58 degrees at 4:00 pm Friday in Clarinda, IA. Possibility of frost predicted overnight.
THE WAY I REMEMBER IT -- 4
Have a few random thoughts. Another teacher from grade school at Lower Lodi - Valair Robinson. Think this was in one of my upper grades. She was a stout woman with graying hair. I think she drove a Model A Roadster car. I don't know if it was her or another teacher that got tired of some of the students sliding down the banister the half-floor from the level the school rooms were on to the level that led to the double doors going out of the school--and also down to the basement. Whoever it was had warned to stop using the 2"x4" board banniste- top to the wall along the steps as a slide. So she covered it with clear Kayro Syrup! Seems like there were some upset kids who had the syrup all over their hands and pants.
Bobby West (Barbara was her name but she always went by Bobby) got hung up crossing over a barbed-wire fence to the east of the school grounds, near the girls toilet. There was probably nearly a foot of snow on the ground and for some reason a bunch of us went over the fence into the adjacent field, maybe to play in the snow. Anyhow, Bobby got the barb wires caugt in her jeans between her legs and she wouldn't let any of the boys help to try to untangle it. The girls worked for some time to get her off the fence.
There were a lot of evenings during the school year that there were events where the parents were involved. I think there were times when the ladies brought lunch in an unmarked bag and the men bid on them and and then ate with whoever brought the lunch bag. I would suppose this was a way for raising money for some project. Often there would be square dancing afterwards. I recall going out into the hall and then into the small library that was in the jutted-out portion of the building that also contained the stairway, and hiding so wouldn't have to square dance. Hard to imagine that now since we began square dancing here in the 1970's, quit while we were working at the grain elevetor until 1994 when we took it up again. Went to many cities in southwest Iowa (Council Bluffs, Missouri Vallely, Creston, Corning, Shenandoah and others; northwest Missouri and eastern Nebraska for square dancing and then in the latter 1990's we did a lot of travelling to other states for their annual State Square Dance Conventions; Nebraska in Hastings for many years, Iowa rotated amongst the 5 or so separate federations of the state, Kansas in Wichita; and others. Then we began going to other states to advertise our Iowa State Square Dance Convention. We travelled many times with Patty & Rick Steckelberg. We travelled with them and also, at times, with Carolyn & Al Ruhde, both couples being from Shenandoah. We went to Nationals in Oklahoma City, OK, San Antonio, TX, Portland Oregon, St. Paul, MN; Charlotte, NC, Denver, CO,(had attended Iowa's holding the National clear back in the 1970's) We got active with the Southwest Iowa Federation of the Iowa organization of squaredancing and went to many state meetings which were usually held in conjunction with a Federation Dance. Travelled to many of the areas of Iowa for those, usually in company with Rick & Patty Steckelberg. Iowa had their annual State Square Dance Convention, usually in March or April, in different areas of the state each year, rotating among the 5 or 6 different Federations. We helped the Southwest Iowa Federation of Square Dancers put on the Iowa State Convention in 2004 in Ames, IA.
Joyce Juhler was selected to be Chairman and Phyllis & I were selected to be Co-chairs. Since Joyce was a single lady, Barbara Harrison offered to "help" her. Well that B____H stepped in and completely took over. We made many trips to Ames to meet with the people there, some of the trips had to be on the sly because good old Barb had forbid us to talk with anyone since she was in charge. All the Southwest Iowa clubs helped and it went over all right, but I developed quite a hatred for the Harrison woman.
Went off on that subject, will get back to some of growing up. Remember running away from home one summer when I was about 7 or 8 or so. Recall packing a WWII Army backpack with a sandwich and a can of Pork & Beans and probably a Life or Look or Saturday Evening Post magazine or two and heading out the east driveway. I was wearing my leather, wool-lined, pilots cap that had a wool lined flap on the front that came down and covered my forehead. There were a lot of tall weeds just to the east of where the driveway met the road and I went off into them, being completely hidden by them. I sat down, ate my sandwich, opened the can of pork & beans, at them, doodled around a bit and went back to the house. Talking about maybe a 100 yards in distance here. It was only a few hours and to this day I don't know if anyone even knew I ran away!
Well, only 18 days until we start our drive to our winter home in the Rio Grtande Valley in south Texas! Got the one recumbent trike we brought home, disassembled and put in the pickup this afternoon. Have been taking all the sliding drawers out of the travel trailer, re-inserting the screws holding the slides in place with a spot of Super Glue. Several wouldn't work right as the screws had jiggled loose. Can't imagine why dragging it over some 70 to 80 thousand miles over the last 8 years would loosen anything up. Think we have everything checked out on the trailer and fixed up ready to go. Plan to stay one night in yard at Harold & LaRhoda Neher's near Hiawatha, Kansas and then three nights in Cape Girardeau, MO while we visit my older brother Don & wife Vicki for a couple days. Then head south and probably getting to our place in Kenwood RV Park on Monday the 30th.
Later, Lynn
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