Those 70ish Girls

By Mary Francis McNinch

Some of my favorite stories told at the Mesa Gathering were about Mack’s Cafe in Murdo, SD.

Karen Haugland Poppe regaled us with her memories of the iconic Cafe located uptown in Murdo, SD. It was on the NE corner across from the Murdo Show House and next to the Gem Hotel. In the years her parents, Nels and Doris Haugland, owned it, Mack’s provided a lot of great food and good times. It was the place all the farmers and ranchers and later highway construction workers came for breakfast and left with ample sack lunches all made with food prepared from scratch by Doris beginning in the very early morning hours of each day. My own memory of the caramel covered or frosted cinnamon rolls Mom would bring the girls who cleaned the rooms at her Chalet Motel make my mouth water. When I mentioned the delicious ham and beans Doris made, my cousin Valerie who had been wolfing down a plate of sweet desserts at the Gathering and was not paying close attention to the conversation piped up and said, “There’s ham and beans!?” Sadly, they were only another mouth-watering memory.

Doris would make hot beef sandwiches with a mound of mashed potatoes covered in rich brown gravy and some of the best meatloaf you could ever eat.

“What’s on the menu besides fly specks and ketchup?” Ben Dykstra, a local rancher, would ask as he sat down in one of the booths.

Karen told us things I didn’t know…like how her mother made sure those who didn’t have a good meal to eat on all the holidays got free food from Mack’s before her own family ate. Doris and Nels had a family of 6 and the 4 kids worked without pay. Karen said one year she complained that she wanted a job that paid. Her mother said, “Then go and get one.” She went to work at the Murdo Coyote Newspaper office. She said, “I went home covered in ink, but I had money in my pocket.”

Doris started her day a few hours before dawn, but the locals like my parents and numerous other couples would crank up the juke box and party after hours on the weekends. I remember Mom saying, “Marge Bork played The Orange Blossom Special a million times.” (One of Mom’s Lorettaisms was, “I’ve told you a million times not to exaggerate.”)

When Mom and Dad were building our new house next to Mowell’s, Grandma Sanderson, who was very hard of hearing called Mom and asked her what she was going to feed the men building the house for noon dinner. Mom said, “I’m sending them to Mack’s Cafe.” Grandma said, “Yes, and coffee.”

We talked about Slim, who worked at Mack’s and helped himself to packs of cigarettes, which he rolled up into the sleeve of his white T shirt. He didn’t much care for my Aunt Elna, and when she asked him to pass a note on to my mother, he told mom it came from the old bag.

Mack’s Cafe was where all the kids were welcome to fill up the booths and nurse a Coke after the movie until closing time. Sometimes, we pooled our money and ordered some delicious French fries. I always ate a Bing Candy Bar with my Coke.

Lots of my friends worked there. Marlene Rada Baker worked all through high school. Josephine Jost worked there, too. I had to work at Mom’s motel, but that’s another story. I remember Linda Kerns and so many others. I was in the Café one day, and Bill Jackson was sipping his coffee and said to the waitress, “This weather is like your leg…I’d like to see it clear up.” The waitress was his wife, Alice. She just filled his cup and moved onto the next customer without even smiling. She took the pencil from behind her ear and wrote down an order. She was a petite lady with red hair done in a perfect candlestick hairdo. Everyone wore a crisp white uniform and an apron.

I have such fond memories of that wonderful place. I’m sure anyone who lived in Murdo from the 1950’s through the 70’s have their own special memories of Mack’s Cafe.

Karen Haugland Poppe did her parents proud. She managed another iconic SD place called Wall Drug for 40 years… no ink.

We went to the “Gathering” in Mesa. A gathering is like a reunion only different. I was trying to explain it to my husband, Kip, on the way home from the airport, but I gave up after this conversation…

Kip: So how many people attended?

Me: Probably around 50.

Kip: Wow! Who all came?

Me: Almost everyone who came retired in Mesa. You’ve never met these people.

Kip: I didn’t know that many of your relatives were still alive and wintered in Arizona.

………….

My cousin Valerie Halla, my brother, Billy Francis, and our patriarch, Gus, and I all traveled to Mesa. Val flew from San Jose, CA, I flew from Dallas, and Bill, (who lives in LA), drove to Ontario, CA, to get Gus, and then drove on to Phoenix and picked Val and me up at the airport.

