Sunday, October 2, 2005
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Illustration © Virginia McCorkell
Updates -
UPDATE
by Zach Bratten
Between Places--Navy Bound
Sorry it's been so long since I've written! I've been living back in Duluth and working full time for a company doing telephone customer service the last few months. I haven't moved many of my things (including my computer) there yet because I am going into the Navy after all!
I went down to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Center) yesterday morning, after spending the night in a military hotel. They woke us up at 4:30 a.m., hauled us down there, and by 8 or so I was sitting with an officer discussing the different programs my high test score qualified me for.
They wanted me to sign up for the six year nuclear program, but I don't want to end up on a submarine, so I eventually decided to go into SK, which is supply.
I will be tending to the ordering of supplies and their distribution. I am guaranteed a school, which is one thing I've been told to look for. I can pick where I want to be stationed, whether that be at sea or on shore, and if I decide to sign on for an extra year, I could get a $4,000 bonus, but I don't think I will do that.
I'll be starting at the E3 level, which means in six months to a year I could be an officer. I'm set to ship out December 13th. I'll write more some other time.
Zach
Zach Bratten
UPDATE -- The Indermarks
by Kristi Larson Indermark
Portage, WI
The days just seem to fly by. Here we are at the end of September, beginning of October. We are enjoying the wonderful weather and fresh air. It is such a change from Florida's humid and hot weather.
Jordan is having so much fun playing outside. We have added many toys to our back yard collection. Her favorite things are the swings and the big slide. She also likes to drive the jeep, but still doesn't know how to steer it.
Jordan has become very creative and tells all kinds of stories now. The other day we were in the back yard playing and I was observing all the kids and happened to be watching Jordan as she started looking around kind of frantic like and saying, "Uh-Oh, Where did it go?" and "Where's the moon?" Then she looks over to me and shouts, "MOM, WHERE'S THE MOON????" I was laughing so hard, I had a tough time answering her. Kids, where do they come up with this stuff?
Tyler just keeps growing as quick as ever. He is rolling over and picking up toys now. He is starting to get his bottom teeth, so he is chewing on his hands and anything he can fit in his mouth. He is still sleeping pretty good. Usually only gets up once, sometimes twice a night. He is now 26 inches long (80%) and 16 pounds, 7 ounces (85%).
Jim is doing good. He is commuting to Madison right now, but looking for a job closer to home. He has a few interviews this week, so I hope one of them works out.
I have an in-home day care that I started September 1st. It is going so well. I got a chance to visit Donna before I started and got some great advice. I learned so much while I was there. The kids are on a great routine and I actually have a decent break in the middle of the day. I have a 3 year old, two 2 year olds, and two 4 month olds. I will be adding another 2 year old in the middle of October. I am really enjoying the kids. I can't believe I didn't do this sooner!
Well, I am off to bed ... 6 a.m. comes rather quickly!
Kristi
Tyler in his jumperoo, left; Jordan in her favorite pj's, right.
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Q. How are you related to The Matriarch?
A. She is my aunt by marriage. My mother, Elaine Anderson Wold, is her husband Don's sister.
Q. Could you please tell us a little about your present employment?
A. I have been working in the school system in Wahpeton for several years. Just a year ago I was hired to a new position. I am now an assistant to the Superintendent of the Wahpeton schools.
Q. I am just wondering -- what title does this job carry?
A. I am referred to as Administrator's Assistant of the Superintendent of Wahpeton School.
Q. Wow, that sounds impressive -- would you please tell us about your duties?
A. My duties are varied -- I work on just about everything involved on the business end of running a school district: accounts payable, bank reconciliations, employee leave and benefits, expense reports, transportation reports, enrollment reports, school board minutes, fixed asset inventory, and insurance -- to name a few.
Q. It sounds to me like that takes care of lots of your time, but you must have some time left for some hobbies and interests... Mind sharing a little of that side of your life with us?
A. Probably the one interest that I have always had is the one getting the biggest workout these days -- and that is "home improvement"!
Q. Yes, I seem to remember that we have seen a report on your new home (Bulletin 114). I would imagine that is filling your time. Would you please tell us some of the things you have done since moving into your new home?
A. It has kept me rather busy, that is true -- here are some home improvement projects that have been completed since I purchased my home in April 2004:
- Complete redecorating of my office using a Safari theme.
