Sunday, March 27, 2005
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Happy Easter!
Photo © Jerrianne Lowther
Lilies
UPDATE -- Edith Anderson
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
Edith Anderson lived at Atwater, and you were in Howard Lake, which may be too far away to know her well. She was always at convention preps and convention at Hector, though, so maybe you would be happy to know how it goes for her now.
She had to leave her farm ... her beloved farm, after all her years there. They had meeting for 80 years, but her health began to fail, so she needed to move to an apartment in Atwater. Then, as time passed, she went to a rest home in Willmar. It eventually became necessary for her to move closer to her daughter, Verlaine. Verlaine and Richard Weiland live in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.
Edith has a lovely room at Rich and Verlaine's and is so happy there. She keenly misses old "home" friends. Anyone who remembers Edith knows about her warm, hearty welcome, and her familiar "C'mon in, have some cawfee!" What an open home!
She is 96 years old, frail, and not very steady on her feet anymore, but still so dear.
Rich and Verlaine have two children, Sheralyn and Steve, so Edith has two grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Rich & Verlaine Weiland with grandaughter Shalana.
UPDATE
by Weston Johnson
Maple Grove, MN
I realized it has been a long time since I sent you an update, so I figured I better send one before you revoke my subscription to The Bulletin! I have been keeping busy as usual with work, playing volleyball and basketball each one night a week and going to occasional Timberwolves games.
I have also been spending quite a bit of time with Coni, who I've been dating since early February. I figured I better mention her in my update to save Miss Hetty from having to launch an investigation! Coni grew up on a farm outside of Osakis, and now lives in Maple Grove, where she also works as an assistant store manager at Kohls. It is nice that we live so close to each other, as it makes it easier to get together, despite our busy schedules.
I should also mention that her name is pronounced like "Connie." She explained that her parents decided to spell their children's names in as few letters as possible, to make it easier for them to learn to spell their names when they started school. (For example, she has a sister named Tami.) Which was great, except now she has to spell out her name for everyone. (Which I can identify with: "No, not Winston. No, not Westin. W-E-S-T-O-N.")
Anyway, I don't have a picture to send to prove that I'm not making all of this up, but you'll get to meet her at Dan and Gina's reception, which she's planning to attend.
I promise it won't be long before you get another update from me. I have been planning a couple of adventures for April, including organizing a group of 75 of Lori's, Chris's and my friends to attend the Twins opener on the 8th, and taking a vacation to London later in the month to visit my cousin. I'll be sure and send recaps of both events.
UPDATE
by Kristi Indermark
Parrish, FL
We are finally back into our house and back online. For the last month, Centex Homes has been redoing all of the floors in our house, so we have been homeless. Thank you to Mom (Shari), we had a wonderful place to stay. When we first asked if we could stay with Mom and Ray it was going to be for a week or so; well that turned into three weeks. So thank you Mom and Ray for the patience and wonderful hospitality. (Plus, Jordan loved staying with Grandma and Grandpa Ray.)
Jim and I did manage to purchase a home in Portage, Wisconsin. Actually, we are building a new home. It is about four blocks from Jim's parents and about six blocks from the schools. We are very excited about the location. We will be moving on June 15th, if everything goes as planned.
We are on the count down to baby now, with about nine weeks to go. I think these last nine weeks are the longest! If anyone has any tips on how to make them go quicker or to make the baby come quicker, PLEASE let me know.
Jordan is growing like a weed. She is starting to talk a lot more. She is also repeating a lot more. While we were in Wisconsin Jordan got to play in snow for the first time. At first she didn't know what to think of it, but by the end of the trip we had a hard time getting her back inside. Now she will know what to do when winter comes around next year!
We hope this finds everyone well!
Jim, Kristi, and Jordan and soon to come Tyler
Jordan Nicole Indermark's first sled ride!
SCHOOL UPDATE
by Whitney Johnson
Long Lake, MN
It has been a pretty relaxed week for us, now that spring break is in play, but after spring break I will be taking Public School Online. It is called Connections Academy and is based out of Colorado.
