Jack and his Great Granddad

Jack came to visit this morning along with his sister Sadie and his Mother and Dad.  Today is his 4 month birthday and he changes significantly from week-to-week. He likes to set-up and makes cooing noises. Sadie brought her toy dog with her and helped Great Grandma make pie dough.  Sadie used it to make pretend cookies.  Sadie always loves Great Granddad’s tractors, and “borrowed” one to take home.  She will be back on Thursday morning while her Mother goes to Bible Study.  Jack was full of smiles. Carolyn stopped by too, after lunch. We always enjoy her visits and look forward to warmer weather when we can visit some gardens in Lincoln. It was another “below freezing” day with high temperatures in the low 20s. We got a light covering of snow today but hope it will melt off tomorrow before it gets colder  again and likelihood of more rain, sleet and snow early next week. Back in the earlier days when many farmers moved from farm to farm, March 1st was considered “moving day”. As a kid, it seemed like the weather was always bad that time of year. It often brought new kids to our country school. 

Battle of Lookout Mountain

Dale Flowerday’s move this week from Lincoln to Woodbury, TN prompted us to do some checking on our trip through that area back in ’02. Here is a painting by James Walker of “The Battle of Lookout Mountain”. Mr. Walker actually witnessed the battle and sketched scenes to render this 13’ by 30’ painting. We saw the painting at the Point Park Visitor Center, Chickamunga-Chattanooga National Military Park when we were in the area. A tram runs up the mountain to the Point Park which overlooks the city of Chattanooga. Mr Walker finished the painting in 1874 which contains details of hundreds of Civil War soldiers and must have taken several gallons of paint to cover the 30 foot canvas.   Elaine and I visited the park on our way home from having seen baseball games in Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Miami. We need to get back to see the new ballpark in Miami since it is the only one of the current 30 Major League parks where I havne’t seen a game. I have been current on all 30 a couple times but they keep building new ones. 

Titanic after Defeat

When the Nebraska-Ohio State game was finished on ESPN  this evening, I flipped channels and ended up again watching Titanic.  I used the word “finished” and not “over” since with  a final 81-57 score, the game was over long before it was finished. Today was one of our coldest days of the winter and we did “Home Delivered Meals”. Since our route’s final delivery is next door to the Senior Center, we took in the Potato Bake for lunch. It is as much a social event as a good place to eat. Elaine watched the Weather Channel today to check on the weather that Dale and his family my encounter on their was to central Tennessee. As we watch Titanic we are amazed at how much different it is than what we remember. It’s almost like a revised version but still includes Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It has been close to 20 years since the original version came out but it’s still a very traumatic story. The life boats are loading so I’d better get this published. 

Nebraska Women win over Minnesota

I was able to attend the Nebraska-Minnesota Big 10 women’s basketball game at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln last evening. It was a critical game for the Huskers who went into the game with a 19-8 overall and 9-7 Big 10 record. They were facing the Golden Gophers with a 22-6/11-5 record and with  6’5” Amanda Zahui B. who had averaged 33 points over her past 2 games. Nebraska got off to an early lead as shown on the scoreboard but the Gophers came back and led by a point in the first 10 minutes. However, the Huskers led 32-28 at the half and began the 2nd period with a 20-2 run. They went on to win 74-50 with Freshman Natalie Romeo scoring 21 points filling in for the injured Rachel Theriot.  She did it by making 6-13 3’s. Seward’s Emily Cady adding 17 while holding Zahui B. to 12, T. Loudermill and Allie Havers each having 10. Brandi Jeffery had 9 and Hallie Sample 7 to round out the scoring. All of the girls played aggressive defense. It was a great victory after having lost to Minnesota earlier in the season. Coach Connie Yori has done an excellent job of bringing the girls back after the season ending loss of team leader Theriot with an ankle injury. It was an enjoyable evening in an outstanding facility. The scoreboard is an electronic miracle in it’s own right with  current updates of percentage of 3’s, FT’s, and shots made as well as all the “normal” information. This win should assure the Huskers a spot in the NCAA  Tournament and who knows how far they may go if they play like they did last night.

