Those 70ish Girls

Murdo Girl: No more fun and games team Coyote! It’s time to prepare for the convention. It’s time to pick a running mate. It’s time to torpedo Barney Fife once and for all. It’s time to..What? Teresa the Newspaper Liaison to beat all liaisons what’s wrong with you?

Teresa: I was just getting a little twitterpated Murdo Girl with all the” it’s time” stuff. We need a campaign slogan. I think we had one once, but I haven’t read the paper in awhile and I forgot it.

Murdo Girl: You mean to tell me that my Newspaper Liaison doesn’t read the paper? Oh, never mind. I was having so much fun at the All School Reunion last week that I totally forgot I was running for President.

Murdo Girl looks around the room obviously surprised at the attendance of her mandatory meeting being held in the Jones County State Bank basement Coyote headquarters.

Murdo Girl: Listen up everyone. All two people give her their undivided attention. Who is that you’ve got with you Teresa? I need to come up with what to call you. Teresa the Liaison to the Murdo Coyote is too long and hard to spell…how about… Treason?

Treason: I don’t know who she is Murdo Girl…I thought you knew her. Murdo girl and Treason stare at the woman sitting in on the campaign strategy meeting.

The Stranger: Good gosh you two…I’m A I! I just have a new hat that’s all. Let me get back out there Murdo Girl. I know there just has got to be some Barney Baloney out there somewhere. You know, something we can use to wipe his pinched, thin face off the face of the ballot.

Murdo girl: Okay, it’s all about faces.

A I: Okay

About that time here comes everybody else:

Top from left: Jerry the Bean Counter, Yram Sicnarf the crack up reporter, Laura the Town Crier, Sherri the Photographic Drawer, Bart the body-guard

Bottom from left: Smart the body-guard, Braveheart the bodyguard, Carol the campaign song singer, Lav the publicity stunt coordinator, and The Queen.. turn around Queenie. It’s not like we don’t know who you are.

Murdo Girl: Bean Counter…Do I have to pay all of these highly paid staffers?

Jerry: Yes

Murdo Girl: In that case, I hope I pay you by the word.

**********************************************************************

After almost no discussion, here are the minutes to the meeting. Just the convention agenda part. It has to be into Tammy Van Dam by tomorrow. Nothing happens at the Harold Thune Auditorium with the Jerald Applebee floor, without Tammy knowing about it.

Thursday: Speech “Who are the Coyotes?” by Lav, (Publicity stunt coordinator). Following Lav’s speech, there will be a  commentary by Treason, who will later advise the Murdo Coyote.

she’s jealous of my teeth

Friday: That’s when we bring out the big guns. A I will report on Barney Fife’s bullet. Lav took a picture of it at the reunion. She must have had an unusual BOB (burst of brain) during a lull in the activities.

Saturday: The speaker will be the one all the before who want a good after, have been waiting for… Murdo Girl, who will  be super inspiring while she outlines her platform and names her running mate.

Sherri, the Photographic Drawer will be giving us drawings of it all.

At the culmination of each evening of hardcore politics, Carol will sing the new Coyote campaign song…”Oh Here’s for Murdo Girl!” It will be sung to the tune of, “I did it my way.”

Following the aforementioned activities, there will be the same thing for Barney Fife. Because of logistics, it’s necessary  to have a joint convention

.

Several people asked me how I did in the Boulder Bolder 10k that I talked about in yesterday’s blog so I looked back and found this story from July of 2016. I wrote it shortly after the Murdo All School Reunion. The first part is about the night of the reunion dance, and eventually progresses to my running career.

There was no dirt from the dance. Everyone I saw was pretty well-behaved and believe me, I looked hard for a newsworthy scandal. It was a totally different atmosphere from the Vivian dances of my youth. The ages of people having fun, ranged from 9 to 97. I didn’t have the stamina of those on either end. It was around 1:00 a.m. when I danced one dance with Dean Lindquist, who had just celebrated his 80th birthday. By the time the dance was over, I was so out of breath, he had to help me back to the table before he found someone else to dance with. I sat next to Dean’s daughter Karen whom I used to babysit. She asked a guy across the table if he was a Nix. He said yes and Karen told him she went to school with his Dad. The generations were getting too deep for me, so I decided to leave. It hasn’t been that long ago that I was in good shape…or was it longer ago than I remember?

