Bockelmann,
Dave & Norine 29
Sep 12
Slayton,
MN 56172
Hi Family! The weather up here hasn’t
changed--severe drought. The farmers are over half done with the harvest and
most are working the land for next year. The temps have been so mild that we
sat through Seth’s football game Friday night wearing light jackets. They won
their Homecoming game and Seth had a good night quarterbacking.
Our
garden is done for the year; I did get four dozen quarts of tomatoes canned and
froze sweet corn, zucchini, apples and pear pies. We
got some pickle relish before the shrews started eating the middles out. A
neighbor gave me grapes and they made excellent jam. We got a few watermelons
and are still hoping for a couple cantaloupes.
The
kids are protesting their Michelle Obama school lunches and many have gone to
bringing lunch from home or going without lunch. Many go through the ala carte
line for nachos, pizza, bosco sticks, hot ham &
cheese, chicken & swiss or chuck wagons, muffins,
ice cream & cookies! They used to like their hot lunches three years ago. I
helped out at the elementary in Slayton and we were constantly changing the
bags in the garbage cans where most of it was deposited. No one was begging for
someone else’s food and many ate the raw vegetable and threw the rest. I think
that’s where all the country’s money has gone--down the drain with the school
lunches!
Dave
and I are planning a short trip to Green Bay, WI this week; Cole is watching
the dogs and cats for us. We keep family in our prayers and hope this finds all
doing well.
Love, Norine and
Dave
Dirks, Duane & Inez 04
Nov 12
133
Archdale Drive
Kingsport
TN, 37663
I’ve been working on my truck installing
the OEM fog lamp assemblies and then changed out the rear view mirror for one
with the compass in it and auto-dim feature. That got to be a two day job
instead of a two hour, let’s just say that getting switched power for the
mirror was quite involved and leave it at that. Also it’s that time of
the year for getting things ready for the cold months so some rework to the
camper drain system, that was a lot more fun since like many manufactures
today, they build it fast and cheap with no mind that sometime down the road a
repair might be necessary and so what should be easy turns into a major
project.
We have had two nights of light frost so
only the sensitive plants have take a hit and others such as one in front of
the house are just covered with blossoms. ( Don’t know
what kind it is ). Garden work is finished although I would like to have tilled
it one more time before winter sets in but it has been too wet and not need to
turn up those red clay mud balls that end up being red clay bricks in the
spring.
All is well here, tired of all the
political meadow muffins and road apples, hopefully this Tuesday will give us
some relief although more than likely the campaign for the next election will
start up in only a few more months. I could wait a long time for that to
happen.
All is well here,
hope the same for the rest of the Dirks Clan.
Duane and Inez
410 S. Westview
Derby,
KS 67037
The month of October went by quickly.
Trying to remember what happened. I did pass-out at school so took and
ambulance ride to the ER and stayed overnight at the hospital. They think it
was dehydration, so off the diuretic for a while, drinking more water.
Arthritis is starting in the left hand, getting harder to type.
Inputs to the newsletter are very
scarce---stopping Google Doc—so don’t use it anymore. I am thinking of stopping
the monthly newsletter and shutting down the genealogy website because of lack
of interest. I will get with LaVonne and schedule a Family Reunion and then
make a large mailing to everyone. Genealogy data is not being updated, so
thinking about what I need to do with it.
Subbing a couple days a week, worked with
Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) robotics at two schools,
Derby and Rose Hill, neither did too good in the competition.
Weather is nice---corn crop was poor—the
other crops held their own, wheat, soybeans, cotton and milo were good.
Ruth had a spot (cancer) removed from her
neck and we think they got it all. We go for a heart check up today, 5th.
Dirks,
Marvin & LaVonne 31
Oct 12
17326
590th St.
Fonda, IA 50574
The farmers
finished combining our corn on Tuesday, October 2 and then they had the fall
field work to finish up. They probably are finding some extra time on their
hands with the harvest completed. We did receive some welcome rains during that
time. Although, we just wouldn’t want to trade places with the eastern states
right now as they are involved in “Hurricane Sandy”. What a disaster that area
has become.
During the
first week, Katie arrived home for a short visit and to see her brother, Jordan
play football. She had an appendectomy shortly before she came. We saw her at
the games. I surprised her by baking her favorite Swedish Cinnamon Tea Ring and
an Oster Kak (sp) a
pudding.
I see on the 5th our garden produce
froze that night and we also started our furnace. Marv and friend Doug played
their final horseshoe game outside at Winterset during the Covered Bridge
Festival which really started out as a cold and rainy day. A week later, we
traveled to Marshalltown to attend the Annual NHPA meeting. The Moose Ladies
once again fixed a fabulous lunch. Starting next Saturday and Sunday the games
will be indoors at Eldora.
We went to
two funerals this month. I was busy with a couple church women Cluster meetings,
circle meeting and also a guest night salad supper.
Lois and I
furnished mum plants at the church on the altar two Sundays in memory of our
parents and loved ones. Last Sunday we had a farewell coffee and fellowship for
our interim pastor of two years, who has accepted a call to another tri-parish.
We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new pastor in December; Pastor
Thomas Hagen was our former pastor at Newell, just a few years ago. He and his
wife are interested in returning to this area again.
Leann and
Tom returned home Sunday evening from a week at RCI Travel vacation to Oahu,
Hawaii. I see in the last newsletter that Linda lives in Hawaii and that Marj
is staying there with her until December.
I guess they should have met somewhere.
I’m busy
now with my housecleaning and hopefully I will be ready for the holidays. I’ve
yet to wash the windows at church, but the seven new ones Marv installed should
be stained and varnished first, that is my job too.
