Sadie and Jack

This was taken when Jack was only about half the age that he is now (2 months) but shows Sadie’s affection for him. As we “wind-down” 2014 and bring on 2015 it is with the hope and prayer that more of this kind of affection can be demonstrated throughout the country and world. Many problems could be solved by the simple admonition to  "Do unto others as you would have  them do unto you”. We are privileged to live in a community where even a trip to the grocery story like we made this morning is a social visit. Our coffee group is an example of varied opinions and yet we share basic beliefs and can appreciate why we see things from a differing perspective. Let us all strive to make 2015 a year in which we try to show more affection, become more sensitive to the feelings of others, and stay optimistic. How can an old man do anything other with a couple Great Grandkids as models. 

The Year in Review

This is the season when I sort through the pictures taken throughout the year and select a number to make up collages for the year. This is Page 1 and contains 40+ pictures which is about 1/3rd of the total I selected. This page carries us into spring. Elaine will write brief captions for each picture and place them is a book where the pictures are on the opposite side of the captions. This was a good day for such activity. Our theromometer showed -10 degrees this morninng and didn’t get out of single digets all day though we did have some sunshine. We hope to get out of the house tomorrow as the weather is to warm up a bit. Our car hasn’t been out of the garage since last Friday. The snow and cold weather has coincided with my bad cold and cough which “Dr Elaine” has me treating with “home medicine". It’s not that she hasn’t suggested that I go over to the Clinic but hopefully, the worst of it is behind me. On a brighter subject, we are enjoying the Kennedy Center Awards program tonight and thought the tribute to Tom Hanks was particularily impressive.

’55 Buick Roadmaster

I pulled some pages of advertisements out of old Magazines before recycling them last winter and came across them today.  I  have put some of them in picture frames and will put them on our spring Garage Sale. And, might even put some on eBay. This one came from the March 1955 Capper’s Farmer Magazine. It features the 1955 Buick Roadmaster which has a 236-hp V8 engine, Variable Pitch Dynaflow Transmission, and all coil spring ride with Safety Power Steering. The “catch line” This you take in Glory Pride, was a recognition that people were often judged by the car they drove and the “self confidence” of many was determined by that standard. The Roadmaster or “four holer” as they were called by those of us who were envious of them, was the top of the line that a “working man” might aspire too. Our first Buick was a new 1975 Apollo, 4-door compact sedan with small V8 engine and bucket front seats. They only made the Apollo during the 73-75 Model years. It was a nice little car and did have 3 vents on either side of the hood to mock the old 4-holers but never got the gas mileage that we anticipated. We also bought  new’92 and ’02 LaSabre Sedans so have been Buick owners for a number of years but they haven’t affected my self confidence or enhanced my image. 

Sister Vivian’s Birthday

The 28th day of December will always be the day of my sister Vivian’s birthday. She and I were 18 months apart as is shown in this picture with our Mother’s brother Ralph Walker. We are apparently out in a Wheat field that has been cut with a binder and the bundles put in  shocks awaiting to be thrashed. I would have been about 2 at the time and Vivian 3 1/2.  Ralph was 4 or 5 years older than Vivian. I don’t know whose hat I’m looking at but it probably was Ralph’s. I’m surprised that Vivian wasn’t involved in getting me to look at the camera. She developed “Motherly” skills at a very young age and looked after me during my “youth” as only a big sister could. We all miss her as she left us too soon 6 years ago. She kept me out of a lot of trouble and may have even been instrumental in our getting into some. We had a very close sister-brother relationship over the years. She and her late husband Eddy, shared birthdays on this day and I still miss them both. 

USGS Geodetic Monument

This is a U.S. Department of Interior, Geological Survey Agency Geodetic monument. It is located in the SE corner of Section  18, Twp-11-N, Range-4-E. which is 1-mile west and 2-miles south of Garland, NE. It is at the edge of the road right-of-way and the shelterbelt. It is on the corner of the farm that we owned during the 1980’s, During my earlier days with the Soil Conservation Service surveying Watershed Dams, we would run “levels” from such monuments to the Dam sites, since they were all designed to the elevation above sea level. I no longer have access to the location and elevation of the monuments in Seward County but do have an SCS General Soils Map of the area that shows this elevation as 1580. If anyone reading this has access to the USGS Maps showing elevations, I would appreciate their confirming or correcting the level.

Before & After

I have shown this picture of the little old Rail Road water tank which was demolished a few weeks ago, but it wasn’t until the sunny day yesterday that I was able to get an “after” picture from about the same location. The leaves on the trees make the “before” look different but the hill to the left edge of the pictures is a good reference. Following my last blog on it, our Son Jon who lives in Burke, VA wrote about one of their neighboring suburbs attempting to save a Water Tower that was going to cost significant Dollars.

It would have helped if we could have had the Redi-Mix concrete truck still parked but that was not to be on Christmas Day. There is a lot of history in this area. Some years ago, the Big Blue River channel was  moved from a short distance this side of the water tower to a straight channel about a quarter mile south of its natural location. There is a direct linkage between all of the stream straightening which has occurred during the past 60 years and the need to repair or replace bridges because of the channel deepening and the banks sluffing off. Many changes are justified on the basis of short term economic gain but fail to recognize the long term consequences and eventual cost. 

Great Grandson Jack

We spent much of the day with the “Seward portion” of our family out at the Owens house. Great Grandson Jack who will be 2 months old in a couple days, is shown here enjoying his 21st century manger (Cradle). It has a control panel with buttons to control the speed of the “rocking” motion. We’ve come a long way from, “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Rules the World”. Jack is now over 10 pounds and seems to be doing real well. Sadie has adapted to having a little brother and Julie is learning all the differences between baby girls and boys. Sadie was the main package “unwrapper” this morning as she went from one present to another. Elaine and I slipped away after packages were opened to do our “Home Delivered Meals”. It didn’t take very long and we were back for an excellent Christmas Dinner. Some of us Grandfathers enjoy an afternoon nap after a big meal so that kinda broke up the party. With our downtown deserted, I took some pictures of buildings glowing in the bright 48 degree sunshine. It was a Great Day and a very Merry Christmas.