FAMILY UPDATE
This is just day to day new ... it's pretty mundane. Markie had a bunch of testing done ... think I may have told you that. I just thing we're going to have to give him a lot of extra help at home.
Whitney got all 4's in "deportment." She acts so much older than she is and she's just as tall as the teacher. I think she went from 5 to 15 over night. She still loves to play dolls though, so that's good.
Kimberly had her last concert for this year. They played with a community band from Bloomington, which made it very interesting. She's been practicing again so she's having more fun playing. School's going great for her too.
You've heard about Heidi already so I won't tell you all of that.
Well, I can't think of anything more to tell ... yikes! Must mean we have a boring life. At least there's no BAD news. :-).
Love,
Marlene
STUDENT UPDATE
Tami's Spring Break
by Janie Anderson
On Saturday, March 22, Tami Anderson left from Portland, Oregon, with a group from the optometry school she attends. The group is called The Amigos and is a non-profit group run by student and doctor volunteers. They were headed for El Salvador.
Tami called home Sunday afternoon. They had arrived in San Salvador on schedule, had about a two hour bus trip to Suchitoto (I think that's spelled right) and were in their hotel. Monday they started their clinic about 10 miles out of town. She said calling was difficult and expensive ($1.75 per minute).
For more details see the March 17 Bulletin
Let's Ask Mom or Grandma
I should have asked you for that recipe for Shipwreck long ago! Now what about "no-bake" cookies? Doug
No-bake Cookies
(these are the cookies Dan talks about in Memory Lane, below.)
First -- Measure into a kettle large enough to allow free boiling space: 2 cups white sugar -- 1/2 cup milk --1/4 cup cocoa -- 1/4 cup butter or margarine -- and vanilla. (I know this sounds a lot, but I use 1 tablespoon of the extract -- cheap -- kind.) By the way, you can safely double this recipe with good results (time for cooking remains the same); beyond that is unwieldy to manage.
Second -- Have ready before you start the cooking: two buttered dinner plates -- the instant oatmeal (you will be using about 3 cups of it) -- the chunky peanut butter -- and a couple of spoons for dishing up.
Third -- Have a long wooden spoon for stirring (constantly ) the mixture. You will cook it on high, so be sure to stir the whole time. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Time it at a full rolling boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Fourth -- Add a couple big dollops of peanut butter (the recipe says 1/4 cup but I usually use more, I am sure) and gradually pour in the oatmeal. I know by the consistency when I have enough. When you can't see any more liquid in the bottom of the pan, it will be about 3 cups.
Fifth -- Using the two spoons, drop by spoonfuls on the buttered plates. One further tip: if they start to harden too fast, add a couple drops of milk, stir furiously, and finish dishing them up --they will turn out fine!!! Good luck!!
Grandma,
Could you tell us the story of how you and Grandpa met? And then maybe other couples could send in their own stories?
Lori,
Yes, but I will have to start a little earlier in time than the day I actually met him -- now to set the stage:
After I came home from Sister Kenney's Hospital, I needed a few months to gain back my strength. What would I do about country school teaching? Janitor work and being your own physical education teacher made it pretty hard to go back. The rehabilitation program of Minnesota offered to pay my tuition to go back and get an Associate in Education Degree so I could move into a town school. So in the fall of 1949, I enrolled at St. Cloud Teacher's College (as it was then called). I rented a room (where there were several rooms available -- seven other girls lived there, too). It was across the street from the campus.
When my sister-in-law Vonnie Dake found out my phone number and address, she sent it to a good friend of hers, Lorraine Slotten, from North Dakota. Lorraine was also going to be in St. Cloud for the year, as she was going to become a nurse and was taking her psychiatric training in St. Cloud Veterans' Hospital. (Do you see the plot begin to thicken???)
I met and immediately liked Lorraine. The first weekend after school started, I invited her to hop on the bus and ride to Dassel with me -- someone would pick us up. We had a nice weekend and kept in contact during the weeks that followed. In October she came with me to convention at Hector on the weekend; we were both glad to be free to go.
