Vilora Virginia Berglund

Too many emotions to say what I want to say. I can't say I loved you, but I cared alot, and I do love your son. He has a job ahead of him, and I know he is more than capable of doing it. I am here for him if he needs me, but I will take the more quiet side and let him do that job. He know he loves his family and they love him.

Virginia, you raised a tough son, that has learned how to love.

Rest in Peace.

Cathy

Cathy's Rave

Just a couple of pet peeves.

1.---Idahodians: Those who were born and raised in Idaho. (this name was made up by Richard)

2.---Idahoans: Those who were brought here as kids and grew up here, or moved here for the lifestyle and like Idaho just as it is.

3.---Idafornians: Those who moved here from another (unnamed) state because they liked the quiet, laid back lifestyle, but complain because it isn't like "home".

4.---Calahos: Those who moved here because they liked the quiet, laid back lifestyle, then immediately want to change everything because it isn't like where they moved from and they want to "fix" us and the state, calling us backward hicks and the likes.

The other 3 names were supplied by a clerk at the Stinker Station in town. But we thought they were extremely apropriate, given the way people act and things they say.

You can tell a true Idahodian or Idahoan by the way they procounce the city of Boise. This has an "S" in it, not a "Z". Our town of Letha is pronounced with a long "E" sound. NOTICE TO ALL WHO LIVE IN IDAHO!!! SAY THE NAMES RIGHT!!!

Thank you for reading my rave.

Next---Learning how to drive in Idaho weather. Hint--TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON IN THE SNOW AND FOG!!

I have found out that my two cents ain't worth shit so I'm going for a nickel, we'll see what happens after that. Trying to work backwards from a quarter, making change and still have a dime left. I was going to talk about golden Parachutes but that's just so much hot air( pun). Damn, it snowed this morning, or last night, anyway there's snow on the ground and in the trees and on the cars, covers up the dog crap. I am taking a break from playing poker too many assholes that think they know how to play. So this is good practice for my typing and spelling, When I figure out what I want to say, using the right words is a bitch, and then spelling. Sure would like to go back to the Eighth grade and start over, not just for the education, but to rechase all the girls again. I would have keep my 57 Chevy wagon and never bought another car. There was plenty of room for a mattress, it just needed some window tint and a pillow. It seems like I have always had a Motorcycle of some kind since I was 10 or 12, love to ride. I only got to ride twice this last summer, my back was not up to it, but I have fixed that and I am looking forward to summer and a long riding season. My first ride was a Allstate Moped 50 cc's and 35 MPH top speed. Man that's nose bleed fast. Dad was working for Gene Atkinson at the time out at the gravel plant by the Letha bridge, and he forgot his lunch one day so Mom had me run his lunch out. So I strapped it to the back and left. 35 MPH what fun, the bugs don't hurt very bad at that speed, who needs goggles?Anyway when I got there , Dad opened his lunch and found that the lid on the thermos had worked loose and soaked his sandwich, he didn't know who to be mad at me or mom, but he ate it any way. He gave mom hell when he got home that night, I left, shit rolls down hill as always. I will try to remember all the Motorcycles that I have had, the years and some of the rides , and what happened to them. And then I will do the same for all the cars that I have had. This is a memory stretching exercise. Until later must go jog the brain.

Later
RB

MY two cents worth

I follow the news about jobs, or the lack of, and the wreck our economy is in. It just burns my ass that Congress will not do anything worth a damn about fixing things. Businesses in this country should be owned by Americans and no one else. If you are not American get your ass out. Go home, stay there!! Put a stop to outsourcing jobs. Any company that moved their manufacturing outside the USA should have their assets frozen and their citizenship revoked. If they try to get back in the country, they should be subject to a public hanging. I hate buying cheap ass crap "Made in China". I have a become a label reader and if I have any other choice, I won't buy anything made in China and I think all loyal Americans should do the same thing. I'm a red blooded American, patriot, and a veteran. I don't think lawyers should be allowed to run for Congress, there should be stronger term limits, and I think Congress needs a 50% pay cut. I think lobbying should be illegal and all laws passed by Congress should not be overloaded by special interest considerations. And while I'm on the subject, I think the IRS needs an audit. I really don't like it that our money has no value, it's just a promissory note. Our money needs to be backed by gold, silver or platinum. This all I'm going to write about tonight, it's getting close to bed time. Tomorrows subject will be about my thoughts on "Golden Parachutes".
Yes, these are my words, I spoke them, Cathy typed them.

AMF
RB

Mom Update No. 5? (maybe more, ... or less)

Mom got a bath today!!!! We walked in and she asked me if I thought she smelled better. She probably does but the house still stinks. Don't know what the odor is, she has a housecleaner, and the air cleaner isn't helping either. She may need a bigger air cleaner cuz the one she's got ain't cutting the cheese.

She said 2 ladies showed up this morning, neither one expecting the other, and she knows the one that will come weekly to do the welfare check and bath. One of the Jermanne family members. Ed's sister I believe.

The guy showed up right on time to install her phone set up. He explained it to her and showed her how to work it. Even had her use the button to see what would happen. The alarm goes off for 15 seconds before calling the operator, that is in case she activates it by accident. There is a cancel button and HELP button on top of the box. If she activates the alarm, the people on the other end will speak to her thru the box, and call the hospice people first, then us. There is a lock box (like they use for real estate) just outside her door on the porch light. The number for the lock box will be available from Mom or me and will unlock the slide door on the side of the lockbox and the key will be in there. But not until I get one to go in there. He tested the button everywhere in the house, bathroom, bedroom and it is good to go even just outside the door.

Now you are updated too.
Later
AMF
RB

1958 Ford F100

I bet you didn't know the King of Letha now Lives in Ford country.
It even has Cadillac seats and the steering wheel rubs my belly.

Powered by a small block Ford 302 and three speed automatic with overdrive.

Gotta Get me some bib overalls to go along with my straw hat and irrigatin boots.

All ready put the shovel in the back.

I didn't have enough projects so I added this to my list.

on the news

On the news two nights ago, was a story on the Bombing of Wake Island. MK got a contract to build and air strip on the island for the army air force , they hired 1100 men from this area and shipped them out to Wake and a short time after the work started, the Japs bombed Pearl and the war was on. Wright after Pearl the Japs started Bombing Wake and for 114 days the Marines and the MK workers held off the Japs before they had to give it up. Everyone was rounded up and marched out onto the beach where they were held for four days with out food or water in the hot sun. The Japs picked one hundred men from this group to stay on the island to finish the air strip, and sent the rest to a prison camp in Japan. Where they spent the next four years. Being torchered and starved and used for slave labor. The one hundred who finished the air strip were made to dig there own graves and were shot. When the war was over only six hundred came home. The news people were interviewing some of the people who made it back. Glenn Newell was one of them. They were talking about there time in Japan and showing some really ugly pictures. The news people were interviewing the CEO of MK which is now URG and he said that the men that made it back were given jobs for life with MK. He uses there story as and example and a motivator from time to time to keep his people fired up and moving forward. This was and interesting program and there is going to be another one soon, it will get taped. Glenn i believe is Jodys uncle. Well happy trails to you, until we meet again. I always was and always will be a Roy Rogers fan, Dale wasn't bad either. I think Bullit and Rin tin tin were twins. And there was Pat Brady a dam cowboy driven a frigging jeep. WTH!!! And don't forget Gabby Hays or Frog and no I'm not getting my side kicks mixed up. Frog did at least one western with Roy. OK movie buff I'm checkin out.

