FAMILY UPDATE
from Diana Martin
I am looking forward to the next Bulletin. A couple of things have been going on. I had some exploratory surgery for bladder problems: the results were a bit inconclusive, but it looks like I have a kidney stone. I'm not overly concerned about that, as they can usually treat that without surgery, but ... about 7:00 that evening, I had a mild stroke, here at home, and have been dealing with that.
The second thing -- for reasons we just are not certain about, our sweet, gentle, happy, loving, trusting little Honey, our little 22 pound terrier mix, was shot and seriously and permanently injured by a neighbor It was a nightmare of the worst kind ... a lot of surgery, and permanent damage to her left hind leg and front left paw ... which, the vet suspects, in her panic, somehow got caught in some underbrush or something, and completely tore out not only a toenail, but the entire bone it grows in! She has stitches in small spots all over her body, but, of course, the left hind leg is the most serious. She's in a surgical splint and bandage, and due to so much damage on the left side, must be carried everywhere for a while.
We have a vet appointment, and a doctor appointment for me, and hopefully, I'll learn the test results stemming from my stroke. I'm not sure the specialist will be able to make it up here with the storm and bad roads, so it may be cancelled. These spring storms can really dump a lot of heavy, wet snow in a very short time. Boy! "Honey's" recovery is slow and requires a lot of care and attention, but the important thing, of course, is that she WILL recover.
JOB UPDATE
By Becky Chap
I like my job very much. I find that I can do just fine on my income if I budget. And who knows, maybe someday I will get a raise and maybe even a higher position. Right now the Program Coordinator (her name is Kathy) at a house in Elbow is out so I will be doing her job for a little while.
I have to do her shift on Tuesday and I will be getting $10.00 an hour and then on Thursday I have to go to a class and help teach the med training. Kathy was going to, but now that she can't, I will be doing it. The pay for that will also be $10.00 an hour and that will be a nice easy 8 hours. When I did my med training, I got the highest grade of all who took it. So Brenda, my supervisor, wants me to help. On Tuesday I will be training in a new staff member. So that will be fun and hard all at the same time! Wish me luck!
Becky
UPDATE
It's a Small World
by Mavis Morgan
On our recent "Fly Home" trip to ND from FL and thinking our 2 1/2 hour layover in Chicago would be a little long, we decided to get an "Airport Sandwich" and help pass the time.With the hundreds of people hurrying and buzzing around every which way with backpacks, strollers, luggage on wheels, wheelchairs, talking on cell phones, holding signs with their guest's name, asking directions, babies cooing and babies crying, we decided to sit down in a quiet area and enjoy our sandwich.
Not too far from us was another of those "cell talkers." After a little while there was silence for a while until he came over and started asking questions as to where we were going and where did we come from. Of course we can't say Hope, as no one in Chicago would know anything about little "Hope town on the Prairie." To make things less complicated, we usually say, "Northwest of Fargo."
"We have some good friends in Fargo," he said. We asked the name and he said "Herb and Arlene Smith." He continued on with "My wife is his niece." The Smiths are friends of ours! So this man was a friend of ours, too.
We found out his name is Keith Mask (in his early 30's) from Atlanta, Georgia. He has lived in Georgia all his life. He was very much acquainted with Tom's aunt Georgina Morgan. He was also just a young lad when we all three were at her funeral in 1982. His wife is a dear friend of Shannon (Pontius) formerly from Minneapolis. Keith and his parents live near Ryan Freesemanns -- so we could tell him Ryan is our son-in-law Troy's brother. We exchanged a great conversation on many people we both knew from Georgia because of our travels through there when Aunt Georgie was living.
He told us of the time when carpenters were working at his parents' home and the children were so happy that "Miss Georgia" was coming to see them. (Older people are referred to with a Miss or Mr. preceding their name.) Anyway, the children had told the carpenters Miss Georgia was coming to their house. As the car drove up and the children ran to see her, the carpenters came too and they were very surprised to see a little older lady instead of the "beauty queen" they had pictured in their minds.
For those of you who know Erling Omdahl, you will recall he was in Georgia for many years after leaving North Dakota. Keith, who knew him well too, and Tom and I talked about him and his interesting ways. When we went to Georgia's funeral we stayed with John Hallidays and Erling wanted to stay as close by as possible to get in all the visits he could with us while we were there to get an update on good old North Dakota. Tom had asked him how he liked Georgia and his answer was, "Vell, last year I saw von snowflake," holding up one finger. I think he was very happy there.
Needless to say the time went by very quickly Keith and wife have two girls, 5 and 9 years, and he just completed making them a mud room. REMOVE SHOES!
Travelogue t
The Bolivian Beat
By Kjirsten Swenson
This afternoon we returned to Cochabamba after 2 incredible days at Carnival in Oruro. It was amazing and crazy beyond my ability to describe, but I'll try...
