October Adventures

 The fun began Friday when Heide and Richard took the Birthday Girl (aka BBBH), and me to Noblesville for lunch.

Saturday, The Day, we went to market, she with her list, I with mine.  Guess who got back to the car first.

While I was sitting in the auto waiting for her return this beauty drove into the lot and parked.  1947 Pontiac.

Saturday evening it's off to Frankfort for the wiener roast that she requested for her party.

Twenty of her children, grandchildren, and a couple of great grandchildren joined the celebration in Kent's backyard.  Needless to say she was thrilled!

(To be continued)

Christmas Comes But Once a Year

 

Parties are over, She Who Must Be Obeyed relaxes with a coloring book!

Dance 'n Skedaddle #T

Did I ever tell you about the time the Slonikers bust up Freddie's Oasis?  Waal, the Slonikers come out here from Omaha.  Think they get into the raisin' end a the cattle bidness, doncha know.  They had live in the city, smellin' the city smells, 'n livin' the city life.  They accume-u-late some coin, doncha know, 'n think to get into the country, raise some beef 'n live the country life.

Anyways, the Old Man Sloniker, he buy a bit a land over by Towner, 'n lease a whole gob lot more, he set to run a thousand head a Herefords, put his boy Junior to oversee th' operation.  No doubt they mought coulda done this in Wyomin', or Kansas, or could maybe even stayed in Nebrasky.  But they come to Colorado.  The thing is, Mrs. Old Man Sloniker, Rhea was her name, an' Mrs. Junior Sloniker, name of Cynthia Anne, bless their hearts, get to missin' the city life.  They both love dancin' an' music, an' the whut-not thet goes with them in the nightclubs they frequent back in Omaha.  But they truly is no such nearby.  Yet they learn a this honky tonk, plumb over to Burlington, mought nigh, where a good time of a Sattidy night was easy ta come by, 'n the booze flowed, 'n the fiddlers 'n pluckers was right pleasant ta hear.

So, a Sattidy of a July they get in Old Man's big long phaeton and head on north.  They get to the Oasis the musicians is gettin' warm up real good, 'n they start in with a couple drinks, Junior 'n Cynthia Anne test out the dance floor.  Presently, Old Man 'n Rhea cut loose, an' those cowhands 'n clod busters, not to mention even the fiddlers 'n pluckers, scarce never see anyone who kin dance the way thet ol' couple kin!  Well, I needin' to abbreviate this tale, les'n we don't finish afore bed time.

After a few more dances, an' doubtless a few more drinks, th' four Slonikers is all astandin' alongside the band, aclappin' they han's 'n stompin' they feet, whilst several other couples is whirlin' aroun' th' floor, when of a sudden, Junior  let out with a mighty "Whoo-eeee!" just as a, shall we say hefty, couple swirl apast them.  Hefty Guy turn loose his partner, turn back to Junior and say, "Whut did you say?  Soo-ey?  You callin' my gal a pig?"  An' athout awaitin' a answer, Hefty slug Junior raght in the mouth, bust out the lef' front bunny tooth.  Plumb out.  Then Old Man Sloniker grab Hefty by his lay-pel 'n holler, "Whut for did you hit mah boy?" An' athout awaitin' a answer, Old Man slug Hefty smack in his considerable nose.  Which instantly spray blood ever'where.

'N thet were the signal fer the freefrall ta commence!  Fists start a swingin' all over the room, furniture start a flyin', chairs abustin' up over tables as people dodge, 'n over heads if'n they don't.  'N the four Slonikers as a man of one mind, 'n thout  a word ta one another, decide it is time to be som'eres else.  They hit the side door, pile inna car, an' hit the road.  Not a moment too soon did they act, neither, 'cause less 'n a mile up the road 'n afore they get to the turnoff where they head back south, fum th'other direction come two po-lice cars, si-reens a blarin' 'n red lights aflashin', headin' right to th' Oasis!

Ever after thet, whenever they agoin' out, Cynthia Anne tell him, "It's 'yee-haw,'  Junior.  Yee-haw."

© 2014 David W. Lacy 40

Celebrating 80 Years

It was a party.  Indeed it was.  My Beloved Beautiful Better Half planned and hosted a celebration for my 80th birthday on Saturday.  There were more than fifty guests present.  Imagine that.

 BBBH designed and ordered the cake.  She very thoughtfully, and in consideration of the guests, chose  to put no candles on it.  She could well imagine any inept effort I might have made at blowing them out.

 One-time coworkers and long-time friends enjoying the swing.  Fortunately, the S-hook did not give way until later in the afternoon.  My son was the recipient of that jolt.  No permanent injury, thankfully.

 I asked these two ladies to pose together, for they are two people who saved me from untold grief over the years.  Dee, on the left, was my secretary for 12 years, Elsa filled that position for six years.

 Good friends and faithful.

 Martha and her husband, Joe, with whom I have a lot in common.  Like me, he is son of a preacher.  Like me, he was a career educator, and like me, he taught mathematics.  Joe was born in July of 1934, as was I.  But I am older than he by a very few days.

 Son Delbert and wife, Denise.  Daughter Ann and her husband, Mike in th background, and almost hidden, my son Kenneth.

 My sister, Vee (left) and her husband, Elvin, came all the way from Kansas to help me celebrate!  She is talking with Martha, my first wife's sister.  She and her hubby, Loren, came from Ft. Wayne.

The hostess and the honoree.

Gene (left) brought Sherry (center) on his Harley, a round trip of a hundred miles.  Cyndy came all the way from Bloomington, Illinois.  These guests are special because Sherry was a student in my sixth grade class the first year I taught, and Cyndy was a student teacher under my supervision when I taught math.  She recently retired from a career as a university mathematics professor.

Here's a better picture of son Kenny posing with BBBH.

There were many, many more callers whom I have not pictured here, though I am pleased that I have pictures of most of them.  I am abundantly blessed, and can in no way adequately express my appreciation to the people who have stood beside me over the years, and who still stand with me!

(Or should I say, "Who can still stand me"?)