MEMORIES

Memorial Day in Hardwick

Well . . . it's doubtful that Memorial Day can get any more meaningful for the Andersons of 'The Andersonian' fame. It seems that the town of Hardwick, the epicenter of all things Anderson, decided to build a memorial to the veterans from Hardwick. As if that wasn't cool enough, here's two more tidbits of irony:

1 - Our own family is well represented on the memorial, with tribute paid to Grandpa Elmer, Orrin and Bob (don't miss the old Anderson Hardware shirt in the photo).

2 - The actual memorial was built on the site of the former international headquarters of Anderson Hardware.

We got the news of the memorial just last week, prior to the dedication. Although now it seems that Joan may had an earlier blog post about the memorial. Orrin, Karen, Kristin and Robert attended the actual dedication ceremony. Wes and Patty Pierson are the only names and faces that I recognize from the event. But I'm sure there were others there that various family members will have memory of.

As you'll see in the photo below with Orrin and Wes Pierson, the memorial sits right where the old store used to be. The building next door still stands and can be seen in the background.

What a blast to see snapshots of Hardwick - in so many ways the same little town it always has been. My last memory of Hardwick was Grandpa Elmer's funeral as we left the church and the town fire siren went off in his honor. What a great memory.

Well, enjoy the photos and everything they mean. For some of us, it was home and childhood. For others, it was the focal point of Christmas, the 4th of July and the cousins birthdays. Some may not even remember this place at all. But I do.

Hardwick was the place with a cool fire escape that we could slide down. It had the ever present aroma of lilacs and propane. I remember the post office and the old, worn dishes at the cafe across the street. Anderson Hardware was a place where there were many rooms to explore, a porch that everything seemed to roll off of and where a mean old dog lived in the basement. It was a place where you could always find angel food cake, a drawer full of caramels and perpetual slide shows of family, family and more family.

And now it's a memorial. How fitting, since I've always thought about it as a place of honor and memories and legacy. So it seems the saying is true . . . no matter how many years pass by, you can always come home again.

Lake Coeur d' Alene

The lake, rivers and streams have flooded this year because of all the snow this past winter plus a weekend of warm weather. The lake hit its peak on Friday so it is gradually going down; however there is still 25% snow in the moutains. This picture is the beach area and the first row of the parking lot. What a mess with all the stuff that the fast water brings.

Maple Tree

The tall maple tree you see if from the apt house in Luverne. Judy gave it to Dennis and myself a few years ago in a pot that she had planted. Today it is about 25 ft tall. Did you all see the picture of Don Hanson in the Star Herald this week. They are dedicating the Memorial Park.

Joan

Thursday

Hi Everyone.....have a few minutes to write. Spending today and tomorrow at one of the elementary schools subbing in the EBD room. It is really a challenge but have great help from the Ed Aides. Only 8 children in here but they can get running at the mouth and then everything breaks loose. Have a keep a tight rein on them....they are their own worst enemies. Actually, I prefer high school kids and I was in Special Ed there for two days this week....thank God I can still work...and enjoy my work.
Al had an interesting day working as a sub custodian at the high school yesterday. He got called into a class room because there was a mess to clean up....well, he thought someone had thrown up.....nope.....one girl brought in a 16 oz bottle of maple syrup and proceeded to empty it over the head of another girl while the teacher was writing directions on the board.....what a mess....the poor girl looked like someone from the black lagoon. The dumpee said this girl had egged her car last Halloween...talk about holding a grudge. He said that Maple syrup is a bugger to clean up.
Enough horror stories.....most days we have fun working with the kids and they are very nice to us....sure different then our days....oh, the dumpee....she is out of school for the rest of the year.....think she should have had to clean up the mess but then I have old ideas...or as Al said, it would have been worse cleaning up her mess.
Don't know what we are doing for Memorial weekend. Last year another couple and Al and I took at car trip down river....probably not this year....noticed gas is $3.80 this morning......thought about filling up yesterday at $3.65....darn!
Had a grea trip to Italy and will share some high lights eventually. It was a dream come true and I would not change one day or one hour of the trip. My friend, Carol, and I cried or laughed everytime we got to see something new.....maybe it is hormones but I don't think I have hormones any more. We also had a great group to travel with......only 16 (that includes Carol, Dennis and myself)
Anyway...Happy Memorial day....someone has a birthday next week....a big birthday..
ahem......Sass?
Bell is going to ring for lunch......
Hugs to all......J "the third daughter"

Hurry Home Patrick!

