Rodney Johnston 86th Birthday Surprise Party

67º with heavy overcast here in Clarinda, IA at 4:00 pm Sunday.  Dumped 2.3" rain from the gauge mid-morning.   Rained most of the night from about 6:30 pm Saturday when we were at Jay's Pizza & Steak House in Clarinda for a gathering of more than 50 people for surprise birthday party for Rodney Johnston.

Rodney Johnson & Teresa Babcock visit while waiting for
our food orders. 

   Teresa did not tell Rodney about it, and had quite a time getting him to pick her up to go eat out.  He had planned on going to Maryville, MO, but with the weather building was convinced by her to "just eat in town".  She had invited friends he had made in his 86 years from work, church, many associations.  

Tereasa had asked me to take pictures, which I did, and I also set up a video camera which ran all the time, including when she suggested, while we were waiting for our food, that each person or couple introduce themselves and tell how they were acquainted with Rodney.

I took the video camera off the tripod and followed around the room as each spoke.  Now, I am working on the photos and videos and discover I have 19 video files, each running between 10 and 11 minutes - which is normal, but have not been able to open any one of them.  Have worked for six hours and still no remedy.  The camera takes in AVI files, which is an older format that I have converted to the modern MP4 for over a year with this camera.  However, not today.  I had passed a paper around for everyone to sign their name and email address so I could send a link to look at the videos and photos on my Google Photo program.  As of now I will have the photos, like the one above, but am bamboozled about getting the videos to work.  Just tried new 20 second video and it doesn't work -- changed SD cards took a 20 second video and it works fine.  Guess was bad SD Card!

Doug Johnson & Maureen Caddy

Cecil & Diane Sunderman

Jim & LaVada McAlpin

Dee and Mike Hughes

Bob & Evelyn Rank

Irma & Larry Sunderman

Brenda & David Esaias

Chris Long, Kevin Long, Shirley Long

Shira Bridie - Phyllis & Gene Scroggs

Charlie & Connie Richardson

Monty & Mary Boswell

Terry & Margie Burns

Melissa Graham

Steven Jacobs

Steven Jacobs grandkids

Marilyn Jacobs with daughter & 2 grandkids

Marilyn Jacobs with daughter & granddaughter

Surprise, surprise!!

Gary & Sandy Hookham

Tony & Melinda Shackelford

Thelma Graham, Rita Shull, Elaine Armstrong

Recap of Glenn Miller Festival activities

 Partly Cloudy and 80º here in Clarinda, IA at 7:10 pm on Monday.  Has been quite warm in the direct sunshine today.

Dennis Sprague and 

Mr. Hideomi Aoki

Past director of Glenn Miller Orchestra, Nick Hilscher on the left

The scholarships were trippled this year from
previous years.  Now $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000

Glenn Miller's nephew
with winner of Instrumental

Thursday night I opened bun packages, layed the open bun on paper plate and handed to Teresa Babcock -- she put hamburger on it and set out for the people to pick up, put catchup and mustard on it, get a bag of potato chips.  I am guessing we served betwee 200 and 300 people.  The cattlemen did the grilling of the hamburgers across the street so smoke didn't bother where we were.

Phyllis helped with the tickets, and got racks of buns and disposed of the plastic bags for me.  Leland & Bonnie Brown's daughter took the tickets.

Had some interesting requests, no bun, no meat, etc.  One lady mentioned that her daughter wasn't able to eat the hamburger--we asked her what we should serve--she said: "oh, she isn't here"!

The "local" Glenn Miller Orchestra performed a good program there on the square and in the auditorium Friday morning.

Friend Steve Hitt on the drums and Videographer/
Train Engineer Chris Gardnerfrom Wisconsin on the
upright Bass

Chris Gardner at the back of the auditorum whre
he took video of all the programs.  His wife, Cheryl
ran the video machine when Chris was in the band

The GMBSS Big Band

Saturday Night

These photos were provided by Chris Gardner while he was videoing the "Battle of the Bands"

Some more pictures from Saturday night "Battle

of the Bands.

   Saturday morning we ate pancakes at the Fire Station and listened to band from Northwest Missour State from Maryville, MO

Don't know if it is just age - 82 & 83, but we slept in Sunday morning until had breakfast at 11 am.

Again this morning, the same thing.  Hope to recover soon.  We were at the high school or on the square from 7:30 am each morning to 10:00 pm each evening...................Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Later, Lynn

2026 Glenn Miller Festival is over!

 73º with bright sunshine here in Clarinda, IA at 4:35 pm Sunday.  Have had rain storms move through most every day or night.

We both worked the Glenn Miller Festival here in Clarinda at the High School from 7:30 am Thursday morning through 9:30 pm Saturday.  Here is the program from Thursday's Scholarship Competition.

Here is the program for the full three days.

And here is full Festival Booklet:

Phyllis had several other volunteers help with ticket collecction on Friday and Saturday, including Patty Steckelberg on Saturday.  When working the Auditorium I basically stayed at the back, closing and opening the two doors as necessary when program in process, and directed and assisted people as needed.  Chris Gardner videoed the entire Festival, as he has done for years and was at the back of the auditorium with his wife Cheryl.  He also played the string bass in the local GM Orchestra, both on stage and on the Square Thursday evening.  Will comment that heavy storm and rain went through Thursday during the day, but sun out in afternoon and ideal weather for that evening.  We helped serve the picnic meal to between 200 and 300 people prior to that concert.

Won't say it wore us out, but we finally got out of bed at 11 am this morning, ate breakfast and then spent some time this afternoon in recliners nodding off.

CLICK HERE for link to site about WWII era airplanes were on display and flew overhead this morning.  Needless to say, we did not see it, though I caught site of one flying far overhead around noon.

Our next venture is going to Callaway, NE on June 25th.  

Later, Lynn