- Completely gutted the second floor. Finishing it off will be this winter's project(s)!
- Complete kitchen remodel and redesign: new cabinets, countertop, appliances, flooring.
- Complete re-landscaping of back yard, including hauling in "umpteen" yards of dirt, planting shrubs, demolition of deck, installation of a paver patio, re-seeding.
- Begun landscaping of front yard.
Q. I am hoping you will do some snapshots of the outside and inside of your home. I do love seeing "new beginnings" ... and you cousins all seem to be hard working "home improvement" people. Now how do you spend the snatches of time you have left between your work at school and your home projects?
A. Well, I do still find an occasional session at my piano ... and I am hoping to get in a little more time on my various projects: scrapbooking, cultural events and quilting being some that come to mind.
Q. I do love that you found time to take your Mom out for the day, and especially that you spent the time left over to come for a visit.Hope the interview wasn't too painful ... at least it was a chance to get you introduced to the readers of The Bulletin. Thank you, Melinda.
Don and I were so surprised -- and greatly pleased -- to have visitors from North Dakota last Saturday, September 24th. We certainly weren't expecting to have guests and they told us they hadn't intended to make the visit, either.
Our niece Melinda Miranowski and her mom, Elaine Wold (Don's sister), had planned a day to view the leaves in color. They intended to do a tour of the area north of Fergus Falls, I guess. But then came the dreary, drippy weather of last Saturday -- and as they ate their noon lunch and observed the pies in the case at Perkins, they decided to bring a caramel-apple pie and come have a visit and coffee and pie with us. GREAT DECISION!
It was our first visit from Melinda, and now that she knows the way, we hope they will come back soon (and often).
Melinda "Mindy" Miranowski, Don Anderson, Elaine Wold.
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.)
How many can you identify?
Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):
My Guess: Would that be Sherry Dake? I should know the lady in the middle, but can't recollect her name. [Joyce Nabor] The one on the right is our Betty Weiland Droel, in the days I knew her the best. :-) (If she wants to know what I looked like in those days, check out Doug's Foto-Funnies with the station wagon and kids; I'd be the tall, gangly looking one, the oldest of the five kids).
Donna Anderson Johnson
Ashby, MN
Just want to tell you about the first Guess picture in the last Bulletin. It is Sherry Dake.
I first remember Sherry when she was just a very little girl with pretty blonde hair and big, bright blue eyes. Walking around like a live doll. She had an older sister and three older brothers. Sherry was so special. She let me hold her, and we spent lots of time playing. She was just at that sweet age.
So, the years passed ... Sherry grew. Occasionally, I would get a picture. This is one of the pictures. So, you can see how I would love a little girl like that, and be thrilled now to see any stories in The Bulletin that include her. She is now Mrs. Larry Dake -- a grandmother!
I don't even want to think how old that makes ME.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
I slipped out of the orthotic-prosthetic shop door where I worked and walked past the mirrored plate glass window. Once I'd cleared the window, I ran down the busy sidewalk. It wasn't quitting time yet and I hoped no one at the shop had seen me leave. I was on a covert mission.
At the end of the block, I crossed the busy street and ran through a construction site where they were sandblasting a brick wall above the sidewalk. They had built a plywood roof overhead to protect passers-by from falling debris. I edged my way around construction workers in yellow hard hats and ran past the roaring air-compressor. Elbowing my way through the crowds of sidewalk pedestrians, I crossed the next street on a red light. I ran half way down the block and into a bank. Once inside the bank, I tried not to look like a bank robber. I got in line and waited anxiously.
I had applied for work at a different orthotic-prosthetic shop, in a smaller town west of Portland. My present job seemed to have a revolving door for employees. Just recently I had seen yet another co-worker fired on another one of my boss's hotheaded whims. In addition, business at the shop had been painfully slow. I had been filling up time just cleaning and organizing in the shop. Knowing it's easier to get a job when employed than when not, I'd been looking for a better place to work.
After taking the most recent Monday off, and spending the day at the prospective employer's orthotic-prosthetic shop, I was offered a job. It was a growing business; they were making a large addition to their shop. Their prosthetics were on the cutting edge of technology. They made artificial hands that operated electronically, and prostheses designed for an active lifestyle.
That was Monday; today was Friday -- payday.