I will be taking advanced classes, and like homeschooling, it will only take about two to four hours a day. Instead of taking band, like I did at Orono, I will be taking private lessons.
It will be nice for vacations, because it is flexible, with make up work and things like that. Nothing big, just thought you would like to know.
Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN
The kids love the pool and having Wyatt to play with them.
A Weekend Getaway
Beaver decided on a mini-vacation this last weekend, so a trip to Fargo was the answer. We piled Caity, Jayce, all the bags and the two of us into the van and headed out.
We started with some shopping at the Mall, which ended up being mostly looking and the kids playing in the playland. Beaver did find a couple books. Next I got Beaver to stop at a secondhand shop, where I located some great buys for my day care and grandchildren.
Then we were off to meet Wyatt for an early dinner at Outback. Jolene was working, so Wyatt came in carrying a soundly sleeping Rylie (she slept through the whole meal), wide awake Brooklynn in her car seat, and a large diaper bag. Lucky he's big and strong! We had a lovely meal together, while passing Brooklynn around; she was very good (and very good at grabbing things now, too. :-)
Next it was on to our motel and everyone in swimming, except Brooklynn and me. I held her and she loved watching all the activity, kept her entertained until she got hungry. Then I fed her and she fell asleep, good as gold!
Jessy (Chris's girlfriend) came to visit for a while, before she had to head off to work. I was very happy that she brought along her sister, Marcy, for us to meet. They sat with me, visiting and laughing at the antics of those in the pool. Jayce had to holler every couple minutes, "Jessy, WATCH!"
After pool time, we headed back to our king suite room (got a good deal!), which was nice, having two sides ... one including a couch and sitting area. Pulled out the food I'd brought along (there was a little refrigerator and microwave) and fed the now ravenous crew!
The rest of the weekend was more swimming, shopping at Sam's for many grocery items we get from there, and a stop at Walmart on the way home, for other items on our list.
It was a fun weekend!
Jolene came by the next day, left; kids enjoy king suite, right.
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Starting with Bulletin 124, I planned to run biographical sketches of the members of our staff. Now that this has been done, I want to run sketches and pictures of the readers and subscribers who have not already done introductions. Please tell us about yourself. What is your work and what else do you do with your time? How are you related or what friend introduced you into the family? I am hoping that you can share family photos and background sketches. Send all manuscripts and pictures to me at dma49261@juno.com
Sherry wrote home on a postcard dated May first. She said, "Monday and Tuesday I got all the baby things washed and mended. Sarah and I went to several garage sales Saturday. Got a covered diaper pail and crib bumpers for 50 cents each. I have two dozen cloth diapers from before."
It was a postcard I had made errors on while writing hundreds of handwritten cards to potential recruits, for the company I was working with. Sherry rescued a number of these 13 cent "mistakes." With a little White-Out™ she found them perfectly adequate to write home on.
She continued to write, "The way I feel, it feels like it could be anytime."
It would be 24 more days before we made the long awaited trip to the hospital. It was May 25, 1985. We put in a call to my mom, who would come and babysit Sarah while Sherry was in the hospital. Then we headed out the door with Sarah in tow. She was 3-1/2 years old. Until Grandpa and Grandma arrived, we didn't have a babysitter. Sarah went pretty much everywhere we did.
She stayed behind the counter at the nurses' station while Sherry gave birth. With Sarah so close by, I was concerned she might get frightened with all the commotion, so I rushed out of the delivery room to see how she was doing.
She was taking it all in stride, seeming to understand that mom was "just having a baby." So I rushed back in. Other than the fact that the baby's 3-1/2 year old sister was manning the nurses' station, it seemed to be a fairly routine birth. I had my wish. Another baby girl! While Sarah had been born with long black hair, Amy was born with blonde peach fuzz.
After the birth, Sherry was wheeled to her hospital room, and Amy to the nursery.
