Duane Slocum: Kansas Plowboy

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008

Last night was the beginning of a hectic 3 days.  Not only did I have a day teaching PE at Mtn Ridge MS, we had a small gathering of ole friends at the Ocean’s Grill to kick off the reunion of former cadets and singles from our 6.5 years in the Singles Ward of the LDS Church.  Best of all was having Chris and Tiffany Parry with their three; Christina, Anna and Christopher, arrive at our home safely from Okla City.  They will be staying the weekend before heading on the Milad, Idaho for Thanksgiving.

Today we have the tailgate party at the BYU-AFA football game, then the game and finally a Devotional tonight at our church building.  Today will be pretty cold, but clear with perfect football weather, if you like being cold.  This morning, I have kitchen duty to make breakfast for the crew.  It is quiet now, but am not sure how long that will last.  With little ones, the clock is unimportant and it is 6:45 a.m.

This week, I had a chance to talk with Thersa Wade and Darlene Glassel, two of my HS classmates.  It seems one of our class member’s son died of a massive heart attack.  Olive Place was in our class and losing a son at 49 is a shock to any family.  I also talked to the Garner’s as Bishop Garner, a long time friend from our Calif. days is still in the hospital from an anuryism (sp) (bursting of an artery) which almost killed him.  I guess we are at the age when these things happen to people we know so well.  Dean Cook, a former cadet we also know so well, has a wife who is dying from cancer.  We will try to see him when we go back to the D.C. area next week.  LIfe is full of trials and hardships for all of us.  It is how we deal with those issues that makes a difference in our life and the lives of others.

I’m considering running for Colo. Springs City Council.  It is probably a dumb idea, but the timing is right.  I’m no longer a reporter, which could have been a conflict.  I don’t know if Scott Hente is going to run again for re-election in District 1.  We aren’t going on a Mission.  I’m 72 and in good health.  If I don’t do it now, I will never do it.  However, I hate the fund raising stuff and am against all the good ole boy’ cause’s, who expect their causes to be supported, if they provide financial support; ie, Home Builders, Real Estate developers, Chamber of Commerce.  I’m actually a pro growth person, but want govt. to make sure their house is in order before they start tacking on tax increases, etc.  I also am opposed to Govt. establishing enterprise companies, whereby they can charge fees (taxes) without going to the voters.  I am opposed the COP’s, which is another way to cause the taxpayers debt without them ever getting a vote.  Governmental agencies hate anyone who questions their ability to take money away from residents or homeowners.  I am a Reagan conservative rather than a Bush/McCain conservative.  That is one reason we got whipped so badly in last week’s election. Anyway, I’m still only thinking about it.

No new pics, so you get a couple of old ones. This is Bob Johnson, my good friend from Kaysville, Utah, when we went fishing last summer.  Big fish.

This is an old abandoned church near Valley Falls, Kansas, where Darlene Glassel lives and close to where I lived near Holton and Circleville.

Friday, Nov. 14, 2008

Not only is it Friday and the end of the work week, it is the day Chris and Tiffany Parry, with their three children arrive for a weekend stay with us.  Plus it is the AF/BYU football weekend with all the activities associated with the game and a reunion of sorts with former Singles when I was the LDS Bishop over the Singles Ward.  It will be a fun weekend, although I don’t have a clue of what my remarks will be at the Devotional Sat. evening.  Inspiration will come, I hope!!

Thursday was teaching PE at Discovery Canyon.  This is always a good assignment with good kids.  Plus I was off by about 12:30 p.m.  Today I am at Mtn. Ridge MS, also in PE.  Last night our home teachers came; John Anderson and Lynn Bodily.  Bro. Bodily is about to have back surgery and he asked if I would give him a blessing.  It is always an blessing to me to use the Priesthood of God to administer to those in need.  This is very serious surgery and he expects to be in the hospital at least a week or more.

I’ll try to have some interesting pics. to show you from the weekend.  Nothing new this morning as I get ready to go to school.

This is a granddaughter, Christy, and our daughter, Terri.  This a four years ago when Christy graduated from Utah State University.

