Another graduate

A number of years ago I asked my Cardiologist to keep me alive at least until my first grandchild graduated from high school. That would be Stephanie who has now graduated from College and was married last month. Since then her brothers, Christopher, Nathan, and this year Geoff, have all graduated from high school. The first two are all but finished with thier Bachelor's degrees. Andrew has graduated and Brandon graduated last year. Betty and I were able to attend Stephanie, Chris, Andrew and Brandon'sgraduations. I have just returned from Dickinson, ND following Jonathan's graduation. He and Geoff are the latest of the 7 who have crossed that line. That leaves Larry for next year, Natalie in three years, and Will's three to follow. Since the families are scattered from ND, TX, OR and WA we thought that if we got to one in a family that that would be the goal. That has been pretty much accomplished now except for the three in Portland. Who is to know if Grandfather will still be around when Caleb hits the boards. Much less Luke and Zack.

Anyway, I'm proud of them all, and I'm sure that Betty has told everyone in heaven what joy she shared with them all, even as she told all the nurses who tended to her in those last two weeks.

Memory Lane

Last night it was Memory Lane. I began the evening watching the Boston Red Sox at home against Tampa Bay. When in Seminary at Andover Newton I was able on a few occasions to go to Fenway Park and watch the Sox. I vaguely remember watching Ted Williams. My full intention was to watch “Lincoln Center Live” from 8 pm to 10 pm. Of course there were moments I could flash back to Boston as the Sox won. Then there was the opening round of basketball. That didn’t demand much attention until the final minute or so.

The really significant memory of the whole night had to do with the music. In the opening piece Zubin Mehta was conducting and Pavoratti as singing. They were doing a collage of numbers from the past 30 years and both of these gentlemen were young. I first saw Mehta direct the Los Angeles Symphony in Seattle probably in the early - mid 70’s. He conducted that group from 1962 to 1978. I don’t remember what they played, but I do remember the excitement with which he conducted. It was still there as he was involved in a number of the presentations last night. On leaving LA Mehta went on to conduct the New York Philharmonic for many years.

Then there was one of Betty’s favorite artists, James Galway. He introduced his selection as being by the outstanding composer, Mr. Traditional, and then proceeded to play a very beautiful rendition of “Danny Boy”. As he stated: A lot of guys could wish they had composed it. I could only wish that Betty was hearing it all. If I ever had any question of what to get her for some special occasion Galway would do the trick.

Later in the program Leonard Bernstein was presented conducting Aaron Copeland. Again I can remember being at the Tanglewood Music Festival in the summer of 1947 and hearing the Boston Symphony under the direction of Serge Koussivitsky play Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Late in the concert a young Bernstein was presented and while I don’t remember what he conducted I do remember that this was very early in his career. Mehta, Galway, Pavoratti, Bernstein. Who needs baseball or basketball?

Weather

Cold and windy today in Billings, MT. I guess that it would'nt be cold if it were not windy. I just looked at the web page of the Billings Gazette and it listed the temp as 69 degrees. For a lark I checked the Huntington , WV Herald Dispatch and in my old home town it is 70 degrees. We are having off and on traces of rain. Huntington is listed as 'warm and sunny". I'd still rather live in the Yellowtone River Valley than the Ohio River Valley.

Flowers

I've been thinking "flowers" this week. Of course there are the dandelions. It seemed to me for many years when RMC had graduation at the end of May that the campus was appropriately decorated with the College colors of green and gold. I seem to have more this year than in the past. Perhaps because I'm not spraying them and thus killing the grass as well. Better a bit of gold than those brown spots.

What started this was a look across the street mid-week. There is a large spirea bush which is in full bloom. When I was growing up back in West Virginia those bushes were all over town. Dad had three or four of them in front of the porch and we knew that Spring had arrived when they came in bloom. Last fall I cut my three rose bushes in the front yard back to the ground. They have renewed themselves and are showing some buds in promise of flowers later. The tulips have long since come and gone, but the guys next door still have some in bloom. With the sprinkler system put in a couple of years ago the front yard (a hill) now has a healthy growth of grass. For many years it was next to impossible to get enough water on it to keep the lower parts toward the sidewalk green.

