Highland Village, Gunnison

When we moved to Gunnison to finish school, we lived in Highland Village. These cabins were moved from a mining town nearby, so there wasn't any luxury built in. We found a "Warm Morning" coal heater which we hooked up and ordered a ton of coal. This was fine for the fall quarter. The weather was beautiful--Then the Gunnison Winter storms moved in. I had to keep the stove red hot most of the time in order to keep us warm. The bathroom was at least fifty yards away. It was heated with the steam generated from the central steam plant at the bottom of the hill. This winter was to test our ability to make the marriage work. Wanda Hung in there--God bless her, and we made it. We had no car so had to walk down town for the groceries. You had better have ear muffs on, or your ears would freeze. You have no idea how cold 40 below zero can be until you have lived through it. Some of the cabins nearer the main building were steam heated--They had it made. In recent years on a trip to Gunnison, I picked out the spot where our cabin was--It is a nice green lawn. The first year I lived with a group of boys in the cabin just in back of the main building. We would stay in bed until the first class bell rang--Jump up and get dressed, and made it to class just in time. My mother went to the Normal school to be a teacher in Taylor Hall. Wanda and I both graduated there, and Pat spent four years for his degree there, then Heather, Pat's daughter, went a quarter there, so that's four generations at Western. I did lots of skiing my first and second years. they had a chair lift on the Cement Creek Ski run. After I got married, I didn't ski any more.(I wonder why?)

Sunday

Sunday, and all of the Xmas cards are done and ready to be mailed. That was a big job. For my family, I would be happy to share me Xmas list which I keep on the old computer under the title, "My New Address Book". I keep it updated each year. I can also send you the address labels to make it easier.
We are getting the house all ready for the party on Christmas Day. Ordures(sp) are the food of the day, so come and be ready to get stuffed.(not the basketball type.)
It looks like we are going to miss the rain by one day, so we should have a good time. When you come in the house look for the rays of sunshine--Just keep looking until they are found, and then tell your Mamma.
We have been enjoying all of the Xmas cards that have arrived. Acacia is looking pretty good--Hope she will be able to do the second quarter at SDS.

Friday night

The Brownie Korbels came down and we had a nice visit. Acacia was catching a little cat nap, but she woke up and then we really had some fun. Mikie brought a watermellon but we were too tired to eat it, so we will have it tomorrow. Plans for the Xmas party were discussed, and it looks like it is going to be quite an affair. I have it planned, but not completed, my gift. Acacia has a great one that will be vied for, I am sure. We went to get a haircut, but the shop was filled to the brim, so we said that we ould come tomorrow morning--we will see. I pruned my fuji apple that is next to the orange. I took off a fewer limbs, so should have more apples next fall. Mike has been buying apples in Watsonville from the farmers. She brought me 40 pounds, so have been peeling and making applesauce.(repeat--sorry_) I shared my Xmas list with Mikie for the ones that she has lost. I took a great portrait of Acacia at the same time that our picture was taken by her for the Xmas letter. My little Cannon Elf 750 is turning out to be quite a picgture machine. I collected 5 gallons of water from the last rain, and poured it on my raspberries. This was poured on top of the chicken compose that was s pread first, so that ought to make them spring from the ground. Catch you tomorrow.
Ken

Passed the test

Monday was a great day for me. I had been told that I wouldn't pass the eye test at the DMV because of my left eye by the glasses examiner. The Ortho(whatever) said that I'd Pass it with my new glasses. He was right, I could read the letters on the third line just fine. The only trouble was that I didn't bring my present liscence. The lady that starts the ball rolling said, "Don't worry they have it on the computer" and they did, so all went well. Only misses three questions, the allowed was six, so I was issued a temp certificate, and on to the shops for merchandise!
We had two light tubes installed in our kitchen today. Wanda called yesterday and asked the company if this could be done. They would be out tomorrow, and install them, and they did. Jim, who is manager was the only employee left to do the job, so he came and did a very efficient installation. It was dark by the time he finished, so we are waiting for the morning so we can see the difference in the dining room.
Kelly was telling us about the two second grade boys who were studying artic, came in and she was gone to a meeting. She hadn't locked the door so they went into her file and pulled out their folder and did their work. Kelly noticed this when she returned because the office didn't just seem right. Can't you just see those seven year olders dispatching their responsibilities?
Today I was watching the history channel on lumbering and its history. One man using a belly rope climbed up to the top of a high tree, and chopped off the top so that it could be used as a top anchor for hauling lumber up. I have a picture of my father at the top of one of those trees that he had just topped. History in full life.