This is the same time as the family gathered to celebrate Christy’s graduation.  Here we are in 2004 along with Brady, Christy and their new baby, Carter

Nov. 12, 2008

No time to write tonight as I was lazy all day after taking the day off from teaching.  I have assignments on Thursday and Friday, so a day off to work out was in order.

I want to try Roland’s new spiffy server and see how the picture sizing works.  I’ll write more Thursday night after our HT visit.

This is a student nursing team from Beth-El school of nursing.  Tami, our daughter, is the one on the right.  They are all seniors and graduate in May with their R.N. degrees.  I did a story about this team, but don’t if the Publisher will run it now that he has canned me.

This is Bobbie, dancing with her brother, Dewie, at our 50th wedding party in 2006.  Nice looking duo!

Nov. 10, 2008

This is a great month as so many important things have happened in our lives during this time of year.  Nov. 7, 1970 was when I was baptized into the Latter Day Saints Church.  Nov. 17, 1956 was when we were married.  Yep, next week it will be 52 years.  Nov. 18, 1972 was when our entire family was sealed together for eternity in the Los Angeles temple.  On Nov. 17, 1972 was when the final papers were signed in Los Angeles for the adoption of our youngest son, Jason.  That is why so many good things have happened during this month, making it a time of Thanksgiving within our family.

Yesterday, we had a good day with 6 inmates at the prison.  We showed them a talk by Pres. Erying from our last LDS General Conference as part of our Sunday meeting in Canon City.  I’m going to continue to give them insight into the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Rick Jensen took the DVD’s from the Distribution Center and converted them to VHS tapes, which is all the equipment the prison Chapel has.

Today was a good day at Liberty High, teaching English.  The only problem was the students being all seniors, who sometimes think they are hot stuff and want to prove what cool dudes they are.  I survived the day, even the class on Science Fiction.  Huh?  Yeah, I thought the same thing.  Why have such a class, even for seniors, when some can’t even read or write all that well?

Today I was notified by the retired Publisher my services would no long be needed as a stringer/reporter for the Woodmen Edition.  Dave Vickers, the Managing Editor, resigned and I guess the owner wants to be back in charge.  I’m disappointed as I enjoy writing, except when someone complains they weren’t quoted correctly.  After almost 6 years, I had acquired quite a following of readers.  Oh well, as Chelly said, maybe another door will open as this one closes.

We had a great time with Camryn over the weekend.  Tonight was calm as there was only Bobbie and me.  JJ had gone home after school to spend the night with his Mom and Jason is off doing a work project.  It is hard to get used to there only being the two of us.  I especially enjoy our Stake Conf. and trip to the prison as Bobbie and I were there together.  Once in a while, quiet is nice!

So, its off to bed in case I get a teaching assignment on Tuesday, which is Veterans Day.  I’m going to wear my Navy dress blue top regardless of what I do tomorrow, even to school if they call.  No patriotic pictures in my arsenal.

Two more of the vendors Camryn always visits.  The sauage couple where Camryn always gets samples from them and we buy their BBQ sauce.  The other guy is the tamale guy who is always trying to give her a package of chicken tamales.  We also buy his tamales to make up for those he wants to give Camryn.  Camryn and us love going to the Farmer’s Market each Sat. morning, however it closed for the season on Oct. 24th.

This is Bobbie with Mary and Ray, our friends from Australia.  Roand and Nina Smith also know them well.  The four of us hope to go to Aust. sometime in 2010 to spend a month exploring the continent.  Swimming in the Great Barrier Reef is one thing on my bucket list, along with seeing a great white shark.  Ray and Mary live less than an hour from the Barrier reef.

Nov. 9, 2008

If you like Fall with cold nights, cool mornings and clear beautiful days, it doesn’t get any better than living in Colo. Springs.  I don’t remember where I left of in our many adventures through mortality, so here goes with whatever comes to mind.

Friday, I taught English to 7th graders at Mountain Ridge Middle School.  There are some of the nicest and some of the biggest knuckle-heads in the world made of up 7th graders.  It must be one of the hardest ages, however I don’t even remember being in the 7th grade.  I guess being on the farm, when you are milking cows, shoveling manure, driving tractors and going to school, every year seems somewhat like the last one.  I barely remember high school, at least until Darlene, Ilah Rose and Mary showed up in our 10th grade.

