Day 106, "Every picture(s) have a story"

The national parks in the west and south west are wonderful.  In the fall of 2013 Terry and I took a 6 week trip and took in MANY of the parks.  Here are just a few.  In Kings Canyon the trees are amazing.  The temp got up to 116 as we drove through Death Valley.  We could have spent a lot more time looking at the trees in Joshua Tree.  In Saguaro there was a sign that the park was closed as we came up to it.  The door to the visitor center was open so we went in.  They said there had been a storm and had to close the park but IF we would unhitch our camper we could drive through.  IF we did we should be careful of fallen branches etc on the road.  We did drive through and it was no problem.  There is now a new national park, as of last year, so we will have to stop at the Arch in St. Louis to take that in.  I would not mind visiting all of the parks again.  They truly are a national treasure.  

Tennis yesterday was fun even though Rich and I lost on court #1.  The team we lost to was very good and it was fun to play against them.  I am sure brother Dave would be happy with my attitude!  We won on court 2 and lost on court 3.  I felt we should have won court 3 but no deal.  I will be playing again in the 70+ league next Tuesday and then my team is away on Wednesday for another tough match.  I have put myself on court #3 next week as I am mixing up some guys.

No tennis today and it is perhaps a good rest for the body.  

Terry and I are going to Les Mis on Sunday.  Another step towards culture I think!  There was a review in the paper today and it sounds good.  Again I would probably be more at home going to a tennis match or ball game BUT I am looking forward to it and perhaps, just perhaps I can do another catch up on this "being a person who is well rounded" thing.  Don't read into the well rounded as in the waist line either!

I did enjoy my FP but then I always do.  I need to go to the post office and then a friend is picking me up for lunch so need to get going.

Day 105, "Every picture has a story"

In 2010 I decided I needed a deer stand on the Binde farm.  I built it on the driveway in St. Paul and then took it apart to transport it to the farm.  Dale was kind enough to help with putting it up but guess what!  I put it up in late summer only to come for hunting in the fall and find it had tumbled down.  I had put it too close to the soft slough and one side had given away.  So it was UP again with the help of Dale and his tractor.  This fall, 8 years later, it still stands and is still used.  Now how many deer have I shot from the stand?  NONE  But it has been worth it.  Several years I have sat up in it looking out over the farm land and so enjoying everything from sunrises to deer sightings to wild turkeys and more.  As I have spent time up about 14 feet in the air I have also, in my mind, gone back to the days of hunting in the badlands with Dad, Ronald, John, Dave and others.  Putting nice big bucks in the back of John's pickup with the antlers hanging out for all to see as we headed home after a successful hunt.  Memories of Dave shooting his deer in the head and when Dad asked him why he said he did not want to spoil any meat!  Dragging out deer for hours one year and then the next Ronald bringing a one wheel deer cart that he had made.  Oh my that made it so so much easier.  Sam, the rancher where we stayed, driving his snub nosed truck on the rugged trails of the badlands and seeing a neighbors truck almost fall many feet into a ravine as the road gave way.  Oh yes the deer stand is for hunting and shooting deer but it is also for time alone, memories and more!

My teammate Mike and I proved to be a good team yesterday in our match in the 70+ league.  We came away with a victory by the score of 6-0 and 6-1.  It did help that our opponent was NOT very good but what the heck, take the moment and enjoy and make believe that one is very good!!!  It actually did serve a purpose in that it upped my status in tennis.  I have been trying to break the glass ceiling in the tennis club in terms of playing with better players.  I would not say yesterday did it but it sure will not hurt! It will be a different story today as my team plays at 10:30 at home and our opponent will be very good.  I have put myself on court #1 which may be the same as sacrificing myself for the good to the team.  I make it sound good but really by doing that I think it gives our team a better chance to win one or two courts of the three.  I would not be surprised to win 2 courts but then I will not be surprised to lose all three as well.  I think that is how close it will be.  Win or lose I will try my best to have fun!

I should add that Dave shed some light on the picture of yesterday.  He thinks it was on Grandma and Grandp's farm and cousins helped build it.  That makes sense as I do not remember much about it.  Regardless the picture is a great memory.

With a temp of 57 cool weather continues to be in Naples.  NOTHING compared to others north like Lake Park -34, St. Paul -26, Jamestown -30, Madison -24, Cayuga -31 and the list goes on and on.  When cold temps set in like that I often think of doing the paper route at 4 in the morning with temps at -??.  No fun but then it makes memories, right?

Up this morning again about 4:15 so of course the FP is gone, breakfast is way past so time to maybe get some work done.

Headed towards the end of January

Day 104, "Every picture has a story"

I think this picture is good for today given the forecast for the midwest today and tomorrow.  St. Paul is currently -8 with a low of -31 tomorrow night.  Geneseo is currently -13 with VERY cold temps tonight.  Chicago is expecting a storm and the lowest daytime high ever tomorrow.  So here are Helen and I on the farm in maybe 1953 or 54.  By the looks of the fort we must have had help from Dave and or Joan.  I think it is west of the house with Mom's clothes line behind.  It looks like those are the trees to the west of the creek.  I do not remember but a good guess would be we spent our time building the snow fort as well as sledding down the hill beyond the out house.  The hill seemed to be a great place to play in the winter.  We did NOT use the out house in the winter but instead had a pail upstairs and then would take it out before it got too full and pour it down by the creek.  Today that would be considered pollution and the county would come out and say NO.  It is hard to see but there is a black dog by Helen.  I do not remember the name of that dog.  I know it was not Tiny as she was brown.  I would say we did a pretty good job of building!

Terry and I had a full day yesterday.  We were in the car by 7:00 AM on our way to Winter Haven.  The service for Judith's husband was nice and then there was lunch afterward.  Don was to be buried in a military cemetery later in the day.  At the luncheon were Larry Dahl and his wife.  Larry was in brother Dave's class.  He and his wife still have a farm near Forman, a cabin in Minnesota and then they spend the winter near Orlando FL.  On our way home Terry got a text from her daugther Kim that they were in town and would we like to have an early dinner.  We arrived home about 2:00, Kim and Dave arrived about 4 and we went out for dinner at 5:00.  

Tennis away today with a departure time of 12:15.  I play court #2 and am looking forward to it.  I will be playing with a guy I have never played with so we need to come up with a plan before we start.  Then tomorrow my team plays one of the best teams in the league.  I know who is playing but I have not come up with the pairings yet.  I could go kind of several ways with 3 of the 6 guys.  I think I need to call one of the guys to get his input on where he may play.

As I stepped out of the house to get the paper this morning it was 43 which is cold for here.  However I did go out in my barefoot so it was not that bad.  

The FP did a great job of getting me going this morning but sadly it is now history.

Day 103, "Every picture has a story"

Two birthday pictures 60 years apart.  The top photo was yesterday and it shows only the appetizers as I went on to order a steak fajita which fell into the FREE category because it was under $18.  Need not say much about the margarita cause it looks a lot larger than real because it was so close to the camera.  So in pictures and in my memory I recall how one's life changes with time.  

