Junking On Spring Break...In Hastings, Nebraska?

My husband has spring break this week.  He asked where I would like to go, and without hesitation I said: Hastings, Nebraska.  No question.  I lived the first few years of my life there and then we moved.  Almost once a week I have a dream about Hastings, but didn't know how much was rooted in reality.  I felt like it would resolve a lot of things in my subconscious if I could just go there and check it out. 

So, we arrived this morning to our spring break destination of Hastings, Nebraska -- population 25,000.  Toured the museum first, where we also got some information on the area: The Naval Ammunitions Depot, located in Hastings, was the largest WWII Naval Munitions Plant from 1942-1946.  The facility produced over 40% of the Navy's Munitions during the war.   So we did a driving tour of the vast munitions -- SO interesting.  Historians would love it.

We vowed to eat the Nebraska trifecta: Runza and Amigo's today, and Valentino's tomorrow.  Heaven.

Then there is the junking adventure -- we went to an afternoon farm auction (yes, on a Tuesday).  We almost filled the van.  (Tomorrow is another area auction, so we can fill in all the holes and crevices.)

One of the things we purchased today was a cool windmill rudder.  My new friend Ed came over and asked if I were interested in more rudders...YEESSS.  So, after the auction we went over to his house to do a little "shopping".

Ed has worked his whole life repairing and servicing windmills.  He knows everything there is to know about windmills.  Purchased four more windmill rudders from him -- tied them on the top of the van.  Yeehaw.  Looking forward to tomorrow.