Back at the nurses' station, Sarah and I looked up at the security video-screen just in time to see "Grandpa" and "Grandma" Dake walk in the front door of the hospital. We greeted them in the hallway, and we all stood admiring the new baby through the nursery window.
Sarah was still doing chin-ups on the window sill, to get another peek at her new sister, when we headed down the hall to check in on Sherry. A nurse stopped us at her door. They said Sherry needed rest -- and they were starting an IV.
Unknown to us, Sherry had been feeling as though she might faint. She pushed the button for a nurse to come. Upon checking her blood pressure, the nurse found it had dropped dramatically. Further investigation found that Sherry had been bleeding and had lost a lot of blood.
The nurses were preparing for a blood transfusion!
It turned out the hospital didn't have the right type of blood, so a highway patrolman was soon on his way to the cities to get some. This was ordinarily a six-hour drive, round-trip, but the officer would make it in record time.
Sherry was looking very pale!
That evening, after the blood arrived, she received the transfusion. Her recovery would be longer than usual, but she would be okay.
The following day, while she and baby Amy were resting in the hospital, I took Sarah to the store and we bought a small paper kite. We drove out to some hills south of town and flew the kite. We had several good reasons to celebrate! We had a precious new member in our family, and the clouds of the previous day had blown away. Our kite was soaring, high up against a clear, blue sky.
Travelogue t
The Bolivian Beat
By Kjirsten Swenson
Editor's Note: Kjirsten has returned to Bolivia for a second year of independent study, prior to enrollment in medical school at Baylor University in Houston, fall semester 2005. In January, she went trekking in Argentina with her parents, Sheldon and Mitzi Swenson, then continued on her own, into the Argentine Lake District.
Puerto Natales.
A Sea Change Between Treks
Greetings from Puerto Natales!
The ferry arrived last evening after three fantastic days at sea. We left Puerto Montt on Monday afternoon. The day was sunny and we could see Volcán Osorno's perfect snow-capped cone peeking over the horizon as we left port.
Our boat for the first leg of the trip was the Magallanes, a 123 meter long passenger and freight boat. it was spacious and comfortable, with bunk beds for the poor backpackers and nicer cabins for the classier luggage-with-wheels crowd.
In Puerto Eden on day two, we had to change to a smaller, older ship. Apparently, on the trip previous to ours, the big ship hit rocks seriously enough to evacuate the passengers and fly them all to Puerto Montt. But the boat was repaired sufficiently to manage the first leg of our trip, before the open seas section. The older ferry was much smaller and pretty cramped, but we were thankful that they hadn't cancelled the trip, so we didn't complain.
There was little to do but watch the scenery. We soon entered beautiful fjords lined with dark, forested mountains. Further south we would see small glaciers when clouds parted to grant us views. Sometimes dolfins (maybe porpoises?) swam beside us. And near Puerto Natales we passed a small seal colony!
The weather was extremely kind to us. The trip has a reputation for being too atmospheric, with blanketing clouds and rain blocking views. But every day of our trip, save one morning, was at least partly sunny and the 12 hours we navigated through open seas were calm enough that only a few people were sick.
So last evening, after 1500 kilometers and three days of ferrying, we finally reached Puerto Natales. Today I'm buying food and preparing to trek the circuit in Torres del Paine, beginning tomorrow. After sitting on a boat for so long, I'm excited to start hiking! I expect to be in the park between 7 and 11 days, depending on weather and how far I walk each day. Wish me sun!
Kjirsten
More photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/kjswenson
by Frans de Been
Oosterhout, The Netherlands
Marloes photographed spring flowers in a park in Oosterhout.
Hallo, people!!!
Yes, thank you again for the magazine. Nice to read. (first thing that I do after dinner)
Yes, spring it is here, too. Marloes made today a few nice pictures in the city park of my home town, Oosterhout. It is not so colorful as it will be, but if we wait a week it is more color.
But no reason not to show you the park with its spring flowers. Next week, by the looks of it, MORE!!!!!
Have a nice day you all!
Frans
Iberostar Costa Dorada Resort, just outside Puerto Plata.