Flowerday going to Tennessee

Elaine and I went down near Lincoln to tell her brother Dale and his wife “good-bye” as they leave today for their new home in Woodbury, TN. Dale and Marlene have been living with her daughter Tonda and family for some time since selling the longtime Flowerday house in Lincoln. Tonda has been transferred with the company she works with to Murfreesboro, TN. and Dale and Marlene are following them to nearby Woodbury. Dale and Elaine were very close growing up and have continued close over the years. After a distinguished  career as a PhD Agronomy Professor at the University of Nebraska, the Extension Service and Pioneer Hybrid, Dale has continued to work as a Consultant and Expert Witness. He is very well known and respected throughout the Midwest agricultural community and will be missed by many. He is known for “telling it like it is”. We hope his wealth of knowledge can be utilized in Tennessee if by no other way than  asking those in the Ag community why they do things the way they do. Bon Voyage

Kiwanis Meeting in Norfolk, NE

Ralph Hansen provided the program at Kiwanis this noon by reporting on the recent Nebraska-Iowa District Mid-Year Conference held at the Northeast Community College in Norfolk, NE. There were 290 registered for the event in District Governor Steve McNally’s home town including our local club President Wess Robotham, Secretary Ken Block and Ralph. The current Kiwanis goals were discussed including: membership, succession planning, governance, programs, etc., along with the International project to eliminate prenatal tetanus which causes the death of 25 babies every day. Kiwanis International has joined with UNICEF in this worldwide 3.5 million dollar project with 2.2 already raised. Marv Taylor of our Club was recognized for his member recruitment success. These projects fit into the Kiwanis mission of Serving the Children of the World. This year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of Kiwanis in Detroit and the 50th year of our Seward Kiwanis Club. The recent Parade of Flags project of our club will be discussed this week on Pure Nebraska TV with Jon Vanderford.

Nebraska Basketball-60 years ago.

Nebraska basketball is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Jerry Bush having come to coach the Huskers. They are doing it with a “Legends” game today in Lincoln against the Iowa Hawkeyes.  The 6’4” Bush was an All-American at St. Johns, played pro-ball and had previous coaching experience before coming to Nebraska. He retired from coaching in 1963, stayed in Lincoln where he loved to play golf and died of a heart attack in 1976 at the age of 62.  Though he never had a winning season here, he brought excitement to the game. Two of his biggest wins came in 1958 when Nebraska beat Kansas 43-41 in Lincoln on February 22 after an earlier 102-46 loss in Lawrence where Wilt Chamberlain scored 46.  The win was highlighted by Jimmy Kubacki, who was in street clothes because of an injury, coming  off the bench with just minutes remaining, dressing quickly, and making a long shot to win. We were able to see the game live as well as the March 3rd game in Lincoln where Nebraska beat #1, Kansas State with Bob Boozer, 55-48 as documented in my old Diary. Today’s game ended: Iowa 74-Nebraska 46. 

Wilson Fitzpatrick, Herschell Turner, Gary Reimers, Robert Harry, Don Schmidt.

Recognizing Mothers

Here is Barb Solomon of Lincoln and Donna Lefler of Fairmont, NE.  Mrs. Solomon was “crowned” today in Seward, NE as Nebraska’s Young Mother of the Year 2015. Mrs. Lefler was “crowned” as Nebraska’s Mother of the Year 2015. The event was coordinated by Jean Kolterman, a former Nebraska Mother of the Year and held at the Saint John’s Lutheran Church here in Seward. The announcement of the Mothers for 2015 followed a Brunch and comments from several of the previous “winners”.  I had the privilege of being on the team of Judges who considered the several applicants in each category. It was an interesting experience since the documented activities of each applicant demonstrated outstanding “Mothering”. American Mothers, Inc. is "committed to valuing mothers through service and education since 1935". While not all 50 states participate in the program, Nebraska has the record for having had 5 National Mother’s of the Year including Joan Burney who was among the group in Seward today.