• Naples, Florida vs Geneseo, North Dakota
• Of course Mom and Dad are not with us.  They would be 108 this year!
• Larry remains a friend that I seldom see as he lives in Havre MT
• The food, a bit different for sure!
• A cake way back then and yesterday a dessert of key lime pie with 1 candle!
• AND of course there are a boat load of memories of birthdays past which I will not bore anyone with but many are worth remembering for sure!

I would say that at the age of 72 presents are not important BUT I will get one from Terry when we return to MN.  She has said it will be a router lift for my wood shop.  No more kneeling down and the bending to change the bit of the router.  That will be VERY nice.  I did get a gift card from Cynthia/Mike which will be used maybe in St. Paul.  BUT I say conversations and friendships are now much more important than gifts.  Terry made my birthday special as she does each year.

We will be on the road to Winter Haven by 7:00 this morning.  Judith's husband's "celebration of Life party" takes place at 10:00.  We will know one person there, Judith, so I am guessing that we will be heading back to Naples by noon or sooner.  I did know who Judith was in high school but she was a cute girl in the class ahead of me so I had no social interaction with her.  For that reason her husband's death did not give me the "stomach kick" that so many deaths do now days.  I suppose I should not even say this but as each year passes one comes closer to the end of life that is probably the reason for feelings I have so often.  If life is a 100 yard dash I do not know where I am in the race but I am SURE it is way way beyond the 50 yard line!!!

I will play tennis in league tomorrow after having no play for 3 days.  It will be interesting to see if that is enough time to have forgotten bad tennis habits or good skills or just enough time for rust to set in!  I hope it is a matter of coming out with a renewed confidence and a good game!

The paper shows we had 1.65" of rain yesterday but I am sure we had a lot more here.  I would say we got 2+" as it rained pretty much all day and at times hard.  

No the FP is almost finished so will wrap up the words for today.

Day 102, "Every picture has a story"

For sure Dad is excited about having Mom's fried spring chicken.  This was in 1959 and it was a good birthday.  I often asked Mom and Dad if I could have Larry come over for the night.  Usually they would have some reason to say no but this time it was a Tuesday, my birthday and I was excited when Dad said Larry could come.  It looks like everyone is happy and I love Mom's expression. I am guessing they lite the candles just for the picture as it appears we are just starting to eat.  I am sure Mom made the spring chicken special for my birthday.  

I use this picture because it was taken 60 years ago today.  Oh my I am, as of NOW, 72.  I do not actually understand it but for some reason I feel old today.  I did not feel that way when I turned 70 or 71 but I do today.  I don't think it is because when I got out of bed at 4:20 I kind of limped for a bit and then almost ran into the door as I entered the bathroom!  It seems that now days getting up and getting going for the day takes more time and more energy.  Maybe it has something to do with getting the pills down, the glasses on and the hearing aids on!!!  I am in no way complaining as I am, at this moment, injury free and feeling good.  Both Mom and Dad lived to their mid 80s so I think I have a ways to go!  However on days like this I think about Ronald, Janet, Gail, Roxanne and others who lived a full life but shorter than mine of course.  Some thoughts about birthdays:

• Mom always made cakes for the birthdays
• When I was 2 I had cakes from Arlene, Bertie and Mom
• It was always special if Larry could come and stay over night
• On my birth date Mom said it was cold and when Mom and Dad brought me home from the Veblen hospital there was a snirt (dirt) storm
• 
  

• How about those fancy birthday presents!  NEW socks with NO holes!!! Looks like I was 10
• Mom always would make a special meal for birthdays

Enough about birthdays for now.

Terry and I went to a book review yesterday AM and then a play in the afternoon.  The play, well I guess a little culture is a good thing but the language, oh my it was offensive at best.  I think the play could have been good.  It was titled "The French Revolution".  I am thinking they did not use the F word and others in that time.  The book review was outstanding.  The author is a professor at Carlton College in Minnesota and the dialogue between him and Ms. Newton was outstanding.  It was very interesting to hear how he came to write the book and what went into it over the 5 years he worked on it.  The book was quite unusual as it was written in several stories and then wove them together.  The name is "The Maze At Windermere"  by Gregory Blake Smith

We are having a very rainy day.  Terry will take me out for lunch and dinner today.  That will be fun and I am guessing we will have left overs for a while.  For lunch we are going to Iguana Mia where you get a FREE meal on your birthday.  Then this evening we will go to The Pewter Mug where we have gone the last few years.  As I may have said before it is a place where you can fill up on the salad bar and then take home your real meal!  It moved to a different location since last year so it will be fun to see it.

Enough for now.  

Day 101, "Every picture has a story"

It was the spring of 2003 and Gail and I were excitedly expecting our very first grandchild later in summer.  As I was eating breakfast I casually asked Gail if I should offer to make a crib for Mary and John.  I had NO idea what I was saying but actually I had a a selfish motive for saying that.  I promise my intent was to make a crib and that would be not only fun for me but a nice gift BUT I also knew if they said yes that would be a real reason to get a new table saw!  I was 56 at the time and was already thinking about spending a lot more time in my wood shop when I retired.  I figured I would be able to retire in 6 more years so now was not too early to begin to upgrade my shop. I ended up retiring in 4 years.  Gail said that would be a great idea so I offered it to Mary and John.  It was a go. Little did I know but that was the beginning of 3 cribs.  One for Amy/Aaron in 2007 and another for Cynthia/ Mike in 2008.  I think I improved with each one and each one was a little different.  The crib is actually supposed to be built so that it could be turned into a bed later.  The only one that I did that with was Amy/Aaron and Ruby is now sleeping in that bed.  Back to my first.  I have never bragged about my wood working skills as there is nothing to brag about.  I would consider myself a novice in all ways but I did learn something.  IF one is serious you can do most things.  With the first crib I studied and went slowly.  In the end it turned out to be fairly nice and I think very functional.  To this day I consider this crib one of the most fun projects I have done.  Maybe because it was the first major piece of furniture I made and it was the most challenging for sure.  If one counts Mary/John, Amy/Aaron and Cynthia/Mike I would say the effort, work and dollars that went into the projects were well worth it.

Terry and I have kind of a full day today but also were rather busy yesterday too.  Terry had 2 appointments and then I did play tennis in the afternoon.  Today there is that book lecture in the morning and then a play in the afternoon.  The book and the play, I am trying my best to get this North Dakota guy a bit of culture and maybe, just maybe, it is working.

AND

The year was 1957.  Fritz, the mail man, had delivered 100 little chicks around the first of March.  Mom was expecting them and was so excited when Fritz did not stop at the mailbox but turned into the driveway as he came from the north.  Mom beamed with excitment as Fritz got out of the car and handed a large open box to Dave and I.  Mom had already instructed Dave and I how to set up a room in the old granary for the chicks.  We made a little pen with boards and then hung a metal dome over it which had a light bulb in the top of the dome.  The bulb would keep the chicks warm and then there was a feeder for them.  As Fritz drove away, he did give us a 5 cent candy bar to share, Dave and I carried the box of chicks to the granary.  There we put them in our little pen which was already warm.  Mom had gone to turn on the bulb as soon as Fritz drove into the yard.  

