On this very special day, I would really like to say…
A few words…(I’m thinking.)
My mind must be shrinking.
I can’t think of A thing.
Baby Billy and Mom
We share the same mother. You’re my only brother.
The words must be somewhere.
My brain just won’t go there.
I just sit and stare.
You must be my favorite, so take that and savor it.
My thoughts are forthcoming.
My brain is now humming.
My fingers are strumming.
If this didn’t have to rhyme, I’d be done in no time.
It’s no Hallmark card.
What makes it so hard
To show my regard?
At the 1991 Murdo all school reunion
There are some amenities for those in their 70’s.
If I think of one
I can call this thing done.
If it’s a contest, I’ve won.
All kidding aside. Thanks for being on my side.
You are one of a kind.
More sister’s love you won’t find.
Now I have peace of mind.
I think the world of you.I know this to be true.
This is your day.
Do I love you? I’ll say!
Have a wonderful Birthday.
You are the best brother that ever was. You have also been a great friend and have given me more of yourself than I can ever appreciate. Thank you for always being there for long talks about life’s challenges and the even longer talks we share while retelling our funny family stories.
Must have told a funny family story
I love you, Brubby
Happy birthday from Sissy
Billy, Gus and I at Horse Creek spreading Mom’s ashes.
It’s better to be a has been than to never have been at all. You get to feel the joy before you take the fall.
You see the smiling faces and laughter fills the air. And the feeling that you get…well, nothing can compare.
I guess nothing lasts forever. People come and go. I remember the wise words of Maya Angelou.
She said:
People won’t remember the things you said or did. They’ll think of how you made them feel instead.
Those full of self-importance miss important things. They don’t hear, see, or feel all the merriment life brings.
We should get out of our heads and listen to our hearts. They reveal a lot about life’s important parts.
Opinions of others are something I should mention. You will learn about yourself if you pay attention.
I might sound like a know it all, which I’m clearly not. I guess I must be one of those who talks a lot.
Though my advice is sage, take it with a grain of salt. If what I say is wrong, it’s really not my fault.
Do you catch my drift? It’s getting pretty deep. I tend to ramble on when I’m trying not to weep.
Murdo Girl has been and she enjoyed it all. She’ll most likely keep the crown, as it will ease the fall.
The seventies girl takes over to tell the tales of aging. I hope you’ll find her stories are equally engaging.
Maybe I’ll just wear hats like Queen E.
P.S. Lav is in her 70’s, too…stay tuned. Billy is also 70ish as are a host of other friends and relatives. I should have boucou followers.
For those of you not there yet? You can see how much fun getting older can be. And to all who are 80ish or 90ish or 100ish, you will be interviewed by Yram Sicnarf or Lav. I’m saying that in jest, of course. (Billy and I were comenting on how we can’t keep up with Gus who is 90ish.)
I sure wish someone would step up to the plate and become the new kid who shares stories about growing up in the wonderful and unique town of Murdo, SD…
Lav didn’t grow up all the way in Murdo…just part of the wayIs this for real???
Tour guidesaccompany groups of visitors to tourist attractions, whether on day trips or longer visits, and give them information and insights that help them make the most of the experience.
That is the simple definition of a tour guide, but on a recent trip to South Dakota, Valerie, Gus and I found that the duties of a tour guide can greatly vary and are sometimes embellished on the spot. Ours kept referring to the registration and orientation that had somehow taken place without our knowledge. In fact, everything about this arrangement is almost sure to come back to bite us. The word that we fear the most, and it was bandied about quite often, is Surcharge. The word can be both a noun and a verb and I’m pretty sure our tour guide is familiar with all that the ominous sounding word implies
noun
an additional charge, tax, or cost.
an excessive sum or price charged.
an additional or excessive load or burden.
SEE MORE
verb (used with object),sur·charged,sur·charg·ing.
to subject to an additional or extra charge, tax, cost, etc. (for payment).
to overcharge for goods.
to show an omission in (an account) of something that operates as a charge against the accounting party; to omit a credit toward (an account)
The first thing that seemed a little unusual was when our “tour guide” announced that we were going to split all of the expenses four ways, meaning all of his expenses were included in the total. We had no control over what he ate. He really likes steak and other expensive dishes. Valerie, Gus and I found ourselves consuming large amounts of food. Since we were splitting the bill four ways, we figured we were not going to allow the tour guide to benefit from the four-way split.