Impressive Buildings

I took this picture of the National Walter Reed Medical Center near Bethesda, Maryland in early 1948 when my buddies and I were on our way home from visiting Washington, D.C. It obviously impressed us to have pulled off the side to take the picture. However, it has stayed in my old album all these years without any special interest. We drove past the hospital many times during our years back there but the area had grown up to where it didn’t “stand out” like it did in earlier years. Earlier this week (2/17/15) the Lincoln Journal Star published a front page story on how the Nebraska State Capitol impressed President Roosevelt when he spoke here in October 1936. 

A year later when Congress approved funding for a new Navy hospital in the Washington, D.C. area, “The President grabbed a piece of White House stationery and sketched the familiar shape.” While it was the original intent to build the new facility within the District of Columbia, the building height  (can’t exceed the height of the Capitol Building) prohibited it. Again FDR was personally involved in going out to the Bethesda area where he put his cane to the ground and announced: "We will build it here"

Oliver Lodge

It was a cold but busy day for us here in Seward, NE today. There were a few snow flurries in the air but no accumulation. We don’t count it as a “snow” unless there is enough on the ground to be able to track a rabbit. I participated in a Masonic Lodge Meeting this evening where WB Harry Hoffman was recognized with a 60 year Pin and Certificate. Harry and I have been friends for many years. He was raised in Bee and lived next door to my Grandparents, graduated from Seward High School and served in the Military during WW II. He had a lengthy career as a Rural Mail Carrier with USPS and has had many enjoyable years of retirement. He stays active, playing cards, enjoyed many years of golfing, gardening and takes pride in his yard. It includes a wood carving of a squirrel some 5 feet high that was cut from the stump of a Spruce tree destroyed by a wind storm. His son and family live here in Seward, but the 3 daughters and their families are in Denver, Dallas and DesMoines. He had the squirrel carved as a surprise for the family when they all came back to visit over the 4th of July a few years ago.

Vrana Family Reunion 1946

This was a Joseph and Antonia Vrana family reunion at the old Vrana family farm in the fall of 1946. It included most of their family along with the Tom Vrana family; my dad’s cousin and our old dog, Major. We didn’t realize it at the time but it was the last such reunion at the farm. Grandpa and Grandma (Joseph & Antonia) had bought the farm  and moved to it from a farm near Abie in 1903. It was there that John, my Dad (Tony), Rose, Emma, Anna, Joe and Tillie were raised. Grandpa died in 1950 and the farm was sold after Grandma died in 1960. It was where I was “raised” from the age of 6 till 21. The place is the site of many memories and we still visit it (at least by driving by) every year.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes at Seward Episcopal Church

We enjoyed Shrove Tuesday pancakes this evening with Carolyn and the Owenses at the Episcopal Church. It was a nice event and an opportunity to visit with old friends and even some new ones. Sadie was very alert to the little ones her age as they passed by in the serving line. Jack just enjoyed himself on Julie’s lap. We got there a bit early since Carolyn had some kitchen duties and Mother Helen took us into the Sanctuary where I wanted Elaine to see the pipe organ. It is a relatively recent addition which I heard at a funeral last Saturday. Professor Chas Krutz accompanied the Organist playing  Bach music with his violin. I had the opportunity this evening to tell him that it was so majestic and beautiful that it game me "goose bumps”.

