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Don Foreman
Oct 6, 2012, 8:28:09 PM10/6/12
to
I went up north today with a friend, B.
It's the first time I've done that without Mary. B. wanted to have
a look at the boatlift I have there that I no longer use or need. He
was a work colleague. He and his wife knew Mary for decades and in
later years she and Mary became very close confidantes. I'll bet she
knows stuff I don't and never will.
B is an engineer (a very, very good engineer) and so is, by
definition, cheap. :<} They recently bought some lake property and
a boat, so now he needs a boatlift. I told him the one I have at Big
Sandy Lake could be his if he wants it, free for the come-and-get-it.
It was Mary's Dad's, is in very good condition, and I know that's
what Mary would do: give it to a friend like B if he might like it
and use it well.
I hadn't even thought about if such an excursion might be difficult
for me until we got to Cambridge, going up that 65 highway. Then it
hit me. Well, that's overstating it; I became aware of how I was
going up that road without Mary that we'd traveled so many times
together, thru Cambridge, Mora, Grandy, and thence thru seemingly 900
miles of stultifyingly boring tamarack swamp to get to McGregor which
is like arriving at nowhere with a Dairy Queen.
I was pleased to note that Mary's "road" (about 1/10 mile) wasn't
grown shut with saplings and raspberries after three years of total
neglect, nor was the steep hill washed out. It's definitely off-road
4-wheel-drive country, no problem for B's 4WD vehicle. . The land
is remarkably un-overgrown, given that I've not mown there since 2010
if then. Lots of shade, drought year in MN, fire risk HIGH.
The lake is as beautiful as ever.
I may have to mow my way in next spring, no problem. Amazingly, the
steep hill down to the lake has not washed out. We used to have to
get that part of the road fixed about every 3 years, but the last time
weI went to order delivery and dump-truck-spread of a load of class V
(clay and gravel) the guy asked if we might prefer class VI (class 6).
Huh? I was an officer in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, knew that
there is no such thing as class six! He just smiled. OK, dis is
up nort', let's go with a load of class six.
Tellyawhut, it is at least class six and maybe seven if there were
such classes. This stuff is downright amazing. After three or maybe
four years there is only a minor erosion gully down the middle of the
hill, nothing that would impede the progress of a VW or even a
wheelchair -- though the pusher of said wheelchair had better be
hanging on tight with heels dug in because it is a rather steep hill.
Going down, no problem. Stopping before going into the lake could be
an issue, at least for the passenger. Oops after splash isn't always
good, particularly when the temp is about 40. Going back up would
require a winch or a team of Norwegians in harness. Given the stoic
and taciturn nature of Norwegians, can there even be such a thing as a
team of Norwegians?
A big tree had fallen on the boatlift, smashed the hell out of the
canopy and bent the hell out of the canopy frame, but the lift is
completely undamaged though it could use another paint job. The bolts
that mount the canopy frame were amazingly easy to pop loose so
removing it will be no problem. I'd brought a chainsaw to deal with
fallen timber if necessary, but we didn't need to use it this trip.
We'll probably go fetch it next spring. It's getting late in the
year, B won't close on his lake property until about 9 November and
I'll be gone for most of November after that -- and there's no burning
hurry.
We had lunch at the new Big Sandy Lake Lodge.
http://www.bigsandylodgeandresort.com/
This is about adjacent to Mary's land, separated only by
help-yourself-H's property. It was operated for decades (since Mary
was a girl) by Mrs. Stringer who shooed snowmobilers off her land by
making dismayingly close poofs in the snow with her .30-06 rifle. In
later years sledders worried more about her marksmanship: she'd
always missed precisely enough to be quite persuasive but how good
was her vision as she passed her mid-eighties?
Now it's gone yuppy, too bad, though I must say that the Oktoberfest
goulashsuppe today was quite good.
I refer to help-yourself-H because neighbor Dr. H seems to think that
anything and everything within his view is there for him to use -- and
perhaps to then secure against the intrusive use of such rabble who
might actually own what he's found useful and therefore conscripted.
The trip back home was unremarkable, other than I noted that B about
never shuts up. I guess that wasn't a bad thing under the
circumstances. He's a good guy and a good friend.