For the next few months it was feed and care for the chicks. Mom said we would be able to butcher the spring chickens by the end of May as by that time they would be about 5 pounds.  

It seemed that March, April and May came and went in a breeze.  Finally as we approached Memorial Day Mom said it was time to butcher and have spring chicken.  Now I did not like chickens as they pooped all over the yard BUT I did not look forward to butchering them either.  I remembered last year and knew what we were in for.  The night before butchering we had to catch all the chickens and put them in chicken crates.  Dave and I each had a long stiff wire with a hook on the end.  After the chickens had roosted we went in the chicken house and one by one would catch a leg, drag it out and put the chicken in the crate.  Oh that was not a fun job.  First of all the ammonia smell in the chicken house was BAD.  Then to drag them out by one leg, catch both legs and then stuff them into the crate was not a job for the faint of heart.  

The next morning Mom was up early and boiling water.  The water would go in a big barrel.  One by one we would take the chickens out of the crate, let them struggle for a short time and then chop their head off.  After they flopped around (like a chicken with it's head cut off came about in this way) for a while Mom would dunk them in the boiling water for a time.  Then it was time to pick the feathers off and clean them for freezing.  If one has never smelled the oder of hot chicken feathers you are lucky.  It was a day that I did not look forward to for sure BUT Mom's fried spring chicken in the winter was always a treat and at those times the work to get them to table seemed to not matter.

About the time I finished writing my FP went the way of history so I am finished for the day.

Day 100, "Every picture(s) has a story"

It was the fall of 2011.  Terry's daughter invited us to join them in Cozumel Mexico as they, Kim and Dave, were doing an Ironman race and the entire family was going.  While there I signed up for a scuba lesson in the hotel swimming pool.  It lasted about 45 minutes.  Then the guy asked me if I wanted to dive off shore!  Well one is not really a diver after a tutoring session of 45 minutes but what the heck, it may be a once in a life time experience.  I didn't really think about it may be a life kind of thing!!!  I think we only went to about 15-20 feet.  As we went down and then started swimming I got this feeling that I was inclosed in something and I WANTED to get to the surface.  BUT can a guy really give up like that?  We stayed down for about 45 minutes and saw a lot of colorful fish so I would say it was fun.  However I think it could have been a lot more fun if one was really prepared.

Tennis yesterday was good.  Did we win the match, no.  We won one court and lost the other 2 in match tie breakers.  I would say it was as good as could be if there was not going to be a winning match.  I did not play but will put myself in next week.  My court #1 of Rich and Ron played against a very good team and took them to a tie breaker where they came up short 6-10.  On court #3 Rusty and Bob came on strong in the second set to win 6-4 after losing the first set 1-6.  But the 10-7 tie breaker did not go their way.  So it is on to next week and the week after when I feel we will play two very strong teams.  I realized yesterday, as I did last year, that it really is not much fun to sit and watch.

We have rain this morning so no 7:30 tennis.  I got my racquet strung yesterday and I really wanted to try it today but it will have to wait for another day.

Terry and I had Bang Bang shrimp and a drink at Bonefish Grill yesterday.  They have their special on Bang Bang shrimp on Wednesdays and the crowd told you it was Wednesday.

Today it may be a stay in the house relax day with the rain and no plans to go any place.  A high school friend of Terry's lives in Winter Haven Florida.  Her husband died Sunday.  We had visited them last spring as we headed north.  Terry and I will drive up to Winter Haven Monday to be at his "Celebration of Life".  It is a 3 hour drive so it will be a day trip.

My pot of FP is gone and I thought about making another just to sit the morning away but really do I did 2 charges this morning?  NO!  Maybe I should just get some work done!!!  A novel idea at best.

Day 99, "Every picture has a story"

AND

It was early summer in 1957.  Joan, Dave, Helen and I had just finished our first year of school in Cayuga as Wood Lake rural school had closed after the 55/56 school year.  Helen had finished 1st grade, I 4th grade, Dave 7th and Joan 9th.  It had been a year of transition.  I am sure all of us had made new friends and perhaps had been involved in a better education than at Wood Lake but still the walking to school, the LONG noon hour and recesses had been missed.  Oh yes, also the drinks of water at the pump on the play ground.  But all that was history and now we were CITY educated!  

Dad had all the summer crops in the ground so now there were a couple of weeks that would be spent picking those darn rocks.  I still am convinced that just behind the growth of wheat, oats, barley and corn was the growth of rocks.  Really!  It seemed that we could pick ALL day for a couple of weeks before the crops came up and then the next year the field looked like we had never picked any.  Well today was an easy day.  Dad had ordered us to hook up the rock wagon to the Ford and work on Jim's land down south.  That was good for at least 2 reasons.  Jim's land did not have many rocks and it was about a mile south of our farm so it would not be easy for Mom or Dad to see how hard we were working.  I mean picking rocks was almost the worst job, just behind harvesting oats and barley with that itchy dust.  Dave and I decided we would easily make a day of it.  Jim's land was the nicest to work.  Dad had Dave go over the wheat field and oats field with the drag behind the Ford just the day before he planted.  That meant the soil was loose and fine.  So today we had a plan.  First it would be "water skiing" which meant one of use would drive the Ford and the other would hold on to the back of the rock wagon and skid on our bare feet.  That was so fun and the warm soil felt good on the bottom of our callus feet.  After we took time to enjoy that we would then drive around the entire acreage and pick rocks.  BUT of course there were be activities while we did that.  The smaller round rocks would be shot puts and we would be in the Olympics.  The smaller kind of flat ones would be the discus throw.  IF we found any large ones we could be weight lifters.  However the larger ones were probably buried under ground and we would not see them.  I did remember at least once in fall plowing the Ford tractor stopped on a dime from a below ground rock hitting the plow and yes my nose did hit the steering wheel which resulted in a bloody nose.  I remember telling Mom and Dad at the supper table and Mom felt bad but Dad did not think it was a big deal!  Dave and I figured that maybe we could get a load of rocks by noon.  That would be perfect because all the rocks had to be thrown in the rock pile back home and a load at noon would put us in time for dinner (lunch in today world)!!!!  After skiing and throwing we figured we had enough of a load on the rock wagon.  Both of us stood straight up and looked at our shadow and calculated that it was near noon.  We decided that we could drive home, have dinner, gas up and unload the rocks after that.  Maybe, just maybe, that could be called a day.  The last shot put was thrown into the wagon from at least 25 feet and we were on our way home.  We started from the south end of the grain field and as we headed north we came to Jim's prairie land where we would put up hay later and also Dad would harvest June grass.  We drove along the creek, next to George's land, for a short while and then hit the highway where Dave took a right over the bridge and then a left towards our farm.  As we approached our tree line on the right we ascended the slight hill but wait.  As I sat on the back of the wagon it stopped and Dave, on the Ford kept going up the hill.  We both got out to see what in the world had happened.  The pin holding the wagon hitch to the draw bar had snapped and there we were stranded with the rock wagon on the side of the road.  Dave, the idea guy, came up with a solution.  He got the vise grip out of the tool box by the gas tank and with all his might clamped it through the hitch and draw bar.  It worked!  In a short time we were home with the Ford parked by the gas pump and both of us in the house ready to enjoy homemade bread, eggs with cheese and fresh milk from the morning milking.  As I recall, the rocks did get unloaded  but then we called it a day as Dad had gone to town for something.  We would be sure to tell him that night that we felt ALL the rocks on Jim's land had been picked.  Of course we would say nothing about the shot puts, the discus throws and weight lifting.  Perhaps one could say what happens on Jim's land stays on Jim's land!

