As far as I know, we were the very first ones to arrive. There wasn't another collector in sight; all was quiet as a mouse.

We drove up to the Teamster's Hall in Cedar Rapids, IA, "the Cereal Capital of the World", at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, July 14. We found out where to park the trailer, then ate a belated breakfast at the Perkin's Restaurant across the freeway from the show site.

We came back an hour or so later, and lo and behold! Several insulator collectors had arrived, and more in the process of arriving. The gathering of the clan had begun! And, as far as I was concerned, the 13th annual NIA Convention Show and Sale was officially under way.

That afternoon we got a pre-showing of some of the goodies DEE WILLETT (Bakersfield, CA) had brought to the show, including some lucious beehives. Dee's wife, ROSELLA, and her sister, BLANCHE NICKOLS (St. Cloud, FL) were with him. We also talked a while with LEN and JACKIE LINSCOTT (Titusville, FL), MARILYN and JERRY TURNER (Goshen, OH) and their adorable grandson, JERRY TURNER THE THIRD, and FLOYD and RUTH KIDDER (Punta Garda, FL), among others. 

Thursday morning around 9:30 the doors were opened, and as we walked in, the hall looked so empty. It struck me that in just a few hours this same echoing chamber would be ringing with the sounds of insulators being traded and sold, and with the happy voices of our friends, some of whom we only see once a year at the national. Soon came the sounds of tables being set up, collectors asking where their display and sales tables were located, and gradually the room began to grow louder with the hustle and bustle of set-up time. From all corners of the place one could hear the exciting noise of newspapers rustling as hundreds of insulator treasures were unwrapped and either set out an tables or put in displays. What a glorious feeling to know that there were four days ahead of us in an insulator wonderland!

Friday morning dawned bright and clear. Not wanting to miss a single thing, we were almost the first ones inside. And what a day it was! So many goodies in one place. Our table was next to CHARLIE ALLMON (Kansas, MO), and what a delight it was to have a table next to him for the show. Charlie is a real live-wire; he doesn't miss a thing, and is one good horse-trader when it comes to insulators. When we weren't insulting each other, we were out on our separate forays for insulators. But the insults were all in good fun (weren't they, Charlie?) and Friday just seemed to fly by.

Let me try to remember a few other collectors I saw, although my age is showing and the memory is getting faulty (faultier?). First of all, we finally got to meet in person PAT and LARRY WHITLOCK (Marion, IA), the hosts of the show. They're a cute couple, and along with it they are friendly people and very nice. Others I saw: DORA and DON HARNED (Chico, CA and their handsome grandson, GREG CONRAD (Vacaville, CA). And of course the "little dust map an a leash", DEE GEE HARNED. Dora, it was wonderful to see you there, after all the problems you've had. Keep up the good work! We love you. PAUL "Mustaches" HOUPT (Upper Sandusky, OH). Paul, why isn't there a Lower Sandusky if there's an Upper Sandusky? PHOEBE and BOB ADAMS (Miami, FL). Phoebe later kept us on the edge of our chairs at the banquet with her parking lot mugger story. (We're all wondering, Phoebe -- did he accept your check?)

STEVE "Chubby" WATKINS and CHUCK "Raconteur" IRWIN, the Oregon Bandits (Portland, to be exact). RIP "Gum-ball Machine" WEST and his wife, PAT (Kingman, AZ). We got to know you better at this show and we loved every minute of it. From Houston, TX, MARILYN "Prexy" ALBERS and her husband, BILL, and daughter, MARY. Congrats. Marilyn -- you'll be a good one! PAUL ICKES and his wife, CAROL (Council Bluffs, IA). Paul, should we start having seven-day shows to give you enough time to get your display up and then down again? (We kid you, but we think you are the greatest!) And our friends, MARIE and WILLIAM "Beeropener" MUELLER from Buffalo, NY.

Here is a list of some more Californians who represented the Golden State in Cedar Rapids:

GRANT "Lightning Rod Ball* SALZMAN and his wife, DONA (Sacramento); PAT PATOCKA (Penryn), who can't seem to break the habit of answering any phone with "NIA national show", and his wife SHIRLEY, a really hardworking gal; DAVE POTTS (Woodland), whose keen sense of humor kept us laughing; RAY "King of the Tolls" HOWE (Citrus Heights ; TIM and JANE CURTIS and their pretty daughter, TAMI (Shingle Springs); FRANK and THELMA FEHER (West Sacramento), who shared our banquet table Saturday night; and last AND least, MR. and MRS. HYVE (San Diego).

Lest this become a book, I'll mention just a few others and then I must quit. Thank you, GLENN and LAVERNA SIDEBOTTOM (Kinsley, KS) for bringing me such pretty beehives, both at this show and others; that goes for you too, RAY KLINGENSMITH and sister, DEBBIE (East Orwell: OH). Next time you must wear your famous red, white and blue "National" hat, Ray ... it's just you. DENNIS and JEANNE WEBER (St. Joseph, MO), who sold me one of the goodies I picked up at the show -- a straight-sided light green H. G. petticoat beehive; GLENN and SANDRA DRUMMOND (Cincinnati, OH), Glenn, at the next national we can continue with our ongoing discussion of Hemingray history; PAUL ROSENBERGER and his son, PAUL and daughter, PAULA (Elgin, IL). Paul and his son are H. G. beehive collectors, too, Well, I'd better stop here or Dora will be tempted to "blue-pencil" most of this story. I saw many others as this was a big show. But if I failed to mention your name, don't be mad ... it's probably more of an honor to be left out than to be included!

I'll take up where I left off ... I believe by now it is Friday night and time for the NIA meeting. Among the many announcements was the one concerning the location of our next national, and our thanks to DICK and EVELYN BOWMAN (Webster, NY) for hosting the 14th annual show to be held in Rochester, NY, July 8-10. I am already counting the days! (304 to be exact, from the date of this writing).

Now comes Saturday morning ... another day filled with foraging for insulators among tables just groaning from the weight of their treasures. Saturday flew by even faster than Friday, if that is possible. And before we knew it, it was banquet time. Jerry Turner really out-did himself this year with his famous Hemingray 42 awards. Jerry, you are a true artist. Those hours we spend with you are the highlight of the weekend. A great big THANK YOU to you and your wife, Marilyn for the great entertainment you bring us each year. The food was delicious and the awards were hilarious, and like the rest of the weekend, it went all too fast. 

A few hours after the banquet came the worst rain storm that I, as a native Californian, have ever seen. The rain, wind, lightning and thunder was unbelievable. I was petrified. But there were no complaints from me. I was at a NATIONAL!

Sunday was both a happy and a sad day. It was a day of running around for that last big deal ... looking for those last-minute bargains ... saying "goodbye" to friends ... and by early afternoon came the unhappy sound (this time) of newspapers rustling, as insulators were packed up from tables and displays to begin their journey homeward, along with their tired but happy owners. We added our "thanks", along with everyone else's, to Larry and Pat Whitlock for a superb show; a smooth-running show from start to finish. Everything seemed to be just perfect. It just all went too fast. Thanks to both of the Whitlocks for one of the very best nationals ever! 

We went to dinner at Perkin's and came back to the show site around 5:00 PM. Paul Ickes was just finishing up on his packing and soon took off. We spent Sunday night on the grounds in our trailer and left Monday. And as far as I know, we were the very last ones to leave. There wasn't another collector in sight; all was quiet as a mouse.