Bulletin 349 February 22, 2009

The Bulletin
Sunday, February 22, 2009
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Photo © Sarah Steinhauer
Narcissus blooming in kitchen window.

Updates -

Erma Anderson Syverson

UPDATE -- Erma Syverson passes away

Erma Syverson, 90, Wahpeton, North Dakota, formerly of Dwight, North Dakota, died Monday, February 16, 2009, at Innovis Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota. The funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 20, at Faith Lutheran Church, Dwight, with the Rev. Gordon Lee officiating. Burial will be in the spring at Faith Lutheran Cemetery, Dwight.

Erma Anderson Syverson was a first cousin of the editor's husband, Don Anderson. Four of Don's siblings gathered last fall to celebrate Erma's 90th birthday in Dwight and six cousins were pictured together in Miss Hetty's column in Bulletin 332.

Photo © Sarah Steinhauer
Icicles frame sunset view from Steinhauers' living room.

Photos © Sarah Steinhauer
First snow on steps (November), left; cute squirrel in tree, right.

Photos © Sarah Steinhauer
Levi Steinhauer, left, found January cold & snowy. Mom's heart-shaped Java Cream Drops & hot cocoa with miniature marshmallows made February worthwhile.

Photo © Sarah Steinhauer
Ken & Amy Dake Harrison came to visit the Steinhauers & play Monopoly. Left to right: Mike, Kira, Ken, Amy & Levi. Sarah served delicious snacks on her fern platter.

Photo © Whitney Johnson
Special Olympics figure skating winners.

UPDATE -- Boise hosts Special Olympics Winter Games
by Whitney Johnson
Boise, ID (at present)

Last week we found out that the Special Olympics World Winter Games were being hosted by Boise, Idaho, and since we happen to be here, Mom and I decided that it would be fun to go.

More than 100 countries were represented at the games by 2,000 athletes, who obviously competed in many different events, so it was hard to choose which event to attend. We ended up going downtown to the figure skating competition with some friends from here and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

It was incredible to see the talent that the athletes had, despite their disabilities. We were impressed by the enthusiasm of the athletes, patience of the coaches, and the support of the fans. It was definitely an incredible experience.

Without knowing it, we attended the event that Vice President Joe Biden and figure skating champion Michelle Kwan dropped in on. Mr. Biden was there for a short program, spoke briefly, and then presented the athletes with their medals. It was really neat to see our new Vice President and the athletes' enthusiasm for his support.

We ended up spending seven hours there so we were exhausted and cold when we finally got home, but it was wonderful and inspiring, to say the least.

Photos © Whitney Johnson
Marlene & Whitney, left; Michelle Kwan & Vice President Joe Biden, right.

Photo © Ken Carson
Cheerio & Oreo ... ready to Roomba.

UPDATE -- it takes two to tango but just one to Roomba
by Miss Kitty
Anchorage, AK

We had to laugh this week when Mitzi wrote to us and said, "Maybe Ken & Kyra need one of these?"

Miss Jerrianne let us watch the video of a cat that looked a lot like Oreo, nonchalantly riding a Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner around, and passed it on to Kyra ... with the suggestion that maybe they would need three Roombas so three grandkitties could rocket around a room in style.

"Amazing!" Kyra replied. "I had no idea there are cats that aren't terrified of vacuums -- and this one looks just like Oreo, too. What a sport!"

Mai Tai and I aren't so sure we would want to do this, either ... but you never know. If Miss Jerrianne can ride a Segway (at her age!), it's just possible we cats could learn to Roomba! On the other hand, why should cats do the vacuuming? Isn't that what we have humans for?

Day to Day R
With Donna Mae
Ashby, MN

Photo © Donna Johnson
Sisters! Caity Chap & Bec McGuire

Bec Visits Caity

A couple weeks ago, Caity's sister Bec McGuire and sons came up, hoping to take Caity along with them to Wisconsin Dells. However, Caity had school issues and was unable to go with them. Bec left their dog, Orlah, for Becky to "dog sit." It proved to be a fortunate thing that Caity did not go along.

