Saw a version of this in Marine Boot Camp

 

Field Work!

     The warm dry weather, 70 something, made ideal conditions for chopping the cornstalks in my fields. There was much left-over corn in one field. Deer nose under the corn husks and feed on the corn as far as they can reach. On longer ears there are a few rows of kernels beyond their reach. Chopping the stalks shatters the kernels and spreads them on the ground. Now, birds and deer will feed on the shelled corn, and the occasional full ear.

   Wildlife feasting on this corn is helpful to me. If the kernels were tilled into the soil, in the process of planting the new crop, their germination would be problematic for the planted corn. Corn does not like to be crowded so their presence would inhibit the growth of the corn which was planted.

  One field had a significant amount of left-over corn. The ground was yellow with corn kernels. The other field  had none. This is the field that was grazed by the geese last summer. My effort there was essentially recreational chopping. South Dakota Fish and Wildlife personnel will fence the geese out this year.

Takk for alt,

Al

Ye olde stalk chopper!

Wildlife News.

   "Ladybug, ladybug fly away home,

Your house is on fire and your children are gone,
All except one, and her name is Ann,
And she hid under the baking pan."   1744

   The Little House has been a winter refuge for many ladybugs and a few boxelder bugs. Their presence is a clue that the house is not air tight. Mostly I just move these harmless critters aside. When the temperature reached the 70s I scooped up 40? and transferred them outside. While insects may not have feelings it appeared to me that they flew happily away. Harmless, they just wanted a warm place to wait out the winter.

   The pond across the street from the house has been dry since last fall. Drought, you know. In spite of that the frogs are signing. They must have emerged from the ground to sing their spring song.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

The pond across the street when there was water.

Christmas in April.

      A few years ago I posted a few bluebird houses. Gradually the number of houses has expanded so that they number about 25 now.  Never has a bluebird been spotted near them. However, they have proved very popular with tree swallows. That's fine, because the swallows also need nesting space. Sella gave me two, nicely decorated, for Christmas. Today I placed them on posts.

    After mounting the first one on a pasture post I moved on to do the second. Near the post I planned to use there was a battalion of invasive cedars. Before mounting the box I spent an hour cutting the cedars. With that task complete I mounted the second box. As I was leaving the pasture there were several swallows flying around the first box. None of the boxes a quarter of a mile north had any birds. This leads me to believe that these swallows had just arrived. 

   Occasionally cattle will knock a box down, it's happened twice. Wrens are a bigger problem. They are so territorial that they will stuff boxes full of twigs to deny their use by other birds. Last summer, in one line of eight boxes, six were filled with twigs. That's disappointing because it denies other birds their use. 

  While I was doing these tasks a meadow lark was serenading me. A flock of pelicans flew over, newly arrived back from wintering in the south. Both the lark and the pelicans made me glad. 

Takk for alt,

Al

If you look carefully as this newly posted box you can read "Sella Rocks" at the top.

A box that wrens have stuffed full of twigs.

You go. Earl!

 

Joanne Elizabeth (Hanson) Negstad, April 1, 1936-April 12, 2018

      When asked if it seems like eight years since Joanne died I responded, "I don't know what it feels like."  What does eight years feel like?  It's been long enough that it feels normal to be single. Naturally the anniversary of her death triggers grief.  This morning at 7:00 I visited her grave. One of the gifts of being resident at The Little House is its proximity to the cemetery, which I've visited several times this week.

    Naturally I reflect  on her last day. After relieving the night nurse at 6:00am, I asked Joanne, "What's special about April 12?" She shrugged her shoulders. Three and a half hours later she died, surrounded by her family. The night previous was the only time she didn't get through all her mail. One day she received 53 cards! There were visits, phone calls and emails. Her gradual death was a huge, gift allowing her to bask in the accolades, many of which were a total surprise to her. 

   Frequently I've described my grief experience as moving from a knife in the ribs at first, to the present dull ache. Knowing what she's missing, especially with her granddaughters, is always accompanied by grief.   

   When grief strikes I try to focus on the important gift of 53 years of marriage to her. Gifted, faithful, accomplished, compassionate, kind and loving she lived a very productive life. It was my great good fortune to be her companion on the way. Rest in peace Joanne, good and faithful servant.

Takk for alt,

Al

Joanne modeling the dress she wore for Lars' and Melissa's wedding.     

  

California Beach!

       

   As reported in the blog yesterday, Borovika's assessment of my painting ability, or lack thereof, dissuaded me from doing more painting. Perhaps my next painting episode was many years later. It came when I accompanied a youth mission trip to California.

    After some very successful fund raising a mission trip to California was arranged. Flying to San Francisco on Friday the plan was to sight see the city Saturday and Sunday. In two rented vans we toured the City. Monday we drove to the Sacramento Valley and connected with Youth Works, who organized the work detail.