History

An interesting bit of Billings history in this morning’s paper. It seems that about a year before our house was built there was a plane crash apparently right in this area of town. Of course in December 1945 the College subdivision was not yet. Today’s paper indicates that the crash was in the 800-900 block of what is now Harvard Avenue. This house sits at 917 Harvard. The area then was a large field. I’ve seen pictures of this part of town taken in relation to Billings Polytechnic Institute (now Rocky Mountain College). The pictures show an area from the campus at 1500 Poly Drive to 5th Street and from Poly Drive to the rimrocks (an area of about 8-10 blocks) as nothing but farm land. This particular subdivision was built in 1946 and later. I'm not sure when the "Poet's Subdivision" east of us came into existence.

The plane was some sort of military flight and a number of soldiers were killed. While none of the men were citizens of Billings the local American Legion is placing a plaque in remembrance this coming September at the flagpole located on the corner of Poly Drive and 13th Street.

Incidentally, when Betty and I first moved to Billings in 1961 13th Street between Poly Drive and Rimrock Road was known as Iowa. This completed the names of the various streets and avenues in the College Subdivision. Streets running north and south beginning with 9th: Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. Avenues from Poly Drive and running East and West: Harvard, Princeton, Yale. Poly Drive named, of course for the Polytechnic Institute which took up residence on the current campus around 1908. But that it a whole other story.

Housework

I laid around in bed yesterday morning and didn’t make it to Church. I started to say “didn’t make it to Worship”, but I do that on my own anyway. Actually the format of our standard morning service is pretty loose with a 30-40 minute sermon, and quiet piety is not the order of the day. My main purpose anymore is to greet friends of long standing who I am not apt to see otherwise. At any rate, as I mentioned to Pete - I wasn’t going on Mother’s Day as a way of “protecting” myself. Annie has mention how much the ads have kept reminding her that she has no one now to shop for. And I have enough experiences every day that remind me of her absence.

For example, today I defrosted the freezer in the basement. A job that probably had not been done for several months. Betty most often did that. The thing was filled with Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice. Things I have bought often as I have found them on sale. I also found a plastic keeper which was filled with some sort of treat. An Oatmeal menage with a chocolate cover. And there is a sheet cake which I may take with me along to Jon’s graduation so that the North Dakotans can share in some of the last of Gramma’s baking.

The job of carrying stuff upstairs to the refrigerator and getting the Kooler out of the garage made for more trips up and down than usual. The heart is doing better than the knees. I saw an old friend at the grocers today. He looked older than I do, and tells me that he has been diagnosed with diabetes.

God bless us everyone.

Waffles Again

Nephew Mark asked about Saturday breakfast the other night and I invited him and family over for Sour Dough waffles. I had been renewing my starter so was ready for a bit of company. Actually I had set the batter mid-week and put most of it aside as a one cup and a two cup starter. (More about that later)

Mark,Rosanna, and Ambrose showed up around 9:30 and I was ready for them with fresh coffee and the first waffle hot off the griddle. I'd gone earlier to the store to get some syrup since I was almost out, but Rosanna brought a bottle along so mine didn't need to be opened this time. Everybody declared that the waffles were very good and didn't need any pecans, blueberries or any other decoration. Good thing. I didn't have any. They really were good and we had a good visit for the balance of the morning.

I've had this particular starter since 1966. It claims to be original from Sour Dough Jack of Alaskan fame. Anyway it has traveled to Texas and I gave some to Granddaughter, Stephanie to take back with her to Minnesota. Mark declared that he has no been able to keep one for very long. I was showing him the jelly/jam jars I store mine in and found that it is indeed "alive". Both starters had continued to work in the refrigerator and had spilled over to the shelf. The two cup was really working. When I took them out to clean up and ran some hot water over the jars they cleaned up a bit. I decided to relieve some of the pressure and tried to remove the lid. It wouldn't budge. I put it in the jar opener to no avail. I finally took a screwdriver and lifted up the lid when it promptly exploded and shot batter all over the kitchen window. Thank goodness I was at that place instead of in the center of the living room. Never had that happen before. The two cup is gone, but easily replaced the next time if decide to bake.

