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Sunday, October 19, 2008
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Photo © Lori Anderson
Grapes on the vine.


Photo © Lori Anderson
Lori Anderson & Keith Mason at South Coast Winery.

Update -- a fruitful vacation for Lori and Keith
by Lori Anderson
Irvine, CA

It's been a while since Keith and I contributed an update. And seeing as how we actually went out and did something, we thought it would be fun to share. The first week of October we celebrated our third anniversary. We thought it would be the perfect excuse to take some time off work and hit the road for a little vacation.

Our first stop was Temecula, a town about an hour from our house. The city is known for its vineyards and wineries. It's a little strange we chose this town, especially since we don't drink, but we really enjoyed walking along the city's Old Town district checking out the little antique shops and boutiques. We also loved driving past the sprawling vineyards.

We decided to stay at South Coast Winery and Resort. We heard good things about the hotel and it was definitely worth checking out. All of the rooms are detached villas with a private patio and its own small vineyard. It was fun to eat breakfast outside and check out the grapes on the vines.

After our stay in Temecula, we hit the road again. This time our destination was Oak Glen, a much smaller town closer to the mountains. This town is known for its apple harvest and Keith wanted to visit an orchard to pick some fresh fruit. We stopped by Riley's Farm. The employees at this farm all dress in period costume, mostly from the Revolutionary War era. We got to pick two bags of apples from the farm's Gravenstein apple orchard.


Photos © Lori Anderson
Apple picking time in a Gravenstein orchard at Oak Glen.

And keeping with the farm's 1700s theme, we each took turns sitting in the stocks. After that, we picked up some fresh cider and headed down the mountain for home. It's a good thing apples last a long time in the fridge, because we still have a bag left to finish. Looks like I might need to bake a pie.


Photos © Lori Anderson
Keith, left, and Lori, right, sitting in the stocks at Riley's Farm.



Photo © Kristi Indermark
Big Al, left, & Natalee, right, retired greyhounds. There is a stop sign on the window because they are not used to common household things like glass doors.

Update -- the Indermarks adopt two retirees
by Jim & Kristi Indermark
Litchfield Park, AZ

This weekend, we adopted two new family members. They are both retired greyhounds. Big Al is 4 and weighs in at 68 pounds; he had a great racing career. Natalee is 2 and weighs in at 55 pounds; she wasn't fast enough to make it to the track.

They have been great with the transition from crate to house this weekend. They are very gentle, loving dogs. They do have an interesting bedtime routine. They love classical music, so at bed time we turn the lights low and put on classical music and they both head for their beds and go right to sleep. All three kids are enjoying the dogs. The dogs are tolerant of the kids.


Photos © Kristi Indermark
Tyler naps with Natalee, left; Jordan hugs Big Al, right.



Photo © Lori Ostendorf
Rylie Johnson's smile reveals a new front tooth.



Photo © Lori Ostendorf
Brooklynn's 4th birthday party guests, from left: Caity Chap, holding Camryn Johnson; Hannah Finkelson; Rylie Johnson, holding McKenna Ostendorf; Connor Finkelson, Grant Finkelson & Brooklynn Johnson, the birthday girl.


Photos © Lori Ostendorf
Brooklynn left; opening presents with Jayce Chap, right.


Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN


Photos © Lori Ostendorf
McKenna finds kids to play with at petting zoo.


Photos © Lori Ostendorf
Itty bitty bison & a little llama, too.


Photos © Lori Ostendorf
Cowgirl McKenna rides a pony with a little help from Dad.



Photo © PST Innovations
Spiral-Eye Needle
www.spiraleyeneedles.com

I thought this new self-threading, spiral-eye needle was an awesome idea. Spread it around to people who do a lot of sewing. How wonderful not to struggle with seeing to thread a tiny hole! This is the perfect gift for any baby-boomer, person with arthritis, low vision, trembling hands or who is elderly or handicapped. Children learning to sew, college kids and traveling professionals are also candidates for the Spiral Eye Needle, invented by Pamela S. Turner of PST Innovations in Blaine, Minnesota. (Thanks to Mike and Anita Oliva Wolbrink for the tip.)