I got into the habit of telling people I’m a runner. I was for about five minutes. Actually, I ran 25 to 30 miles a week for about 15 years. I started when I was 40. I never was nor ever claimed to be a Suzanne Brost, who is also from Murdo. I ran the Boulder Bolder in Colorado with her once. Let me correct that statement. I ran the same race and came in about an hour behind her. I blamed it on the high altitude and then there were TV cameras, so I changed course a little to wave at the cameraman. Billy was there for the big event. I’m sure he thought  I had been taken somewhere by ambulance. At least I wasn’t the last one to come in. My niece and her friend had a goal to be last. I think they got 2nd to last. They said it was harder than you would think. I have a feeling Billy put money on the outcome, which could have been good or bad. I was afraid to ask him what my odds were.

I had the official Certificate from the Boulder Bolder, signed by R.U. Sane, but it must be packed in a box somewhere. It adjusts my time for hazards beyond my control. It started at 56.23 minutes, but we got it down to 48.99 minutes.

Kip’s sister, Kristin, and I ran the Turkey Trot in Dallas together fifteen times. We finally had to quit because it was taking us so long, we were afraid we were going to miss Thanksgiving dinner.

I ran several 10ks in and around the Dallas area and actually won a few times in my “age group.” The next day, they would put the winners and the times of the different “age groups” in the Dallas Morning News. I always hoped my friends missed that portion of the paper. The times weren’t good enough to even want bragging rights.

Kip took his sister Kristin and I to participate in a Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure at North Park in Dallas. The race starts out at a snail’s pace and it’s quite a while before you can actually get up to jogging speed. Kris and I were in pretty good shape then, and decided to take off on our own through the beautiful neighborhoods. We had a fabulous run, and caught up with the tail end of the Komen race. We were laboring a little, and sweating almost as much as I did in the hot Harold Thune Auditorium during the reunion.

It wasn’t until we noticed we were nearing the finish-line and running behind  people in their 80’s, mommies pushing baby carts, and the walkers, that we realized what was happening. We heard shouts of “You can make it,” and, “Just a little bit further.” They were cheering us on. Kip looked worried. He finally spotted us and worry turned to disbelief and embarrassment. Our explanation fell on deaf ears. We kept getting the “You poor things,” look.

I sound like I’m denigrating myself, but I’m really not. Every bit of it was fun and I did my best. I won’t go into my golfing career. Someone once described a nanosecond as the time it takes me to perform my back swing. I was actually pretty good, then I took lessons and it ruined my game.

My Cousin Valerie does Zumba and she is in great shape, however I noticed she didn’t dance at the reunion. Anyway, I bought a Zumba tape and I really like it. I’ve gone through it five times. On Monday, I’m going to try to do it. What do they say? Getting older isn’t for sissies? I try to ignore it. I will always be younger than somebody.

You just have to stay active and aggressive

Yes, I’m still talking about the reunion…Later on Saturday, I found out what the lone table sitting on the plastic cover of the Applebee floor in the Harold Thune Auditorium was for. I got the following invitation.

What: A meeting of the (Past) Future Betty Crocker Homemakers of  Tomorrow

When: Saturday night at 9:00 pm (right before the dance)

Agenda…Defend yourselves ladies

The attendees: Patti Dykstra Arnieri, Nancy Parish, Molly Cline, Murdo Girl, The Queen

The Presentations

The Dance.. I took my crown off and sang The Coyote School Song. I love microphones! To the left of the crown is coach and his bouncers. They kicked us all out. Geez coach, do you ever sleep?

The Banner and the ashtray on display at the home of Murdo Girl

Tomorrow I’ll disclose some dirt from the dance, and I hear Yram Sicnarf scored an interview with the head janitor who was responsible for cleaning the Applebee floor, even back before it had a name.