Becky and I ended up taking Caity to Alexandria around 7:30 Sunday evening, for her Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome. They need to get IV's in her immediately, for the vomiting to stop. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the ER was so busy they could not get to her until close to 10! At 12:30 a.m. they ended up admitting her into the hospital. They gave her anti-nausea medicine in her IV's and administered four bags of IV fluids to her. I was able to pick them up the next afternoon, to bring a very white Caity back home again.

During the course of the rest of the week, Ben or Ashley dropped their dogs, Gunner (German Shepherd) and a look alike for Orlah, their Lucy, to help entertain Orlah. They all seemed to enjoy themselves and were plenty tired by the evening, which worked well for when they all went back inside. Took the edge off their wild antics. (Ben and Ashley could tell some stories about some of what those two dogs have gotten into!)

I know for sure that they vandalized Beaver's shop in a short while, when they'd been left in there on a cold day. Wore out their welcome very quickly!

Valentine weekend, Bec came back, with Mike and their three boys. We enjoyed having them for a visit! The boys have all grown so much and they all had such a good time playing here. Jayce kept the boys entertained and Caity and Bec spent time together. I got in a good visit with Bec on her earlier visit; we could talk for hours!

Photos © Donna Johnson
Gunner, Orlah & Lucy, left; Kiernan, Colin, Cavan & Mike, right.

The Matriarch Speaks W
by Dorothy (Dake) Anderson
Alexandria, MN

Early Deadline This Week!

A photography workshop Thursday night and all day Friday will soak up a lot of preparation time for The Bulletin this week, so early news will be most needed and appreciated. Thanks!

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. LeRoy Dake supplied last week's mystery photo.

How many can you identify? What's going on?

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

Editors' Note: Correct guesses appear in bold face type and incorrect guesses in normal type ... generally in the order we receive them, so the first guess received is on top.

That appears to be my cute little cousin, Larry Dake; appears he's pondering the progress of a turtle. A pet? Just one he's found?

Donna Anderson Johnson
Ashby, MN

That sort of looks like Larry Dake to me in the guess.

Suzanne McCorkell
Greensboro, NC

I believe this cute little guy has now grown up and is my brother-in-law, Larry Dake.

Carolyn Miller Dake
Duluth, GA

I'm pretty uncertain, but I'm going to guess Ernie Dake. (This picture reminds me a little of Ethan Horne, Ernie's grandson).

Amy Dake Harrison
Crookston, MN

I love that photo of LTD [Larry T. Dake] ... I am guessing it was taken on one of our camping trips in northern Minnesota. Possibly Itasca State Park?

Ginny Dake McCorkell
Blaine, MN

Sorry about the mystery photo. Will just have to leave it at that. I don't even have a guess.

Betty Weiland Droel
MoundsView, MN

Memory Lane

A new series of recollections, of the five years when Bill and Lois Dake and their family lived in Minnesota, began with the episode in Bulletin 343. It's too soon to tell just how many parts there will be in this series, but we still have a few stories from 1946, just after World War II. This week I tell more about polio (once called Infantile Paralysis) via two links, to minimize disruption of the narrative flow about Lois and Bill Dake. Both of these multi-page documents are posted as a series of scanned images. We can't edit them or correct typos and they will not respond to font changes or printer settings as regular Bulletin pages do.

Polio links to a paper written at the request of my children (especially Donna) in 2002. They asked me to do a account of the events of that time in my life. This was written while I lived in Springfield, Missouri. I spent lots of time trying to dredge up old memories, some of which I was not so eager to recall. I noticed that in the story about our trip to Texas by railroad I gave the name of a fast train that ran east and west. Tom Miller helped me find the name that is correct: The Twin Star Rocket. There may be other errors, but I do think it is quite factual.

Sister Kenny links to a pamphlet published in 1978 by The Hennepin County Historical Society.

Dorothy Dake, 20, hand tinted portrait, 1946.

