Dorothy Weeks 164 N. Schumaker Rd. Bennett, CO Nov 22. 2005 Tuesday 7:25am
Dear Family,
Sep 15 was my last letter.
Long’s Peak 14,255’ is highest Rocky Mtn. Sep 17 Jared Weeks with Ben Totems, Andy and Dave Bilisoly attempted it without gloves. They will try again. The peak has defied others: http://hikingincolorado.org/long.html
Bruce & I enjoyed “Back to School for Doctors” Sep 17-18. Donna Wild looked at the longitudinal ridges on my finger nails (like Dad had) and said I needed Vitamin F. Looking up Vit. F I find it is fatty acids. Standard Process adds iodine.
After Breaking of Bread I noticed a garage sale and after going with Deana to Black-Eyed Pea I returned to it. Amongst the mountains of clothing on several tables I spoke to the lady. Wow, my daughter just paid $100 at ARC for clothing for the poor folk in Brazil. If you don’t sell all this would you like to donate it? Before Tim I’s gospel they packed the Acclaim. I washed and sorted for over a month. Danielle will be busy in Dec.
I want to know what Deut 8:3 includes: “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”
Sep 21 Tues Joyce Mackewich and Carol and Christian Isely & I explored Johnson Park on Wadsworth & I-70. Ate our tuna sandwiches on Lake Arbor. Carol touched her first cattail. We didn’t find her a used rocking chair that she liked.
Although Bethany removed kitties from her bathroom and I scrubbed it before Sol, Rafael and Baruc Gonzalez from Mexico City arrived Sep 22 Thurs, when Sol was bathing his son he had an allergic attack. The allerplex doses I gave him wasn’t enough. During the night he had the choice of sleeping and not breathing to staying awake to mentally make himself breathe.
Sat we enjoyed the annual cider pressing at Totems. Gabrielle and Josh Diehl came, too. They were touched by Pieta’s Pink Pig which I read in the car. Sunday Bruce & I hitched a ride to Colorado Spring Tea Mtg where we picked up the 1990 Honda Civic that Bruce found on ebay. $1400. He plans to paint it Thanksgiving Day for the 2nd time. The hatch doesn’t work. We paid a welder, now need some struts. It’s not guaranteed.
Brandon Renaud’s wedding was Oct 2. Chuck & Candi Thonney attended.
Sep 27 I shocked Betty Keefe by ringing the door bell at 7:30AM. We had a good visit. I passed Stephany’s Chocolates and learned of their tours. Then Joyce, Carol, Christian and I met Deana Stroo at the Pres. Church where she feeds high schoolers every Tuesday. She drove us to El Rancho. (She scared herself by entering a one way the wrong way on I-70 and 6th ave. A quick U-turn in her Jeep corrected the problem.)
Deana was a waitress at El Rancho. I had meat loaf; she had chicken enchiladas.
Sep 28 I started Beth Moore’s “Believe God” Bible study at Karen Romer’s. This week we’ve covered different ones in Heb 11 faith chapter.
Oct 1 Bethany & I delivered a Scottish fold kitty to Brighton before enjoying Mary’s lingerie shower at Charity’s. June Wroton gave Mary excellent advice. “Don’t mope too much!, etc” I spent the night at Deana’s. For breakfast we had MacDonalds before a great Sunday School (reading in Isaiah). Jacobsen’s invited me for the newly wed, Greg & Sharon Berg, dinner.
Danielle bought soap from a lady who now is her friend. Another woman approached her in the parking lot, asking for help. Danielle bought her a grocery cart of groceries. Later the woman, Marcella, and her family accepted the Lord as their Savior. The Fischers continue to help them.