My Bolivian sister, my friend Ariel from last semester, and I left Cochabamba in the rain at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. After freezing on the bus for 4 hours, we arrived in Oruro, a small Altiplano city located near the border with Chile that attracts something like 300,000 visitors for Carnival every year. We dropped our stuff at the SIT group's hotel, layered every single item of clothing we had packed, and headed to the streets.
The main event of Carnival in Oruro is known as "La Entrada." It's basically a massive folkloric parade of dancers and brass bands that begins at 8 am Saturday and continues steadily until around 2 am Sunday morning. The dances are truly astounding! The enthusiastic dancers wear beautifully elaborated costumes and perform dances that portray a variety of themes. "La Diablada," the most famous, includes fantastic devils and rather jumpy angels. Other dances portrayed the conquest, traditional witch healers, and much, much more. I was particularly entertained by the parody of Spanish professionals, "Los Doctorcitos." They wore nose/glasses masks and somehow hobbled around on canes and danced at the same time!
While the Entrada progresses, Oruro itself remains highly entertaining. The city was super crowded with Bolivians and foreigners alike, all of whom spent the day pelting each other with water balloons, spraying canisters of foam in each other's faces, and consuming remarkable amounts of alcohol. By late afternoon a LOT of people were drunk and we spent a while in the plaza allowing us to entertain us with fights, tears, and drunken dancing. Pretty sad. People along the parade route offer drinks to the performers. I've always been impressed by Bolivians' sense of rhythm, but must say I was truly amazed to note that the stumbling drummers still managed to keep the beat!
By midnight we were frozen, exhausted, and wary of the drunkards. After crashing in the hotel for a few hours, we dragged ourselves out again at 4:30 a.m. in order to be at the plaza in time for sunrise. Many of the 50-plus bands had gathered there and the resulting sound was impressive. There were still drunk people everywhere. Most of Oruro doesn't sleep on Saturday night. Later that morning the parade began again! Apparently all of the same dance are performed, but in different order. We watched until around noon before heading back to Cochabamba.
So it was a truly marvelous weekend. I'm still dizzy from all of the color and sound. Oruro was overwhelming!
Apparently I'm going to Morochata Wednesday! The director called while I was away to say the ambulance will pick me up then. I don't know the details yet, but am thrilled to know I'm finally going to get there!
Hooray for improved Spanish! I'm reading purely in Spanish these days and still learning lots of new words. As soon as I get to Morochata, I plan to start studying Quechua!
Finally time to sleep... Kjirsten
The Miss Kitty Letters*
By Miss Kitty
Happy Birthday!
Don't you just love celebrations? I do! And if they come with candy and cake and flowers and bouncy musical e-cards and catnip toys, why I'm just tickled pink!
Miss Jerrianne was pretty surprised to get a birthday card from me in the mail. To tell the truth, I was pretty surprised myself. I think her friend that sent her catnip toys for her birthday had something to do with it. I got a big kick out of the greeting inside: "I suppose that means I have to be nice to you today!" She got animated musical e-cards, too. When I hear music playing, I always run and jump on her lap. I explore her computer, trying to figure out where the music comes from, as I watch.
We were both surprised when Miss Kathlyn rang the doorbell and brought in a big bouquet of yellow tulips and angel food cake with lemon curd and vanilla frosting. "No carbs for kitty cats," Miss Jerrianne said, so I didn't get any cake, but I contented myself with shrimp and salmon kitty treats and playing with my new catnip stuffed dogfish toy. I was, after all, being nice on her birthday, just like the kitty card said.
A couple of days later, when I settled in for my afternoon nap, Miss Jerrianne said a nap sounded like a great idea and she decided she'd like a cat nap, too. I woke up before she did and, finding the bedroom door unexpectedly open, I set off to explore. I checked her bouquet and found tulip leaves were quite tasty, as I nibbled a few. The cake had a lid that wasn't snapped tight and I opened it easily. I'm no angel, so I nibbled a bit of angel food. I dug in some flower pots and spread dirt on the floor...
I knew I was being naughty and I knew I'd get caught, but being curious is my cat nature. Sometimes it gets me in trouble, too. Like the morning I got bored while Miss Jerrianne slept and I played with a Dream Catcher on the bedroom wall. Beads and feathers on leather thongs looked so inviting ... I found I could pull off the beads and let the feathers float away. "That was VERY naughty," Miss Jerrianne said when she saw what I'd done. She gathered up the beads and feathers, put them back on the thongs the way they belonged and hung the Dream Catcher back on the wall.
The next time she went out and left me alone in the bedroom, she took the Dream Catcher off the wall and put it into a drawer so I wouldn't be tempted. It was still missing the next day, so I sat on the bed and meowed, rather insistently, for her attention. When Miss Jerrianne came into the room, she saw me staring at the wall where the Dream Catcher usually hung. "Meow!" I said. She took the Dream Catcher out of the drawer and hung it back on the wall. As soon as she did, I stopped fussing.