SHS Coach Mark Cidlik

Coach Mark Cidlik presented the program for today’s Kiwanis meeting. His SHS Blue Jay Varsity basketball team is 18-4 with a 10-0 home court record. His squad includes 8 seniors and he says the whole squad is made up of exceptionally good kids. He went down the roster and had something good to say about every one.  The community support has been appreciated with the Seward fans  far out numbering the home team crowd at a recent Elkhorn game. It has been some 15 years since the Seward boys have been to the State tournament, but their chances this year look pretty good being in the top 5  class B teams in the state. He discussed the evolving nature of the game by telling of the importance of the weight and exercise facility. They even obstruct players with an elbow and shoulder as they go in for layups during practice because they know that will happen during the game and not necessarily called a foul. Teaching them to “take a charge” is a bit risky this near the end of the season when injuries could be critical. This is Coach Cidlik’s 4th year in Seward. He has told the team recently they were going to have a successful season even if they didn’t get to the State Tournament. 

Paper Work, etc.

We spent much of the afternoon in our lower level family room doing “paper work” this afternoon as the temperature hovered around the 17 degrees. Elaine has continued to sort through “stuff” that has been in storage for years. She has a box of letters that her Mother had saved that were written by Elaine during our early days back in Washington, D.C. 40 years ago. We went to Church this morning and enjoyed our social hour visit with Alec, his Mother and little sister, Abbie. Alec is a senior in HS this year and Abbie is a freshman. He played golf with Charlie and I when he was in Jr.High and has matured into very well mannered young man. We also watched a lot of college basketball over the weekend. The game continues to  evolve. It’s a much different game than it was just a few years ago. The contact permitted has led to stronger and bigger players than we saw in the past. We watched Nebraska lose to Purdue this afternoon who has a freshman that is 7’2’’ and weighs 297 lbs. He runs the floor well but would seem to fit better with the football team. The role of the “post player” is as out of date as a Studebaker. 

Flowerday Farm Book

This is a Farm Account Book prepared by the USDA Extension Service and the University of Nebraska used by Albert G. Flowerday (Elaine’s Father) in 1930. The first section is an inventory of horses, cattle, hogs and poultry. It is followed by machinery and crops. He listed his John Deere-D as having been purchased in 1927 for $1,100. and having a current value of $730. Their car was a 1926 Chevy with a value of $200. They had 12 cows, 1 heifer and 10 calves; 2 brood sows and 8 market hogs. They had 144 hens, 14 roosters, 5 ducks and 10 geese. It also went into the acreage of corn, wheat, oats and alfalfa. Perhaps the listing of the horses by name, age and value is most interesting. While their is no mention of it in the book, the most significant event in the Albert and Flora Flowerday family that year was the birth of Elaine (my wife). She “grew-up” to drive the old JD-D and knew several of the horses. They were June, Jimmie, Buck, Dollie, Pete, Dan, Nig and Barney. June was Elaine’s favorite who was listed as 12 years old in 1930 and valued at $20. 

Here is Elaine riding on old June in 1936 with her school lunch pail in hand. Brother Dale is holding  “puppy" and Brother Bill is near Trixie. The old 1926 Chevy is in the background. Albert would have had his own thrashing machine at the time this picture was taken. The old JD-D was used to power the machine and a “thrashing run” was made up of several neighbors. It continued for 10-12 years until farmers began to get combines after WWII. Albert and Dale’s early interest in Soil Conservation is what led to Elaine and I becoming acquainted and my career with the USDA Soil Conservation Service. It was a good connection. 

Great Grandchildren

Jack is 3 1/2 months old and weighs over 15 pounds. He, Julie, Carolyn and Sadie came to visit today. The rapid changes that children make from week-to-week at this age is nothing short of a miracle. He is a very happy little fellow and definitely demonstrates male characteristics. While Sadie seems to favor her daddy with some of her characteristics, Jack is more like his mother. They are both our favorite Great Grandchildren. Sadie sang all the way through the alphabet song today with her mother as well as other songs by herself. Jack is very much aware of different people but will smile at all of us. Sadie and I took some “selfies” with the camera but they didn’t turn out very well. We get along best taking them on the laptop with her pushing the button. I was part of a discussion today on electronic media vs hard copy publication of our Kiwanis monthly newsletter. It won’t be many years before people will not believe such a discussion was ever held. It will be as obsolete as a situation I recall while working at Swift & Co. in Omaha as a young man. We were loading individual Hams and the boss asked one of the workers to put 6 more in the cart. When the fellow looked at him questioningly, the boss said, “Oh! that's right, I forgot, you can’t count”. 

