the  head table.  He would shake his cane at anyone who  sat in his reserved seat announcing that "he owned the joint" and "so and so better find another place to sit".  It was always a hoot when one of the regulars brought someone new to the table and urged him to sit in that empty chair.  We looked forward to Jake coming in  to roust him from his perch.  Another benefit of being the building owner was that he received complimentary coffee for life.  However on the 3rd of every month, Jake would reach into his wallet and remove enough cash to pick up the tab.  You see , it was the third of the month....the day his Social Security check would arrive at the post office.   Since we were all working stiffs, he figured we were supplying his "paycheck" and thus lavishly rewarded us once each month.

Coffee was 25 cents per cup with unlimited refills.  Everyone, but Bill Hess would participate in a gambling game which had the loser pick up the tab for all the coffee.  Even if the place was packed with 10 guys the bill was only 2.50.....but Bill Hess chose to pay for his coffee with a shiny quarter prior to being seated.  This prepay maneuver  kept him safe from "the Flip".

Of all the names mentioned, only two remain....Walt Schuerer and me....Walt is 91 and doesn't move too fast any more......come to think about it......I don't move so fast anymore either.




* JACOB ROEMIG was born on 16 Jun 1893 in AMANA, IOWA. He died on 29 Aug 1975 in AMANA, IOWA

Billy Wants a Tat

I stopped in to visit with Billy as I usually do at least once a week. Billy calls me Uncle Bruce. Maybe he calls me that because I am a frequent visitor to his two story walk up apartment or maybe its because I was serious with his aunt Regina for awhile a few years back....at any rate I don't mind being referred to as Uncle Bruce.

Coincidentally, his Aunt Regina still shares their small apartment with Billy's mom and dad. My heart

flutters a little when I catch a glimpse of her.

Aunt Regina has a "tramp stamp" and now Billy wants a tat too....as in also.

If any readers aren't familiar with "Tramp Stamps".. Click HERERegina"s tramp stamp is in the shape of handlebars.

Billy wants the logo for the Cincinnati Bengals for his

tat. You see the Bengals Logo is the letter "B" for Billy and it is done in his favorite colors...orange and black.

The only one he knows with a link to Cincinnati is Bruce Hop. He calls him Uncle Bruce Number Two. So he has asked the Hopper to help him get the artwork for his tat.

Stay tuned.

George Hits the 9- 0 mark

We went to a birthday party tonight. One of the breakfast club members turned ninety this past Thursday. George rode his bicycle to his birthday party because he could. This evening, at the Ronneburg Restaurant his family had an open house replete with Millstream Beer and a Buffet for several hundred of his closest friends and a couple of freeloaders.

George has great genes and he works at staying fit. It is not unusual for him to play 36 holes of golf on any given day....I here he uses a cart. That is not to say that he is adverse to walking as he often walk five miles in the morning before deciding to do some bicycling later in the day.

There was a Kanye West Moment (For and explanation Click HERE) when Dr. Ruff brought along the oldest man in the Amanas besting good ole George by 3 Years. Dr Ruff, who will be

90 in a few months and Harry Leonhardt (93) sang a duet to George in German...not sure what it was all about,

but the English translation would not be fitting for Billy's ears.

There was plenty of kissing and photography along with some tunes from Amana's own Silver Wings.

People came from far and wide in various forms of transportation. The range was from a smartcar to a private jet. I came in a smartcar.

Billboard Bruce

Not too long ago, I decided to shake things up a bit. Billy says I ought to have my name in lights. Billy like the fact that I am on his side when it comes to keeping him alive. Needless to say, I am his hero. I am his favorite insurance guy.

So Billy suggested I do something to make a statement. We represent Allied , a Nationwide Company and they are known for their "on Your Side" tagline. You may have seen their employees on television explaining how they were on your side.

I thought it would be fun to be on my side. My first concept idea was to have me laying on the office floor with a tipped over chair at my side. Billy saw it a little different and suggested I do the Burt Reynolds Cosmopolitan pose. Well since I am the cosmopolitan type, it was a natural...well as natural as you can be with clothes on.

Well here, submitted for your approval or disapproval...hey I can take it.....is the board. The billboard can be sighted on Highway 151 near Fairfax Iowa.

All you locals get used to it because I signed a year contract. After the year is up, I get the artwork. Billy thinks if should go somewhere cool. Any ideas?

Oktoberfest 2009

Billy's beloved Buckeyes were playing in Iowa city last Saturday and Billy really wanted to go. He also read in the paper( with the help of two mirrors) that the Buckeyes were favored and it would be a cake walk. Billy also likes the Amana Oktoberfest. Since I was going to be his keeper and I remember the last time I schlept him up 77 steps, and in view of the weather report, I talked him into the Oktoberfest option. We towed the lung behind the Smartcar ( he loves that stuff) but He was the first to admit it was a little chilly going around the Lily Lake.

Billy likes to catch up with the Lemon Sisters and generally likes the UMP UMP music that envelopes the town. He likes to watch the Eisenmann contest and he wishes he could compete. Of course, everyone likes a parade and Billy is no exception to this either.

"Aunt" Audrey was going to do a stint at bar tending at the Ronneburg after the parade and he was excited to see that. He is easily excited.

Right after the parade we caught up with Audrey and watched her work her magic. It is said you meet the nicest people at places like the Cadillac dealership, Walmart and bars. This couldn't have been more correct as we were introduced to Libby and Wayne and there friends Connie and Craig. Billy took a shining to Libby immediately.... Maybe it was the accessories or here hat which was very alluring. Or maybe it was the underwear....only Billy knows because there are some things he just doesn't open up about.

His landlady stayed for awhile and then she had to go to the park on another mission and that left us in the custody of his buddy Wally.

It was Wally who suggested we have shots of Ashbach and the able bar tenders were eager to oblige.

After the shots it was off to the Eisenmann contest and we were also treated to a great ventroloquist act. I swear I could not see his lips move one iota.