It has indeed been a good, eventful day.

The Old Man

This old guy was up every three hours last night. I keep thinking that it won't be smart to become dehydrated. The only problem is that I need to time the drinking to earlier in the day. Anyhoo! I went back to bed each time and managed to go on back to sleep. That, in itself, hasn't always been easy these past few months. The last time up was around 6:30 a.m. Do I stay up, get dressed and have breakfast or do I go back under the covers. (It's been pretty cool in Billings this month.) I go back to bed and the next think I know it is 8:45, Pete has long since gone to Albertson's, and I better get up, take my morning meds and have that breakfast so I can be ready for my chicken sandwich for lunch. This evening I have been invited by Mark to go to the Parents Lets Unite for Kids (PLUK) event where they promise "heavy hors d'ourves."

The Chicken Sandwich demaned a trip to the store for Mircle Whip so I get the three M's that we need. Margine, Mircle Whip and Marmalade. I forgot the tomato. Ugh!

A World of Seeming:

Every once in a while I turn my thoughts to the question of Eternity. I've just been listening to a recording made in 1972 of Betty singing the first verse of "How Great Thou Art". It is extraordinary! Such a beautiful young voice. She resisted singing solo in later years because of a feeling that her voice was no longer strong enough. If she is now singing in some heavenly choir they are one lucky group of people.

I ran across the following poem the other day when I was seeking the one found on the immediate previous Blog. How about that line? "The sun sets daily, but sets never." If God is indeed the same yesterday, today and forever, and if we share His immortaity that must mean that those who have gone before us in death still share with us in that "eternal now" in ways we on earth do not share with them. It may only "seem" to us that they are gone. Their lives "set", but "set never". Yet there are tears of sweet remembrance. "It is a world of seeming. And so it seems that she is dead, Yet so seems only; for instead,
Her life is just begun; and this - Is but an empty chrysalis While she, unseen to mortal eyes, Now wins her way in brighter skies - Beyond this world of seeming.

A World of Seeming:
It is a world of seeming:
The changeless moon seems changing ever,
The sun sets daily, but sets never.
So near the stars and yet so far;
So small they seem, so large they are;
It is a world of seeming.
And so it seems that she is dead,
Yet so seems only; for instead,
Her life is just begun; and this -
Is but an empty chrysalis
While she, unseen to mortal eyes,
Now wins her way in brighter skies -
Beyond this world of seeming.
            - H. A. Blood in the Century.

DAILY NEBRASKA STATE JOURNAL, LINCOLN, SUNDAY 5 JUNE 1887

New opportunities

       Not as I Will
Helen Hunt Jackson

Blindfolded and alone I stand,
With unknown threshold on each hand:
The darkness deepens as I grope -
Afraid to fear, afraid to hope;
Yet this one thing I learn to know
Each day more surely as I go,
That doors are opened, ways are made,
Burdens are lifted or are laid
By some great law unseen and still
Unfathomed purpose to fulfill,
     "Not as I will"

I was Editor of the Marshall College yearbook, The Chief Justice, in 1946. The above lines were a salute to the graduating Class, entering on a new plain of their lives. I also noted a line from Revelation: “Behold, I set before you an open door . . . “

These lines have been recalled as I have been aware of many “Open Doors” in my family these past few months. The door of heaven opened and my dear wife entered. Annie has had to choose between contract offers at both the Ashland, MT public school and the Lame Deer public school. She has chosen to stay with Lame Deer having been promised the High School Library. David writes that he has taken a new job -leaving public education in Tyler, TX and moving to Denton to work as an IT specialist with the Sally Beauty Company. He notes: ”I am happy and I am scared. I may even get used to things and start to sleep better in a few days.” His son, Chris, has been working as a baker, a task he loves, but this particular situation has not worked out so he is going back to a previous job with Starbucks. Two grandsons are graduating from high school this month and will be stepping through new doors “with unknown thresholds on each hand.” A granddaughter has just married. Kenneth has bought a Condo and enters to world of home ownership. And so it goes. Open doors. New challenges. New opportunities to fail or to succeed. May it be true in all our lives that each new day “Burdens are lifted or are laid by some great law unseen and still unfathomed purpose to fulfill.”