A Room with a View!
By Lori Chap
Maple Grove, MN
I was lucky enough to enjoy a week's vacation in the Dominican Republic with three friends recently. I’m going to write a general overview of our resort and the others have graciously offered to contribute more specific write-ups on our "excursions," with pictures, for later issues of The Bulletin.
Our all-girls vacation roster included myself, Amy Johnson, Patti Johnsen and Jaci Christman. I've been friends with Amy for over seven years. We work together, play volleyball together, are in the same book club, go to Church together and talk pretty much every day. I'd say we're good friends!
I met Patti about three years back and then met Jaci about two years ago, I think -- both through the same mutual friends. Patti and I used to live in the same area, St. Louis Park, and even though I've moved "up north" to Maple Grove, we still like to hang out a lot. As for Jaci, she's from Fargo, North Dakota, so it's much tougher for us to get together, but I'm hoping we'll stay in better touch now, and maybe I can even talk her into moving to the cities??? :-)
Our resort was the Iberostar Costa Dorada, just outside Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic. We arrived around 3 p.m. on March 8th and thoroughly enjoyed a full week's all-inclusive stay, until our departure on the 15th. I have included pictures from our room's balcony. Not shabby, huh?
Our resort was situated on the North Atlantic Ocean with a great beach and a vast pool area. It included one main buffet area, a beach buffet and beach snack bar and then three restaurants which you had to make reservations for.
All drinks and meals were included in our package, which was very nice! We never had to worry about carrying cash (except for a dollar or two for tips). The resort was set up in an open-air fashion. The main dining buffet area was open to view local vegetation and scenery and all the tables were topped elegantly for every meal.
We were all impressed by the resort's cleanliness and overall appearance. The beach and pool areas were also kept clean and we never had a problem getting lawn chairs and spots in the sun! We spent the majority of the time at our resort but took a half day doing touristy things in Puerto Plata and another day on a whale watching excursion. All in all, our main goal was relaxation and taking advantage of the warm weather and sun. I think we accomplished our goal!
Stay tuned for more pictures and future contributions by the other girls!
Lori
Balcony view, left; friends, clockwise from top: Amy, Jaci, Lori, Patti.
Photo Editor's Note: In late January, when Mitzi (Johnson) Swenson went to New York City, she volunteered to photograph the site of the Dutch West Indies Company's Fort Amsterdam, where our 9th great-grandparents lived, beginning in 1626. I wrote some of what I've learned about them in Bulletin 134, in It Began With The Poffertjes and a bit more with Mitzi's pictures in Bulletin 143 and Bulletin 144. I worked for The Milepost when I first heard that our French Huguenot ancestors built the first hotel on Manhattan Island 12 generations ago, and I joked that our family had been involved in the tourist industry in America for nearly 400 years. So little did I know...
New York, New York, It's A Wonderful Town
by Jerrianne (Johnson) Lowther
Anchorage, AK
Although the exact date is unknown, 2005 is believed to be the 400th anniversary of our 9th great grandmother's birth in the Low Countries, in what is now Belgium. As an 18-year-old bride, married four days prior to departure, Catalyntie Trico set sail with her husband, Joris Rapalje, and the first agricultural colonists for New Netherland in 1624 ... a voyage of several months' duration.
Just 40 years after the first settlers arrived in New Netherland, Fort Amsterdam was surrendered to the British and renamed. She was among the colonists who signed a petition to the colony's leader, Peter Stuyvesant, refusing to defend the Dutch West Indies Company town and demanding its surrender. She and her family became loyal British subjects ... a habit that unfortunately persisted through the American Revolution 120 years later, when her Loyalist heirs' lands in Brooklyn were seized by the victorious Americans. Much of their land later became the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Our 9th great grandparents never visited Battery Park, which was built on landfill much later. Nor were they around to see the Statue of Liberty erected 260 years after they helped build Fort Amsterdam. They were present when the wall was built along Wall Street, at the northern edge of New Amsterdam, a very small town, but long gone when stock trading began there in the 1790s.