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 photo.


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 ... generally in the order we receive them, so the first guess received is on top.

My guess for the guessing photo is: Elaine Anderson Wold, Grandma Mellon, Gert Dake behind Dorothy Heyer and DeLoris Anderson. The occasion is the wedding day of Don Anderson and Dorothy Dake on August 15th, 1950, and is taken in the Bill Dake farmyard. On the ground, tying a chain around the muffler and using a little limburger cheese under there, too, is LeRoy Dake. (Remember, this is just a guess.)

Mavis Anderson Morgan
Hope, ND

I believe we found out it was Wallace Slotten who did the hooking up. I really do not think it was LeRoy ... so that is the only part of Mavis's guess that was incorrect. --DMA


My guess: Decorating the car on Donald and Dorothy's wedding day. Near the car is Elaine Anderson Wold, then Cleo Anderson, the next one I don't know -- and DeLoris Anderson is on the end. Who is under the car, though? Someone doing some trickery, I am sure!

Elaine Anderson Wold
Wahpeton, ND

Editor's comment: It seems Don and I recall that Wally Slotten was the Master Mind of that operation. It is hard to tell one set of feet from another ... but they are probably his!


We always have to work hard to bring to mind just who the GUESS pictures are. This time it must be Don and Dorothy's wedding. Could that be Mavis on the left, then Cleo, then DeLoris on the right. Hmmmm, let's see. Who is that with the bottle in her hand? I wonder if that is Dorothy, but surely it wouldn't be the bride.

Well, Capt'n Jack had a lot of us puzzled over the mystery picture of him with the guitar. So it was Bitzi that jazzed it up with all the color. Even his own daughter, Amy, questioned. Was he ever that young? Ever since my first introduction to him, he has worn a mustache, but didn't have one on this picture.

Betty Weiland Droel
MoundsView, MN


Homesteading Days at Effie, Minnesota, as toldby Bruce McCorkell

Larry McCorkell sent us a manuscript he transcribed from his father's tape recorded memories and made it available to The Bulletin for a series of excerpts. These stories were originally tape recorded by Bruce McCorkell of his growing up days on the homestead near Effie in northern Minnesota. They were recorded from a period of the mid 1980's until the early 2000's. These are Bruce's words of happy, sad, funny, good, and hard times.

COPPER BAR IN WELL

Water was always a problem in that area because there weren't any well diggers that came and dug like they do today. Water was about eight feet, something like that, so Dad dug a well by hand. It was sand. It was a little bit east of the garden. It would be east of where my mother's house was after she moved across the road to the south side. He had to crib it up with wood to keep it from caving in.

He got down there about eight feet and here he found a birch log about six inches in diameter that was across the bottom of the hole diagonally. It was pretty well preserved. It had birch bark on it yet. Somewhere in that same hole my dad picked up a piece of copper that had been tempered. That was a lost art. I don't know if it was above that log or what, that he found that little piece of metal. It looked like copper and it was, as I recall, maybe eight inches long and somewhat round on one end. Then it was like it was flattened and maybe two inches wide and the rest of it quite thin. It was curled a little bit on the end, as I remember, and it was corroded like copper would be.

I don't know where it might have come from or who did that in history. I don't know that. I would suspect the Indians didn't make it, but they must have gotten hold of it from somebody. Dad took it somewhere and they told him it was the Indians. I'm not sure that they knew what they were talking about, but at some point in history, supposedly the Indians traded with the French for this so-called copper. I don't know if it was smelted and was a mix of something. It could have been tempered. So this is the story as I remember it. He gave that to somebody. I don't know why it was so far down in the ground.

ARROWHEADS AND FOSSILS

There were a lot of things like that. Our area there on the homestead was Indian country. It seemed like the Indians had camped in that area and out towards Deer Lake, which is some miles east, was real Indian country. Once in a while we found some arrowheads and things like that, but we never really looked for them. We'd have to stumble right on that stuff or we never paid any attention to it. It was just an everyday thing.

