Sunday, November 27, 2005
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Beoples cartoon © Virginia McCorkell
Winter Is Coming
Updates -
UPDATE -- Thanksgiving and Surprise
by Elaine Anderson Wold
Wahpeton, ND
Elaine's family Thanksgiving was observed at her daughter Muriel's house, with DeLoris Anderson being their guest.
After the very tasty meal of turkey and all the trimmings, all went into the living room, where we surprised DeLoris by giving her some birthday gifts. The last gift presented to her was a book made by Elaine, with the scrapbooking help of Muriel and Melinda, who decorated the photo pages.
The book is called "Treasured Moments ... Memories of a Lifetime." It contains photos and memories which depict the story of her life from birth till the present time. It was a complete surprise, as we had to do it without her seeing it.
As this writing takes place, she is not yet aware that a mailbox surprise is going on, too. We contacted friends and relatives to have a "Stuff her Mailbox" with a note of birthday wishes, so today, I am sure she will find out what's going on with that surprise, also.
In behalf of DeLoris, I want to thank all who had a part in making this a special day for her 75th birthday. Often the single persons are not included in some things, so this was a very special event in her life.
As she looked through the book, she remarked numerous times on her thankfulness! Living a simple life, she's satisfied with all the good things she had in her life time to be thankful for. One page shows "Simple Things" ... hopscotch, Monopoly, button on a string, jacks and ball, kickball, jumping rope, snowmen -- all the fun a child had that didn't cost money during those Depression Years.
Another page shows her family, friends, special occasions, co-workers, and how happy she was in each stage of her life. It was not only a birthday to remember but a thankfulness of living a happy and contented life.
Photo © Muriel Rodriguez
Elaine Wold, left, and DeLoris Anderson check out scrapbook.
Glen Lee is Shane Swenson's new father-in-law. (See Bulletin 175.) Too late to use this recipe for Thanksgiving, but Christmas and New Year's Day are right around the corner, if you want to try it for holiday festivities soon.
UPDATE -- Thanksgiving feast
by Glen Lee
Santa Barbara, CA
We had our Thanksgiving feast this afternoon because we will be in Mexico that weekend, eating our fill of lobsters. So, at Shane's request, we dined at 2 p.m. with a brined turkey (this is a guarantee of a moist and flavorful turkey) that had stuffing (not dressing, per Shane's request), Portuguese sweetbread rolls (à la Shane), scratch pumpkin pies (no bakery-bought for that boy) and everything else.
Probably the only difference from anybody else's banquet was the gravy. I made it with sautéed button and porcini mushroom slices and flamed it with cognac. Our youngest son, David, did not want the aerosol whipped cream, so I made him go to the store and buy heavy cream and whipped it the way Mitzi did for breakfast. Our other son, Jeff, is down this weekend from college with his girlfriend, and we are having Dutch babies for breakfast like we had at the Swensons'.
I was going to make a kicked up "turducken" (turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken) and I would stuff it with a pheasant from Dickinson. BUT Shane wanted a traditional one with gravy, etc. I am easy, and I accommodate everybody.
To answer your question about my second most favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, stuffing is dressing that is simply stuffed in the bird, while dressing is the same thing cooked outside. I normally don't do [stuffing] because it would extend the cooking time of the turkey, BUT Shane wanted it this year, and I yielded, and the bird was fine.
One of the great tricks for an absolutely moist turkey was tested by Cooks magazine a few years ago. They tested 35 turkeys with various methods and decided that brining AND not overcooking guarantees a moist and tender and juicy bird. Here is the method that I used:
The night before the meal, I remove the bird and giblets and neck from the bag and thoroughly wash it and place it in a narrow ice chest and lined it with a leak-proof plastic trash can liner. I place the turkey in the bag with a solution of the following: for each gallon of cold water, one cup kosher salt, half cup brown sugar, half teaspoon black peppercorns, and 2 or 3 bay leaves. About a gallon and a half usually covers the bird. I keep it in the cool garage overnight.
The next day, take it out of the bag AND thoroughly rinse it several times to get rid of the salt. I dry it with paper towels and rub it with salad oil (I use olive oil) instead of butter, because the solids in the butter would burn on the skin and make that pretty, aromatic, and brown bird be speckled with ugly black spots. There is no taste difference between using oil or butter.
