Those 70ish Girls

We have been in a cyber vortex for the last several days and I’ve been unable to upload any photos to the blog. We have seen and done so much in the Sedona, Camp Verde area, and the weather couldn’t be more perfect for the enjoyment of the beautiful outdoors. I hate getting behind because I want to share it all with you as we experience this time on the road. We’re in Flagstaff today, so while I have Internet access  I am going to publish this with what I have.

Our next stop was Williams, Arizona. It’s less than a day’s drive from Lake Havasu. We were there on our trip last year and really liked the little town. It’s only about an hour drive from the South rim of the Grand Canyon. We decided not to go see the canyon again this year, so we spent Monday and Tuesday just hanging out. We found a great place to let the dogs run and we averaged 12,000 steps a day ourselves. (That’s according to our Garmin Vivofit watches.)

In the town of Williams, it’s all about the old Route 66. The downtown area is a lot of fun. Old cars and shops with Rt. 66 memorabilia are everywhere. We wanted to find a local cafe that served a good breakfast. We hit the jackpot with Goldie’s Rt. 66 Diner on Main St. 

Kip enjoyed a light snack and I had a delish omelet. As we were leaving, I found another new friend at Goldie’s. Like Val’s fisherman at the fish market in Oregan, this guy “wood” not say much. Betty Boop was there too. I’ve been told I resemble Betty…maybe when she was younger. Smile Betty!

Wednesday morning we headed for Flagstaff, Sedona, and Camp Verde. We decided to find an RV Park central to all the attractions we wanted to see. We drove to Sedona via Oak Creek Canyon and what a delight that turned out to be. Sometimes I feel like Alice in Wonderland. We round a corner or top a hill and see a new and different landscape before us.

Once we were through the canyon, we stopped at an RV park and found it was full. The people gave us directions to another park in Camp Verde, which is where we are now. None of the park people could believe Kip had driven a big RV towing a Jeep on that steep and winding road. He’s a good driver and he wasn’t the least bit nervous. I did my best to help him stay calm. I suggested that if he had to choose between barreling down a ravine or hitting a rock formation, he should hit the rock. 

Here are a few pictures from Wednesday and Thursday. We are completely impressed with Northern Arizona.

OAK CREEK CANYON

We are in a beautiful RV park, but the Internet is very weak. It has taken me three evenings to get this much written. 

This is Montezuma’s Castle National Monument. It shows how the Southern Sinagua Indians lived as cliff dwellers for centuries in the Verde Valley. They were farmers and grew corn, beans, squash and cotton. This dwelling dates back to 1150. It’s 100 feet above the valley and is one of the most well-preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
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Tuzigoot National Monument  

Approximately 800 years ago, this Sinagua pueblo was home to the Native American population  living in the area. The site is comprised of 42 beautiful acres.The pueblo structures  once had roofs made of Sycamore tree branches, mud, and straw. The door was in the roof which also doubled as a chimney. 

The top picture is my favorite. Just look at all the colors, textures, and dimensions.

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Flagstaff..the best $12 cheeseburger Kip has ever eaten.

Been looking for a hat since we left home. This one is handmade of sea grass. What do you think?

I will close out this post with a pic I took of the water tower next to Desert Drums RV Park where we are staying.

See Ya Soon

Today we moved from Cattail Cove State Park near Lake Havasu to Williams, AZ on the old Route 66.

We drove over Parker Dam

Here is what the RV looks like when the slide outs are in. We still have enough room to maneuver. We often pull into a rest area, make some lunch, and walk the dogs. We were so lucky to find this gently used RV at about 1/3 the cost of a new one. Kip has fixed everything that needed fixing.

Some of us weren’t too impressed with the move. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. We’re going to start the day by finding a good old-fashioned Route 66 Cafe. Kip is hoping for another “big as a hubcap” cinnamon roll.

(The unimpressed)

Goodbye Lake Havasu…Goodbye Cattail Cove…Goodbye Pumas.

Wake us up when we get there.

Wakey, wakey, we’re here!

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My human has his coat on…It looks cold in Williams, Az..I thought we didn’t like cold weather.

We didn’t have to wear our leashes at Cattail Cove…We don’t like leashes…It’s getting dark…It’s cold and dark here.

“Kip..did you hear me? I can’t get a signal. How many bars do you have? Is that a cell tower on top of that rock formation? Wait! I have to tie my shoe laces…”

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I had to show you a couple of “accidental ” videos. The first one happened when I got out of the jeep to get a better picture of a wild burrow. He started walking toward me and I panicked.