Oct 6 I listened to Deana at her book club on Colorado authors and her own history. Her back really hurt so after Goodwill 50% off and Chinese/Vietnamese lunch, she went and soaked. Bruce’s days at Geneva 4-plex are numbered. Vernelle Berry said, Josh, her s-in-law, helped her sell her 4-plex. She let Josh know I was interested. Oct 31 it was sold at $5000 loss. The money and time spent on cleaning up after renters, advertising, etc. can be considered the cost of Bruce’s education.
Oct 7 Fri, the pump stuck and many fish died. Wed. I improperly shut the pingpong board “kitty fence” and the best Siamese female was stuck & broke her neck. Bethany’s kitty business is ongoing. Helping her study for anatomy tests is ongoing. Sat. I made meat loaf from spicy ground pork and mashed black eyed peas and Bethany & Jared joined Huffs at $1 movie.
Sun. Stan Jacobsen read about the good Samaritan and said don’t go to Dave Spence’s wedding. Lydia wants to go to Africa to help poor people.
Oct 10-Monday. The wet snow fell all night. For 3 hrs from 7:30am on I shook tree branches and listened to the cr-a-acking of others. Bethany’s 1996 Civic with those large-rimmed skinny rubber tires, stuck at George’s driveway on 6th and Schumaker. I didn’t have enough of the driveway shoveled for Bruce so he got stuck after work. The next morning Bruce helped shovel out the 96 Honda. I learned that Karen Romer and 91yo Uncle George were leaving for Walla Walla on Wed. Oct 12. She let me pack my bag and I stowed in. As we traveled I read A.J. Willis’ The Days of My Pilgrimage. We so enjoyed her adventures near Winnipeg in 1880’s. She later gave birth to G.C. Willis who some of us met abt. 1956 in Walla Walla. Like David in Psalm 116:10, “I believed, therefore have I spoken..” She gathered children around and told them Bible stories. I told them the story of Hugh Glass & the grizzly and Rochat stories.
The water color of Bear Lake reminded me of Bermuda. As time and we went on the color was not so spectacular. What conditions made the water so beautiful? We called Tony Giesbrecht 3 hrs. before arriving in Aberdeen. Lamont welcomed us; Becky produced delicious fajitas. Amazing Kari whipped around doing without being asked. Shelly was there with her 2 children. I slept in Kari’s room after meeting. Uncle George and Karen were hosted by Don & Esther Giesbrecht’s at Fairview Inn. Unknowing I walked across fresh cement when I joined them for a delicious breakfast including fresh UT peaches. Esther baked abt. 1200 rolls for Tony’s hunter’s Saturday.
We stopped at Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City before arriving at Mom’s for delicious salad and casserole. We walked to Pioneer Park. After meeting I shooed the gabbing seniors to bed. Next day they bid us adieu. Rich & Marilee arrived in time for supper. Sat. Roberta brought over Tim, Jamie and Wayne. It was great being with each of them. Sun. We enjoyed the hospitality of Dave & Lou Thonney. Mon AM Mittelstadts, Mom, and I enjoyed fellowship with Ernie & Liz Munck. Tues noon was a pleasant time with Gerry Liening. Tues. night delicious stew with Mac and Margaret Hallowell before meeting. Ted & Verna showed me conference photos the Wed. afternoon Harold & Karen Romer and Uncle George returned. Thurs. we left for Yellowstone traveling via Dixie, Dayton, Lewiston, and to Missoula on Hiway 12. The same as Lewis and Clark traveled in 1804. We enjoyed the yellow leaves at the lower levels. Higher up Harold told me the larch needles turn rusty and fall.
[gas Ennis MT 9:22am].We ate steak at the Golden Corral before pressing on to Butte where we slept at Motel 6. In 1860 Butte was known as the “richest hill on earth” reveling in her copper, silver and gold mining. Arriving at Yellowstone’s west entrance we drove north to Norris Geyser Basin where Karen and I saw Steamboat Geyser spouting and many little geysers all sending up their hot steam. We decided we didn’t have time to do the full circle so headed south for Old Faithful which peaked 15 min. after our arrival. We had to wait for the afternoon stroll by the buffalo.