The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, advocates using a digital thermometer and removing the turkey from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees -- because there is about 10 or 12 degrees carryover temperature that would bring the bird to the fully cooked maximum. The bottom line is: don't overcook the poor thing.
I like an oyster stuffing, but I was outvoted this year and made a traditional bread stuffing with country pork sausage. Major yum.
I also made homemade cranberry sauce without oranges in it, because the pith made it very bitter last year.
I made two pumpkin pies using Libby canned pumpkin, but I did not like my Crisco crust this year. Please send me your crust recipe using vinegar. I might make an apple pie for Shane when he gets back from camping in the Sierra Mountains this Sunday.
To make turkey gravy more flavorful, I added crimini mushrooms that were first sautéed with shallots and flambéed with cognac. I added an equal volume of dried Italian porcini mushrooms to boost the taste.
Mashed potatoes were nothing special except for the fact that I added 10 garlic cloves to the water as they cooked and mashed them with the cream.
I hope that the readers of The Bulletin do not get bored with my lengthy dissertation about food and its preparation, and I bet some are wondering, "who is this new relative?"
I am trying to remember to get a copy of an article about me in an old issue of Bon Appétit magazine. I will try to get a copy next week and send you a recipe for a corn-clam chowder that would be great for these cool fall evenings. Actually, it was sunny and in the low 70's today, but it was raining earlier in the week.
Glen
Dock on Lobster Lake lot, left; Camper-trailer, right.
UPDATE -- Real Estate News
by Lori Chap & Shawn Ostendorf
As Weston mentioned last week, we closed on some lake property Monday, November 14th. Our almost an acre lake lot is on Lobster Lake just outside Alexandria (5 miles past the exit that gets you to my grandparents' house! -- click here to see a map).
I am sending a few pictures of the lot, which includes a camper trailer (where we hope to build in the future), a 1986 pontoon, and also a shed, riding lawnmower with trailer, and some miscellaneous items for the yard and inside the camper trailer. A couple of the pictures were featured in the real estate ad and some were taken by my mom in the fall. (You will see Caity and Jayce in one of the photos.)
We cannot wait to have visitors next summer! Bring your swimsuit, lawn chair, life vest and paddle (for the pontoon!), tent and sleeping bag ... or maybe you'll be lucky enough to land a spot in the camper trailer! The only bummer now is the wait until spring!
Pontoon boat, left; lakeshore and camping trailer, right.
Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN
A Little Getaway
Beaver had an American Legion function to attend in Rochester, and I got the "invite" to go along with him. Just as I had done when going to North Dakota, I had the luxury of putting the middle seat in front of me down, feet up on an ottoman and totally enjoying myself in the rear seat of our van. Nice! The two men that rode along visited with Beaver (and me, if I chose to :-). I read and just totally relaxed. It was grand.
Thursday night we met the other Ashby members and some from Battle Lake to try out a restaurant someone had recommended: Michael's. It's supposedly the oldest, or among the oldest, in Rochester, but we didn't check out the accuracy of that claim. All I know is the steak and twice baked potatoes I chose were absolutely excellent!
Friday, Beaver headed off to the Convention Center and I started my explorations throughout the mazes that they call the "Subway" in Rochester. No trains, but plenty of hallways with fun little shops strewn all over the place. My favorite finds were Barnes & Noble, Games by James and a few other little shops that are not chains. I browsed and did find a few items. Just enjoyed having some time to wander around, with nary a child "Grandma-ing" me. (Not that that's a bad thing ... just nice to have the occasional break.)
Friday evening was a banquet that I attended with the rest. The food was quite good, served rapidly, considering there were so many people to feed. Afterwards a group called "Memories" sang songs and did more songs after they came back out as "Ole & Elmer" (as in Fudd), with lots of funny ditties to keep us laughing.
We had breakfast in the hotel the next morning and headed toward home around noon. One last stop, to top off our little getaway, was at Clearwater, which is a fancy truckstop with great food, for another meal. They've redecorated with an outdoorsy theme, big logs and greens right above our heads. Hmmm, wonder how they keep that dusted. :-)
I've included a picture of the baby grand player piano on the second level above the lobby. The other shot is an attempt to show how fun the Barnes & Noble book shop was -- such an interesting ceiling and decorations.
Player piano, left; Barnes & Noble, right.
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Who Is This?
Let's Play a Guessing Game: Whenever it is handy to do so we will run a picture of someone of the subscribers or staff members of our e-magazine. Tell us who you think it is -- we will let you know who was the first to guess it right -- and the correct guess -- in the following week's Bulletin.