I tinted this photo after I gave up teaching and went to Bemidji to be near my friend Louella (who will appear briefly in one of the episodes). She was doing X-ray at the Bemidji hospital. When I lived there, she stayed in the home the hospital students lived in. I lived next door to the home and found a job working at Photo North as the receptionist but helped with lots of other jobs there. I did a fair job of tinting. I was there from 1948 until the fall of 1949, when I went back to school to finish up my Associate in Education (when I decided to try teaching again).

A Letter From My Dad
by Dorothy Dake
Howard Lake, MN

The letter you are about to read is purely from my imagination -- but I am sure one very like it was written by Dad. You see, during each week of my stay in the hospital in that summer of 1946, I received a handwritten letter from my dad with the home news. I do know, too, that he would have made the people that I had visited in Texas aware of my progress. I only wish I could have saved all of the mail I received ... well, I wouldn't have been allowed to take it with me from the "contagion" ward ... and there wasn't much room to store things in the crush of the overcrowded hospitals ... and I didn't think I might be wanting it when I got to be an old lady!

There is one other thing. I cannot recall exactly the dates of the different occurrences ... but to make it feel more authentic, I have used precise dates, as that is the way my dad would have done it. He would have known and it would have been correct. The order of happening is correct ... and the dates are quite close to correct.

Dear Friend Coy,

I will try to tell you the details of how things went for Dorothy this last week. Lois tells me that you and Burah want to know what happened. I really do not know how much Lois told you, so I guess I will just tell you how it all went.

Dorothy arrived home from her trip to Texas not as peppy as when she left. She had lots to tell us about all the things she had done while down there with you. It sounds like your days were full! It appears she likes Texas almost as much as her brother Billy does.

We all went up to Jim and Blanche's for the 4th of July. She seemed OK then and we had a good time, as so many were there. I must say Blanche and Jim have it fixed very nice. And then last Sunday, the 7th of July, we went to the Olsons' at Maple Lake for meeting. She seemed a bit under the weather, but Monday morning her Grandma Mellon called to ask if Dorothy could come and help. I guess Dorothy was feeling pretty good and our car was free for her to use so she decided to say yes. She told us that her grandma mentioned that Tommy Mellon was there with her, and Dorothy decided to go help for the day.

I was not so sure she should go as she had already planned to go to visit my sister Elizabeth on Tuesday. That was pretty important to her as she was to get to visit with her cousin Gilbert McCalla, as he and his new wife Jean were going to come to his mother's apartment and for a stay Tuesday evening. None of us have met her yet, so I thought it would be a good idea for Dorothy to make that trip. But I sure didn't know how it was going to turn out. It seemed to me that she needed to get some rest before she went off to the city. When she came back from Waverly, I saw she took some aspirin. She said it wasn't much, just a headache. She still had it when she got up on Tuesday, the 9th ... but no one thought much about it as Dorothy has been bothered with headaches quite often for this last year. LeRoy took her in to meet her bus.

On Wednesday the 10th, when she came home, Liz told us that Dorothy had been real sick during the night. She had ached all over, had a headache, and seemed to have a fever. She went right in the house and told her mother she did not want supper. She went upstairs. When Gert came down she said she heard Dorothy moan and she thought maybe she was really sick. We all thought she might have the flu. After supper, Amy went up to check and see how Dorothy was. She came down and she was upset. Dorothy acted out of her head. When her mother touched her she cried out and told her mother to get out, and not to make so much noise in the halls, and just to leave her alone, and then she started to moan again.

I asked if we should take her to the doctor, but Amy was sure that Dorothy could not make that trip. So we called his house and Dr. Roholt answered and said he would be here as soon as he could, when he once understood the reason. We were glad he got here so fast. When he came down he said that he had left her pain pills, he had given her directions for taking them and he wanted us to call him in the morning.

In the morning of Thursday, the 11th, when Amy checked on Dorothy she was acting normal again. She said that she had taken the other two pills within the hour instead of spacing them like the doctor told her to. She worried a little because she was so weak and there was a small space at the base of her back that was numb. She told her mother it was so odd because she needed to go to the bathroom but she could not pass her water. Amy told me Dorothy's belly was really bloated and hard. She then called the doctor.