The biggest head-fake was when he announced that anything we got for free was free. There wouldn’t, in most cases, be a surcharge for free stuff. We were required to eat a big breakfast but lunch was on our own. Who wants to eat lunch when you know dinner is going to be humongous and breakfast was enough to keep most people going for days.
I don’t know about Gus and Valerie, but I am dreading the day the bill comes. He’s waiting for his credit card statement. Oh, I noticed he really likes to tip big. That is another form of surcharge.
The self-appointed tour guide waiting for us to order his hearty breakfast
I mentioned one morning that we hadn’t been on a single tour in three days. He loaded us up and dropped us off at a local museum. He said he would be back to pick us up in three hours or whenever he woke up from his nap…dinner would be early because he was going to miss lunch.
Hanging out with Wild Bill and Calamity Jane at the Adams Museum in Deadwood, SD
Downtown Deadwood (I love the camera Gus gave me and I have figured out how to change the date or remove that function.)
We were able to snag a few freebies, but he tried to tell me that he would take care of my registration for the All School Reunion which would amount to $135.00. I got out of that one when I found out that it included a $105.00 surcharge.
As far as tour guides are concerned, I would give him 2 out of 5 stars, but only because he’s my brother.
My brother, Billy, Cousin Lav (Valerie), Gus, and I spent an amazing couple of days in Murdo, South Dakota. I’m sure glad I went to school there because no one hosts an all school reunion like Murdo does.
First, I have to tell you about the fabulous dinner that my cousin Blake and his wife Melanie hosted at their Martin & Mason Hotel in Deadwood, SD. Attending, were Blake and Melanie, my cousin Sue Hayes and her husband, Ray, (Ray and Sue are great and I don’t get to see enough of them.) Blake and Melanie are all kinds of special and treated us like royalty. My son, Mason from Gillette, WY made the drive to spend some time with us. He especially enjoyed his visit with his Grandpa Gus. Here are some photos of the Hotel and the dinner which was held in the ballroom.
Blake and Mason in back, Valerie, Gus, Me, and BillyFrom left…Billy, Valerie, Me, Ray and cousin Sue Hayes, Blake, Mason, and GusThe Beautiful Martin and Mason Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota…Owned by our cousin Blake Haverberg and his wife, Melanie…Thanks so much for a wonderful stay.
The 2022 Murdo High School and Jones County High School 2022 All School Reunion
Should have said they even had horses there. Too late to change the slide. You’ll get it when you get there…
More photos of our trip to Murdo…
The class of 1962 gathering…Obie Brunskill and Billy Francis. I’m not sure of the names of the two ladies, but I believe the lady seated to Billy’s left is Obie’s wife.Unit number 1 of The Range Country Lodging Motel owned by Greg and Carma Miller. It began as the Chalet Motel years ago and was owned by my parents.Range Country Lodging…photo by Lav…beautiful rooms and a comfy lobby where you can enjoy meeting with friends and breakfast in the morning.We also spent some time at the LandMark Country Inn owned by our cousin, Mark Sanderson. It is a beautiful place and has all of the amenities.
Below are three photos taken inside the Long Barn which is the home of our cousin, Andrea Sheehan’s incredible doll collection. These photos don’t come close to doing it justice. It is truly the best display imaginable…
Thank you Murdo and thanks to all who made the 2022 Murdo All School Reunion pretty perfect. I wish I had more pictures of all the people I so enjoyed seeing and visiting with.
Murdo Girl is interviewed by the infamous reporter Lav Yekcel who is trying to naildown who exactly invited the current Murdo Girl and HRL, wait! That is cholesterol. HRH is the correct acronym Her Royal Highness who plan to ride (or walk) in the All School Reunion Parade.
Lav (Valerie), MG (me), Gus, and Billy all arrived in Rapid City yesterday. We are staying in Deadwood at our cousin Blake Haverberg and his wife, Melanie own. I have already lost all of my brother’s money on the slot machines. There is a good reason for my misfortune. I just haven’t been able to think of it, yet.
