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Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024
Good morning to you!

Do you take your shoes off when you enter your home? Or do you wear them around the house the same way you do outside?

I used to think the answer to this question mirrored the answer to whether you make your bed every morning or not, wash your car every week or not, or make to-do lists or not. Today, I think the answer to the shoes on or shoes off question has more to do with something else. I will get to that in a moment.

I realize, as most of you do, that our habits are formed by what our parents made us do, or not do, repeatedly. In my childhood home, all shoes were taken off at the door. There were no exceptions. If any of us even attempted to sneak in with shoes on, we would be the ones on our hands and knees washing the kitchen floor for a week. There were rules, and there were consequences — and mom was the judge, jury and executioner.

I simply thought this was the rule in every household. So, when I went to other people’s homes, the first thing I did was take off my shoes. Even if my friends’ mothers or fathers told me not to worry about it, I still did it. I think I worried that Mom might find out, and I didn’t want to wash any more floors.

Jolene’s parents had the same rule and were equally strict about it, so this easily carried over into our home. The irony was, when her parents would visit, they would wear their shoes inside our home — until I pointed out the rules and consequences to them. They didn’t want to wash the kitchen floor, either.

What I have now realized is that the overlooked factor in the answer to the shoes on or shoes off question is age. Shoes are not as easy to take on or off as we get older. That whole balancing on one foot thing is a trick. My dad used to have a small bench by the door so he could sit down and take his shoes off. Now, I get it.

Jolene and I are not as particular about taking our shoes off at our door as our parents were. Our shoes are stored in our bedroom closet, and we put them on there and walk through the house. And, maybe not surprisingly, I have a small chair in the bedroom where I sit to put my shoes on. Admittedly, our bare, aging feet don’t feel so great on hard floors. An effective alternative we have to wearing shoes in the house is to don some cozy slippers, at least in the colder months.

I must admit, though, when I go to other people’s homes, I take my shoes off at the door. Mom might still be watching, and I don’t want to have to wash the kitchen floor.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman                                                                                  President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
www.thedailyumbrella.com

See Shane Goodman's other columns here.

 
 

Clear Mortgage meteorology

Gorgeous weather today through Friday. Slight weekend rain chances but better chances in southeast Iowa.

For help with pre-approvals or refinancing, get in touch with Originating Branch Manager Carrie Hansen at carrie.mortgage.

 
Featured in this month's CITYVIEW magazine
 

CARS IN THE CITY
GMC Sierra Denali is truly special

By Jackie Wilson

When thinking of a luxury vehicle, a pickup truck might not come to mind. Years ago, trucks were considered workhorses, usually for hauling debris, construction and farm materials; bouncing through muddy fields and ditches; and pulling trailers, all while squeezing three or more passengers in one cramped bench seat.

No longer are pickup trucks just for moving stuff. Today’s pickup trucks offer luxury features similar to the top SUVs and sedans. The third best-selling luxury pickup truck model is a GMC Sierra Denali. The 2024 Ultimate model with a few extras test driven costs about $101,000.

 
READ MORE
 
 
The 2024 results ...
CITYVIEW's Best Of Des Moines®
 
Best Local Spot to Pop the Question
1. AJ’s on East Court
2. Pappajohn Sculpture Park
3. Iowa State Capitol
 

Read all the 2024 results.

Cast your votes in the 2025 Best Of Des Moines Poll now! Open until Nov. 22. Results to be published in the February 2025 issue of CITYVIEW.

 
Featured home for sale
 
Attention, Realtors, post your listings here for $50. Contact jolene@iowalivingmagazines.com for details.

$749,900                                                           1002 N.W. Hugg Drive, Polk City, IA 50226

Don't let "cottage" fool you, this home has it all. Modern touches, lots of space inside and out, with all the character of an English cottage. You'll feel like you're on vacation all year round in this beautiful home with its beautiful views. Head out your backdoor for a round of golf or over to any of the surrounding nature areas for a hike.

See the listing here.

 
See More Homes For Sale
 
SOLD: Featured commercial real estate transaction
 

300 WALNUT ST., UNIT 5, DES MOINES
SALE DATE: 2024-06-18
SALE PRICE: $475,000
SELLER: CONNIE WIMER REVOCABLE TRUST
BUYER: PLAZA FIVE LLC
ACRES: 0.031
SQUARE FEET: 6,600

 

Woebegone Wednesday 
Down but not out. Thirteen once-popular chain restaurants are now making comebacks from bankruptcy. They are: Red Lobster, Quiznos, Krystal, Garbanzo, Soup Plantation, Sbarro, Cici’s, Boston Market, California Pizza Kitchen, Joe’s Crab Shack, Friendly’s, Ruby Tuesday and Fuddruckers.

When "wings" are not wings. Cheapism released its “Eight Worst Fried Chicken Chains” list. KFC won/lost, cited for the terrible decision to replace potato wedges with bad fries. Buffalo Wild Wings, Raising Cain’s, Church’s, Chik-fil-A, Bojangles, Zaxby’s and Wing Stop followed, in that order. One recurring theme on why these are the worst rendered down to, "If their boneless wings are better than their real ones, then you are really just buying nuggets that are overpriced."    

Wednesday deals
• Wednesday at Guesthouse Tavern and Oyster (9500 University Ave., West Des Moines) features fried walleye, fries and mignonette for $19.99. 