When she told Dr. Roholt all that Dorothy had told her, the doctor told her he wanted to talk to me. He told me to bring Dorothy to the hospital in Watertown -- which is a few miles south of Waverly. He told me he thought it best if I brought her in and he thought it would be wise for Amy and Gert not to come along. LeRoy had to go along as he had to drive because of my bad eyes. Dorothy got herself dressed and came down by herself, though she was weak. She thought the reason she had trouble was because she took too many pain pills, but I was beginning to wonder.

Dorothy was able to climb into the car by herself but it will be a while before that will happen again. When we got to the hospital, she could not move her legs. The nurse had been watching for us to arrive and she came down with a cart and they helped get her onto it and took her to a room. The hospital is a big house that has been remodeled into a hospital. She was put in a large room which had another lady in it. Then I went out and LeRoy and I waited in the waiting room. The nurse was in her room taking care of her.

After a while Dr. Roholt arrived and he went in. Then he came out and he told me that he was quite sure that Dorothy has polio. He says she has no reflexes in either leg or either foot. He told me he was going to call Sister Kenny Hospital in the city, if that was OK with me. I guess I was expecting that. It sure went fast.

The doctor called the hospital and they put her on their list and told the doctor to send her to their emergency. Before they would know for sure if she had polio they would have to do a spinal tap. If she had polio they could tell it from that. But I was quite sure the doctor was right because it seemed so much like what Louella Smith has told us. She is one of Dorothy's friends who worked at Sister Kenny Hospital last year. She had told us about how wonderful she thinks Sister Kenny's method of treatment is. She also told us all about what polio acts like and I guess I knew that is what Dorothy had.

I did not want to tell anyone for sure until the test was done. Today, Friday the 12th, Dr. Roholt called and told us that Dorothy will be in "Contagion" [where patients with contagious diseases were quarantined] until they are sure she cannot spread the disease. The spinal fluid showed she has polio. He told us that Sister Kenny had done her check in and that she feels assured that Dorothy will walk again. The doctor told us that it is very fortunate that she will be getting such excellent care!

There is one thing I should tell you, of course -- the doctors really do not know for sure how long ahead Dorothy might have been contagious, so be sure you tell everyone there to take care and if they get anything that feels like the flu, they should go to a doctor. All of us are still fine and we hope that you all are, too.

Your friend,
Bill Dake

I called my sister Gert while writing this "letter," to see if she remembered anything about the day I was diagnosed with polio ... as lots of the hours of it are blank in my mind. Her answer went something like this: "I don't remember many details -- but one thing stays with me. When Dad told us you had polio, he cried -- and I had never seen my dad cry before."

I had not heard that and cannot remember whether he cried when he told me goodbye -- but I am not surprised, as I know my dad was so tender about his children (and his mother-in-law). I remember his tears at my baby sister Mildred's funeral ... and I also saw him cry at Grandma Mellon's funeral. Another time that I remember he wept was when he heard that my brother Bill had cancer (and again when he heard of his death). But mostly I remember his letters to me. Mom wrote, too -- but it was Dad who kept me up on the home news. --Dorothy Dake Anderson

Homesteading Days at Effie, Minnesota, as toldby Bruce McCorkell

Larry McCorkell sent us a manuscript he transcribed from his father's tape recorded memories and made it available to The Bulletin for a series of excerpts. These stories were originally tape recorded by Bruce McCorkell of his growing up days on the homestead near Effie in northern Minnesota. They were recorded from a period of the mid 1980's until the early 2000's. These are Bruce's words of happy, sad, funny, good, and hard times.

Olive holding Bruce, left; Raymond, Bruce & David McCorkell on the the footbridge between the house & the road, right, about 1930.