Here are a few shots of our trip, so far. The only thing we are lacking in is sleep. We clocked about three hours. Actually, Billy and Gus are still sleeping in the suite next door to ours. We are in no hurry to wake them up.
When I was younger, my Dad told me about the first time Murdo had a Homecoming King. They had always just had a Queen. I don’t remember the name of the guy that got King, but he didn’t show up for Coronation. Someone found him and told him he had to go to the Coronation and crown the Queen. The guy said, “CROWN HER WITH A TWO BY FOUR!”
The next time I see Mr. Thune, I’m going to ask him if that’s true. Dad said it was just a one time thing and no King has ever done that since.
(I discovered in later years that the first homecoming king was my dad. He didn’t think it was fair to have a homecoming queen and not a king so he ran for queen. That is when they decided to have a king. Dan Parish nominated Dad and then closed the nominations. Dad got the honor as told in the story above.)
I think I’ve got more sense now that I’m 14, but Mom is getting very forgetful. She can never think of anyone’s name. She says, “I’ll never forget old what’s his name.” Someone told her to go through the alphabet to jog her memory. She was trying to remember my cousin’s name. The one I just visited in New York. I could have told her, but she didn’t ask me. She said, “A..B. Oh, her name is Abby.”
I’ve decided that it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to write about people’s personal business in my papers. I’ll just have to figure out another way to tell you about life in Murdo. I will practice by telling you about my first date. I just had it. Right when school started. I’m a freshman at Murdo High School.
A boy who doesn’t have a name, asked me to go to the show with him. I really like Noname, and I have since the 8th grade. That’s when he handed me a pretty ring with my birthstone in it and a red stuffed bear. He didn’t say a word, he just handed it to me, and I took it. I tried to wear the ring a couple of times, but it just didn’t feel right. It would have been a commitment to keep liking him, and I didn’t want to do that. What if a new kid comes along and he’s slightly cuter than Noname?
I couldn’t give the ring back, because I didn’t want him to think I don’t like him forever. Anyway, I put the ring in the pencil holder inside my desk and left it there. One day, it came up missing. Do you think another girl took it? Or…maybe Noname took it back.
Whatever happened, he must have forgotten about the discomfort of the situation, because here he was, asking me for a date.
The Connie-like dress and shoes from Alden’s.
I said yes… I wore my Connie-like Alden’s dress, nylons, and white Keds. Connie is a girl a couple of years older than me. I idolize her.
Noname brought his sister to drive us, because he’s not old enough yet to get a license. She dropped us off at the show, and we sat behind all of our friends who were having a lot more fun than we were. His sister picked us up, and took us to the Frosty, where all our friends were having a lot more fun than we were.
I doubt Noname will ask me out ever again. It’s too bad it all got ruined. Things just weren’t right. I spent the whole time wishing I hadn’t worn those stupid nylons. They were way too hot. I shouldn’t talk about Mom, I can’t even remember the name of the movie we saw. I was too nervous. (Chitty, Chitty..Bang..Bang was at the Draper Theater)
See, I told you it wouldn’t take long to tell you about my first date.I hope it gets cold soon. I know that sounds crazy, but I don’t have very many warm weather clothes, and I’m getting pretty sick of the Alden’s dress. I don’t care how Connie-like it is. Oh yes. Here’s an update. I see her at school, and she hasn’t worn the same thing twice. Boy, that Frosty must really pay good. I’m for sure going to apply there for next summer, even though Mom will have a fit because I won’t be helping her at the motel.
Suzanne Bork and Joe Thomas Homecoming (1965?)
Homecoming is in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait! On Thursday night we have Coronation in the auditorium. They crown the King and Queen, then a couple of older people in their 20’s get up and tell where their old classmates are. (At least the ones they can find.) Next, we have a pep rally outside. The cheerleaders do some cheers, but the main thing is, they start a huge M on fire. When it’s all burned up, the cheerleaders lead a snake dance all over town. A snake dance is when all the kids clasp hands and then run in the shape of a snake. You don’t want to get toward the end of a snake dance, because to make it look like a snake you have to run back and forth and still keep up with the head of the snake.