It's the first time I've done that without Mary. B. wanted to have
a look at the boatlift I have there that I no longer use or need. He
was a work colleague. He and his wife knew Mary for decades and in
later years she and Mary became very close confidantes. I'll bet she
knows stuff I don't and never will.
B is an engineer (a very, very good engineer) and so is, by
definition, cheap. :<} They recently bought some lake property and
a boat, so now he needs a boatlift. I told him the one I have at Big
Sandy Lake could be his if he wants it, free for the come-and-get-it.
It was Mary's Dad's, is in very good condition, and I know that's
what Mary would do: give it to a friend like B if he might like it
and use it well.
I hadn't even thought about if such an excursion might be difficult
for me until we got to Cambridge, going up that 65 highway. Then it
hit me. Well, that's overstating it; I became aware of how I was
going up that road without Mary that we'd traveled so many times
together, thru Cambridge, Mora, Grandy, and thence thru seemingly 900
miles of stultifyingly boring tamarack swamp to get to McGregor which
is like arriving at nowhere with a Dairy Queen.
I was pleased to note that Mary's "road" (about 1/10 mile) wasn't
grown shut with saplings and raspberries after three years of total
neglect, nor was the steep hill washed out. It's definitely off-road
4-wheel-drive country, no problem for B's 4WD vehicle. . The land
is remarkably un-overgrown, given that I've not mown there since 2010
if then. Lots of shade, drought year in MN, fire risk HIGH.
The lake is as beautiful as ever.
I may have to mow my way in next spring, no problem. Amazingly, the
steep hill down to the lake has not washed out. We used to have to
get that part of the road fixed about every 3 years, but the last time
weI went to order delivery and dump-truck-spread of a load of class V
(clay and gravel) the guy asked if we might prefer class VI (class 6).
Huh? I was an officer in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, knew that
there is no such thing as class six! He just smiled. OK, dis is
up nort', let's go with a load of class six.
Tellyawhut, it is at least class six and maybe seven if there were
such classes. This stuff is downright amazing. After three or maybe
four years there is only a minor erosion gully down the middle of the
hill, nothing that would impede the progress of a VW or even a
wheelchair -- though the pusher of said wheelchair had better be
hanging on tight with heels dug in because it is a rather steep hill.
Going down, no problem. Stopping before going into the lake could be
an issue, at least for the passenger. Oops after splash isn't always
good, particularly when the temp is about 40. Going back up would
require a winch or a team of Norwegians in harness. Given the stoic
and taciturn nature of Norwegians, can there even be such a thing as a
team of Norwegians?
A big tree had fallen on the boatlift, smashed the hell out of the
canopy and bent the hell out of the canopy frame, but the lift is
completely undamaged though it could use another paint job. The bolts
that mount the canopy frame were amazingly easy to pop loose so
removing it will be no problem. I'd brought a chainsaw to deal with
fallen timber if necessary, but we didn't need to use it this trip.
We'll probably go fetch it next spring. It's getting late in the
year, B won't close on his lake property until about 9 November and
I'll be gone for most of November after that -- and there's no burning
hurry.
We had lunch at the new Big Sandy Lake Lodge.
http://www.bigsandylodgeandresort.com/
This is about adjacent to Mary's land, separated only by
help-yourself-H's property. It was operated for decades (since Mary
was a girl) by Mrs. Stringer who shooed snowmobilers off her land by
making dismayingly close poofs in the snow with her .30-06 rifle. In
later years sledders worried more about her marksmanship: she'd
always missed precisely enough to be quite persuasive but how good
was her vision as she passed her mid-eighties?
Now it's gone yuppy, too bad, though I must say that the Oktoberfest
goulashsuppe today was quite good.
I refer to help-yourself-H because neighbor Dr. H seems to think that
anything and everything within his view is there for him to use -- and
perhaps to then secure against the intrusive use of such rabble who
might actually own what he's found useful and therefore conscripted.
The trip back home was unremarkable, other than I noted that B about
never shuts up. I guess that wasn't a bad thing under the
circumstances. He's a good guy and a good friend.