(Send us some to run; we will line them up in our staging area to take their turn.)
How many can you identify?
Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):
I have never seen that picture before, but I certainly remember everyone in it: Melanie, Lisa, Marlene, Stacy, Melinda, Patty.
But where's Doug????? This group of cousins always came in threes :o) I'm going to save that picture anyway, I LOVE IT!!!
The rest of the newsletter was great, too! Nice to see/hear from some family members I haven't seen or heard from before.
Melanie Lehtola
Howard Lake, MN
Editor's comment: You haven't seen it before as it was Elaine Anderson Wold's contribution -- she took it while on a visit. I wonder if Doug just didn't put his foot down about being in it.
That's a great photo of the Bee's Knees ... Melanie, Lisa, Marlene, Stacy, Melinda and Patty would be my guess.
Betty, I was guessing that picture [from Frans] was some of the Millers, too, but I couldn't figure out how that little guy on the left [Frans] fit in!
Ginny McCorkell
Blaine, MN
Regarding the "Who is this?" picture. Of course that's a picture of the "little cousins" plus one and missing one. Melanie, Lisa, Marlene, Stacey, Melinda and Patty. Doug's missing from this picture for some reason. Somebody more than likely wanted a picture of just the girls. Poor kid. It sure was fun to see that picture. I'm wondering who sent it.
Thanks for another great Bulletin.
Marlene Anderson Johnson
Long Lake, MN
See what cute three little cousins, plus two cute sisters Dougie had to play with. Whose names were, Melanie, Lisa, Marlene, Stacy, (not sure which girl this one is), and Patty. Doug was always with these girls, so wonder where he is hiding? Underneath to tip them all out???
Gert Dake Pettit
Howard Lake, MN
LTD Storybrooke 
by Larry Dake
"P-l-e-ase l-et u-u-s kno-w if t-h-ere's an-ything w-e-e ca-n do f-or yo-u."
When Jerry, my boss, talked on the two-way radio, he was usually in his pickup, traveling at high speeds over very rough and bumpy roads. It caused his voice to shake and tremble like an aspen leaf.
"Okay ... Thank you," I said over the microphone attached to the big, two-way radio transmitter that sat on our kitchen counter.
"Th-hank yo-ou," he parroted.
I slipped the microphone back into its slot. From early morning to late evening, the radio crackled with conversations between the manager, Jerry; the manager's wife, Maxine; the manager's son, Skip; and all the employees. Most of the radio conversations included the word "Please" at least once, and nearly all ended with everyone saying "Thank you!" several times. As often as not, the "Thank You" was replaced with a hearty "Mucho Gracias!"
A number of the 17 families represented on the ranch were either Mexican or recently naturalized Mexican Americans. The conversations of those learning English were frequently punctuated by the expression "No problem! No Problem!"
We were given several days to get settled into our new living arrangements. During that time we made the 40-mile trip to ranch headquarters one evening. They gave us an abundant supply of frozen lamb, beef, pork and smoked salmon.
Before we left, they took us out to a kennel to see a batch of puppies that were ready to go. They were half Border Collie and half Kelpie. The sire was Skip's dog, a well-bred Border Collie. Typical of the breed, he was fidgeting and nervous unless he was working. When he wasn't working, he usually looked like he had a headache. The bitch was Jerry's best dog, a reddish brown, short haired Kelpie. Skip's dog was used primarily for sheep. Jerry's was more accustomed to cattle.
The pups were a good-looking bunch, having a certain heartiness reserved for mixed breed dogs.
Their tails, having been recently docked by a veterinarian, were short, waggling, white bandages. Jerry explained that most of the dogs on the ranch rode around in pickup trucks and that docking their tails helped keep the cabs clean. In addition, it enabled the dogs to be better fence jumpers -- not having to worry about getting tangled in barbed wire.
To my great pleasure, I was offered the pick of the pack. My own sheep herding dog! There were a number of the young dogs to choose from, but three stood out. One was all black, and all business, a serious looking dog. The middle dog was a chipper, friendly, happy-go-lucky dog. He was mostly black with a white blaze on his nose, a white chest, white feet, and a white checkmark on his left shoulder. The third pup was a sassy, intelligent, high spirited, black-and-white female.
I asked for advice in choosing a good sheep dog. Jerry said the old timers often said that the best dogs were usually the ones, the roofs of whose mouths were black.
