Where is Waldo?

[Jo McDonald]

Wasn't that just the best ever??   

Congrats Waldo ---- we need more of that kind of reporting.  Fred and I loved it !!!

[W. Gray]

I was in Howard for a number of days and attended the dedication at Jackson Park and the Elk River Festival. The day before, I wanted to be the first big kid to try out the climbing attraction at the park but thought better of it.

Was at the Elk River Festival all day except for a time out to take a nap and go to the museum. During the course of the day, I met Patyrn's husband and also Tobina, Julie, Debbie and Jim Lane, and Frank and Myrna. I did go looking around to see if Steve had a booth but struck out. On one occasion after I was looking around, I returned to my mom who was talking to a lady that I knew I should know. However, I was drawing a blank. I was rather embarrassed for not remembering when she turned out to be Janet. I know there must have been other forum members I saw also.

The first time I met Janet was when she was sheriff. She stopped me on K-99 and kept me from going anywhere for what seemed like a long time. I was only going 25 mph. Actually, a big heavy truck had gone into the ditch on an icy snow/sleet blowing night and the truck blocked the highway sufficiently that it was not safe to pass on the ice covered pavement. This was on the old pavement and I was actually going 25 mph because it was too dangerous to go faster. Even then if I had had to stop fast, the car would probably have slid off. There were four cars off the highway that evening. After Janet arrived at the truck in the ditch site, my wife and I happened to occupy the first car that came along. The sheriff shuffled slipping and sliding on the pavement up to the driver's window and apologized that it might be a while. A tow truck finally arrived to pull the truck out. A truck going off the side and blocking the pavement probably will not happen on the new highway?

I voted for quilt number four on display in the courthouse but did not hear (or maybe was not paying attention) as to which quilt won.

I went to the museum and met the Millers who were overseeing the open house. Mr. Miller is 94 years old and seems pretty darn sharp, as was his wife. I see something new every time I go in there. This time I saw a picture postcard made with a photograph of Thomas E. Thompson's house. It had a message written to someone from Maude Thompson. I recall that the first time I saw a picture of the Thompson house on Chestnut Street was a few years ago in a 1931 or 1935 edition of the Kansas City Star. I had previously been blindly looking for a former Thompson house somewhere on Pine Street because the book Kansas and Kansans said he had two houses on that street. I also saw a perhaps two inch thick guest registration book from the Metropolitan Hotel that I had not noticed before.

My mom and I ate twice at the Swinging Bridge in Moline, also at Toots in Howard, and at Rick & Debbies Café in Longton. When we decided to go to Poplar Pizza in Howard, it was the day they were closed. Also, bought a pair of leather work gloves at the Mills feed store in Moline. Noted the Curly Q in Moline is locked tight. Someone has spent a lot of money maximizing the room in that place only to close it down. Went by the Elk Falls Café at around Ninth and Osage and it seems they have been closed for quite some time. Also, bought several bars of soap at the Red Barn Soap Company in Howard for my wife, patronized Family Market in Howard, etc. The wife will not let me use any of the soap bars, so guess I will have to get some more on my next trip. Also, went to Independence a couple times, Eureka, Winfield, Augusta, etc.

After leaving Howard, I came home to pick up the Mrs. We had intended to go to Yosemite National Park with the rest of the late touring seniors, but the Colorado chain law was in effect for commercial vehicles for all highways in the mountains. We decided that since the snow was so bad up there and the weather down here was so cold, we would hold off and go next spring (when we could fight spring snowstorms).

At about this same time, the daughter bought a new home, so we have been spending all our time over there helping out with interior painting and spruce up.

Glad everyone liked the Oak Valley item.

[Janet Harrington]

     Just saw Waldo's story about Oak Valley today in the Prairie Star newspaper.  If you don't take the Prairie Star, you miss out on a lot.  It is put together nicely, looks great, covers a large area, is very informative and is priced right. 
     Waldo, we miss you.  Hope you're having a nice vacation, but would like you back on the forum soon.

Loved Waldo's story about Oak Valley.  I hope he writes more about our history in our area.

[patyrn]

The Oak Valley article was great, Waldo!  In fact, my brother who lives in Emporia called last night and was discussing it with us.  He and my husband made plans to go driving around that part of Elk County when we meet for the weekend in Howard sometime soon.  It has been a LONG time since any of us have been sightseeing down that direction.

[Tobina+1]

Glad to have you back, Waldo!  Yes it was nice to meet you when you were at the Elk River Fest!  Thanks for stopping by the fitness center to introduce yourself!

Don't let your wife use those Red Barn soaps for just decorations!!!  I will personally send her more of them... I started letting my husband use them for his hands, and he really likes them!  They have worked SO much better than ANY lotion or crack-cream we have found to keep his hands from cracking during the winter.  And believe me, he is pretty hard on his hands during the winter (opening gates, pulling calves, fixing fence, etc).