Patrick leaves for Iran today. While he's feeling great about it, I'm nervous. I mean, they don't have ATMs. Our credit cards won't work there. Beer is illegal.

Send him your prayers and good thoughts. I'll be updating Camp Smum (our family blog) as I hear from him. Hopefully he'll find internet access and we'll chat via Skype from our computers.

PS

Our big news is we bought a new stove. Since we had to keep the silverware drawer open to keep the over door closed we deceided it was time. They will deliver and install this week. The stove broke a couple years ago when we were in Az and Andy turned it off. When we got home we turned it on and it still works; just the oven door is sprung. Considering it is the age of the house (about 25 years) I think it has served well.

HI

I do feel well and go next week to my Oncologist to see how I am doing. I was in the hospital a couple weeks ago with heart tests and they put a stint in one artery. They said it was only 70% blocked but fixed it while they were there. I should be in good shape now!!!! from Carol S.

Summer has hit the Northwest. The trees, grass etc have blossomed with summer temps. It is to cool down after Sunday. The apple trees are going to bloom. Last year only one branch bloomed and we have very few apples.
There isn't a lot of news from this part of the country; but I just want to let EVERYONE know how much I enjoy the writting and keeping up with families. Pictures are extra special as I can see how everyone is growing.
Dennis has extended his garden with a high deer fence for his HOSTA garden plus onions and potatoes. I have made a bet that next summer we will be filling the area with new sod.
Tim and Deb were just here. They are looking into building a summer house in the area. There isn't a lot of lake property around. Steven called from Tsamai (near Australis). He is on his way home. It is amazing how clear the phone connection is. Everyone else is doing fine.
THANKS AGAIN to our GREAT, TALENTED AUTHORS.

Milestone Days

Hey family....where are all of you! I miss hearing your updates (Jayne I read your blog almost every day).

We had a couple of milestones this week. Today Isabelle graduated from pre school. Our third to go through this school and with the celebration we note three weeks left of day care payments in our life. Isabelle's graduation theme was "Pre School Musical...I'm going to be a Superstar". They were very proud. This is her and three of the bunch that is inseparable. We will gather all summer even though we are from different areas of town. The one on the left is my doctor's daughter..Abby, next to her is Maggie...we share a special bond with this family because her mother's name is Sara and we have had all three of our children in the same classes each year at Loving Care (that is 13 years of togetherness) and on the other side of Isabelle is her best friend Amanda who's parents were..yikes..younger than Mark and me at Luther.

The other milestone was hopefully a first of the year. Josh's first stand up triple of the year. (in other words it wasn't close and a few more feet might have meant a home run).


More fun to come but we're celebrating with ice cream after baseball practice. - Sara

What Sara said!

Indeed, ditto what Sara said. Happy Mother's day to all you fabulous women. Now that I have two rugrats of my own, I have such a greater appreciation for your very, VERY hard work.


Additionally, today marked the twentieth day Thomas (who is a chronically bad sleeper) slept through the night. His reward was this super cool camera.


Miss Kitty (who has no problem sleeping through the night) performed a thorough diagnostic. She's wearing the old stethoscope from our sitter Kara (a nurse and Sioux Falls native). She loves to go about the day with it around her neck. Paging Dr. O'Neil.....

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in the family! I hope you had a great day. We spent ours in Des Moines at a soccer tournament. Now, maybe a book and a bath before the week gets started.

Blessings to all! - Sara

This is what they left Arizona for?

Mom and Dad made it to Iowa Friday in time for storms and the temperatures to drop. Did I mention the winds also came up? REALLY came up. So, today at baseball this was their welcome back to the midwest afternoon. Tomorrow is suppose to be better. At least they saw two victories...and we did provide blankets. - Sara

Hardwick May Day Memories

Apropos Sara's May Day Post, here are some recollections from Judy in an email she sent Janna and I this morning. I'm posting on her behalf.