Paul Dee Smith

The funeral service for Paul Dee Smith was held in Lincoln today but we were unable to attend due to the weather and scheduling difficulties.  Paul was a great Soil Conservation friend and long time associate as President of the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Foundation. I took this picture of Paul last spring at the Annual SCS/NRCS  Retirees Spring Banquet. Paul’s role that evening was in reading the names and paying tribute to our number that had passed on during the preceding year. Paul like many Soil Conservations had at 35-year career with the agency after growing up on a farm, receiving a Degree from UN-L, and working in 11 positions at 8 different locations. Like most employees who thought of their work as a calling rather than a job to conserve and protect our natural resources. Paul did a good job in every position he ever held. It is only appropriate to say, “Well Done, Paul.” 

Seward Memorial Hospital

Sampson Construction continues to make good progress on the addition to the Seward Memorial Hospital. This shows the activity this morning of using the “sky hook” mounted on a heavy truck bed, to lift the precast concrete flooring panels into place on the steel framework. While this addition includes several improvements, the rehabilitation facilities will be featured. What you see is two stories above the ground level but there are 2 levels below including a swimming pool. The use of pre-cast concrete has revolutionized construction. It is interesting to note the holes in the flooring that facilitates running utility lines through the floor and revising them in the future. 

Here is what the Hospital looked like back in the late summer of 1950 when it opened. The current addition is to the left of the original front door. There is a triple window visible to the left of the original front door that shows in both pictures. I believe the construction underway will cover the original windows that still show today. They are the last vestiges of the original building visible while driving past on Columbia Avenue. 

Lunch with Carolyn & Sadie

Carolyn and Sadie took Elaine and I out for lunch this noon at “The Cafe on The Square”. It is always a treat to go out for lunch and most enjoyable with those two. Sadie seems very mature for her age and gets a lot of good guidance from Grandma Carolyn. I had a bowl of very tasty Chili soup and Elaine had an Almond Chicken Salad, it was a good treat. Sadie got confirmation of her acceptance into pre-school this fall. The social experience  will be interesting for her and if candid cameras were permitted, for the rest of us. She and her brother Jack are already building a sister-brother relationship. She is a pretty lucky girl and seems to know it.

Cousins Newsletter

Pat is to be commended for keeping the Vrana Cousins newsletter going with regular mailings. Some of us are getting to the age that we have little to contribute other that to say that “we are still doing O.K.”. Our travels this winter have been to Lincoln, NE which is hardly news since it’s only 25 miles from home. I could report on activities of our kids, grandchildren or our two Great Grandchildren, but it would sound like we were bragging. As an alternative, I thought that sending a picture of several of us golfing cousins taken a few years ago might be interesting. It might even be a challenge to figure out the year it was taken when we met here in Seward. Hopefully Pat can pick this up and put it in her letter. 

Lincoln Journal Star

I understand the need for the Lincoln Journal Star to get revenue from advertisers and can tolerate the use of “wrap around” sheets on the “A” and Sports sections which must be removed before reading. But the use of “stickers” is another matter. It reached a new low this morning with a sticker advertising Nebraska baseball season tickets pasted over the picture of an 11 year old girl on a monument at Mahoney Park who was killed by a hit-and-run driver there in 1986. This article was the papers “front page, above the fold, lead story” and to have it blemished with the sticker goes beyond common decency. Reporter Riley Johnson wrote a very heartfelt story on the unsolved tragedy and of the ironic meeting of the 11-year-old girl’s father with another victim of a recent unsolved hit-and-run accident in Lincoln. It was shocking to see the front page so blemished as if by graffiti.