We have our second tennis league match today.  I have 6 guys who I consider to be the top players so a couple of us need to sit out each match.  I am sitting today along with Ken.  I have high hopes of taking at least 2 matches.  One win would be not so good while none would be very disappointing but three would be GREAT.  We will see.  Not sure how much I will enjoy the match sitting on the side lines but then I had to do that ALL last winter so it is not new to me.  

On the 70+ team I did not play yesterday but next week I will play court 2.  It is kind of nice to be on a team just as a member and not as the captain.  

The work continues on the roof.  The workers arrive about 9:00 but then they work until dark.  I called brother Dave last night and as I sat by the pool in almost darkness suddenly a worker started a blower on the roof to clear it off.  I had to move into the house so Dave could hear me on the phone.  

The FP is gone but really I did not need it as there is not tennis this morning!!!

Day 98, "Every picture has a story"

This is Grandma Lee's (my grandma) family.  It was taken in Iowa as one can see on the bottom right, Cresco, IA.  I am pretty sure Grandma is sitting in front.  Her siblings that we knew in North Dakota were Anfin, Sig, Bennie and Henry.  Trond lived his adult life in Iowa.  I do not know how the family came to move to ND.  I am guessing that there was another baby later as there is a girl, older than Grandma, standing in the back with the boys I count 6 but there were 7 children in all.  I THINK that may be Kristen but sister Joan would know for sure.  I may even have the name wrong.  Sig and Bennie had farms west of us.  Anfin lived in a trailer house on Sig's farm.  I think Henry lived around or in Havana and later he lived with Grandma as he never married.  I am guessing this picture was taken around 1900 or so.  It appears that the family was not poor as they went to a studio for the picture and the dress of everyone looks very nice.  Notice the ruffles on the boy's shirts.  I know back then boys were often dressed almost like girls in their early childhood.  Some place there is a picture of my dad, maybe at the age of 2 or 3, with long curls.  It would be interesting to know where that custom came from.

I took a little extra heavy cream with my FP today and enjoyed it so so much!

AND

The year was 1956 and school was almost out for the year.  The storm had taken our wind charger off the roof of the house and all that was left was the metal that had held it up.  It did not matter as we now had electricity in the house.  That meant that we could listen to the radio at ANY time and we had bright lights all night.  NO dimming as the charges on the basement batteries went low.  I thought now why do we not get a TV?  Neighbors George and Rollof had one.  Uncle Halvor and Aunt Alta had one and we, nope!  It was a fun Saturday when we could finish our work and then Dad would drive the family to Halvors to watch pro wrestling Saturday night.  Oh my but they got so mean and nasty but it was fun to watch them.  Sometimes we would even stay late enough to watch, I Love Lucy".  The years went by and by and still NO TV.  The think I wanted TV so we would watch Saturday baseball.  One rainy day we drove to Halvors and watched Dizzy Dean broadcast Saturday baseball and the Braves were on.  I could have watched it all day.  Three years later, in 1960 (I think) Mom gave us good news.  Ronald was coming home for the weekend and he had told Mom a few weeks earlier that he would have a surprise!  I had NO idea what his surprise would be but I knew it would be good.  Everything that Ronald did was good.  I had given him money and he had purchased a real leather baseball glove for me.  I still have it.  It had pretty much taken all my summer savings, $10.  Then there was the Winchester Model 50 22 that he gave me.  Oh my I could shoot with the rifle!  So what could it be this weekend?   Late morning I climbed the light pole by the barn and walked over to the west side of the roof.  It was there I would lie until I could see a trail of dust on the gravel road 2 miles to the west.  If that dust stopped and then started coming east it would be Ronald.  I did not have to wait long.  Shortly after noon I saw this cloud of dust start at the lake and stretch south.  Sure enough it slowed down and then came east towards us, it had to be Ronald.  I scampered up over the roof and then down the pole.  Racing towards the house I yelled to Mom, "Ronald is coming" and sure enough as I entered the house and Mom looked out the south window he pulled into the driveway.  He stopped near the house and he had this huge grin on his face AND a big box by him in the front seat.  I stared and thought to myself, "That can't be true!"  It was a TV.  Oh my we were going into the modern world right now!  Ronald lifted the box out of the car and I marveled at how strong he was.  I opened the door wide and into the house came our first ever TV.  There was an antenna too!  After Ronald and Dad got the TV out of the box and set up they took a long cord and attached it to the back.  Dad opened the window on the south side of the living room and uncoiled the cord outside.  Ronald came from the shed with the old wooden ladder and hoisted the antenna onto the roof.  He cut some wire and attached it to the old frame that the wind charger had been attached to.  After connecting the cord to the antenna it was SURPRISE time.  We had TV just like the rest of the neighbors.  It was actually Saturday afternoon and there was baseball on with Dizzy Dean's loud voice proclaiming "it is a frozen rope to center field"!  For a moment I was a bit puzzled as the picture almost looked snowy but the I quickly realized it was a compromised picture and not the weather.  That was it.  We were modern, we had TV and Ronald was my hero AGAIN.

Day 97, "Every picture has a story"

How about Velva, ND!  Dot Henke was born in Wahpeton ND and currently lives in Velva ND.  In 2012 friends convinced her to go BIG as everyone loved her pretzels.  They are now made in 3 states and distributed in many states including Florida!  What a nice story.  Dot is retired from a career in finance now is almost overwhelmed by the sucess of her product.  Terry and I purchased some at our Total Wine store and they are delicious.  Way to go Dot from Velva ND

There was 7:30 tennis this morning with temps in the low 50s and a chilly wind.  The first 45 minutes I wore a light jacket but as the sun warmed it was OK.  I usually do not do this but will wander over to the courts to watch a match at 10:30 and then again at 1:30.  Our team match this week is away on Wednesday.  I feel like I am finally over that darn hammy injury as even on a not so good day I am playing fairly well.  I have totally forgotten about last Wednesday---maybe.

Terry is at a meeting this morning but will be home around 10:45.  As I came home from tennis this morning the furnace was on and it felt good.  

