Sunday, November 13, 2005
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Photo by Donna Johnson
(See "Fairy Spottings" in Day To Day With Donna Mae, below.)
Updates -
UPDATE -- Reflections on Hurricane Wilma
by Steve Miller
Coral Springs, FL
Well, we earned our red badge of courage; we survived our first major hurricane. In many ways it is similar to enduring a major blizzard in Minnesota. People will talk about and compare it with other hurricanes for years. When I was a kid, it seems like all we heard about was the blizzard of Armistice Day in 1940 and our kids heard from us about the St. Patrick's Day blizzard of 1965. ("We came home from school early Friday, got snowed in, and didn't get to school the entire next week. Now THAT was a blizzard." See, I can still tell 'em!)
The standard for hurricanes here is Hurricane Andrew, that took out the south half of Miami in 1992. That was a biggie! But getting back to Wilma... As hurricane severity goes, she was about in the middle; category 2 or 3 with 110 to 120 mph winds. Now, I don't want you to think I'm minimizing, because as you see there was a lot of damage, but the refrain we heard over and over was, "It could have been a lot worse." Except for the media, but then they over hype everything!
The hurricane reached us about 5:30 Monday morning (10/24) and was at the peak from about 7 to 9. The wind in the front was from the south. The eye was over us from 9 to 10:30 and it was unbelievably quiet. Then the back struck from 10:30 to noon. The wind in the back was from the west. Normally the wind in the back is less than in the front, but for us it was stronger and did the most of the damage.
Some have described the sound of a hurricane as like having a dozen trains going right over your head. I wouldn't describe it like that. To me it was more of a high pitched whistle, like standing behind a 737 jet plane as it is taking off. Even at the worst of the storm, though, I didn't feel the house was in danger of going down. There were not a lot of whole buildings that were destroyed around here, and the ones that were probably should have gone down long ago! Like we heard, "It could have been a lot worse!"
After the storm passed, the first inconvenience was the loss of electric power. We were lucky our power was only off for 2-1/2 days. Some people still don't have it restored.
To some folks, being without power is a huge disaster. "What are we going to do? The computer won't work; we can't get on line!" At least, here in south Florida, we don't have to worry about the water pipes freezing up and bursting! We do have a small generator, which I ran enough to keep the things in the refrigerator and freezer from spoiling or melting. We did our cooking in an electric fry pan, which we used while the generator was running. We also used our gas grill some. Gas grills are what most folks that were without power used for cooking.
We were never without water and our phone was only out two days. Cell phone service was sporadic, but we never entirely lost service.
The next inconvenience was navigating around all the downed trees and powerlines. That was not a major issue, but we did have to be careful which route we took. To me the biggest travel headache (and I would have never guessed it!) was being without traffic lights. I don't mean just not having power to run them; I mean, having them gone -- as in blown away.
As some of you know, we live just 1-1/2 blocks off Atlantic Boulevard, which is a major east-west street. At places, it has three and sometimes four lanes of traffic each way, plus two left hand turn lanes. With no lights, the intersections are treated as a four-way stop. Talk about an auto body repairman's dream come true! Actually, I was amazed; for the most part, the drivers were quite courteous and patient. Any of you that have been to south Florida know we have some of the rudest drivers this side of Italy. But that is another story!
Things have pretty much returned to normal now. Instead of piles of snow along the road, we have piles of brush and trees. Instead of shoveling snow off of roofs, we put blue tarps on to cover the damage. Instead of the kids missing school for snow, they missed it for the hurricane and are now worried about losing their spring break to make up the time.
One interesting note about the trees that went down: a lot of the species of trees that blew down are not native to Florida but have been imported for shade, looks, or some other reason. Native trees such as palm trees generally fared quite well. As many of you know, we don't have much natural top soil. Our soil is either sand or coral. In either case, trees don't develop a good, deep root system like they do in the midwest. Their roots tend to go out, just under the surface of the ground. The trunk of the live oak we lost was probably 16 inches in diameter, but the roots were only about two feet deep.
I got a call yesterday from the insurance adjuster with our homeowner's insurance. He said it will be three to four weeks before he gets here to work on our claim. Then we'll find out just how good our policy and company are!
All in all, it has been lots of work, some hassles and inconvenience, but luckily all we are out is some "stuff," and stuff is replaceable. Like the man said, "It could have been a lot worse!"
Before the storm ... screened pool patio in back yard.
Storm damage and downed tree, front side of house.
Storm damage to trees and screened patio cover.
Storm damage to screened patio cover and pool area.
