July 26, 2006 - Wednesday

07/26/06 WEDNESDAY
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Todays Gazette is brought to you by one year older Kenneth Demester.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEN !!!!!!
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The current temperature is 69 degrees.
Rainfall amounts range from almost nothing in some areas, to over an
inch in others.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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It's not unusual to hear people in small towns complain because
"there's never anything to do."
That's simply NOT TRUE in Grafton. Certainly not last night, and
definitely not Tuesday night August 8th. We attended "Piano Talk" last
night at St. Johns Parish Center. Fabulous entertainment would be an
understatement. Piano's, Guitar's, Saxophones, a flute and violin were
all represented by talent no-less professional than one could hear at
any top ranked concert in the land. And, I might add, the vocal talents
of Marvin Mielke can rival the best of them as well.
It was my first time at Piano Talk, it certainly won't be my last.
Although the parish center is quite large, I'm convinced that if the
general public were made aware of the excellent musical presentations.
The center wouldn't be near big enough.
It's an event that should be trumpeted by every area church
organization. Lord knows, several were represented at last nights
performance. The local Chamber office, Walsh County Record and "our"
area radio stations should also be promoting the event. (FREE) Why free?
Because the performance is free, and, because it would bring dozens of
"families" to town. Which in turn would generate significant interest
and appreciation for "our" religious, residential and business
community. And that, my friends, is true community and economic growth,
with the Lord on our side to boot.
Or so it seems to me.
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Speaking of "our" area community. I received the following note from
the Philip Ray family.
>>> We wish to extend a big Thank You to all who supported us at the
benefit on Friday. It was a fabulous event and we had a wonderful
time. The day was perfect and it was so nice to visit with
everyone. There are too many to thank individually, so Thank You
all.
We also want to thank Pastor Wayne Stark and those who put together
the special worship service at Grafton Lutheran Church for our family in
June.
We are so fortunate to be a part of a very caring community. The
support is overwhelming. Again, Thank You to all. We are so very
grateful.
Philip, Rachel & Rylan Ray <<<
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With Grafton Floral's 60th anniversary just around the corner. Hearing
tidbits from anyone willing to share will be much appreciated. To that
end, I thank Lea very much for caring and sharing. She wrote: >>> Dear
Gary, Have missed the Gazette but glad you enjoyed the fishing.
Enjoyed your sturgeon story. About an hour from here on Lake
Winnebago they spear them from a bigger than normal ice fishing hole.
They are big and ugly. Maybe you should give that a whirl.
Also, I have a Grafton Floral story. My Grandmother (Clara
Halleen) lived with us at 9l7 Cooper Ave. We had an Oleander tree
which she loved but got too big for the house so your parents were kind
enough to take it and when my Grandmother died they made a beautiful
corsage for her from its blossoms. What a nice thing to do so thank
you from me and yes, memories are wonderful-I was only a sophomore at
the time but I've never forgotten that act of kindness. Happy
fishing. Lea Fairbairn
<<<< Thanks a million Lea. I am pleased to be able to add your
"Memories" to the Grafton Floral story book my father and mother started
some sixty years ago.
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I am pretty sure I got the Vistad,.. DeSautel,.. Nyman house deal
straightened out in Tuesday's Gazette. If not, the following note from
Cheryl should clinch it. She wrote: >>> Hi Gary -
Just so you have if from the "horse's mouth" -- we did buy the Ernie
Nyman house in Eastwood from Larson's. Jim and I both decided that
having "everything" on the same floor is the way to go. Washing
clothes in the basement and carrying them up 2 flights of stairs is
getting old and we have 4 bedrooms, use one, but still have to clean 4,
etc. etc. I wasn't quite ready for major downsizing, but our oldest
daughter, Kelly, is moving back to Grafton to be a 3rd grade teacher
and she and her husband and OUR granddaughter are buying our house.
So I kindof get to sell it and keep it at the same time. The only
question now is:
How in the world does a super packrat and collector, (namely me) pack a
3 story house with full attic and move it to a single story with no
basement?????
Everyone who knows me and knows my house is waiting for the answer!
This will all happen sometime in August!
Always enjoy your gazette - haven't received it for a
long time and only today discovered it was on the net. Had to
look it up because someone told me you were talking about us. Ha!
Thanks,
Cheryl Vistad <<< Thanks a million for setting the record (Gazette)
straight Cheryl. Is it fair to assume, since the above information is
from Cheryl, the "Horse's Mouth", should we hear anything from Jim, it
will be coming from the other end of the Horse?
Now that I have your "new" e-mail address Cheryl, I am pleased to
welcome you "back" to the Gazette family
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Not only is "our" Gazette family increasing daily. Families within the
Gazette family are doing the same. Eric sent us the following: >>>
Subject: Navie Isabella Burley
To those of you who don't know, Melissa and I had a baby girl on Wed
July 19th. Her name is Navie Isabella Burley. She weighed in at 7lbs
even and 19" long. We were a little worried when she came 3 weeks
earlier than her original due date, but she seems very healthy and happy
too I might add. I have put up a website at
http://www.ebidesign.net/navie that has all the pictures taken at the
hospital and I'll be putting more up. Feel free to forward this site on
as I don't have everyones email addresses. Thanks <<<
Thank you Eric. The pictures are wonderful, AND, I'm sure grandpa
Bennie is looking at them as well.
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The following subject is much more involved than I am capable of
comprehending. Let it suffice to say that I believe most of this message
needs to rest on the desk of, and be understood by, the powers that be,
in Washington, DC.
The note: Dear Editor:
So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is
made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down
the Statute of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being
treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other
ports of entry.
Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people
like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new
kind of immigrant any longer. Back in 1900 when there was a rush
from all areas of Europe to come to the United States, people had to get
off a ship and stand in a long line in New York and be documented. Some
would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the ground. They
made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good
and bad times. They made learning English a primary rule in their new
American households and some even changed their names to blend in with
their new home.
They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children
a new life and did everything in their power to help their children
assimilate into one culture.
Nothing was handed to them. No free lunches, no welfare, no labor laws
to protect them. All they had were the skills and craftsmanship they had
brought with
them to trade for a future of prosperity.
Most of their children came of age when World War II broke out. My
father fought along side men whose parents had come straight over from
Germany, Italy, France and Japan. None of these 1st generation Americans
ever gave any thought about what country their parents had come from.
They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan.
They were defending the United States of America as one people.
When we liberated France, no one in those villages were looking for the
French-American or the German American or the Irish American. The people
of France saw only Americans. And, we carried one flag that represented
one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about
picking up another country's flag and waving it to represent who they
were. It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed
so much to be here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be an
American. They stirred the melting pot into one red, white and blue
bowl. And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the
same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with
a different set of rules, one that includes the entitlement card and a
guarantee of being faithful to their mother country. I'm sorry, that's
not what being an American is all about. I believe that the immigrants
who landed on Ellis Island in the early 1900s deserve better than that
for all the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future generations
to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally searching
for a better life. I think they would be appalled that they are being
used as an example by those waving foreign country flags. And, for that
suggestion about taking down the Statute of Liberty, it happens to mean
a lot to the citizens who are voting on
the immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling the
United States just yet. <<< I might add, once again, that "our" area of
the country (the Red River Valley) would be hard pressed to survive with
immigrants. It's the "illegal" term that I struggle with.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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I will be spending the next few days at Arnesen's arm twitching
training seminar for jerks without bait.


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they are,
before it's too late.