THE POLLS IN GRIDLEY

Jerry and I went down to the "hard road" for breakfast before he left to volunteer at the hospital this morning. On the way home, I drove past Gridley's polling place. Both Center Street and Third Street were lined with cars and as I peeked in the door, I could see there was actually a line waiting to vote. I'll vote later today.

It will be an interesting night tonight.

VACATION 1962

I found this picture yesterday and it brought memories of a long-ago vacation. In the summer of 1962, Mother and I set out for California - I was 19 and she was 59. We traveled in her new blue Buick LeSabre with a specially installed air-conditioner that sat under the dashboard. We were traveling first-class!

We spent several days in Colorado Springs visiting Perry who was stationed there at a military base (can't recall the name) and the Stevigs who timed their annual Colorado vacation to meet us. From there we went on to LA. I remember driving through Gunnison - which is a whole 'nother story for another time. Shortly after that, Mother was driving through the mountains (two-lane highway) on the curves and hills, when over a hill the traffic was backed up and she ran into the back of a car. Not bad - just a little dent - but I did all the driving for the rest of the month-long trip.

The picture is of her "movie-star" cousin, Herman Hack, his wife Signe, and me. We stayed at their house for about a week. They were "extras" in the movies and waited every morning for a call for an assignment - none came while we were there. He was upset because "now that the Communists and Jews were running the industry, they couldn't get jobs anymore"!!

From there we stayed with Uncle Frank and Aunt Alice. Alice and I went to a movie one day and stopped at a bar for a smoke and drink (I was underage but nobody asked). She had a martini and I had a screwdriver. Another day Frank and I went to the beach - laid in the sun and got VERY sunburned - peeled like crazy the next few days.

Jerry and I had one date (coke at the ISU's Cage) just before we left on this trip. He called the night before we left and asked me out. I had to tell him we were going to be gone for a month and asked him to call later that summer. I worried the entire trip that he might not call. But, obviously, he did!!

Sorry, this is too long, but I could write much more about the adventures of that trip.

The "BIG" Elections

With all the hype about the Presidential Election, the promises from both sides, the controversy, trying to figure out who and what to believe and overall which will be the lesser of two evils, we are at risk of forgetting about the other elections we will be casting ballots in on Nov 4th.

In an effort to keep us from forgetting, some have taken to direct contact through the mail to make sure we know the "Facts" regarding their election race. This weekend we received two such pcs. of mail, and felt the "Facts" were worthy of sharing with you.

The first was regarding the race for Bibb County Tax Assessor. The letter was a plea for votes from the challenger against an incumbent family who has "Controlled the County" for 42 years. Below are a few quotes from this two page letter:

• "I have seen over the years how all the power in the county is in Centerville." EDK : No kidding, Centerville is the county seat and where the offices are.
• "Through a technically they have even tried to keep me of the ballot." EDK: Yes, that is word for word from the letter.
• "The only thing that keeps office open is the cheap rent."
• ".....every pig trail is paved in her district."

Then the letter takes an interesting turn.

• "*Tax Assessor*'s best friend was arrested for stealing funds from her church" (Named in letter)
• "*Tax Assessor*'s husband died and family is asking courts for a Warrant to arrest her for Murder"
• "Two weeks after funeral she was shacking up with a married man (Named in letter)."
• "Tax Assessor cheated her daughter out of inheritance"
• "Husband's family is having body exhumed to prove he was murdered"

The letter ends: "To make a long story short, *Tax Assessor*, Bibb County's Tax Assessor let him die or murdered her husband for money and a younger man. Bibb County does not need a person of this character in an elected position. Please vote for me. (side note, the person writing letter is the brother of the dead husband).

The second letter was not nearly as interesting, as murder was not involved. However, it did accuse the head of the local Water Department of: 1. Not having honesty and integrity, 2. Cashing a $2000 check and using it for personnel use, 3. Charging a set of tires and paying his phone bill with a county credit card, 4. Firing two employees for complaining, 5. Improperly sunbathing on company time (Is there a proper way?), 6. Viewing Porn on a company computer, 7. Driving the company truck to town on the weekend. This letter included a copy of the alleged $2000 check that was cashed, and of course stated the challenger would correct these wrongs.

Any hotly contested local elections in your (red) neck of the woods? EDK

JUNK DRAWER(S)

I decided I have too many drawers that are so full I can hardly open them anymore - so it was time to clean them out this morning. I have found things I've been looking all over for - and probably purchased new ones. Lots of scotch tapes, note pads, scissors, emory boards, pens, pencils, markers, crayons, paperclips, junk paper stuff.