It was a lot harder to quit my present job than it had been to apply for the new one. In spite of my boss's egocentric attitude, I liked him, and I didn't want to disappoint him. We'd been getting along fine and he was an "interesting character."
Also a native of Minnesota, he told me he had lost his flying license when he flew his plane from Minneapolis to Fargo along I-94. He had flown the plane under every overpass along the way! Someone had managed to get the license number from the plane and had turned him in.
He had recently purchased a ticket to be one of the first "tourists" to fly into outer space, on a yet-to-be conceived commercial spacecraft.
On this particular day, he had driven his Rolls-Royce to work.
As interesting as he was, I expected him to respond to my quitting with a fit of anger, maybe a full-blown temper tantrum! He might even stop payment on my paycheck.
With one previous employer, my last paycheck had bounced. The employer had gone out of business and I never did collect.
And we were still waiting for my last check from the trucking company in South St. Paul.
This time I wasn't taking any chances. I was cashing my check before my hot headed boss would have any chance to stop payment. I'd just received the paycheck from his daughter, right before I'd left the shop.
When I reached the counter at the bank, I signed the back of the check and handed it to the bank teller.
She counted out the cash, onto the counter, and I pocketed it. I hurried from the bank and ran all the way back to the shop. My boss's Rolls-Royce was still parked across the street. He hadn't left yet! It was just minutes before closing time.
He was approaching the door to leave when I walked in. My short absence had apparently gone unnoticed. The combination of being out of breath and being apprehensive made my voice quaver.
"I'm quitting," I said.
He glanced at me with his watery gray eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I can work two more weeks, if you'd like," I said.
The expression on his red face remained blank.
"Or," I offered, "if it's okay with you -- I won't come back."
"That'd be fine," he said, flatly. Without further adieu he turned and walked out the door.
I said brief goodbyes to my surprised co-workers. With my wages in my pocket, I walked down the city sidewalk for the last time, claimed my lowly Lincoln from the attendant, and headed home.
It was November 16, 1986, nine-and-a-half months since I'd started this job.
Travelogue t
Jayce's First Fish
Shawn Ostendorf
Rogers, MN
Lori and I were fortunate enough to take the kids to my parents' lake over the 4th of July weekend. The agenda on most trips is to take the boat out and catch "the big one." This weekend was no different, in that we decided to drown a few worms with the intention of fishing for dinner.
Too much failure. None of us caught a fish, that is except for Jayce. He caught this beauty...
Shawn helps Jayce catch his very first fish!
To my amazement, he caught, reeled in, and landed this lunker. The only thing he didn't want any part of was taking it off the hook... Can anyone blame him? Look at the size of it! If you can't see it, don't worry; it's not your eyes. This prize had to weigh at least a half pound.
Congrats, Jayce, on catching your first "big fish." I'm glad I could be there in your moment to shine! We're all proud of you.
Every Airman Basic at Lackland Air Force Base pulled KP once a week, whether he needed it or not. We started our first day of KP by rolling out of our bunks at 5 A.M. and marching to the chow hall in the dark. The sergeant in charge wrote our duty assignments on white paper hats and handed them out as we sleepily filed by. "Salad Room" was a "plum" job. "Pots and Pans" meant a hard day of scrubbing encrusted containers. "Serving Line" at the WAF (Women's Air Force) chow hall was as close to sheer bliss as an Airman Basic could get. The days were long, the heat oppressive, and the breaks few.
Each day, one unlucky airman got the job of cleaning latrines. In six times of pulling KP, I never saw latrine spelled the same way twice. One sergeant got it right, but some of the other spellings were: Laturine, lartine, leturine, and laturn. One sergeant who knew he couldn't spell just settled for LAT. So somebody had to clean latrines all day and wear a stupid looking hat with his duty assignment misspelled too.
My assignment the first day of KP was on the serving line. As we came through the door, we were assaulted by a very old, four foot tall Hispanic woman in civilian clothes. "Where the blank have you idiots been? I've been blank waiting for you blanks to get your blank blanks in here for about a half a blank hour!" It never got any better, either. It wasn't so much the wide range of her vocabulary that was so amazing as it was the varied ways she could use the same words in different combinations, and how few repeatable words she used to give orders.