    The group to which I was assigned were tasked with painting an elderly woman's house. In the process of painting it became clear we needed a ladder. The woman, whose house we were painting, said there was one in her shed. Then she said, "Be very careful, because there many black widow spiders in there." Sure enough the inside of the shed was festooned with spiderwebs, each one hosting a black widow spider.

   The most interesting part of this trip happened in San Francesco. While we were visiting Fisherman's Warf, the youth said "We can't be in California without going to the beach."  Consultation of the maps showed a beach not far away. Off we went and the youth quickly exited the vans to wade in the surf. Two girls headed down the beach to get a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge. Quickly returning they said, "You don't want to go down there." Mary, a chaperon, went to investigate and returned to report that we were at a nude beach.

    This was on Saturday afternoon and before cell phones. On their calls home that evening the youth reported the adventure. When my wife went to church the next morning, back in Minnesota, she was greeted with, "Pastor Al took the kids to a nude beach!"  So, I now have that on my resume`.😀

Takk for alt,

Al

    

Spring Tasks!

      There are number of small tasks to do upon returning to SDak. in the sprig.  Some of them reverse what was done in the fall.  To avoid weathering over winter, I put my implement trailer in the garage. It blocks access to two tractors so garaging it waits till late fall. Soon I'll take it out and it will remain outside until fall. Before removing I waterproof the deck. That was today's task.

    While doing the waterproofing a memory suggested itself.  Serving my Marine enlistment I was stationed for a time at Camp Pendleton in southern California. Ed and I were office clerks (secretaries) in a rifle company. He was the typist and I the file clerk. Sgt. Borovika was the office manager, married and living off base.  When he rented a new apartment in town he recruited Ed and I, and perhaps another, to help paint the newly rented apartment. 

     At the apartment I was dutifully painting a bedroom. While I was painting Borovika approached, and watched me paint for a few minutes. After observing me a couple of minutes he said, "Al, why don't you go buy the beer." 😀 Such was his opinion of my painting skill.

      Borovika transported us to the painting site in his Corvair. That's the car later made famous as "unsafe at any speed." Driving down Coast Highway 101, it was a four lane highway with traffic only separated by a painted white strips. Borovika was driving 60 mph+ in the center lane. Immediately in front of us an approaching bus crossed the center lines toward us in our lane and swerved back to its side a few feet in front of us. This was 1961 or 62, so we had no seat belts.

    Back to my day's task. When the original trailer deck began to fail I added a layer of three quarter inch, marine (appropriate right?) plywood over the original floor. That is what I was treating today with waterproofing. The Lowe's salesman convinced me to buy a better product than what I'd previously used. The previous product needed to be applied annually. The new one is good for 5 to 10 years. When told that I said to the salesman, "Imagine how old I'll be then!" 😉

Takk for alt,

Al

The trailer awaiting waterproofing.

Pray for rain!

       Perhaps this is a repeat. "During a prolonged drought a local church scheduled a meeting to pray for rain. When the prayers gathered, only one man brought an umbrella." 😀

     The South Dakota drought map, see below, indicated that Brookings County, home to The Little House, is in severe drought. UFFDA!  There was very little snow locally this winter and no rains this spring. So, added to the farmer's woes of low commodity prices, high fuel and fertilizer costs, there's another worry. Shades of my childhood when it seemed every summer we were anxiously waiting for rain.

     Kaia, with her fresh haircut, to avoid being a  burr magnet, is living the good life running in the fields. She flushed a rooster pheasant near the cemetery this morning. Doesn't get any better than that for her. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Brookings county is on the east edge, the 4th county down.

Good News! Bad News!

     Last fall, shortly before Thanksgiving, I parked my truck in the shop for the winter. Today it started immediately! That's the good news. When it was parked it had only a quarter of a tank of gas. That's the bad news. At today's gas prices it will cost $110. to fill the tank. 😝 Well, that's the price of a hobby farm.

   When the local banker was queried about farmer stress he replied that most farmers had contracted earlier for fuel and fertilizer.  So, for this year, they  may be OK. Farmers who have cattle are fortunate because beef prices remain elevated...bought hamburger lately?

   Some of my land is in the Conservation Reserve Program, (CRP). This is government program to conserve land by planting grass and keeping it out of crop production. The contract specifies that at mid-term of the contract, ten contract year in my case, a maintenance process is to be done. Consequently, I was planning a controlled burn. With no snow this winter, and no rain this spring, it is so dry that there is a county wide burning ban in effect! Better luck next year.  

   Why does Kaia's fur relate to a thermostat?  Kaia is a springer spaniel, noted as a long haired breed. Her last haircut was in October. Consequently, since early January she's been fully furred. For her comfort the thermostat has been lower than my comfort zone. With her grooming today I can turn up the thermostat!

Takk for alt,

Al

Soon I'll be wandering this grassland to eliminate invasive cedars.

Where's Al?

      Perhaps a "Where's Al?" app should begin, similar to "Where's Waldo?"   I get phone calls, "Where are you?"  Not being able to resist I answer, "Here?"  "Where is that?!"  "Here, where I am."  You get the drift... 