I finished my FP after tennis this morning so that is history.  

Day 96, "Every picture has a story"

George and I played in our club tournament yesterday.  There were 10 teams signed up.  We played 2 30 minute matches.  After the hour there were 4 teams undefeated so they made it to the semi-finals.  In the semis and finals we played until a team won 5 games.  George and I won semis 5-2 and the finals 5-3.  Before I go any farther I need to say George is a very good player as he plays at a 4.0 level so nice partner!  I play at a 3.0 level and there is also a 3.5 level.  In the first match we faced a guy who plays on a 3.5 team and the same was true for the second match.  In the semis we faced 2 guys who play at the 3.5 level and in the finals one of the guys is a 4.0 I would say.  Of course the winning was fun BUT there was a much much more important aspect of the day than winning.  

Tennis here, as I would say in any sport any place, tends to be cliques.  I started playing a few years ago and in order to learn the game to some degree I had to play with players who are mostly at a 2.5 level.  In fact in 2017 my team won the 2.5 league which included 8 teams from communities within a radius of 15 miles.  I have worked hard to UP my game and likewise several of my teammates have done the same.  Last year we moved to the 3.0 level and it was a learning experience.  Well as I practice and play I have tried to get matches with guys who are at the 3.0 or 3.5 level.  It is almost like there is a glass ceiling and one can't go higher.  So yesterday  as George and I defeated guys (of course George had a lot to do with it BUT I held my own and played well) who do not want to include me in weekly morning play it was fun.  Then in the championship Dan, who organizes much of the play, had to sit and watch us play and win.  It was redemption big time.  Will it make it any easier to get into the matches with better players?  It actually does not make a big difference for me at this time as I think I have shown that I can "play with the big boys" and compete at their level.  Does it mean that I am as good as they?  No, but there still is an UP to my game that I intend to strive for.  Enough, it was a fun afternoon.

I had a funny experience this morning.  I got up about 4:00 AM and went out to see if the paper had arrived.  As I went out the door I noticed it had not rained and it was forecast to do so.  In fact I had driven the car around the block and parked it in a parking space under a car port as I washed it yesterday and did not want to have it rained on.  We can not get into our garage until the tile is completed on the roof as there is a dumpster in our driveway now.  Anyway I was not surprised that the paper had not come.  It looked like a nice night.  About a minute after I got into the house it sounded like God dumped a giant kettle of water on the house as the rain poured down.  No need to say poured down as never have I seen it pour up!  IF I had been in the middle of the driveway looking for the paper I would have been drenched before I made it into the house.  What made it so strange is there was NO warning that it was about to rain.

AND

It was the fall of 1957 and I was starting the 5th grade.  Larry and I were the guys in 5th grade who were OK.  Some of the guys were one or two years older but in our grade because they had struggled in school in the past.  Well to be honest they still struggled. Our room was 5th and 6th graders.  In the 6th grade were several boys like Jack, Chuck and Walter.  Jack was  a good athlete while Chuck and Walter were not so much in ANY area.  BUT they were older than I.  AND back in those days "old" ruled in the classroom as well as the ball field.  Shortly after school started in the fall Chuck and Walter decided they needed to let me know that they ruled.  They must have thought they needed to show me who was boss or what ever.  As I walked to the bus at 3:30 they came from behind the bus, jumped me and threw me to the ground.  "What the heck is this? Two against one.  They jumped on top of me, slapped my face and then ran off.  What was I to do as I had to get on the bus.  Interesting as Ray K, the bus driver, just watched the whole thing.  What was I to do?  Back then you did not go to your teacher or to Mom and Dad.  No, you had to take care of things yourself or let by gones be by gones and accept the fact that they ruled.  Well in my world that was not going to happen.  I was big for my age as I was about their height but living and working on the farm certainly was better for strength than living in town.  I kept in mind what happened and waited for my time.  A few days later, during recess, we were playing west of the school where there were play things.  Just before the bell rang to come in I grabbed Chuck, who was standing off to the side of the play ground.  I threw him to the ground and jumped on top of him.  As I held him down he looked at me and said I won't do it again.  I pushed him a bit and let him go.  Walter was next a couple days later and he was more mushy than Chuck.  From that time on I did not have any trouble with the guys.  I know that kind of thing would not happen today.  BUT I am not sure what is best.  Walter and Chuck were in the grade above me so we never were the best of friends but we were friends.  Also they were not sports minded so after grade school they were not in my circle of guys I kept company with.  In my high school days there really was not much social life for guys like me.  25 miles from school did not lend itself to much social life except on the hardcourt or football field or on the bus.  When I think about it I feel that the fighting may have been the reason NOBODY teased me about my stuttering as it was the worst in 5th and 6th grade.  

A side note.  Chuck died about a year ago.  He, his younger brother Greg and his older brother Lee all have passed away and really at a young age so to speak.  I send a note to a friend about Chuck's death and she said Chuck and Walter remained friends all through adult life.  I would say in grade school and high school they were partners in crime.  Not crime of today's world but mischief that was NOT nice for sure.  

The FP is history and after tennis yesterday and Sunday today I HAD to enjoy a bit of Irish Cream in it.  

Day 95, "Every picture has a story"

Grandma Saunders withe the 3 boys.  I am guessing it was 1976 but not sure.  They are ready to take the canoe off the car and launch it towards Wood tick Island.  I think the water is now labeled a lake but back then it was a big slough.  It looks like the boys are pretty happy.  I think it was in August and the boys spent a couple of days with Grandma and Grandpa.  One can see the island in the background and I do think it was correctly named.  If I remember right there was a very careful "going over' when they arrived back at the farm.  The yellow canoe is still in the family and resides at the Binde farm.  I think it is in retirement as measured by today's standards it is HEAVY.  Grandpa did love his canoe and even more after he purchased a sailing rig for it.  Note the boys have used jeans on!

Usually I do not play tennis on Saturday but I did sign up for a mini tournament this afternoon.  I think/hope it will be a chance to play with players who are better than I as that is always a good thing.  I have a decision to make about our league play on Wednesday.  I am thinking I may take myself out of the rotation for one week as my better players all will have to sit once or twice this winter.  I am looking at ALL pretty difficult matches so decisions are hard to make.  I did ask one guy on the team about players but he was pretty hesitant to put names out as it is always dicey when you personally are in the mix.  Big decision, not sure tennis is that important but sometimes it looms that way.

Terry and I went out for lunch yesterday.  We went to De Romo's in Bonita Springs where the Italian food is very good.  The restaurant seats about 320 and then there is a huge store with enough aroma and food to force you to buy something!  We eat out maybe once every 2 or 3 weeks so try to make it special in some way.  As I looked at the bill I thought of Mom and Dad when they had $700 to carry them over for a year, farm and family!  The amount of the bill would have carried them for a LONG time.  I know, times change and in big ways!

There is progress being made on the roof and I am guessing that work may be finished by mid week.  We can not get our car in the garage so it would be nice if they can finish early.

