Photo © Steve and Marci Weiland
Skier Krista Weiland, 7, ready for a downhill run.

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. Thanks to Kristi Indermark and Kurt and Jeni Larson for sending last week's mystery pictures.

Answers to last week's mystery pictures (click here to review them):

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Photo © Sandy Brown
"Aurora" doodle, Sandy's colorful, beaded, "celestial curtain."

Doodlebugging Catches On
by Earl L. Brown
Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

The "doodle" bug is spreading ...

Sandy crafted the "Aurora" doodle. (I'm a little envious!) And the "Roller Coaster" doodle by Harriet Stanford (age 11) from Fort St. John just came in.

I have had contact with New Zealand ... rumour is an "outbreak" might erupt "down under" soon.

Remember, doodles in your rear-view mirror may be closer than they appear.

Cheers!

Earl (doodles) Brown

Photo © Harriet Stanford, left; photo © Earl L. Brown, right.
"Roller Coaster," left; "Neon Wheat" doodle, right.

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Capt. Jack plays "Greta" guitar.

As promised, I'm sending another guitar picture. {Won't you ever run out?} Yeah, Rufus, eventually. This week features my Gretch Duo-Jet, or some such name. This story is a little embarrassing, but we have a financial advisor. A few years ago, during an office visit, he asked if we had any planned expenses coming up. Jokingly, I said, "Sure, I want another guitar!" He said, how much, and I said the approximate price. He asked, hundreds or thousands? He is also a guitar player, and his latest guitar cost over $3,000! I said hundreds, and he said, "Well, go get it. You've got to spend some of this money!" So I did. {You call that embarrassing? Wait until next week, when you do your Cayman guitar story!} Capt. Jack Adair {and Rufus!} Coon Rapids, MN

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Public domain photo, www.clipartguide.com
Bird of Paradise bloom, our favorite Hawaiian flower.

After Pearl Harbor
Ruth Kitto tells of her experiences as a 21-year-old newlywed in 1948, after World War II.

Return From Paradise
by Ruth Weiland Swanson Kitto
Apache Junction, AZ

Our last days in Pearl Harbor were the last week of August, 1948. Vern had been told that we would be flown to Treasure Island Naval Base, so we shipped our car ... and then we didn't fly after all! The car was gone, however; I do not remember when we got it, but it was after we got back to Minnesota.

We rented a car and drove down the California coast on old Highway 5, to El Monte. This was where Vern's foster sister and family lived; we were there a few days and toured the area. We planned a trip across to Coronado Island, an hour's ride, and I got seasick on that! I was surely tired of being seasick, already! After all, I had been seasick on the returning ship for four days out of the five days that the trip took -- spent most of it resting on the deck.

We then flew to Minneapolis, to my parents' home. My father had a sheet metal business on Nicollet Island -- in the middle of the Mississippi River -- so there was water on both sides. Probably not many people now would remember when there were a lot of small businesses there. Our father's business was in the middle of what was about three blocks -- and there was a three-story hotel over those businesses.

My dear parents rented a large room on the second floor as a studio apartment for us -- completely furnished with small refrigerator, small kitchen stove, sofa and Murphy bed -- so very nice. We lived there for several months and then found a house to buy in north Minneapolis.

Vern then went to a technical school for railroad telegraphers. I do not remember the name of it, and it isn't there anymore -- around Lake Street, I believe. The thought was, there will always be trains! (NOT!) I worked in another doctor's office during that time.

When he finished that training, Vern's next thought was, "Now where can I find a job?"

A family friend lived several miles from Minneapolis and he worked for the Milwaukee Road ... that doesn't exist any more, either. He was able to find out about employment and there was an opening in Montana! (Where is that?)

We found out in short order -- packed up some belongings and headed for Montana. We bought a small travel trailer and were off to the Wild West.

We landed in a town called Townsend, Montana, and found a place to park the trailer. Vern went to work in a station about 20 miles away, down a very steep, narrow, mountain road. He worked there for about two years and then was transferred to the next town, Three Forks, and worked nights in that railroad station.

We bought a small house in Three Forks. Vern worked nights all those three years. Our first two children were born during that time. I then had a job as a teller in a bank in Manhattan, a small, country bank. Vern took care of the children days and slept some.

In the course of events, we got acquainted with a Kitto family -- parents, two sons and their families -- and had great times together. We spent a lot of time at the Kitto cattle ranch. Vern loved to help there with the branding of calves, horseback riding, helping move cattle from various places, and whatever they needed help with, he was there. Our friendship grew over the years and has continued to this day.

Fast forward now to 1955: The railroads were going downhill, so we decided to go back to Minneapolis. I was back in the medical field again. Vern got a position as a food buyer and worked in a couple of the big restaurants.

Fast forward again to 1977: Vern's rheumatoid arthritis was getting worse and we heard of doctors in Mexico and "great" results achieved for some of our friends. So that prompted us to "pick up" again and move to Arizona. We have lived in the Phoenix area ever since.

Our friendship with the Kitto families continued -- we visited them in Montana and they visited us here in Arizona. Ken Kitto's wife died of pancreatic cancer in January 2000. Vern's health continued to decline and he died in November 2001. After a time, Ken wrote to me, suggesting that we spend our "11th hour" together and we married in March 2002, almost five years ago.