Skip chided him, "That's just an old wives' tale."
"Oh, I think there is something to it," Jerry retorted.
We checked the roofs of the mouths of the pups, and the friendly one with the white checkmark on his shoulder had the blackest mouth. He was the one I was liking the best anyway -- and he seemed, also, to have chosen me. So, he was the young dog we brought home that evening.
Beginning the following morning, he became my constant work companion and best friend. He was a personable dog, expending huge amounts of energy on "fun." It soon became evident that I'd been blessed with an exceptional animal. Whether he could learn to herd sheep, or not, remained to be seen.
After the unique marking on his shoulder, I named my new friend "Checker!"
Photo © Larry T. Dake
Checker
Travelogue t
Kjirsten found a cheap ticket to Mexico City from Houston over Thanksgiving break and here's her letter. When Tyler and Derek heard Kjirsten was in Mexico City they really hoped she would bring them a variety of hot sauces. Apparently they've used up the best of what I brought from my last Mexico trip a few years ago.
Mitzi Swenson
Dickinson, ND
Belated Thanksgiving in Mexico City
by Kjirsten Swenson
Houston, TX
Happy thanksgiving! I know it was yesterday, but since I shall dine on turkey today, I'm celebrating a day late.
This city has redefined my notions of massive and polluted cities. Houston's concrete sprawl packed with four million people breathing refinery waste seems positively benign compared to this place. As the plane approached the city, the sight of millions of lights was astounding. Suspended above the city was an eerie mass of glowing, semi-solid air. Apparently the pollution has decreased significantly in recent years. I can't imagine what it must have been like before.
I spent most of Wednesday exploring the historical center. The main plaza is supposedly the largest in Latin America, but I found it most disappointing. It's just a souless, concrete square, lacking usual plaza pleasantries such as fountains, benches, or trees. But the beautiful colonial buildings surrounding it compensated. Diego Rivera's murals in the Palacio Nacional were an incredible sight and a highlight of my trip, so far.
It was also interesting to visit the excavated site of El Templo Mayor, an Aztec temple that would have been a center of religious and ceremonial life before the Spanish razed Tenochtitlán. My day ended at Café Tacuba ... scrumptious enchiladas verdes were even better accompanied by a mariachi band.
Yesterday I devoted most of the day to visiting the Museo de Antropóloga. It's one of the most important anthropology museums in the world and one of the major reasons I wanted to visit the city. It didn't disappoint! After several hours, I was exhausted and still hadn't seen everything, but decided to call it a day. Learning about Mexico's diverse cultures makes me anxious to explore other regions of the country!
Today I visited Teotihuacán, the ruins of an ancient Aztec city, home to perhaps 80,000 people at its height. The highlights of the site are the pyramids of the sun and the moon. The pyramid of the sun is the third highest in the world, after one of Egypt's pyramids and another Mexican pyramid.
The views of the ruins from the top were magnificent! Once I was tired of climbing pyramids and admiring pre-hispanic murals, I bused back to the big city. I discovered a lovely market where a couple of vendors sell fruit I used to eat in South America, but can find only at Whole Foods in the States, where it's sold at exorbitant prices.
I feel quite at home here. Though thousands of miles separate Mexico from the countries I explored in South America, the city shares a certain Latin American essence ... chaotic streets, colorful markets, sizzling street food, music everywhere, Spanish sounds ... of course it's distinctly Mexican, but it still feels very familiar.
I will watch for hot sauce for Tyler and Derek. Do you know if they like a certain type of chile? My guidebook describes a restaurant where the specialty is turkey. So I'm off to find me some turkey tacos! I'm looking forward to visiting a pair of neighborhoods, home to the artists and intellectuals, tomorrow. I'll see an artisan market, check out a couple of museums, and spend the rest of the day in cafés ... studying, I'm afraid. Hasta luego!
Kjirsten
Photos © Jerrianne Lowther; Stanley's parka & mukluks by Sharon Paul Nault
Flat Stanley gets snowed in, in Anchorage, Alaska.
Flat Stanley Visits Alaska
By Stanley Lambchop
www.flatstanley.thebulletin.ws
I'm snowed in, in Anchorage, Alaska! I think Nick called the other night but I missed the call because I was outdoors helping shovel snow!