     Enough of that!  Kaia and I are in The Little House, arriving this morning. The best route out of the city for me is Highway 62. It's a four lane artery that is often congested. Leaving at 6:00 am this morning, traffic was moving at posted speeds, or higher with no congestion. 

    Kaia met her vet appointment in Brookings, and much to her chagrin, got her annual shots. Weighing in at 49lbs, ten years old, she's healthy and hasn't slowed down much.  Now she'll live the good life of running the fields, after the confinement of an OFH apartment. But, first she'll get a grooming in the morning. With her long hair she'd quickly overheat and be a burr magnet. The groomer is exceptionally quick doing a complete field cut in twenty minutes!

Takk for alt,

Al

Friendly neighbor installing a new storm door on The Little House.

Wrong!

        As the bearer of a bit of macular degeneration I'm on a six month rotation of eye exams. The good news is that today's exam revealed healthy eyes and no advance of the m.d. Equipped with a new prescription for glasses I stopped at the V.A. to order glasses. Last time I did this I walked in with no wait. Not so today. The queue lasted and hour. While waiting I kept repeating to myself, "the wait is worth it for new glasses free." After all, what's an hour in a retiree's life. In two weeks, or so, the glasses will arrive by mail. So far so good!

      Then is was off to COSTCO.  In my imagination the Monday after Easter would be quiet at that super store! WRONG!! It was the busiest I'd experienced, but, not much of problem because it's huge and prepared to handle crowds. The big disappointment came in the frozen vegetable aisle. Five pound bags of  frozen peas and mixed vegetables in my freezer keeps me eating healthily. Alternating between the two bags, I get vegetables in my diet daily. But, THERE WERE NO FROZEN PEAS!. Uffda. I'd rather have gotten peas and not the mixed. 

    This what passes for excitement in my life!

Takk for alt,

Al

The women in this picture have all died, leaving behind three brother's-in law.

HAPPY EASTER!

     How can you tell it's Easter Sunday?  One clue was when the pastor announced, "Ushers, there is seating available in the front row." 😁My proclivity for arriving early is appreciated by the family when I've saved a pew.

    Easter Dinner with family reminds me of my privileged position as the family old guy. What a nice perk to just show up, enjoy the family and a delicious meal. Totally grateful for such a blessing.

Takk for alt,

Al

Book...

   Norwegian author Knut Hamsun, 1859-1952, was the one who pioneered stream of consciousness novels. He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1920. Now,  Norwegian author, Ingvild Rishoi, follows in Hamsun's tradition.

   She's much acclaimed for her novel, Brightly Shining. But, it's her book of three short stories about which I write. Winter Stories, published in 1914 and translated into English in 2019. The protagonists in these stories, as is true in Hamsun's books, are struggling. A blurb on the book jackets mention that it "contains the right combination of hardship and hope. Struggle is a given with surprising turns of unexpected goodness. Rishoi creates sympathetic characters living on the fringe of society. One more author in Norway's robust literary life.

Takk for alt,

Al

  

Side Benefit!

      Perhaps both of my readers have tumbled to the idea that there are benefits to being an inmate of the OFH. Yes, there are!  Today it was the perk of an in-house, Good Friday Service. That was offered at 10:00 this morning. Afterwards four of use adjourned to the bistro for an early lunch.

   There is a side benefit to the morning Good Friday Service. Tonight four NCAA women's teams are playing in the Final Four at the time of many Good Friday services.  UConn will play South Caroline in the first game, which begins at 6:00 local time. At 8:30 UCLA will play Texas. That may make me violate my usual bed time! These should be classic and any team could emerge a winner. The winners tonight play for the championship Sunday.

Takk for alt,

Al

The church of The Spilled Blood, St Petersburg, Russia.  Is this random enough?😀

Convenient!

      The family is returning today from University visits in Chicago and Milwaukee. The pick-up at Union Depot is scheduled for 6:41 and the train left Milwaukee on time so likely will not be late. The Maundy Thursday Service at church begins at 7:00, so the time conflicts for me. Conveniently, the OFH Maundy Thursday Service was held this morning at 10:00, which I attended. 

   The Service time allowed for lunch in the bistro with Tom and Anita. Tom's a soup aficionado and the bistro always has two soup choices. A bowl of soup costs $4.00. Thursday is 'pizza by the slice day' and slices are $2.00, so, being a big spender, I had two. Anita said her chicken salad sandwich was excellent. The bistro is open 11:00-2:30, Monday-Friday. The dining room lunch special is also available in the bistro, minus the starter and dessert, for $9:00. A number of other offerings are also available.

   The food service of the OFH contributes much to my satisfaction living here. Every morning there's a continental breakfast in the bistro, the price of which is included in our rent. The dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's a service that I often use to entertain family and friends. When I compare notes with inmates of other OFHs, they report that their dining facilities have minimal hours. With the exception of the continental brekfast all food charges are ala carte, which is helpful to me because I'm often away.