AMF
RB

Mom Update

Just got home from Mom's, had a sit down face to face with the social worker from hospice and Mom. Unruffled all the feathers and smoothed the wrinkles. Mom has agreed to accept their services and knows what is expected from her and from the caregivers. She is set up on the schedule for personal services so she will be getting a weekly visit for her shower and general check on her well being. Social worker is gonna check on her a couple times a week to make sure everything transitions okay and she will call us, too, to keep us updated on any changes etc. Mom is also getting the hospice hot line with a wrist button, to be installed on Monday afternoon. I'll be there for that to learn how it works. The hot line is for her to use in case of emergencies. They will respond first and I am called next. Hospice can also provide a hospital bed that is fully adjustable. Mom wants to try one, but doesn't want to get rid of the old bed yet, just in case. Another problem being, we have nowhere to store the bed. The hospital bed is provided by the hospice with no out of pocket expense. Future updates will be on the blog. I'm not wasting any more of my precious phone minutes.
Later
Your Cheap Ass Brother Richard

Mom's condition

Just got off the phone with mother's care giver. Janeice. Mom has finally given the dr. permission to talk to me about her medical condition. This what I found out. The reason for the weight loss is that she has an erratic heartbeat, and her heart is getting weaker and weaker, thus the shortness of breath. This is not fixable. She is adamant about no more testing, and the doc isn't sure they could fix anything if they found anything. So from here on out, it is just a matter of time and the only thing we can do is keep her comfortable and happy as possible. Hospice is still in the picture, and they will work with her, she just has to let them in the door. Hospice will also work with us should any of us feel the need, as we are all in this together. The doc was concerned about her skin condition from sitting around too much and developing bed sores. I'm thinking that the recent outburst aimed at the hospice people was because she is scared. She has refused any kind of spiritual help, which we all know that she would do anyway. So I encourage all of you to give her a call, be nice and try to encourage her to accept hospice back, she really need these services. I will talk to her later this morning. So that is it for now.
Later
RB

Moms Health

Carla asked if there was something we should know about Mom's health. As far as I know she is not terminally ill. My personal observations are (and you all know your mother) she is stubborn to a fault, highly opinionated, does not take any kind of suggestion good, bad or indifferent, if it's not her idea, then it's not gonna fly. She has lost a lot of weight. Right now she weighs 101 lbs. A year ago she weighed 156. She's not eating right, she's not getting enough sleep. If she gets any sleep at all, it is in her chair. She told me yesterday that she didn't sleep at all two nights ago, then fell asleep in her chair and didn't wake up until dark. She won't consider any type of exercise and I'm not sure it would do any good, even if she did consider it. She is not taking care of her personal hygiene, because taking a shower wears her out and leaves her short of breath. Her pride won't let anyone assist her taking a shower. (Remember, these are my observations) She doesn't mind giving orders when she wants something done her way. She is still sharp of mind and tongue and I can only guess how much fight she still has in her. Another thing that I noticed is that personal observations are one thing, and reality tells it all. Mom's pride won't let her tell anybody what the truth is. Everybody gets a different story, and I have seen this when reading family blogs. Now, I want to remind everybody of something, if you remember back when Dad was sick, no body really knew how bad he was until he was in the hospital. It was like a big-ass secret or something. Because, I don't even know what the truth is where Mom is concerned. I have asked several times to be included in her doctor's visits, but have been told I am not needed. So if that is the way she wants things, all I can do is observe.

I spoke to Mom about 3 weeks ago about assisted living. Her reply was She wasn't going into assisted living because of who runs the place next door. (If you want more details about that, you will have to call me.) The only thing she would consider was the nursing home behind WK. A couple of days ago, when I talked to her, I asked her if she wanted me to check out the nursing home and the requirements. Her reaction was, "No I'm not going to any damned nursing home!" I reminded her what she said in the previous conversation, and she denied having said anything.


Now the reason Mom got signed up with hospice care was due to the following series of events.

First of all, I took her to her dr. appt. to have her oxygen level evaluated. That same day, the NORCO rep showed up to readjust the oxygen machine as the oxygen level was low. The machine was actually clogged up and not producing the right amount of oxygen, and that was fixed.
Sometime in the next couple of days, Mom added more water to the machine and didn't get the lid back on right, so the machine wasn't making oxygen, she was short of breath, and she called her dr. In the mean time, she completely forgot about the other 3 bottles of oxygen she has in the house. The dr. made a house call and she got a hold of the NORCO rep again, and fixed the machine again. At that time, her dr. recommended Mom sign up for hospice care. She did, and I read the paper work. It's true, hospice care is basically for the terminally ill. But it is also available for long term care. Case in point, Leroy Cutbirth was under hospice care over 3 years. So we will continue to make daily phone calls, stop by after work outs, and continue to monitor the situation.

One thing I am going to do, is check out the nursing home for their requirements
should she need their services. I will let you know what I find out. That's all I can do for now.

Don't get me wrong. I am not pushing her in any direction, only interested in information.

Love, Hugs, and Kisses
Your Big Brother Richard!!!!

Saturday Morning fun time.

Got up this morning and I am still sore from the last work out on Thursday. Went in to the gym and worked out anyway. Richard has lost about 15 lbs. Me? just a few but we are still going to keep at it. Gets us both out into the world. That is how we found an old pick up to look at. It was on the side of the road, Hwy 52, just east of Mill Rd. It has been sitting there for a couple of weeks with a for sale sign on it, teasing Richard unmercifully.We just had to stop and look, which turned into want. We got a price on it and the car sitting beside it too. We don't have cash, so Rich mulled it over all afternoon and evening. He decided on a plan.
We had already planned to go to Sam's Club for all the taste thingies on Friday, but stop first and see about the truck. So we took off yesterday going into town to make an offer on the old pick up. They took the offer and we are the proud owners of a 1958 Ford Pick up and a 1990 Caddy Fleetwood. The original papers are in the Caddy, and the price listed on the sale sheet about blew me away! over $36K!! We traded the 1999 Ford Ranger. Rich wanted a change. The pick up runs pretty well, but needs some TLC which Richard is excited to start. Got his blood moving. The Caddy needed to be jumped a couple of times, needs shocks but runs good and doesn't look bad at all. Lisa is going to buy the Caddy from Rich. That ought to be interesting.
After we got everything home and settled, we made it over to Sam's. Good stuff! Cheesecake, hot wings, ham and potatoes, hot cocoa, nuts, and pies. Almost didn't have to eat the rest of the day.

We called your mother this morning, and she wanted Rich to come in to read some papers. Yes, she is signed up for hospice care, but it is just to assist her for now. She will be getting a "panic button" to wear and a 24/7 call number for help. Rich will get a call if anything happens. You might want to call Rich for him to explain what he read in the paperwork they gave her. Not much about what they do, more about what they don't do and what the family responsibilities are.

She has decided to stay home this turkey day. We will take her in a plate, but she is not comfortable anywhere except her chair. She is down to 101 lbs. with little padding for sitting. We do keep and eye on her with phone calls and stopping in on her regularly. She has a house keeper on a regular basis, and Rich gets to take the garbage out. He reminded her she can call anytime.

So peoples... how was your morning?

Oct 31

Hollow weenie was a success, carved the pumpkin loaded it with candles and set it on the front porch, and by dam we had three tricker treater's the first ones in over twenty years. You can tell we are real participants. Had lots of candy left, it's going back to Sam's club.The pumpkin looks real cool in the dark, all you can see is the lit up eyes ,nose and mouth, scary as hell . Can't wait for Turkey Day something else to carve up, no candles this time.

Later

RB

HAPPY HALLOWEEN we have Snow!!!

I know it's not any where near what Colorado and Wyoming are getting, but it is SNOWING here too. Lucy went out the front door, made a perfect roll back (u-turn) and was inside the door faster than I could stop her. She is definately not fond of the white stuff. The other four dogs are all cuddled up in their bed, they already know what's coming. The cat even is snuggled in with the dogs. Hope we get lots and lots this winter. This storm appears to be coming from the south and east. Maybe Colorado is sending it back to us.

This is only the second winter that I haven't had to worry about road conditions and driving the big yellow "taxi" (translate to bus) with a bunch of idiots in Boise/Meridian or fight the traffic going and coming over the hill. It's a wonderful feeling and I am still getting used to that.