Dennis
Oct 7, 2012, 1:47:48 AM10/7/12
to
"Don Foreman" <dfor...@goldengate.net> wrote in message
news:ihi178tl07ifevgop...@4ax.com...
> I went up north today with a friend, B.
>
<snipped>
>
Good to see you are doing ok Don. In another life I reckon you'd have been a
writer!
Karl Townsend
Oct 7, 2012, 3:16:51 AM10/7/12
to
...
Good to hear from you on this NG Don.
There ain't no class six. Bet you got a custom blend of rock and clay
with none of the material with the screen sizes in between. Was it
crushed stones (sharp points on the rock) rather than washed rock from
a gravel machine (round well worn stones - little marbles) I've found
that the crushed rock mixed with clay is amazing on steep grades. Its
our goto solution on the many steep sections in the township I'm the
supervisor for. I'll tell Jim (our gravel vendor) about class six with
the next order.
55 more days till Big Dave and I go fishing. Dave is about to get
another boat. (I hope) Bet Vick will like Dave even more than you.
Karl
>I may have to mow my way in next spring, no problem. Amazingly, the
>steep hill down to the lake has not washed out. We used to have to
>get that part of the road fixed about every 3 years, but the last time
>weI went to order delivery and dump-truck-spread of a load of class V
>(clay and gravel) the guy asked if we might prefer class VI (class 6).
>Huh? I was an officer in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, knew that
>there is no such thing as class six! He just smiled. OK, dis is
>up nort', let's go with a load of class six.
>
>Tellyawhut, it is at least class six and maybe seven if there were
>such classes. This stuff is downright amazing. After three or maybe
>four years there is only a minor erosion gully down the middle of the
>hill, nothing that would impede the progress of a VW or even a
...
>steep hill down to the lake has not washed out. We used to have to
>get that part of the road fixed about every 3 years, but the last time
>weI went to order delivery and dump-truck-spread of a load of class V
>(clay and gravel) the guy asked if we might prefer class VI (class 6).
>Huh? I was an officer in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, knew that
>there is no such thing as class six! He just smiled. OK, dis is
>up nort', let's go with a load of class six.
>
>Tellyawhut, it is at least class six and maybe seven if there were
>such classes. This stuff is downright amazing. After three or maybe
>four years there is only a minor erosion gully down the middle of the
>hill, nothing that would impede the progress of a VW or even a
Good to hear from you on this NG Don.
There ain't no class six. Bet you got a custom blend of rock and clay
with none of the material with the screen sizes in between. Was it
crushed stones (sharp points on the rock) rather than washed rock from
a gravel machine (round well worn stones - little marbles) I've found
that the crushed rock mixed with clay is amazing on steep grades. Its
our goto solution on the many steep sections in the township I'm the
supervisor for. I'll tell Jim (our gravel vendor) about class six with
the next order.
55 more days till Big Dave and I go fishing. Dave is about to get
another boat. (I hope) Bet Vick will like Dave even more than you.
Karl
Richard
Oct 7, 2012, 5:22:58 PM10/7/12
to
Don,
So good to hear from you again.
Yes, life goes on - if we let it.
It's not the same as before, of course.
But when has that EVER been the case?
Sending love and best wishes,
Richard and Dorothy
So good to hear from you again.
Yes, life goes on - if we let it.
It's not the same as before, of course.
But when has that EVER been the case?
Sending love and best wishes,
Richard and Dorothy
Don Foreman
Oct 8, 2012, 1:35:51 AM10/8/12
to
On Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:16:51 -0500, Karl Townsend
<karltown...@embarqmail.com> wrote:
>
>55 more days till Big Dave and I go fishing. Dave is about to get
>another boat. (I hope) Bet Vick will like Dave even more than you.
>
>Karl
Do you think she'll "like Dave even more than she likes me" or "like
<karltown...@embarqmail.com> wrote:
>
>55 more days till Big Dave and I go fishing. Dave is about to get
>another boat. (I hope) Bet Vick will like Dave even more than you.
>
>Karl
Dave even more than I do?" <G>
Sounds like a good deal for Dave either way! Do I get free fishing
and guide service for bringing her?