I survived Friday.  We went out that night in our normal routine, only this time, we took JJ along with Camryn.  We went to a noisy place called Zio’s, which has pretty good food and service.  Kids love it as they can write on the paper table cloths and use their fingers to eat pizza or whatever.  I forgot to mention Anna stayed Thursday night and Karen came to pick her up Friday afternoon.  Anna is Jason’s youngest, a 4 year old.

Tuesday night was elections; Wednesday was teaching and conducting the resume seminar that evening and Thursday was doing our home teaching.  I took Thursday off from teaching to get all kind of things done around home, like draining the lawnmower of gas so the jets would not be plugged up with sediment next Spring and replacing a part in the sprinkler system and putting winter fertilizer on the lawn.

Yesterday (Sat), I got up early to go to the YMCA to work out.  Sometimes, working out is like therapy to me.  I can work-up a sweat, listen to awful music they pipe into the gym and get rid of any frustrations before taking a refreshing shower.  Sat. morning, I was at 176 lbs, which is only 10 lbs. heavier than I was in 1954, when I got out of Navy boot camp.  Lifting keeps me in the 175 - 180 range all the time.

Sat. afternoon, we picked up Tahlia Evans, Camryn’s best friend, and went to 7-Falls, a big tourist attraction up a canyon in Colo. Springs.  I will post a couple of picture we took of the area.  It was cool at about 7,500 ft., but the two girls had a good time.  Talhia was just diagnoised with Type 1 diabetes a few weeks ago.  So her and Camryn talked about their disabilities.  They are good for each other as Tahlia has to eat something every two hours and camryn has some limitations in doing physical kind of things.  Tahlia is the daughter of Suzy Snow Evans.  We have known Suzy since whe was a little girl.

Last night we attend a LDS Church adult meeting for our Stake Conference.  That won’t mean much to some, but our LDS friends know.  It was the first time Bobbie and I had been alone all week, just to talk and catch up on things.  Plus the meeting was about Senior couples going on Missions.  However, we did get to hear Pres. McConkie, our good friend, give a stirring sermon on the modern day Prophets and how it has been proclaimed, even in the Old Testament, there would be a Prophet raised up in the latter days.  Pres. McConkie waxed on with conviction and strength.  Pres. McConkie has Parkinsten’s Disease and the tremors in the right hand continue to accelerate.  We love him and his wife to pieces.  They are the best.  Pres. McConkie continues to chide Bobbie about the need to go on a Mission.

I don’t remember what else happened this week, however I got my two stories submitted on time and both ran in Friday’s Woodmen Edition.  I have no idea what lies ahead.  David Vickers has left the paper.  Andy is now in charge.  Andy doesn’t seem to like me very much.  Of course, I haven’t helped things by not being intiminated and will argue when I think I’m right; which is probably too often.  Maybe, I will continue and maybe he will tell me to take a hike.  I’m the only one of the stringers who really writes news stories rather than fluff.  Of course, I get critized if someone doesn’t like what I write.

Today is the morning meeting of Stake Conf. and this afternoon we go to the prison.  I asked Rick Jensen to see if he could convert a DVD to a VHS tape so we could show Stake Conference talks to the inmates.  I’ll see if that happened, if I can get hold of Rick today.  Now a pic.

This is Bobbie with the two girls, Camryn & Tahlia.  The other with me and the two girls before we headed into the tunnel to take the elevator to the top of the mountain.  Two many steps for old people and two little ones.

This is the two girls, Tahlia & Camryn, thinking it was cold.  Camryn said, “Lets climb the stairs.”  Of course, that is far as we would let her go.  But she thought she was big stuff.

Nov. 6, 2008

This will likely be in two parts.  I took the day off as my two calls for teaching were both in Spec. Ed.  I wasn’t in the mood to tackle that today.  My resume seminar last night was not the best with only one person showing up.  So I was in a clunky mood without much focus on anything.  I decided a day of working out and being able to read while getting some winterizing tasks done was in order.

I took JJ to school, then to the gym for a brisk workout and refreshing shower.  I had to pick up some winterizing fertilizer for my lawns and a part for the sprinkler system.  I got that done and decided have have a bowl of ceral about 10 a.m.  Then it was running all the gas out of the lawn mower for the winter and setting four mouse traps in the garage, just in case.  I did some trimming of shrubs, got clothes ready for the washing machine and paid a couple of bills. 