Interesting were some of the pens/pencils I found that brought back memories: Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel (a trip with Ang), San Francisco Marriott (trip with Jerry), Capitol Tours (to Branson), Plimoth Plantation (trip out East), and best of all a pen from Antiqua WI (great time with Mary). One pen is from nasonex, nasal spray - have no idea where that came from!

I've more drawers to go but won't bore you with all my junk. Just needed a rest before continuing my "job" for the day.

Ada

What a job!

I must be a glutton for punishment.
I just finished a project I have been working on since last Friday. I had a lead (thanks Malissa) about a woman looking for help with writing, typing, etc. I contacted her and it was a legitimate, Christian lady from Peoria who has her own Work at Home clerical business. She assigned me a job right away. It was typing a hand-written manuscript. I have been typing like a maniac for a week! This thing was a full-scale book! She wanted it done by Friday, as she had been sitting on it for awhile, but I just finished it tonight. (My week also included working my regular job, a 2-day trip to Galena with girlfriends, where I took my laptop and typed most of the night, babysitting, etc.) I typed 102,646 words. My hands are tired. The saving grace of the project is that it was an interesting story, and I would recommend the book once it is in print. AND she paid me pretty good. Not as much as my hospital job, but let's face it, it was sitting at my computer...no blood, no other body fluids, no doctors (sorry, Sam)...actually a pretty good deal.

Dave just said, "You've got three jobs and you still have time to blog!" Signing off...Judy

October 31, 1517

On this day (October 31) in 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the church at Wittenberg which began the start of the Protestant Reformation.

Nine years ago I was teaching Seventh Grade World History. One of the test questions from this unit was “What did Martin Luther post on the church door at Wittenberg that started the Protestant Reformation?”

I had a special needs student in class that answered “Upcoming Events”. I’m guessing he saw that posted on a bulletin board at his church.

With as many teachers in the K family as we have/had, I'm guessing there are quite a few other humorous classroom stories floating around.

--Rhoda

AUTUMN TREES

The trees around Gridley have been beautiful - especially the red maples. Among the prettiest are those in Perry's yard. As I drive past his house, I wish I had those beautiful trees in our yard. But as I watch Carol and Preston rake the new-fallen leaves, I'm glad they are in Perry's yard and not ours. It brings back memories of when I was a child and Alice, Perry and I would all rake the leaves of an evening - and usually Mother would let us get sticks and roast hotdogs and marshmallows in the burning leaves. YUMMY!

We have two "baby" red maples, but by the time they create enough leaves to rake, we'll probably be gone - or old enough to hire someone else to rake them.

"Be Careful!"

Andrew came home for the weekend on Friday. (He came because Mary Lee was supposed to play in a state volleyball tournament - but she sprained her ankle on Thursday. Details on my blog.) On Saturday night he told me he was going out to move the truck into his dad's shop for the night. As he went out the door I started to say "Be careful." Now Andrew is almost 20 years old, 6'3" tall, weighs 230 pounds, is strong as an ox, and basically can look out for himself and about five other people at the same time. He also was not even leaving our driveway. Yet I just feel better when he leaves to do something if I say "Be careful" before he goes. (Same with my daughter.) It's almost as if, if something did happen, I could at least not have to berate myself for not saying "Be careful." Isn't that a dumb little habit! Maybe it's universal to mothers everywhere.

Question for Nog Blog

Did I read on here somewhere that you can transfer records to CD? My co-worker has an old Neil Diamond record that she wants on CD so she can actually listen to it. Can you do it for her?

$3.99

Jerry and I are going to a free Senior Exp 2008 today in Bloomington. Sounds like an exciting day, right?

Ann asked how I was going to spend the $3.88 found in the bottom of my purses. I think I'll share some of it with Jerry today and we'll get two hot fudge sundaes from McDonald's - that will take $2 +tax. Sometime I'll use another $1+tax for my own hot fudge sundae. That should leave enough for two quarters for Nathan to use on a truck ride at Walmart. Any remaining pennies will go in our change jar.

Two notes: I didn't stay on my Walmart boycott very long - I guess the place is just too necessary to my lifestyle. I was so glad when Eric gave the "go-ahead" for patronizing McDonalds because I just wasn't able to give up those hot fudge sundaes.

I take budgeting very seriously these days!

Book Selection

Yesterday I was in a local thrift store looking through the books. As I looked through shelf after shelf of books I started thinking about what made me stop to look at a book, read the jacket, and consider buying it. That made me think about others posting here (especially Nog Blog) about buying books at library sales, garage sales, etc. Usually the titles are quite varied which means many things appeal to the reader.