Don Foreman
Oct 8, 2012, 4:07:32 AM10/8/12
to
On Sun, 07 Oct 2012 16:22:58 -0500, Richard <cave...@earthlink.net>
wrote:
>Don,
>
>So good to hear from you again.
>
>Yes, life goes on - if we let it.
>It's not the same as before, of course.
>But when has that EVER been the case?
>
>Sending love and best wishes,
>
>Richard and Dorothy
Thank you! That means a lot to this crusty old curmudgeon.
We need to do more than let life go on, we must make it go on, pursue
joy. Not doing so is surrender to the grim reaper, ready to be
done with life. I certainly don't fault that attitude because I
definitely understand it, but I'm not yet ready to quit most days.
I've known a number of CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) survivors
who quit, lost interest in life, didn't soldier on. They're all dead
now.
I wasn't supposed to survive my quintuple CABG back in 2009, but I
did. I had to because I knew that loss of me would have been
devastating for my lifemate Mary. Mar wasn't supposed to die in
2011 but she unexpectedly did. It wasn't for lack of trying. One of
her doctors said that she had the most positive attitude he'd ever
seen in a patient.
I see a wide diversity of spouse loss grievers in the group that I
attend. The first three groups I tried were horrible but this one is
really good. I've found some good friends there, including Vick who
has recently become rather more than a good friend.
This particular small subgroup seems to have an "attitude" that now
seems to be spreading to the larger group. Our small spouse-loss
breakout group can get a bit weepy wailey when we welcome a new joiner
who is experiencing the kind of pain we all understand so well.
Newbys get unlimited time to ramble on however tearfully, there's a
big box of Kleenex on the table. But this particular small
spouse-loss group doesn't stop there by any means, oh my no! We
also HAVE FUN. There have been casual social events at the homes of
several in the past few months, and we have dinner and drinks
somewhere after "group" each Thursday evening. That can get raucous
and rowdy; it's always a lot of fun.
wrote:
>Don,
>
>So good to hear from you again.
>
>Yes, life goes on - if we let it.
>It's not the same as before, of course.
>But when has that EVER been the case?
>
>Sending love and best wishes,
>
>Richard and Dorothy
We need to do more than let life go on, we must make it go on, pursue
joy. Not doing so is surrender to the grim reaper, ready to be
done with life. I certainly don't fault that attitude because I
definitely understand it, but I'm not yet ready to quit most days.
I've known a number of CABG (coronary artery bypass graft) survivors
who quit, lost interest in life, didn't soldier on. They're all dead
now.
I wasn't supposed to survive my quintuple CABG back in 2009, but I
did. I had to because I knew that loss of me would have been
devastating for my lifemate Mary. Mar wasn't supposed to die in
2011 but she unexpectedly did. It wasn't for lack of trying. One of
her doctors said that she had the most positive attitude he'd ever
seen in a patient.
I see a wide diversity of spouse loss grievers in the group that I
attend. The first three groups I tried were horrible but this one is
really good. I've found some good friends there, including Vick who
has recently become rather more than a good friend.
This particular small subgroup seems to have an "attitude" that now
seems to be spreading to the larger group. Our small spouse-loss
breakout group can get a bit weepy wailey when we welcome a new joiner
who is experiencing the kind of pain we all understand so well.
Newbys get unlimited time to ramble on however tearfully, there's a
big box of Kleenex on the table. But this particular small
spouse-loss group doesn't stop there by any means, oh my no! We
also HAVE FUN. There have been casual social events at the homes of
several in the past few months, and we have dinner and drinks
somewhere after "group" each Thursday evening. That can get raucous
and rowdy; it's always a lot of fun.
Karl Townsend
Oct 8, 2012, 10:47:16 AM10/8/12
to
On Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:35:51 -0500, Don Foreman
<dfor...@goldengate.net> wrote:
>On Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:16:51 -0500, Karl Townsend
><karltown...@embarqmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>55 more days till Big Dave and I go fishing. Dave is about to get
>>another boat. (I hope) Bet Vick will like Dave even more than you.