Afton was further south than we figured. We learned the fish place that Jon Kovach had taken me to, closes at 7pm. We ate at the Homestead. They split a steak; I had taco salad and then diarrhea. I felt a bit like Goldilocks when we arrived at Jon & Pam’s empty home (Morning Star). Harold and Karen slept in Jon & Pam’s log bed; I enjoyed the ambience of Annie’s room, and Uncle George slept in the bottom bunk across from the bathroom. Although they were missing, the testimony of the Labennes rang out in text and literature. It was a privilege to be there. Lord’s Day we traveled home arriving again in twilight. A happy time had by all. I couldn’t have asked for better traveling companions.
Dear Bruce specially rented the video “The Little Princess” for my return and birthday. Monday I was delighted to receive Roger Louy’s letter from SW. When I was in jr. hi. School, Lilian Berney Cornelius wrote up a Rosselet descendant chart because there were 2 Rogers, one of which was my brother. I was always curious who the other one was. Through the Rochat letters and the will of Abraham Isaac Rochat I learned that Fanny’s sister, Dolie, had married Théophile Gauchat. When in Salt Lake this year, I looked at parish records for their children.
Then I looked at the Swiss phone book and found a Roger Louys.
As usual Becky Lownsberry from Des Moines called and we had a stimulating chat on my birthday, Oct. 25. I also enjoyed calls from John, Roger, and Mom. Finally after about 6 months without a house vacuum, I purchased a Beam Rugmaster using some money Susan had sent last year. I wore the rosy vest John & Ruth sent to Karen’s 60th birthday party.
Oct 28 Friday, Bruce & I drove the 1990 Honda and arrived at Micah & Angie’s in Casper about 4pm. Angie just arrived from a 4-absence. The firm she works for sends her around WY doing audits. She was at Riverton in Wind River Indian Reservation. Jared & Bethany arrived in time to change for the wedding of Dave Spence & Ghislaine Ludvicek. Jiss’s brother José Ouellet spoke and Jiss’s daughter’s Anne Nederhoff and Naomi Hilleshiem sang. I enjoyed meeting all- Dave’s 2 daughters and grandchildren, Paul & Marsha (Nunnikoven) Thomas from Chatham, NJ, Raymond & Monique Ouellet from Waterville, Quebec, and others.
Bruce & I had the good Diehl queen mattress in the guest room. Angie fixed yummy Bisquick & blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Micah taught us a strategy board game. Later they played it online. Micah learned that I didn’t give him a challenge when we played chess. We enjoyed watching Zorro II before coming home to Angie’s delicious lasagna. Angie and Bethany shopped 2x then Jared and Bethany drove home. Bruce & I had the privilege of picking up the Ouellet’s at Jiss’s home, having S.S. and remembering the Lord and his death in the home of Jose and France Ouellet. After a good Mexican lunch, Bruce and I returned to Bennett.
Oct 31 I helped clean David and Carol’s apt with Charity and Joyce. Recent books read: Producing a Quality Family History and Memoirs of the Life and Last Days of William Kelly by Heyman Wreford. Now I’m working on Ironside’s A Historical Sketch of the Brethren Movement and Bruce Anstey’s The Prophecies of Isaiah.
Nov 2 Rich & Joyce Mackewich, Dave, Carol, and Christian Mackewich joined us for chicken enchiladas, salad and sweet potato pie. We sang and talked. The next morning I was at their new apt at 7:50am.
We spent the morning at NCAR. My new word: lenticular clouds. It is called a lenticular cloud, due to its lens-shaped appearance. These clouds are formed by so-called mountains waves of air created by strong winds forced over high mountains. NCAR researches anything that has to do with geography. Solar rays are less in an avian flu epidemic. The influenza virus lasts 3x longer on a surface if the environment is colder and drier (23 hrs) than when in humid summer (8hrs). NCAR’s planes tested air over Hussein’s oil wells. They study crashing airplanes due to “microbursts”. Hurricanes are larger and more frequent. In 1987 the noctilucent cloud appeared. Now it is permanent and spreading. They form in the cold, summer polar mesopause and are believed to be ice crystals. In the last thirty years it has risen 300’. Eskimos have no name for mosquito, robin, great white shark or tropical fishes. There are mosquitoes in Alaska now.