   If you're considering a move to an OFH be sure to check out the food service.

Takk for alt,

Al

Dinner last in the OFH. The woman to the viewer's left is MonaMae, who is 102.

Joanne Elizabeth (Hanson) Negstad; April 1, 1936-April 12, 2018

     While milestones. like Joanne's birthday, always come with some grief, grief ameliorates over time. Memories of her last birthday celebration are forefront. Joanne loved birthdays and in 2018, April 1, was Easter Sunday. That leads to the story I've often told. At the Easter Service, our congregation, sang happy birthday to her. Seeing the video of the congregation singing she remarked, "I never knew dying could be so glorious." Twelve days later she died. 

   It was on that day, Easter and birthday, she ate at table, for the last time. Subsequently, she was too weak to come to the table. What little she ate, she ate in her hospital bed.

  To a friend's query, "Does it feel like eight years?"  I responded, "I don't know what it feels like." At some point being single began to feel normal. Given her medical difficulties, aside from the fatal cancer, she would have struggled to live alone. Both physically and psychologically, introvert you know, I was better equipped to live alone.

   Every day I miss her and I talk to her pictures around the apratment. Grief is most poignant for me seeing our granddaughters grow and mature, knowing what she's missing. She took total delight in them. Many times, putting them to bed, I'd read to Evy and she to Sella. "Grandma I want seven books."

  She was wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. She accomplished much in her professional career. Rest in peace, good and faithful servant.

Takk for alt,

Al

April 1, 2018, the family at the Easter/birthday dinner, Joanne's last meal at the table/

An Exception!

      Writing about Dad's camera I said he's not on the group pictures because he always took the pictures. In those childhood years I don't remember any of my uncles having a camera. Even my cousin, Leslie, my cousin who was old enough to be father, didn't even had one. Dad's camera model was sold between 1912-1915, so he was an earlier purchaser. 

     There is one photo of dad with his four children. Mother must have been the photographer. It's taken outside and it looks like we've brought dad a lunch in the field. He's eating a sandwich and, because there are trees in the picture, my guess is he was mowing.  The picture is below.

Takk for alt,

Al

Behind Dad from the viewers left, and I'm guessing at ages; Allan 3, David 5, Lucille 9 and Richard 7.

An Old Book!

    To A God Unknown, John Steinbeck was given to me by Peter. Lars' fascination with Steinbeck, in an earlier phase of his life, means that there's almost a complete library of  Steinbeck's books in The Little House. Familiar with his better know books; Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, Of Mice And Men...Unknown was unknown to me. It's one of his earlies, published in 1935.

    Perhaps the best part of the book was his colorful, imaginative descriptions of the natural features of a California valley. Joseph, the protagonist was either mystically able to influence nature or psychotic...take your pick. Druid's would love the book and its revolution around an iconic oak tree. Steinbeck weaves in Indian and Mexican lore with sympathy.

  It was worth reading and I look forward to discussing it with Peter tomorrow. It also suggests that I should read some of those Steinbeck books reposing in The Little House.

Takk for alt,

Al

Barn Cats!

      The farm of my childhood usually had a contingent of barn cats. They lived in the barn because Dad would not tolerate them in the vicinity of the house. For the most part they were quite tame. They'd quickly adapt if we squirted milk at them while we were milking the cows.  They'd open their mouths and lap the milk. After separating the cream from the milk we'd give them some milk. There was a small room that held the cream separator and there was space under it that they occupied. In the coldest days of winter the milk cows were left inside overnight. Their body heat was sufficient to keep the temperature in the barn above freezing. 

   Once a disease decimated the cat population and they all died; distemper maybe. When the cats were gone mice appeared. Mice were seen throughout the barn. When the cats are gone the mice will play. This was a revelation, we'd never realized the role the cats played in managing the rodents.

   One summer night I decided to sleep in the haymow. Sleeping on the new hay was very comfortable and I slept well, until.....  Until, early in the morning cats chased grasshoppers over me. No need for an alarm clock. Dad went to the haymow early one morning a found a man sleeping there. He'd wandered up from U.S. Highway 81, that ran just below our place.

   Then, there's the well travelled cat. Uncle Henry and Aunt Inga lived across the road from us. Uncle Alfred and Aunt Ragna lived twelve miles away. Ragna needed a cat so Inga gave her one. Alfred put the cat in a burlap bag and placed the bag in the trunk of their car for the ride to Ragna's place. It disappeared from Ragna's in a day or two. Two weeks later it arrived back at Inga's. There it stayed.

Takk for alt,

Al

Negstad cousins, children and spouses in front of our farm house.

Farm Accident!

       The farm on which I grew up wasn't very mechanized. There was a tractor on it and eventually two. These were used, almost exclusively, for pulling. Neither was equipped with a loader. This meant that much of haying required manual labor. Mowing was done with a tractor mower, once the second tractor arrived to replace the horse mower. After the mown hay had cured it was raked into piles using a horse rake modified to be pulled by a tractor. It was a two person job, one driving the tractor and the other riding the rake to operate it. Then the fun began!