When I was helping Dad clear the rocks off in the spring, we'd find pieces of sandstone rock and that isn't a sandstone country. It must have been brought in there by the glacier. I don't know how else it could get there. We made a rock pile on the edge of the field. Some of these sandstone rocks were a couple inches thick and it was a slab, a foot or two feet in length and maybe a foot wide.

Throughout the little slabs of sandstone were all kinds of skeletons of seashells and little fish, like minnows. You could see the ribs and you could see the gills and the whole thing. There were leaves in there like ferns and other leaves. You could see like a maple leaf or some little leaf like a poplar leaf. I don't remember what they were. You could see the little main stem and then the little branches off the leaf and it just laid in there as pretty as they could be. There were some snails, half of them. It was kind of interesting.

My dad gave a lot of that stuff away. That country was kind of interesting. It was an Indian country. I've never any read any history on it. East of our place six miles by Deer Lake are Indian mounds and other things. That's about all there is to that, but it was interesting. It was a beautiful country when the pine was there. You could just imagine what it was like when it was virgin yet.


Travelogue t


Photo © Sheldon Swenson
Base camp for Mount Pisco climb. How many tents can you see?

Climbing Mount Pisco
by Sheldon and Mitzi Swenson
Dickinson, ND

Because we have completed the trek three days ahead of schedule and we had allowed a couple of extra days in case there were problems getting out on time, we now have five or six days before we needed to go back to Lima. We had learned about climbing Mount Pisco three years ago but did not have time to check it out. It is the most often climbed high mountain in Peru because it is close to a road and does not require advanced mountain climbing skill or experience. However it is 5,748 meters high, or about 18,800 feet.

We contacted the guide, Rodrigo, who helped set up our trek and he said his uncle, a licensed guide, could take us up in two days. I ask if this is something us non-climbers will be able to do and he states because we completed the Huayhuash without difficulty this should not be a problem. He also states that because we are well acclimatized by now we should be able to go up in two days and eliminate the need to spend a night at "high camp."

He sets us up with the extra warm clothing we will need, climbing boots, crampons and ice axes. I was not expecting to need all of this type of gear but by now we seem committed. Kjirsten is obviously excited and Mitzi is not complaining so I keep my mouth shut and go along with the plan ... but I'm starting to wonder what are we getting ourselves into now?

Two days later, I find out as we awaken at 2 a.m. at base camp for our hike up to the top of Mount Pisco. We start out at 2:45 a.m. and walk with our headlamps showing the way as Victoriano works his way up and down several glacial moraines en route to the base of the glacier. We are all quite fatigued from carrying our gear and all the warm clothing by the time we reach the base of the glacier about 5 a.m. I know we have climbed less than a thousand feet so far, which means we have about 3,000 feet to go, which is cause for concern.

We stop to put on our boots and crampons, which fortunately gives us a chance to rest up a bit. The benefit of the half hour rest quickly goes right down the tubes as our first climb on the glacier is about 70 degrees vertical for about 200 feet. We are roped together so I feel safe. The ice axe digs right into the firm glacier snow like it is supposed to and the crampons dig right in, as well. However going up like this is real work and once again Mitzi and I are quickly fatigued.

The trail flattens out for a short distance but then quickly the climb is once again very much up, now maybe more like 30 to 40 degrees, alternating with less steepness but always going up. This goes on and on as our energy continues to dwindle. I once again resort to taking pictures to try catching my breath and building some energy but Kjirsten and our guide, Victoriano, make it clear this is not acceptable. Apparently the goal is to get up quickly and then get off the mountain before the snow gets soft and the avalanche danger rises.

This keeps Mitzi and me going as best we can, which isn't good. Our legs are good for just a few inches at a time, with frequent stops to breathe during the steeper climbs. I am starting to have thoughts of turning back but feel like we have made a lot of progress and I would hate to quit now. Kjirsten asks how much longer and he states about another hour. At this point I am ready to quit, and would have quit had the guide told Mitzi and me to turn back. We are both stubborn and determined enough to keep going and finally we reach the base of the final climb around 9:30 a.m.