CANYON HILL SQUALLING

One time we were coming back from someplace and, as usual, it had poured rain for a month and was muddy and everything. We never got home in the daylight. It was always night, way, way after dark. There was just Ma, and Grandma, my dad's mother, and David, and I.

Dad took a run, hard as the car would go, down the steep hill, hoping to make it to the top. We got halfway up the hill and it wouldn't go; it ran out of power, so back down the hill, turn the car around, and back up the hill.

About that time, I suppose, David and I were yelling, and my grandma wasn't any help either, giving advice. It was kind of dangerous, so finally Ma decided that she would carry David and I better than half way up to the top of the hill and set us off the edge of the roadway a ways in the woods, in the brush there, a good safe distance, what I thought was a mile out in the woods, but I guess it wasn't very far.

Boy, did we squall! I remember that part of it, but I don't remember the squalling, naturally, but she said, "I never heard such tall yelling in your life." I guess we squalled at the top of our lungs all the while. We were just scared to death. It was dark. It was blacker than tar. There was no flashlight or anything. There we sat. Ma said that she was sure that anybody within five miles would hear us hollering because we just yelled and bawled the whole time and just screeched out there in the dark, cold jungle with all the wild animals while Dad and her were backing up the hill with that old Model T.

Ah, I'm telling you ... Dad always had a large block of wood along to put behind the wheel. They backed that car up and Dad would rev it up and go a little ways and Ma would be out there with a block of wood to put under the wheel and then we'd go again.

They finally got to the top with the help of my grandma McCorkell in the back seat, know what I mean? Oh man, I'll tell you, if I live to be nine million years old, I'll never forget that. I was scared to death. Some of those things have almost warped my mind yet. That was really something, I'll tell you. I remember this like it was yesterday.

AXEL LINDSTRUM

There's another little story that's kind of funny that I didn't see, by the old Canyon Hill. Remember, I said we went west there about three miles and turned and went south maybe a mile. You'd go south there maybe quarter mile or so around the turn and down the road a little ways and on the left was an old homesteader by the name of Axel Lindstrum.

He wasn't an old fellow either then, because I went to school with the girls. He was old later as I knew him. He had a couple-three acres cleaned up. Right at the top of that hill, there was a lookout tower where they used to watch for fire. They used to have Old Axel Lindstrum watch that fire tower when he was available. He was watching that fire tower.

This spring day it was dry, but it was cold, so he took his Mackinaw with him and crawled up in the tower. It was a big, heavy, old sheepskin coat. The sun came out and it got warm during the day. When it came time to go home, it had warmed up quite a bit. The fire tower didn't have a stairway, just a regular ladder. It had a little place where you could rest once in a while. That was one of the first ones made, many, many years ago.

Axel was going to go down and decided instead of packing that overcoat down or wearing it down, he was going to throw it down. He didn't want to carry it down. It was too hot to put on and it was awkward to carry down that ladder.

Old Axel, I heard him tell it himself, he decided to heave that overcoat out the top when he was coming out of there, so he got over there where it would fall all the way and wouldn't get hung up and he threw it over the side.

They could see the tower from home. His wife looked out the window or stepped outside to see if she could see him up in there yet. She looked out there about the time old Axel was ready to start down the tower. His wife and daughter decided they'd walk down the road and meet him. They got down the road a ways there towards the fire tower and were still quite a ways away, but could see the tower. The coat came down and she thought old Axel had fell out of the fire tower.

It scared them half to death and they come tearing up there. Oh boy, did she have a conniption! She had the whole neighborhood in an uproar. She went over and got old Oscar Jenson that lives there where Lovdahls live now. She saw that coat fall and thought Axel had fell out of that fire tower. They created quite a commotion there before they got over there and here come Axel, chugging down the road after a while, on foot, carrying his coat.

Travelogue t

Photo © Mitzi Swenson
Kjirsten running on beach at sunrise.

Zanzibar: Dinner And Dancing In Stone Town
by Mitzi Swenson
Dickinson, ND

Back in Stone Town, we decided to splurge on dinner at the best restaurant for our last night on Zanzibar. We had hoped to take a sunset dhow cruise but it was cloudy so the sunset wouldn't be spectacular.