By noon all of us on the serving line were wondering if we could survive the abuse until quitting time at 7 p.m. We were saved by a miracle. Our tormenter's shift ended, and she was replaced by the cutest young WAF we had ever seen. Her method of assigning jobs was to put her arm around your shoulders and breathe into your ear, "Airman, would you please..." In less than ten minutes we had all fallen in love.
Another memorable KP was the day I was assigned to the clipper (dishwasher) in the officer trainees' chow hall. Officer trainees were universally despised because they would graduate from Lackland as 2nd Lieutenants. We "accidentally" sprayed a little hot water on a few of them when they brought in their dishes, and they reported us to the sergeant. He laid into us pretty good until they left, then laughed and made faces at their backs as they went out the door.
KP's were forbidden to use sharp knives, because a cut finger would have to be treated at the infirmary and was usually the end of KP duty for the day. Some airmen considered a cut finger to be better than spending 12 hours on KP, so a butter knife was the sharpest tool we got. The day I was given the job of quartering ten cases of tomatoes with a butter knife was the last straw.
When I protested bitterly and showed the vegetable room supervisor what the tomatoes looked like after they were quartered, he found me a little paring knife. My instructions were that if anybody came into the vegetable room wearing more stripes than the supervisor, I would GET THAT KNIFE OUT OF SIGHT IF I HAD TO SWALLOW IT. I still wonder what it would have felt like to swallow a paring knife, but luckily nobody with the requisite number of stripes showed up in the vegetable room.
The Miss Kitty Letters*
By Miss Kitty
Talkeetna, Alaska, traditional "Welcome" sign.
Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna
As you may remember, I've been here about two years now ... in fact, my second "adoptiversary" was the third week of September. The down side of that was that I had to go to the vet and let him poke in my ears and see my teeth -- oh, boy, did he ever! -- and get booster shots. Ouch! On the up side, we went on a little camping trip to Talkeetna, Alaska -- at least I think that's why we went.
I know Miss Sharon suggested it ... called up from Talkeetna, where she was doing some work for The Milepost, and said, "How about coming to Talkeetna for dinner tomorrow night?" Well, that's 114 miles from Anchorage, but we did have a good excuse for a trip while the fall leaves were gold and red and beautiful, so Miss Jerrianne said, "Maybe..."
Fortunately, it was a Sunday night, The Bulletin, was done and there was no reason we couldn't go -- so we did. The rain stopped, the sun came out and we had a lovely late afternoon drive to "Beautiful Downtown Talkeetna." As we pulled into the new Talkeetna Camper Park, Miss Sharon walked out to greet us. She recognized the sound of our VW camping van as we drove down the highway into town and knew it was us. I thought that was quite remarkable.
We stayed in the camper park, right close to the train depot that night. My goodness what a racket those trains make! It sounded like they were right outside our doors. I sort of got used to it after the first one or two and we had a great camp out. The next morning we drove downtown for breakfast at the Talkeetna Roadhouse. Well, to be honest, I had my breakfast in the van ... which was parked downtown all day. I had the run of the place and I could watch out all the windows as people and dogs and cats went by. And I could take naps wherever and whenever I wanted to while Miss Jerrianne and Miss Sharon walked around town, seeing the sights all day.
Talkeetna is an interesting town, unlike any other. The word "quaint" comes readily to mind. It is where all the mountain climbers gather to begin their trips up Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America. It has lots of air taxis to take people on flightseeing trips around Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park. It is named for the place "where three rivers meet" and it has all sorts of riverboat excursions for salmon fishing and gold panning. We didn't do that this time, but Miss Jerrianne said she had done all that before. Well, not the mountain climbing ... but definitely the boat trips and flightseeing. This time it was more visiting the museums and just strolling about.
Get kissed by a moose in Talkeetna!
And Miss Jerrianne took Miss Sharon's picture kissing a moose! I don't think I'd want to do that! Then we drove back to Anchorage ... and we felt really lucky to enjoy the gorgeous fall color all over again ... all the way home.
Nagley's old time general store, downtown Talkeetna, Alaska.
For more Miss Kitty adventures visit my web log:
http://www.jlowther.com/Pages/kitty/index.html
Miss Kitty
Anchorage, AK
This and That
6
by Elaine Wold
Wahpeton, ND
Keep Track Of Those Keepsakes
Today's column is just bits of advice for those of the younger
generations. Recently a
box of photographs arrived at my doorstep. They were from my late uncle
Cy's wife. She is cleaning out her house to ready it for sale, as she
plans to move to the West Coast. She wanted me to share the photos with
the family.