     The hay, alfalfa, was destined for the haymow in the barn. Here there was a modicum of mechanization. A sling, consisting of 2"X 2" boards, almost as wide as the hayrack. and connected by ropes, was laid on the floor of the hayrack. The ropes came together at the ends of the hayrack ending in a metal ring. Hay was loaded into the hayrack via men or boys using pitch forks. Once the hay on the sling was about three feet deep, a second sling was lad over it and the pitching continued.

   A full hayrack was pulled next to the barn and below the big open barn door. The tractor was unhitched from the hayrack and connected to the hay rope, This was a large rope that ran over a series of pulleys to the far end of the barn and back to the big door. It was then fastened to the top sling. When the tractor pulled the rope the sling bunched up lifting the hay that had been placed upon it. It climbed to the peak of the barn. At the peak it engaged a metal trolley that was on a track just below the roof. When the sling reached that trolley a mechanism in it released and allowed the sling, filled with hay, to move into the barn. At a place determined by someone in the barn he pulled a trip rope and the sling split in two and the hay spilled out. The empty sling was pulled back through the barn door, the trolley tripped a mechanism and the sling descended to the hayrack, put aside and the second sling put in the barn.

    One day Dad and I were haying alone. Being the nimble one I was in charge of the process with the slings. Dad drove the tractor attached to the hay rope. In my adolescent wisdom I decided that if I stood on the threshold of the open hay door I could both, signal Dad, and drop the hay where I wanted in the haymow. That meant less forking the hay to get it where it was wanted.

   Standing in the barn door I signaled Dad to stop and gave the trip rope a good pull. The rope broke and I fell backwards out the door and down, landing on the side of the hayrack. Perhaps it was a good thing that the top slat of the hayrack broke as I was only scratched and bruised. The slat was a 1"X 6" board.

Takk for alt,

Al

Notice the horses hooked to the hayrack and the woman driving mules to lift the hay. This barn has an elevated hayloft, i.e., on the second floor. Our barn was not that style. The haymow was on the ground level, with the horse barn on one side and the cow barn on the other. Therefore, the door, from which I feel was lower than the one pictured.

Using this rake the first task was to rake the hay into long windrows. When the rider approached the windrow, with hay in the rake, he'd kick a lever. That activated a lifting mechanism in the wheels that the tines raking the hay would life allowing the hay to remain, then the tines would return to the ground to continue raking. After raking the field into long windrows then the rake was pulled down those rows to bunch the hay. When the hay was being pitched into the wagon the wagon would stop by the bunch, haycock, to facilitate pitching it into the wagon.

No good deed goes unpunished!

    Here's what's on the internet about the saying about punishing good deeds.

"No good deed goes unpunished" is a cynical idiom likely originating from 12th-century Latin writings, though frequently misattributed to Oscar Wilde. It implies that acts of kindness often lead to negative consequences for the doer, popularized in the 20th century by figures like Clare Boothe Luce."

    When the new educational wing was added to the last church I served the lawn needed reconstruction. It needed several yards of black dirt. The property committee located a source of black dirt about twenty miles west of the church, through Crystal, New Hope, Plymouth and beyond. With my dump truck in town I volunteered to haul the dirt. 

     After delivering several loads and driving through Plymouth I was pulled over by a state trooper. Turns out I wasn't quite legal. The dirt was heaped above the box, courtesy of the driver of the front end loader at the dirt pile. There should have been a tarp over the load. The trooper said he was doing me a favor by charging me under state law. Had he used the federal statute the fine would have been much higher. If memory serves me right the fine was about $135.00 but don't hold me to that.

   Perhaps the church council might reimburse me. After all I was using my truck and my gas for the church, but they declined. No good deed goes unpunished, after all.

Takk for alt,

A

The "new" addition is the octagon building nearest.

Church Humor!

      Once upon a time I was at a church that had four pastors. One a Sunday morning, the senior pastor was greeting parishioners at the door as they left church after the morning service. Busily shaking hands and conversing a woman approached, took his hand and said "Don't you remember me? You visited me in the hospital." The pastor blurted out "Oh, I didn't recognize you with your clothes on!"

    The last congregation of my ministry had an annual lutefisk dinner. It was a huge deal serving 100s. When diners arrived they were given a number and waited their turn upstairs until their number was called to go downstairs to the dining room for dinner. While they waited they sat in the sanctuary where a band was playing. In the library an artist was demonstrating rosemaling painting. At a table in the narthex pickled herring was on sale.

   My role was general host, meeting and greeting, ushering and helping out where needed. Much of the time I was at the front door to meet guests and direct them as appropriate. While at the door one night I greeted a woman whom I knew, though she was not a member of the congregation. She seemed unsettled so I asked if she was okay. She replied, "Oh, I'm really frazzled. My husband just died an hour ago."  Perhaps she just didn't want the tickets, purchased in advance, to go to waste.