We took a ride over to Purdham's Fruit Stand for apples, spuds and carrots. It was raining over there. The closer we got to home, the colder it got and that is how we get snow.

We are having a surprise birthday party for my mother on Sunday. Her b-day is saturday. She always said she was a pumpkin, not a witch and we could tell by the way she is shaped! She will be 75! Not sure how or if I will make it that far. Hope so. Dad is about 8 years older than mom, and I worry a lot about him. He has finally agreed not to drive the motorhome anymore, but he still drives the car. he did get a newer model though, airbags and such for better safety. Bad thing was, he didn't talk to mom about it, and she is the "reason" he bought the darn thing. She doesn't like it, and doesn't drive it if she can get out of it. She will have to drive home on Sunday, dad can't drive after dark.

Lacey is home. She came home the week of the 12th of Oct. I haven't spoken with her yet, so maybe on Sunday. Haven't spoke to Whitnee either. They are both busy with Halloween party prep and visiting with other family members. 'Nuff said.

Rich is playing poker on Internet as he reads his book. Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol". Emmy snuck up into his lap and he helped without even knowing it, and as he puts her down disgustedly he calls her a "Sneaky little bitch." He says to tell you all that the book is a murder mystery, nothing religious. The world would end before he would consciencely entertain any religious thoughts. The real story of Angels and Demons. (He did, however, enjoy the movie The DaVinci Code.) We bought the book for my dad, so Rich has to be seriously bored to have even started it. I remind him every now and then to not get anything on it, as it still has to go to dad. No slobbers, no drools, no crumbs.

Happy Halloween everybody!!!

Cathy

Undressing the Princess

I pulled Her teeth and eyeballs and she has a list to port
I pulled Her wheels and tires and she now has steel support.
Block sanding with 150 grit sure leaves a lot of dust.
But sand we must to make more dust
So the shop vac has something to do.

By raising the starboard side it makes it easer to reach
Got to sand those highs and lows to get that perfect shine

From back to front the sanding goes on and on
Blow off the dust, wash down the side, and start all over again.

The front and back bumpers are next to go.
But I don't know where to put em.

The trunk lid is being supported by two steel saw
Horses and it's a work in progress.

The port side will get the same treatment as the

Starboard side and when ever thing is the same
It's blow off the dust, wash down the whole thing

And mask what you don't want paint on.

PAINT !!! So soon ?? NO not yet, the princess gets a

Guide coat of really thinned out black paint.

Lightly dusted over the whole surface.

Then sanding with 400 grit wet paper and using the

Guide coat as a reference to tell what's been sanded

And what still needs sanding.

And this is what's going on in Richard's man cave .

More to come, after the 150 grit sanding is finished.

Enjoy the rest of the pictures.

Next: Applying the guide coat!! Can't wait ????

Later

RB

J&D"s bacon salt

This is for all you connoisseurs of fine food. I have here a Bottle of J&D's finest, you can put it on anything, it was developed for the vegetarian and kosher crowd. Zero calorie's, Zero fat and makes everything taste like Bacon. Plus low sodium. They have other Flavors as well , like Hickory and Pepper too name a few. Check it out, at , www.baconsalt.com manufactured for J&D Down Home Enterprises Seattle Wash. 98108. MADE IN USA. I realy like the Hickory it's great on my hard boiled eggs, salmon, chicken, and the list go's on.

Later RB

Life with the Letha Berglunds--Grandkids, kids and dogs.

Youngest granddaughter writes me on Richard's Facebook page or calls me on the phone now. She is 10 years old.
In Eagle (the actual town) is a "coffee shop" called Rembrants. They have a jazz concert every week and Whitnee asked me if I wanted to go. Sure. So we make plans. I think this thing is on Friday, so your mom and I make plans to go to Sam's club after our flu shot on Thursday morning. We spend all day doing that and other chores, when Rich calls me on my cell(3:30) and tells me Whitnee would like me to pick her up at 4:30 today (Thursday) instead of meeting her at Rembrandts. That leaves me 30 minutes to get home, unload groceries, and spruce up a bit before I have to pick her up. I get to Heather's, Whitnee is waiting for a call from her friend, and Heather gives me the update on her and Ben's business ventures. (If you want to know about their business, let me know, and I will give you her phone number or you can find them on google.)
Anyway, we brave the 5 o'clock traffic to get to downtown Eagle with Whitnee talking non stop the whole way in, and see a sign on the front walk that jazz has been canceled for the evening. Whitnee wants to stop anyway so she can see her friends. We sit down in the "tastefully arranged furniture" to visit. I am trying to get a conversation (2 way) going, and all the time we are conversing, Whitnee is looking around for her school friend. When said friend arrives, they all take off and leave me by myself. I waited for her to come back, and reminded her that the reason we came together was to have some time with each other. "I don't know anyone here, or it might be different. It is rather rude to leave me as I have nothing to do, no book, no paper and I really don't care to sit here by myself." So she apologizes, and goes to get me a newspaper! Gotta give points there. I gave her a 6:30 deadline, she gets her something to eat, and shortly after, we leave. When we get back to Heather's, she is fixing dinner, Ben is home, and some other lady is there too. I figure out that this is the part time nanny, but I never get introduced so I don't know for sure. Ben and I have mutual "dislike" for each other, so the air gets uncomfortable quickly and I head for home.

Lacey gets to come home for good on Monday. Sure hope all goes well. Heather tells me that they all have contracts to write up, get approved by all parties, and that they can all abide by. Could be interesting. Richard still has hurt feelings for me, as Lacey hasn't apologized to me or acknowledged the role she had in all the problems. She put me in the middle of a storm, and my relationship with Heather is still being worked out. Heather won't speak to Rich and he won't speak to her. It had been a year before I was allowed to see the girls, and I wasn't allowed to even know what was going on with Lacey for awhile. I never gave up hope, and maybe things can be worked out between us all. At least Heather is telling me some of the plans and I continue to try to keep being positive. Their business seems to be going gang busters, and I am very happy for her on that front.

Youngest daughter Lisa, is still working for Subway in Mtn. Home. One of her bosses was caught embezzling funds, so Lisa was nominated to take over for her. No raise, mind you, but she was hoping. Her hours increased but still no raise. Lisa was glad to be working more hours, and anticipated the increase in paycheck, then, she gets cut back so the lesser employees could be working. Nothing in her life seems too go good for any length of time. She has no car, no boyfriend, a roommate that wants to be a boyfriend (with benefits of course) and lots of drama. She takes on all her friends' problems, and hasn't learned to take care of herself first. When she calls, it is an hour on the phone.

Son, Robby, is doing the good. Yeah! He goes to boxing every night, helps at the high school CERT building every day and helps who ever asks. Except us. I called him the afternoon Rich was doing the aerating with machine, and Rob informed me he was tired and going to bed. Rich decided I should not help him the next time he called. And when he did call, Rich reminded him about his lack of caring about his mother. Rich is Rob's conscience. Life at our house can be soooo much fun sometimes.

Time for the dog report. As your mom and I are at Sam's, I get a phone call from Richard. He went to the gym after we left, (we have a 3 month membership) and forgot to pick up the garbage bag. This usually is not a problem, but as it is cooler now, Lucy has to be locked in the house when we go somewhere. All the other dogs are in the utility room with the dog door, but if we leave Lucy out, the others won't allow her in the utility room for any reason. She has a lot less hair and no way to keep warm, so there you have it. A recipe for disaster. Rich came home to trash strewn all over the front room and kitchen. Picking up the trash is not a problem. But he did it the hard way, on hands and knees. No vacuum, no broom and dust pan. Don't know about you all, but getting down on hands and knees is not nearly as hard as getting back up!

All the above happens in 1 day! Are we having fun yet? You Bet!!!

