Hola de España!

Hello from Spain! I've had a whirlwind first few days. We're currently staying in a parador at the Alhambra. Tour tomorrow! Here's the view from the garden here:

Trip time

On Saturday/Sunday I will be flying here:


and then here:


and then here:


Those top two photos should really be of airports, but nevertheless. I am beyond ready for a break; I could use a relaxing spa getaway, frankly. Though this trip will be the polar opposite of that, I can finally see past the next day at work and I'm starting to get excited.

Ladies' Home Journal, October 1931

I never knew how much bizarre information was contained in vintage women's magazines. Here's some wisdom from a 1931 issue of Ladies' Home Journal:

• Pepsodent had 50 uses, including "under-arm body odor," "canker sores," "halitosis," "Athlete's foot" and "mosquito bites." I wish they'd listed all 50. Hair gel? Sunscreen? Contraceptive?
  
  
• Kotex: soft, disposable, and "can be worn on either side with equal comfort. No embarrassment." Either side of ... what?
  
  
• X-Rays prove fresh yeast best way to correct constipation. Why not try eating Fleischmann's yeast today? Three cakes every day, regularly. (Really. They wanted people to eat three plain cakes of yeast every day. And they were some big cakes.)
  
  
• Marjorie Rambeau doesn't mind admitting it - she's 37 years old! Wow, ancient. She owed her youthful complexion to Lux Toilet Soap. Willing to bet that would be marketed under a different name today.
  
  
• A Bell System ad promoted the use of some new-fangled thing called the telephone. "Boys and girls go to distant schools, but they're always near by telephone. Voice-visit with them often." I wonder if that ever caught on.
  
  
• You know what they recommended for feminine hygiene? LYSOL. No shit. "Properly diluted." And Lord help you if you didn't properly dilute it, I'm sure.
  

Iowa City Adieu

Back from a short business trip to Iowa. Working nights meant that I had a couple of afternoons to explore. I walked around the University of Iowa campus area Thursday afternoon, visiting Prairie Lights book store (remembered fondly from Laura's tour of Iowa City in 2007) and a Java House. There was also a Java House in the hospital, but I sensed it wouldn't be the same.

My hotel in Coralville surprised me by having a deck and river outside the back doors. It also contained the Iowa Writer's Library. Guests can fill out library cards from the books' front pockets and check them out for the duration of their stay. I loved that, and wished I'd had time to read.

Before hitting the road today, I went to the Iowa Antique Car Museum/Johnson County Historical Society Museum. The Historical Society Museum was pretty bad. The exhibits were set up haphazardly in a huge room, with little thematic connection or continuity. And while I appreciated the schoolchildren's cardboard/construction paper models of historical Iowa buildings, it seemed like they shouldn't really be a prominent part of the Historical Museum's collection. I assume they're not operating with a huge budget, so I hope they get a chance to do more. I love Historical Society museums in general, and I wish it well.

The antique car museum (a room next door) was all I'd hoped for, however. A giant room full of old cars, and plenty of room to walk around and view them up close. Antique cars have some crazy hood ornaments. My favorite was a policeman with spinny arms. I also liked the tires with "non skid" treads, and the fancy front lamps on many cars from the 1910's.

Following a short stop at the world's largest truck stop, I'm back in Wisconsin. I like road trips, even solo. Even for work.

Brew Crew #2

Game number two of the season for me, that is. Thanks to the generosity of a family friend with season tickets, Paul, Rob, Tamala and I had third row seats behind the Brewers dugout. It was a great game, even if Bernie Brewer never got to slide down his slide to celebrate a home run. Go Crew!