The stormwater tax which was installed in 2007 is the most galling.  We have a disfunctional and maybe even dishonest City Council.  They have no moral compass and will impose fees just for the sake of wanting more money.  Thank goodness our 1% sales tax throughout the County was shot down.  However, they did not shoot down the stormwater tax because so many people despise Doug Bruce like so many people dislike Geroge Bush.  Our City govt. is a mess.  There are City elections in April, but there is no evidence new people will be elected.  I have toyed with the idea of running for a Council seat, but don’t know if I want to fight city hall.  Plus the incumbent is a Builder and has great finances from HBA and Real Estate Council.  They don’t want change from the current “good ole boy” rule that is in place.

10 p.m.  I’m tired again, even with the day off.  I have to teach P.E. on Friday at a middle school.  It was a good day.  Home teaching was done tonight.  All three of Jason’s kids are staying the night.  Everyone has gone to bed, so I’m going to call it quits also.  A pic??

This is Bobbie in 1998 with a anniversary gift I bought for her wwhen we were in Austria on our river cruise with the Smith’s.  She was surprised at how I got it all the way home and she never knew I had it.

This is a favorite pic of mine.  It is when we go back to Maryland for Thanksgiving.  This is Bobbie, Brooke, Christy and our oldest daughter, Terri, in 2007 as they are working on Thanksgiving dinner.  It is a fun time, which we are doing again this year, 2008.

Nov. 5, 2008

This is going to be short as I’m tired  at 10:30 p.m.  I was up late last night, election night.  i went to the GOP Gloom party at Mr. Biggs to cover it for the Woodmen and Cheyenne Editions.  Our Mgr. Editor was there as this is his last week working at the paper.  Besides Obama winning, an equally liberal Mark Udall became out other Democratic Senator.  What a pickle this country is getting into along with Colorado.  The White House and both sides of Congress are Democratic.  Both sides and the Governor of Colorado are Democratic.  After one year of this, our State has become so liberal and tax oriented, it is hard to believe this is the West.

At least the local and statewide tax increases were both shot down.  Gov. Ritter is a dunce.  At least it appears Obama has some marbles rolling around in a straight line.  It remains to be seen how soon he will try to take us down the socialist path.

We survived Halloween.  Today I taught at Liberty High and put on the Resume Seminar at our Church Employment Center.  After a late night, I was up at 5:30 a.m. this morning to finish my election story and submit it with a picture to the Publisher.  Now wonder I’m bushed or beat or tired or whooped!!  Here is a Halloween pic.

This is Camryn and her brother, JJ.  Of course, you will have to take my word that it is JJ.

This is Camryn with the kettle popcorn guy at the Farmer’s Market.  He is just one of the vendors who always wanted to give her a treat.

Sunday, Nov. 2, 2008

There always seems to be too much happening these days to keep up with a nightly posting.  So, I’ll try to cover the last few days this morning, the start of the next six months of daylight savings in Colorado.  It is a beautiful Sabbath morning and we don’t have to go to the prison today.  With it being Fast Sunday and an extra hour, I won’t know what to do with the time available, except get current in my trek through the past three days.

Thursday night was our Trick or Trunk night at the Church bldg. with a pot luck dinner to start it.   Camryn, JJ or Anna could not come.  Some issues at their home needed to be resolved.  So we stayed for the dinner, took a few pictures, had great conversation with Ward members; some we hadn’t seen for a month.  We were not in our home Ward church meetings during October.  We decided to go home after dinner rather than staying for the handing out candy.  Not having any grandkids or great-grandkids around took some of the joy out of the evening.  Scotty, Samantha, Katie and their spouses weren’t there; only Andrea & Bill with their son Noah.

Friday was my last day of a four day assignment at Liberty High.  The computer classes were great as most stayed busy or played computer games when they finished their work.  It was a pretty easy four days as Mr. Heil’s classes were finished by 12 noon each day.  Wood shop was not as much fun.  It seems there always some goof-offs who take the class because it is easy and they don’t have to do anything.  The girls were the best behaved and always helped out.   Some of the boys were first class knuckle-heads and lazy.  Friday was fun because of many kids dressing up in Halloween costume.  They kids really get into dressing any which way.