Sunday

It's Sunday morning and we have played our daily cribbage game. We take turns winning so we enjoy it. There is no "rub it in" bragging just pride in a game well played. Yesterday, we took an impromptu trip to CostCo and Sam's Club to compare prices on monitors. Yes, Richard's quit after we got the computer worked on. So, we find one at CostCo, but decide to check prices at Sam's. We get over there and he makes a decision to buy a 24" Samsung monitor. He wanted something big enough that he could see the whole page on after using my HP. So now he is playing pokerstars.net and having a very good time. If only he could win a few tourneys, he wants to win a trip to the World of Poker game.

Had to break up a fight this morning between Lucy and Emmy. Lucy is feeling more at home now and is working her way up the pecking order. The last on the list now is Emmy. No bites, just a lot of posturing and growling. Poor Emmy has breathing difficulties anyway, and after the fight, she had a hard time getting back to normal. I've been anticipating this for a while. Lucy has always given in when another dog came around. She probably won't be doing that much longer. Ah, the joys of "children."

Time to get the vacuum out and do the ceiling and computer room. Have to run Rich out of the house to get anything done. When he's is watching PowerBlock on tv, the vacuum is a no-no. It's a little chilly here, so he's waiting for the sun to get around the trees and warm up the garage. The plan for the day is to move Zoom-Zoom (Miata) around back and put the hard top back on. the top is taking space that the lawn mower needs and after I mow the grass this afternoon, we will pack up the mower in the shed. Then, take the Princess (Dart) out of the garage, clean up the sanding dust, and put Ruby (Kia) in and change the oil to Amsoil. First oil change. Looking to see if the mileage gets better. Running around 28 to 30 mpg now, so if the Amsoil helps, we should get really good mpg.

Hope you have a good day.

Cathy

Go Figure!!

Had Mom out for supper last night! That sounds weird don't it? Actually, we all had pizza. Was concerned about how Lucy would act around another stranger. So we put her in the computer room until Mom got sat, dinner was on the table, and then we turned her loose. She was more interested in food than Mom so that worked. Later, we all sat and watched a video and Lucy jumped into Mom's lap and settled in for the duration. I turned around and told Lucy to get down as I know Mom doesn't like dogs, and Mom says "oh she's alright." Could of knocked me over with a feather. Not only cuz Lucy is just not that friendly in the first place, but how Mom reacted. So Go Figure!!

Later
RB

speedy u bet

Got the computer back today. I B sufing or is that interneting, neather one makes a lot of sense. There's no water and you can't catch any fish. But I can now play poker on a screen I can see, and fast, wow !!!

Later RB

Sunday Drive - literally

Sunday morning we all took off from here about 10:30 and drove to Cambridge dropped the tops, and took in the scenic stuff from there to Gateway. Appropriate name for the little store/cafe just before Brownlie Dam. On the way to the dam, we stopped at a great RV park with boat dock and great parking sites. Talked about all the possibilities. Just before the dam, we straddled an over sized rock, and showered Gale and Rudy with chips. We couldn't stop when we hit it because there is no place between the vertical rock wall on the right, and generators gates for the dam on the left, for us to pull over. Had to wait til the bottom of the hill. Everything okay. The dams were quite full considering this is the end of irrigation season. Stopped every now and then for an information update, Richard style, and photo opts. Made it to Pine Creek Bar and Diner, and had the best hamburgers ever! So much food, that half my diner came home (I got to enjoy it again for lunch today). We discussed options for the drive back, including going to the cow camp, but as it was after 2:30, decided to make that trip another day. The drive back home was by way of Halfway and Baker, and a speedy quick run down the interstate. The drive from Pine Creek was windy and we traveled it like two sports cars should, low and fast. The valley into Halfway was beautiful. The outdoor john, not so much. Sure glad I declined it's use, Rich's description was vivid.
We got to lead down the interstate as we have a fuzz buster. The only thing faster than the two Miatas, was a white Chrysler mini van that passed us like we were going backwards. Shortly before Ontario, the fuzz buster went off and we barely got slowed down as a state trooper went by on the other side. He didn't get the van or us. Caught up with the van at the gas station, it was full of kids, and had Utah plates. We speculated he was late for church. We figured our mileage and it came to be about 38 mpg! 256 miles on 6.9 gallons! Just half a tank. Not too shabby for a heavy footed hot-rodder and the occupants. Never did see any of the fabled plants from yesteryear. All in all, we had a great time.

Eureka!!! Computer fixed!!!

Richard found a computer fixer just a couple of miles from us. His name is Brian Wilson (Beach Boys any one?) and he called this morning to tell us that the only problem with the computer was a virus. It works well now, has virus fixer and malware programs and we wait for more memory to come in before it comes home. A lot cheaper than buying new junk. When Rich looked at the tower, it was all pop riveted, so he couldn't get into it. Found out that, miracle of miracles, the side slides off, and access is there. Couldn't figure out what the little "L" shaped thing-a-floppy (Rich's words) was supposed to do. Low and behold, you hold it down for the side to slide off. Boy was it dirty inside. Looking forward to his new high speed computer experience. Just need the education to go with it. (I was just told off. Rich and I each have just enough computer savvy to be dangerous.) We have Team Work.

CB & RB

Early morning-again

Yesterday seemed like 3 days long, when reality, all the "stuff" happened in the morning. After the machine went home, we went to Home Depot for grass seed and weed killer, but lunch was had before that at the Chinese place in Caldwell. After Home Depot, Richard wanted to check out some tool places. That is how good Richard's back was feeling! Maybe something went right after all. We shall see when he gets out of bed.

After we got home, we were on the computers, and I get a very welcome phone call. Whitnee is looking to talk to me! (youngest granddaughter) We made plans for me to pick her up today about 6 and go to Wendy's for some bonding time. Am so looking forward to that.

The Bi-Mart opens today. We might go later and miss their crowd, but my loving husband is not a fan of shopping, unless it is tools, so may not go for several days. He goes the the store with one thing in mind, what it is he wants, and there is no discussion about going somewhere else. So I have to hijack him when we go to Boise.

The big guy is up and looking for coffee, so catch you all later.

Cathy

This should be a Monday

Definition: A lawn aerator creates holes or cavities in the surface of the lawn and allows the soil to move and shift more freely.

Actually, this all started Sunday afternoon, when I got frustrated with the lawn. I was mowing and got madder as I went as the "grass" I'd worked so hard to get looking good, just keeps getting weedier and browner. I came in the house, vented a lot and Richard talked me out of killing what was left of the lawn and filling it with gravel. He decided to take a pro-active stance, and that it was cheaper for him to rent an aerator for the lawn rather than pay Scott's Lawn service to do it. So Monday afternoon, he went to Emmett Rental and picked it up figuring to take it back by 6 and save a lot of money. The best laid plans -- you've heard that saying, right? Two trips around the back 1/3 of the yard and he was huffing. It was 90 degrees outside, no shade and the machine goes like a bat out of hell, is self propelled, so it drags you along as you hold the handles. I know my limitations, and declined to try to make a circuit. Richard got part done, but no way was the machine going back by 6. We got up early this morning, and he actually got finished rather quickly. All that was left was for him to load the contraption back into the bed of the pickup. I have a bad feeling about this, question the logistics of how, and get my nose clipped as I had just stepped into Mr. Macho's territory. He hasn't remembered a thing about "16 year old ideas and a 60 year old body". He talks a good story, but don't you believe it. Now, getting back to the story, there are two metal ramps each about 6 inches across that the machine is supposed to go up and into the pickup. Picture this--Richard climbing up these ramps behind a machine that has a whole lot of sharp "hole makers" going around in a circle as this thing moves. The machine gets to the edge of the tailgate, slips, Richard tries to lift it up, and they both come backwards down the ramps! Scared the living crap out of me. I watch him roll backwards down the ramp, and this sharp thing is trying to come down on top as he is holding on to it. They land in a heap at the bottom, machine still running. I lift it up a little to get him out from under it, and it tries to attack him again (self propelling is still working). Richard had to roll up and turn it off before we could move it off him. Thank God he is okay. I chewed him out for being so stubborn (translate "CHEAP) as to not pay for a trailer to haul this thing in. I am shaking so bad, he is in shock, and the machine is upside down next to the ramps that fell off too. When the initial panic subsides, Richard sits on the step and Emmett Rental gets a call to come get this thing, Richard has regained a little of his mind and goes in to take a shower. As he is in the shower, the guy that comes to pick up the machine, does almost the exact same thing that Rich did. Ramp slips, machine slips, Tony slips, but he caught it and finished loading. As Richard gets out of the shower, I hand him 2 Tylenol, and a bottle of water. Checking for holes, etc. I tell him he has a little rash and that is it. God watches out for stupidity and macho-ism. I am seriously worried about his back, but amazingly, it seems better than before. Must have been the the backward rollover on the ramp thingy. The only thing sore now is his elbow that clunked as he landed. So that is how our day went. How was yours?