Hash browns, eggs and sausage are gone as is the FP so will sign off for the day.

End of the week

Day 94, "Every picture has a story"

In 2012 (I think) Terry and I talked about that fact that our villa community had no parties.  Most small communities would have gatherings a few times during the winter months.  We talked to some of the people who had been here for a long time and they all said they had parties in the past and they so missed them.  Well what to do?  We organized and invited.  Yesterday was our first of the season.  We will have them monthly through April.  I think we had the most ever last night.  A count showed 40+ and I know that was true because we ran out of plates and I had to put out more forks twice!  The food ranged from a roast turkey to meatballs to salads, desserts and drinks to share.  We had more than one person say they thought it was the best party ever.  In February we will have our annual burger and brat meal.  We wheel the grill over to the pool and provide the meat and buns.  People are invited to bring something to compliment the meat.  Yesterday we had several new people and I think that is a good way to for them to get to know their neighbors.  

Terry has an appt this morning and then I have tennis at 10:30.  That is kind of our day.  At this time there are no books being read.  We have our next book session a week from tomorrow.  We also have a play that same day.  If we keep this up I will actually begin to look and feel like I am normal in a cultured life.  I may have to stop pretending I am Ollie of Norwegian.  

I used one less tablespoon of coffee in the FP today just to experiment and that was not a good idea.  I will go back to 5 for my 28 oz drink tomorrow.  

Our car is OUT for a few days as there is a dumpster in our driveway for the roof.  We are thinking it will be finished either Monday or Tuesday.  When all is finished, even if it is a tennis day in the middle of the week, I may have to indulge and have some Irish Cream in my FP.  For today, as I stated, the FP was a bit diluted but still at least 2 marks above a Folgers etc.

The good, the bad and the ugly---tennis

Day 93, "Every picture has a story"

Well I choose this picture because I needed to find one where I felt I was happy!  The story today is kind of about me.  The picture and the blog headline go together.  First of all the good.  Last winter our team went into the last of our 10 matches with a grand total of 2 court wins.  That was 2 of 27 if I recall correctly.  In our first of 10 matches yesterday we came away with 2 court wins.  For sure that is the GOOD.  The bad and the ugly all are rolled into one and that is the match that Rich and I played on court #1.  In the first set Rich was almost lights out with great shots only to see me make unforced error after unforced error.  We lost 3-6 and I felt we should have won 6-3.  In the second set I came on and played perhaps average for me and guess what?  Rich's game kind of went south.  We lost 3-6.  I THINK I played in the first set kind of like my play way way back in 2015 when we were at the 2.5 level.  Did I have fun?  I have to admit I tried my best and I guess the fact that I was on the court playing and not on the sidelines with a surgical repaired hammy made it kind of fun but really it was almost depressing.  I post this picture just to remind me that I enjoy life sometimes and the lefsa  I was eating sure was good.  SO the short of the whole story is the team won the match and that is good so it points to the fact that the tennis team is NOT about me but of the entire team.  I did take some satisfaction in sending in the scores as I did not do that once last winter.  The other good story of yesterday is the team member who is having issues with memory played VERY good as he and his team mate won 6-0 and 6-0.  Next week we are away at Beachwalk and I have hope that we may do well.

The tiles are now on the roof but have not been put in place.  I think they may get put in place next week.  It  has been a LONG time coming.  

Not much news other than tennis.  I do play at 9:00 this morning and will play against one guy who I have never played against before so that should be fun.  Friday it is 10:30 so maybe today and tomorrow I can get my act together and have more fun!  

I was able to eat less for breakfast as that is my goal and I did finish the FP which was an upper.  Also I should mention that Terry and I watched a mini series on TV last night which had 8 episodes of less than 30 minutes each.  It was good but the really good part was I hung in there until after 10 AND that meant I opened my eyes for the first time at 7:05 this morning.  Oh my that was grand!

70+ not a good start

Day 92, "Every picture (3 today) has a story"

There is a book and a web site "Ghosts of North Dakota" which is where these pictures came from.  These are current buildings in Cayuga ND.  The top is Bud Isensee's (sp) store.  That is where you could get a 5 cent ice cream bar, a 4 oz Babe Ruth candy or if you really needed food it was a grocery store.  He also rented out rooms on the top floor.  I know my 5th and 6th grade teacher Mrs. Fox stayed there in the winter so she would not have to drive daily.  I should not forget that here is where I could spent the 5 cents on gum as I had to have that before every basketball game!

The second picture is of course Grandma and Grandpa Lee's home.  I am guessing they bought it around 1955 or so and Grandma died in July of 1965.  The path you see led up to the west door which was the main door.  The small entry was where Uncle Henry would smoke in the winter when it was too cold to go outside.  Oh my those menthol cigs were the worst smelling thing in the world.  

The bottom building was really the hub of Cayuga.  Bill and Pete Kiefer owned and ran it.  In the back was where they had a repair shop.  The front was a store and also you could order International Harvester parts for machinery.  They sold new International machinery.  There also was a radio and TV repair shop in the corner.  In the 50s and 60s it was a big deal.  Also, Dad brought the plow lays

 to be sharpened.  I am not sure why he did not do that himself but then I never thought to ask him.  We had at least 2 sets for the 2 bottom plow on the Ford and the pull behind 3 bottom that we used with the "M".  Dad would bring them in and then a couple days later he would come and pick them up.  They would be labeled "Lee" with chalk.  

There are no pictures but there was a cafe, a creamy a post office the big hall and of course TWO liquor stores!  Every small town had a liquor store and here we had 2.  

As far as I know there is only one remaining store open in Cayuga and you can guess what that is.

Well yesterday was my first experience in playing 70+ tennis.  My partner Terry and I got creamed 2-6 and 1-6.  Our opponent sliced and diced and made EVERY shot at the net. Oh they were also skillful at hitting it deep at your feet.  I KNOW there should have been a way to give a better showing but maybe next time.  I am guessing I will not play next week and then maybe will play the third week.  Not sure what the captains will do.  My Terry and I did stay and watch the match on court #1 which we won in a match tie breaker.  

From tennis we went to Costco and then home.  That was the day.

Today my team plays at 1:30 at home.  I had to change the lineup for the second time.  One of my court 2 players has been down with a bad cold for several days.  I decided to not play him today but rather play him next week.  I feel I have a pretty good lineup and am hopeful of winning at least 2 courts.  Three would be nice, two would be OK, one would be a disappointment and ZERO would make me question my commitment to being a captain, not really but maybe close!  I know I will have butterflies as Rich and I start play on court 1.  For us a good showing is a must, a win would be frosting on the cake.  I still am up in the air about my court 3.  I have Karl, who is a good player, playing with Rich who has major memory issues.  I am not sure how he will do in a competitive match.  I hope well as his skill level would be good for a court 2 or 1.  We will see this afternoon. 

Once again I woke up too early but then did I go to bed too early, yes.  I put an extra tablespoon of coffee in the FP pot just to give me an extra push for the day and into the afternoon tennis.  We will see if it works as the FP is history and it is only 7 AM.  Enough

Day 91, "Every picture has a story"

Yes the story goes on!