This is the steepest section yet, about 150 feet almost straight up. After a short rest, we manage to make this last climb with Victoriano keeping a tight rope lest we should slip and fall. As I approach the top, Kjirsten waves for me to get up there and join them. I have to stop and breathe for a few minutes. My legs did not have the energy to take those last few steps without a rest.


Photos © Sheldon Swenson
Climbing the glacier, left; Mitzi stops to breathe, right, as Kjirsten trudges on.

Mitzi's Journal

I thought their crazy idea of climbing Mount Pisco, the most climbed mountain in Peru, would go away when we reached lower elevations and they had more oxygen for their brains, but it didn't.

So, we left Thursday morning for the same area we originally day hiked, with a mountain climbing guide named Victoriano, who had 25 years of experience. A couple of hours of hiking brought us up to base camp, where we had tomato soup with a few veggies and bread for dinner and turned in early.

At 2 a.m. we got up, drank a bowl of tea with lots of sugar, and took off, wearing everything we owned, which for me meant seven layers, consisting of a T-shirt, cuddle duds shirt, camp shirt, long sleeved running shirt, wool sweater, soft shell jacket and a wind-proof jacket; two pair of gloves with mittens; a headband and two wool hats; long johns, hiking pants, mountaineering pants, sock liners and wool-blend hiking socks.

It was too warm when we started hiking and we soon shed our coats. Our packs were heavy and included water, two peanut butter and banana sandwiches and a mandarin orange in addition to crampons and ice axes. We also had a pocketful of hard candies.

Kjirsten had symptoms of mild giardiasis and a tummy ache and I had a cough.

After about two and a half hours of hard hiking in the dark, using headlamps, we arrived at the glacier. We had already gone up and down a moraine which included a difficult descent in sandy soil, then a huge rockfall with boulders to climb over and around, and then steadily ascending up a rocky trail. I was not having fun and wondered if I had another three to four hours left in me.

It took about 30 minutes to put on boots (similar to ski boots), crampons, harnesses, and to be roped together. We took off and crab crawled and walked forever. Soon headlamps were off, in time to step over the first 4-inch crevasse -- a good reminder of why we were with a guide. An interesting snow bridge and another small crevasse were in our future.

I was breathing very hard; my mouth was so dry I could hardly dissolve the hard candy, and the citrus ones made me nauseous. The mint ones went down better. I can't remember being so miserable since I was in labor giving birth to our children!

After a couple of hours of trudging along, we met someone coming down who said we only had an hour or so left. By this point, whenever we stopped I just leaned on my hiking poles to breathe for a long time before admiring the stunning view. We all walked in silent misery; there wasn't enough oxygen to waste talking about quitting, and there was no way I was going to be the one to suggest we weren't tough enough to make it.

Finally we dropped our useless packs -- our water hoses had been frozen for a long time. We used our ice axes and crampons to climb up the last vertical slope and we were on top! The view was amazing; we were surrounded by huge mountain peaks.

To be continued...


Photo © Sheldon Swenson, left; Kjirsten Swenson, right.
Final pitch, left; Sheldon & Mitzi, all smiles on summit, right.


Photo © Sheldon Swenson
Panoramic views from Mount Pisco's snow-capped summit.


$  A Long Time Ago   !

Photo Editor's Note: Last week I ran out of time before the illustrations for the Appalachian Trail Trek episode got scanned. If you want to see it with the illustrations, click here.


Photo © Jerrianne Lowther
Kyra stops to converse with a cow on a farm in New England.

Appalachian Trail Trek: October 1973
by Jerrianne Lowther
Anchorage, AK

Kyra was missing school every day ... but she wasn't missing it much! She wrote in her diary, which was her one school assignment, and she wrote letters, stories and notes. She collected a dollar from the tardy Tooth Fairy at Gulf Shelter, but she had a backup plan, too. The note she carefully prepared said, "Sorry I missed you but I had an awful time finding you in the dark. This certificate is good for 25 cents. Redeem it at your nearest daddy. Good hiking, The Tooth Fairy."