Roof and shingle damage after the storm.
UPDATE -- visitors
by Ginny McCorkell
Blaine, MN
The country relatives came to the city last weekend. Larry and Sherry Dake came to visit and brought Amy, Sarah and Levi. It was a short visit ... the guest book said, "Now you see us, now you don't" ... and that pretty well sums it up. But it was a very welcome little visit ... we got to see Levi!
Levi is about 6 months old and enjoying his Gerber baby food ... as long as his thumb follows each spoonful. Sometimes he is in such a hurry to get his thumb in after each bite that his thumb arrives before the spoon does. Was quite comical to watch!
Ginny
Photos by Virginia McCorkell
...what big eyes you have, Great Grandma!
(LeRoy Dake, Levi Steinhauer and Vonnie Dake, left; Levi, right. Levi is the son of Sarah and Michael Steinhauer and is Larry and Sherry Dake's grandson.)
UPDATE -- Sophia
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
If you recall, Sophia is Tom Miller's dog. Deb had gotten Tom this chocolate Labrador buddy for his birthday last March (Bulletin 152).
I had reason to go to Dr. Tom Miller the other day. (Dr. Tom is Dick and Florence's son, Tommy. He is an excellent chiropractor, besides being a nutritionist and homeopathic expert.)
He told me this story about Sophia that I thought was too good to keep. (Tom is way too busy to take time to send it in himself, but he approved of me attempting to tell it like it was.)
SOPHIA
As I had mentioned before, Sophia goes to the office with Dr. Tom, but now as she is growing up, she gets restless about noon, so he takes her home for the rest of the day.
He was saying that the other day when he got home, Sophia was acting very strange. He spotted an empty aspirin container and guessed she had eaten about 12 aspirins! So he called the emergency vet clinic. They suggested he make her get rid of them and bring her in. He poured about a half bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide down her throat, and off they went in his not too old truck. On the way there, up came the peroxide AND the aspirin, all over his truck.
So while the vet was examining her, Tom tried to clean up his truck. The vet gave Sophie something and kept her overnight.
When Tom went to pick her up, he was told that she had also eaten a baseball! The covering and the string was all part of what had emptied out of her stomach, and Sophia was now feeling fine.
Photos by Betty Droel
Sweet little Sophia & Dr. Miller in March, left; Sophia today, right.
UPDATE -- Introducing Melody Printz
by Carol Printz
Sidney, NE
Melody & Wade Printz, Kristie Williams.
This is our multi-tasking daughter-in-law, Justin's wife, Melody, with the cell phone. (That's her son, Wade, with the hat, and another ranch wife, Kristie Williams, next to him.)
Melody grew up on a ranch near Lusk, Wyoming, so she is experienced in all phases of ranch work. She worked as an emergency medical technician (EMT) before getting her education as a licensed practical nurse (LPN), so has experience in the medical field. She has helped with record keeping on the ranch and for the local newspaper (working from the computer at home). But I think it is safe to say that her favorite career is that of wife and mother.
I always say that if I had been able to "take applications" for a wife for Justin, she's the one I would have chosen. So needless to say, I think he got a good deal ... even though he didn't let me take applications! (smile)
Melody is a twin, so we call her sister Michelle our "duplicate daughter-in-law," and feel we got a "bonus" with that, too!
Carol
Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN
I had four little visitors on Wednesday, while their parents attended Jolene's Grandma Finkelson's funeral.
Hannah Finkelson was a little apprehensive at first, but she adjusted quickly. It helped that the other three -- Rylie, Brooklynn and Vincent -- were all comfortable here. Vincent comes on a regular basis, as he's one of my daycare children.
Caity was excited to see our little visitors when she got home from school. Of course, she wanted to hold Brooklynn, and being Brook was so sleepy, Caity managed to get her to sleep after rocking a very short while; she'd played herself out! The other three enjoyed their time together here, too, trying out MANY toys in the process.
Brooklynn, Rylie, Hannah & Vincent, left; Brooklyn & Rylie, right.
Fairy Spottings!
We never spotted that elusive "tooth fairy" last week, but she certainly was a busy one. Both Caity and Jayce lost two teeth in one week's time -- Jayce losing two on one day!
I mentioned to Caity that they certainly were working the tooth fairy overtime. She turned and grinned at me and said, "We're killing you here!" Then she told me I didn't need to pay her for the second one.
The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Who Is This?
Let's Play a Guessing Game: Whenever it is handy to do so we will run a picture of someone of the subscribers or staff members of our e-magazine. Tell us who you think it is -- we will let you know who was the first to guess it right -- and the correct guess -- in the following week's Bulletin.