 

This one I call, “Shut up and take the picture Kip,” or, “Enough about me. How’d you like my last movie?” Valerie is flipping her hair, and I have a frozen silly grin.

(I had to open them twice before they played.)

THE END

GO VOTE

 

As most of you know, Kip had major back surgery in June. He wants to hike this morning, so I’ve decided to humor him by agreeing to accompany him on what should be a short walk.

TIPS 1-6

1) Let the patient take the lead. That way, they will automatically set the pace they are comfortable with..you would probably go at a much faster pace.

Good a nice little walk. Oh, there’s stairs. Okay..See, I’m staying a little behind on purpose.

Slow down a bit Sammie and Pattie..You shouldn’t strain on your leashes. Oh shoot, “KIP, I HAVE TO TIE MY SHOE!” See he needed a break.

2) Always wear shoes with laces

“I see you! I just stopped to take a picture of this pretty plant.”

3) Always be the designated picture taker.

” I think I heard a snake. Are there snakes up there? Did you see that cave? Pumas hide in caves. 

4) Be sure and stay back far enough in case a Puma flies out of a cave. That way he can’t get both of you, and I can run for help.

I’m pretty sure that’s a mirage. I’m really thirsty. Maybe it’s the Blue Lagoon.

“I’ll just wait here until you turn around! My knee is really bothering me…and my allergies are too. I have a headache!”

I accidentally let go of Sammie and Pattie’s leashes. Oh well, they like to run free.

5) Don’t be too hard on yourself. Everybody has an injury flare up. Just look at poor Kip. He just had major back surgery. I can’t see him. I hope he’s okay.

“What are you looking at me for? I typed on your blog for a while, then I took a little cat nap.”

6) Just keep telling yourself. “The cat is fat! The cat is fat.”

 

We’re having pork chops. Murdo Girl is resting

 

 

I somehow got off on my days. I just counted them on a calendar and we left Mabank, TX 28 days ago. In some ways it has flown by, but in other ways it seems like a long time has passed since we spent that first night in Snyder, TX.  I guess it must feel that way because we have done so much. I have resolved to remain in a state of gratitude and appreciation. I have a lot of those “pinch myself” moments. Are we really experiencing all of this fun, or are we dreaming?

Today we saw London Bridge. We walked around and took pictures for a while and enjoyed the beautiful day. The dogs drew a lot of attention. By the way, taking animals with you is a great way to make new  acquaintances. We stopped and found a bench overlooking the channel and under a shade tree. It was fun to sit and watch all the pricey boats go by. The dogs were enjoying all the people who stopped to make a fuss over them. One nice gentleman stopped and talked with us 15 minutes or so, and told us the history of the bridge.

It was built in the 1830’s and formerly spanned the River Thames in London, England. Back in 1967, London decided to sell the historical bridge. They wanted to replace it because it was sinking. It hadn’t been built to withstand heavy 20th century traffic. The bridge was sold in 1968 to the founder of Lake Havasu City for $2,460,000. It cost another $1.2 million to dismantle it brick by brick and ship it here. The reconstruction was completed in 1971.

Bomb and bullet shrapnel fragments are still lodged in the bridge from when the Germans were bombing the dickens out of London every night during WWII. England wouldn’t sell the bridge to be reassembled in Lake Havasu City, unless it was over water, so there is a man-made channel which is fed by the Colorado River. The river also feeds the very large Lake Havasu.

We really enjoyed talking with this man. He said he owns a couple of houses in Lake Havasu City, but he only spends six months out of the year here. I asked him where he spends the other six months. He said, “Oh, I’m from South Dakota. I have a farm in the Northeastern part near the Minnesota border.”

I know Kip was grateful I didn’t launch into my excited Murdo Girl diatribe. We did talk some about living in good old SD though. It’s a small world. When we got back to the RV park, we heard the group next to us yelling, “Hi, Hi!” It was two families with little girls who had stopped to pet the dogs while we were sitting under the bridge having lunch. We hadn’t yet run into each other at the park, which is one of many around the massive Lake Havasu.

This was the view from our bench.

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Below are photos of Lake Havasu..They were having a gathering of model ski-plane flyers. They flew the planes a long way up, then brought them down into the water on the skis. It was entertaining to watch them maneuver the models so skillfully.