During that first bitter winter, when colonists lived in holes on the ground with bark roofs, at Fort Orange (where Albany is now), our 9th great grandparents never could have dreamed of a World Trade Center that sprouted where their struggling colony planted crops, or how the twin towers would fall ... on the 312th anniversary of Catalyntie Trico's death, at age 84, September 11, 1689.
I've been to Manhattan, but I've never seen Wall Street or the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Center or the Brooklyn Navy Yard. I've been thinking a lot more about it lately ... maybe it's time.
The Statue of Liberty from Battery Park, left; World Trade Center repairs, right.
Floating A Trial Balloon...
by Mitzi (Johnson) Swenson
Dickinson, ND
We could have a reunion in New York City sometime. The weather can be nasty the end of January, but spring and fall would be nice. I've heard the Botanical Gardens and Bronx Zoo are worthwhile in the summer. I can tell you how to visit NYC on the cheap, too. I usually work all day and buy a discount ticket for a Broadway show at night or go to the symphony, opera, a hockey game or something every night. Of course there are fabulous restaurants, though I usually eat something quick and cheap.
I always stay at the Comfort Inn Midtown for less than $100 per night, including a good breakfast, and extra people are $10 per night for up to four in a room with shared beds. It's an old building and the rooms are very small, but it's much cheaper than anything else in that neighborhood. It's 1-1/2 blocks off Times Square on 46th Street with close access to the subway and bus lines. Getting around the city is very easy.
Every day we ate toast, yogurt, a banana, juice and coffee and asked the nice man in charge of the breakfast if we could take a bagel, cream cheese and an apple for lunch. With his approval and Mary's zip-lock bag, lunch was only the $2 I put in the tip basket and a beverage. The reason we did that is because at the convention center where we went to market a Coke is $3 and crummy food is $10 and up.
Every day, after market, we stopped at the Tkts Tkts booth in Times Square and bought a discount ticket for a musical that evening. Usually we went to a museum for about an hour, making note of what night they had free admission, or asking for a discount if it was within an hour of closing. A quick, cheap dinner and we were off to the play.
Our most expensive dinner was $20 for both of us when we shared a big meal at Virgil's BBQ. One night we had Chinese food, $12.99 for both of us, including a beverage, and we could only eat half the food! Minor point: it was a really busy take out place with about six tables and it was cold in there, but the food was exceptional. Another night was a quick slice of pizza and dessert after the play. The final night was a bowl of soup and shared sandwich. Even with a stop at Starbucks for hot chocolate every night after the play, our total food bill for two of us was about $30 per day. We didn't gain weight, either!
You can buy a subway/bus pass for a few days for about $25 and get a NY City Pass (I think that's what it's called) with admission to the 40 biggest tourist attractions, museums, etc., which is a great deal. We did that the first year and it saved standing in long lines some places.
We fly in and out of Newark and take the train to Penn Station ($11.55 each way). A cab to the hotel is about $6 or you can easily walk and pull your suitcase like we did. NYC is a fascinating place to visit. I would never want to live there, but there are museums, etc. to occupy you for at least two weeks! I always go the end of January, so I don't know about the hotel rates in high season.
Mitzi
Observations
By Don Anderson
Alexandria, MN
The Chair Carrier
Occasionally I see people looking at the contraption mounted on my car. They ask if it is a luggage carrier. The pictures are self explanatory.
Dorothy uses a JAZZY power wheelchair. If it was to be useful for traveling, it was necessary to be able to transport it around. I started building a carrier when we lived in Missouri. I have made several improvements since.
First trial and error was the 450 pound load on the rear of the car. I didn't figure the added weight would lower the car to a point where it dragged in dips and driveways. This was remedied by raising the carrier about six inches in the hitch mount.
Next, this elevation caused another problem. The loading ramp was too steep. So I lengthened the ramp to about 23 degrees and it worked fine.
