Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Well, 3 nouns and 1 adjective. 2 nouns are just wrong. I'm back I don't know for how long. Life continues. This is where I am. First, I have fallen once again madly in love with my wife. We are going away for a bit and will begin a new segment of our lives when we get back. She wants to travel more, I'm looking at schooling. We are going to be Grandparents! My daughter has grown up. Not completely, but a fine young lady. Alex is persuing his dreams and going to be attending a 4-year college soon. Just love my kids. The family will be going to Washington DC for T.A.P.S. this year. It's spring and the worst of winter is over, here comes the floods. North Easter Lake is forming. That is where my north hay field floods until the drain channel thaws enough to drain it. I keep hearing the first line of Cream's song, Tales of Brave Ulyses. "You thought the leaden winter would bring you down forever, so you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun." Bring on the violence, can't wait. Last January, LM laid off 165 employees. I am out-of-work but looking. It's hard to find $16.00 an hour, even though the ND economy is the best in the nation. My favorite Governer is in Washington now in the Senate. We replaced two of the three Dems from our state and the third won't be running again. What else? Who knows. It's a new year and I might have more hope. God is still in control.

The Sky Is Cryin' 09-11-09

The sky is cryin....can't you see the tears roll down the street

The sky is cryin....can't you see the tears roll down the street

I've been looking for my baby, And I wonder where can he be

September 11,2009 Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, North Dakota

We awoke around 2:30 am to a thunderous rainstorm. Getting dressed Laurie, myself, Alexander, and Eliza left the house for a long trip to Bismarck, ND. We had been invited to participate in the dedication of the North Dakota Memorial to the Fallen in the Global War on Terrorism. We arrived 7:30 am at the Adjutant General's Quarters at Fraine Barracks in Bismarck. Treated to a buffet breakfast, we had a chance to meet and converse with the Adjutant General, The Former AG ( Who had been at Jeremiah's Memorial in Devils Lake), The Governor and his wife, members of the ND Patriot Guard, and other Gold Star family members.

Outside, the ceremony started at 9:37am, the time of the beginning of the attacks of 9/11, with the ND Patriot Guard riding in. Colors were posted, the National Anthem sung, some opening remarks by City Commissioner Connie Sprynczynatyk, wife of the Adjutant General, and an Invocation by the Chaplain Major Johnson of the ND National Guard.

Remarks followed by Governer Hoeven, Bismarck Mayor John Warford, Major General David Sprynczynatyk, City Commissioner Steve Schwab, and Mrs. Diane Ferderer mother of fallen soldier Specialist Dennis Ferderer as a representative for all the Gold Star Famieelies.

After this, we the families were called up to place dog tags of our lost loved ones on the Soldier's Cross in the center of the memorial.

The ceremony was concluded by a 21-gun salute, taps and a Benedictfion by Chaplain Dan Sweeney of the Bismarck Police Department.

After the ceremony, the Patriot Guard surrounded the memorial to close it off so the families could take some alone time with the memorial and place some personal items inside it.

This tribute was very moving and we appreciate those who feel we should never forget those who sacrificed everything for our freedom. This project was a joint effort of the City of Bismarck, ND and the ND National Guard.

"We will always remember. We will always be proud.

We will always be prepared, so we will always be free."

- President Ronald Reagan

Tripped to Texas

Laurie and I took a little vacation to Texas this week. Yesterday was the third anniversary of Jeremiah's passing so we went to Fort Hood to where the memorial for the 4th Infantry Division is. We were supposed to meet Laurie's Mom and Dad there, but the weather in Dallas was so bad that Mom's plane from Calif was cancelled. We drove down and the weather was cleared by the time we reached Texas. We passed through Oklahoma City and stopped at Abuelo's in Bricktown. We really like that place and had a great meal. We spent the night in Norman outside OKC and in the morning we drove on down. The temp had been chilly all the way since we left home, but we hit Texas and it stayed 90 - 99 until we left there.



We stopped next in Killeen, TX which is outside Ft. Hood. We met up with James and Gina, a married couple we know there. James is in the Army and served with Jeremiah in Iraq. It was nice to be able to spend time with them and to get to know them. They helped us get around on base and we visited the Fisher House, which is a house on base for families of any soldier that might be in the hospital there. We went down there a couple of years ago when they dedicated a plaque to all the 4th ID soldiers lost in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is posted in the Fisher House. We then visited the memorial and spent some time there. We went out to dinner with James and his wife and then spent to night in a hotel there in Killeen.



The next day we drove down to San Antonio. We saw the Alamo and walked around the downtown area. The Riverwalk is really nice. The San Antonio River is diverted to loop around a large part of downtown and is actually a lot lower than the rest of the city. We ate at Del Rio an historic restaurant there and then tookthe boat tour which circles the riverwalk and gives an explanation of the area and a lot of the history of the buildings there. That night we went to the Hard Rock Cafe in San Antonio. Part one was over and we started to look for a place to spend the night. All the hotels in San Antonio were too spendy so we thought we'd drive up to Austin and stay. Unfortunately, there was a bike rally in Austin so there were no rooms. We ended up driving up to Killeen and stayed there again.



That next day we spent with James and Gina again and revisited the memorial. As we drove north, we wanted to stop in Waco and see the Dr. Pepper museum. Traffic was so bad, that we didn't get there in time but got a couple of photos outside. We pushed on to Dallas.