(Send us some to run; we will line them up in our staging area to take their turn.)
How many can you identify?
Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):
I know two of the people pictured. One is Jordan Nicole Indermark [on the left] and the other is Tyler James Indermark [in the middle], my pride and joy!!
Kristi Indermark
Portage, WI
Wonder how far off I am on the GUESS. I recognize the little girl, but would have to look back in the archives to find her name. Looks like the older man could be Bill Dake ... and somehow I see Dick and John Miller in the middle of the picture of the four boys.
Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
I recognized Jordan and Tyler Indermark for the two children. And the man would be our beloved Grandpa [Bill] Dake. (Linda Knutson also recognized Grandpa Dake.)
Donna Johnson
Ashby, MN
I don't think my wife, Rian, and my children know about these pictures. I know that nobody there does. I talk about the boy in the little picture and the first one in the big picture -- is me [Frans deBeen].
The time that they are made is around my 3 or 4 years. One picture was taken at a visit of my uncle when he visiting us (in room) and the other one was taken at the side of the house where I was born (1952). At the right side of me was a boy that was a child of a man who was a salesman who sold wood to my father (my father was a carpenter then). The second one at the right side is my older brother AD, the third is my brother Kees, and at the left side is ME!!!! My age at the time then ... I think 3 or 4 years old.
Frans deBeen
Oosterhout, Netherlands
LTD Storybrooke 
Photo © Larry T. Dake
Traveling East, Going West -- Goodbye, Clatskanie Home.
(No story this week, but stay tuned...)
Travelogue t
Greetings from the Netherlands
by Ary Ommert, Jr.
Maassluis, The Netherlands
It has been a few weeks since you heard from me, I have problems with the computer and not everything is working at the moment. But I'm able to send and receive e-mails now. Think I need a new PC; have asked at work if it's possible to trade my extra hours for a company PC and perhaps this can be done. Have so many extra hours and this year it's not possible to use them.
All is fine here in the Netherlands; temperatures have been far above normal for a long period. After the coming weekend it will get colder and temperatures will go to normal for the time of year. I do want to make an article for The Bulletin, but at the moment I can't add pictures to an article.
At work everything is ready for Christmas and it looks good, only this year we have a smaller Christmas show than the years before.
I feel good and hope you are, too. Also used to the wintertime here in the Netherlands. Now it's dark when I come home at 6 p.m.
Greetings from the Netherlands, and will write more about the reorganization at work soon.
Ary
Flat Stanley Visits Alaska
By Stanley Lambchop
www.flatstanley.thebulletin.ws
What I've learned, so far...
Nick Spalding, a 4th grader in Mrs. Schraub's class at Northern Hills Elementary in San Antonio, Texas, sent me to Alaska more than a month ago. He told me my guide and teacher would be a Miss Kitty ... but I didn't know she really was a kitty. Well, what does a cat know about Alaska, I might have thought ... but it turns out that this cat knows a lot about it. After all, she has lived in Alaska her whole life!
It takes a long time to explore Alaska, because Alaska is BIG ... bigger than Texas, even ... more than twice as big as Texas, Miss Kitty said. I thought she was just giving me a hard time, but it turned out to be true. Alaska is almost two and a half times as big as Texas. Alaska and Texas have a lot in common ... especially the wide open spaces, with not many people living there.
One of the things I like about Alaska is that Alaskans seem to take kids seriously. Benny Benson, the Native American boy who designed Alaska's state flag, was only 13 years old at the time -- a 7th grader! And I think it's one of the prettiest state flags I've seen.
Benny said, "The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaska flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly of the Union. The dipper is for the Great Bear -- symbolizing strength." Here is a picture of the Alaska flag. (That's not Benny beside the flag; it's me!)
Click here to read Alaska Fun Facts, see a map of Alaska, and hear the music to Alaska's flag song: http://www.alaskasbest.com/facts.htm
It gets really cold in Alaska in the winter -- the record low temperature is 80 degrees below zero in the north. Alaska has warm weather, too -- the record high temperature is 100 degrees above zero in the summer in the middle of the state. Summer days are very long. They call Alaska the Land of the Midnight Sun, because in summer the sun stays up all night in northern Alaska and most of the night farther south. That makes flowers and vegetables and crops grow very fast -- and very big.
Click here to see me at the Alaska State Fair and The Giant Cabbage Weigh-off.
Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell
Ethan Horne: Do you see what I see?