I had a fine Thanksgiving feast and the snow did not spoil it. There were lots of children who used to live in California and were experiencing their first big Alaska snowfall. We played outdoors and slid down a big snow covered hill on sleds. I wore my parka and mukluks. Too bad it was too dark for good pictures.
Flat Stanley
Click here to see my picture story on Climbing Mt. McKinley!
Photo © Sharon Paul Nault
Flat Stanley on top of Mt. McKinley by moonlight.
Observations
By Don Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Old Age
Old age doesn't sneak up on you, like they say -- it gallops up. And old age, let me tell you, is not the time of the "Golden Years" -- it's more like the "Moldin' Years."
I'm not that old, really. Not compared to those who are in their 80's and 90's.
The trouble with old age is that it comes too quickly and before you know it you're using a senior-citizen discount card. It's as if you wake up one morning and you are suddenly old. Your knees turn baggy , and your hair begins to disappear. There are sudden aches and pains. There's a slouch. Your clothes don't fit quite fit and you have to wear your trousers higher to keep them on. You don't move as fast anymore. Everything takes a lot longer to accomplish.
I put our furniture on higher legs to be able to get up easier. (I think furniture sags as it gets older, too.)
Each time you forget where you put something, you panic with the dread thought, "Sure enough, here it comes -- Alzheimer's!"
A while back I parked my car at our little mall here in Alexandria. When I came to go home, I forgot where I left it. After looking a while I thought of using the gizmo on my keychain where you press a button and your horn will honk and the lights will blink. Sure enough, I made a big commotion, but I located it! I can imagine the people looking on saying, "Another old geezer!"
And you're not good-looking anymore -- that is, if you ever were, in which case you are even homelier than you were once upon a time. I say, "Get rid of the mirrors!"
Daily, you suffer forgetfulness; for instance, someone will say something like, "There was someone here a while ago looking for you."
"Who was it?" you'll say.
"I don't know. He was old."
"How old?"
"Like, 60, maybe."
Here's another example: You go buy, say, a case of pop at Wal-Mart; as you reach for the carton, a clerk, certain you can't lift it, rushes to grab it from you.
"You are very kind, young fellow," you tell him, "but I can handle it myself, thank you! I did this long before you were born!"
Being in my late 70's, as I am, may not be old, but it's next-door to it, especially as the years fly by so quickly. It's like a fast moving Alberta Clipper!
Now don't take me wrong, I am very thankful for the years, health, and family, and hope to be around a few years yet.
My mother (deceased) used to tell a joke; it went something like this:
The awkward stage of middle life is too young for Medicare and too old for men to care...
At least we have reached the age of Medicare!
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
This Week's Birthdays:
November 30---Aaron Stahlecker
December 3---Twila Jo Anderson Aydelotte
Happy Birthday!
This Week's Anniversaries
November 29---Kurtis and Jeni Larson (1 year)
Congratulations!
More December Birthdays:
December 4---Carol Dake Printz
December 4---Elaine Anderson Wold
December 7---Aunika Swenson
December 11---Wyatt Wm. Meyer (6 years)
December 11---Ryan Henderson
December 12---Sarah Lynn Dake Steinhauer
December 13---Larry Dake
December 13---Derek Swenson
December 14---Kathleen Dake Stahlecker
December 17---Char Morgan Myron
December 17---Austin Printz
December 19---Barb Anderson
December 19---Lisa Boltz
December 20---Jay Pierre Miller
December 21---Melanie Anderson Shockey
December 21---Jonathan Glen Hill (1 year)
December 24---Ken Hellevang
December 24---Arbor Johnson (12 years)
December 24---Beaver Johnson
December 25---Angela Stahlecker Roberson
December 26---Koen deBeen
December 29---Mitzi Johnson Swenson
December 30---Travis Quick
More December Anniversaries
December 20---Eric and Melanie Anderson Shockey (3 years)
December 23---Harold and Carol Dake Printz (38 years)
December 27---Earl and Kathleen Dake Stahlecker (31 years)
Z
December Special Days
December 25---Christmas
Miss Hetty's Mailbox:
Miss Hetty,
Thank you for the beautiful e-card. I love Marjolein Bastin. I have her products in my kitchen decor. It will be Mom, Mindy, Dodo and Meryl here tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!
Muriel Rodriguez
Wahpeton, ND
Dear Miss Hetty and Aunt Dorothy,
Thank you for the birthday card! I wonder how you knew that kitties are one of my three favorite animals? I watched that kitty and clapped every time I saw it -- thank you!