In the past days I have been looking and sorting through these
pictures and dividing them into envelopes for the individual families
that would
be the most interested in receiving them. I plan that I can distribute
them at the
next cousin's reunion in August.
One thing I would like to advise those who save photos is that readers put dates and names on all your photos to identify them. It may not seem important at the time, but in a few years it may; one can soon forget who are on these photos.
Also, I have noticed when one is young, one is not so interested in old
photos. At a later time in life, we seem to become more nostalgic and
many are then looking for old photos for their family histories. As one
who has worked on genealogy, I find it very important to have things
identified.
Not only should we identify photos we should also have the history of
other family treasures preserved...
I have items with a history recorded in a little booklet. I have quite a number of my things listed as to where they came from. I have a wedding bowl of Grandma Berndt's and another of Grandma Wold's among many other keepsakes. My wish is that these things never go on a garage or auction sale, but that they should stay in the family; if my children don't want the item, they should give it to another family member who does.
Some things certainly do become more sentimental and we appreciate them
more as we get older. So let us keep good records of family keepsakes and
photos so the younger family members can learn to appreciate them, too.
 |
KEEPSAKE by Betty Droel MoundsView, MN Here is a picture of something that may look pretty simple and unimportant to you, but TO ME, it is one of my most treasured possessions. |
Editors' Note: Do you have a keepsake with a story you'd like to share with The Bulletin readers?
Home Cookin' H
Ziploc ® Omelets
(Sent to us by a friend)
Have you ever heard of this? (This works great! Good for when all your family is together and no one has to wait for their special omelet. And perfect for a family camping trip.)
Start a large pot of water on the stove with the burner tuned up to med/high or high -- need water to boil first. Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc® freezer bag with permanent marker. Use the Ziploc® brand since they will hold up to the boiling and the cheaper brands have a tendency to bust. Crack two eggs (large or extra-large -- not more than two) into the bag. Shake to combine them.
Put out a variety of ingredients such as cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc. Make sure any meat is already cooked prior to setting it out. Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shakes it. Don't let them put too much added ingredients into the eggs -- remember we are only using two eggs and will need them to set up when cooked. Season with salt and pepper, cayenne, fresh basil or the seasonings you prefer.
Make sure to get all the air out of the bag and zip it up. Place the sealed bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water. If you crowd the bags against the sides of the pot they will melt.
Open the bags and the omelets will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed!
Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece.
Photo Editor's Note: I typed Ziploc Omelet into Google.com and got lots of citations and plenty of opinions and advice. This seems to be close to the original version of the recipe above:
http://www.mindsay.com/comments/hester/295?mode=reply
Indications are that happy campers have been doing this for years; on the other hand, Ziploc® doesn't recommend it. http://www.ziploc.com/faq_bag.asp#7 Caveat emptor.
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
This Week's Birthdays:
October 4---Wesley Sigman
October 5---Leona Anderson
October 5---Steven Miller
October 7---Steven Anderson
Happy Birthday!
This Week's Anniversaries:
October 4---Don and Patty Bratten Anderson (8 years)
October 5---Tom and Lou Miller (32 years)
Congratulations!
More October Birthdays:
'
October 1---Brooklynn Ann Johnson (1 year)
October 10---Hannah Aydelotte (4 years)
October 10---Cody Printz
October 12---Muriel Wold Rodriguez
October 12--- Tami Anderson Hunt
October 14---Douglas Anderson-Jordet
October 18---Lori Anderson
October 18--- Adriana Stahlecker Brown
October 18---Diana Mellon Martin
October 18---Dan Mellon
October 20---Wade Morgan Printz
October 22---Rich Johnson (from MN)
October 24---Eric Shockey
October 26---Ardis Sigman Quick
October 27---Marlene Anderson Johnson
October 28---Derrick McNeill
October 29---Sami Larson (11 years)
October 29---Tom Miller
October 30---Anne Mellon Montford
More October Anniversaries
Z
October 1---Keith Mason and Lori Anderson (next year)
October 17---Troy and Marlee Morgan Freesemann (11 years)
October 27---Don and Gert Dake Pettit (15 years)
October Special Days
October 10---Columbus Day (observed)
October 31---Hallowe'en
Miss Hetty's Mailbox:
Dear Miss Hetty,
Thanks VERY much for the birthday card! It's been a pretty uneventful 30th. Jolene is working the weekend, so Rylie, Brooklynn, and I set out for Millerville last night to help build a deck on my mom's new house. That took most of the day; then we went to a wedding in Ashby. We're right now at the farm for a little while, and the girls and I will be heading back to Moorhead later tonight.