Cathy

Pain Relief

This a picture of Richard's new shoes. They are called Z-Coils. We had gone to the shoe getting place to place an order for me and have my feet molded for the orthodics. As we were waiting, we noticed these odd looking shoes that promised to make life better by helping back and leg pain. We went home, discussed the alternatives for Richard's back situation, and he decided to try some new shoes. There were actually two types of shoes to help his back, but these were the best choice for him. They are adjustable with the soft spot on the spring being movable. The Shoe man put the soft spot toward the inside as Rich runs over the outside of his shoes, and therefore the support is more on the outside to prevent that. The first day, he wore them home and immediately felt the difference. The shoes made him stand up straighter, and used different muscles than normal for him. He was a little sore the next day, but has not worn anything else since. You have to watch for stuff on the ground like cords and catches, but he is enjoying being up and about now.

He is now feeling so good he is undressing the "Princess". That is our '65 Dart convertible. He is sanding and fixing and getting it ready for a repaint. This car was the first one he did, ever, and he is finding out how many "oops" there were and correcting those. The paint color will be the same, but the body work is going to look a lot better, and it gets him out of house! Too much togetherness is not good for anybody. We were starting to get on each others nerves, and with his back getting better, life is good.

We are going to take Little Man to the vet tomorrow. He is having some problems moving, can't lift his leg to pee, so pees on his front legs and all over everywhere else. If he is in pain and will cost a lot to fix, we will have to consider putting him down. As it is, we will have to take the laundry room down to bare studs and sub floor just get rid of the smell. We have used bleach, deodorant sprays, chemical stuff, enzymes, just about everything we could think of, nothing works for very long. Hate to put him down for that, but the health issues for us dictate.

"My tits up went computer!"

Those are Richard's exact words, meaning, no computer stuff for him. No e-mail, no facebook, no Internet, etc. You get the picture. Until he either gets it fixed (7 years old) or replaced, every one gets to communicate the old fashioned way, YELL!!! Or phone home. Smoke signals anyone? This is what happened. He calls me from his cell phone, tells me to look up the lottery info, tells me I'm full of BS cuz his computer won't come on, then hangs up on me. Actually, the phone went dead cuz he didn't bother to recharge the darn thing. Still, he thinks I'm lying to him about the monitor not coming on, so when he gets home, still in a bad mood, he goes in and pushes all the buttons again, to find out that IT DOESN'T WORK!!!!!

Richard says:
Now, on another note...your mother is back on oxygen again and down to 113 pounds. Don't know what or if she is eating, says she is but you never know. A piece of toast and coffee with meds for breakfast does not make for a good eating habit. I suspect that she doesn't fix much because "nothing sounds good" and she has no appetite. So here's a thought for everybody to contemplate... and I know Ma will fight tooth and nail against it, but I'm thinking sooner or later she will have to bite the bullet and get into an assisted living place. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pushing the panic button, and I don't think anything has to be done right away. But I would appreciate every one's input on this or other options. Because if something happens, I will probably have to make a decision quickly and won't have time to call to ask for input or other options. I'd rather not talk to mom about this until I've heard from each of you. I know this is a delicate situation, and I really don't want mom pissed off with me, so let's see what we all can come up with before we mention anything to her. Well, this is what I've got on my mind and it just amazes me what goes through your mind when you are all screwed up on pain meds.

Later
RB

Richard Floating

Richard has been seen for his back ache, and the drs are referring him to a pain clinic. In the mean time, he just floats along about three feet off the floor due to the Norco, muscle spasm preventer and steroids that we picked up on the way home. He is slow to react to everything. Speech is slow and non-continuous (he starts to say something and forgets what it was he wanted to say after 2 words), eyes are glassy and he has this shit eating grin on about half the time. The other half, he's sleeping. Now we play the waiting game again. Dr. has to make the referral, correctly, Tri-West has to approve the referral, we get notice by e-mail, have to figure out how to sign on to Tri-West site again (they keep changing password) then we will call to make appt. We have learned to jump thru the hoops pretty well.

New car works well for us and your mother. We can all get in and out without a boost. Had to bite the bullet and traded in the Toyota pick up along with the Mazda van. The van qualified for the clunker stuff, so we came out a little ahead this time. The car is a Kia Soul Plus. Richard says it looks like a Mini Cooper on steroids. It has more room than the PT Cruiser, and a lot better mpg. So far about 30 mpg. The color listed is "Molten" which translates to really really red. It even has blue tooth in it and I finally sat down, took the time and got my phone to connect. That was interesting. Never done that before, so was a new challenge. Then I had to call home to see how it worked. Richard answered the phone, laid down on the bed to talk and promptly fell asleep. (When I got home, he was still asleep and stayed there for another 3 hours.) Can't get a photo to transfer, so if you want to look at the new car, check out www.kiasoul.com.

Catch you all later!
Cathy

Eventful Friday

We had yesterday all planned. (After your mother called at 7:30)Rich's dr appt for his hand, then lunch with my parents, then stopping at Heather's and drop off birthday present for Whitnee. Long story short-all goes well until Richard tries to tie his left shoe. This is nothing unusual, foot on chair to reach laces. But as he reaches for laces, there is a sharp pain, pop, and instantly, everything changes. He is in so much pain. I got him in the car and we headed for Meridian ER. When is all is said and done, 3 shots thru IV for pain, x-rays, we get to go home about 2:30. Stop at McDonalds to get something to eat (no breakfast as we planned a great lunch), find a place to pull over to eat the gut bombs, stop at Heather's, drop scripts at Albertson's and home. Pain pills work great and help him sleep. Now he is sitting in his chair with dogs, watching Spike TV (Trucks!; Extreme4x4; Muscle Car) high on Norco. No worries! Referred to Spine Intitute for pain management as not enough damage to warrant surgery, thank goodness. So, how did your weekend start out?

Cathy

Publicity

We acquired the needed number of papers (we hope) and are sending them out in the mail today to all who requested them. Enjoy.

RB

Post Script

Most p.s.'s are after the original, well this is after, just on the top of the original.

Curly is the grandson of "Dead Shot Reed" from the Sweet-Ola area. The stories he tells are on the edge of "wow" and "no way" but he continues to amaze us with his antics, both as a child and adult, and the consequences thereof. There is a book out about Dead Shot, and the real estate people have used his name as a selling point for property. Curly brought the book over for us to read once. I didn't have the chance to read it before he needed it back, so I don't know if it is a page turner or not. Curly's stories are numerous and very consistent with a very (make that extremely) busy life(s). He has told us he was with Janis Joplin at one time, "Mama" Cass Elliot, and a host other big names. He trained dogs with Jay Sisler, and horses for whom ever. He was in the Navy for a couple of years, and has blamed his lung condition on the service. He has led a life of much work and achievements. How much to believe is up to the listener. I don't pay too much attention any more, but once in a while, he comes up with a new adventure that I haven't heard yet. Most of the time, it is the same stories, word for word. He can tell you how to paint a car, from prep to finish coat. None of those "faster, easier, and cheaper" ways. He spent hours teaching Richard these skills, and it is going to be a lost art. There are so many up to date fancy booths and materials, that the old ways are going away. He is a master of the occult, knows more about UFOs than anyone in the world does, tells Richard all about the medical situations he can fix if only Richard would listen, can fix anything with wheels or a motor but tells us he is not a mechanic. The list is endless, but he is a good friend. That is the important part. Hope he lasts long enough to enjoy his grand kids.