I walked away without buying any as I'm still working through a stack of books at my house.

Regardless of new or used, what makes you look at a book to consider reading it?

CRAZY BAG LADY

I woke up this morning thinking "I've got to do something with all these bags!" I have new bags, old bags, ugly bags, pretty bags, homemade bags, store-bought bags -- I was afraid to count them. So I put all my used bags on the kitchen table and emptied them. Here is what I found:

4 creme savers hard candy, 1/2 roll of sweet tarts, 6 cough drops, 2 lipsticks, 4 chapsticks (been looking all over for them!), 4 lip gloss, 2 note pads, glucose tablets, round container of mini-m&m's, 1 lifesaver, emory board, 7 sticks of gum, Mary Kay satin hands, numerous toothpicks, 4 starbursts, 2 tootsie rolls, quaker granola bar, 9 pens, 3 paper clips, 1 pk kleenex, and best of all - $3.88.

I'm on my way to the Goodwill store!

White Water Excitement

Every once in a while a man needs to test his mettle. Recently I threw caution to the wind and battled the mighty Upper Gauley River in West Virginia, home to beautiful sights and breathtaking Category 5 rapids. In the fall, water is released from a dam at the top, accentuating the rapids and attracting whitewater thrillseekers from all over the world (not sure I met this qualification, seeing I'd never been rafting). Any of you bloggers familiar w/ the Gauley? It is about as terrifying as it is exhilarating! An adventure I will talk about for many years to come. After finishing the rapids, high fiving and flexing a bit with collegues from work who did it with me, I quicky returned to Indy where my office job and family responsibilities awaited me. Such is life as a weekend warrior...

Curious, what is your most thrilling adventure? (Dad, scooter riding @ the cabin does not count.)

His Truth is Marching On

I think you will all enjoy this song from a high school program:

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

Down in the Back

Just about every Klopfenstein I know has been "down in the back" as some point, or at least that's my perception. So, now I want to know, what as been the most common back ailment in the Klopfenstein family and what are some of the remedies you have found to be helpful?

Of course, I have a reason for asking this. I woke up about a week ago with a very sore lower back. I could hardly straighten up as I got out of bed. The pain was localized to my lower back, but as I went throughout the day Wednesday, the pain continued to intensify. As I got up Thursday, the pain had moved into my right hip and was shooting down my leg to below the knee. I worked through it, but Thursday night, the pain was intense and I didn't hardly sleep that night. (My wife had no pity on me either)

On Friday I went to the Chiropractor and got some relief, but by Friday night the pain was back full force. All weekend my mobility was limited and pain intense. On Monday I went back to the Chiropractor and had an ex-ray done. It shows I have a large bone spur on one of my vertebrae that is pushing on the nerves in my back.

My current treatment is alternating ice and heat, alternating 400mg aleave & 600mg ibuprofen every 6 hours (I learned dosages from my Mother) and not staying in one spot too long.

What has brought you relief in the past when you've had back issues? EDK

Baby Jesse

We wanted to share our joy with the blog! Jesse Brandon Emch was born Sat at 2:04am. He was nice and average sized at 7lb 12oz and was 19 1/4 inches. He came 2 days late....but he was just waiting for his Grandpa Emch's birthday! My mom is on her way here to help out and I'm excited for her company. As you can see in the pic, Anna and Timon are pretty proud of him :) We got home from the hospital today and are doing great. God has been very good to us!

Playing Games - A Comment and a Picture

I actually wanted to post this as a comment on Judy's post about playing games, but the comment section won't let me post pictures.

Mary Lee is without question the gamer in our family. Throughout her growing up years she wanted to play most any kind of game with anyone who would play. Andrew didn't like games so she didn't have a competitor a good bit of the time. She loved chess; the day she beat her dad (fair and square) was a red-letter day in our house. This picture is from Dad's book and is from one time when Joey and Mary were at our house and she corraled Joey to play chess with her!

I also have a very fond recollection of playing Memory with her when she was about 3 or 4. I had to go to the kitchen in the middle of the game to check something in the oven and glanced out to the den over the kitchen counter - she was in there turning over tiles to check them, as fast as she could, before I returned! We still teasingly remind her of that from time to time.

Game Players

One thing I do in the car to pass the time, and to challenge myself, is to look for numbers, similar to the ABC game. I started it a few years ago, and here's the problem. I'm obsessed. And I impose strict rules on myself. I have to start with zero. The numbers of course are found in sequential order, but I have to also speak them in my mind, in order, while my eyes are still on the number. Zero through nine is pretty easy, then it gets harder. I confess that a little bit of Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder comes out and sometimes I have to quit the game in defeat because I make myself start over again and again. (If I'm not sure I remember correctly exactly where I was, I have to back up and that can get me no where pretty fast!)