We thought there was a Hard Rock in Dallas, so we thought to stop there. It doesn't open until next week. We parked outside TGI Fridays, downtown and walked around. There was a street concret and we listened for a little while and then walked around some more. This kid was painting these futuristic city scenes with spray paint while sitting on his knees. He painted very fast. Kinda cool. We wandered around and came across the House of Blues. Inside it was cool. A restaurant and a bar and a concert room too. Dallas was nice. Drove home and stopped and slept in the car at one point. Passed through OKC late at night and there were thunder storms brewing.



The next day we stopped in Kansas City and ate at a different Abuelo's. Then is was time to get home. Felt like it took forever. A lot of road construction all through Iowa and South Dakota. We pulled into Fargo around 11:00pm and stopped for a snack at Fridays before driving on. A final stop in Grand Forks to say hello to Alex and then home.



A good trip. We spent most of today sleeping and being lazy.

Happy Anniversary, Darling

I haven't gotten online for this since Thursday, so I'll post it now. I had a great time with you the other night. You are my life=partner, my best friend, the chocolate chips in my chocolate chip cookies, and My darling wife. I love you.

Thursday was our 20th anniversary. for those of you with more time in, I hope you've been as blessed as I have. For thoses who haven't, I'd say work on it and it'll be fun. This is currently the best time of our lives so far. It hasn't always been good, but we've come through a lot and are having fun being together now. I am overwhelmed how great Laurie is.

I worked and she didn't thursday. She met me in Grand Forks and we went to the Bronze Boot for dinner. It is one of those restaurants that looks like it's heyday was 40 years ago. Neon framed boot and all. 50's style architecture. However, inside it is clean, and nice. Thiis place really knows how to cook a steak. They cut their own, and is a place where we go for special occasions. A nice dinner and the server, whom I believe may be one of the owners, is very nice. she brought us a double dish of ice cream, toppings and two spoons to help us celebrate.

I was just thinking about the kids on Thursday, too. Laurie and I went to Disneyland for our honeymoon and then we went there when we were in San Diego this winter as a celebration of the 20 years. But I remembered the times we took the kids, too. Jeremiah and Alex's first time right after Eliza was born and we left her with Nana. We were working for a property management company out of L.A. at the time and we told the boys we had a meeting up there and had no one to look after them all day. We left early and they slept most of the time, but we got to L.A. early amid whines of "Are we there, yet?" And them we pulled into the vast parking lot of Disneyland and the lok on their eyes was priceless. A whirlwind day running from one ride to the next and having one of the best times of my life. Jeremiah pulling the sword from the stone, eating at the Blue Bayou. All of us one my favorite ride, the Pirates of the Carribean. We went to Tom Sawyer island and as soon as we stepped off the little raft, Jeremiah took of and got lost. We found him 10 minutes later with security and wet cheeks. Alex in a stroller, fell asleep during the Electrical Parade. and screaming during the fireworks. We opened and closed it that day. It was great.

Anniversary Passed!

August 8th was the anniversary of our moving to North Dakota! Has it really been 12 Years? I've only been back to San Diego twice but we're going back this fall. A lot of memories, kids growing up, adjusting to new weather, different houses and towns, a great church, and now, Laurie's fantastic new career and my current job that's a departure from what I've always done. Wow... We first moved to Devils Lake into an apartment where some friends of Laurie's lived, Then moved to this house uptown. It had been fixed so two small families could live in it. One in the basement. We've become friends of the landlord and always stop to talk with them when we see them. The house was weird so we moved into this 80 yaer old huge house near downtown. It had one time been 5 apartments but was originally a single family dwelling. Here is where we spent most of our time in ND. Laurie eventually locked herself in the attic that was very big and studied for a year or so when she got into nursing school. It was here that we went through most of the troubles of raising high-spirited children. Here we lost Jeremiah. Then we moved outside Petersburg to our current place. 28 acres of hay and insects. There's a lot that needs to be done but I have never felt so at home in my life. I can sit out on the porch at night and listen to nature and sometimes I think I hear God. I know I see has hand out there. One day, it was evening and this fog rolled in. It was so low that it just sat in the channel that runs across our land. The sun was sinking behind it and the hay had been cut but more had grown. It was magnificent but faded before I could break my rapture and get a camera. One night I was coming back from the barn and walking towards the front of the house. It was lit up from the yard lights and there was this gigantic full moon just above the garage. I had no equipment capable of capturing such a sight but it was wonderous. It's August late, so football's starting which means the weather is changing. We'll be watching for tornadoes and soon the deer will be everywhere. I am so thankful for what I have. I know it really doesn't belong to me, God is just letting me use it. But until he calls me to a better place, I'll cherish this one. Selah.

Devils Lake, ND celebrates 125 years

It's 125 years for Devils Lake, ND. The town was named for the large body of water to the south. The local natives called it Minnewaken or Spirit Lake. This is because the lake has a high alkaline level and every spring when it thaws it smells kinda like a huge compost heap. The natives thought this was the result of the spirits in the water awakening for spring. The white settlers (and Lewis and Clark) translated it as evil spirits or "devils" hence the name.

Okay, that's done. What I want to say, is that the local paper published a special edition and in it is a feature, "Do you remember these unforgettable faces?" many pictures of townspeople in an earlier time. But the first picture is my son Jeremiah. We are so pleased the folks at the Journal remembered and thought he should be in there.