The autumn leaves, so breathtakingly beautiful in New England, finally fell ... in quantities we could hardly comprehend. Kyra kicked fallen leaves into a huge pile and jumped into it ... as any kid would do. She wrote notes on maple leaves and arranged them along the trail. She called it "leafing messages." And when she found milkweed pods bursting with fluffy seeds, she helped the autumn breezes scatter them far and wide. The 11-year-old through hiker was having a ball!

As the days grew shorter, the evening hours in shelters got longer. Then Kyra would take yarn and crochet hook from her pack and crochet "granny squares." This pastime kept her occupied and added little weight or bulk to her pack. She mailed finished squares to "Mission Control."


Photo © Jerrianne Lowther
Kyra tosses milkweed seeds -- "fluffs" -- into the air to catch the breeze.

"Rain became sleet by afternoon and we took refuge in Peru Peak Selter. Nine miles of Appalachian Trail remained -- one last sub-ten mile day. I expected hikers behind us to appear, but as darkness descended and the patter on the roof went on, none did. Few besides us would walk in a full day of rain. We set about evening routines in silence. No one had much to say....

"Odd, being so near the end. Two thousand miles had once seemed impossibly far. Two hundred days had once seemed uncommonly long. All but one day had passed. What now? What would we take away? Did it have to end? I sorted through thoughts and feelings as if cleaning out a drawer.

"It was time to leave. We would finish the trail, reach the goal, winter would come, our savings would be gone. We had no reason or way to go on. Facts and Logic: set those aside for now.

"We would go to the city, drive cars, get jobs. I'd sit at a desk, answer telephones, wear a tie. What if I didn't want to? I rather liked the AT. I'd just come to know the place. Why should I have to leave? Dewy Sentiment: common on such journeys -- disregard.

"I belonged here. I felt at peace with the land; I felt a closeness with the natural world. I felt at home and welcome. Life was real here and I still had much to learn. Revelations on a Mountaintop: keep those.

"Questions had answers here. Could we reach the next shelter? Should we wear rain gear? Would the Post Office be open? Few decisions were much harder. Though life on the AT wasn't easy, neither was it complex. Yearning for the Good Old Days: not much use, still...

"I'd worn one shirt for seven months, one pair of jeans. I'd carried what I needed in a pack, slept in a bag on the ground, in shelters with roof and three walls. Those things were enough. One needed little to be happy, really. To be warm, dry, safe, and not hungry was richness indeed. Simplicity: that was it ... getting somewhere...

"We'd suffered rain, snow, wind, cold, heat, bugs. We'd crossed rivers and bogs, rocks and mud. We'd climbed mountains, gained seventy-five miles of elevation and given it back. We'd lived with mice, bears, snakes, skunks, porcupines, raccoons. We'd supplied our own food, had not gotten lost, had not given up. Together, we had made our own way.

"This was what we'd found on the Appalachian Trail. The simple way of life, peace with the land and each other, confidence that we could handle whatever came along. This was what I wanted to hold.

"I fell asleep in the darkness. Very soon rain turned to snow." --from Walking North, by Mic Lowther.


Photos © Jerrianne Lowther
Kyra crosses ravine on log bridge through fallen leaves, left; she liked to "leaf" messages for those behind, right: "Hi," & "Peek-A-Boo" & "Hill -- Use Low Gear."


Observations
By Don Anderson
Alexandria, MN

Here in Minnesota we are enjoying October's Bright Blue weather (a poem I learned years ago).

October is a nice month; it precedes the transition into winter. After this time we can expect the usual winter weather.

I once wondered when one was raised in the colder climate can he be satisfied while living in a warmer climate.

After 12 years in Missouri, I felt like I was missing something. Sure we got snow, but it disappeared very quickly. I missed the feeling of snow crackling underfoot. Sometimes in January I used the air conditioner in the car. This seemed very unnatural for me.

The weather isn't everything. We loved the climate there but our family here was our reason to move back. It is good to be near family when we are up in years so we can visit and have visits from our family.

We like Alexandria very much; it has everything one needs and the traffic is no problem. Our lakes are the nicest. We often drive around several of our largest lakes on an evening drive.

Being near has many privileges, too. We see our grandchildren often and we look forward to our tenth great grandchild soon.