1. Bowers, Margarete, 1926
2. Bowers, Robert, 1929
3. Bowers, William (Bev), 1933
4. Francis, William, 1937
5. Francis, John, 1934
6. Francis, Charles, 1942
7. Francis, William, Billy, 1962
8. Francis, Mary, 1970
9. Sanderson, Wayne, 1930
10. Sanderson, Ella, 1933
11. Sanderson, Jeff, 1933
12. Sanderson, Helen, 1935
13. Sanderson, Loretta, 1938
14. Sanderson, Elna, 1944
15. Sanderson, Terry, 1959
16. Sanderson, Jeff H., 1965
17. Sanderson, Mark, 1970
18. Sanderson, Rhon, 1986
19. Sanderson, Len, 1987
20. Miller, Andrea, 1967
21. Miller, Stephanie, 1971
22. Miller, Greg, 1973
23. Miller, Renee, 2003
24. Miller, Jordon, 2007
25. Miller, Matthew, 2011

This is a list of all the people in my family who have graduated from MHS/JCHS

The years range from 1926 to 2011. The list doesn’t include family members such as Irma Bork Sanderson, or those in our family who taught in the Murdo Schools, such as Vava Bowers, or Margaret Anderson Francis. I’m sure there are families with more members among the Graduates, but I am very proud that the list of 25 well represents a heritage that is both meaningful and lasting.

I’ve been to Horse Creek, where my Grandparents farmed and ranched when they first moved to the area.

The Family Businesses..  My Grandfather John Francis, owned Francis Hardware in Murdo. After his death at the age of 36, My Grandmother, Constance Francis ran the store until it was sold to the Thune family. My Father and his two brothers moved to the Murdo Depot when Connie married William Bowers (the Depot Agent), in 1928. They were still living above the Depot when my Dad’s youngest brother Charles graduated high school in 1942. Sanderson’s Store was first owned by my Grandfather M.E. Sanderson, then Jeff Sanderson.  My Father, Bill Francis owned Francis Plumbing and Heating. The Chalet Motel, owned by my parents, was part of what is now The Range Country Motel, owned by Greg Miller. The LandMark Country Inn is owned by Mark Sanderson, and of course Jerry Miller built countless Homes and Businesses in the Murdo Area. Wayne Sanderson had a dirt moving, and road construction operation.

Bill Francis plumbing and heating

The School Days

Grandma Jeff, Ella, Grandpa, Helen, Loretta, Wayne, Elna

Charles Francis

John Francis

William Francis

Not enough room for the memories

All the grandkids except Patrice Haverberg

Wayne Sanderson, and Jeff Sanderson

Elna and Billy

Mark, Suanne, Stephanie

Dean Lindquist with daughters Karen, Kim, and Tammy

Well now that The Donald has officially accepted the nomination of the Republican party, and Hillary’s convention is next week, it will soon be time for Barney and Murdo Girl to quit loafing around and get Murdo, the center of it all, fired up again. We can probably have a convention in The Harold Thune Auditorium now that all the alumni have cleared out. I don’t blame the Coach for putting plastic on his floor. Do you think that’s why it was hotter than fire in there? My hair looks dripping wet in every picture. With my most recent bad haircut, it didn’t look that good dry.

I had to go to the doctor a couple of days before I left for Murdo. It was just a regular check-up. I had gained a few elbeez since the last time. When I commented that I had gained weight only because I was going to a reunion, the good Doc said, “You look great and everyone you see will think so too!” Then as I was walking out, he said, “Of course, there’s always someone who looks better.” What is that supposed to mean? I will say most of the alumni I saw, were pretty well preserved.

For the Parade, Valerie was dressed like the Queen who’s 90, and I was supposed to look like an eight year old playing dress-up . I’m sure there was more than one eight year old that looked better than I did.

Kip thinks it’s kind of weird that I’ve been wearing my red gown and tinfoil crown every day. I don’t see why he should care as long as I continue to do all my chores. Well, not all of them I guess. Part of the reason I still wear the gown is because I haven’t done the laundry in three weeks. When I wear the dress, I have to wear the crown or people will look at me funny.

Yesterday,  I hung around the Monitor until it got too hot. The Monitor is our local newspaper. (I don’t have a “Newspaper Liaison” here  like Teresa in Murdo.) I believe in being proactive when I need to get noticed for publicity. You know, for my campaign. They finally snapped a couple of pictures. The picture was okay. It was even on the front page, but the caption said, “Aging queen posing as an 8 yr. old. Approach with caution.” It’s not true what they say. There is such a thing as bad publicity.