That evening I picked up Camryn in the Black Forest where she had been to a Halloween party at a Church.  They had a big turnout and it seemed to be a big deal.  We brought her to our house in her Benji, The Jungle Girl costume (I think that is right whoever the Jungle Girl is).  Anyway, we went out to a few house in the neighborhood who all know Camryn.  Naturally, they were glad to see her and made her feel welcome.  She got a chance to see Reagan and some of the other girls in the neighborhood.  Camryn isn’t into candy, so that part was no big deal.  Jason and JJ went over to his friend’s house where there were bigger kids going around their area.

Saturday morning I got up early as usual and went to the YMCA for a workout.  I was finished by 8:30 a.m. and came home to find Camryn and Bobbie still in bed.  Camryn decided it was the day for McDonald’s Saugage McMuffin, which she enjoys.  So, why not?  I got five as Jason and JJ were still in bed also.  Bobbie cooked some fried eggs as the McMuffins no longer have egg in the $1menu.  We had juice and saugage-egg McMuffins for breakfast and some fruit.

Then it was getting dressed to go look at the dogs which are up for adoption. We went three different places close by.  Two at a a pet store and one at Pet’s Mart.  Each of the organizations have pets for adoption and bring them about noon each Saturday for people to see.  One was going to bring a toy poddle and a English setter.  They got confused and forgot to bring the setter.  Then the 2nd store one didn’t have anything interesting.  Finally at Pet’s Mart, there was one possibility.  Some funny sounding dog breed I had never hear of.  Something like Shino Isu.  I’m not sure if she is a fit for us.  It is a female, purbred, but with lots of energy and very independent.  Plus we can’t get one before we return from Maryland on Dec. 2nd.  They would not consider holding the dog that long.  Plus they wanted $300 for the adoption fee.  We will see what happens, plus I want to see the English setter, which is a calmer breed and more likely to be a friend to Camryn and me.

That brought us to Sat. evening, which turned out to be calm.  I watched part of the Texas Tech vs. Texas football game.  If you like exciting wide open football, this was a game to watch.  It was settled with 8 seconds remaining.  Texas blew their coverage of passes in that final minute.  Air Force beat Army, but we didn’t watch any of that, as it was an early morning game.  I don’t really care who wins and seldom get to see any of the games.

Which brings us to this morning.  All is quiet as I have re-set most of the clocks.  My computer resets on it’s own.  Only the mantle clock and Camryn’s clock upstairs are left to change.  In two week we will be in Maryland.  I am excited about going, but dread the hassle of the airport and flying on United.  They put it to me the last time we flew with them.  United charges $15 for each checked bag.  Their kiosh check-in is the pits, at least for us more mature people.  Oh well, it will be fun to be in Terri’s house and see the young people, especially Shandra and Christy.  We usually don’t see much of Brooke and Brian is away at college at BYU-Idaho.  Matt is on his Mission in Minn.  However, there are 6 great-grandkids in Maryland we will see.

That’s enough updating for now.  I continue to have two articles each week in the Woodmen Edition.  Some are pretty good and then some are so-so.  Friday’s paper had a picture of Camryn within the article about District 20’s Home School Academy.  Camryn attends that school on Thursday each week, along with 59 other kids being home schooled.  They get things like music, art, language, P.E., etc. – all things parents have a hard time providing, plus the social interaction with other kids.  Its a great concept and the kids love going each week.  Now a pic.

This is Gary (r.) and his son as Camryn greeted them last Sat.  Gary owns a big farm in Swink, Colo. and loves Camryn.  They come to the Farmer’s Market each week and Camryn runs to give him a big hug.  They are always trying to give her something each time we go.  We buy most of our fresh produce from him.  We will drive to their farm in a couple of weeks to get some butternut squash for the winter.

This is Tammy, the Hawaiian lady, who also loves Camryn to pieces.  She always gets big hugs from Tammy.  This is just two of the vendors who look forward to us coming each week.  I’ll show you a couple more pics next time.  The Market is over for the season, until next June 2009.