 

We like ice cream

We need another one

I talked Kip into spending another day here. I want to take more pictures of the RV park, and it will be fun to do some relaxing. We’ll take the puppy dogs on a couple of long walks. They have their very own beach and trail.

Cat Tail State Park. The most reasonably priced place we’ve stayed on the whole trip so far….

And the most beautiful

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We spent a couple of fun days with our good friends JoAnne Ferguson, her daughter LeAnn, and son Mike. Thirty years ago, we all lived in Casper, Wyoming. It’s so great when you see an old friend that you don’t get to see very often, and it’s  just like it was yesterday.

The photo below was taken after breakfast at Rick’s Restaurant and Bakery in Palm Springs. Kip was looking for a place with good cinnamon rolls. The one pictured was big and delicious! It took him two days to eat it.

The bottom picture shows the view we enjoyed from our RV site.

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The Tram to the top of Mt. San Jacinto

We got off the tram at the top of Mt. San Jacinto and walked around to the different view sites. It was exhilarating and beautiful. The temperature at the top was about 20 degrees colder than down below. That’s why Kip and I are wearing our “now much in demand” Wal-Mart sweatshirts. We heard they are flying off the shelves. Queen Val asked me if we got the same color on purpose…probably.

The top pics were taken at a place in Cathedral City  where we took the dogs to let them run. If you’re able to open the one on the left, you will see a Coyote running across the area that resembles a spillway.

The beautiful lady is JoAnne holding Lexi. The not so beautiful legs are Kip’s.. Top right..Kip is disconnecting everything. He has a lot of hoses and cords to deal with. I get the inside ready to go, and we both hook-up the Jeep we tow behind.

This morning we stopped and walked along the Salton Sea. It has seven times more salt in it than The Great Salt Lake. Cyndie had fun chasing seagulls. We made a quick sandwich for lunch and we were off.

Our destination is a campground at Cat Tail State Park near Lake Havasu. Below are the incredible things we have seen on the way.

Above is Frank Sinatra Ave., a grove of palm trees, and a vineyard. We also saw miles of lemon and grapefruit trees.

The old Bridge reaches over the Colorado River. We’re near Parker, AZ.

We’re getting close to the park and just in time. The picture on the bottom right shows the shadows are getting long, and darkness will come quickly. Tomorrow we explore Lake Havasu and London Bridge. 

 

Our plan for Sunday was to have a cookout at the RV park. Billy, Liz, their daughter Erin, and Gus were all coming at 3:00 pm. That morning we decided to take the dogs to a huge fenced dog park Kip found the day before. The dogs loved running all over chasing each other. There were balls and toys laying all around in the grass. The park even had several water spigots with bowls underneath. It takes a lot to impress our pampered pets, but they think leashless is the way to go.

Come back in an hour. I smell a rat.

By the time we left to go to the store and pick up food for the picnic, the temperature had dropped, and it was sprinkling. Kip cooked the burgers outside on the grill, but we gathered inside to eat. Gus brought my favorite New York style cheesecake from Trader Joe’s for dessert. It wasn’t too crowded for the people and animals, but we had to balance dishes and food on limited RV counter space. It was still fun.

After dinner, the guys started watching the Cowboy game. I gave Liz their copy of the Sanderson DVDs, and she and Erin wanted to watch them. We won out. Can you believe it? The guys looked like they were in severe pain, but they let us watch most of the 2 hours. Poor Gus and Kip had to watch it all for the second time. Billy kept asking when he would see the young Queen Mary riding in a wagon pulled by her horse Governor. You know the scene where she wore a tinfoil crown and sat in a folding chair in the wagon, AND.. she wore her Kitty Reynolds red formal.

Strange, but he expressed disappointment that it went by too fast. Maybe I overdid the build up some, but he can always watch it again on his own. That’s the beauty of recorded memories.

 I love family get-togethers..Billy and Gus…Liz, Erin, Billy and Kip.

Goodbye Pomona KOA..On to Cathedral City!

Kip knew I was missing my Queendom and found this crowned mask at a thrift store where our friend JoAnne volunteers. I love it!

• I’m going to post this with a promise to catch up soon. We’re getting ready to go for a tram ride up to the top of beautiful Mt. SAN JACINTOoooo.

• You are such a brave Jones County soul Murdo Girl. (I read the article Sherri sent about the birth of Jones County.) I’m not doing that!

 

 

 

We love going places we’ve never been. We drive and then stop, again and again.