This game is the extreme, but I find that in any game I play I do not enjoy being real competitive and I will not cheat, unlike many other members of my immediate family...meaning my husband, kids, and grandkids. What about the rest of you...are you cheaters or sticklers when it comes to game playing?

"TAKEN ABACK"

Our church has a jr/high group called ACTIVE (not sure what that means) and each student is paired up with an older adult couple. We are supposed to attempt to interact with them throughout the year and there are three organized evenings with the entire group - tonight being the first one. It's a little difficult sometimes to make conversation with adolescents, but we were doing pretty good.

Our "friend" is Brian Steffen's son, Dylan. He was very friendly. Don and Rosie Gramm were also at our table and their young friend is Joseph Metz. One topic of discussion was about things we did when we were young. So I was telling them about Gridley when I was a child. I asked them if they knew where the tennis courts were. They both nodded yes and I said that those tennis courts were built when I was in high school. The little Metz boy's eyes grew big and he innocently said "I didn't know they were THAT old!" I was just "taken aback" and got clear frustrated! After all, I'M NOT THAT OLD!!

High-Five?

I made an essential trip to the grocery store this afternoon. I chose Meijer's this time. I know Shelley prefers to shop there, but one of my main complaints are the check-out lanes. I've run into cashiers who are totally disinterested and don't say one word through the entire check-out process. Today, however, I had a gal who talked non-stop, though I could only understand a portion of the words spewing from her mouth. She say, "I love people! And people love me!" She proceeded to tell a story about somebody going to Las Vegas and bringing her home something...I guess a bag full of glitter, or whatever she was saying. "This is Las Vegas!" she yelled. "I'm going to go to Las Vegas!" She threw both arms up in the air! I seriously thought she was going to try to high-five me! I guess that would have been OK, but honestly, I was just trying to buy a few groceries!

Economy

The newspaper and TV news are full of stories about the recent financial events, and if you listen to conservative talk radio they paint a pretty gloom and doom picture if Mr. Obama is elected. [On a side note, I think I am going to ban my husband from listening to talk radio because it gets him too worked up!]

We were with friends last night and inevitably the conversation turned to the impending financial crisis our country is facing. It was interesting to hear all the ideas of how people have already started 'tightening their belts' and making cuts to their spending habits.

I was just curious how everyone is feeling about it and what, if any, changes they are planning to make in their households. I saved the sale flier from my favorite store yesterday and am planning to do our menus based on what is one sale - many of my friends do this and I have not been motivated to try it until now. Also, as much as it pains me to do it, I will be calling our internet provider today and downgrading our service. We are paying a ridiculous amount for 'highspeed' which is actually very slowspeed. So slow that Sam can not get into his EMR charts from work on it. On a positive note, gas prices are down and we can fill up our van for significantly less.

Any other ideas for saving?

SUCCESSFUL SALE

Charity and I had a successful sale this morning. Here are a few pictures of our displays.

That's my boy.....

Retta and I have been gathering various pictures of church events in preparation for our new church directory and to post on our church website (http://www.bellviewbc.org/), of which I am the "webmaster". I received a group of pictures the other day from a youth outreach event called "Food Fear Factor". The kids are divided into teams and challanged to eat strange foods. One of the pictures was of Chris putting down ketchup covered gummy worms. He wasn't even struggling.Chris just told me that it was gross, but not the worst. The other stuff was nasty. Some of the other treats: frozen mayonnaise, Taco Bell value meal in the blender (Taco, soda, cinnimon roll blended together), pickled pig lips, fudge and baby food from a diaper, kitty littler cake (tootsie rolls), etc.

It's one of the main events each year. It never ceases to amaze me what will draw teenagers .....EDK

It doesn't feel like fall

If it weren't for the crops turning brown and coming down, you would never know it's fall here. There are wild sunflowers growing in the ditches, and we even have dandelions in our yard! Today, I cut my summer flowers out of my front yard, and those that are the multiplying kind had started new sprouts. It hurt me a bit to cut them all off, because I love summer so much, and I don't want it to be winter.

With the flower garden all cut away, my porch was exposed so Nathan and I went to Menards, his favorite place! After a good time on their swingset display, we picked out our fall decor. I have never decorated for fall before, since I so dislike it. I'm not sure what got into me. Anyway, it turned out pretty cute, don't you think?