Takk for alt,

Al

Joanne with her friend, Niki, at a lutefisk dinner. Niki was trying lutefisk for the first time. Joanne loved lutefisk but I'm not allowed to eat it.

Shades of Joanne.

    Joanne's college roommate and good friend, the late Jenine Jordahl, lived in Decorah, IA. When they wanted face to face conversation they'd meet for lunch. The meeting place was a restaurant in a small town half way between Decorah and Minneapolis. On one of these occasions they had their lunch and continued the conversation. Eventually they noticed the restaurant was refilling with people. They discovered, to their surprise, that this was the dinner crowd assembling for dinner. Conversation had carried on through the afternoon.

   Reprise today: M came to join mefor breakfast at 8:30. As the conversation continued, Jim, the food services manager appeared with lunch menus. It was 11:30 and the beginning of the lunch hour. 😀Obviously we had a lot so say. As M left I went downstairs and had my lunch in the Bistro.

   Some more data on Dad's camera. It was sold between 1912-15. The film is #122, and no longer produced. There was some film for sale online for $200. a toll! The pictures produced were post card size. It's not functional because the cable for the trip wire is split. 

Takk for alt,

Al

Someone has attempted to repair the cord housing the wire that trips the shutter, see the white tape.

It Takes a Woman...

        Of course it was never talked about!  But, piecing together it appears that my Dad was quite progressive and probably relatively wealthy until the financial crash in 1929.  His money in the bank was lost but he kept the farm through the Depression. 

     He bought his first car in 1914, an Overland. It must have been one of the first cars in rural Brooking County, S.D. But, this post is about another of his early purchases; a Kodak Camera.

    That camera is in my possession. (It's pictured below.) Open the case, slide the focus lens out, peer down through the aperture and squeeze the plunger on the cord to take the picture. Recently I was looking at the camera and puzzled over how it opened. After a bit of trial and error I decided to wait for Tom, my cribbage partner. Tom has a definite mechanical bent. When Tom and Anita came to play cribbage I presented the camera, with its dilemma, to Tom. Immediately intrigued he rose to the challenge of opening it.

   As Tom and I puzzled, maneuvered, wondered, tried this and that with no success Anita went online. She soon discovered that there was a secret button on the side that opened it. It takes a woman.

   This was long prelude to what I am going to write about. Because Dad was the owner of an early camera he's seldom on any pictures. One of summer's favorite times for me was when the relatives would gather at our farm on a Sunday afternoon. Uncle Oscar and Aunt Julia came with several of their eight children, Uncle John and Aunt Susie came with their family, Uncle Alfred and Ragna with theirs and Holters came with six kids. Before the afternoon was over they all lined up for Dad to take a picture. Day would say "Smile." When the picture was taken he'd say "Now resume your previous expression.." 😀

    Every year, on our birthday, Dad would take a picture of each of his four children. Very often we'd be in front the large cottonwood tree in the yard. Both the child's and tree's growth was recorded.

Takk for alt,

Al

Dad's camera in which the latest patent date is 1909.

The first birthday photo, I've always been cute.

Unscheduled Day!

     One of the gifts of the OFH is laundry apparatus in the apartments. The washers and dryers are very large. Very short persons complain that they can't reach the bottom of the washer. Not a problem for me. So, an unscheduled day like this is a good day to catch up on laundry,  The only down side is that the dryer spooks Kaia. Consequently, we stay as far as we can from the dryer when it's running. That means the bedroom but,. because it's where the computer resides, there is activity for me. Two closed doors, the laundry room and the bedroom, helps her a bit.

   Here's an OFH story. Bob, an inmate told this at men's coffee. When he was being considered for the position of president of the University of Texas, there were 9 men on the University's selection committee. He was chosen on a 5 to 4 vote. Later one of the nine men said that he voted for Bob because he was tall.  

   Mostly I've liked being tall but there's been exceptions. Airplane seats are not designed for tall people and I've flown a lot. Then there was boot camp. One of the most trying exercises involved doing calisthenics with utility poles. Lined up by height by the poles I always was on the heavy end. Ed is convinced that many recruits weren't really doing their part. These exercises were done in loose sand which added to the difficulty. Do not try lifting utility poles over your head at home!😀   

Takk for alt.

Al

An old four wheel drive Fiat tractor spotted in Greece. Random enough?

Minnesota Women Win!

      It was a nail biter but the Minnesota Gophers won with a basket at the buzzer. They beat Ole Miss 65-63, and go to Sacramento for the Sweet Sixteen!  Makes me glad!

Takk for alt,

Al

Amiya Battle, number 3, made the basket at the buzzer!

Basketball O. D.

      Both the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments are on. That's led to a day of watching multiple games.  Typical experience as I channel surf between games is switching from advertising on one channel to advertising on the next.

   The University of Minnesota women won their game against Green Bay yesterday. After three lackluster quarters they ran away with the game in the 4th. Tomorrow they will play Ole Miss, also at the Barn. Gives Minnesota fans another game to watch in person. The OFH cable package didn't allow me to watch yesterday.. In April we get another 100 channels, lets hope they're not all Spanish.