We love having a house that takes us around..through mountains, valleys, and each little town.
We love that our animals can all come along.. for as long as it takes.. for as long as we’re gone.

Yesterday, we drove up to Mt. Baldy. It’s a short drive from Ontario where Gus lives.

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We have time to relax, and time to explore. Who could ask for anything more?

We miss the family and friends left behind, but we visit our old friends. (The ones we can find.)

It was 22 years since we’d seen friend JoAnne. We’ll see her twice, in a one year span.

We saw cousin Val two more times than we would have. She broke her crown, one more time than she should have.

BROTHER BILLY AND LIZ TOOK GUS, KIP, AND ME TO A WONDERFUL DINNER. NOW A FOND MEMORY.

We look forward to seeing Patti and Jim. Some of our most treasured times are done on a whim.

I’m writing this poem while betting on horses. We’re watching the races and eating three courses.

I PICKED A WINNER, BUT IT TAKES MORE THAN ONE, FOR BILLY AND GUS TO HAVE ANY FUN.

Tomorrow the family will come spend the day. We’re having a picnic at camp KOA.

If you’ll be seeing us soon, I guess I should warn ya. We’ve eaten our way through Southern California.

New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada..we had more to eat than we shoulda hadda.

We try to remember, when we eat all that stuff..We’re not too fat. We aren’t tall enough.

We’ll say bye for now. Let a new day begin. We know where we’re going. We love where we’ve been!

It’s Monday morning in Murdo. After enjoying a nice shower at the truck stop, Murdo Girl is walking up Coyote Hill to The Brick House. Such has been her routine since she became Next Pres and took up residence at the old Murdo High School, which is in the process of being transformed into Murdo’s answer to The White House. As these things usually go, they’re a little behind schedule for the remodel. You can hardly get people to work for next to nothing these days. At the very least, they want a sandwich. Even so, the History classroom has been decorated and renamed the Rose Garden room. The Chemistry/Biology room is now the employee lounge. The fermaldyhide smell is barely noticeable. Just don’t look in the ice box. There’s a few crawlies and growies in there. The Superintendent’s office is now the Oblong Office. The English room is still the English room. Queen E has been staying there ever since the weather turned cold, and it was no longer practical to camp out in her coach RV.

As she walks up the stairs to her office, Next Pres Murdo Girl hears rumbling coming from the employee lounge. She chooses to ignore it. She has a lot of Next Pres stuff to do. She hears footsteps behind her. When she turns to see who is following her, she runs smack dab into A I.
Murdo Girl: Morning A I. Must be a slow day in Spysville. Can I help you with something?

A I: I’m just doing my job MG. Trying to keep you informed. Can you believe Lav? I was just in the employee lounge. I swear that girl has clown written on her forehead.

Murdo Girl: Now A I, that’s not a very nice thing to say. Lav might be a little slow on the uptake, but there’s no need to ridicule her.

A I: I love Lav MG. I would never ridicule her. I’m just saying she has clown written on her forehead.

Just then Lav walks in.

Murdo Girl: Lav, you have clown written on your forehead!

Lav: It’s a tatoo Next Pres.

A I: See..that’s what I’ve been saying. Tough tat Lav. You can’t ever get rid of a tatoo. You just as well tatoo two balloons on your cheeks. Then you would for sure look like a clown.

No Lav..no more hiding behind a tumbleweed.

Lav: I’m sorry MG. I asked for a crown tatoo, and this is what I got. It says clown. Besides that, I wanted a picture of a pretty crown with sparkly diamonds. A pretty permanent crown on my forehead. My real crown broke you know.

Murdo Girl: Where did you get this stupid idea Lav? It’s 1970 something. Tatoos on girls aren’t even popular yet!

Lav: Huh? I guess I’ve always been a trendsetter. I like being first. When I broke my real crown, I thought about it and decided I’m a pemanent Queen VP. I should have a permanent crown. One that doesn’t break or fall off.

While Lav is explaining it all, Pico walks in.

Pico: Murdo Girl..I’m here to offer you my services. We need to have a plan that when carried out, will lessen the impact of the revelation of the tatoo on Lav’s forhead. Notice I didn’t refer to the abomination as a clown tatoo. The sheer fact that Lav has a tatoo is a violation of the public trust. Let’s not complicate the matter by disclosing the fact that it’s a clown. Let me look at you Lav..How much will your bangs have to grow to cover the clown up? Geez Lav, did you cut your bangs this short before or after you messed up half your face?