49ers won against the Cincinai Bengals.

The game was pretty exciting. The 49ers have a new quarterback in the form of Hill. In six years he has taken only two game snaps--he played the whole game and won it with a good ration of passes to catches. Maybe we will have a new day with Hill and Gore.
Caroline Lorenzini came by last night and had dinner with us. We caught up with all of the places that she has been, and what she is going to do this next year. We wished her good luck. She is living in Merced, not far from Pat and Susie's house. She loves it over there so bully for her.
Mikie brought some organic apples from Watsonville, so will peel them tomorrow during the football game to make sugarless applesauce.
It got down to 32 degrees last night, but no damage in the freeze. We hope for some rain tomorrow.
The little linnets have eated me out of another sack of seed, so will have to have a fillup tomorrow first thing.com

49ers won toniht!

Its a beautiful day today

Ive been out in the garden harvesting what Wanda tells me to bring in. When I pulled up the tomatoes I found that the long root that gave me those wonderfully large tomatoes were about twelve inches long because I had planted them horizontally in the bed. This has caused the tomatoes to really have a root structure that really worked.
I have my cymbidiums all repotted and in the west patio with glass all around. I have six stalks of flowers coming up from the pot, so there will be some beautiful blossoms before spring. We had Acacia and her friend for lunch. Wanda baked a turkey with all of the trimmings. Today with Kelly here we are going to have left overs--Very good too!!!
I have a new camera. It is a Cannon Elph Power Shot SD 750. It has many of the latest digital inovations. The basic "snap shot" or Brownie camera operation is very good, and the trashing of a picture is very easy. there is no eye hole to peek through, so have to aim using the large 2" X 2 1/2 inch picture on the back. As always there is a learning curve when you get a new digital, so will save some of the surprises for later. I have been using Megatoners ink--Great value, give it a try unless you are hooked to the $20 - 30 dollar hit per cartridge.
Got to go and eat that wonderful left overs. Ken

Saturday on a cold day

This is my first blog, so it should get better as I gain experience.
Today I pruned the bottom limbs of my camphor tree. Filled two leaf boxes ready for the Thursday pickup. I have my peach trees all pruned and sprayed. I used an oil and lime sulphur mixture in a spray can labed "Winter Spray" so I use it for just that. I still have to do the same for the rentals, but that is another day.
Kelly sent us a seed bag for the little birds. I have filled it up twice, and still they get all excited when it gets hung up for their feeding.
We had medical appointments for every day last week, so now we will have a free week. When I went to the heart pacer checker, she said that I had a lead that wasn't working but didn't need it because it was for the top chamber. I have 7.3 volts left in the battery so that should be enough for another couple of years.
I wasn't able to eat supper, so told Dr. Johnson--He gave me a pepsid, and said to stop taking the little white pill. Everything is hunky dorey--So much for all of those little pills. Had a high clorestal reading so am taking that medicine that you see advertised on TV that puts two pills in one. I take it at night and it builds the HDL at night--so it says. I go back in a month to see if it is working.
Wanda and I are still walking every evening. When we get to Main and DeWitt we see so many cars that don't observe the stop sign that we feel that the police could clean up on fines, and besides it makes it very dangerous, so we wait until there aren't any cars coming to scurry across the street.
Acacia has been sick in San Diego--poetic alleteration, isn't it? Mikie spent the last week with her because it was mono. Acacia is feeling much better, and will be coming home Tuesday--We will be happy to see her. I can imagine the backload of things to do that was waiting for Mikie when she returned to her job yesterday, Friday.
I peeled a basket of Granny Smith apples while the football was showing on the T.V. . You would be surprised at all of the time you sit there between the 9 seconds of play. Wanda put them on to cook in the large pan, and we have been eating them all week. No sugar and they are just delicious made into apple sauce.
I made another stand for another platform for the cymbidiums. I need to make one more and then they will be all accommodated. I took my air gun apart to find out why it wasn't nailing. found that I was using larger headed 2" brads--will have to go to home Depot to buy some more.