Germania

 

If I have learned anything in my 42 years of life it is that the best things that come along are worth fighting for. Sometimes the challenge of a situation may scare us away before we realize the prize is worth the fight. I am here to tell you that I do not scare off! I’m up for the challenge and I’m going to walk away with the prize when alls said and done. Bring it on! I am very stubborn, thanks to my heritage.

On a whining note, my air conditioning has died in my car and in the house this week. I realize how hard it has been working at home with the humidity and all but I do believe the circuit was shorted by itty bitty sweet ants. My sympathy was sent to Kimmer Pruitt Glass of West Virginia, who also had no central air on Saturday and their temps reached 120°, yikes. Come to find out Linda and George Lindell of Wautoma sat in sweat as well, as their newer unit croaked. I live close enough to Tuttle Lake to cool off as needed. Let’s all hope we are in the civilized mode of life again soon.

Happy belated birthday wishes go out to Redneck Jim of Brooks. I cannot believe your longtime partner Shaniqua forgot to tell me when it was. Jim celebrated his 29th birthday on July 24th. Again I am happy to hear that the separation has ended and they will be back together at work Monday.

Abby Kemnitz of Harrisville wants to wan local folks to stay off the sidewalks because her 16-year-old brother Jordan just got his driver’s license. Oh boy, another Kemnitz with wheels and a license to drive. Abby accompanied her Dad, Greg the legs and Brandon Wulf to Westfield Machining to deliver a vehicle on Monday and said hello to all while there. Mark Robinson brought frosted cupcakes in for his 14th year anniversary and offered some to the Kemnitz Auto group.

Farmer Fudd Albright of the Harrisville ranch will be taking lessons to drive Howard Rosanske’s new toy. Howard needed some more foreign equipment to make the “Shakeadahay” feel at home. He now has a “Shuckadesheller” on site ready for harvest season. You just never know what you will find at the Rosanske ranch.

Bob and Kay Christensen of Westfield says hello to Bruce and Joe in Arizona. We hope you are staying cool! The Christensens stopped at the Longbranch Saloon on Sunday to enjoy pizza and burgers in honor of Shane Goldsmith’s birthday. Making his debut appearance in Germania was nearly 2-week-old Tucker Christopher with his Mom Ali, Aunt Nancy and grandparents. Russ Goldsmith had to work but his family made sure to save lots of pizza for his breakfast.

Happy birthday wishes are extended this week to my cousin Shelly Spatz of Coloma, Dave Hobohutch of Hancock both celebrating on July 29th. July 30th is a busy day with John Weckwerth of Budsin, Diane Mike of Madison, Laura Helms of Coloma and myself sharing in the joy of another candle on our cakes. I, by the way, am still going to count backwards. Linda Happersett of Wautoma deserves a round of applause in the office on July 31st. Maybe the zoning czar will create a poem especially for you.

August 1 we wish Dennis Frater of Budsin, Tracy Hodge of Westfield and Louise Stapleman of Plainfield a wonderful day. If you see Cindy Ellsner August 2 working hard at Burger King, tell her happy birthday. Terry Wollert of Budsin and John Ottman of Berlin also share an August 2 birthday. August 3 my Uncle Fart, aka Jerry Goldsmith of Wautoma, squeaks by another year. Roger Hillmer of Montello, please stay out of the picture window on your August 4 birthday. August 5 we find Jayne Reetz and Gail Fitzgerald of Neshkoro partying in style.

Hear ye, hear ye, Gus Thalacker of Harrisville was the first smoker to get kicked out of Schaefer’s Sportsmen Tavern for lighting up indoors. Yes, Gussy, pipes do count. Hello Mary Ellen, I’m glad you didn’t get booted out for accompanying the man with the pipe.

Don and Shirley Bethke of Germania are enjoying watching the baby swallows learning to fly from their deck birdhouse. It takes a few short trips to get the babies used to launching. Don and Shirley made it to church services at Calvary Lutheran on Sunday. Monday night the dogs alerted the Bethkes to a baby raccoon in the yard. The coon was doing a balancing act in an almond bush. How do those critters know when the garden sweet corn is ripe? Glen and Jean Tagatz of Germania called to have supper with Don and Shirley as a craving for BBQ ribs had set in. They enjoyed dinner at Good Old Days Resort in Montello. Shirley chose the breaded pork chop, which was also delicious. Doug Bethke stopped to shop in the garden on the prairie. Shirley says congrats to Eli Detweiler Jr. on winning International Auctioneer of the Year. Friday, the Calvary Church dining group made a stop at Good Old Days Resort for supper. A very nice time had by all.

Auntie Linda Lindell of Wautoma took a leisure drive to Budsin and dropped off a bag of goodies at my house. Auntie also came bearing a fan to aid in cooling my house after the central air croaked Saturday. Luckily the humidity dropped. Monday afternoon Mike of Zahn Enterprises helped restore my cool. Now I just need to get the air working in my car again. How did we ever survive growing up without air conditioning? Does heat tolerance change with age or is it attributed to my many years of working in a hot kitchen? Thank goodness for Tuttle Lake being just 2 miles away.

Dennis Frater of Budsin dropped by the Longbranch Saloon for his favorite pizza on Sunday. Dennis was able to visit with Al and Phyllis Hoffman, Lori Lane and many more familiar faces. He even went home with some veggies from the Goldsmith gardens of Newton. Thanks Dad! Dennis owes you a beer.

Debbie Albright of Harrisville’s upper ranch has spotted an albino hummingbird in her yard. How cool to see! Maybe all of that rain just washed off his colors.

Thank you Pearl M. of Westfield for being such a sweetie and keeping up with the fan club, but sometimes it’s just better to stop while you are ahead and call it a done deal. I am a happy girl, all’s well.

Why are the pretty yellow butterflies so suicidal? I hate to run over or into any living being but it’s kind of hard to avoid a swarm of butterflies sunning on the roadway. I say a prayer for each one I pluck from my grill.

Thanks so much to my thoughtful friends Tiff and Corey Marotz of Newton and Vicki Zajda of Harrisville for bringing race souvenirs back from Chicago land for me. It was very disappointing to miss the race this year but you all made me feel like I was at the track. I got to hear the start of the engines by phone and listen to laps run. Facebook pictures did justice to the great weekend had by all Kenseth fans. Next year!

Stefferella Marcelain stopped by Sportsmen’s to visit Ashley Marotz on Wednesday. Stef was wearing a pretty purple dress to beat the heat. Little Ashley (Dylan) Marotz was in the sweltering kitchen doing dishes that night alongside Chef Chuckie.

My good friend since grade school, Dave Bignell, has come up with a brilliant idea for our future housing. Many, many years from now we can all live together at the former Westfield High School building. Dave has plans to remodel it into the best retirement commune home in Marquette County. There will be rooms available for all of our friends and classmates from 1986. Wheelchair races in the gymnasium, concert and dances each weekend, the list of demands continues to grow. Maybe we should start on renovations now so it is perfected in 30 years.

Your oldest friends in life are the best, they know all of your secrets and downfalls and love you anyways. Their loyalty is irreplaceable.