Observations
By Don Anderson
Alexandria, MN
Winter Wonderland!
Another season about to roll around: WINTER. It is nice to have four seasons to enjoy. I think it would be very boring to just have the same old thing year after year after year.
At the end of each season, we can look for a change; that is really nice. We here in Minnesota look forward to the changes. That's what makes life interesting.
Personally, I enjoy winter the best. One sees the beautiful snow descending toward the earth. Truly a gift from above!
While we lived in Missouri, winter never seemed like the winters I used to know as a kid. Sure, we got snow there but it didn't stay long enough to really get a good look at it. Very disappointing!
I wonder if the folks living farther south know what it is to hear the snow crackling underfoot, getting a breath of real fresh air, seeing the youngsters frolicking and enjoying themselves. Sitting by the fireplace munching popcorn.
As a young boy I played in most winter activities: skiing, skating and playing hockey on the riverbanks of North Dakota. (Maybe that accounts for living to a ripe old age.)
Every winter I relive my childhood as I thought of the finest season of the year.
Now as I am older, the love of the winter months still hold good memories.
You know most folks that leave here and try to seek "better weather" down south most likely return here to live out the remainder of their lives.
As far as I am concerned, there is no better weather on earth than back here in the Midwest. I am approaching the 80 mark and I have been to most of the USA, haven't seen anywhere that would even come close.
Happy in the winter wonderland!
Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper
This Week's Birthdays:
November 14---Marian Miller
November 17---Zachary Myron
November 17---Mark Andrew Johnson
November 19---Tyler Swenson
Happy Birthday!
This Week's Anniversaries
November 16---Argyle and Kathlyn Johnson Anderson (42 years)
Congratulations!
More November Birthdays:
'
November 2---Gert Dake Pettit
November 2---Brianna Susan Lehtola (4 years)
November 7---Steven Anderson
November 7---Thomas Roland Mellon
November 7---Sandra Kay Miller Smith
November 10---Argyle Anderson
November 11---Allison Aydelotte (8 years)
November 12---Patty Anderson Henderson
November 21---Alex Jo Marie Sigman (1 year)
November 21---Amy Elaine Printz (1 year)
November 26---DeLoris Anderson
November 30---Aaron Stahlecker
More November Anniversaries
Z
November 26---Ben and Heather Henderson (1 year)
November 29---Kurtis and Jeni Larson (1 year)
November Special Days
November 11---Veterans' Day
November 24---Thanksgiving
Miss Hetty's Mailbox:
Miss Hetty,
I think you forgot one more November anniversary! Ben and my first year anniversary is the 26th! We can't believe it's been a year already. Just thought I'd bring this to your attention.
Heather Henderson
Lilydale, MN
Miss Hetty begs you to forgive her and please don't tell the editor or she may get fired!
Thanks for the card; unfortunately, between an e-mail system that is incompatible with yours and firewalls that protect my company's P.C.s, I can't receive photos, only your text.
Tom Mellon
Balboa Island, CA
Dear Miss Hetty,
I got this in a letter today, and it was too good to keep. I will whisper in your ear that it was our EDITOR that this happened to, but don't tell a soul.
"I thought my day was going pretty good until I went to make myself some fresh coffee. I had the coffee measured out and in the holder with the filter in ... took out the coffee pot to fill with cold water and promptly dropped it and shattered it. At least nothing was in it, so Don was able to get the glass cleaned up quite easily ... but he couldn't resist saying, 'Well now, that will probably cure you of drinking coffee.' I am not sure the connection, but I guess he felt he had to say something!"
Thought that would be news. Pretty bad, I'd say, being it was the coffee pot.
Betty Droel
Soon after, Betty sent another letter with the rest of the Editor's story:
Yes, that was a traumatic hour ... losing my source of coffee. Thought I
might even have to make the instant kind ... which is really stooping low!
But after pouring himself a glass of Pepsi to revive himself, Don
disappeared and I went to work at the computer.
After a while I heard a bit of commotion in the other room, but didn't pay any attention ... and then I was offered the try out of a cup of coffee brewed in the new, white Sunbeam Coffee Maker. So now I have my energy back!
Miss Hetty Says
All's well that ends well ... I think this operation runs on coffee! It looked like Bulletin 178 might be in real trouble for a while, but now it's stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. And speaking of Thanksgiving ... it's coming soon. What's cooking at YOUR house?