“The Gathering” is a very important event. Val…will you explain how it evolved from the  Jones County Picnic?

The Gathering Pt. 1

By Val Halla

You’re so right, Cuz. A Reunion is different from a gathering and an After Party is another story. Actually Kip is on the right track…sorta kinda… because many of our relatives have passed away plus friends.  That makes it even more special because even though our friends and family are gone, the Gathering still goes on.

My husband stayed home to work and care for our dog. His friend at work asked where I was and Ken said, “Valerie is at a Jones County Reunion in Arizona.”

“Wasn’t she just at a Jones County Reunion last summer?”

Ken said, “This is different but I am not sure how.”

I’m not really sure either. But it’s different. The one last summer was an All School Reunion. So how it evolved from the Jones County Picnic was I think because Bob Bowers started it and he lived in CA. I remember attending one in Long Beach. The snowbirds who left chilly South Dakota flocked together in CA and eventually found Mesa, AZ a better fit than over priced CA. Birds of a feather flock together so they formed a strong bond and kept the Picnic/Gathering going.  (It’s no longer called a Picnic because we are too old to sit on a blanket on the ground with the ants.)

Mary and I prepared for weeks before going to the Gathering. We were excited and it’s always fun being with Bill and Gus. Mary and I coordinated what we would wear and what accessories we would need. We also discussed makeup, paying close attention to our lipstick color. We had to have our hair done a certain way. We made a trip to Walmart (surprise) to buy a new curling iron and cheesecake to take to the gathering. Mary even took two showers and washed her hair twice. She wore spectacular earrings and a necklace with a crown charm. I wore the same thing I’d worn three years ago adding a different necklace and dangling crystal earrings this time. The boots were a major decision but we both wore them with long flowing skirts and black tops. She added a jeans jacket and I wore my old rust colored suede jacket.  After a few hours, we were ready even though still a bit unsure how we looked. Bill called to see if we were all set to go.

“When will you two gals be ready to go?”

Mary: “We need about five more minutes to do our makeup “

Bill: “That should take at least 20 more minutes.”

CONCLUSION TO PT 1:  Aunt Loretta’s wisdom…”It’s good enough for who it’s for.” That gave us the confidence to go. We looked good. We felt even better. We were ready. Mary drove the four of us to the clubhouse for the Gathering. That is, she drove us AFTER she found the right car. We only had to backtrack once because we forgot the Walmart cheesecake, which was a big hit.

This is Mary (MG) again. I see it taking several blogs to cover the Gathering. We still have dozens of other people’s stories to tell. Hopefully, we won’t have to change our outfits again.

My Name is Not Mud

by Valerie Halla

I often joke around that I got married just to get a cool new name. Val Halla is a great name, just ask a Viking, if you can dig up one.

A lot of people think that there’s not much in a name, but I disagree. If you’re a parent, you might have agonized over choosing a perfect name for your brand new baby. It’s sometimes easy to just choose a family name, or choose a celebrity name, or give the kiddos your own and your spouse’s names. Choosing a name for a tiny baby, which he/she will carry for a lifetime, is an immensely important decision. It’s a big responsibility

Teachimg school for 34 years, I became interested in names. I once had four Michael’s in my third grade class. That was a challenge to call correctly for Michael B. or Michael C. Kids become quite upset if you call them by the wrong name. They seem downright offended. As a teacher, a seating chart was invaluable. I have had a Beyoncé, an Itsy, a Golden, a Harvest, Sky, Violet, and a Tyler and a Taylor.

Today I tested a kindergartener named Tiger. He was polite, sweet and didn’t growl.

And our US Presidents have also had unique names. I loved the name Ulysses Simpson Grant and years ago named a dog Ulysses. Good old U. S. Grant.

A President named Dwight David Eisenhower who was already famous as a WWII General. His mother didn’t want a son whose name could be changed to a nickname, so she chose Dwight. I have often wondered who started calling him Ike. I like Ike.

I could go on about names and even started a bit on middle names, with Dwight David and Ulysses Simpson. I am proud of my middle name chosen by my Mom with a shorter version from her sister’s middle name Jeanette. My middle name is Jean. My Grandma wrote many letters to us over the years and referred to me as V.J. in each letter. I liked that. Names are important. Names are a strong part of us.