This is NOT Cayuga school but is very similar to Cayuga.  The school has since been torn down but for my story let's say this is Cayuga.  There was no entrance on our school so just take that off and there is Cayuga.  Way to the right would be the road that came into town from the south.  There was also a white building behind it and that housed the 1st and 2nd grade.  The 3rd and 4th grade were in the basement on the far side with the lunch room being in the basement on the side we can see.  First floor on the far side was 5th and 6th with 7th and 8th being on the near side first floor.  The top floor was for the HS.  The HS was closed in the fall of 1959 and they were then bused to Forman which became Sargent Central.  SO in the fall of 1959 the 7th and 8th grades were moved up to the top floor.  There were swings, a merry-go-round, and monkey bars on the far side of the school.  To the right was the ball field for 5th and 6th grade while the 7th and 8th grade played on a field in the foreground to the left.  As I mentioned there was a white building moved to the back and that created a gap between the main building and the white one moved in.  That horse shoe space was open to the east and that was the jail as the boys and girls played capture!  I won't go into details but I promise there was NOTHING kooky going on in those days.  The worst that happened is if you caught a girl and put her in jail you may get teased about her for a while!  In our school there were windows all across the front, maybe 2 or 3 in each classroom.  The same was true of the top floor, maybe a total of 6 across on the second floor.  Those windows were the subject of the SECRET of the 5th and 6th grade boys.  The ball field to the right faced the school as the ball would travel towards the school building.  The SECRET among the boys was could we hit the ball far enough to break a window!!!  Really the only ones that may be able to do that were Jack and me.  Jack was a year older and a very good athlete but I was maybe a head taller, a lot stronger and I could hold my own on the ball field.  In the fall of 1957, as we played ball during recess and noon, it appeared as if the windows were safe. Of course nobody talked about it but the unwritten word was can anybody hit it that far?  Maybe the school hot lunch gave me strength or maybe pitching hay helped me get stronger but whatever it was spring sprung in 1958 and both Jack and I felt, way deep down that we could do the deed!  Snow melted in early April that year so we would have several weeks of ball before the end of school.  Finally it happened.  Shortly before the bell rang to end noon hour Jack came to bat and POW the ball traveled in the air over Collen's head and into the basement window where Mrs. Askerooth was sitting correcting papers.  Of course, on the outside, we were all horrified but on the inside we were , "Way to go Jack!"  But for me, on the inside, I said I think I can do better than that.  Of course all the boys were talked to and told that we could NOT hit the ball that way as it was spendy to fix big windows.  "For sure" we will be careful.  BUT I said to myself I will be careful BUT I need my own glory too!  It finally came.  A week before school was out for the summer I said to myself it is probably now or never as we went out for noon hour.  Jack and I always got to bat cleanup and we always had to be on opposite sides.  The first time up I popped up but Janet missed it and I got to second base.  I came up one more time and I knew the bell would ring soon.  Nobody had talked about Jack's ball for some time but I knew I just had something to prove as I was sure I could hit it harder and farther than Jack but I was not sure anyone else thought that.  The pitch came and it left the bat with a resounding VOOM and in a straight line headed for the FIRST floor middle window.  Crash and it was done.  It was the kind of swat I knew I had and now everyone knew it!!!  Oh yes, we pretended we were afraid and someone said, "Carmen your Dad will have to pay for a new window".  Deep down I knew that would never happen as we had so little money we got free lunch!  However, that was the end of the ballfields on the west side of the school.  I know it was kind of not nice of me but if I could have reached around my back I would have patted myself on the back and said way to go Carmen.

I will play in my first 70+ tennis match today.  I will play with a friend Terry.  He has been playing well lately so we will see what happens today.  1:00 here we come.  My Terry is coming and we will do some shopping afterward.  I am guessing I will not play next week as the captain wants everyone to play and there are probably enough guys so we will play every other week I think.  I really am just gearing up for my teams first match tomorrow.  I think/hope we will all show up with our A game and play well.  Of course it would be nice to win but Rich and I are on court #1 and that is usually tough.  Do not worry, I will try my best to have fun!

Sausage gravy and biscuits were great with a wash down of FP.  A great way to start the day.

Day 90, "Every picture has a story"

Corn was the last and most fun crop to harvest.  No dust, cool days, and it was fun to see the cows forage in the field for dropped corn cobs after harvest.  The bottom picture is of a corn field that has been planted by checking.  I do not know how many times Dad did that but I know he planted that way at least once.  It was a beautiful sight when done right.  WHY?  Well when you planted corn by checking it you could cultivate three different ways.  You could go up and down, cross ways and at a 90 degree angle.  It would be so much fun to have a picture from the air but I have not been able to find one.  We used our wagon to pull behind the corn picker which was mounted on the "M" tractor.  We would then pull the wagon home and load the corn into the corn crib.  The corn crib was built on long rows of cement that were probably about 2/3 feet tall.  The structure itself was slated so air would keep the corn dry or dry it out.  Of course today corn is shelled and then if the moisture is too high it is put in a bin that blows air through it.  I guess way way back then we certainly did things, in today's terms, the old fashion way but it worked.  We would then shell the corn and sell it with the corn cobs used for fuel in Mom's cook stove.  

I do not know when the top picture was taken but "for sure" it was in the early 50s.  I can tell because of my age but also there are electrical poles and I know REA came in after the 40s.  I do remember it was a BIG thing when we got a yard light installed in our yard.  

How was checking done?  There was a barb wire that was attached to the planter and the wire stretched from one end of the field to the other.  As the barbs passed through a device on the planter a kernel of corn was put in the ground.  So as Dad drove from one end of the field to the other the barbs would trip, trip, trip and put the corn in perfect rows.  

I am guessing Dad did not check plant his corn very many times.  I remember one year put put pumpkin seeds and squash seeds in the corn planter.  Fall came around and we picked pumpkins and squash out of the corn field.  I do think we actually ate field corn before sweet corn came on the scene.  When I think about and write about our farming methods I stop and think about how much farming has changed.  I say that but really I think Dad's way of doing things back then were perhaps a bit old fashion even for that time.

I have to think of something to do that can change my life.  Last night I was done done at 8:30 and went to bed BUT then guess what?  I was up at 4:20.  Not what I would like.

Here we are starting another January week.  Important items on the schedule is first, Terry has an appointment to find out what her MRI showed.  That happens on Wednesday AM.  As for me I play a tennis match Tuesday on a 70+ team and then my own team plays on Wednesday.  We have our first villa pool party Thursday and we will be doing one of our turkeys for that.  We need to see if it has to be brought out today for thawing.  It has been in the fridge since Friday but at 20 pounds it may need to sit out for some time to get the thawing going.

3 years and gone

I had no idea that over the next 9 years I would spend the equivalent of one and a half years of 40  hour work weeks on this BIG yellow and that did not include sporting trips up to 100 miles away!