Murdo Girl: Geez Pico. What office are you running for?

Sherri the Photographic Drawer strolls in followed by TC the Town Cryer who takes one look at Lav and runs out of the room..crying of course.

A I: Well, so much for keeping the clown under bangs. TC will town cry it to the whole town.

Sherri: Wait MG..I think I might be able to fix it. Let me see Lav. Yes, If I draw a line here like this, a circle like that, and connect these dots…see? What do you think?

Murdo Girl, A I, and Pico gasp in unison. DM walks in.

DM: Hi..Um, why does Lav have a picture of Abraham Lincoln on her forehead?

Lav: She has been unusually quiet through all of this. Suddenly she finds her voice. WHAT?? She runs to look in the mirror. Obviously horrified, she grabs her head. I HAVE A PENNY ON MY FOREHEAD!!

Jerry the Bean Counter walks in.

Jerry: You say that like it’s a bad thing. As of right now, you have more cash on your forehead than we have in our coffers.

Treason the Press Sec and Carol the singer walk in. The only one Next Pres Murdo Girl hasn’t heard from is the Queen, but she’s not really part of the cabinet. She’s more like an Ambassador.

Treason: I just came from the Coyote office. TC was over there blubbering about Lav having clown written on her forehead. The Editor told her it wasn’t exactly nice to be making fun of Lav, just because she acts a little goofy sometimes. Hey Lav, what is that on your forehead? A penny for your thoughts, hahaha..Sorry.

Murdo Girl: Looks around at her less than stellar cabinet and sinks into her chair. How did this happen? She wonders. Oh, she knows they all mean well, and it’s not like they’re getting paid. The truth is she loves this crazy bunch of misfits. She finds herself rising from her wobbly chair with her head held high. She is filled with a new resolve. After all, she is the leader of the free town, and it’s her job to fulfill some of those campaign promises she made. Tomorrow will be the beginning of a new tomorrow. It is the day of her State of Murdo Address to the town. Her thoughts turn to her prepared speech. Murdo is the very first town to have a President. It’s even had a Governor. So what if he was a horse?

A rerun from our Queen tour a couple of years ago…

Val and I wanted to show you a typical day in the life of a Queen. It’s not always about crowns and red convertibles. Sometimes we have to participate in the same activities as you commoners. We do however feel compelled to wear our crowns whenever possible. We are Queens..and Queens have to do what Queens have to do.

Gus wanted to show off his royal family to friends attending one of the Ontario Senior Center’s exercise classes. Gus is working out behind Queen Lav.

In this photo you can see others in the class looking at us. We tried not to be too much of a distraction, but of course that proved to be impossible. 

We really worked up a sweat during the facial exercises. If you do these, be sure and follow-up with some facial stretches. Otherwise, your face might lock up in a strange expression. We have seen it happen to others and it’s not pretty.

Queen Lav and I were in the alcove adjacent to the gym when I was reminded of a story. I was visiting my parents back in ’95, when one day they asked if I would go to the senior center and exercise with them. When we pulled up in front, Gus asked Mom if she was going to tell me about her “situation.” She looked down as if ashamed. She told me she had gotten into trouble for talking too much. Rose, who led the classes, made Mom exercise in the little alcove. Of course like any other kid, Mom swore it was not her fault. The lady standing next to her was the one who started the annoyance. It was a proud moment for me as I watched my mother walk over and pick up her exercise stick. With her head held high, she marched over to the alcove where she enjoyed a strenuous workout.

I snapped this pic of Gus, Queen Lav, and Kip with our fabulous instructor, Priscilla. Kip brought the doggie poop bags, which he carries in a little holder hanging on his belt. Thankfully none were needed.

After our workout, we attended a reception held in our honor, at the Ontario Bakery. They have wonderful danish pastries. I recommend the cherry roll…or maybe the bear claw..the cheese danish was to die for.

Dining under the stars the night before.

We had cheeseburgers for lunch at Andy’s before taking Queen Lav to the airport. It was a tearful goodbye. It was made even more poignant by the courage Queen Lav displayed upon discovering a very prominent piece of her crown had broken off during the exercise class.

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Later that evening, Gus treated Kip and me to a steak dinner at the Legion Club. It was a very enjoyable evening complete with peach pie and karaoke. I resisted singing one of my hit tunes, “Big Girl’s Don’t Cry,” by the Four Seasons. Kip suggested it might prematurely empty the club.