Takk for alt,

Al

Today's random photo is of a cheese shop in Amsterdam. 2008

Happy Vernal Equinox!

     Perhaps it would fit under the law of unintended consequences. Blood pressure medication (Amlodipine) prescribed for me caused issues with my gums. I was back at the periodontist this morning for a deep cleaning.  He also did a bit of surgery. Tongues have minds of their own, and not only around speech. With no conscious thought the tongue continually goes to investigate if the sutures are still there. Yes. they are. It's all a bit of a nuisance but I'm grateful to have teeth.

   At age eighteen, this would be in 1918, my mother got false teeth. Now, here's the remarkable part. She was still using those teeth when she died in 1989. They never gave her any significant trouble. 

   The University Of Minnesota women's basketball team made the NCAA playoffs. Not only did they make the tournament they did well enough to host the first two games. As I write, Ole Miss is playing Gonzaga at the "Barn", the University's Fieldhouse. Minnesota will play Green Bay at 5:00.

Takk for alt,

Al 

It's soon time to cut the cedar trees that I spotted last fall when I was hunting.

Disembarking!

     Both readers of this blog know that my memory often retreats to Marine Corps experiences. Some brain pulse triggered thoughts about disembarking from ships. Perhaps it was seeing the picture below of our aircraft carrier through the door of a helicopter. 

    The least favorite method of leaving a ship was over the side and down rope nets. This method was only done while in full battle gear. That meant a pack with half tent,  another Marine had the other half, ammo belt with canteens and bayonet, rifle and helmet. Taken together the weight was over 100lbs. Naturally neither the ship being departed nor the landing craft waiting below were stationary. The ship rolled from side to side and the landing craft bounced up and down. Marines in the landing craft would pull the net away from the ship so descending Marines didn't get caught between the vessels. It was critical that the descending Marine drop the net the moment his foot touched the deck. Hesitate a moment and the craft might drop ten feet down and then the Marine would have a fall. 

   Descending a gang plank, about three feet wide, with railings on either side, was the usual method of leaving the ship. Typically one end of the plank would be on a dock. The exception to this was in Hong Kong Harbor. There was no dock space for the aircraft carrier so it anchored out in the harbor. A gang plank was lowered hugging the ship. Its terminus was a platform few feet above the water, From that platform we stepped into a harbor taxi to carry us to shore.

   The USS Princeton, on which I travelled, was a World War II, aircraft carrier built after the original Princeton was sunk by the Japanese. It had been re-fitted as an helicopter carrier. Flying off the deck was an easy, but noisy, way to disembark but it always meant training, not liberty.

Takk for alt,

Al

Our ship pictured from a helicopter.

 

Anchored in Hong Kong the top part of the gang plank is visible. Note the helicopter on the deck with its rotors folded.

Marines going down the net four abreast. Don't try this at home!

For what it's worth.........

 

OFH Perk!

       This OFH, of which I'm a happy inmate, features a beauty salon/barbershop. Needing a beauty treatment I made an appointment. In the shop, two floors below my apartment, today Kathy cut my hair and trimmed my beard. The fee, competitively priced, will be added to my monthly bill. No need to drive and use gasoline which is becoming more expensive. I bid the barber farewell until ??? November?

    Two blocks from the OFH, Interstate Highway 35E runs north and south. Before it crosses the Mississippi from the north it crosses Shepherd Road. The 35E bridge over Shepard Road will be replaced this construction season. Plans are to build a temporary crossing over Shepard to keep 35E traffic flowing. Consequently Shepard Road east from Lexington Ave. will be closed. Shephard west from Lexington, which I use regularly, will not be affected.  Construction will begin April 20, with completion projected for November....good luck with that.

    A representative of Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) was present here today to explain the project and answer questions. Via closed circuit TV, I listened to the presentation. TV access is available for many events, lectures and concerts. Each day a movie is offered in the Multi-purpose Room that can be accessed via TV. 

Takk for alt,

Al

After my discharge from the Marines in 1962, I bought a car in Long Beach, CA. Ed was stationed in San Francisco with a year left to serve. Picking up ED in S.F., how did we make connections with out mobile phones, we drove to the Seattle's World Fair. Then we visited my cousin, Leslie Negstad and his wife Esther, in Port Angeles. Leslie took us salmon fishing. Leslie caught the 18lb and I the 5lb., which Esther cooked for us.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

     "Who is the least Irish of all, and why is he?"  The OFH announcement was "St. Patty's Day; Shamrock Ice Cream, 2:00 in the Fireplace Lounge"  Shortly after two the line for the ice cream stretched far out of the Lounge. Overcoming my Marine Corps induced aversion to standing in line; I queued up. Not long to wait until, Jim, the Food Services' Director, came by.  Al, "Hi, Jim, is it mint ice cream?" Jim, "Yes, it's mint chocolate chip." Al, "That's too bad becasue I'm not allowed to eat mint!" Jim, "Wait here."  Moments later he retuned with an ice cream sandwich for me. 😁   

    Sammi is the OFH Activities Director. After eating my ice cream sandwich Sammi and I were together waiting for an elevator. Expressing my gratitude for the St Patty's Day event,  I said "These events are good community builders." She said "Offer free food and people turn out!: 😀 It's true, and a phenomena to analyze another day. 