It was September 4th of 1956.  It had been a long fun summer and I did not want to see it end for many reasons.  The most important was today was the coming of the big yellow bus.  Way back in May, the 24th to be sure, we said good-bye to Wood Lake School.  The day would forever be in my memory.  We had arrived at school a bit early as there was so much excitement in the air.  Joan, Dave and I had almost run the mile and a half to school that morning.  School was over for the summer and NO work today.  After some fun games at school we would walk to Lake Tewaukon for our end of the school year picnic.  I knew Mom would be bringing potato salad and I had in my mind that I HAD to get food before it was gone!  Dave and I had biked up to the lake the night before to scout out where we could set up the ball field as the teacher had promised we could play a ball game.  We had decided that the ball field should be to the east as you came into the picnic area of the lake.  There was a hill but we could deal with that.  I even thought that maybe if I hit a ball over the hill it would roll and roll and I could round the bases for a home run.
BUT all that had happened months ago.  Today the dreaded BIG YELLOW bus was going to be coming from Ricky's place north of our farm.  Dad had said it would pick us up about 7:10 and then it was going to be a long long trip to Cayuga School that I knew nothing about.  For the last 3 years I had 1classmate and just last year, 1955/56 there had been 12 kids in school for the 8 grades.  Dad said it just was too expensive to have a school with so few kids.  I could not understand that but I knew my life, as I had known it, was forever changed.  At 7:00 Mom saw us out the door to walk the 90 yards to the road where we stood my the mailbox that had this sign on top, "LAWRENCE H LEE. For sure we knew where we came from but where we were going and what would it be like we knew not.  About the time we got to the mailbox we could see through the trees a cloud of dust on the road, it had to be big yellow.  The dust settled as it stopped to pick up Ricky and then here it came, down the road, over the bridge and pulled up to us with a screeching stop.  Ray, I found out his name later, opened the door and invited us into a whole new world.  Dave and I made sure we sat together and right behind Ricky.  I guess familiarity was comfort.  I turned my head towards our house as we descended our hill going south and thought, "I really want to walk to school again".  I then thought never again will I kick stones or throw them or try to catch a snake on my way to school.
As we approached Cayuga about an hour and a half later: A whole new story for another day!

That is for you Helen!

Day 89, "Every picture has a story"

I am posting this picture mainly for sister Helen.  I often give her a bad time about her not working on the farm but here is proof that I am wrong, unless she just got on the M for a picture.  No I am sure that is not the case.  The last time I worked on the farm was the summer of 1966 and I am sure Helen did a lot of work after that as she graduated in 1968 and then left for greener pastures so to speak.  Now about the picture as there are several things to mention.  First the "M" tractor that Helen is sitting on.  It was the work horse of our farm along with the Ford tractor.  The M was fitted with a front end loader for many things.  For one thing it was used to hold up a beef or pig when we butchered!  It pulled the 3 bottom plow.  It was used for pulling the disc in summer fallow land.  It pulled the corn planter and the corn picker and was used to pull the combine.  You may notice the can on the exhaust, well that was to keep the rain out.  No need to have an exhaust with the flapper on so it would be down when the tractor was shut off!  The tractor in the back ground, I have no idea where that came from as it looks too new for our farm.  My basketball hoop is still up as you can see.  That is where I shot 1000s of balls.  It is hard to see BUT I believe it was not used after I left as it looks like there is tall grass everywhere.  I did hone my shooting skills there BUT my dribbling skills were not so much on the bumpy dirt!  The car that you see, it may be an old car that was no long used and should have gone to car heaven but Dad did not bother to take it there.  The electrical pole by the barn.  That is the pole that I would shimmy up to lie on the barn roof and dream about what life beyond the farm may be like.  Many days I did that and I would always lie on the west side so Mom and Dad could not see me!  The south side of the barn, that is just beyond the new looking tractor, was a great place.  That south wall was where I would smooth out the barnyard soil and then spent hours throwing the rubber ball against the barn.  As I did that I became Eddie Matthews or Johnny Logan or Bill Bruton or Joe Adcock.  I always fielded the ball and would throw out the runner at home base or second or third or first.  Just for the record Eddie Matthew's fielding % was .944 in 1956 but I believe mine was .980!!!  I was quite the star back then!!!  A person can not see what those windows look like BUT I am guessing there is some broken glass in them as that was always the case when I lived at home.  As you can see this picture has MANY stores told here and many more yet to come!  One last thing.  Oh my I hope Helen did not get too close to the power take off as that hair may have been history "for sure".

I had my team meeting yesterday and everyone came except for one who was sick.  Later in the day I got a note that one of the guys can not play on Wednesday.  Why he did not tell me at the meeting I do not understand.  Things like that make being a captain less than fun.  I did go for a longer bike ride just to clear my head and I don't think it did the trick.  Come on Carmen, lighten up!

These new "smart phones" I think are just way out in left field.  Terry and I purchased new phones about a month ago.  Thursday I put the alarm on mine for a 30 minute nap.  The alarm went off and and I got up.  When I went to look at my phone there was a message on it and it read, "snoring 8 minutes and 39 seconds ago!"  What the heck is that all about???

The tiles did not get up on the roof yesterday.  I parked the car over at the pool for nothing.  Maybe Monday.  

In the spring of 1961 I was kind of ready to be finished with grade school.  I had my 100+ book reports in, I had OK grades and I was looking forward to high school.  In early May I sat in the back seat of the bus as it pulled out of the Cayuga School yard.  I saw where Larry, Jack, Walter and others were walking to the east ball field at school for a new game.  I thought well that will not be the case next year, me going home at 3:30 and them playing ball.  I also had some news to tell Mom and Dad and I was not sure if I was excited about it.  Mrs. Odenbrit had asked me to stay in the room for a bit during lunch hour as she wanted to talk to me.  She had gotten a call from the county superintendent and I had been picked to go to Bismarck for a government day.  I was excited and not so much.  Mrs. Olson, the county superintendent would drive me and a girl from Forman to Bismarck next week.  We would drive up on a Tuesday morning and take in an afternoon government session.  Then on Wednesday we would tour the capital and the governors home and take in another session.  After 2 nights in a hotel we would come home on Thursday.  I mean it sounded like fun but yet I was so shy that I did not really want to ride with her and a girl all that way.  I remember sitting in the back seat and saying little or nothing.  Now staying in a hotel, that would be a first for me and maybe would be fun.   Today, that trip is kind of a blur.  One of the pictures that burned in our house on the farm was of me sitting in the assembly in the capital.  I think that I was so shy and so uncultured that the entire trip kind of went over my head.  I do remember being kind of proud that I was picked and I could tell Mrs. Odenbrit was happy for me too.  I also remember Dad gave me $3 to spend while I was there.  I do not remember if I spent it.  That is about as close as I ever came to being involved in any kind of government thing!  I should add that the "uncultured" thing has been me pretty much my entire life.

Story done, FP gone and it is on to other things this Sunday.