We spent several other times visiting at Blanche and Jim's or at the folks. Then came Thanksgiving time and she informed me it was time for her to have me come to visit her family and friends. I thought it would be lots of fun to ride a different bus for a change, so off we went to Wahpeton. That Friday night she invited all the eligible bachelors she thought I might like to meet to come out for the evening. She had a fun evening planned: board games, eating, playing tricks on all of us, etc.
After the guests went home she asked me, "Now which one of those fellows do you think you'd like to get to know better? How about Donnie Anderson!!!"
I seem to remember saying, "He is too young -- do you want me to rob the cradle???"
The next weekend when I again went home, Dad wondered who Don Anderson was as I had a letter from him. He had sent it to the college addressed to Dorothy Doke. They, not knowing anybody by that name, had returned it. He almost threw it away (he tells me) but then redirected it to Howard Lake. (In the Howard Lake post office they knew that would be for the Dake family and sent it on out.) I answered it -- and that is how the relationship that led to 52+ years (so far) of married life began.
Your Mom, Grandma, the Editor and Etc.
Good day from In a Jam(b). I have a question.
Q: I am a thirty-something bachelor living with two male cats in an efficiency apartment. (That's not my problem; I'm just giving you a little exposition.)
My cats enjoy playing "chase," a spirited game of feline pursuit in which they tear around the apartment, leaping from chair to chair, until one of them is caught. Then the contest turns to a short wrestling bout, the roles are reversed and the one who was chasing is then chased. This is all fine and good, and everyone gets badly needed exercise, but my problem is this: I'm afraid I'm causing my downstairs neighbors some stress, as my cats are fairly large, and the noise must be awful! Any Ideas?
Signed,
A good neighbor in St. Cloud.
A:
Joe: "Large cats"?? Is this guy a lion trainer? How much noise does a whip make?
Pete: I wonder. If so, that could be a very large problem! Do you think he has a "ring of fire" there, too?
Sam: No, you two always jump to conclusions. I think what he is talking about is house cats! He chases them around, jumping from chair to chair until he catches them. And then lets them chase him. No wonder the neighbors downstairs are upset.
Joe: Are you sure, Sam? Because he says they make an "awful noise" and I've been to one of those places -- and it's a very awful noise!
Sam: Yes, but I don't know how his furniture takes all the abuse. Do you guys remember when BK lived with us? Her dog was called -- piddles pestaroni -- or something; anyway, this very nice dog was just a very little dog but would bark and bark at my assistant (Kim) so she would wear winter gloves, boots, hats, and a coat in the house and she would (like this guy) jump from chair to couch to end table just to get where she was going. I guess we could ask the downstairs neighbors how that made them feel.
Joe: If that really is so, then the only thing that I could suggest is; you know those cat carriers? No, they would only tear them apart after a day. Hmm -- well, you couldn't remodel the apartment and install a sound barrier; that would be too expensive; we might be up against the wall, so to speak, this time -- maybe first floor living?? He say's he is a "good neighbor" so -- maybe he has information he's not sharing, like, maybe he just hoodwinked us already by finding out that his neighbors didn't mind at all!
In this issue of The Bulletin I plan to share several mini Memory Lane items with you -- and then one general essay by my cousin Diana Martin: I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!!!!
Grandpa Dake
by Patty Dee Henderson
I don't think I'll ever forget the "privilege" of being "grandpa's eyes." That's what he called it when you went out to the oil-smelling shop and helped him fix up something for Grandma. He'd ask you to help get the screwdriver in the right spot, or put the screw in the hole. I'll always remember the rides on the little Ford tractor and the nails he kept in his pocket that he had "just in case." In fact I have one of those for "keepsake" after he died.
Patty has shared more memories with us that will run in a future column.