Updates

Okay - it's time for an update. I'm sure this is not comprehensive, but I'm listing a few things you've mentioned in the past that I would like to be updated on!

Jamie - how are you and your family? I hope you received the package. AFTER I sealed it I realized I forgot to include a note. We've prayed for you and hope the situation is easing. Please let us know if we can do anything for you.

Judy - how are your sleeping habits? If I eat a small snack before bed I think of you.

Drake - are you ready to start on your next boat?

Eric - whatever happened with the guy who didn't show up for the interview?

Jen - how is your business going?

Uncle Jerry and Aunt Ada - what projects do you have going?

Uncle Perry - how is your recovery going?

Rhoda - how did your garden turn out?

and

Aunt Alice - DID YOU GET ANY POTATOES???

Please feel free to update even if not listed here. Loved the photos of Aunt Catherine!

Dedicated to Catherine Klopfenstein

This post is dedicated to a wonderful wife and mother of 7 children -- Catherine Klopfenstein. Yes, she DOES read this Blog!!! It's about all she does on the computer, but she looks forward to reading the family postings. She should be pleasantly surprised to see this post! Aside from discovering and making Aunt Catherine Eggs, she stays busy at her assisted-living apartment doing many activites, including Bingo, walking with co-resident Jean Maurer (former Gridley friend and resident), keeping up on politics, the Cubs, and Dancing With The Stars! Her address is CK at Evergreen Square, 801 Gregory, Apt. 210, Normal, Illinois 61761 if you ever would want to send her a card.
Remember to click the pictures to enlarge!

Cleve

Books...and more books!

Today I went out to the October library book sale. Tomorrow is free day but I decided I should probably support the library a little since I take advantage of all their book offerings. I brought home 3 grocery bags full, at $3 a bag. They're not making much off of me, and I have a fun selection of books to read...someday.
Here's a sample of the variety of books I brought home:

Once Upon A Town (The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen) by Bob Greene

The Survival of Jan Little (A woman who survived alone in the Amazon jungle)by John Mann

Storm of Terror (A Hebron Mother's Diary) by June Leavitt

O Ye Jigs & Juleps (A humorous slice of Americana by a turn-of-the-century pixie, aged ten) by virginia Cary Hudson

A Life On The Road, by Charles Kuralt (Because I'd love to go out on the road)

Sportsmanlike Driving Series, The Driver (A 1936 driving instruction book, just because I thought it looked funny and I might learn something for when I'm out on that road trip.)

Surviving An Auto Accident, by Robert and Dana Saperstein (I've never been in a serious one, but if I am, I'll know how to make a physical, economic, and emotional recovery!)

Cub Scout Leader How-To-Book (Because I have enough grandsons to form my own Cub Scout troop, and there's lots of fun ideas for boys in it!)

That's just a small sampling of many interesting books I have stacked up now on my basement table. It was a fun afternoon.

Aunt Catherine Eggs

I don't know if Aunt Catherine reads this blog or not, but if not maybe someone can tell her about it.

About three weeks ago in my 8th grade science class, we got off subject somehow. (That tends to happen. . .I don't even mind it any more; the kids love it and I've been teaching that subject so long I can teach it in my sleep & know if we've got time to finish the necessities.) Well, somehow I ended up telling them how many years ago my Aunt Catherine taught my mom how to make eggs in a basket and we always called them Aunt Catherine eggs. (Note: Mom said that Gloria told her one time that technically they should be called "Gloria eggs" because she's the one that taught her family how to make them. But we always knew them by the other name. So Gloria, if you're reading this, I apologize!)

Well, as the days went on, kid after kid came back to class saying "I tried Aunt Catherine eggs last night, and we really liked them!" etc. etc. Friday I finally took a poll, and ten of my 26 students have tried Aunt Catherine eggs and enjoyed making them. So the tradition has been spread far and wide. I thought maybe you would smile at that like I did.

to Painting Paris Pink!

Tonight I will be going to a breast cancer survivor's celebration banquet entitled "to Painting Paris Pink!" This will be the third annual event and the first two were quite elaborate with delicious food, surprises, gifts, music, etc. - and all for free! I'm waiting to see how they will carry out the theme of Pink Paris. Four of us have gone together - Mary Ringger, Marge Meiss, Jeannette Reimer, and me. Tonight Marge can't go so we'll just be three. I usually try to forget my cancer experience of April 1999, but this is a night to celebrate survival. Almost ten years - Praise the Lord!

Last year they took pictures of us with pink boas!! Thought I'd share it with you - ain't I cute!

Cubs

I think I'm safe saying this on a Klopfenstein blog:

GO CUBS!!!