“Hey Queenie! What would you say to your older selfie?”

I came home and Kip had started the wash. He is doing great after some serious back surgery. It was hard work nursing him back to health. When I left him to go to Murdo, I had to remember to call every day. Our friends, Pat and Jerry who drove him places and did other things, said he was great and never complained. Our kids always behaved better for someone else too.

Unfortunately, I just found out from Lav that Texas is not one of the states we filed in so campaigning here will do me no good. I’m going to ask Kip if we can take the RV to Murdo for the convention. “Aggressive Informant, have you found out anything more about that low flying plane?”

I don’t think she heard me. Poor thing, she tries so hard. I hate to tell her, but that plane isn’t flying. I like the new hat though. It completely changes her look. My Photographic Drawer does good work.

Teresa, Coyote Liaison, and Sherri, Photographic drawer

I have to remember to ask Jerry  Elrod, my bean counter, if we have enough $ to buy more tinfoil.

What I’m trying to say here is there will be some campaigning, complaining, and explaining; Murdo talk, storytelling, relishing, and embellishing in the days to come. After all..I don’t want my crown to lose it’s luster.

I have talked at length about how I wanted to be like Connie Jackson, so I won’t go over all of what you already know. Anyway, I started to think it never really happened at all. I thought maybe I dreamed it or as my Uncle Chuck Francis quoted Mark Twain as saying:

“When I was younger I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not, but my faculties are decaying now, and soon I shall be so I cannot remember anything but the things that never happened.” 

The proof in the form of a picture… or two, came to me quite by accident. Connie’s brother unknowingly verified what might make some think I’m not quite right. Eddie emailed some photos from our yearbooks because I lost mine.

There it was staring at me…The proof!

Exhibit A

No one else that year had the same cut. I actually looked through a couple of yearbooks while I was at the reunion and came up with nothing.

Exhibit B:

Another picture of Connie with the “do”… Connie with Leslie Kell, Marilyn Kinsley, Doug Koester, and Tommy Kerlin. (I saw Tommy Kerlin at Dean Lindquist’s birthday party, which was the same week-end as the reunion. He lives in Sturgis and rides a really beautiful motorcycle. I wish I had a motorcycle like Tommy’s.)

Exhibit C:

I couldn’t keep up with Connie’s clothes and shoes because she had too many. I had to just pick out a few like her’s. I went to work at the Frosty like Connie, but she quit so that didn’t exactly work out. Do you think I’m a manipulator? Mom always told me not to push the river. It flows. I think that was her way of saying I try to manipulate outcomes.

When I was at the reunion, I saw Karen Ferdig (Snyder). She was one of my best friends in High School. I asked her if she had figured out, that I had been a Connie wannabe. She said she hadn’t realized it..(then). Karen looks the same as she did 46 years ago.

Karen and her beautiful granddaughter, McKenzie talking with Eddie Jackson at the reunion (I like her white pants. I wonder where she got them?)…on your right.. Karen’s Senior picture.

Anyway, I’m sure glad I got over that nonsense of wanting what everybody else has.

*************************************************************

Connie would have been 66 today. We lost all three of these women to cancer. They each had three children. All were very special people. They are missed by those who are lucky enough to have known them.

Let it never be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot.

They were all shining stars, but their moment was far too brief.

The sign

I had been in Murdo a couple of days before I finally had the opportunity and the time to drive up and down the streets of my beloved hometown. I had worried about coming home. They say most people are disappointed when they come back to their hometowns because it will never be like it was. It will never be like you remember it, and it won’t feel like home.

The minute my cousin Valerie and I left Rapid City, I knew I had nothing to worry about. Whatever the next days held, I knew Murdo would feel like home to me. For several months now, I have relived my  life in Murdo. I have written almost every day about friends and family, childhood and high school years. Many of those I have written about are no longer walking this earth. They no longer live in the houses I remember so well.