Went to town to see your mother. It is so hot we didn't stay but long enough to drop off the books and visit for just a minute. We had an epiphany the last time I took her to her doctor appts. She cannot get into the pickup without help, and I am not into grabbing her butt to lift her in. I can see us both on the ground if I happen to be off balance even just a little. I had repossessed Lisa's Mazda MPV for her lack of making payments to us, and it has been for sale in the yard. After the latest dr. trip, we put the Mazda back into use as a transport for your mother. We really do not need another vehicle on the place, but it works well and it is a lot more convienent for taking her to dr. and store. It has AC, and all the bells and whistles that were available in 1993.

You all have a good week.
Cathy

Paper Requests

How many papers do you all want? The article (such that it is) should be out this time around, along with Show and Shine. We will get copies for all who request them.

Richard's hand is healing nicely, he removed his own stitches, thrilled the doc by doing that, and goes back to see him in 3 months. Hopefully it is healed entirely by then. Healing from the inside out.

Spoke to your mother this morning. She said she is down to 118 lbs. She says she eats, but we both wonder how much and how often. She said she eats chicken patties alot. Offered her some spagetti, but she said tomato sauce bothers her stomach with too much acid. We are going in later to give her the books that Royce left here and her heating pad.

IT'S HOTTT!!!!!!! 103 here yesterday, and didn't cool off until early this morning. We have only a few times that we couldn't open all the doors and windows for a little while each morning. Yesterday was one. This morning is iffy. Going to shut up the house soon and keep cool air in.

Dogs are having a hard time. Oscar is so stiff he hardly moves. Emmy can't breath. Little Man is so "stove up" he can't even lift his leg so pees on his front legs. Minnie and Lucy are doing okay. Little jealousy now and again, but tolerable. Lucy has a metal pin in her right front leg, so I try to keep her from jumping too much. Ha, like that really works. She loves to haul ass out the door to chase the cows across the street from our yard. She barks alot. We have the best fence post chasers in the neighborhood.

Smoking takes it's toll. Talked to Curly Reed a few days ago, he says the VA diagnosed him with emphysema. Says he expects to go on oxygen soon. He used to smoke that "horse tobacco" as a youth and moved to real live cigarettes in the Navy. Curly says that the stuff the "feds" burn now used to grow wild all around here and his father just about killed him for taking the "store made" cigs from him. That's why he used the home grown stuff.

That are the news that am the news.

Later--
Richard and Cathy

Emmett Messenger Index

　
Berglund Family Reunion
　
On Saturday, June 27th, the Berglund family honored their roots and beginnings as a family, by celebrating their first reunion ever. It was a roaring success with 60 members plus friends attending. They came from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, and, of course, all over Idaho.
Charlie and Nellie Berglund settled in the Letha area in 1919. They raised 4 children: Shorty, Carl, Vivian and Paul.

I hope to be able to get this to the paper on Monday.

Cathy

Yeah!!! You all ROCK!!!

The reunion was a success. Thank you all for making that possible. Here's to next year!

CB

URGENT UPDATE!!!!

NEEDED.... DEEP WOODS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!! Be sure to bring some kind of repellent with you as the mosquitoes here are big enough to carry off a cow. Well, maybe not quite that big, but close. The recent wet weeks (not just a few days) have encouraged the little buggers to grow to large economy size with just as big an appetite for human blood. We do have West Nile Virus in this area (I have tested positive) so no one should go without some kind of protection. I had the spray on, but I must have missed one time, cuz the blood tests don't lie. This is not a fun malady, and those of us getting up there in years don't handle this virus well. Prevention is the word of the day.

On a happier note, the new dog that was supposed to be just visiting is here to stay. She has decided she likes it here and we have gotten fond of her also.

Heard from Robin yesterday. They will be here on Wednesday. She is bringing Rosalie and Eleni with her.

This reunion is going to be a lot of fun, so if you have some outdoors games we can play in the park, please feel free to bring them with you. Mel is in charge of the entertainment so we will enjoy the day.

Travel safe and see you all soon!

Cathy

Side dishes

Just a short reminder that the only things you need to bring for the reunion, besides your family, is a side dish and drinks for your family. There will be the meat, buns, plates, cups and utensils and condiments provided for all at the reunion. That being said, please travel safely, however you travel, and we will see you there!
us

T shirts

Ellen is paying for the T shirts, her idea , we can all talk about it later. Right now I need sizes for ever one. Think , group shot for the paper. Order going in TODAY.

later
RB

Reunion request

Listen up gang, I have available, for the reunion, an old fashioned ice cream churn and recipe for ice cream, courtesy of Aunt Wanda and Uncle Paul and their location skills. Would anyone like to take on this chore, and recruit the manpower to make the ice cream?

It was also suggested that we have t-shirts made for everybody. We did some research and if you would like a shirt, the requirements are: size, number needed, and money. They would be approximately $14.00 each and they would have "Berglund Reunion" on them. If we have at least 20 ordered, the price is less. Photo to follow this post, as soon as we get the e-mail.

RB

Lacey's pet

Got an e-mail from Heather tonight. Lacey has acquired a cat. Her name is Dina. She has 22 toes!

C

New Temporary Replacement

Well, we found the cat. She has slipped the bonds of the earth and resides in kitty heaven. Now, we have a temporary replacement. No, not another cat, but Lisa's Min Pin. Lisa is renting a room and the roommates did not like the dog. She is like all little dogs and is noisy and wants to play. So now she can play with our dogs until Lisa finds a new place to reside. Her name is Lucy, she is a black and tan min pin, and fits right in like she was born here. She is enjoying being able to go in and out as she pleases, bark at what she wants, and reminded Little Man to watch where he puts his nose. She is sleeping in the computer room with Oscar next to her. It took her a while to get used to the freedom she has here, and I am waiting to see how sleeping goes. She made it through dinner with flying colors, no fighting, so wish us luck.
CB

Sunday in Letha

About 6:30 the dogs went off , they think it's normal, and go rip roaring out side, to chase fence posts. All's well in the Berglund compound , patrol was a success, all the right places watered and watered again. OK back to the house, last one in is a wiener, come on lets get every one up, it's time to eat, get out of bed you lazy butts, can't you see we are starving, Hey , up fools !!! Keeping our yard safe is damn hard work, why do think we sleep all the time. Good thing their are four of us, this shift work really sucks. Pay's not much but the food is good, that's a hint DUMB ASS . Get the hell up ! Don't you know it's already 6:35 , what's the hold up ? All this translated into doggie talk is bark bark bark bark yap yap yap yap bark yap yap bark bark bark , and so on. Times 4 .

Black and white cat has been missing for the last two days we have looked in all the cat places, and no luck, she is 15 and has a hard time getting around , so I'm thinking she crawled off some where and spent her ninth life. If so, then it was meant to be, but we still have one cat and that's more then enough.

Cathy is making bread in the new bread maker, just pour in all the fixin's and out comes a loaf of home baked bread or buns or pizza dough, it's cool. It's the white thumb syndrome and a little on the cheeks. As for me I was going to finish up the entry way painting but ran short of paint so it's off to the paint store, Monday. Time to go watch the nascar race. So don't corner anything meaner than you !!

Later RB

Memorial Day weekend doings and undoings

Sure was dark inside.
Salmon pink anyone?