I find it hard to believe I have been around to experience all of this. I am thankful for each and every day and always look forward to challenges coming my way.


Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of
5
Hetty Hooper

This Week's Birthdays
October 20---Wade Morgan Printz (9 years)
October 22---Rich Johnson (from MN)
October 24---Eric Shockey
October 24---Ken Kitto
Happy Birthday!

More October Birthdays
' 
October 1---Brooklynn Ann Johnson (4 years)
October 1---Carolyn Amy Horne (4 years)
October 4---Wesley Sigman
October 4---Anita Pfingsten Weiland
October 5---Leona Anderson
October 5---Steven Miller
October 7---Steven Anderson
October 10---Hannah Aydelotte (7 years)
October 10---Greta Veronica Shockey (1 year)
October 10---Cody Printz
October 11---Jay Smith
October 12---Muriel Wold Rodriguez
October 12---Tami Anderson Hunt
October 14---Douglas Anderson
October 14---Candice Miller Jordt
October 14---Verlaine Weiland
October 18---Lori Anderson
October 18---Adriana Stahlecker Brown
October 18---Dan Mellon

October 26---Ardis Sigman Quick
October 27---Marlene Anderson Johnson
October 27---Rich Weiland
October 28---Derrick McNeill
October 29---Sami Larson
October 29---Tom Miller
October 30---Anne Mellon Montford

October Anniversaries
Z
October 1---Keith Mason and Lori Anderson (3 years)
October 4---Don and Patty Bratten Anderson (11 years)
October 17---Troy and Marlee Anderson Freesemann (14 years)

October 27---Don and Gert Dake Pettit (18 years)

October Special Days
O
October 13---Columbus Day (observed)
October 31---Hallowe'en

Miss Hetty's Mailbox:

Dear Miss Hetty,

I am VERY APPRECIATIVE of the lovely birthday greeting you sent last Tuesday. We have two under the weather sisters here since Monday. I think they will stay through Friday, resting and recuperating. It hasn't always been easy to get near the computer. BUT! It was so fun to fire up this machine and find your wishes!

I became 65 so Rich and I are now the same age for two weeks. So if you are good in math you will figure out how old he will be in two weeks! We both feel very blessed with the years we have been given. Thank you for including us in the enjoyable Bulletin! I spent the day at the Social Security office (well, not the day, but at least two hours!) So I am now officially retired and waiting for my first Social Security check within the month! This is America! No matter what!

Verlaine Weiland
Coon Rapids, MN


I wonder how many really take time to research the links in The Bulletins?

I just took time to go through #330, and looked up each link. I think the one for the book Walking North was worth every minute to follow through it, seeing the foundation and comments on Walking North. All the little details of the family walking the Appalachian Trail.

Just thought I would encourage anyone to be sure to look into the world of information at our fingertips through the links in blue.

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?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click here to review last week's Bulletin

The trees in our neighborhood all lost their leaves yesterday when it was windy. I think they're pretty much all the same kind. Ash, maybe? They were so pretty -- gold! We have a maple tree that's VERY red and pretty, but it's also very small! Those leaves haven't fallen yet. We won't need to rake -- they probably wouldn't fill a shoe box.

Janie Anderson
Wahpeton, ND


Photos © Janie Anderson
Red, red maple leaves against bright blue October sky.


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

As I was scrolling down, the first picture was coming into view, and I saw the tops of white heads, and then further down there appeared two happy, happy people with a genuine sparkle in their eyes.

I thought, "There must be a picture of a new baby in their family to create such happiness," and as I scrolled down further there was that little pink bundle in their arms. Then I knew, and then I understood why the blissful happiness in their expressions. A new baby can do that to a countenance, and a first great grandbaby can for sure. Alexa, we anticipate many more pictures and updates about you growing and changing.

The clock in the picture of Jettison and Merna is one exactly like we have in our dining room. Rich and Verlaine gave it to Roy many years ago. He had said that as soon as the batteries wore out, he didn't want to replace them for the birds chirping at every hour. Soon we were eagerly looking forward to hearing each one so have always made sure we changed the batteries when needed ever since.