Moving On Down the Road

by Baba Wawa

Now that I am in my 60’s plus a few years, and semi-retired, I think back but also forward to all the famous people I have interviewed and will. The most famous networks and newspapers have covered my stories. I have been featured in the La La Land Times, the New Yolk Times, the Washington Poopsy, and the Wall Street Urinal. I have graciously interviewed Kim Carcrashing, Merrilee Sweep, Brad Pitstop and Bom Trady among others. And who can forget the cooking series where I made peanut butter with butter crackers, prepped the frozen turkey for Thanksgiving and made an omelette with condiments atop it all? I bet Yram cannot forget. Or maybe she’s trying.

Days here in Happy Down in the Valley are peaceful, quiet and slow. Some interesting news: FLASH – I heard about Yram’s friends having a hectic time of it lately. Klip and May recently sold their house and moved into what’s called an RV which is kinda like a trailer on wheels. They moved because they didn’t remember to put out their garbage and recycling cans. Their trash piled up and the sanitation department passed them by. It rained a lot where they lived and their names were mud, literally. The pizza boxes, frozen turkey burger wrapping, empty cans, pie tins, and ice cream containers piled up. Did I say empty cans? They became frantic and rented a Uhaul to store and carry all their stuff, but I am suspicious. I think their trash is in the Uhaul. They could be hiding a lot of junk in there. Why are they pulling up stakes and driving on down the road to a Turkey RV Park? Plus, their RV (which stands for “rent a vacation”) hasn’t got those comfy captains leather plush chairs. No, they use lawn chairs and kitchen chairs and rocking chairs while driving, but at least they buckle up. It seems they are leaving town in a big hurry. Are they crazy? Can their situation get any better or worse?

Actually, Klip and May do have a great idea living in their RV and the dogs love it. They don’t have any more yard work, nor as much maintenance and the housework is minimal. They can pick up and leave whenever they get that wanderlust feeling, not to mention mooching…uh…visiting the relatives and old friends. I know Klip will find the best diners where they can eat biscuits and gravy, hash browns, eggs fit for a king, and bear claws and pastries galore. Did I mention pastries? Their bills will diminish for sure because living in an RV is much cheaper. It’s like being on a perpetual vacation. Can you imagine not having any utility bills? Even though the gas will be expensive, they can just stay a few months in one park until their nearby dumpster gets full, then move their home on wheels. However, the best part is that the garbage collector won’t miss them and they won’t miss him! What a life.

Maybe RV stands for Rich and Valuable. I will keep you posted. Baba signing off from my mini and very small mansion here in Happy Down in the Valley.

I was so excited to be off on my long-awaited trip to see my son, Mason and his beautiful family. It’s a 1 & 1/2 hr flight from Dallas to Denver, a 1 & 1/2 hr, layover, and another 1& 1/2 hr flight to Gillette, where they live.

The flight didn’t exactly go as planned. We boarded the plane in Denver and then after taxiing down the runway, the plane suddenly stopped. The pilot said the GPS wasn’t working. I was in a hurry. Why couldn’t they just fly low and follow Interstate 25…easy, peasy.

GPS was not working well for United Airlines that day. I was slightly nervous when they told us that, but not as nervous as the guy sitting next to me. He flies several times a month, and he had never heard of an airplane’s GPS going down. Those words just don’t sound right in the context of an airplane ride, do they? I secretly wondered if they could use maps on their Iphone, but then I realized we all have to shut our phones off. I think it’s so they don’t mess with the airplane’s GPS.

We taxied back, deplaned, and walked to another gate to wait for a different plane to be readied. We were delayed (you guessed it, 1 1/2 hrs.). My son was trying to watch his son, Ethan, a freshman at Campbell County High School, play basketball. My delayed flight didn’t fit into my plan, either. Ethan scored 13 points, and the score was 13 to 13 at the end of the first quarter. Mason and I both missed it. Timing is everything. We made it to the gym for the 2nd half of the first game and all of the 2nd game. Eth plays for his freshman team and the JV1 and JV teams, but he can only play 6 quarters a day. The right team won all 3 games.