Grandma Dake
by Marlene Kaye
I have a memory of Grandma Dake that I hold dear in my heart. Grandpa and Grandma baby-sat us when I was in kindergarten and I would take the bus from there. I must have been in the afternoon class because I remember that you packed my school clothes and I'd get dressed for school after lunch. I was used to ALWAYS wearing tights with my dresses and this particular day I had knee highs packed for the day. Horrors! I remember crying and crying. Grandpa thought I was being ridiculous ( I was) but Grandma's solution was to sit down at her sewing machine and stitch me up a pair of pants. I bet they were doozies! But at least my undies were covered!! She made me ever so happy.
by Chris Chap
Grandma,
Since everyone else is sharing memories, I decided that I would share one that most sticks out in my mind. Some of my most memorable times were when you and Grandpa lived in Howard Lake across from the bowling alley. It was so nice having you two living so close, because it made seeing each other so much easier. I thought that house that you lived in was so big and it was so much fun to play in. I loved playing upstairs, because there was the loft and the "secret tunnel" between the bedroom closet and the bathroom. I wasn't as big on playing in the loft, because I think that I was afraid to go up the ladder. I also loved playing outside, too, because if Grandpa was out there, it was almost always a guaranteed trip to Tom Thumb for an ice cream cone.
Love, Chris
by Dan Henderson
Here are a few memories:
One thing I loved about going over to Grandma and Grandpa's house was those wonderful chocolate cookies Grandma made! I could polish off about .......... oh we will leave that number out, but anyway, those were terrific!
When we would go see Grandpa we would always go garage saling! We would all pile in the car and Grandpa and us kids would go and see what we could find. Usually we wouldn't find anything of value, thus the name "garbage sales" was formed. I loved it when Grandpa and Grandma would bring their mobile home up here and camp in our driveway. During the summer I would go out and play Skip-Bo all day long! We had a great time doing that, especially when Grandpa picked up that handy automatic card shuffler!
That's all for now -- Dan
And Now Diana's sweet memories
Visits to the Country
by Diana Martin
Thought I'd write this particular memory to you, and maybe you could send it on to your mom. Thought you might be interested, also. My most favorite and happy childhood memories are always of our trips to the "country," as my folks called it, ie: farm, and hearing all the stories my dad had to tell, but mostly, about the wonderful holiday get togethers we were part of.
I always think of the wonderful Norman Rockwell paintings of family holiday gatherings when I remember our own, and how closely he depicted our gatherings, and family. To a youngster like I was, it seemed amazing how much food there was, and how absolutely delicious and marvelous it looked. I especially remember Uncle Bill, sitting in his chair, not seeing well, but listening intently to everything being said and done, and how he always, always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone, and how he seemed to enjoy the children, especially.
And aunt Amy, and the special dignity she brought to each occasion, and the look of complete happiness on her face, as her beloved family gathered around her. And, on a more humorous note, how we would almost ALWAYS get stuck in a snowbank, in our trusty old 1938 Dodge, and have to be rescued with one of the farm tractors! Nothing on this earth can compare with that kind of childhood memory ....... nothing.
I am so grateful that my girls had a chance to visit the farm, which helps them to understand my fond memories and even have some of their own. I'll add anything more as I remember.
Love to you all....and God bless you all, and our country!
Diana
+ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR?
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There was lots of mail this week -- and this is the general tone of it:
Muriel has as much writing skill as anyone who has contributed to The Bulletin so far! We may have a new ringer there!
Doug
I loved reading Muriel's letter about Grandpa Harry. I never knew him at all and it's nice to get to know him a bit from her memories. I wonder if she has any more to share?
Marlene
I so enjoyed the bulletin again! It's great that others are enjoying it and getting more involved. FUN! Muriel did an awesome memory piece; hope she continues to share more memories with us!
Donna
Further Mail:
Grandma,
I'm glad that you are having a great time putting together the bulletins because we are all having a great time reading them!
Love, Lori
I Want to know more about Elwood and the parachuting cat! Maybe you can get that out of Mavis. Actually, any story about Elwood would be nice, since we know so little about him. Doug
Our Present Staff:
EDITORS: Mom, Grandma, Dorothy, etc.
COLUMNISTS:
Beaver------Ashby Correspondent
Doug -------St. Cloud Correspondent
Rich---------Mr. In-A-Jam(b) &
Kim------and his assistant
Research by Donna------MEMORY LANE
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