Sept. 29, 2008

What a day on Wall Street and in Washington D.C.  The Dow was down 778 points.  WOW!  Dave has all our retirement and IRA savings in Money Market accounts.  That’s where it will stay until some sanity comes back into Govt., Wall Street, Banking and oil prices.  Who knows what will happen next.  Our Prophet has been telling us for several years to get out of debt and get your food storage in order.  We got half that accomplished as we have no debt.  House and cars paid for and no credit card debt.  Next is to begin to look at our food storage as we haven’t had to look at what we have on hand for over 30 years.

Today was back to being a Sub. teacher, only this time at Pine Creek High.  This is another of my favorite schools.  It was the first time I was there this school year.  I got lots of warm greetings, hugs from a few people and lots of fun time with some of the special ed. kids I used to Sub for last school year.  They all like me because I play with them and treat them like I do Camryn — special.

This was a saved post I forgot about.  So it is out of order with all the other things happening in our lives.

Oct. 30, 2008

As I already tell everyone, Bobbie is 70 today, so I might as well post it so the entire world will know.  At least, in my small little world, our friends and family will know.  Bobbie has been blessed with a kind temperment, a gentle spirit and good looks to boot.

Sleep has left me again, Nina, and its only 4:25 a.m.  I slept pretty well last night by being in bed at 10 p.m. and turning the TV off after the news was over at 10:30 p.m.  I hope this doesn’t become a habit.  Tonight is the Trunk or Treat dinner/Halloween party at our Ward building.  Its a better and easier way to do the candy giving away.  This year, the temps will be really mild and every kid in the world will be trolling for sugar treats.  Maybe, I’ll just turn out the lights.  Many times, Halloween in Colo. Springs is cold and miserable.

I had my 2nd day at Liberty High, teaching woodshop and computers.  There is not much teaching, more like baby sitting to make sure they don’t do something dumb.  Shop is the worst as there is all kinds of ways a kid can do something that can get them hurt.  I had a smart mouth bad attitude girl in the class yesterday.  She did nothing.  If that occurs on Friday, she will be in the Office and they can deal with her.  The two computer  classes are fine, except there isn’t enough work to keep them busy.

Next week is my Editor’s last week.  I dread him leaving our weekly paper as the Owner’s son does not much care for me.  Likely, I’m not humble enough and don’t do things that aren’t right or always agree with some of his editorial decisions as he has little editorial exper.  Oh well, life in the fast lane is never easy.  I can probably teach for at least two more years, if I want and my health stays good.  I still try to work out 2-3 days a week, as I did yesterday after school was over.  I’m done by noon, have lunch and can leave about 12:30 p.m.  For that I get $90 a day.

Next week is also election day.  I also dread the outcome, if Obama is elected.  Even if half the junk posted on the internet is true, this country is in for a shock as he slowly takes us down the Socialist path.  It will be a subtle sucking sound as we drown in our own stupity.  People have made Pres. Bush the bad guy in all this rather than Congress and the political hacks we have elected. They are everywhere; like Mark Udall in Colorado, who is running for Senator.  It likely will be a landslide for the Dems in both houses.  The Dems control as aspect of Colorado’s political scene.  This state is slowly, maybe not quite so slowly, being drained of its resources and any will to fight back.  Gov. Ritter is a classic liberal who wants to invest in the future will everyone’s money.  This state will soon become like Calif. where companies leave because of the tax drain.

Enough of the heavy stuff.  Bobbie took care of Camryn and Anna yesterday as Karen had AF Reserve duty in the middle of the week.  The family is gathering tonight for the Halloween event, which includes a pot luck dinner.  I’ll post some pictures of some of the costumes.  Everyone enjoy a safe happy Halloween.  Pics I think!!

This is not one of Bobbie’s favorite pictures, but I like it.  So, we lead off with this shot in my den of our Matriarch of our family.  Turning 70 is great and she still look beautiful as ever.

This is Grandma Lund, Bobbie mother and our daughter, Terri.  It was taken a few months before Grandma died and the last picture of the two of them together.

I can’t remember if I sent this before.  This is Mel’s home in Vilcabamba, Ecuador.  This is where they now live.  (Mel is my brother and his wife is Pam.)  Yeah, I did send this before, so forgive my weak mind.