I need to
call Marcella to get up to date on everyone’s health. Soon Daylight Savings
Time ends and we will once again adjust too. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is on
the next calendar page. We send our love
and prayers to all who need them. We are wishing youa
great Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.
Marv and LaVonne
Ihnen, Kerry
& Joan 04
Nov 12
1215 Mayberry Plaza
Omaha, NE 68108
Hi Dirks Family, The biggest thing that happened this month was
that I finally joined Kerry in Omaha. Kerry’s job is going to last three years
so we decided living apart for 6 months was long enough. I moved to Omaha on
Oct. 12.We continue to travel back to Iowa every other weekend and stay in our
house in St. Ansgar.We hope to keep that up all
winter weather permitting. I’m enjoying getting to know Omaha. I spend the days
walking Ginger (our dog) all over the Old Market area. The weekends that we are
here Kerry takes me around to show me all the things he has found and all the
great restaurants he has eaten at. Our biggest worry is that we will gain all
the weight back that we had lost 2 years ago. Hope all of you are enjoying the continuing
great fall weather. Also we hope that all your loved ones on the east coast
stayed safe during the big storm.
Joanie and Kerry
Just, Jerry & Linda 24
Oct 12
31214 County Rd.
Bingham Lake, MN56118-2041
Dear Dirks relatives, such a dry, busy summer., no rain since May and just a few 10ths here
and there. The lawn ended up “crunchy” dead. We tried to keep the garden and
fruit trees watered, it took a lot of water.
Our garden wasn’t too bad. The onions and
the cabbage were the worst, no sauerkraut this year. Our butternut squash and
tomatoes did well, 66 squash (kids are happy). The watermelons were good
too---gave some away---to0 many to take care of ourselves.
The crops were so dry that they ripened
early. We harvested the corn before the beans. They guys have the field work
done and are fixing things, changing oil filters, etc. and getting things ready
before the snows.
Gretchen and family were here over MEA and
the kids had so much fun playing outside. We cooked up pumpkins and made
dessert and pies, they had fun. We made bars today and that stuff is so good.
Hope everyone is doing well. God bless
everyone. Hope you all had a Happy Halloween and that you will have a Happy
Thanksgiving.
From Minnesota, Jerry and Linda
Nelson,
Marj 31
Oct 12
11937 Aneta St
Culver
City, CA 90230
Greetings from
Honolulu, I survived my first Tsunami warning this past Saturday. I had
gone to bed and was awakened by the sirens, I
asked Linda what we needed to do and she said go to higher ground.
We put the dog in the truck and water and some snacks and went to a park about
a mile from here. We were there about an hour and nothing happened so we
came home. Can't take any chances, look what is happening on the east
coast.
I am enjoying my stay with Linda. I
am home alone during the day as she has been going into the office as they are
suppose to coming to see her new office and certify it so she can do Medicare
billings. I take care of the dog and the cat, take a walk to the
beach and then take a nap.
The weather has been nice and warm and I
love it as long a I don’t
have to work. Bye for now.
Marj
Nomann,
Larene 27
Oct 12
906 4th
Ave NW
Pocahontas,
IA 50574
Hello to everyone from northwest Iowa.
It’s another foggy and mild day but it will change tonight. The forecast is
rain tonight and tomorrow and then get colder and they even mentioned a little
snow. It’s been an ideal fall for the farmers to get the crops out of the field.
This is the earliest harvest on record. The yields were better around here compared
to other places in Iowa.
I’ve been busy this month tying and
finishing the edges of quilts. Our annual “soup and pie” supper and sale of
quilts is on November 4th.
My grandson, Barry Nomann of Chandler, AZ
was here over the weekend. His schedule is usually 4-days flying and 2-days
off.
The
last weekend in September my daughter, Elaine and granddaughters, Michelle
Mefferd and Kim DeVoss went to the Amana Colonies to celebrate our birthdays.
This is any annual event.
Last Friday Arnie and Coralie flew here to
put up the blinds in my new windows. They really look nice.
Monday I have an appointment to an ENT for
my 6-month ear cleaning, which I have had to do for years. They do not use
water flushing, which causes infections.
Time for coffee and hope all our sick are
felling better.
Love, Larene
Piercy, Marcella 25
Oct 12
PO Box 6
Newell, IA
Hello
to everyone! Time sure seems to fly; I hope the winter will go by fast. I seem
to keep busy, but I don’t accomplish much. I haven’t mowed lately, did rake up
a lot of leaves from the neighbor’s tree. I helped an elderly neighbor lady
with her leaves. Don and the girls cleaned my rain gutters. Cathy and Dale and
some family were here last weekend.
We
have been getting a little rain of and on. The farmers are done with the
harvest. Mary came today and we went to
church and then to Storm Lake to shop. We had our teeth cleaned last week.
It
was nice to hear from Marj. She is in Hawaii visiting with Linda. Hoping and
praying that Jerry’s and Don’s McGinley health are improving and also for
everyone else who is ill.
Take Care,
Marcella
Widlund, Kathryn 15
Oct 12
456 Richard Box
31
Palmer, IA 50571
Trick
or treat everyone! That will soon be here. Wasn’t it fun to hand out treats to
the children? In our area there are not many children around anymore. In the
good old days we always had a carved Jack-O-Lantern.
We
are having some very nice fall weather, but we need rain. It is very dry, was
surprised and glad there weren’t very many field fires. The leaves are off the
trees, they went very fast.
We
went with John and Dianne on Sunday to see Jim, Tommy and family. We had a nice
time together.
Enjoy
hearing from everyone. Miss those who don’t write.
Enjoy the
fall weather, Kathryn