Sunday, October 29, 2006
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Photo © Marci Weiland, sent by Betty Weiland Droel
Red sky in the morning turned into a beautiful day.
The other morning when Marci Weiland, who lives in Ham Lake, Minnesota, was on her way to work she saw the most unusual, unforgettable, sunrise and fortunately she took a picture of it before it was gone. It looked like "red in the morning," but it had turned out to be a beautiful day, she said. It made a person want to whisper, it was so awesome.
Updates -
Photos © Shawn & Lori Ostendorf
Shawn holding Tate & Lori holding Jake, left; Tate & Jake, right.
UPDATE -- Jake Ostendorf 1994 - 2006
by Shawn Ostendorf
Rogers, MN
As many of you know by now, Jake, our loving dog of 12 years, was put down on the evening of October 26, 2006. Jake in all his glory decided to go exploring in the neighborhood and unfortunately didn't make it across the street as a car hit his hindquarters. With much pondering and a multitude of tears, Lori and I, with the help of the emergency veterinarian, decided that Jake should be put to rest. A little before 10 p.m., Jake felt no more pain.
I felt it was time to write a little about Jake as I only had the honor of knowing him for two of his 12 years. In that time, I grew accustomed to his ability to make me laugh and sit in awe of how smart he was. That is not to mention his uncontrollable appetite. He was one of the few creatures God created that could eat more than I. That is quite a feat! I will miss our daily bonding of "accidentally" throwing a few crumbs his way when Lori wasn't looking or happened to be in another room.
Lori was incredible in teaching Jake many tricks that he would use to astound all of us. Lori and I really like to entertain at our house. When the guests would arrive, Tate, his younger brother, resident rascal and fun loving showoff, would start by getting the attention of everyone as he pranced around, leaving Jake in the dust. Jake, much older but clearly much wiser, would wait for his chance to shine after the ruckus of Tate simmered down.
In that moment, in the middle of the room so everyone could get a clear viewing, he would take his bigger than average belly and sit on his hind legs like a prairie gopher. If you can, imagine a miniature, black furry hippo sitting on his hind legs, begging for any scrap of goodness that might be thrown his way. In that one action-packed step, everyone would clearly know who the favorite in the room was. That was our Jake!
As Donna and I discussed this sad day, we talked about how God gives us life lessons regarding living each day to it fullest, showing appreciation and love to everyone who impacts our lives and being gracious to any stranger who runs into our path. That is what I'm taking out of this sad situation. I hope this short remembrance will give you some of the same thoughts and feelings. I ask this for Jake: Go, give all your loved ones a hug. Jake would want you to!
Jake, we will love and miss you immensely!
Photo © Shawn & Lori Ostendorf
Nap buddies -- Shawn Ostendorf & Jake.
UPDATE -- a week in Phoenix and search for a cure
by Weston Johnson
Maple Grove, MN
I recently embarked on a road trip to Phoenix to attend a symposium of doctors and researchers who are studying Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC), the type of cancer Coni had. I decided to make the trip into a full-fledged vacation, spending a week in Phoenix rather than just flying down and back. Some might call a 28-hours-each-way solo road trip crazy. I call it therapy.
I hit the road after work on Friday the 13th, an interesting choice of days to start a road trip in a car that is just approaching the age and mileage at which the driver begins to fear that something is probably overdue to break down. Fortunately, I am not a very superstitious person. I used to be, until one day around the age of 12 it dawned on me that there is no possible way the outcome of a football game being played 1,000 miles away could depend (even a little bit) on the underwear I was wearing as I watched the game. Anyway, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, Phoenix.
I made it as far as Grand Island, Nebraska, on Friday night, where I stayed at a cheap hotel. I would refer to it as "inexpensive," but I think cheap better captures the ambience of this particular establishment. At least the bed was comfortable. OK, that's being a little generous. But at least it was clean. Actually, on second thought, let's just go with horizontal. At least the beds were horizontal.
On Saturday, I continued on to Colorado, arriving at my uncle Will and aunt Mary Jo's house that afternoon. Last time I had been to their ranch, which is about an hour east of Colorado Springs, they had just purchased the land and hadn't begun building the house or barn yet, so it was fun to see their beautiful house and horse barn.
After being treated to a pancake breakfast on Sunday morning, I was on the road again, reaching Albuquerque early that evening. There, I stayed with Phil, a displaced Minnesotan who was a good friend of Coni's. He and his girlfriend, Emily, took me out to dinner at the Frontier Restaurant, located near the University of New Mexico campus. They claimed it is a local legend and a must-visit for anyone coming to Albuquerque. Maybe Ryan and Heidi can verify if that is true!
On Monday I completed the drive to Phoenix. I spent the next four days attending football, basketball, baseball and hockey games, with a day trip to Tombstone for good measure. I plan to write about these various adventures in the coming weeks.
Friday was the main event, the ACC symposium held at the headquarters of TGen, an organization that researches cures for various diseases through genetic testing. Within TGen, a fund has been set up to research ACC. The symposium was a gathering of many of the doctors and researchers who specialize in treating ACC and looking for a cure.
After attending the symposium, I am very excited about the progress they are making. They have been able to identify a couple of specific mutations in the DNA found in ACC cancer cells that are not present in healthy adrenal gland cells. By understanding these mutations, the researchers believe they can develop targeted treatments that will be much more effective than the treatments currently being used. The doctors seemed very enthusiastic that significant progress is being made, and will continue to be made in the immediate future. Hopefully, soon, no one else will have to go through what Coni went through.
I headed back toward Minneapolis immediately after the symposium on Friday evening, opting to drive through Oklahoma and Kansas on the way back to see some different country. I made overnight stops in Albuquerque and Wichita, arriving back in Maple Grove at around 7 o'clock this past Sunday evening. In case any of you are like me and always have to keep track of this sort of thing, the totals for the trip were:
4,172 miles
66:27 of time spent in the car (about 28 hours each way plus time spent driving around Phoenix and to Tombstone and back)
148 gallons of gas
1 case of bottled water
1 six pack of 24 ounce bottles of Diet Dr Pepper
More sunflower seeds than I care to remember
As I mentioned, I'll be writing more about my trip in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to The Bulletin!
Photo © Arlyn Villaruz
Patients, friends and family members at ACC symposium. Weston is in back row in blue shirt. Photographer Arlyn Villaruz, in white shirt, upper right, is fighting ACC.
UPDATE -- remembering "Wilma"
by Steve Miller
Coral Springs, FL
Hurricane Wilma struck us one year ago today (October 24, 2005). It doesn't seem possible it's been a year.
I would say about half of the roofs in our area have been totally repaired and most of the rest are somewhere in the process of being repaired. (Ours is in this group.) A lot are simply waiting for tile since the tile manufacturers can't keep up (or at least that's the refrain we're being sung!). However, there are still a few "blue tarp roofs" around.
Other than the roof situation, and an occasional tree stump here or there, it is difficult even to see we were hit so hard by Wilma. It is amazing what heat, water, and Mother Nature can do to restore the vegetation to its natural beauty.
Photo © Argyle Anderson
Jeff & Twila Aydelotte family leaves Anchorage for Antioch, California.
UPDATE -- Aydelotte family returns to California
by Jeff Aydelotte
writing from Whitehorse, YT, Canada
Just a quick note to let you all know we are OK. The going was really slow out of Alaska due to snow and icy roads. There were many parts where conditions would not allow us to go above 35 mph. Road conditions improved after the Canadian border, but then we hit some road constuction and frost heaves in the road where we had to slow it down.
We made it to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Thursday night and got into a hotel. Twila and I were exhausted. We will try to make up some lost time today [Friday], if road and weather will permit.
The speed limit here is 55 mph or 90 kph. Gas prices are expensive. We filled up in Beaver Creek at $1.12/litre and in Destruction Bay at $1.09/litre. Whitehorse is around $0.95/litre (Canadian dollars, four litres/gallon).
The kids are having fun. Sammy (our cat) is handling the trip very well, and without drugs. The hotel let us bring him in, so he had free rein of the room and he was very content.
Jeff
Photo © Argyle Anderson
The Aydelottes, California bound, embark on another adventure.
UPDATE -- Winter returns to Anchorage, Alaska
by Miss Kitty
Anchorage, AK
On Wednesday afternoon Miss Jerrianne happened to look at the weather forecast for Anchorage and it said "snow showers."
"Uh oh," she said, "this is it! No more foolin' around!"
So she took down the hanging baskets, even though the petunias still looked pretty good -- but when she went to lift the dahlia corms out of the soil, the dirt was frozen solid. "Uh oh," she said, "they've probably had it no matter what I do," and she left them there.
Then she put her pruning shears, grass clippers and orange plastic trash bags in the van, put on a blaze orange safety vest and drove over to the Pioneer Avenue median. She sheared off the Shasta daisies, anemones, snow-in-summer and silver mounds -- still blooming -- and stuffed them into an orange bag. (The marigolds, salvia, geraniums and snapdragons were already gone.)
She had been debating about whether to leave the dusty millers -- huge, from the abundant rain -- and finally decided they'd better go, too. She stuffed two sacks as full as possible with dusty millers. As she was dragging the sacks to the trash pickup point, the man who plows our driveway stopped by to tell her he had mowed the grass and weeds under the trees she had pruned at the edge of Chugach Foothills Park. She walked over to look. His crew had done a beautiful job. It really looked like a park!
Miss Jerrianne came home and put the storm window in the screen door to keep our house all cozy this winter and served up kitty crunchies for my dinner. She warmed up some delicious, leftover turkey and gravy, made some mashed potatoes and dished up a bit of homemade cranberry sauce for her own supper. She finished it off with a piece of blackberry pie and ice cream -- with just a taste of vanilla ice cream for Miss Kitty.
Around midnight Miss Jerrianne glanced out the window and noticed that the street had turned white -- and it was still snowing. By morning there was an inch or so everywhere and it snowed off and on all day on Thursday, getting deeper and deeper. Everything is white ... it looks like winter is here again. Nothin' to do now but sit by the window and watch the snowflakes fall ... until the little chickadees visit the bird feeder to fill up on sunflower seeds. When that happens I get so excited I chatter and chirr like a squirrel and lash my tail back and forth! Yum!
Photo © Jerrianne Lowther
Miss Kitty watches snowflakes fall on the spruce trees.
(No, I'm not usually a black cat, but this week is Hallowe'en!)
UPDATE -- these dream boots are dreamboats
by Dorothy Anderson
Alexandria, MN
My husband has given me a gift that makes my winter misery very much lighter! Sunday evening I found my feet like blocks of ice again ... and knew I would be an hour warming up enough to go to sleep. Don put his inventive nature to work but could not come up with anything we haven't already tried and discarded -- and then it struck him...
I think he was a little afraid to offer his idea ... to put on his "nice, roomy" ... a euphemism for huge ... sheepskin moccasins -- made by the Bighorn Sheepskin Company of Austin, Texas. They are of lightweight, tanned leather entirely lined with wool fleece and have a fleece hugger of the same delicious warmth around the ankles. Oh, what lovely, enveloping comfort!
Within 15 minutes my feet were cozily warm. When Don saw what a marvelous warm-up job they had done for me, he gave them to me to keep and use. I haven't gotten brave enough to wear them as dress up wear, but for two days now they have become my steady footwear. They have gone with me to the mailbox -- and Ted, our dear neighbor, assured me that his footwarmers were just as outlandish as my Texas Sheepskin wear! (Hmmm, I think he was being kind!)
The advantages over shoes are abundant: even though large, they do not fall off when I get on and off the Jazzy; their soles do not slip on smooth surfaces, nor stick to the carpet. They are very light and do not make my feet heavy to lift onto the footrest; as the openings for the feet are large, I can point my feet into them easily (with my hands, as my feet do not do much lifting on their own) -- and though they are very large, behind my heels, where the extra inches are, the sides fall together and the fleece warms the backs of my ankles just as nicely as it does my feet!
I think we have eliminated my problem of chronic cold feet ... and so many leg ache sessions will be eliminated, too. I think winter in Minnesota just took a turn for the better!
Photo © Dorothy Anderson
Oversize sheepskin slippers keep the Matriarch's feet toasty warm.
Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell; photo by Donna Johnson
Ben's new dog, Jack, is a yellow Labrador retriever pup.
Jack is a seven month old yellow lab, that Ben got from a guy in Ashby. He's a very friendly, rambunctious young dog. NOT a good watch dog, as he did not even bark when I drove up; he loped over to greet me and was thrilled to have some company! But notice how nicely he sat for me to take his picture, so he is settling down some. Still, he's basically in the puppy "chew and destroy" stage; he had gotten hold of some old couch cushions and done a number on them. He did retrieve his first duck last weekend, though, so sounds like he'll make a good hunting dog.
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
We are adding a new page to the "About" section this week, to gather information from several Bulletins into one place via links and to introduce my sister Blanche to readers in this brief biography:
Blanche Elizabeth Dake Miller
Blanche was the second child (first girl) born to Amy and Bill Dake. She was born at home on May 6, 1922. Home for that little family -- Mom, Dad, little Billie who was two and new-born baby Blanche -- was a little gray house on the yard of the farm that Bill and his dad were farming.
Blanche with big brother Billie, little sister Dorothy & cousin Gilbert.
Blanche went to elementary school in the big white school house in Smith Lake. She became the one of us who was teacher in all our games, and who helped tutor the little kids in school. (Later she proved to be what we all suspected her to be: a born teacher.)
Her education continued in the Howard Lake High School. She took the business courses offered, typing and bookkeeping, as well as all of the general courses, including Home Economics. She proved a wonderful cook and seamstress. (Click here to read Shari's account of Blanche's Homemade Ice Cream, and the recipe, in Bulletin #177.) I believe she really did use all of that schooling to help her become the well rounded person that she became.
Blanche & Billie, high school, about 1938, left; with teacher trainees, right.
The principal in our school told Blanche and our parents about the Teachers' Training Department, which was in Wright County. The High School of Buffalo, Minnesota, had the overseeing of a class of students who wanted to become rural school teachers. You had to be in the top third of your grade academically, and carry at least a B average in all of the English courses, to be enrolled there. It was state funded so the only expense would be boarding costs. She graduated with honors, even though the speeches and class demonstrations she had to give were extremely hard for her, because of her blushing nervousness.
Blanche taught as a helping teacher at Cosmos, Minnesota, the first year. Her partner proved extremely great for Blanche and her guidance helped Blanche gain confidence. She followed that year with a school of her own -- Melquist country school in Wright County, where she taught for four years.
She finished her career as a teacher in the Stockholm two-room school. The first year she taught by herself and the second year, in that same school, she taught First, Second, and Third Grade -- and I (Dorothy) taught Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Grade in the second room. We enjoyed that year together thoroughly, and there became best friends, which would last for the rest of her life.
Right before she began at the Melquist country school, she and Jim Miller had decided that they would spend their lives together -- but first he had to serve his time in the Army. He returned in the late fall of 1945 and on December 15, 1945, Blanche and Jim were married in our home, with Dick Miller and me as their attendants. It was a lovely wedding and I think we all looked very nice in our suits, with corsages on the shoulders.
Blanche & Jim, engaged, left; after wedding with Dick & Dorothy, right.
Blanche and Jim spent their married years in farming and businesses around Dassel, Grove City, and Paynesville. They had a family of three children: Steven Warren Miller born at Cokato, Minnesota, on October 5, 1949; Duane Everett Miller born at Litchfield, Minnesota, on April 2, 1952; and Sharon Elaine (Shari) Miller born at Litchfield, Minnesota, on September 15, 1955.
During that time our families did a lot of things together and we have lots of memories we live over. Along with raising her children, Blanche was a hostess par excellence, a grandma of renown, a bookkeeper (for their business and later she kept books for the Grove City Creamery for several years). She even took on the farming operations during the time Jim was moving around the country while employed by a chemical company.
Their retirement years were spent in Minnesota and in Florida. Their home was always a lovely, hospitable place to visit. Blanche began to show signs of problems in communication skills and after a battery of tests it was determined that she was suffering from progressive aphasia. After several years of gradual deterioration and the trauma of a broken hip, the ravishes of the disease took her life on April 10, 2002.
Photo © Kristi Indermark
Blanche with grandchildren Kurt Larson & Kelly Larson (Seaman) 1997.
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. Thanks to Larry Dake for sending last week's mystery picture.
How many can you identify?
Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):
The picture is of you (Grandma Anderson), Heidi, Kim, and Rachel!
Becky Chap
Ashby, MN
I loved the picture of Dorothy -- our Editor -- and her arms full of girls in the Guess picture.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
That would be you [Grandma Dorothy], Heidi [Johnson Henderson], Rachel [Henderson] and me [Kimberly Johnson]. I've never really liked getting my picture taken! :)
Kimberly Johnson
Long Lake, MN
Editor's Note: A brief introduction by a granddaughter!
So, we get the Matriarch, herself! And her girls! Can't name them but glad to see some of the family...
Tom Miller
Madera, CA
Editor's Note: You are right -- it is me and some of my girls -- but they are my grandbabies (as they say in the South) ... Kim and Heidi Johnson (Marlene's girls -- Heidi is now a Henderson) and that is Rachel Henderson in the front. (Patty is her mother ... a cousin of Rachel's named Ryan is the Henderson Heidi married.) --DMA
LTD Storybrooke 
Come Crazy, Go Crazy!
by Larry Dake
"Americans who want to herd sheep usually take the job because they're crazy. They come for the solitude. If they're not crazy when they come, they're usually crazy when they go -- from being alone so much."
This was my boss speaking. I was guessing he was putting me in the "came crazy" category. And he was, after all, somewhat right. I had taken the job in hopes of regaining my physical and mental health (Bulletin #173.) Herding sheep "on the back side of the desert" had seemed like a good idea. As my boss had just reiterated, I had come hoping for solitude, fresh air, and exercise.
At the moment, the back side of the desert was a very busy place! There was feverish activity around the clock.
My boss went on to tell me he had himself been a heavy drinker, extremely overweight, and a "very difficult" man when he had started working for the ranch's absentee owner. He didn't elaborate on how, but he had clearly turned his life around. He was now trim, fit, sober, and in control of his emotions.
He worried out loud, however, whether he was in control of the ranch. "I think some of the employees need a lot more supervision than I can give them," he said.
The ranch had been a small, one man operation when he had started several years before.
"There are now 14 families and 17 houses on 290,000 acres," he said. "There are nine sets of buildings. We have what may be the largest herd of registered Red Angus cattle in the world. We have 160 horses, and these two bands of sheep."
I had recently finished cutting the dirt (and rock) pad, for the newly constructed feed bunks, out of the hillside. I had used a bulldozer with rippers and hydraulic blade for the job (Bulletin #184 and #185.) I was pleased with the results, as my boss now also seemed to be.
He had come to "finish" the earthen pad with the ranch's road grader. (I had managed to get the use of the bulldozer, but he seemed to consider the road grader to be "his baby.")
The new feed bunks were on the downhill side of the pad, ready to be moved into place as soon as the pad was graded with the road grader. Once the bunks were moved into place, we would then be able to drive down the feed alley with the silage wagon; we'd feed the sheep on one side going down, and on the other side coming back.
The two bands of sheep were in "drop pens" all around the pale yellow lambing shed below us. Most of the crew were Spanish speaking; all of them were experienced lambers. As my boss and I stood talking, a few of the crew could be seen bringing ewes with newborns into the shed. I didn't speak Spanish and I'd never seen a lamb born in my life. Yet, as lambing had come into full swing, it had fallen to me to be in charge of the day-to-day lambing operations. The boss's son, who had at first planned on being the lambing foreman, was too busy dating his fiancée. He didn't come around much.
Of necessity, I developed a rather loosely structured management style; I assimilated from my crew what it was that needed to be done.
I was much too busy to deal with "came crazy." However, Sherry was able to talk to a nurse practitioner for me, via our two-way radio and a telephone connection at the boss's house. Without ever seeing me, the nurse prescribed Amitriptyline, an antidepressant. Someone picked up the pills in town. They got passed along to me from pickup truck to pickup truck. With the new drug in my brain, I threw myself into the lambing. It was an exciting time.
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell
Amy gets "Porky" into a proper frame of mind for Hallowe'en.
Travelogue t
Tom & Lou Miller celebrate 33 years at Yosemite National Park.
A Delightful Wedding Anniversary
by Tom Miller
Madera, CA
We had a very nice 33rd anniversary as Cheryl, my daughter from Portland, came down and we made a trip to Yosemite National Park. The south entrance is just two miles from our mountain house so it is very convenient! Crowds were small, and for this we were thankful -- and the weather was warm and just right for shirt sleeves...
The pictures show the rock formations in the Valley and those who may have been there would recognize Half Dome at back, center right. I had a picture of a black bear that ran across the road in front of us, also, and Cheryl was brave enough to get out of the car and get his picture. I'll send it along for later.
Tom & Lou Miller with daughter Cheryl at Yosemite.
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
This Week's Special Days
October 29---Daylight Saving Time Ends
October 31---Hallowe'en
This Week's Birthdays
October 29---Sami Larson (12 years)
October 29---Tom Miller
October 30---Anne Mellon Montford
November 2---Gert Dake Pettit
November 2---Brianna Susan Lehtola (5 years)
Happy Birthday!
More November Birthdays
'
November 7---Thomas Roland Mellon
November 7---Sandra Kay Miller Smith
November 10---Argyle Anderson
November 11---Allison Aydelotte (9 years)
November 12---Patty Anderson Henderson
November 14---Marian Miller
November 17---Zachary Myron
November 17---Mark Andrew Johnson
November 19---Tyler Swenson
November 21---Alex Jo Marie Sigman (2 years)
November 21---Amy Elaine Printz (2 years)
November 23---Jessy Wolff
November 26---DeLoris Anderson
November 27---Shalana Kay Weiland (10 years)
November 30---Aaron Stahlecker
November Anniversaries
Z
November 16---Argyle and Kathlyn Johnson Anderson (43 years)
November 26---Ben and Heather Henderson (2 years)
November 29---Kurtis and Jeni Larson (2 years)
November Special Days
November 7---Election Day
November 11---Veterans Day
November 23---Thanksgiving Day
Miss Hetty's Mailbox:
Dear Miss Hetty,
Thanks for remembering our anniversary!
Lou and Tom Miller
Madera, CA
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell; Carrie photo by Jennie Horne; frog photo by Sarah Steinhauer
Carrie Horne's Fun House, rear view -- Happy Hallowe'en!
Miss Hetty Says:
Set your clocks back one hour -- Daylight Savings Time is done.
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
Interesting Bulletin again, Dorothy. Nice to see Doug writing again. He's so interesting, I can just see him in his bell bottoms! Don has good recollections to write about, too!
Elaine Anderson Wold
Wahpeton, ND
Loved reading another story from Doug. Good to hear a little from Larry, too. Got to agree with that chaos thing -- I certainly feel better when I get things cleaned up around here. (Wish it lasted!) And, I would hope writing would help lift Larry's mood, I know for a fact his writing lifts mine! Thanks to Ginny for all the wonderful things she contributes -- I love them, too!
Oh, my, I forgot to say how much I enjoyed reading Jerrianne's telling about the original homestead. I'd heard bits and pieces from Beaver, but not all of what had gone on and in what time frame. Tonight he mentioned that even he did not know quite all of it. What stressful years for all of them!