School's Out

The Billings voters have done it again, and again, and again. Three levies, one for high school, one for Elementary, and one for general maintenance have gone down again at the polls. It is no surprise, but I do wish that more members of the City would realize how important it is for our schools to be well staffed, that our classes should not be over populated, and that the kids in our schools would find the necessary attention and challenge to finish at least their high school education. Montana and the nation are both at risk when students cum adults turn to some form of crime to sustain themselves because they are not able to get a decent job without a decent education. And there is no question that buildings need regular repair and upkeep if they are to be satisfactory venues of education. Perhaps if more people voted instead of the paltry percentage that turns out for school elections we would have a more positive result. But it is obvious that to many voters don't really care about the state of education in this town.

GONE

Maybe the title isn't the correct word. We had a great dinner last night with Stephanie and John. Annie brought in some bakes beans, potato salad and a chocalate cake. Pete and I barbequed the London Broil. We thought that it was pretty much done at medium , but on slicing it proved to be more rare than we wanted. It was such a great piece of meat, however, that warm was done enough. Tonight we will have leftovers and maybe "warm" up the meat a bit more.

This morning Pete and I took them up to the airport for their 10:30 flight back home. I was able to wrap a small jar with a cup of sourdough starter in a cold wrap and place it in a padded carrier. Maybe it will get back to Minnesota still usable. It was great to have them with us overnight on Friday and then for dinner Sunday night. In the meantime Steph got to introduce her new husband to many of the Klein relatives, and to visit with her mother Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

It is a beautiful day in Billings, but I have much laundry to get done and other household chores. Peace!

VISITORS

The newly weds, Stephanie and John came in early this monring at Billings Logan Field on Horizon Air. The flight was a few minutes late, but not much. They arrived at about 12:10 a.m. Pete and I met them and after the baggage arrived we came on home. It was a real good feeling to see the Grand Daughter, get a big hug and to meet John Huss. Turns out there is a connection I'd not heard about before - or missed. John grew up in Davenport, IA, and his father-in-law, son David, got his start in life in Davenport. Of course he didn't take his first breath until we had moved to Massachusetts for Seminary.

I was up early to get the batter ready for sour dough waffles for breakfast. After breakfast it was time to take the visitors down to Stephanie's other Grandpa - Grandpa Klein. From there they are to meet with various friends and then drive on over to Western Montana to visit her mother. I don't expect to see them until sometime Sunday afternoon. Annie is coming over to meet the newest family member and to share in getting supper. Pete has a beautiful London Broil which we will barbeque. He also managed to bring a big tub of marinade home from Jake's. Sounds delicious.

Remembrance of things past

April 26, 2006

When I woke up this morning I put on a robe which had been made by my Mother many years ago. It has my initials embroidered on it, and was quite comfortable for a cool morning. I’m to see my Internist later in the morning and did not want to get fully dressed until after a shave and shower. I said something to Pete about the robe and indicated that it had to be pretty old since his grandmother Taylor had made it. A grandmother none of our children ever knew since she died in 1946 and Betty and I were not married until 1949. Our first son, Ken, was born in 1950. An appropriate number of months after our marriage. I remembered that Mother had died in the Spring. A quick check of the genealogy file shows that it was on this day, April 26th, that she died. Sixty years ago today.