Scene from the back yard.

Back porch.

As you can see, we have busy here. Should be "labor day" instead of Memorial Day. Richard and Jason (Mel's hubby) did a face lift on the garage and then the house. They worked the better part of 2 weeks repairing and painting. The neighbors were horrified with the color. Rich had his own ideas about what we should do, but I just had to nix the nipple idea. We sure had the neighbors worried. The comments were flying, and not all good. The actual painting only took about two days for the house and 3 days for the garage. Uncle Paul and Aunt Wanda came out Friday and gave the job their stamp of approval.

As as now, we don't have anything planned for tomorrow. We did our cemetery hopping on Saturday. (Check out Rich's Facebook) We decided to take Zoom Zoom (our Miata) for the drive, top off, and really enjoyed the afternoon. We went to lunch first at the Toad Stool, then took off for Boise and the Vet's Cemetery to see Shorty. Visited with him for a little while, made music by tapping on the fronts of the burial wall, then went up to Dry Creek to see my grandparents. From there we headed for home by way of Horseshoe Bend. The drive was peaceful and very beautiful. The river was high and the dam had one spillway open. We then stopped at Emmett Cemetery, found Nellie and Charlie in the "Oddfellows" section, and the Horns at the south side, toward the rim at the tee in the road. We knew the general area everyone was at, just had to find the exact spots. After we visited with the grandparents, we stopped at Roe Ann's to get root beer floats. We decided to take them home, which worked out well as Gale and Rudy were in our driveway. They came out to see the house.

(We originally weren't going to post the photos, just make everyone come out, but decided to pique your interest with a taste.)

Hope everyone has a safe and fun day.

CB

Update

Finding a lot of really interesting stuff about family. We got some photos from Wanda and Virginia, so will use copies of them. Been looking up "Charlie" in the Ellis Island website, but cannot find a match for the info we do know. Cool website, though. If you know the name, spelling, date of birth, date of arrival then maybe a match can be found, including the ship, who and where the person is going, and relative physical attributes. Unfortunately, we found names that match, dates that match, but none that fit both at the same time. The ship's manifest is hand written, and as Grandpa did not speak English then, we have no reference to how they listed him. We spent the better part of 3 whole days looking for anyone that came close in spelling, dates, or origination. No one from Charlottenberg. They only list departure port, mostly English. The closest port to Charlottenberg is Gottenberg, Sweden, and that was listed a lot as origination.
So if anyone else has more information, we are halting the search and using the info we have already. Memories being what they are, there are discrepancies, and we allowed for that in our searches.

So there you have it. Time is getting short, so make sure the date is on your calender and to do list. Food is ordered, and I think I got Richard turned around about the softball game. Now he is thinking about horseshoes. At least there are a couple pits at the park.

You all have a nice weekend.

Cathy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLA!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy birthday to you...Happy birthday to you...

you know the rest. Enjoy.

Rich and Cathy

Dog For Sale

DOG FOR SALE
Whether you own a dog or not, you must appreciate the efforts of this owner to sell her dog. Read the sales pitch!!!

Dog For Sale Free to good home. Excellent guard dog.Owner cannot afford to feed him anymore, as there are no more drug pushers, thieves, murderers, or molesters left in the neighborhood for him to eat.Most of them knew him as 'Holy Shit.'

Sent to us by Wes Patterson.

Update----

Spoke to BBQ lady this morning. Deal is struck. Confirmed services of Iron Horse BBQ.
We are slated to have pulled pork and boneless, skinless chicken breast. Side dishes are on you. Coleslaw, beans, etc. for your family. We will pick up the buns at Sam's Club. As close as we can figure, the cost is about $6.50 per head with a rough estimate of 55 bodies. Now accepting payment. BYOB drinks also. We will have a large cooler available with ice. We will be at the park early the day of reunion in order to secure the spot and set up by 10. Food will be delivered between 12 and 12:30. The spot in the park is the east side on Johns St. There are restrooms and sidewalks and a nice shaded area with benches, etc.

Thanks guys!

Later US

Calling all lawn chairs!!!

Good Sunday morning to you all.

We keep having Brain Farts about this get together and are sharing them with the rest of the family, meaning all of you.

We figure if we can get as much a possible planned out early, we will be that much further ahead. So, what we would like to know from all the local subjects of the "King of Letha" is do you have any chairs available to bring. We can rent some if the need arises. We figure some butcher paper on the picnic tables and benches, but we are sure there will be some who don't or can't sit on benches.

We also need a head count ASAP from your side Paulette.
We have 27 so far on Rich's side, and 5 for you, 2 for your mom and dad, but are kind of on a holding pattern from there. We can call anyone you need us to.

Later Again!!
US

So Far.....

If we just get pulled pork and BBQ chicken then we can get more for our money. Golden potato casserole was pretty good, so that's a yes. Green salads are not a good thing due to heat as according to BBQ lady.

We have utensils, plates, and cups. More than enough to go around.
Side dishes would be a good thing.
It would also be BYOB drinks.
I will bring the cooler bench for ice, soda and beer.

Carla, as far as desserts are concerned, we will leave that up to you, but please get in contact with Paulette. She wants to have a sheet cake as a surprise birthday for Uncle Paul. His b-day is the 10th of June. It was suggested putting on the cake "Happy birthday to all the Senior members of the Berglund clan." Or Happy Birthday to everyone who had a birthday in the last year.

I need to hear from the rest of the clan by Tuesday at the latest, so I can make final arrangements for the BBQ. Thanks to all have responded so far.

Later
RB

Eats???

We have been discussing the food situation for the reunion. How does everyone feel about having BBQ? For Rocky's funeral, Iron Horse brought in some pulled pork and buns. It was really good. They have other items too. Chicken, beef, cole slaw, potato salad, beans, etc. This would cost approx. $7-$10 per person. One of the reasons we thought about this was all the out of town folks not having a chance to fix something for a pot luck. Just makes the trip that much easier.

We need some input here. No decisions made without it.

http://www.ironhorsebbq.net/ check it out.

Later
RB

Last revision--this is it

This Monster that I have spawned is now chewing a chunk out off my back side.

Latest word from Robin, Glynnis can't come , because of to many fair dates already scheduled .
Rod and Lynn can't either they will be in the Med. on a cruise.
Ellen and Leo will be here in May for Bertha's 85th B- day, so this year, for them, is not good.

Talked with Uncle Paul and he brought up some good points also. After driving up up to the park, we had to reconsider. Facilities at Cobblestone park are "iffy" at best. It won't work. So now the plan is for June 27th, Saturday, at Emmett City Park. They have rest rooms, sidewalks, power and a covered area for tables and such. Another point brought up was that no matter when we set the time and date, there will be someone who can't make it, so this is it. It's a weekend, not too hot yet, and not too far in the future. After conferring with a lot of family members, this is the best compromise we can make. We will get there early that morning, as that part of the park is first come first served, and make sure of availability. Comments? or call, we are usually home, Emphasis on USUALLY. If we don't answer, call the cell phones.

Sorry about the change-up pitch, but sometimes, even being flexible, is little too rigid.

Happy trails to you!

Later
RB

Ready or Not, Here we Go!!

So far, everyone is on the same track! Now, I would like to know if anyone is interested in preparing a kind of family biography with photos? This could be shown at the reunion, and if someone wants a copy, they can request one. There is a lot of history and none of us knows all the details, so it would be very entertaining and educational for us all. So, everybody, gather your dusty photos, add captions or stories and keep them in a safe place until we can get it together. Suggestions please!! Maybe each family can do one on their own branch, then we can put them all together. Does anyone have suggestions for mementos? Keep it clean. Input people, input. GIGO.

Cathy

Date Set

And for your reading enjoyment the latest in up dates. June 19th, 2009 family reunion, b.s. social, beer drinking, pot luck and biggest and best liar contest. Location: Cobblestone Park off Plaza road Emmett Idaho.Time: Come early and stay late, we will have the Park all day. No camping in the Park.