So..It was a typical day in the lives of two Queen’s doing their Queenly duties. It’s a small sacrifice to occasionally mingle with people whose lives aren’t otherwise very glamorous, you know. Oh… It appears that Queen E was lurking around as well.

“If I hadn’t seen it all with my own four eyes, I wouldn’t have believed this story ever happened!” …Queen E.

 

 

 

Kip and I arrived in California Saturday around 6 pm. We normally try to get to the RV park early enough to set up before dark, but we got a late start that morning. We are staying in the Pomona Fairgrounds KOA RV Park, which is between Los Angeles where my brother Billy lives and Ontario where our Stepfather, Gus Gustafson resides. Many of you Murdoites know Gus. He and Mom were married 38 years before she died in December of 2008. He is a special man and a very important part of our family.

We’ve had the added pleasure of a visit from cousin Valerie. That’s her lime green shoe in the picture. Val’s Mom, Ella and  my Mom, Loretta were sisters and close friends. I wrote about their frequent phone conversations in “The Call Girls” blog. Valerie is a very special cousin and friend, and I love that she has joined in on the Murdo Girl fun. It was really a special honor for both of us to ride in the All School Reunion Parade last July.

Sitting in the red convertible with our gowns and crowns on, was incredible. Even as we get a little less young, and our memories get fuzzy, I know neither of us will ever forget that special day and all the fun we had throughout the week-end.

All that being said, I want to tell you about yesterday and another super great experience Val and I got to share.

Growing up in Murdo as part of the Sanderson family was an incredible experience. I always told people I was related to everyone south of 16. That was a pretty big stretch, but it doesn’t matter. M.E. and Mary Sanderson lived there as well as lots of Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends. Our family shared some wonderful times and as most families do, created lasting traditions. It all revolved around Grandma and Grandpa. I can hardly see through tears as I think about what they brought to the lives of their kids and grandkids.

Many of those special times we spent together were recorded by Aunt Irma Sanderson’s 8 mm camera with the row of hot, bright lights. In 1990 our cousin Mark Sanderson put together snippets of her films and transferred them to a VHS tape. I brought my copy of that tape to Murdo with me. I also brought the tape he gave me of the 1991 All School Reunion Talent Show. I hadn’t had time to get them transferred to a DVD, but for some reason, I brought them anyway. I had them with me when Val and I met several people at the diner for breakfast one morning.

Ralph Thomas was there and he offered to find someone to transfer them.

Right before Kip and I left on this trip, I got several sets of DVD’s in the mail. Ralph had made it happen. Knowing I would be seeing Valerie, Gus and Bill, I brought them their copies. (Is this blow by blow or what?) Last night after filling up with pizza and Marie Callender’s chocolate pie, Kip, Gus, Valerie and I watched these treasures that spanned the years from 1957 to 1991.

Gus and Kip enjoyed them, but Valerie and I laughed, cried, jumped up and pointed as we named the people and places throughout. Our Grandpa and Grandma Sanderson’s 50th anniversary was celebrated with an open house in 1961. We watched most of the residents of Murdo come through their door, sign the guestbook, drink coffee and eat cake as they honored the anniversary and visited with each other. Many have been gone for years, but in a way it seemed like we just saw them yesterday. Everyone was dressed up. The ladies wore dresses and hats, and the men all had on suits and ties. We watched a separate celebration held a couple of months later when the Iowa relatives and the Haverberg and Leckey families could be there.

We watched a snippet of the Nemo Cabin and some of the family Christmas Eve celebrations, Easter Sundays and birthday parties.

Then..I saw it! I jumped up, screamed, and pointed, which scared everybody. Valerie saw it too. Finally, there was the proof. The undeniable, visual, recorded truth. The beginning of it all. The seed that grew into the stories of Murdo Girl. I thought I heard Kip groan. How rude. He knows how shy and unassuming I am. I have always been full of humility and rarely talk about myself. Oh, I might occasionally tell a story or two. After all, I am M.E. Sanderson’s granddaughter.

Are you ready for this?

First we saw my horse Governor. He was pulling a red wagon with a kid’s folding chair sitting in it. On that chair, dressed in her red Kitty Reynolds gown and wearing a tinfoil crown, was Murdo Girl. The Queen of the neighborhood parade. It was far too brief, but it was there right before our eyes. I will find a way to get a screen shot so we can all look at it over and over and over again.

I know you can’t wait!