An interesting sidelight for those readers who might not know. Clarence and Lulu raised seven kids: one girl and 6 boys. Betty and I raised 7 kids: one girl and 6 boys. We were lucky to have faithful and committed parents, and my kids were lucky to have had their Mother who was the primary caregiver while the old man was busy making a living, and using every opportunity he found to get out of town on some business trip or Church related meeting. Of course, as the children got older and were able to be left on their own I took her with me as much as possible.

School Days

Watching CBS News Friday night brought back some memories of my own. The story was of a 90 year old English teacher who had been teaching since certification in the same high school from which she graduated. She was now teaching the grandchildren of her former students. And I’m not sure, it may have been some great grandchildren as well. She was still teaching Shakespeare, but the her State office had declared that she should now retire from teaching.

I don’t know how old Miss Alice Freeman was when she retired, but she was the principal of Emmons Elementary school in Huntington, WV when I first started school. She had been in that job as far as I know from before my oldest brother, Norman, started School. He was eleven years older than my twin brother, John and me. The more interesting part is that she was my father’s Second Grade teacher, probably back in 1892 or 1893. I entered elementary school in the fall of 1930. Miss Alice was still Principal at Emmons in the early 1940’s when my Nephew, Clarence Moses, entered that school. Miss Alice retired in the Spring of the year before he was to enter. The story goes that having had the father and seven of his children it was to much to begin with the grandchildren. She was probably in her late 60’s by that time.

Another memory is of my own first day of school. There had been a rainy period and the school sat on ground that was above the street. Actually later in life we used the hill to slide down own our sleds when it was snowy. Anyhow, a group of us found a hill at the back of the school which was muddy and just slick enough to slide down. My memory is not of how muddy I may have gotten, but that Miss Alice found out what was going on and spanked us with a metal can (the kind cookies or candy may have come in), and sent us home to get a change of clothes.

Shopping

A few weeks ago I had the TV on and was flipping channels when one of those “paid programs” came on with a guy selling something called “MyRotisserie”. It looked fascinating to this newly single male so I watched, got the web address and ordered one of them. They promptly replied to my order and regular checking showed that they did not charge my American Express until they had notified me that it was being shipped. I checked the FedEx number and found that it had arrived in Billings on April 11th. It was finally delivered on the 18th as promised. I confronted the delivery guy and he hotly denied that it had been here in town for a week before delivery. No matter. I finally used the thing tonight. 20 minutes is not long enough to cook sliced (french fry style) potatoes. They were edible, but probably need twice that long. There is a recipe book for meats, vegetables, fish, etc. but none for French Fries. I’ll be frying things now that I seem to have found out what all the parts are for.

I went shopping at Costco and filled up the gas tank against the sons travel to St. Paul this week end for their nieces wedding. I’m hoping that the roads in Eastern Montana are clear by tomorrow afternoon after a pretty heavy spring blizzard. And I am glad that here in Billings we only got a little bit along with a nice moisture rich rain. .93 inches is a lot of rain for one day in these parts. But -- back to Costco. Some paper products, some household needs like laundry soap, and some groceries. The ready-made hamburgers were to much to resist. A dozen of them at about 6 oz each for about $1.25 each. There is a way to cook them in the Rotisserie, but I’ll probably use the George Forman. Pete will probably use a skillet.

Easter Sunday

The week-end has gone pretty well in spite of the fact that Betty and I would have celebrated our 57 Wedding Anniversary on Friday. Beautiful yellow roses were on the altar at Church today in loving memory of that occasion. Hymns about death and resurrection are not easy to sing these days. I am assured by those who have been through this experience that it becomes easier as time goes by.

Annie and Bill came in yesterday. I took them out to Famous Dave's for supper and she and Pete are currently cooking Easter Dinner. Ham and whatever. We have usually gone out for breakfast or an Easter Buffet, but not this year.

While the roses were beautiful, and can be kept cool and used for at least a couple of more Sundays by our Decorations Chairman. She's an expert at that sort of thing. The other flower news is that the dozen or so tulips which had bloomed at the top of our driveway have been stolen by someone. It wasn't an animal since the plants are still in good shape it is just the bloom which have been neatly cut from the stem. At least Ann's Civic is still out front. There has been a rash of news about stolen Civic's in our part of town this past week.