Next problem: The ramp, in upright position, stuck up higher than the height of the car. Also a side wind affected the car and could lead to unsafe driving. This I adjusted by hinging the ramp in two sections. The ramp lays in the carrier when the chair is not on. (note photo #1)
The chair rides very well and it is secured by means of chocks for the wheels. It climbs the carrier by its own power and takes only a minute to load or unload. There is a fitted tarp for weatherproof protection.
The Unit can be removed from the car in a few minutes just by pulling one pin. I have a two wheel "dolly" that makes the moving job easy.
The Carrier, left; Ready to Load, right.
Loading, left; Ready to Go, right.
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
%
Just Married
Dan and Gina are now Mr. and Mrs. Dan Henderson. They were married on March 15 -- on the island of Maui. The wedding is to be covered by Miss Kimberly Johnson, but we won't see that report right away as the girls are still over there with Curt and Patty. Dan and Gina returned from Hawaii on Saturday, March 19th.
Jim and Kathy Edwards and Curt and Patty Henderson will host a reception to honor their children on April 9, at Hutchinson Event Center in Hutchinson, Minnesota.
Best Wishes!
This Week's Special Days
March 27---Easter
This Week's Birthdays:
March 28---Donna Johnson
March 31---Linda Knutson
April 2---Duane Miller
Happy Birthday!
This Week's Anniversaries
March 27---Ray and Shari Schweiger (1 year)
Congratulations!
More April Birthdays:
'
April 4---Meryl Hansey
April 5---Lorella Grob
April 6---Dusty Meyers (11 years old)
April 9---Richard Johnson (from Oregon)
April 9---Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
April 10---Brenda (Anderson) Hill
April 10---Lisa Kae Anderson
April 10---Shawn Ostendorf
April 15---Melinda Miranowski
April 23---Alyssa Lynn Freesemann (8 years old)
April 23---Miss Kitty (2 years old)
April 25---Troy LaRon Freesemann
April 25---Mia Nelson
April 26---Heidi K. Johnson
April 27---Steve Rodriguez
April 27---Peggy McNeill
April 28---Justin Blackstone
April 29---Kelly Kay (Larson) Seaman
April 30---Kurtis James Larson
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Hetty Says
To Our Readers:
The newly indexed "About" and "Archives" pages are again fully searchable. (Click on the "sitemap" link by the search window to see a list of the 250 searchable pages.)
Keep Us Posted!
Please drop Miss Hetty a line and tell us who, and what, we've missed. And how about a report (photos welcome) of YOUR special celebration?
Everyone!
Miss Hetty
+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahhh...a chocolate chip cookie, a cup of coffee and The Bulletin. What a great way to end the week. Thanks everybody!
Marlene (Anderson) Johnson
Long Lake, MN
I just finished reading the latest issue of The Bulletin and I enjoyed the variety of articles it contained... Beginning with Jerriane's beautiful spring pasque flower photo and ending with Doug's really cute kitten antics, I enjoyed all the variety in it.
I do hope the younger folks are saving all the old time memory stories written by the older writers; they will appreciate these in years to come. As an older person, I really like to keep up with the college kids and jobs the younger ones like Ben and Kjirsten are doing. We know they have important occupations in caring for our bodies and engines.
Larry and Beaver -- keep up your good work; what great writers you are! Is always fun to read from new writers also. Thanks to all for another great issue!
Elaine Wold
Wahpeton, ND
Once again, great job on The Bulletin! Patty and I enjoy it every week. Had a big laugh at Midnight Black's unfortunate experience of being "tutored." Very funny, Beaver.
I also enjoyed seeing the picture of Uncle Everett. Reminded me of the time that Kristin, Eric and I spent a month living in Sue and Everett's basement while we waited for our apartment to become available. Eric was just a toddler, and they just loved him! Very pleasant memories.
Mom, your stories on your youth are very special; please keep them coming.
Loved Doug's Photo Funnies, Great picture, Very Funny! Thanks to everyone who makes The Bulletin what it is.
Don, Jr.
Isanti, MN
CHUCKLES
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.
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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.