Walls going up on the condo

Here is the beige vinyl siding and the shingles on our condo.

The door handles will be levers like these in brushed nickel finish.

The concrete is delivered.

Pumping the concrete through the elevator to the job site.

Using the cement float to smooth the concrete floor. No 2-by-4 like when Carl helped his dad.

 We've got walls"

Now we have a front door!

This is the basement.

The garage walls are up.

Now it looks like a garage.

This is the north side of the condo looking toward garage.

The patio was poured today.

Looking into the kitchen (right) from the garage.

This is now the front entry.

A∆K Convention in Washington, DC

We stayed at the Wardman Park Marriott for the A∆K International Convention from July 3-8. There were 3 towers, so it was a bit confusing finding our way around.

It was quite a trek uphill to our hotel from nearby restaurants, which is obvious from the looks on my and Jan Mulford’s faces.

Genni Smith won the door prize in a workshop session on making centerpieces.

One workshop was on how to become a 7-Pearl Chapter.

International students spoke to the delegates at the convention about what the International Teacher Program meant to them in their years of study in the United States..

Les Johnson, Leota Kopp, and Judy Mulcahy concentrate on their food at Philip’s Seafood Buffet. Judy and I think we were there before in the late '80s when we chaperoned a group of 30 students.

Our Hawaiian Sisters sang the “Hukilau” and taught us  the accompanying gestures at Philip’s Seafood Restaurant. We had to reciprocate and sing “The Iowa Corn Song.”

What a thrill to be in Washington, DC, for the 4th of July fireworks!

International Vice President Linda Hughes and Jan Cook of Nebraska helped present the Membership Seminar at International Convention. The theme was “Can we build it? Yes, we can!”

 Iowa’s 3 P’s: Past President Leslie Johnson, President-elect Susan Jacob, and President Pat Manues.

Pat Sheehey (L) and Les Johnson (R) stand with the Excellence in Education winners at the North Central Region’s get-together. (I’m not sure who the gal to Pat’s left is, but the other one is the NCR Excellence in Education winner from Nebraska.)

Members of the International Board came dressed as former First Ladies for the evening of entertainment by the Capitol Steps. Pictured are Susan Rodda as Eleanor Roosevelt, Executive Administrator Laura Bourgeois as Rosalind Carter, Susan Pelchat as Barbara Bush, and Lynette Varner as Mamie Eisenhower.

Genni Smith proudly shows off the Iowa sign.

Linda Hughes was elected International Historian by a 2/3 majority on the second ballot.

Voting with the electronic keypads was a new experience for many delegates.

All State/Provincial Presidents from the North Central Region gathered with newly elected IVP Kathleen Buligan from Ontario (dark hair, front row center) and outgoing IVP Linda Hughes.

Judy Mulcahy, Jan Mulford, Genni Smith, Linda Hughes, and Susan Jacob (waving a Maple Leaf flag) rented a limo to go sightseeing at night with 3 Canadian A∆K Sisters. 

Iowa President-elect Susan Jacob stands with newly installed International A∆K President June Bellamy.

Linda Hughes was elected International Historian and Ivette Bender was re-elected as a 4-year Board Member. (We claim Ivette as an Iowan even though she moved to Nebraska in retirement.)

This is part of an addition to the Vietnam War Memorial.

The eyes of the soldier statues in the Korean War Memorial look real.

My favorite has to be the Lincoln Memorial.

The World War II is new since I was last in DC.

Susan Jacob, Jan Mulford, Judy Mulcahy, and Genni Smith stand in front of the White House.

The President's House is regal looking.

 "The Magnificent 7" stayed in a suite at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines the night before we left for DC. We went out to dinner together and were all on the same flight the next day.

Jan Mulford relaxes in our suite.

Bev and Marty Fletcher came to the Iowa Party. They made a bicycling vacation out of the trip east.   

Pat Manues, Les Johnson, and Leota Kopp enjoy the Iowa Party.

Pat Manues, Kathy Learn, and Pat Sheehey pose together at the Iowa Party.

Condo update July 2013

Flooring choices made at a different supplier:

Here is the light gray carpet, still with a slight pattern next to the vinyl for the front foyer, guest bath, dining room and kitchen.

Closeup of the "barn board" vinyl. I like that it is light colored and will brighten the rooms.

Here is the decorative trim for the walls of the walk-in shower. It will be in one 4" stripe at about eye level. This combines some of the gray from the carpet with the beige of the bathroom tile.

Here is the 12x12 ceramic tile for the walls of walk-in shower and the master bath. The grout will be a light beige like at the bottom of this tile.

Here is the 4x4 matte finish tile for the kitchen backsplash and the shower surround in the guest bathroom. This tile will have white grout.