Full Moon

Last night as I was taking some trash out I noticed how bright and full the moon looked. When I came in the house I checked and found it would not be truly full until tonight. Then the idea come “of course, dummy. It will be full before Easter." That feast has been designated as being on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. In the next 18 years Easter will occur any time from March 23d (2008) to April 24th (2013). In both 2009 and 2020 it will happen on my daughter’s birthday - April 12th, which happens also to be the birthdate of my youngest brother. Not until 2022 does Easter fall on the same date it did in 1949 the year Betty and I were married. We were both teachers at the time and got married on Maundy Thursday so we would have a few days off for our honeymoon in Cincinnati, OH. Our 57th Anniverary would have been tomorrow.

And to all a Happy Easter.

Life Goes On!

Life goes on. Pete was up early this morning to report for his new part-time job with Albertson’s grocery. In addition to evenings waiting tables at Jake's he will be learning to Meat and Deli operations at one of the west end Albertson’s. Ken writes that he is in the process of buying a Condo in Helena. I’ ll see him next week when he comes down to Billings to leave with Pete for St. Paul where they will represent me and the rest of the family at granddaughter Stephanie’s wedding to John Huss. It is likely that Jimmy and his family will also be there. Annie’s Blog (http://bloggersall.blogspot.com/) tells us that while she has tenure with the Lame Deer school district she may very well be offered a job as librarian/English teacher back at Ashland where she started 25 or so years ago. It will be closer home and will involve less treacherous winter driving. Will and Karyn will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary tomorrow(4/!2) and Willie will be home rather than at the office working on other people’s Income Taxes as he has just started a new job which will give them that privilege and joy. David will soon be a father-in-law for the second time. While Paul and Louise are pretty much in settled jobs life still poses its challenges.

I cleaned out some of the basement again today. It is amazing still to find the kinds of things my dear wife kept against the possibility of maybe using them someday. Since they haven’t been used and they simply remind me of my loss they are out of here. She is still everywhere in this house - she is simply not here for a hug.

The tulips are up and blooming as you can see below where David has added the picture I e-mailed him yesterday. Against the possibility that it might rain I did get some yard work done this morning. Namely spreading some fertilizer so that Pete will have some grass to cut later on. It is still a bit early to have the sprinkler system turned on. It will wait for about another month.

Betty's thoughts

4/10/2006 I found the following thoughts today whie cleaning out the garage and deciding which books could be thrown away. One was a diary which had not entries, but these words were written in Betty’s hand. I had inscribed a date on them as written in June 1957. This would be just after twins were born 3 months prematurly and survived less than 24 hours.


“We give friendship, love, we are helpful; we laugh with others and are happy. But when God’s plan of things enters our life in what to me are the most dramatic ways, how do we feel? Friends & relations rejoice and who is prouder than poppa at the birth of a child? Momma wonders about the miracle in which she has just had the leading role. Those of us who have been privileged to have children know that if we choose we can escape from most of the unpleasantness. Tho’ I wonder if we haven’t really cheated our-selves of the full impact when we choose to escape from God’s plan for this part of our life. But, no matter, how many of us remember heartache, sorrow and loneliness which we experience? We seem to be wrung of all emotions and human feeling. Doubts and fears arise. This is God’s plan also. In there not somewhere in his plan an intangible something He gives us after the miracle has passed? One miracle brings us untold happiness, the other untold sorrow, but both are God’s plan. If we ask him He gives to us as much faith and courage to accept them both gracefully. Not that we are not to sorrow , but not as they who have no hope. Help us not to forget the experiences with a sweet sorrow. Help us to remember those expressions of faith and courage which we expressed. Help us to bear under the words of encouragement that we have planned to say to others. Help us when the miracles of God are most manifest in our lives.”


Can you wonder how I loved her so much? And here she gives me the right to sorrow.