I am one!!! I had lots of fun celebrating my first birthday. Last weekend Grandpa and Grandma (Mommy's parents) came out and spent the day here and we opened presents and had pink cupcakes. I loved smearing the frosting all over my face and hands and then licked my hands clean! Wade and Callie were big helpers when it came to unwrapping my presents and playing with them.
On Thanksgiving day, Poppy and Nanny (Daddy's parents) and Uncle Cody came up to Grandma and Grandpa's house, so we got to spend all day together -- and open a few more presents. It was a present in itself to get to be with both sets of grandparents. I got lots of cuddling and playing in with them!! :)
Amy Printz
Edgemont, SD
Amy Printz with birthday cake and all four grandparents.
Harold & Carol Printz, left; Donna & Dave Wisseman, right.
Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes! We're having quite a gathering at our house: Dad, Donna, Caity, Jayce and all the kids (and some of the boyfriends and girlfriends), my mom and step-dad, Jolene's mom and dad, two of her brothers, and her sister-in-law and two kids. In all, at last count I had 17 adults, six kids, and six dogs. It'll be a full house, but it should be fun!
Hope you have a great Thanksgiving, too!
Wyatt, Jolene, Rylie, and Brooklynn Johnson
Moorhead, MN
Thanks for the card! Wouldn't it be nice if it were that easy to make a pie? As if I would know!
We're off to Wyatt's house in a couple of hours, plan to stay overnight. We will bring all the grandkids home with us Friday night. Saturday, the boys are helping me vaccinate cattle.
I need to get outside and feed cattle, but it's cold out there. I'm sitting in my office with a cup of coffee. Midnight is curled up next to the keyboard, purring loudly, and making contented little mewings when I reach over to scratch his belly. S'pose I'll be unpopular if I don't get done with chores so everybody has to wait for me...
Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Beaver Johnson
Ashby, MN
Jeff and Ev, Chris and Cara are here. We've feasted. Tomorrow they're taking Grandma and Grandpa to Minot to see everyone there. Aunika plays her first game in Fargo and Tyler plays Wahpeton here in the evening. We bought a new ping pong table. :)
Hope all is well.
Mitzi Swenson
Dickinson, ND
Kathlyn and Argyle Anderson had 10 places set at their Thanksgiving table. Twila Jo and the six Aydelotte grandchildren brought mashed potatoes, fresh baked rolls and apple pie. Kathy and I had made the dressing at my house the night before and Kathy stuffed it into the turkey in time for a mid-afternoon dinner. I brought a traditional family salad of apples, celery and walnuts dressed with whipped cream and a couple of bottles of sparkling grape and apple juice. Kathy and Argyle supplied the turkey and trimmings, cranberry sauce, candied yams with marshmallow topping and pumpkin pies with whipped cream.
After dinner, the children got their snowsuits on and headed for the park next door for sledding and other kinds of winter fun in about a foot of fresh snow. Quite a change for kids who lived in California before moving to Anchorage last spring, after the snow season was done! The kids' dad, Jeff Aydelotte, called from a family Thanksgiving gathering in Idaho as the now rosy cheeked children trooped back into the house for pumpkin pie and to play a kids' card game called "There's A Moose In The House."
Jerrianne Lowther
Anchorage, AK
Get your pencils sharpened!
On Sunday evening, November 20th, you are expected to be in class, on time and ready for a School Birthday for Shalana.
If you are unable to be in attendance, we will need a signed note from your mother.
School Administrators
Richard S. Weiland Chief Superintendent
Verlaine V. Weiland Cook
Grandparents Rich & Verlaine Weiland, left; Shalana Weiland, right.
We were excited to be invited to Shalana's 9th birthday party. (Steve and Marci Weiland's Shalana Kay.) Grandma and Grandpa Weiland were going to have it at their house. Each year her birthday is in a theme at Grandma's house. Shalana would love to be a teacher, so she requested that this birthday be in a "school" theme. We were invited to be there Sunday evening, and as we walked into the house, we were totally spellbound.
The whole living room was rearranged and mostly emptied out, so that it became an old time schoolroom. Rich had borrowed six real desks, and they had it set up just like school, in rows. We had a name tag on our desk, a ruler, a tablet and a new pencil.