Looks like Jettison is missing his mom and dad ... even Don couldn't cheer him up.

I was so happy for the ramp Virginia Adair has now on her steps. How well I remember my struggle up a stair with a walker after a broken hip, and this ramp would be such a lifesaver. I doubt they will ever remove it as the older we get the more a ramp appeals to us. Next to the ramp is the need for those handrails. Roy and I can hardly make it anymore without handrails. Is that old or what?

We were so anxious for the update about Jazmine in the national tractor pull. 6th place was very good, considering how many were competing. I am sure that medal is hanging on her wall at this very moment. Congratulations, Jazmine. We liked your kindergarten picture, too. So bright eyed and sweet in the matching shirt and hair clips. I don't even want to think about how soon there will be graduation news. Time goes just that fast!

For some reason, I feel a special interest in the grand kitties. I suppose it's because Miss Kitty makes sure we keep updated on them, and those pictures of the clean, fluffy kitties are usually in such interesting poses, like with Mr. Squid. Pretty deep mathematics for percentages of how long you have known each other. The storm damage sounded dreadful. To clean up after it would be hard long work, and expensive. Especially now, as the Alaska weather gets colder and it snows.

Mai Tai looks like he could do some serious clawing if anyone had interrupted him about then. I see that pretty pillow behind him that Kyra embroidered.

Every Bulletin we have a different view of little McKenna. Such sweet baby curls.

One time we were "up north" ... which means 'way up north. Someone pointed out a cabin that looked just like this one of the homestead, saying it was our friends' home from years before. Now, I am wondering if it is this one. It looks just like it. Quite a story about all the mice. As long as they stayed upstairs. They made a lifelong impression on a couple little boys, for sure.

The Travelogue was especially interesting this time, being it was nearing the end of the journey. The feeling of sadness would be understandable, but likely they were glad it was going to be over so they could get on with life again. They will never forget Nicol nor will he forget them. I am sure his daughter was working very hard to give of her best to these hikers her dad had met.

The bus transportation was very detailed and interestingly written. We could easily see and hear and almost smell the events of it all, but the fact they made their way safely gave us a sigh of relief. Glad it is to be continued yet. The posed picture with the dessert makes you realize they were glad to see something besides rehydrated snacks. They don't look the worse for wear after their days hiking in those mountains. We admire, but don't envy, them.

The A Long Time Ago Appalachian Trail Trek continues yet. What a success for a family to ever have made it all the way. I understand that does not happen very often. There is the starting, the continuing, but to really finish is something else. Poor Kyra. No tooth fairy able to find her in that wilderness! Seems it should have produced something at the Gulf Shelter, but we didn't learn that.

The polluted water was quite an event in itself. In the book it gives details, and must have proved to be the worst part of the whole trek. "We stood in fog on the summit." What a victory to be echoing those words. We hope to be hearing more. Like finally getting a real bed in town.

So many birthdays and observances for October for names I recognize. We wish them a happy day, especially Rich and Verlaine and Kenny Kitto, who are of my own family.

Looks like Jaxon Hill is starting out loving tractors, too. He looks so thrilled to be with that colorful "farmer" cake. He looks all-knowing for being only two.

Yes, Lori, we all are hoping Donnie and Patty will publish their open dates of the brand new Red Chair Antique store.

We are missing the McDouglas Chuckles, but will settle for second best here. Poor cat -- looks like the dad is smiling a lot more than the poor cat. I love that idea of a CANDID KITTY feature. The Bulletin has several cats that could perform!

The Quotation for the day is the next and the last thing that caught my attention in Bulletin #330. Somehow, I felt like an inner fire went out when Kathy and Arg left Alaska to be near their daughter, Colette, here in Minnesota. This quotation says there will be those people that will rekindle the inner spirit. We hope for that.

So, now this Letter To The Editor for Bulletin #330 is finally winding down, and once again we send a special thank you to those who make it another keeper.

Betty Droel


CHUCKLES


Photo © Lori Anderson
Keith & Lori at South Coast Winery. Teetotalers don't get tipsy, but this photo did.


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Quotation for the day: Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow-ripening fruit. --Aristotle

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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