Public media has a tremendous impact on the public, especially in a democracy. So often it is the “little things” and small changes over time that contribute to the decline in what is acceptable by the public. There is already discussion on the future of the printed word and the lack of sensitivity by publishers will hasten the time of their demise.  If it is necessary for the Lincoln Star and the University of Nebraska to continue to use such stickers, I suggest they have some sensitivity as to where they are placed.  

Siblings

You have heard of people being as close as “ two peas in a pod” but have you ever seen them as close as, “two kids in a tub”.  I was 18 months younger than Vivian but we were very “close” growing up. Our Country school teacher even thought we should be in the same grade so I “skipped” 6th grade so we could go to HS together. This picture was taken in Seward before we moved out to the farm. The spot where the tub was setting for the picture  as well as the whole 6 lots of the property on West Moffitt street, are now part of the Hughes Bros. storage yard.  Sadie and Jack, our Great Grandchildren  are about 27 months apart. Jack is about 3 months old now and Sadie has accepted him very well. We haven’t observed any jealousy on her part for needing to share attention. Maybe older sisters are adept at doing so, but like Vivian, they also seem to be sure to get their share. 

Grandma’s Spoon Collection

A casual comment by older people can set-off several hours of entertainment when there is little else on their agenda. This was the case at our house today when Elaine questioned how we may handle a collection of little spoons which her Mother had collected. There are some things which are nice to distribute to family members for a “keepsake” from their ancestors. For instance, I prize a 1877 Liberty Seated Quarter that was given to my Mother by her father when she was a girl since it was dated the year of his birth.  It was one of her prized possessions and will be passed along to future generations along with the “story” which has been written. But what do you do with a collection (35-40) spoons that stimulated pleasant memories of the person that collected them but probably have little personal attachment for others. If any of the Grand kids, Great Grand kids or family decedents of Elaine’s Mother would like to have one, we would be pleased to pass it on. Elaine’s Mother and Dad like many people of that era were able financially to so some traveling and buy a few “wants” in retirement that were impossible earlier. Flora took a lot of pride in her collection of spoons that were displayed on a special spoon rack. The collection includes spoons from our trip with them to California, their visiting us back in Washington, D.C. and a trip they made to Bogota, Columbia in South America to visit their son Dale and family while he was assigned there with the UN-L Rockefeller Project.

Tonic Water from Mike’s Market

I didn’t get downtown for coffee yesterday with the 6’’ of snow accumulating  so was anxious to go today. I had cleaned off the driveway and knew we needed bread and bananas which helped justify my going out in the very cold weather. After coffee, I stopped past “Mike’s Market”, picked up the bananas, bread and a few other things on sale. That included 3. 1 liter bottles of Tonic Water with Quinine on sale for $0.88. Quinine was recommended to me some years ago as a prevention of leg cramps and it works. I keep a supply in the lower level refrigerator and drink it while spending time down there in my shop, office or on the PC.  I paid cash for my few items and didn’t check the ticket until I got home, then noticed that the Tonic Water rang-up as $1.13. I questioned driving back down the 4 blocks to correct the overcharge or to just forget it. Then I realized Elaine hadn’t been out of the house for a couple days so she went along and stayed in the car while I talked to Mike. He was most appreciative of our calling it to their attention; it just hadn’t been changed in their scanner.  I justified the whole experience by doing a friend a favor. We like Mike, and he continues to make improvements in the store, its products and mostly, its management. My bargains this morning also included two of the best lemon pepper, roasted pork chops off the warm Deli counter that we have had in years. I’ll probably use the 75cents that I got back today to buy more pork chops from Mike tomorrow. 