Then, when school was called to order by a genuine teacher's bell, we all stood and recited the "Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag" with our hands over our hearts, all looking very solemnly at the huge flag attached to the pole lamp in front. Verlaine had some of her own schoolbooks, and even of her dad's, and the desk had been in the family for years. You will see in the picture the desk has the books and the lamp (lit), and a big, shiny apple. Also a ruler, of course. Beside it was a huge dictionary, open on a high stand.
All the pictures were off the cabinet, being replaced by Shalana's at different ages. A giant world map was on the wall. A B C's were pinned on the draperies. Everywhere you looked, it was perfection to be an old schoolroom. Shalana has a beloved American Girl doll, Abbey, which had a desk just her size beside Shalana's.
Then, of course, there was the mischief of two students, Steve and Marci, passing notes in class. On the slide show is a slide of the notes. What fun! Then it was lunch time. Pizza delivered, and cute, clear plastic glasses of veggies with the dip in the bottom sitting on each desk. Her mother had brought cupcakes, of course, so you will see the cupcakes and we each got to choose one.
Then, after lunch, it was birthday gift time. Shalana had a desk for herself to sit on in the front to open her gifts, so we could all see. She is so sweet and appreciative. We just wish we could have showered her with many things, but we knew better than to get carried away. She will have another party for the family on Marci's side this evening, so she will have more gifts than she can count, likely. Then picture time. All this time, Marci and Steve were taking digitals and movies and Rich had a sound digital going.
So, he produced this precious slide show, and in the morning it was tucked into our paper box as he went by to work. I have really enjoyed it, and finally, with the photo editor's tutoring, I was able to make a copy, but it was too big to send via e-mail.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
Miss Hetty Says
The search spider has made its rounds again and all issues are now searchable once more.
Keep Us Posted!
Please drop Miss Hetty a line and tell us who, and what, we've missed. And how about a report (photos welcome) of YOUR special celebration?
Everyone!
Miss Hetty
+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click here to review last week's Bulletin
What a clever idea, Jerrianne! It never would have occurred to me to put a link to The Bulletin that actually had the picture of the red hat! What a fun surprise. I had just used the first photo I came to in my files when I chose the red hat picture.
Weston must have inherited his dad's knack for writing a good story ... Congratulations on the smooth transition!
I took a look at www.countrycabincandleco.com They sure sound and look great! How clever to put candles in a muffin tin!
Flat Stanley really is an interesting project ... if you haven't checked into it yet, it is time you do!
Ginny McCorkell
Blaine, MN
Hello, sure do enjoy your Bulletin; thanks for sending it. I will try and write a short piece and send to you about how I got started with the baking here, in the mall.
It was fun to see some old pictures, and to hear from all the different ones in different places ... as to what is going on in each one's life. I do know some of them, though of course, not everybody.
Take care; I need to call the mall and see what is on the agenda for tomorrow.
Anita Weiland
Yankton, SD
I can't sleep so thought I'd come up and read my newest Bulletin and check my e-mail. It looks super! I had to laugh at Weston's story ... have to get back to reading the rest. Just saw the recipe from Glen Lee and thought I'd send it before I forgot.
Donna Johnson
Ashby, MN
FIRST PICTURE: It looks like the pilgrim is going to walk right past that skinny looking turkey ... but evidently Flat Stanley thinks it's OK. Oh well, from Texas it looks good, eh? Cute -- very thanksgivingy.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
CHUCKLES
Illustration © Virginia McCorkell
The Ultimate Inspiration is the Deadline.
Chuckles Readers Beware
Editor's Note: We are not sure, but it is believed that the Troll has come for his revenge ... Consider: Yesterday our cartoonist Kim Johnson prepared her new Foto Funnie ... she attached it to a little note to the editor (and her machine said that it was attached). Friday morning she left with her family to visit her aunt in southern Minnesota for the weekend.
The note arrived at my office but with no attachment. It is thought the troll snatched it somewhere in its transit and made it miss our deadline! So just blame that abominable creature -- NOT our staff!
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Quotation for the day: I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. --Jimmy Dean
EDITOR'S POLICY: If you wish to subscribe to The Bulletin, simply send me a statement of that fact. If you wish to keep receiving it I hope you will contribute to one of the columns that are running in this family epistle (at least occasionally!). My e-mail address is dma49261@juno.com
This Bulletin is copyright Dorothy M. Anderson; the contents are also copyrighted by the authors and photographers and used with their permission, and the contents are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the explicit consent of the creators.