VACATIONS

Farmers don’t often get vacation – especially if they have dairy cattle. Way back in 1952 we and our friends, Leo & Lucille Peterson left our kids with their grandparents and we went off to the Black Hills. We must have been sure there were no grocery stores in the Hills because we took everything to eat. We may have bought milk for our cereal…

 Some years later we went to Northern Minnesota. Their car this time. In 1973 Pete & Vera Friese went with us to the Black Hills for a few days. We visited Ken & Karen in Spearfish while there.

One evening when we were finishing the milking chore, Eddie asked me if I would like to go to Washington for Thanksgiving. Of course, a surprised me said, “Yes, I would!” Plans were made to fly to Seattle. My brother, Bob and his wife, Barbara lived in Everett at the time and he would get us from the airport. We had a super good time with them. They took us sightseeing things we had never seen before – like so many trees, mountains, etc. Other trips to Washington were also nice – such a beautiful state.

In 1977 on another trip to Washington to visit Dale, Susan and baby Dustin, we made the trip to Montana to Ken and Karen. It was planned that Ken would drive his vehicle to Washington and we would visit on the way. It was nice to have both boys and their families together. The boys arranged for their parents to fly to Fairbanks where the Straatmeyers lived at the time. Nola stayed with Dale’s and we enjoyed four days sightseeing in Alaska. (We had not really thought

  

to go to Alaska, but the time seemed right.) 

Lucky me – I have been to Alaska four times, the first two with my hubby and the last two trips I went alone. In 1997 Bob had driven to South Dakota in his new vehicle to visit Grandma and me. Guess what? He invited me to go back with him to Haines where he and Margaret and John lived. It was a wonderful trip with lots of things to see, including bears, moose and other forest animals. One of the last times I was there, the Straatmeyers took me camping at Curt & Cindee’s cabin in the woods. It was “old time living” – no electricity, no running water, no bathroom and just an old fashioned privy – but it was fun anyway.

 

Darby’s wedding was March 31, 2007. Who could go? Faye and I were able to make the trip and it reminded me of the time my mother and I flew to Washington to visit Bob and Margaret. Daughters take care of their mothers…

Nola and I flew to Washington for Dustin and Lisa’s wedding on August 10, 2002. I had just had a rather serious car accident injuring my knee, making it uncomfortable to walk. I ordered wheel chairs for both Nola and me to use in the airport. Nola was not about to be seen in a wheel chair. She covered her face just as if someone would recognize her. No one was in the terminal that she would know or care what she was riding in. I think after she found out how far she would have had to walk she was grateful for the wheels.

I went back to Washington two weeks later for Devon & Becki’s wedding.

When I started this section on vacations I said farmers don’t get many vacations. Reading back, I think we had more vacations than most of the farmers we knew. It makes a big difference where your family members live in this world…