>>
>>Karl
>
>Do you think she'll "like Dave even more than she likes me" or "like
>Dave even more than I do?" <G>
Catching a lot of fish with Dave, Julie, Vik, and karl is the most fun
<dfor...@goldengate.net> wrote:
>On Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:16:51 -0500, Karl Townsend
><karltown...@embarqmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>
>>55 more days till Big Dave and I go fishing. Dave is about to get
>>another boat. (I hope) Bet Vick will like Dave even more than you.
>>
>>Karl
>
>Do you think she'll "like Dave even more than she likes me" or "like
>Dave even more than I do?" <G>
you can have, with all your clothes on.
>
>Sounds like a good deal for Dave either way! Do I get free fishing
>and guide service for bringing her?
Same deal with Julie and me.
jeff_wisnia
Oct 8, 2012, 11:00:09 AM10/8/12
to
I'll assume that "Vick" isn't short for Victor and hope that things go
well for you too there too.
Judith and I still fondly remember our trip to Minnesota eleven years
ago when we had a chance to visit with you and Mar "in the flesh" and
meet many nice friendly people in your state.
Time moves on, and like a roll of paper towels it seems to run out
faster as you near the end of the roll.
I celebrated my 55th college reunion this year and Judith and I are
still running the family business together. I think I'll keep working
until some health issue make me quit, I've had too many friends in my
generation who "retired" and unexpectedly moved to "the wrong side orf
the grass" shortly thereafter.
Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.
Uffe Bærentsen
Oct 8, 2012, 1:12:50 PM10/8/12
to
Den 07-10-2012 02:28, Don Foreman skrev:
Good to hear that you're still alive AND kicking.
Going back up would
> require a winch or a team of Norwegians in harness. Given the stoic
> and taciturn nature of Norwegians, can there even be such a thing as a
> team of Norwegians?
Maybe not, but a team of Nordic aint the worst ;-)
> The trip back home was unremarkable, other than I noted that B about
> never shuts up. I guess that wasn't a bad thing under the
> circumstances. He's a good guy and a good friend.
Always liked to read what youre writing.
--
Uffe
Good to hear that you're still alive AND kicking.
Going back up would
> require a winch or a team of Norwegians in harness. Given the stoic
> and taciturn nature of Norwegians, can there even be such a thing as a
> team of Norwegians?
> The trip back home was unremarkable, other than I noted that B about
> never shuts up. I guess that wasn't a bad thing under the
> circumstances. He's a good guy and a good friend.
--
Uffe
Karl Townsend
Oct 8, 2012, 2:02:23 PM10/8/12
to
>I celebrated my 55th college reunion this year and Judith and I are
>still running the family business together. I think I'll keep working
>until some health issue make me quit, I've had too many friends in my
>generation who "retired" and unexpectedly moved to "the wrong side orf
>the grass" shortly thereafter.
>
shopping for a headstone.
Karl
Jon Elson
Oct 8, 2012, 3:48:44 PM10/8/12
to
Don Foreman wrote:
>
> I hadn't even thought about if such an excursion might be difficult
> for me until we got to Cambridge, going up that 65 highway. Then it
> hit me. Well, that's overstating it; I became aware of how I was
> going up that road without Mary that we'd traveled so many times
> together, thru Cambridge, Mora, Grandy, and thence thru seemingly 900
> miles of stultifyingly boring tamarack swamp to get to McGregor which
> is like arriving at nowhere with a Dairy Queen.
Wow, I can only imagine how tough that might be!
>
> I hadn't even thought about if such an excursion might be difficult
> for me until we got to Cambridge, going up that 65 highway. Then it
> hit me. Well, that's overstating it; I became aware of how I was
> going up that road without Mary that we'd traveled so many times
> together, thru Cambridge, Mora, Grandy, and thence thru seemingly 900
> miles of stultifyingly boring tamarack swamp to get to McGregor which
> is like arriving at nowhere with a Dairy Queen.
> I may have to mow my way in next spring, no problem. Amazingly, the
> steep hill down to the lake has not washed out. We used to have to
> get that part of the road fixed about every 3 years, but the last time
> weI went to order delivery and dump-truck-spread of a load of class V
> (clay and gravel) the guy asked if we might prefer class VI (class 6).