Photo illustration © Virginia McCorkell
"There will always be trains." --Hunter Holman

This Week's Special Days

February 12---Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
February 14---Valentine's Day

February Birthdays
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February 1---Kathlyn (Johnson) Anderson
February 4---Cameron Birkholz
February 6---Melody Printz
February 6---Kelli Nicole Mellon (8 years old)
February 7---Rylie Johnson (4 years old)

February 28---Eric Anderson

February Anniversaries
Z
February 18---Roy and Betty Weiland Droel (14 years)
February 24---Jess and Louise Cloyd (62 years)
February 26---Tim and Char Morgan Myron (24 years)
February 28---Junior and Doris Anderson (45 years)

Miss Hetty's Mailbox:

Dear Miss Hetty,

Thanks for the birthday card! My mom and dad took my friend Octavia and me to Chuck E. Cheese, and my cousins Hannah and Connor met us there. We ate pizza and had lots of fun!

Photo © Steve and Marci Weiland
As you can see, the birthday American Girl doll, Kristina, is bundled up for the night in her box-bed, right beside Krista, hugging her birthday kitty, almost too excited and happy and tired to sleep on their ski weekend.

I puzzled over that first picture, to get the real gist of it, when I realized it must have been taken at McDonald's Playland for children. The hoop in the background was in the last Bulletin, I think. Well, what made it so funny was that Donna Mae is lying on her back most of the time with her disc problem, so it first appeared to my mind "what a wonderful way to keep the children corralled" -- a fence! They say simple minds are easily amused. Oh dear, maybe this is a bad start to the LTTE.

(The photo was from Jayce's birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. They had such a good time that Rylie celebrated her birthday there this week, but we got no pictures this time. --Photo Ed.)

Thank goodness for the Breezy Point weekend stories, as they made a very interesting Bulletin with all the food and folks and pictures. Sounded like all had a wonderful time together, and it made for good reading. I loved seeing Colette. She was about the age of Ashley when I knew her and Twila Jo best.

Well, who would ever guess Diana would be looking so well after being so ill? She has such good care from her devoted family and good company from those loving animals. When one can forget themselves with the care of the puppies and the cats, it would help to ignore the pain. We are always so glad for any updates from you, Diana. It is such a joy to share The Bulletin with you, being you don't have a computer that can capture it. I'm just sorry the mail delivers it to you a few days late.

We have followed Kurt and Jeni's stories from their first days together, and now we have the wonderful news announcement of Madilyn Mae arriving and home already. We will be getting a picture in our next Bulletin, likely. I am guessing she will look like Kurt.

I loved seeing our North Dakota friends. They look so happy, and it is an exceptional picture of both DeLoris and Elaine. The picture was taken in the new kitchen. Now we need to see how the rest of the house has gotten furnished and settled in.

What an unforgettable vacation for the children to go to the Arizona "dude ranch." I was noticing the jackets on the mom and grandma! I wonder if Arizona was that cold? No matter what, it would be better than our 21 below this morning, with a wild wind chill.

Was glad the Matriarch spoke! Rich Johnson heading to Whidbey Island. The trek through North Dakota, Montana and all of Washington will have him worn out before he even gets in a day's work. Working separated from family would not be nice, and hopefully it can work out for them to be back living in one place, eventually. Making a living is the main matter, for the present.

I'm afraid the Doodle subject is over my head. We applaud Earl, Sandy and Moa, though.

It was really a special surprise to see the pictures from the Netherlands at long last. If USA drivers were all 18 years or older, there would be some different statistics. For Marloes there is no limit now, once she has that little card in her pocket! It was great that you favored us with pictures of the best truck in the whole wide world, Frans!

The handles on that wheelchair looks like an invention that should make you pretty wealthy, as well as a simple way to get our Dorothy safely down the stairs in a crisis. I hope it doesn't have to be used, but if so, you have it now. What a good name to call it! First Responder Wheelchair, and the handles called "Quick Attach." Professional! You could build those easily in your garage shop, Don.

I'm always interested in the recipes we find in The Bulletin -- we know they are good or they wouldn't be in there. I'm trying to resist trying out the Mexican Pizza. Dear Kathlyn (Johnson) Anderson. Do you know how sincerely I was wishing you a happy birthday on February 1st? I remember my birthdays that you had a part in making unforgettable. Thanks to Jerrianne and Miss Kitty for giving you a birthday dinner.

I was so impressed with the beautiful picture of Mommy Sarah, and big brother, Levi. The coloring was so sharp and beautiful, even on the printed copy. The white blanket just set off the other vivid colors. Wonderful job there, Bitzi! You were inspired when it was your niece, I'm sure! Maybe it's that the davenport color is one of my favorites.

I was absolutely thrilled with all the Letters To The Editors there were to read this time. I read each one, every word. Wyatt's heartfelt account really touched my heart. Coni is not forgotten; in fact she is fondly remembered by all who knew or even heard of her.

Too bad the green, old time, phone had to become an antique decoration. But, nothing can compare with high speed, as far as this computer life is concerned.

I got such a warm, nostalgic feeling to see the pictures Rich sent of 1950s visits by the Wheelers, Jacobsons, Slottens. Talk about precious memories!

I have figured out that the Foto Funnies has a certain theme to it, which is very clever. Clever like the name of the creators: McDouglas! The two panels corresponding and even one picture flowing right into the first panel. That's a pretty little girl that we still recognize, even with her sleeping mask on. We always look for this feature, so hope there is always one there.

After finishing the LTTE, I flipped back through the printed copy of The Bulletin to see what all I missed, and realized that Weston had written a special contribution that we all look forward to, and this time it was about the children at Breezy Point. What a scribe! Thanks again. As I re-read it, I was amazed at all he'd gotten included in those "few sentences."

I realize that the editor and photo editor must work into the night, even to wee hours of Saturday morning, to wind up the final finishing touches to The Bulletin. I want this to get there in plenty of time so it isn't having to be dealt with the last minute. Actually, I really love putting this together. I also enjoy the other LTTE's, which help me to see why the editors keep so inspired and enthused to publish a Bulletin every single week.

Betty Droel