Anyway, I made it to my destination, and I had the absolute best time. Mason’s wife, Amy, is a wonderful person. She is a nurse and manages 3 offices for a group of orthopedic doctors, She and Mason have two great kids, Mason Jr. is 20 and is taking classes at Gillette College in anticipation of returning to UW next fall. He also does trim work for his dad. Ethan is 15. Amy’s mom, Linda, divides her time between Gillette and Florida. She has a place on Keyhole Lake, near Gillette, where she spends the spring and summers and then stays with Amy and Mason, when she closes the house down in the fall. She goes to Florida after New Years to spend time with her sister. I love hanging out with Linda, and we each even have our own mother-in-law’s quarters.

While I was there, I made my special chicken enchiladas, which, for some reason, didn’t taste very good. I redeemed myself with homemade banana pudding. Mason Jr. got an airfryer and mastered the art of cooking salmon. It was delicious. Everything Linda cooked was amazing. Let’s just say I ate my way through Wyoming and came back 5 lbs heavier. Ask me if I care. Well, I do now, but it was fun while it lasted.

Last Wednesday, I went to Buffalo with Mason where the company he works for is building 10 houses and they have lots ready to go for another 18. Buffalo, Wyoming is booming. Mason manages the project and is boucou busy. They don’t sell the houses until they’re finished so he gets to pick out all of the countertops, cabinets, paint, and floor coverings. I got to go with him to buy all of the light fixtures for 2 houses.

I have so much to tell you about regarding the sale of our house, but I will save that interesting story for another day. Hint: I had to trace 3 people down to get a deed signed that should have been signed 23 years ago. Do you think that was easy? The couple, who are 84 and 85, never deeded it to their son, or at least the deed was never recorded. He sold the lot to someone else, who sold it to us. I was wracked with nerves. I would love to tell you that Kip handled it worse than I did, but I would be lying. The son finally came through for us. Sheesh!!! Now, we are waiting for the appraisal. Stay tuned.

Amy is sending more family pics. Most of them are on her phone.

By Valerie Halla and Ninny

Through the miraculous, magical advances in technology and ESP I am able to tell you about my recent trip with my parents to the Pacific Northwest. It was challenging for me as a dog, but I somehow managed a week of driving, visiting relatives, lots of time in the car, (I was in the backseat of the car), and staying in strange hotels. We visited my other Mom, her husband and their human kid, and my stepsister dog. The relatives have a nice house. I hung out on blankets on their couch most of the time.

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They pretty much ignored me because this mini-human kid got most all the attention. He’s short, walks with a weird jerky step, talks gibberish, whines, cries and eats the dog’s food sometimes. I avoided the little human and also stayed away from my giant stepsister dog Tulu. She got the idea to leave me alone when I snarled and showed her my remaining 12 teeth. I have to admit that I can be pretty fierce even at 77 years of age.

We traded the bomb cyclones, atmospheric rivers, rainstorms and flooding during an entire month in California, for the Pacific Northwest with its almost daily rain which they call “drizzle,” winds, clouds, fog and cold. What a change. We were there about a week but it’s all a blur to me. I got lots of walks and slept pretty well as you can see.

The humans went to a museum, out for dinner and ordered food delivered or cooked a bit. I got fed the same good food they always give me later at night after we were alone in our room. The mini-human got fed regularly, almost constantly and they even cut up his food into tiny pieces for him. Turns out he doesn’t have many teeth either. They kept saying, “He’s teething.” I didn’t see him teething on much, just soft food although he crunched on poor Tulu’s kibble which seemed to upset his parents. My parents Ohhhed and Awwwed a lot over the little kid, even though I couldn’t see him doing many tricks. He couldn’t even walk very smoothly or retrieve any sticks or balls. He fell a lot. Not graceful like Tulu and me. He didn’t ask politely to go outside to do his “business” and wore something called a diaper. It was disgusting to think about. The kid was treated like some kind of royal Corgi.

After what seemed like days driving, we finally got home to California last night. Roads were flooded so we came into our neighborhood using some backroads and we’re relieved to be back to California which is once again sunny and warm. I have been out in my own backyard many times since we got home smelling my favorite trees and bushes and marking my territory with the way dogs do. Sorry. I’m too well trained and polite to explain that to you.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS