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Sunday, September 16, 2007
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There's no place like home...
Photo © Donna Johnson
Don & Patty Anderson on the front steps of their cabin.

Updates -


Photo © Donna Johnson
Don, Gracie & Patty Anderson.

Update -- a visit with Don & Patty at their cabin
by Donna Anderson Johnson
Ashby, MN

Beaver, McKenna Ostendorf and I joined Charlie and Ardis Quick in a visit to Don and Patty's. Curt and Patty Henderson stopped in, too, so we got a little visit with them. As usual, Don and Patty were an awesome host and hostess; they provided us with beautiful, homemade food and music. We enjoyed the ambience and the delicious dining. Yes, those of you who weren't there ... you should be envious. (Big smile.)


Photos © Donna Johnson
Left: McKenna being fed and rocked, by her Great Aunt Patty, in her Great, Great Grandma Amy Dake's refinished rocking chair. Still doing a good job! (The chair and Patty.) Right: OK, Uncle Don, I got the hang of that tongue idea.


Photos © Donna Johnson
Left: I love my Grandpa Beaver. Right: McKenna really enjoyed Ardis.


Photos © Donna Johnson
Left: Practice, practice ... Don and one of his favorite hobbies. He's getting very good! Notice the picture above his head: that's our Grandpa Dake as a child. Right: McKenna sleeping in old fashioned cradle.

To fit with the feel of the whole place, McKenna enjoyed her stay in their old fashioned cradle. She slept the entire night, with not one complaint about her surroundings; in fact she looked very cozy and contented. That she could sleep at all, with us visiting right below her was one thing ... but the really amazing part was that it included Charlie trying to play violin again, after a many year hiatus. (It was news to me that he had ever played at all.) Keep trying, Charlie, we want to hear how much better you are next year!


Photo © Donna Johnson
Don & Patty Anderson make music while Ardis Quick listens.



Photo © Wyatt Johnson
Rylie, Jolene holding Camryn, Wyatt & Brooklyn Johnson.

Update -- Fargo Forum features family's energy usage
by Wyatt Johnson
Moorhead, MN

We're part of a story running in the Fargo Forum on Thursday and Friday about energy usage (specifically, carbon footprint). I made the front page at www.in-forum.com That same picture is on the front page of the paper, though I was relegated to the lower right corner, below a giant picture of President Bush.

Here's a direct link to the in forum article.

I think he did a pretty good job with the article. He didn't make me out to sound too nerdy...



Photo © Sharon Paul Nault, left; photo © Jerrianne Lowther, right.
Tony, the orphan lynx kitten, is just 3 months old.

Update -- new lynx kitten in town at Anchorage Zoo
by Miss Kitty
Anchorage, AK

Miss Jerrianne and our friend Sharon Paul Nault went to see Tony, a 3-month-old lynx kitten, the newest resident of the Anchorage Zoo. Poor little guy was found near Palmer and appeared to be lost or abandoned, so Alaska Fish & Game brought him to the zoo. A zookeeper works with Tony every day to get him used to being around people. They hope he might become tame enough to be a zoo ambassador someday.

Tony was featured in an Anchorage Daily News photo gallery. You can click here to see a picture of Tony watching people and there's another close-up photo of him without the cage bars getting in the way if you click here (or click the "Next" link).

Tony is about the same size I was when I came to live with Miss Jerrianne but he's growing up fast. By the time he's a year old, he will probably weigh 18 to 30 pounds and be a LOT bigger than me. Our fur is almost the same color and we both have cute little tufts of fur on the tips of our ears. Tony will have to grow into his big "snowshoe" paws, just like I did. His legs are lots longer than mine and his fur is longer and thicker, too, but I've got him beat all to pieces when it comes to that stubby little "bobcat" tail. My tail is at least twice as long as a lynx's.



Argyle, Twila, Allison, Jeff & Kathlyn.

Update -- Aydelotte Odyssey
by Twila Aydelotte
Antioch, CA

This summer started quickly when school got out. I went to work summer school for four hours a day, Jessica went to a girls' camp for a week, then Spencer went to Boy Scout camp for the week of July 4th. He came home on July 7th.

On the 6th, Jeff, Allison and I flew to Anchorage, AK to visit my parents, Kathlyn and Argyle Anderson, and our friends. Everyone asks how Allison was chosen to go, so I will explain. A few years ago Jeff, Jessica, Hannah and I flew to Minnesota to visit my grandfather the Easter before he passed away. Then, last summer when we lived in Anchorage, Alaska, Jeff, Spencer, Todd and Brendan flew to California to visit Jeff's parents. Allison was waiting; she'd never taken a trip on a plane with just her parents. It was now her turn. So, with Jeff's parents watching the rest of the kids, off we went.

While in Alaska we tried to do some of the things we hadn't been able to do when we lived there. You know how that goes, you see some things, but then work and school prevents you from enjoying the rest.

Allison's social calender was filled with playdates and sleepovers. Jeff wanted to go on a halibut fishing charter, but the friends he wanted go with couldn't find a day they could all go that was open, so they went salmon fishing instead and ended up between runs. While it was disappointing that Jeff didn't catch fish, it was more about the experience.

I was able to spend time with my mom shopping in places my husband would never even think of setting foot in. Plus, I wanted to go hiking in one of Alaska's rainforests so I could see why they are called rainforests instead of just a forest.

I wasn't disappointed; the rainforest was like discovering some hidden world in a fantasy book. From the canopy of branches overhead, to the humidity, to the lush foliage, the webby moss that draped from the trees like large torn pieces of green cotton candy, and the flat moss that clung to the trees like wall paper, it was mesmerizing. Something so beautiful, so unique, so close to the road, you wouldn't even have to hike to enjoy it.

We saw a sea otter playing near the shore, Dall sheep, neighborhood moose, and even a bear on our trip. While Alaska was the highlight of our summer, we came home the day Jeff's mom had repair surgery and then I went back to just subbing at the school.

In August we celebrated many anniversaries and birthdays. On August 28th, I started a full-time, benefited position in a 3-5 grade intensive autism classroom. The motherboard went out on our computer and then we ended our summer by spending Labor Day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium (Remember Weston's great account of this place?) and having lunch at the Dennis the Menace playground in Monterey. On the way home, Jessica noticed the smoke coming up from the hills. It was the beginning of the Santa Clara County wildfire that has burned all week.

On the 4th of September, all the kids went back to school. Jessica is a freshman in high school; her class has 820 students and is the smallest. Spencer is homeschooled. Todd is in middle school. Allison, Brendan and Hannah are in elementary and all on full day schedules. No more half-day K! Friday was Brendan's birthday, so we did another round of birthday cake.


Photo © Twila Aydelotte
Todd & Hannah Aydelotte in "penguin egg" form at Aquarium.


Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN


Photo © Beaver Johnson
First day of school for Caity and Jayce. Grandpa Beaver took their picture just before they hopped into the ol' faithful pickup for their ride to school.



Photo © Donna Johnson, left; photo © Caity Chap, right
Left: Baby Camryn visited the farm for the first time. She is being held by her mommy, Jolene. She's a sweetheart! Right: Wyatt came out and helped Beaver install the sheetrock in the "office" area (think bathroom) of his new shop. Help that was much appreciated.


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. LeRoy Dake supplied last week's mystery picture.


How many can you identify?

Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):

Editors' Note: Correct guesses appear in bold face type and incorrect guesses in normal type.

Glad to see this picture! Nice to get to see those folks again after so many years...

Let's start on the left: Louella Smith Williams, Vangie Smith, Dorothy Dake Anderson, Gertrude Dake, Lilly Smith (Mrs. Derwood Smith), Derwood Smith, "MOM" Dake, Blanche Dake Miller, "DAD" Dake and I can't recognize all of the little ones in front with the exception on the one who Blanche has her hand on and I think that is Jimmy Smith.

Taken at the Dake Farm near Howard Lake, Minnesota.

Thanks for the privilege of having The Bulletin! Always, a truly Great Job from all who are responsible.