Takk for alt,

Al

And then the snow came! Mt. Fuji with our tents barely visible in the foreground. 1961

Just in case you don't read Pearls...

 

Memory!

    It was the first night and morning in our Quonset Hut barrack in Boot Camp. Upon arrival at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego we were housed in dormitory barracks until there were enough Marines to form a four platoon company. Then we were installed in Quonset Huts for the remainder of Boot Camp. These humble huts would be our home for twelve weeks.

  "On April 8, 1956, six U.S. Marine Corps recruits drowned during a disciplinary night march led by Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon into Ribbon Creek at Parris Island, South Carolina. The incident, caused by unexpected deep water and panic, led to McKeon’s conviction for negligent homicide and significant reforms to Marine training methods."  Internet

   The new rules mandated that from 10pm until 6am, Marine recruits could not be bothered by drill instructors. Taps were played at 10:00 and lights out, Reveille played at 6:00, lights on and everybody up. The first morning most of us were up and dressed in the dark before 6:00. One recruit, on a top bunk, was slow getting up. At 6:00 the hut door burst open admitting a drill instructor. When he spotted the recruit still in his top bunk he grabbed the mattress and threw it and the recruit on the floor. After that no one was tempted to hit an imaginary snooze button.

   This memory was occasioned by the Beetle Baily cartoon below.

Takk for alt,

Al

Winter Wonderland!

      The snow that began yesterday at 5:00 continues today at 5:00, with predictions of three more hours of precipitation. Churches were cancelled and the OFH dining room closed today for independent living inmates. The snow totals locally are something over a foot. Parking lots plowed this morning gather enough heat from the sun through the cloud to melt the new snow. Sooooooooo glad that snow shoveling is in my past!

   The girls high school tournaments scheduled yesterday were played early to avoid the snow. I almost missed a classic in which 4A Rosemont beat Hopkins by one point. It was Rosemont's first championship and Hopkins has had several. Rosemont's star will play at the University of MN next year. The MN coach seriously recruits in-state and she was at last night's game.

Takk for alt,

Al

Let It Snow

Lyrics by Sammy Cahn, music by Jule Styne

Print Song Lyrics
Listen on YouTube Music (Dean Martin)

Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

It doesn't show signs of stopping,
And I brought some corn for popping;
The lights are turned way down low,
Let it snow, let it snow.

When we finally kiss good night,
How I'll hate going out in the storm;
But if you really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

The fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bye-ing,
But as long as you love me so,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

When we finally kiss good night,
How I'll hate going out in the storm;
But if you really hold me tight,
All the way home I'll be warm.

Oh, the fire is slowly dying,
And, my dear, we're still good-bye-ing,
But as long as you love me so,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Arrival!

     The USPS Informed Delivery, to which I subscribe, announced earlier this week that a package would arrive from the V.A. on Saturday. Today the prescription, about which I've written much arrived, as the USPS said it would. Given all the writing I'd done about securing this prescription I thought I should let you both know that it came.

   High School basketball teams in Minnesota are divided into four classes for competition. Consequently, there are four championship games, two completed this afternoon and two tonight. Girls now boys later.  These are all televised meaning I've seen two and will see two more tonight. In addition there was the USA World Cup preliminary game against Italy, which I also watched. The USA won 93-59.  The short Italian coach could be seen gesticulating vigorously as he challenged his team. 

   Weather forecasters are predicting a major snowfall here, a foot or more of snow, in the next 16 hours. As predicted it began to snow about 5:00. Will the snow measure up to predictions? There's something cozy about snuggling in at the OFH with a well stocked kitchen, happy to leave shoveling a memory.

Takk for alt,

Al

The Little House in 2020, while I was quarantining there.

Happy Pi Day!

      Lexington Landing, the official name of my OFH, always celebrates Pi Day. From 11:00-1:00 today the organization offered free pie to celebrate Pi. Serving was in the Bistro, which is open for lunch at that time. Purchasing a bowl of soup for lunch, I had peach pie for dessert.

   It's another way that Lexington leaders promotes community. To eat my lunch I joined a table of  five men, all of whom I knew. The Bistro was full of inmates who came for pie, perhaps ordered more food, and stayed to visit. When I was living in the condo in downtown Minneapolis I knew a few others in the building, two of whom remain friends. But, that condo living was a much more isolated experience. There were not these type of events to bring residents together.  

Takk for alt,

Al

The cold weather training tents are pictured with Mt. Fuji in the background. There's just a skiff of snow at the summit.