Conservation Comic Booklets

This is a 16 page “comic booklet” published by the Soil and Water Conservation Society aimed at helping the conservation education of elementary school children.  This one on Plants is one of several published on various topics such as “Water in Your Hands”, “The Story of Land”, etc. They were written by experienced conservation educators, published by SWCS and sold   in bulk numbers to School Districts and Organizations which made them available to schools.  Teacher Guides were also available. These booklets were very popular during the ’80’s and during the years of my being the Executive Vice-President for the Society in Ankeny, IA in the late 80’s and early ’90’s. Like many educational tools, there was a move toward computerized material by the time I left the organization. I hope that many of the students who were exposed to these booklets are now among those in our society who feel strongly about the sustained use of our natural resources. And, today we need to think of our worldwide climate as a part of our natural resources which needs to be sustained. 

Conservation on the Land

This is a picture of the farm where my folks lived for some 25 years prior to their retirement and moving to town. They didn’t own the land but took care of it in a very commendable stewardship manner. The drought and depression of the 1930’s had such a profound effect on them and others of their generation, that they were reluctant to ever go into debt. The photo was taken by Richard Hufnagle and used in recognizing them and the owner as the Seward County Conservation District honor farm of 1969. They were presented the award at an annual meeting of the State Soil Conservation Districts which also included a commendation signed by Governor Tiemann. I had “laid out” the terrace lines in the 50’s while working with the Soil Conservation Service here in Seward County.  Dad got started farming on the contour and working with terraces on the old Vrana farm where we lived when I started working with SCS. It is somewhat ironic that Elaine’s parents were conservation farmers under very similar circumstances. Some of our first “dates” included her brother who was working for the Soil Conservation District building terraces and studying Agronomy at UN-L. It is little wonder that our youngest son has worked with SCS/NRCS for 35 years and is in New Orleans this week at the NACD (National Association of Conservation Districts) Annual Meeting where the Agency in rolling out a program called “Client Gateway” which Jon helped develop back in Washington, D.C.

Staying Busy on Groundhog's Day

The Groundhog saw his shadow soon after the sun rose this morning and it shown brightly throughout the day. While I cleaned most of the snow off our driveway yesterday, I went out this afternoon and got it off the sidewalk and that which blew in overnight. It warmed up into the high teens and some of the snow even melted. I didn’t go to coffee this morning nor to Kiwanis at noon, but enjoyed the day reorganizing computer files and looking at what I have stored on flash drives. The 1980’s box that I pulled off the shelf in the basement yesterday, continues to be most interesting. I read things this afternoon that I don’t remember ever having seen before. We were involved with so many activities during the 80’s in addition to our jobs, the farm, our house in town, etc. that we weren't sure if we were coming or going. I noted in one of my Journal entries that if I left the house by 7:15am, I could stop past the farm to stoke the wood stove and be at work in Lincoln before 8:00am.  I often listened to Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story” on the way home when I would again stoke the stove and do whatever else that needed to be done out there before coming on in to town.   It is interesting to look back on those days to “relive” the Happy Times and be appreciative of the many people who helped us through the difficult ones.
(Thanks to Elaine for taking the picture)

A Super (Snow) Bowl Day

This was the scene looking out our front door at about 8:30 this morning. We had already decided that we wouldn’t go to Church. We had rain and snow mixed yesterday and by evening the ground was covered with snow. By this morning we had some 6-7 inches of wet snow with high north winds. Our snow blower had set in the garage without being used for nearly 2 years but I decided it was time to put air in its tires and “fire-it -up”. It started on the first pull after putting gas in the tank, checking the oil, taking out the spark plug and squirting in some starting fluid. The City snowplow had cleared the street with a ridge of the wed snow piled at the end of our driveway.

Fortunately, I was able to get the driveway cleaned before the ridge of street cleaning froze  solid. The temperature dropped throughout the day from the high 20’s while I was out to nearly zero by now. It is a good day for “Super Bowl Sunday” by our being confined indoors. The halftime show and commercials are as interesting to some of us as the game. It’s not until the end of some commercials that we can tell what they're selling. My favorites are still the Budweiser's. It was bad enough that Verizon & AT&T stock went down this past week without having to watch the Sprint commercial making a deal for anyone turning in their Verizon or AT&T phones.