Yesterday while at work, I got a call from the front desk, that a package had arrived for me. Usually, when that happens, it's an engine controller from our other building in Fargo, and it means more work for me. I needed a break from what I was doing, so I went down immediately to pick it up. It turned out to be a GREAT candy bouquet from Jolene, Rylie, and Brooklynn!
Jolene had even told Rylie about it ahead of time, and Rylie kept the secret. I was pretty impressed. Since our regular computer died a couple weeks ago, and all my resuscitation attempts have failed, my other birthday present from Jolene and the girls this year is a new laptop computer, which will work nicely with our new GoMoorhead wireless internet service!I've even been accused of sabatoging my old computer so I could get a laptop -- a charge I vehemently deny!
I also got an AWESOME birthday present from Dad, Donna, my mom and stepdad (Donna and John), Lori, Shawn, Becky, Caity, Jayce, Weston, Coni, Chris, Jessy, Ben, and Ashley ... wait a minute while I check the card ... yep, that's everyone ... do I really have that many brothers and sisters now? Anyway, I got four tickets to go see the Vikings play the Lions in November! I'm pretty excited, and hoping they're playing better by that time!
Plans to put together a birthday bash for my big 30th failed, but we may try to have a small get-together one of these weekends when we're home. The older and busier I get, the more the company and time of my family means to me, so I think that'll work out nicely!
I forgot the camera this weekend, so I don't have any pictures. I look pretty much the same, but with more gray hair! :) I promise we'll send pictures from Brooklynn's birthday party next weekend!
Thanks again for thinking of me on my birthday!
Wyatt Johnson
Moorhead, MN
Miss Hetty Says
It's the end of another month and the indexing spider has been sent on its rounds, so all issues of The Bulletin should be fully searchable once again. Happy hunting!
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?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Click here to review last week's Bulletin
Just read The Bulletin. As usual, loved it. Very pretty illustration, Ginny. Thanks for sharing!
Patty's was a two Kleenex story for me. Brought back so many sad and happy emotions. Very well written; beautifully done. Happy Anniversary to a wonderful couple! We are sooo happy that he answered that ad and that she didn't say, "forget the whole thing," before she met Don. We feel very blessed to have Patty and Zach added to our family!
Congratulations to Lori and Keith! Sending wishes for a wonderful wedded life! Congratulations to Ben and Heather, too; we'll look forward to a new family addition with antcipation!
I'd love to hear more "baby" stories about Oscar; he sounds like a real character! Reminds me of some Marlene used to tell about Sherry's birds. (Maybe you should share them, Mar; I'd bet Brianna would get a kick out of them, too!)
I'd heard some on the "Wild Bill" and Miss Kitty, being "we" have a Miss Kitty, too. Was interesting reading in more detail.
I forgot to mention what a laugh I got from last week's Foto-funnies ... that would be soooo Peggy! :-) (Right, Peggy?) This week's was funny, too. Thanks for the "funnies," Doug; they are fun!
The 911*BED picture was great. Think that makes a charming invitation, in case anyone finds themselves in the predicament Larry and Sherry were in at one point.
Thanks to Elaine for all her enjoyable articles ... probably forget to tell her that I do appreciate them each time. Keep up the good work, Elaine. This latest gave me a good laugh. "Thanks alot, den!" One that surprised me about the Ashby area (besides the ending so many sentences with den or then) was how many people "run to town to put gas on." ON? You put it ON your car? Really? They've even gotten my youngest to say it that way.
Donna Anderson Johnson
Ashby, MN
From Ginny's beautiful fall leaves at The Bulletin's beginning to Doug's humorous Foto-funny at the end, I again enjoyed hearing of the weddings, anniversaries, new babies, and activities of all who wrote in. How interesting!