In the next 10 years, Glacier National Park will not have a glacier left. The pine beetle is a menace because we don’t have enough freezes. The warming trend is due to China and India driving 400,000 cars. 2/3 of the population have air conditioners and TV.
NCAR has 6 super computers by IBM which each have 50 boxes. They have the largest library on weather and climate since Alexander’s library. Equal to 3.2 billion Harry Potter books or 150x the size of US Library of Congress.
There is an increase of large explosive volcanoes: Krakatoa 1880, Santa Maria 1902, Agung 1970, El Chichon 1982 , Pinatubo 1990. If you want to learn more come join me at NCAR!
Leaving NCAR we enjoyed Leanin’ Tree Art Museum with Bill Hughes large landscapes and the “saloon” artist, Lloyd Mitchell. At Celestial Seasonings I cared for Christian while they took the tour. I had the privilege of meeting Dutch, Reformed Church, South African, 20y model and writer, Matheus Wessels- a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I worked for a week indexing Lil’ Swiss Granpap. Indexing is hard. Nov 9 Susan Ness gave Bethany 14 kitties instead of paying her for the 7 boer goats. She has sold about ½ of them. One to Bethany Joy Graham who married Colin’s cousin. Nov 11 I stopped indexing to send photos to Marilee about Roger’s life who turned 65 Nov. 20, 2005. Nov 12 I took the defensive driving class until 5pm. John & Carmen helped out with supper and Tim & Mel joined us later. Bruce caught tilapia. As I floured & fried them their bodies were still moving. ooo! Dana & Marty Stern spent the night. Bruce was sneezing by Mon. Nov 16 I started writing up Roger’s life. Nov 17 Jared came home because his power supply melted.
Now it all started with Friday at 6am. Bruce brought me a bucket overflowing with dying tilapia. Tilapia die at 50o. He suggested filleting the larger ones. I tried one and saved the larger ones for him. Through the years my men have caught many a fish, scaled and cleaned them. Not I. Scaling wasn’t bad with a spoon but how and when to cut off the head and slit the anal hole. I decided to gut them first. I tried to insert the knife parallel to the fish to avoid puncturing the spleen and intestines. Wrong. I had green spleen juice on the wall and guts oozing over my fingers. Putting the knife in vertically did better. Then I used my fingers to pull and push the guts out. After washing the mess, I decapitated the fish starting on the ventral side. (At first I tried it on the side view but it was too tough.) Since the fish weren’t quite dead there was a lot of flapping of tail fins and splashing the growing pile of wet, scaly bloody newspapers. About #53 fish was really flapping when I degutted him. I watched his eye and it followed me. If I went to the left, his eye wandered up. If I moved to the right, his eye moved down. It unnerved me. He could only protest his slaughter by flapping his tail and looking at me in the eye. I cleaned 125 fish and thought of the disciples who caught 153 great fishes. Who cleaned them? My left hand had uncountable pokes from fins. My right middle finger had slashes from degutting and running into the pectoral fins. That night I was in pain.
The next morning Jared did the new dying fish. He neatly cut off the head, slit from the anal hole to the head and pulled all off together. Groan.
Tomorrow is Roger’s party with 60 guests invited. Sun. they enjoyed Porgy & Bess. I coughed a lot Sunday night so felt the Lord had kept me home.
Why did Enoch preach the Lord’s appearing and not His coming? See Jude.
Jared’s CSM graduation is 9:30am. He only has 4 tickets for guests.
Love
Dorothy