Photos © Mitzi Swenson
Restaurateur where we got our daily ice cream, laughing, left; he really laughed the day we came dressed alike, right.

The rooftop restaurant surprised us -- we took off our shoes and were shown to a seat on the floor on a cushion with a table about 12" high in front of us. I had the feeling I would be happy to be able to walk after a couple of hours sitting like this, trying to remain respectable in my knee length hiking skirt. Compared to the other guests, we were underdressed and hadn't showered or combed our hair, but in the open air atmosphere all was forgiven. I regretted that my socks had not been white for several weeks and had also been worn several days in a row without washing.

Photos © Mitzi Swenson
Cat sleeping on table, left; view from rooftop restaurant, right.

We started with pita bread and a North African dip which contained a LOT of garlic. I've heard it's good for repelling mosquitoes when you start to sweat it. Next was delicious tomato soup and cucumber-tomato salad served with a thin, tasty cornbread. Then the entertainment began.

We didn't know there would be a small African band playing, but their lengthy ballad in Swahili was tolerable. There was a violin, small drums, and two women whose singing closely resembled cats fighting. Main course was next: kingfish that was slightly overcooked with tasty coconut rice or a potato dish that was pleasant and garlicky green beans. Then the real entertainment began.

The band played and the men sang while the women danced around the room. All the guests (19) were seated around the perimeter of the room, and if we extended our legs there was about five feet of clear floor space. The dancing was a form of belly dancing. I think they have very strong core muscles because they would keep their shoulders still and wiggle their well endowed bottom or vice versa.

I had great fun watching the other tourists' facial expressions, which ranged from horrified on the blonde lady, to amused on the faces of two gay guys as the girls danced in front of them vigorously, and a "just hurry up and get this over with" look on several faces of honeymooning couples. I'm pretty sure everyone was relieved when the dancing and caterwauling ended without audience participation.

Finally, dessert was served. I had sorbet and Kjirsten thought she was getting spice cake, the "pastry of the day." Instead, it was a pool of thick chocolate, like if you melted chocolate chips into sweetened, condensed milk to make hot fudge. It was rich and really needed fruit or ice cream to complete it.

There was one more musical number, featuring the violin accompanied by drums, and only a little singing. We were released about three hours after arriving. The power had gone out, which meant it was almost completely dark outside, where we needed to walk the few blocks home; we were glad for a penlight. There was a candle in the hallway and we used a headlamp to get ready for bed. We went to sleep to the sound of a generator; in the middle of the night the electricity returned and we could turn on the ceiling fan.

After a two-hour ferry ride over very rough water to Dar es Salaam, Kjirsten checked into a hostel and we had a delicious Asian dinner in a restaurant overlooking the harbor. I'll travel 30 hours to get home. It's been a great adventure in a part of the world I thought I'd only experience through the pages of National Geographic magazine.

Photo © Mitzi Swenson
African sunset, Paje Beach.

Celebrations & Observances
From the Files of 5
Hetty Hooper

This Week's Special Days
February 22---George Washington's Birthday

This Week's Birthdays
February 27---Bonnie Anderson
February 28---Eric Anderson
Happy Birthday!

This Week's Anniversaries
February 24---Jess and Louise Cloyd (64 years)
February 26---Tim and Char Morgan Myron (26 years)
February 28---Junior and Doris Anderson (47 years)
Congratulations!

More February Birthdays
'
February 1---Kathlyn Johnson Anderson
February 3---Penny Miller Kramer
February 4---Cameron Birkholz
February 6---Melody Printz
February 6---Kelli Nicole Mellon (10 years old)
February 7---Rylie Johnson (7 years old)
February 11---Alexander James Indermark (1 year old)

More February Anniversaries
Z
February 4---Jim and Jan Smith (48 years)
February 6---Russ and Judy Miller Riesenberg (28 years)
February 18---Roy and Betty Weiland Droel (16 years)

February Special Days
O
February 2---Groundhog Day
February 12---Abraham Lincoln's Birthday
February 14---Valentine's Day
February 16---Presidents' Day
February 22---George Washington's Birthday

Miss Hetty's Mailbox:

Dear Miss Hetty,

Roy and I just enjoyed our 16th anniversary yesterday. When we are getting older, it is more appealing to just stay in our home and enjoy each other rather than do much celebrating.