> Huh? I was an officer in the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, knew that
> there is no such thing as class six! He just smiled. OK, dis is
> up nort', let's go with a load of class six.
and the last bit of road (which is all his) is quite steep. He has a 4x4
but we go down there at times with various minivans and such, and it
approaches the limits of 2-wheel drive vehicle to make it back up the
road. I always go with a 100' crane cable and a comealong. But, maybe
this class VI is what he needs to make the road repairs last longer.
I did make some repairs by picking out good-shaped rocks and putting
them in the gullies and soft spots.
Jon
Don Foreman
Oct 8, 2012, 6:00:26 PM10/8/12
to
On Mon, 08 Oct 2012 14:48:44 -0500, Jon Elson <jme...@wustl.edu>
wrote:
>
>A friend of mine has a chunk of property on the Current River (MO Ozarks)
>and the last bit of road (which is all his) is quite steep. He has a 4x4
>but we go down there at times with various minivans and such, and it
>approaches the limits of 2-wheel drive vehicle to make it back up the
>road. I always go with a 100' crane cable and a comealong. But, maybe
>this class VI is what he needs to make the road repairs last longer.
>
>I did make some repairs by picking out good-shaped rocks and putting
>them in the gullies and soft spots.
>
>Jon
Mary and I once canoed the strikingly beautiful Current River, a very
pleasant and liesurely float trip.
There's a whole bunch of steep in Missouri and Arkansas.
wrote:
>
>A friend of mine has a chunk of property on the Current River (MO Ozarks)
>and the last bit of road (which is all his) is quite steep. He has a 4x4
>but we go down there at times with various minivans and such, and it
>approaches the limits of 2-wheel drive vehicle to make it back up the
>road. I always go with a 100' crane cable and a comealong. But, maybe
>this class VI is what he needs to make the road repairs last longer.
>
>I did make some repairs by picking out good-shaped rocks and putting
>them in the gullies and soft spots.
>
>Jon
pleasant and liesurely float trip.
There's a whole bunch of steep in Missouri and Arkansas.
Richard
Oct 8, 2012, 10:11:33 PM10/8/12
to
It is indeed beautiful.
So were the girls!
Jon Elson
Oct 8, 2012, 11:48:39 PM10/8/12
to
Don Foreman wrote:
> Mary and I once canoed the strikingly beautiful Current River, a very
> pleasant and liesurely float trip.
>
> There's a whole bunch of steep in Missouri and Arkansas.
Yes, we get out there usually once a year for a week or so. The
> Mary and I once canoed the strikingly beautiful Current River, a very
> pleasant and liesurely float trip.
>
> There's a whole bunch of steep in Missouri and Arkansas.
kids like to take a 16 mile canoe trip, which is just about what I
can handle. We also do a bunch of floating on truck inner tubes,
only go a mile or so and then walk back. Our friend has a cabin
inside the national park, it was built by his grandfather in
1931, and "grandfathered" in. My wife and a couple of the kids
are a bit freaked out by the rustic condition and the critters
that live in the attic, so sometimes they make us stay at the
Montauk lodge, but we stayed a couple nights at the cabin this
year and it was really nice. Last year my son wasn't too good
at catching fish (or maybe it was too crowded and the fish were
scared off) but this year he caught some great rainbow trout and
a spotted bass, and I learned how to clean them right. Wow,
that was GOOD!
It is really nice there, and if you are not right at the peak season
it is pretty placid, almost like the river is all yours! (If you
are there July 4th weekend, it is a complete riot, like America's
funniest videos every 5 minutes as the inexperienced crash into
stuff and flip their canoes.)
And, glad to hear you are getting out and doing interesting stuff!
Jon
Stormin Mormon
Oct 9, 2012, 8:28:18 AM10/9/12
to
I'm sad to hear of her passing. But, life continues for the living. I hope
the pains fade, eventually. Leaving only the joy of a good marriage, and
good memories of gentle times.
I also hope your marraige was sealed in the temple, for time and for all
eternity.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
the pains fade, eventually. Leaving only the joy of a good marriage, and
good memories of gentle times.
I also hope your marraige was sealed in the temple, for time and for all
eternity.
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
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