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
Another wonderful Bulletin. It was extra special seeing Ethan's picture pop up, and then down farther, when I found Carolyn's picture, I knew this was a great edition of The Bulletin! (Smile!) Carolyn is now nicknamed Carrie. Growing up, I was often called Carrie, too, so she really is a princess close to Grandma's heart! Ginny did another great job with her photo design work.
I was so glad to hear the news from Steve again. Shari's recipe and comments brought tears to my eyes. Anita's recipe looked yummy.
We spent last weekend in Madison, Alabama, with Jennie's family. This week was extra busy for me. We moved our office to a new location. After 16 years in the same place, that was almost as bad as a personal move! Jennie, Chris and the kids stopped on their way through Atlanta Thursday night. Ernie spent seven hours in ER yesterday, so we have had an eventful week! Suzanne McCorkell is in Atlanta, so we hope to see her in the very near future, too.
I talked to some to the Miller gang in New London this morning. Deer hunting weekend is always eventful there. Tom's daughter Shanna got two bucks this morning.
Thanks for all your work ... we love it!
Carolyn Miller Dake
Duluth, GA
Thank you, Dorothy, for The Bulletin. That is awesome ... must get ready for tomorrow ... glad to hear the news again!
Anita Weiland
Yankton, SD
Last Week's Bulletin Review JKL
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN
I can see you editors, watching your computer screen to see if anyone will send an LTTE on your latest efforts to publish another great Bulletin ... and I don't want to disappoint you. First of all, to thank you for including me in your subscriber list, and for all the work you do without any charge to us. It is so amazing to me that every single week it comes out, and each time so entirely different and interesting.
Thanks to busy moms and dads for taking time to send in fun stuff about the children so we can share in it. All the pictures make it so interesting, and I feel I've gotten to know The Bulletin family in just the little while I've been getting it.
The clever, artistic design of the very first picture captured my interest for quite a while, seeing just how that was made, and how little it takes to create such an incredible, angled picture. Just a boy and a camera. Oh, excuse me, it wasn't just any boy, but Ethan Horne, no less.
I was glad Steve would tell us a little more about the hurricane mess. We need to see the photos, too, if there is room in The Bulletin for them. Or else one of those blue links we can click on which enlarges The Bulletin many times over.
That was so interesting about the Connections Academy. I had never heard of it, and maybe from time to time we can hear how successful it is for Whitney and Mark. Such very nice pictures of them both.
The Moorhead Halloween update was so cute. They grow out of that stage to have fun costumes all too soon, and even a clever ghost picture, however that was made. That's hard work carving a hard, thick pumpkin so neatly like theirs were. That is memory making times for children. I can still remember the tricks or treats days, which were about 60 years ago for me.
Virginia should have lots of cute pictures to make from her nieces and nephews as time goes on. I couldn't believe how Jennie's Carolyn had grown.
The Ashby account by Donna Mae was so detailed and you could just see those kids and their bags from Auntie Lori. Even Becky was included. It was fun to see the Editor in the background on the one picture, and it looks like Don was willing to share his stash of candy.
Can't you imagine the beeline the kids make to that bookshelf???
Larry definitely has a gift for writing. How he leaves us dangling at the most exciting part of the story is disgusting. Am sure it didn't turn out to be "good fortune," after all. All we ever heard was that Larry and Sherry were in Montana taking care of sheep. Guess that was all wrong, so far. Pretty interesting to read of the experiences that little family faced trying to find the right niche to fall into.
I can't remember that we ever had any of Grandma Blanche's homemade ice cream, but I think we really missed a lot.
That was wonderful to see Anita Weiland's cookie recipe. She is an excellent cook and baker, and it's all totally healthy. Wonder if she would ever write a story about her baking business in a health food store, making muffins and cookies and breads, etc., with the aroma wafting out into the mall where the store is located, bringing in scores of steady customers. Hope she will, as all the subscribers would love hearing about that.
Finally, something from Elaine Wold again. Thank you, Elaine, for that cake. Miss Kitty finally got a chance at the busy keyboard in the Lowther office. Anyone from Texas would think Alaska was on the other end of the world, and hope Flat Stanley was able to share his experiences without freezing to death while he was sled dog racing.
Looks like the Foto funnies has an associate creator now. Can hardly wait to see what the other LTTE's are going to be, of what others had thought was interesting as they read their Bulletin. Maybe lots I missed. THANKS AGAIN, and we will be anxiously awaiting the next one again, so keep encouraged and enthused as you put together Bulletin #178. Keep motivated by knowing we will love it.
Betty
CHUCKLES
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Quotation for the day: A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world: everyone you meet is your mirror. --Ken Keyes, Jr.
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.