• Kwik Stars offer their excellent fried chicken on Wednesdays for $9.99 for 10 bone-in pieces.Many others have copied the price but not the excellence of the chicken. 

• Basic Bird (2607 Beaver Ave., Des Moines) has $1 wings on Wednesdays. 

• Wendy's offers free nuggets (six) with a purchase on Wednesdays. 

• Wednesday is Chicago Italian roast beef sandwich day at Graziano Brothers (1601 S. Union St., Des Moines) $10.

• Marianna's (1305 University Ave., Des Moines) has Taco Wednesday and Thursday because they are closed on Tuesday.

• Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) offers steak and lobster tail with a side for $25 on Wednesday.

• Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ (403 Iowa Ave., Luther) serves fabulous brisket burnt ends as a Wednesday special.

• Wednesdays bring live jazz and discounted food and drink to Panka Peruvian Restaurant (2708 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines).

• Specialty pizza are discounted $3-5 on Wednesdays at Scornovacca's.

• Price Chopper delis have $6 meat loaf dinners today with two sides and a dinner roll.  

• Opa! (2800 University Ave., West Des Moines) has all night happy hour and $14.99 any steak on the menu on Wednesdays.
 
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com

 
Featured in the current issue of West Des Moines/Jordan Creek Living magazine
 

Meet Katie Hoover
Honored with Education of Character Award

By Jackie Wilson

Katie Hoover, a West Des Moines teacher, was recently honored with an Education of Character Award for 2024. The Robert D and Billie Ray Center established Character Counts as a way to practice good character skills and promote a positive culture.

Hoover, who is a “fierce advocate for special needs students,” was one of 12 Character Award winners and was nominated by families and educators.

Hoover has been a “lifer’” in the West Des Moines Community School District since she first attended kindergarten. Her mother and grandmother both taught school.

 
READ MORE
 
News headlines

FROM KCCI: Gov. Kim Reynolds' approval rating drops to lowest point, according to new poll. DES MOINES, Iowa — A new poll shows Gov. Kim Reynolds' job approval rating is the lowest it has been since she first took office in May of 2017. The latest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll reveals half of Iowans disapprove of the job she's doing as governor. ...READ MORE

FROM WHO-TV: Capitol rioter from Iowa mistakenly released from prison after appeals court ruling, prosecutors say. The federal Bureau of Prisons mistakenly released an Iowa man from custody before he finished serving his 30-month sentence for storming the Senate chamber during a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, Justice Department prosecutors said in a court filing this week.  ... READ MORE

FROM WOI-DT Local 5: Polk County Sheriff's Office identifies 3 people who died in Sunday crash. Authorities believe a 16-year-old driver was going north when he failed to stop at a stop sign, crashing into a car driving east.    ....READ MORE

 
Sports headlines
ESPN: Brett Favre among sports figures with Parkinson's disease ...READ MORE 
 
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: Jonathan India Voices Frustration With Reds' Lack of Improvement  ... READ MORE
 
CBS Sports: Seahawks host Jason Peters on visit, per report: OT would pass Aaron Rodgers as NFL's oldest player if signed  ...READ MORE
 
1957: Little Rock Nine begin first full day of classes. Under escort from the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, nine Black students enter all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas on September 25, 1957. Three weeks earlier, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus had surrounded the school with National Guard troops to prevent its federal court-ordered racial integration. After a tense standoff, President Dwight D. Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and sent 1,000 army paratroopers to Little Rock to enforce the court order.  ... READ MORE
 
1789: Bill of Rights passes Congress. The first Congress of the United States approves 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, and sends them to the states for ratification. The amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were designed to protect the basic rights of U.S. citizens, guaranteeing the freedom of speech, press, assembly, and exercise of religion; the right to fair legal procedure and to bear arms; and that powers not delegated to the federal government were reserved for the states and the people. .... READ MORE
 
1970: “The Partridge Family” premieres on ABC. On September 25, 1970, in the 8:30 p.m. time slot immediately following "The Brady Bunch," ABC premiered a program that would give television production company Screen Gems its second TV-to-pop-chart smash: "The Partridge Family." Unwilling to rest as a one-hit wonder when its first big hit, "The Monkees," went off the air in 1968, Screen Gems was wasting no time in trying to repeat its success.  ... READ MORE
 
 
Birthdays and notables
 

These celebrities were born on this date: Will Smith, Leah Jeffries, Donald Glover, Chauncey Billups, T.I., Bella Ramsey, Rosalía, Teddy Swims, Emily Roman, Mark Hamill, Antonia Gentry, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Scottie Pippen, Michael Douglas,

SUBMIT: Send your birthday greetings and congratulatory notes to: tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

 
Morning chuckle

The answer to yesterday's riddle:

Why do cows have hooves and not feet? BECAUSE THEY LACTOSE (LACK TOES)! - Mary Fowler, Aaron Burns, Rex Post, Gail Tomlinson.

Today's riddle:

Why do bakers share their recipes with some bakers but not others?

Have a guess? Email tammy@iowalivingmagazines.com

 

To advertise in the Daily Umbrella or Johnston Living magazines, contact:

Andrea Hodapp
Account Executive
Office: 515-953-4822 ext. 322
Mobile: 515-883-0523
andrea@iowalivingmagazines.com

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