So, we had a special breakfast of tenderloin steaks, potato slices tossed in seasoning, fried egg, raisin toast and a sliced banana and apple. That took some time, and our son Darrel and Johanna sent us a lovely red rose plant that was gracing our table with the pink tablecloth.

Rod and Renee Martin had us over for a delicious anniversary meal of baked chicken that melted in your mouth. All the trimmings, even to a brownie à la mode for dessert.

Then the next day, Paul and Melody Trevithick invited us over for another anniversary dinner of turkey, dressing hot dish, mashed potatoes and a beautiful heart shaped cranberry Jell-O. Also, heart shaped bread pieces, which was a first for us. Cherry crisp in a heart shaped pan for dessert.

So we were well celebrated and indulged in the finest fare with the dearest friends. Dorothy, your dear e-card was so beautiful, and the sentiment and flowers and colors made us look at it several times. Also, Donna Mae, your thoughtful e-greeting was so special. The one from Jerrianne and Miss Kitty and Mai Tai filled the screen with magnificent flowers that I hadn't seen the like before. Thank you so much for all the heartwarming greetings and remembrances.

I don't want to forget to tell you that on each anniversary we buy one more little glass bird so now we have a flock of 16 in a glass cabinet we call the birdhouse that Steve and Marci Weiland gave us for our collection. We always make a big event of bird shopping each year on February 18th.

The Droels -- Roy and Betty
MoundsView, MN

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?

'Many Thankse
Everyone!

Miss Hetty

+ LETTERS TO THE EDITORS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click here to review last week's Bulletin

I couldn't get the second song (Buttermilk sky) to open ... it said it was the wrong URL.

That is so cool to have a link to the song! It opens up a broader picture of you and your likes!

Thanks!

Patty Anderson Henderson
Minnetrista, MN

Photo Editor's Note: If you click on this link to songs by Kay Kyser and then click on the link to Ole Buttermilk Sky on that page, you should get the song, if you have enabled the proper player for .wav files in your computer. It may be that the page in this link is directing Macs and PCs to different pages. The link in last week's Bulletin only works if you enter it through the above page.

Markie's home again. He seems to have grown another inch and is quite a bit thinner. Lots of work and no time to eat. That and they went to the Y several times a week.

We had company this weekend so I was unable to read The Bulletin until Tuesday. I really, really enjoy reading your story. I'm so glad you thought to do it.

Marlene Anderson Johnson
Boise, ID

Last Week's Bulletin Review JKL
by Betty Droel
MoundsView, MN

It is quite interesting to think of the first picture depicting Valentine's Day being a flower from Alaska. Who would have guessed ALASKA would have fabulous Peonies like that? I hope everyone will have clicked on the link mentioned, as it was breathtaking to see all the Peonies. (Last week's slide show was from Alaska's commercial peony growers and there's also a news story about this interesting new endeavor in Alaska agriculture here. --Photo Ed.)

We appreciated all the information we received about Lollie Grob, and her death, Don. 87 years old made for a full life, and it sounds like it was well lived, leaving the family and friends rich memories as a heritage.

What a special day for Alex Indermark, having a very first birthday! I see all those candles lit up. No wonder he looks so questioning. The first birthday seems to give the family more fun than the child, but just wait until birthday #2. Then, watch out, cake! I am smiling at how thrilled Alex will be to see himself getting the frosting washed off when he gets to be a teenager. Right now, it is so darling.

Hunter Holman shines again! We haven't seen him for awhile. He really is growing up. I suppose we have to get used to that. They don't stay little and cute and innocent very long.