Some of the buildings like Sanderson’s store are no longer there, but all the streets are the same. The Courthouse hill, Main Street, the walk to school, the road by the auditorium, the parade route, and Old 16, are all paths I walked countless times. They still require the same number of steps. It all looked wonderful to this Murdo girl.

The day I drove around Murdo, I ventured South of 16 where all the cousins lived. I could have been disappointed by all the changes, but I wasn’t. The feeling of being home was still there. Being in this place that held such wonderful memories, gave me tangible evidence that My Murdo was real and it always will be.

I spent time with old friends and made new ones. I saw some of my teachers and the girls I used to babysit. I drove all over town, and more and more good memories came flooding back to me. I talked to people who read my stories and are reminded of more or different fun times. We are all unique, yet in many ways we are all the same.

I saw my family

I was often too excited to remember to take pictures. Valerie and I saw our cousins Terry Sanderson and his wife Kay, Jeff H. Sanderson and Emily. We spent a lot, but not enough time visiting with cousin Mark Sanderson and Dave. On the night before we left SD, Valerie and I stayed with Cynthia Edwards and sang Karaoke for hours. We met Kevin, who was such a good sport and somewhat willing audience.

Greg and Carma Miller, Matthew and Renee, our two aunts Irma and Elna, and Angela along with her fiance Chad, were at a family dinner hosted by Andrea Miller Sheehan. ( Andrea took us to see her incredible doll collection.)  We saw countless classmates and friends.

You can go home and it can be really, really fun. Like this:

Aunt Elna Miller and Greg’s daughter Renee

Valerie and me with Suzanne Brost

Aunt Irma with Jeff H’s daughter and fiancé Chad

If you highlight the photo, a description will appear.

Dean Lindquist with daughters Karen, Kim, and Tammy

Eddie and Mari Jackson, Don Edwards, Val and me

Thanks to all the above, and a special thanks to the Lindquist girls and Dean for taking such good care of me and arranging for Murdo Girl and the Queen to be in the parade. Valerie and I had a wonderful time hanging out with Don Edwards, Eddie Jackson, and his beautiful and wonderful wife, Mari.

Tammy Lindquist Van Dam, got a proclamation from Murdo Mayor Kelsey Nash to establish Stephanie Miller-Davis Day. The first of April, Murdo honors Stephanie for her contributions to the school library. Stephanie’s desire was to instill a love of reading in each child.

There he is… SD State Senator, John Thune…(Mr. Thune’s son with a sign, and Murdo Girl, who now has a mobile sign.)

Our beloved Jeep…It belonged to our Uncle Jeff Sanderson, and now sits in the Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo

Harold Thune led Murdo to the 1937 state Class B tournament finals, where he was named captain of the all-tourney team. He was the top scorer in the tourney with 35 points. Our Dad, William Francis was also on the team. They are center front in this photo.

Some of the class of 1970..Mary Francis, Eddie Jackson, Josephine Jost, Mark Sanderson, Don Edwards, Marlene Rada, Danny Koester, and Karen Miller..

I saw Dick Bradley, Ron Kinsley, Ella Elrod, Wally Elrod, and Guy Anker

I’m not a senior, but just pretend these kids are homecoming King and Queen

Who says you can’t go home!!

Thanks to Patti, I now know the words to the school song.

Oh here’s to Murdo Coyotes, they’re bound to win; line like a stone wall, guards and forwards, all are out to win for Murdo. Let us cheer them forward, never give in; boost, boost for victory for we shall win.

I heard at one time that Mrs. Kuhrt wrote the lyrics. The tune is “Our Director.”

It’s now the Jones County Coyotes.

I missed Billy

**Two corrections need to be made to the answers for the Murdo History Questions. #6 should be FF and not F which makes it Judy Dykstra and not Allen Rada. #34 should be Q and not RR which makes it Mons Anker and not Sam Seymour.

**corrections noted by Syd Iwan. 

11)  correction DD…thanks Walt

Below is a link to a PDF with the Murdo History Quiz and answers. Please share any thoughts or comments with us. We hope you had some fun with it. Murdo has produced some very accomplished and colorful people, and this quiz highlights only a few of them.

Billy Francis, and Mary Francis McNinch

Murdo Trivia Quiz & Answers