I know it takes a lot of effort by the editorial staff, but it's such a nice way to keep up with the family and others. Thanks and appreciation for your efforts.
Elaine Anderson Wold
Wahpeton, ND
Thanks to Patty and Donnie for writing their beautiful story. I just remember how thankful we all felt when Patty entered Donnie's life. We all felt that she was a gift to our whole family. She helped heal the pain for all of us. It was very touching to hear some of the story that we hadn't yet heard told. Thanks, guys, for sharing.
Marlene Anderson Johnson
Long Lake, MN
Hello Everyone,
Only one day and October is on the calender; how time flies! Feel good and busy at work. Rebuilding a garden center of our size into something totally new takes months. The outside is almost finished and the parking is getting ready in two weeks. Inside, still much work to do.
The past weeks I was alone. My colleague and her husband are working hard in their new house. This coming Monday she will start working again.
Will do my best to make an article for The Bulletin next week about all the building activity at work.
Today, instead of shorts I wore jeans to work for the first time after the summer. It was too cold outside for shorts. Coming week will be better, so who knows, maybe I can use my shorts again.
Now it's rainy and cool outside; greetings to you both from the Netherlands,
Ary Ommert Jr.
Maassluis, The Netherlands
I have just finished going through The Bulletin word by word, and link by link. For once, I had some time to do that. It is so interesting. Endless information when you take time to click it out. Now this day is almost done, but I want to send in my comments as an LTTE so you know we really appreciate all the work you went through to produce it AGAIN. Every single week.
Hard to believe, but thank goodness your subscribers come through with such interesting things to include. I hope you have a stockpile to draw from for when we don't get something sent in. Would hate for you to have empty pages simply because we thought someone else was writing. It is so "real." Nothing beyond the family or friends' interests included, so if we want to get other news we can read the paper. It's always something near to our hearts, page after page.
I was astounded at that beautiful artistic first page picture Bitzi submitted. She is truly an artist, like Roy said.
Was fun to look at Lori and Keith's web site regarding their wedding. Will be watching for their wedding account. It will be a good one, being they are both so talented in publications.
So now we have something new and exciting to keep track of as Ben and Heather await that April 12th special due date. Be assured we will be waiting, too.
Finally, something from Brianna. It's been a long time since she and Doug have had time to write. We miss that. Looks like their bird is pretty settled in and happy. Young families have quite a schedule, being so busy at work. Glad Doug has time to produce something for The Bulletin. I had to laugh at the little fellow saying he wanted to blow half the candles out. Pretty impossible -- made a cute Chuckles.
Patty and Donnie look like a pair pretty much enamored with each other ... but of course it was the grand finale after an amazing and whirlwind acquaintance. What a great story, and it is so true that you would feel an advertisement is pretty risky -- worked out like a fairy tale. I can see they would fall in love with that log home. Who wouldn't? Hope they are happy and enjoying making their house a home for their family, even after these eight years.
Our grandson and wife have a dog named Tate. The uncanny thing is that he looks just like the Tate on these pictures in The Bulletin. Andy's is a famous English dog type ... I think it's Corgi. This is his picture, and he looks like the other Tate.
Tate, the Corgi
Don, it's just plain lucky you two had the extra printer. It could have gotten pretty awkward with two computers and one printer. Glad you had a spare.
I think I'll send a separate letter about the pictures in the Guess this time. Too long for this LTTE ... it's already too long. I do wonder if anyone bothers to read all I write -- maybe I shouldn't even bother with writing it. Just taking up valuable space in The Bulletin. Who wants to read long LTTE's, anyway? I know I wish the others were longer.
The mailbox picture is thought provoking, isn't it? Such a beautiful green field and blue sky and old time gravel road. Stirs up the nostalgia. I am sure Larry needs to be totally inspired before he writes. A good writer is that way. And that is what he is, for sure. So, don't worry if you miss a week, Larry; just keep dreaming up the next chapter. Roy almost always turns to that first.
I took time to click on all the Miss Kitty links. Such a touching experience, but good the man and the other Miss Kitty are finally safe, together as much as possible. Happy ending.
Elaine, that writing about language was so different, but so interesting, and I could relate to most of them. Living in Minnesota, we get a lot of different expressions from the Swedes.
Sorry, Wyatt, we have no need for a John Deere. Too bad, sounds like a good deal.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
CHUCKLES
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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.