Oh dear, I hope I’m not too late for the snake dance
Friday night is the football game, followed by the homecoming dance. I’m not saying that anyone will ask me anyway, but I’m not going to make eye contact or accept a note from any boy, because I’m still feeling the sting of my first date. I haven’t been to a homecoming dance yet, and I want to see what goes on.I almost forgot. We also have a big parade down Main St. on Friday morning. Every class makes a float, which is really hard work, because you have to stuff tons and tons of napkins into chicken wire. We make our floats in someone’s garage. Let me tell you…It’s unbelievable how neat it looks when they are all done.
This wasn’t homecoming. We were playing the laughing game while practicing for the Sr. Play.
I wonder who these kids are…
When we’re Seniors, our float might look like this skunk.
When I grow up and go to a reunion, this story will probably be something I laugh about.
It’s not easy to be an unappreciated star. Natalie Wood was discovered in a drugstore/soda fountain just like Mowell’s Murdo Drugs. The little Murdo Girl just needs to find her stage. In a way, she reminds me of Lucille Ball in,” I Love Lucy.” The desire is there, but the talent?…Not so much.
The little Murdo Girl
Dad said he watched Lawrence Welk for years, but he wouldn’t recognize anyone on the show if he met them walking down the street. He said he might recognize someone on the Ed Sullivan Show, but barely. I know why he tells everybody that.
I like to perform… On Saturday nights, I used to dress up in my red gown or some other outfit, and dance in front of the television.
I sang with the Lennon Sisters. (Everyone likes Janet the best, but I like Peggy.) I sang songs with Guy and Ralna, and danced with Bobby Burgess and Barbara Boylan. I always saved my red gown, made by Kitty Reynolds, to perform with the Champagne Lady. She wears beautiful dresses. Most of her dresses have tulle skirts, sprinkled with sparkles.
I don’t perform in front of the TV anymore. Dad switched to watching Gunsmoke. It’s a little hard to dance to Gunsmoke. No one even dances in Miss Kitty’s saloon. It doesn’t matter anyway, because I’m getting too old to do that. I still like to perform though.
I play the saxophone, but I begged Mom to let me take piano lessons. All of my friends play the piano, and their Moms say they’re more apt to use piano skills in later years. I begged so much, Mom finally said, okay. We were driving over to Elsa Peck’s house for my lesson, when I figured out I was only going to get ONE lesson.
When I complained, Mom told me to stop simpering. (Simpering is a new favorite word of Mom’s, although, I think it really is a word.) I told Mom, “Just never mind.” She mumbled something about, what was I thinking anyway, we don’t even have a piano.
Mom in her younger years
I guess I didn’t think it through. Before they even began, my piano playing days were over.
I love Murdo, but it’s not exactly the place to live if you want to be a performer. I like to pretend I’m an Olympic gymnast. Suzanne and Cynthia Bork, and I have fun judging each other’s routines, but to become a good gymnast, you have to take lessons. I’d probably have to go to Pierre or Rapid City.
Suzanne, my cousin Andrea, and Cynthia…none of them are stars either.
The only thing I can think of to be when I grow up, is a stewardess, but as you know, I’m afraid to fly. I’ll go ahead and tell you something right now. I can’t really sing very well either. I think that’s why Dad quit watching Lawrence Welk. It’s a good thing I have a few years to figure it all out.
Billy graduated from Murdo High School and he’s going to college in California. He’s doing just fine. I think he wants to go into the parking lot business. There aren’t any big parking lots in Murdo, so I don’t think he plans to move back. My brother has deep roots here though, and I know he’ll always stay in touch with all those guys he went to school with. He might even come back and go fishing with them once in awhile.
Maybe I can dance on one of Billy’s parking lots. No…he would never let me. Whenever I would dance in front of the TV, he left the scene. I saw him dance once. He danced clear across the Auditorium and the girl he was dancing with just stood there and wondered where he went.
Well as Dad says. I guess I better go do something. Even if it’s wrong.
Those 70ish Girls 