Royce , Please inform Charlie if you would,I don't have his info. thanks. Hope everyone can fit this into there schedule. I'm off to inform the uninformed. In the mean time, You all build yourselves a wonderful experience.

Later
RB

Reunion Update #2 and extras

In consideration of the older members of the Berglund Clan, it has been strongly suggested that we have this family reunion this coming June. So how about during Cherry Festival, and Rich will see about reserving Cobblestone Park. It is the one on the south side of the river off Plaza rd. That way, there will be other entertainment options available for those who need or want them.

Rich just spoke to the ranger, and we can reserve the park for the day, ($125 for permit) only family members and such, alcoholic beverages will be allowed in moderation, BYOB, so now all we need is approval from you all, and the number of attendees. Then we can go for a firm date and make the reservations and buy the permit. We know this is quick notice, but the concern has been expressed that next year might be "too late" for some and we certainly don't want to lose the opportunity to share memories. Bring photos, and stories about the good old times and be prepared to have a ball. After we get a round number, we can begin to think about feeding everyone, and the logistics that brings up.

Later
Us

Reunion Update #1

I think I talked to everyone I am related to last Sunday. The positive response was really refreshing. Thank you all very much. Spoke to Robin yesterday, and she e-mailed me back. Aunt Rosalie wants to come as long as Robin is driving. Glynnie wants to come too. Robin hasn't heard from Carl Jr. or Rod. Called Paulette, she said "you're really getting this ball rolling." I replied" You betcha girl!" She will contact her side of the family. Spoke to Uncle Paul, and he is recovering nicely. Working out with them soup cans. We have one vote for this summer. Mom couldn't understand why everyone wouldn't just drop everything to come. My vote is for the 1st week in June, unless Cherry Festival is something most every one wants to consider. We couldn't use the city part of course, but there are other parks around here, like the one that Mel and Jason got married at. June may not work for everyone, so lets hear some ideas there people.

We also heard from Shawn and Josie. They will be coming out some time in March maybe. We exchange e-mail frequently now. I also created my own cribbage monster. I don't know if it's the cards or if Cathy's smarter than I am, but I keep getting my ass stumped.

Later
Rich

19 years and counting...

As of yesterday, we have been married 19 years! Wow, time flies even if it all isn't fun and games. We met the day after Christmas 1986 and tied the knot in 1990. So much water under the proverbial bridge. Three kids, two granddaughters, numerous dogs and cats, several horses, and lots of learning along the way. Life has thrown us some roadblocks, but, somehow, we got through them and look forward to more challenges ahead.

We went to the Toadstool for lunch and free pool, Mel and Jason and kids got there and Morgan shot balls with Richard. Mel and I had a nice conversation, and Jason took Josiah (?) to play the arcade games after lunch. Very nice way to spend the day. I am a people person, and am having a harder time with retirement than I anticipated. So I make Richard take me to town or Boise, or where ever to get a people fix. I love him dearly, but I drive him and he drives me nuts if we are not getting some kind of diversion every now and then. Cabin fever anyone?

Dad is doing okay after surgery. We had been to see him on Tuesday, left to go have lunch, and Mom called. Their car developed a gas leak and was not safe to drive, so we went back and Rich got the tow truck situated as I got Mom and Dad in the backseat of our truck. Took them home and got back in time for the 5 o'clock news. Tow bill was over $165.00! They have spent more than a new car would cost in fixes for their 97 Intrepid. Dad refused to look at new cars because of the cost. He is finally seeing the light after this last fiasco. We shall see.

Come on Spring!! We are anxiously awaiting a chance to go on a drive in Zoom Zoom. (Not just a short jaunt)

Cathy

St. Al's family reunion!

Just yesterday, we were on our way into St. Al's to see my dad (recovering from colon surgery) when someone honked at us. When we looked, we knew the person, just couldn't place how. It was Paulette! She was on her way home to check on their dog as Tim is recovering also from surgery. He had his back fused, and will be going to rehab in the next day or so. He is also recovering from a stroke. Paulette told us the room number for Tim, and we promised to stop by after visiting my dad. We got to Tim's room about an hour later, and visited for an hour. Paulette and Richard discussed family and such. She reads the family blogs every now and then. She made the suggestion to have a family reunion some time soon, as we were losing members too quickly. So, how does everyone feel about this, and date suggestions are being solicited. Richard thinks maybe, that this summer may be too soon to get this arranged, so his suggestion is next summer as the younger family members will not be in school then, and those who work will have time to make arrangements for time off. We will keep in contact with Paulette, and looking forward to hearing from you all too. Will send an e-mail to Robin and the California branch of the family, so they have the info.

Cathy and Richard

Granddaughter update + "Ex" update

Haven't heard back from the kid, so we don't know if they are coming or not. It doesn't matter to Rich, but I am curious as to why. We have run all the scenarios through, but it doesn't change the facts. Maybe it was a hoax.

Heard from #1 daughter about #1 granddaughter. She is safely at a "ranch", out of state, with cats, dogs, horses, barns all the good stuff. She will be incommunicado (?) for at least 2 weeks, and they figure it will take 30 or more days to get the effects of the last fiasco out of her system. They will know then, maybe, if there will be permanent damage. The expected time of stay is 6 to 10 months. Sure hope it works.
Later
us

creepy

The phone jumped off the hook about 9pm night before last. Didn't know the number, it was out of state. I said "hello", you know how that works. This voice says "Is this Richard?" , I said "yes", the voice asked if I was the Richard that was married to a Kathy with three kids Shannon , Chad ,and Sean. Man, am I at a loss for words, very cautiously I say yes. The voice says "This is Sean Thome, Kathy's youngest son". I'm struck dumb, speechless, out of breath, cold chills, flashes of not so nice memory's and I wanted to hang up on him, but I stick it out and ask what I could do for him. Sean asked me if I knew anything about his dad, Dave, being dead. Another shocker! I said "no, I had not read any obit's to that effect". I asked where he got his information. He said his sister Shannon. I'm thinking what's this all about? Well Sean ask If I knew how to get a hold of Dave as he had been unsuccessful in his attempts. So I do the phone book thing and Google thing. No known address, phone disconnected, dumb ass must have fell off the edge of the map. All attempts have failed to locate this supposed dead person. I'm thinking maybe he really is dead. But I had an epiphany, (bet you didn't know I knew that word or what it meant or how to use it, so there). Well anyway I called Don Winch , he's one of our ex beer drinking, pool shooting, skirt chasing, womanizing, born again Jesus freaks and long time friend of Dave's. (He also plays the guitar and thinks he can sing.) I ask if he knows how get a hold of Dave cause he's supposed to be dead and his son is looking for him. After a long pause and a Hail Mary, Don says he's not sure. But he would try to find out. So I get off the cell phone with Don, as Sean is on the other line. Sorry Sean, not much help so far, but Ill see what I can come up with and let you know. We visit for a little while and then say our goodbyes. The next day, which is yesterday now, Don calls me and with a little luck Don finds out that our dead person is not so dead after all. He lives in Emmett in the apartments in back of the Chinese restaurant on 4th street. No phone number yet. I said OK I have to go to the bank I'll talk to you later. So about half way through our appointment at the bank, my cell phone rings and it's our savior Don. Hey, I found Dave. "He drives for FedEx and he's in McCall now, here's his cell number". Sitting back in the truck, I gave Dave a call and give him Sean's number and tell him what's going on. Boy, was that long winded, but I'm not done yet.

Last night about 9PM, the phone ring's again, it is Sean and he's very happy about finding his long lost Daddy. Much thank yous and a few sobs, he tells me that he and his wife are making travel arrangements to Idaho to see Dave and do the father and son thing. So I said I would like to see him while he is here . That was acceptable, so we will see what happens.
Later
RB