Good Morning Girls,

Over the years since I was a young person, May Day has developed into various meanings. May Day if your in trouble at sea. May 1 if you celebrate world communism. Rabbit on the first day of each month if you deal in the good luck theory. May Day if you like to dance around the May Day Pole. May Day if you gave May Baskets to your childhood friends. As a kid I thought that was a great day.....originally, at least in Hardwick, the baskets were filled with candy piece. Mother said that they used to fill the basket with spring wild flowers....I guess in Hardwick there weren't many wild spring flowers, just wild kids glad to be out because it was spring! As to the basket itself, it was made from colored paper, colored or white paper napkins and, lucky Anderson kids, we often had old wallpaper sample books. The basket might contain little Tootsie rolls, jelly beans, carmel corn candies, little wrapped carmels either carmel or chocolate, popcorn, or piece of gum. I hated to get or make paper napkins baskets....you put the candy in the middle, gather the extra sides and tie with a piece of string, yarn, or if your really rich, ribbon. Very common! The idea was to take the basket to your friends house, deposit the basket at the front door, knock on the door and then run, hoping the recipient wouldn't be fast enough to catch you and give you a kiss. If I remember correctly, we girls would some times get to wear lipstick. Of course, the chaser wanted to catch you and you might like that if, even at that young age, you had a crush on that person and/or they were your "best friend". The other siblings might have different remembrances, however these are mine. Oh yes, I think we took great personal pride in getting the MOST baskets. Remember to tell you about Halloween next October. We did it differently in Hardwick.

Also last Sunday evening, Marj and I attended the Dave Brubeck and Ramsey Lewis program at the Hult. Brubeck played for one hour. He is almost ninety, walks slowly onto the stage, but when he sets down to play the 'old magic' is there. The audience gave him a standing ovation even before the Brubeck group began to play. I had never heard of Dave Brubeck until I met Lyman and at the time, I thought that kind of music was something only art majors liked. The sax/flute player has been with him for over 19 years. Bobby Milletano (sp) is so very heavy, I kept wondering how he could master enough breath to play long notes without breathing. I noticed that much like track long distance runners, he was bending over when he finished his solo features. The drummer was good, I guess, but as Mom used to say, "he looked very bored." Brubeck created the need for me to come home and get out all of the 29 Brubeck CDs we have and I have been listening to at least one at night on my wonderful xmas gift. Ramsey Lewis is 73, thin and impeccably dressed. He has a trio: big bass, drummer and piano. Lewis started playing the piano when he was nine and played at church. He does some great versions of gospel music...If your in Chicago on June 21st the group will be playing with the Turtle Island group. His drummer was a delight...very animated and creative. He did music and/or beats that made his percussion instruments talk. The fast tempo was a blur. His head danced and he smiled and seemed to be enjoying the entire process very much. I would suspect that this maybe the last time Brubeck plays in Eugene. Worth every penny of the ticket.

On with the day and "Rabbit" to all.

Love, MOM

Happy May Day!

May Day, and we're about to deliver our baskets to the neighbors. One of our neighbors was kind enough to drop off a "basket" for our dog Brooke along with one for each of the kids. It becomes a crazy afternoon of door bell ringing but they like it so we go with it. Years ago I actually tried to control the distribution. Now, I just fill the baskets and send them on their way. If we run out, I do like the rest of the moms in the hood and pilfer from the baskets already delivered to our house. Between that and left over Easter candy I think we make it through. Hope everyone is having a happy May Day. We are almost warm here with more rain to come. Mom and Dad should arrive on the way back from AZ tomorrow some time and stay for the week-end. They hit a good one. with the exception of a birthday party at the neighbor who lives behind us tomorrow evening (Josh is attending along with 25 other 6th graders) Josh has a double header Saturday, Nate has 2 soccer games, Mark and I have an event on Saturday night so they can sit for us, Nate has a baseball game Sunday, Josh has a piano recital Sunday and Isabelle's dance recital is Sunday night. Lots to pack in, we're hoping the rain doesn't ruin any of it! - Sara