She went out again the next day and left me alone in the bedroom. Again, she put the Dream Catcher into a drawer before she left. Soon after she came back she heard me fussing and came into the room to investigate. I stood on the bed with my paws on the wall where the Dream Catcher normally hung. "Meow!" I said. "Meow, meow, meow!" She hung the Dream Catcher back on the wall and I stopped fussing, as before. I've only played with it that one time, and I think she's convinced now that I'll notice ... and fuss ... if the Dream Catcher disappears from the wall.
Next month we're going to celebrate MY birthday. Because I was a lost kitten, we don't know exactly which day I was born. The vet who first examined me estimated my age and set an arbitrary birthdate of April 23. However, I think I might celebrate my birthday with Arbor, Miss Jerrianne's nephew, on Arbor Day. That isn't Arbor's real birthday, either. He was born on Christmas Eve, just like Beaver, but his father (Richard) said he thought Arbor should have his own birthday celebration on Arbor Day. Maybe I'll plant a pussywillow tree. It sure won't be a dogwood!
For more Miss Kitty adventures visit my web log:
http://www.jlowther.com/Pages/kitty/index.html
Miss Kitty
Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN
from Linda Zitzmann
POSITION:
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required, unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right!
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have been removed from my old job (note the new title). I guess I got reassigned because of several little episodes in my life -- my boss is pretty strict about keeping a "good name."
Now the new editor has come to my rescue and a new job is offered which perhaps, after all, may be a bit more down my line. I am now the one to write to when you have "family celebrations." I need some help on this one, too. Would you please be so kind as to send me your birth date? OK, I have my ways of finding out (my snooping system is still in working order) so why don't you cooperate and send it along? It would be nice to have a picture to publish (with some commentary on the occasion) for your birthday -- or other family celebration. Miss Jerrianne has been kind enough to offer to run them in The Bulletin. -----Funny-Cute -- or Beautiful -- no matter, but just remember my boss is very "straight-laced" and only decent gets by her!!
This Week's Birthdays:
Jolene Johnson--March 12
Dan Mellon --March 16
Janie Anderson--March 18
Happy Birthday!
More March birthdays:
Donald Anderson--March 3
Jerrianne Lowther--March 6
Rachel Henderson--March 21
Donna Johnson--March 28
Now who did we miss? Write and tell us about your celebration!! Help me make this work, please!
+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks Dorothy. I enjoyed the newsletter and of course what grandparent wouldn't enjoy seeing his grandchild's picture?
Dan
I enjoyed The Bulletin, just as I always do. I appreciate each and every piece! Maybe it's a "girl" thing :-)
Great picture of Mar and Rich! Thanks to Kim for writing more about their trip. I am really enjoying that too. Fun seeing the new baby relatives' pictures, they are both cuties. Still loving the Miss Kitty letters! I've learned many things from that intelligent cat :-)
I'd be interested in learning more about relatives that I have heard of in the Fergus area. Muriel introduced me to a cousin's (?) wife one time, she worked in the Hallmark store. Are there many others? Anyone?
I'd be interested to have description or recipes of some of the things that Kjirsten is eating too, is that possible? Such as "humintas"-what would that be?
Sorry to hear I missed Jerrianne's birthday! And, Eric's! So, HAPPY BELATED birthday to both of them from me, please! A big e-mail HUG to both ( ).
Donna
CHUCKLES
THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY
from Our Friends
Jess and Louise Cloyd*
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Anderson -- After much careful deliberation over your lab tests, CAT scan, MRI, brain wave test, electrocardiogram and consulting with the nurse, aide, receptionist and janitor we have come to your brilliant diagnosis of CHRONIC CABIN FEVER!!!!
There are several alternatives, not all applicable in your advanced years:
[1] A Caribbean cruise.
[2] A visit to a sauna (that's hot tub in English) for Swedes.
[3] An hour a day on the deck under a sun lamp.
[4] A trip to the South Pacific, preferably Tahiti.
[5] Make a list of blessings and another of cursings and weigh which is heavier.
[6] A trip to the Banana Belt of South Dakota.
[7] Or just stick it out---Spring will arrive--sometime!!!!
I won't mention the 60's we had for 3 days this week as it's only about 48 here now. The ground (and ROADS) are bare.
Last night we "celebrated" our 59th anniversary -- it's Feb. 24 -- but Friday night is BBQ ribs night at the restaurant in Edgemont and Ken & Anne invited us out there for ribs to celebrate. Little did we think when we were married in Springfield, MO, in 1945 that we'd have our 59th in Hot Springs, SD.
Hope you can see the light of day -- should I say a hint of Spring.
We're doing fine, thankful we don't have to drill thru 18" of ice for our food to come swimming by.
Louise and Jess
* Who just moved to SD this year to be near their daughter -- sounds like they had some nice weather -- at least the week they wrote. DMA
QUOTATION FOR THE DAY: The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
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.