Another "well done" to all of you!
Donna Anderson Johnson
Ashby, MN
I loved the last edition of The Bulletin! Of course, I love them all! I'm amazed at all the hard work and dedication each time I sit down to read the latest edition. Thank you to all who contribute and make it such a wonderful gift. I also loved Doug's short story. All I have to say is keep 'em comin'. ;-)
Lori Chap Ostendorf
Rogers, MN
Thanks for another wonderful Bulletin! I really enjoyed the article you gave us on your brother Bill! He was one of my best friends and I really miss not being able to talk with him. Many things would be very different if Bill had lived a near normal number of years.
I have a few minutes now so wanted to tell you a little more about my privilege to help Bill. We went to Houston to get Bill when he got out of the hospital -- M. D. Anderson Tumor and Cancer Clinic.
This hospital was started by Mr. Anderson of the company I worked for for 42 years -- Anderson, Clayton & Co. -- and his brother was Dr. M. D. Anderson. After it had been operating for several years, they needed additional funds to keep up the standards and be able to expand because the patient load was extreme. It was then that more businesses and hospitals came to help and it quickly grew to the largest tumor clinic, which it was for a number of years. Many tumors are sent there today for examination and diagnoses.
When I had cancer in 1991, I was invited by the hospital to come there for a second opinion and/or treatment. But it was too far away from California and would have made the travel expenses very great. My tumor was sent there for confirmation.
When we went after Bill, we had a couple of days and visited Galveston, also. While down there a storm came in and before we could get back to Houston, the rains came down in a flood! Water was running curb deep and all the way across the street! Humidity! Our air-conditioner was a cake of ice and didn't melt off for two days! We were glad to get Bill and head back to Valley Mills! I remember it as if it were yesterday...
Thanks again for the excellent Bulletin. Thanks for all you do to keep all of us up to date on "our world."
Tom Miller
Madera, CA
I haven't read The Bulletin yet ... will have to save that for later ... Amy and Ken are in town.
Jerrianne ... you did it again! I laughed out loud when I saw how you combined my photos for [last] week's Chuckles.
Dorothy, I see you have quite a contribution this week ... I can't wait to get time to read it ... but maybe I should get dressed first... :P
Ginny McCorkell
Blaine, MN
Photo Editor's Note: In most publications, either a story and its illustrations are conceived together, or else the story comes first and then a photographer or graphic artist is asked to supply the "art." It often works that way here, too -- as last week when Doug wrote a story, Bell Bottom Blues, and Bitzi illustrated it with guidance from Doug. But it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes we get illustrations from Ginny with no context whatsoever -- just something that started out as a creative idea in Bitzi's mind and was translated into a fun illustration, "all dressed up and no place to go." That's when we get the fun of creating a context where there was none before ... and Bitzi first sees what happens to her creations when The Bulletin arrives.
Last Week's Bulletin Review JKL
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
At first I thought that first picture was Roy (Droel). It looked so much like him, but who would the little boy be? And then I see it is Grandpa Morgan. The reason I have a special interest in Tom and Mavis Morgan is that my dad professed in Tom's uncle Tom Morgan's meetings in 1917 or thereabouts in North Dakota. Do hope Tom and Mavis enjoy their winter in Florida without any hurricanes to disturb their porch sitting.
Bitzi has been busy creating and designing for The Bulletin. It is as interesting to see her work as it is to see what the pictures are of. Pretty priceless of Ginny and Larry at the antique shop ... is that happiness or what?
Well, I can not find words to express the surprise and interest I felt to read the Update from Jerrianne about the Ashby farm. First, to have such a special story from our photo editor, who usually leaves it up to others to write the Updates even though she is well able. The pictures and the views of the area of the Johnson farm brought back nostalgia and warm feelings of very special days in that area in the past. Jerrianne had gone from there by that time, so I have yet to meet her. I kept hearing about this "Jerri" in Alaska, and it stirred a respect and love for her as I listened to the family stories. The pictures Donna Mae took would have made Jerrianne a bit homesick.
I read every single word with interest of the history of the Johnson family. When Twila died, I asked for just a small keepsake from her treasures, and the family sent me a lovely crystal vase that is in safekeeping in my cupboard. To see it brings flashes of memory of a very open home and kind hospitality, making lifelong friends.
Cambridge in Colour is an interesting web site. It will take some time to view it thoroughly.
Thanks for the Billie Dake story. It makes me wish we had known him. Will you be adding a new page to the "about" section each week or was that just this Bulletin about Billie?*
I loved the picture of Dorothy -- our Editor -- and her arms full of girls in the Guess picture. If they are all her daughters, I can't tell, but that's about the age they were when I first met them. They were so sweet and shy. You had to look behind Mother's skirts to find them peeking at who had come to the home.
We are so glad to finally see the familiar, green LTD Storybrooke again. We read it with great interest, seeing past the written word into a heart that needed to be reassured that others care and value him. Only a person with the illness of depression can understand that need. I am thankful it hasn't been my problem, but I want to do whatever I can to "lift the writer's mood." You have understanding family and friends -- remember that, LTD!
Doug, the tribute to your sister Patty would be a nice surprise for her to read as she scrolls down her Bulletin. I'm sure she remembers how she protected her brother in that Bell Bottom situation. I remember the Bell Bottoms now, but had forgotten all about them. Thanks for the heartwarming story. Some people just have the ability to tell funny or sad stories in a picturesque way. We hope you find time and inspiration to write more.
We are always looking forward to whatever has come from The Netherlands again. The policeman's motor bike looks like a costly machine. Marloes would rather settle for the bicycle behind it, I'm sure.
I looked up the Google Earth web site, but it will take a lot more time to research than I have had so far.
We thank you, Dorothy, for sharing the meaningful poem you sent to Diana. Thank you for signing it from the subscribers, which includes us, too, as we do think of Diana a lot. We are always glad for the updates she can manage to send in for us.
Gwen and Harvey, you are going to be so amazed at The Bulletin, and even if you think you likely won't be contributing, you won't be able to resist after reading it. You would know many of the subscribers and the family, and enjoy old memories like we do.
Thanks again to the editors and those responsible for us getting Bulletin #227 right on schedule last Saturday morning. We really look forward to it and hope our LTTE's are incentive for you to stay at the drawing board.
Betty and Roy Droel
*Editors' Note: We encourage subscribers to do their own introductions for addition to the "About" section. In the case of family members who have already passed on, it's up to editors and subscribers to do the pages ... so Dorothy made one last week for her brother Billie and one for her sister Blanche this week. We use links to include information and photos from previous (and sometimes future) Bulletins. There's a wealth of information in the "About" section already -- some on separate pages, the rest in links to various Bulletin articles.
CHUCKLES
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell; frog photo by Sarah Steinhauer
Froggie went a'courtin' our Amy Dake! Uh huh!
(Click here for words and music of the traditional folk song.)
Click here for more than you wanted to know about Froggie's courting song.
(scroll down for second thoughts on courting by same frog...)
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell; frog photo by Sarah Steinhauer
Oh, never mind -- Princess Amy found a pickup-driving prince, anyway!
(Not every frog can be turned into a prince -- and they don't drive pickups!)
To search a name in Who's Who or Who's Where: click on the link to open the page, then use CONTROL F on a PC or COMMAND F on a Mac. To search for a second occurrence of the name, use CONTROL G on a PC or COMMAND G on a Mac. (This works on ANY web page with text, unless the text is converted to an image. Chances are, it works in your e-mail, too.) HINT: Search by first name only, as most entries list the family name once but do not repeat the last name for each family member. In Who's Where you can search on state or city names, too.
Click here for past editions in the searchable web archive
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Quotation for the day: The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it, put your whole soul into it -- every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have. --John D. Rockefeller III, philanthropist
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.
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