Those four girls look pretty happy and like good friends. Little baby Abby will be getting all the attention from now on. What a cute Valentine dress and smile she is wearing to thrill all her admirers!

We were so happy to have this great picture of Kira and Levi. What sweet children! A boy and a girl. A perfect family! Looks like they are best of friends, at least for this moment for the picture.

I love all the children in The Bulletins. Busy moms, but still they take time to keep us updated on how fast they are growing. This one of Alexa Ann almost looks like an advertisement. Modeling the bib and outfit from adoring great grandparents.

We have been waiting anxiously for the coverage of the brand new baby at the Ostendorfs', and here we have it, complete with the dad and mom and big sister. A welcoming committee all having their eyes shut in gentle, loving gestures. The one of McKenna kissing her little sister is too darling for words. A very fortunate family to have two such perfect children. Kierra is a new name to me. Wonder if she was named after someone?

Talk about a proud and glowing grandmother, Donna Mae! That is a million dollar picture, Donna Mae. Looks like you just dropped your coat and picked up that sweet baby Kierra.

I am enraptured just like everyone else about the Memory Lane column. What a memory you have, Dorothy, to tell all the little feelings and happenings and sights like it was yesterday! It keeps us so interested to learn what is going to happen next. Of course, it would be unforgettable so as to relate the onset of that dreaded polio so soon after your memorable vacation to Texas.

I studied that picture of the group of friends and family at the pot luck on July 4, 1946. Just 10 days before the polio struck. I wondered who the one was, second from the left, also the lady between Henry Pfingsten and Olive Miller. I know all the rest, I think. You can find the names under the picture in the archived copy of last week's Bulletin now; I found them in the mystery picture identifications in Bulletin 268. --Photo Ed.)

I think that portrait is such a priceless keepsake, Dorothy. It is so lovely of you (and it does resemble my sister, Ruth). We all wore the hair roll about that time. Just in passing at this point, I want to mention that I had used that front bedroom when I stayed at your folks's home. It was there that I had the ruptured appendix. Marjorie Olp was in the next room so I crawled from my room to hers to tell her how sick I was. So, that was your bedroom, Dorothy. Special to know that.

I didn't get a chance to click on the links in Memory Lane, but I just did now. Oh, for interesting! I loved the one of the Cokato photographer, as that had such interesting details included, and the singing was really fun to hear, too. I am hoping that if people did not click on the links they should go back and do that. It is such an addition to your story this time. Now we can't wait for next week's episode of Memory Lane.

I am amazed that Bruce McCorkell was ever a little child like that. Is that his mother? Olive? A treasure to have that picture in the family. Such a detailed account of Canyon Hill. I have driven up and down highway #1, but can't visualize any Canyon Hill.

The Travelogue gets more interesting all the time, with the pictures of the cooking class. What a skill to be able to make anything edible or delicious, as they appear to be doing. I can't even begin to imagine sitting on the floor to prepare the ingredients, and cook! That's their way of life, and they wouldn't have it any other way, likely.

I was very glad for all the details that were included. We could easily imagine how it all was, except for the smells and sounds.

Hunter Holman appeared again in the swimming pool on their vacation. Never know where he's going to pop up, do we?

I was very interested in what others wrote in as a letter to the editor. And, yes, Angela, you are so right. each issue just gets better and better, and we all thank those behind the scenes who put so much work into every single issue. Even Eric Printz made some comments.

The CHUCKLES this time was actually scary. Who in the world was that big eyed lady that looks just like Bitzi? That's what chocolate does to a person, I guess. I am still laughing at that one.

Just a passing comment on the Quotation for the day: Love unlocks doors, etc. That is so true. Love accomplishes things we never could do in any other way. Today is our 16th anniversary, and surely am finding out what a happiness and joy it is to have someone to love and be a best friend all at the same time.

Thank you again, and I hope you know your weekly Bulletin is valued.

Betty Droel

CHUCKLES

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Quotation for the day: A new broom sweeps clean, but the old broom knows all the corners. --Irish Proverb

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.

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