Tom Miller
Madera, CA


In the back row, from left: my cousin Louella Smith Williams; Dorothy Dake Anderson; my mother, Lillian Smith; my dad, Derwood Smith; Amy Dake; Bill Dake; middle row: my aunt Vangie Smith; Gert Dake Pettit; Blanche Dake Miller; my cousin Jerry Smith; myself, Jim Smith; front row from left: my brother Merlin Smith, my sister Joanne Smith Foth, and my sister Rosemary Smith Moe. I think this was taken the spring of 1943 or 1944.

Jim Smith
Brooklyn Park, MN

Editor's comment: Your dating is correct -- it would have been sometime in my senior year of high school: 1943-44.


The GUESS picture is beyond me this time. Do I see LouElla Smith Williams in the back next to Dorothy? Is that Blanche in front? Is Vernetta Overby on the right? I'm stumped this time.

Betty Weiland Droel
MoundsView, MN


LTD Storybrooke

Octavio was introduced in Octavio, Bulletin #272, when he came to our breakfast table armed with a gun. Now he's back for the noon meal.

En Casa
by Larry Dake

It's high noon. The men are trailing up the sidewalk in single file for dinner. Octavio is bringing up the rear -- gun on hip.

The Spanish word for house is Casa -- I can remember the word well because it reminds me of "castle": every man's house is his own castle. I don't like this armed stranger walking into my castle and dining at my table. On impulse I meet him as he walks through my "castle gate." Will he understand my English?

"No gun in Casa," I say.

His dark eyes regard me with suspicion. He makes no move.

"No gun in Casa!" I repeat, pointing first to his gun, and then to a coat hook on the wall. Is he contemplating my request? Or is he contemplating shooting me?

"What ... gun ... for?" I ask, trying to strike a friendlier note.

"Shoot bear," he says.

"There are no bear!" I say, a bit too incredulously.

Reluctantly, slowly, he unbuckles his holster and hangs his gun on the coat hook.

It is a tense meal. He eats in chilly silence, staring at his plate, and he leaves the table quickly. Back in the mud room I can hear him take his gun from the hook and buckle it around his waist and stalk out the castle gate.

I don't see him again that day. But, the following morning when I come to the shed before breakfast, he's still packing the gun. When he sees me, he makes himself scarce. He doesn't show up at the house for breakfast -- or dinner. He must be getting hungry. When I finally see him in late afternoon, he appears downcast and sullen.

Finally, at noon the next day, he trails in again to eat. He leaves his gun hanging on the hook as I requested. He looks haggard and out-of-sorts.

When Jackson (the ranch manager's son) comes by that afternoon, I mention Octavio's demeanor to him. He says the Mexicans had mentioned Octavio, too; they said he was unsociable and difficult -- not talking to anyone.

Jackson tries to talk to him but isn't able to get him to open up. It is decided, after a few more days of Octavio's brooding behavior, that Octavio's relative, who works at the main ranch, should come over and talk to him. When he arrives, he spends the whole afternoon counseling Octavio. After he leaves, Octavio's spirits have clearly lifted. The gun has disappeared.

He had believed, I'm told, that I had stared at him for using too much syrup on his pancake. (As my own pancakes routinely "swim" in syrup, this is a bewildering revelation.)

After my heartfelt apologies, and generous invitations to "eat-up!" I'm able to establish a dialogue with this tense young man. I learn, that he is from Mexico City -- a "ciudad grande!" He had finished college to be a school teacher but, after several years of job hunting, was still unemployed. Poverty and discouragement have brought him north to work on this ranch. He has never worked on a ranch before and has never had any desire to do so. He wants to teach school in "Ciudad de Mexico."

Coming from the noise and bustle of the city -- to work the night shift with a Peruvian stranger; in the foreign United States, for a rich Californian (he's never met); lambing these intolerable animals in this high-desert wilderness; eighty miles from town, thousands of miles from home -- it's no surprise he is fearful of "the bear."

And (I can only guess), coming half-starved to our table has contributed to imagining me to be the disgruntled syrup police.


Travelogue t


Photo © Weston Johnson
AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco "Giants."

Where In The World Is Weston? S
Day 1 At The Ballpark
Part 8
by Weston Johnson
Maple Grove, MN

On Monday morning, Sindy and I set out for the first of our two days attending Major League Baseball's All-Star festivities. Today's event would be the home run derby, which was to be held at AT&T Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants.

The Park opened in 2000 in the China Basin area on the waterfront near downtown San Francisco and was immediately recognized as one of the best in Major League Baseball due to its modern amenities, and perhaps more importantly, its breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay.

We arrived at the stadium several hours before the Derby was scheduled to begin, affording us time to check out the ballpark and the surrounding scene. Even at this relatively early hour, the stadium was surrounded by crowds of people, most decked out in their Barry Bonds jerseys and other Giants gear.

We visited a souvenir shop directly across the street from the stadium to pick up our official All-Star Game merchandise. I picked out a commemorative program and a baseball featuring the All-Star Game logo, which I would keep in the pocket of my cargo shorts just in case an opportunity to acquire an autograph presented itself over the course of the next two days.

Eventually, we entered the ballpark, checking out the views of the Bay and downtown San Francisco from different areas of the concourse. As we looked out over the water at the Bay Bridge, it seemed incredible to imagine that Giants fans get to experience these views every time they go to the ballpark, while we Minnesotans are stuck sitting under the dingy roof of the Metrodome.


Photo © Weston Johnson
San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge in background.

After walking a circle around the stadium concourse, we made our way into the lower seating level and stood near the American League dugout on the first base side of the infield. From this vantage point, we watched as players took batting practice, launching home runs to all corners of the ballpark. Many even hit the ball out of the stadium and into McCovey Cove, part of San Francisco Bay located just beyond the seats in right field. As has become a tradition at AT&T Park, an armada of fans was staked out in kayaks and rafts in the water, waiting to rescue those home run balls from a watery grave.


Photo © Weston Johnson
Home Run raft & kayak armada on alert in McCovey Cove.

After each player had taken his cuts, the teams retreated to the locker room while we fans vacated the area near the field and sought out our assigned seats. Our tickets directed us to find row 12 of section 314, which is located in the upper deck of the stadium. We made our way upstairs and found that our section was almost directly behind home plate. Row 12 was about halfway between the front and back of the upper deck. As we settled into our seats, we were treated to a panoramic view of the entire ballpark, the Bay beyond the outfield seating sections, and even the Oakland-area hills across the water.


Photo © Weston Johnson
Pre-game festivities view from seats behind home plate.

The pre-game festivities included a concert by Counting Crows, a band of Bay Area natives whose music I have always enjoyed. It was a short performance, but it was fun to hear them play a few familiar songs.

Following their set, the temporary stage was removed from the infield, and soon the Home Run Derby was underway. A total of eight players participated in the Derby: four from the American League and four from the National League. Each batter tries to hit as many home runs as he can before making 10 "outs," which, for purposes of the Home Run Derby, consist of any hit (fair or foul) that does not succeed in clearing the fence. After the first round, the top four players advance to the semi-finals, after which the top two sluggers duel mano-a-mano in the finals.

The first batter of the event was Justin Morneau, the star first baseman of the Minnesota Twins. Needless to say, he was my favorite in the competition. I hoped he would put on a good show. However, he got off to a slow start, hitting the ball hard, but into AT&T Parks' cavernous right-center field, whose wall stands 421 feet from home plate. Eventually, Justin found his groove, finishing with four home runs -- not likely to be enough to advance to round 2, or so I thought.

Of the next six batters, three bested Morneau's total of four home runs, while a fourth, Albert Pujols, matched his output. His fate now rested with the bat of Philadelphia Phillie Ryan Howard, who had won the event in 2006. If Howard managed five home runs or more, Morneau would be eliminated. If he hit exactly four, he would join Morneau and Pujols in a "swing-off." If he hit three or fewer, Morneau and Pujols would be the only swing-off participants.

The tension built as Howard struggled to find his swing. Soon he had made nine outs while hitting just three home runs. One more out and Morneau would still be alive! I was in the odd position of rooting against a fan favorite to hit a home run in a meaningless exhibition. But I wanted to see Morneau bat again! Fortunately, Howard's next swing fizzled into a harmless blooper into the outfield, eliminating him from contention.

Now, Morneau and Pujols would each get five swings with which to hit as many additional home runs as they could. Morneau batted first and managed just one round tripper. Pujols bested this total with outs to spare. Finally, Morneau was eliminated, much to my disappointment.

The final two rounds were sort of anticlimactic, after my favorite horse dropped from the race, but it was still fun to watch the best home run hitters in the game launch balls into the cheap seats and beyond. Eventually, Los Angeles Angel Vladimir Guerrero and the previously anonymous (if an All Star can be anonymous) Alex Rios advanced to the final round. I have always enjoyed watching Guerrero bat. His wild hacks seem to nearly lift him from his shoes as he swings at any pitch that ventures anywhere near the strike zone.

Rios, who had put on an impressive display with 12 home runs in round 2, fizzled out in the finals, managing only two more bombs. His total was easily eclipsed by the free swinging Guerrero, bringing the evening's festivities to a close.

All in all, we had enjoyed a beautiful day at the best ballpark in baseball. We saw all of the greatest players in the game assembled on one field and enjoyed several impressive displays of slugging prowess. And the best part: as we made our way back to our car, we realized we would get to come back and do it all over again tomorrow!

To be continued...


Greetings from the Netherlands
by Ary Ommert, Jr.
Maassluis, The Netherlands

Finally I'm able again to use my computer for using the Internet. Not only I am becoming older but also my computer is aging. The last weeks it only gave errors and other things that didn't work. Now a friend has checked and updated it. Seems I have to look for a new computer soon. Well, you know I'm back online again and hope to make an article for The Bulletin soon..

Here in the Netherlands, all is fine. It's getting dark earlier in the evening and we still have cool temperatures. The summer here hasn't been hot at all. Not busy in the gardencenter, either.

I have been busy at home. I put on new wallpaper above the tiles on the walls in my bathroom and the place where the washing machine is. Looks very neat again!

The best greetings from the Netherlands and will mail you soon more news.


by Frans de Been
Oosterhout, The Netherlands

Yes, one year later, again we have an impression of the flower parade in our south province town Zundert. Here is the link of that site of the parade: www.bloemencorsozundert.nl/ Click on the British flag icon, bottom icon on left side of page, to read the text in English. Click around the site to see some fantastic parade floats, all made with millions of dahlias. The "impression" link details the building of the Trojan horse float. You'll be flabbergasted! The "parade" link shows thumbnails of each float; click on them to see enlargements. Click here to see the 2005 article in Bulletin 169 which has much more relevant information and additional links. --Ed.

We where not able to be there but some year I will be there and make some pictures of that parade.


Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of
5
Hetty Hooper

This Week's Birthdays
September 19---Nathanial Kurtis Seaman
September 21---Jessica Aydelotte
Happy Birthday!

This Week's Anniversaries
September 18---Jay and Sandy Miller Smith (8 years)
Congratulations!

More September Birthdays
' 
September 2---Patty Anderson
September 2---Vicki Anderson
September 2---Stanley Wm. Dake
September 3---Jacob Mendoza Dake
September 3---Eric Printz
September 3---Charles Quick
September 4---Wiley Nelson
September 4---Harvey Stucker
September 5---Lori Chap Ostendorf
September 5---Genelle Mogck
September 7---Brendan Aydelotte (8 years)
September 12---Lindsay Dawn Hellevang
September 14---Lou Miller
September 15---Carolyn Miller Dake
September 15---Shari Miller Larson

September 24---Wyatt Johnson
September 25---Keith Mason
September 26---Jaxon Dwight Hill (1 year)
September 28---Donald L. Anderson
September 30---Sheldon Swenson

More September Anniversaries
Z
September 2---Michael and Sarah Dake Steinhauer (5 years)
September 4---Ernie and Carolyn Miller Dake (36 years)
September 7---Tim and Colette Anderson Huseby (11 years)

September Special Days
O
September 3---Labor Day
September 23---First day of Autumn

Miss Hetty's Mailbox:


Photo © Donna Johnson
Ardis Quick, "earning her keep" during a visit with Don & Patty Anderson. She tied close to five boxes of honey jars with the little tags, first having to insert the raffia. Don & Patty had made a special trip for the little honey jars and Patty had made all of the tags in preparation for her niece's wedding. They were to be given out as favors at the tables. Patty was very thankful for ALL the help Ardis gave her!


Dear Miss Hetty,

I wish you could have been along with us Sunday noon. We were invited to Jeff and Evelyn Swenson's new home in White Bear, Minnesota. We hadn't seen yet, and we were thrilled to be invited, seeing they both have professional jobs that keep them very busy most of the time. (Jeff is Sheldon Swenson's brother.)

We were amazed at the large, open rooms and spacious feeling, totally decorated in a north woods theme, with a huge bearskin across one whole wall.

We enjoyed a complete turkey dinner, even more grand than one we probably will have on Thanksgiving. The dishes were new in their new home. Oblong plates with square corners with a bear design of brown and tan. We were IMPRESSED to say the least. I still can't believe I didn't take my camera.

Their 15 year old daughter, Caralee, has a key chain collection that nearly covered one wall of her bedroom. So, guess what I got for her the other day! You guessed it. With a big, pink leather "S" on it.

So, being we do very little entertaining and go very little, we had to share this lovely invitation with you.

You can only hope that you'll get a turn at going to the Swensons'.

Roy and Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN


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?

'Many Thankse
Everyone!

Miss Hetty


+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think that Jazmine Hill is possibly the cutest little girl I've ever seen and she looks like she must be as sweet as her mother is! Congratulations to her on her tractor pull trophy.

I forgot to comment last week on what a beautiful bird Doug adopted and I wanted to thank him for sending in a photo.

Thanks again for starting this Bulletin, Mom, and thanks to everybody who has kept it going, including all the faithful readers!

Marlene Johnson
Acton, CA


Last January we were having lunch with Richard and Verlaine Weiland; in conversation, Verlaine mentioned something about a Bulletin put out by Dorothy Dake Anderson and we talked about it a little.

After we got home, I checked for E-mail and noticed one from Weilands -- Bulletin #241. What a good time I had reading #241; at the end I clicked on archive. What a pleasant surprise, all listed from day one. So I thought it would be best if I started from the beginning.

So, after some time, I noticed that #241 was not the newest Bulletin, and now I get a new one each week. The first item I look for is Who is this? So #273 is no different.

Dorothy, as you can see I am not a storyteller or a letter writer. (Thank God for spell-check.) Being you were a teacher, I hope after reading this, the next time that I see you, you will still have some hair left.

Jim Smith
Brooklyn Park, MN


Last Week's Bulletin Review JKL
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN

I cautiously scrolled down to see what the first picture would be. I never know. I could see it was a very artistic unique arrangement of the 3-month pictures of that cute, sweet, McKenna. What a tender precious effect a baby's picture has on our hard ol' hearts! Such a pretty pink outfit, and then that tiny hand picture was so one-of-a-kind. We should compare that with one taken just a year from now. It is unbelievable how fast a baby grows and changes.

Glad to hear Mark Johnson is keeping such a good attitude toward his best buddy, Snort. That shows a very mature Mark, to be able to endure the pain and inconvenience of broken arms and still love his horse.

I really enjoyed seeing the story of Jason visiting Julia Sigman. I do know Julia, but haven't seen her since she had very black hair and a very active lifestyle. She would have so enjoyed her family taking time to see her. How proud Travis would be of his new "bike."

This afternoon I saw Tom Miller (Dr.), and he was talking about his new "bike," and wanted to take a picture of it, and I said "for The Bulletin." So, it seems the desire for a motorcycle is just in the blood of a young man.

Was interesting to hear someone else having trouble with appliances so had to go out and replace them. We have just had that experience, too, and must say we do enjoy the new ones. Our old air conditioner was smelling moldy so we put it on Craigslist.org for free and it went in a day. We told him about the smell, but he just brushed it off as no big thing. He planned to put it in his RV so he said there would be lots of ventilation. So, Capt'n Jack and Virginia, maybe that next cruise will have to go to replace the air conditioner and microwave. One can't live without them.

I'm sorry that I couldn't fully identify with the update by Ben Johnson with the tractor and truck that were stuck in the mud. Roy could. I got a little nervous to hear Ben was working with fertilizer. A very dear friend, Richard Rude, must not have worn protective gear and died of poison from a product he was spreading.

We think you will love your Lab, Ben. Everyone loves a Lab. We will be looking for a picture of the new puppy soon.

It's been awhile since we had a photo of photogenic Carrie Horne. That was so cute of her looking intently at the way the swing worked. I love the perfect captions that Bitzi dreams up.

We want to take time to click on the first issue of The Bulletin, and we know that comparing it with this last one of 35 printed pages will be just unbelievable. Sometime when I can get Roy to look at it with me, that would be more fun. Imagine having only six subscribers, compared to the 120 today. And still we all look forward to it every Saturday morning, knowing it will be another winner issue. So, when is this 5-year anniversary issue coming? It will be a special one, that I know, if Bitzi can send in her original creations.

MEMORY LANE ... now that is one that I can relate to; however, I never knew most of what was in that story by Rich Weiland. That was so interesting; it brought tears and laughs and memories. That took place just 10 days before I left my job to go in the work January 24, 1959, so I guess that would have been uppermost in my mind those days.

In spite of being two young, adventurous, newly marrieds, Harold and Anita did have a true love, which is making it very hard for Anita to be alone now since Harold died too young. I'm glad we have Archives in our Bulletin to bring up past issues to re-read. Otherwise I would hate to part with this issue with that story in it, but I don't have room to store them all as the paper copy.

Larry, you can certainly write a vivid description of your lamb experiences. It reads just like it happened yesterday and I almost think I hear the squeals, Oh yes, a lamb doesn't squeal. Sorry, this city girl gets carried away. I hope you won't stop telling your story until you let us know how you left that job and went on to the next challenge in your life.

The Travelogue by Weston is another descriptive account. (This was a totally captivating Bulletin this time as far as I was concerned, with Rich and Capt'n Jack, Larry and Weston submitting these stories from their hearts to ours.) I know one of these times it won't be continued, but I look quick to see if it will be continued next week. All this time and all these tours, and still Weston and Sindy aren't even to the event they went there for. There will be lots more to this story.

I was horrified to think of the driving episode Capt'n Jack had and described so well with all the details making it easy to imagine being right there, too. Jack, did you realize you didn't even tell us about being with your family? The trip there must have been the highlight, rather than the actual family visit.

Jazmine Hill will treasure that picture and trophy all her life, even if she doesn't realize its worth yet, at only 4 years old. What happiness to be a winner, and we will watch for the story of the North Dakota State event after September 15th. Good luck to you, Jazmine, from all your Bulletin friends.

Finally, Hunter's daddy gets a chance at the Foto-Funnies CHUCKLES. He's been in the background too long, but looks like he's good at that sport. In another moment he will know very well why it's called Blue Fin Bay. They should have waited one more minute to take that picture.

What a true Quotation for the day this time. Why is it so hard to give our time when it's the most necessary and wanted of anything we could give?

Thank you again, for this truly special Bulletin. How I wish I knew how to put into words what a successful production each one really is. The result of the dedicated work of our Editors. I happen to know this Bulletin #273 was not finally ready for us until the wee hours of the morning on Saturday. Just under the wire... Whew!

Anyway, we thank you and hope we can continue to find something to submit so you will have something to publish.

Roy and Betty Droel


CHUCKLES


Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell & Douglas Anderson; photo by Wyatt Johnson
Just kidding around with Mom.


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.



Quotation for the day: A gentle word opens an iron gate. --Bulgarian Proverb

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.