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Children have always been important to me. Growing up, I was a babysitter for children in my small town.
Cousins were like younger siblings when they stayed with us and became part of the family at least for a while.
My first marriage ended because the man didn’t want children.
In California, where my sister was raising two daughters and attending university, I lived with her for a while to help care for Susan and Nicoli. It was a good experience.
Moving back to the Midwest I became close to my brother’s two daughters - Lise and Ingrid.
Later, I had two children of my own and now have six grandchildren and one great grandchild. Each one is precious and loved no matter what happens in the path of life.

People often tell me that they can’t write, yet these are people who often had the same educational background that I did. We learned to print and we learned cursive. We did required school reports even if we didn’t like doing them.

Perhaps writing letters to the editor is somewhat akin to that. We don’t necessarily like the time and thought to write them, but we can’t forget that it’s a great way to let your voice, your thoughts be heard.

And if the way the world, the state, or the city is being run is not to your liking, how will anyone know you disagree.

Yes, times have changed, but many folks may think that acceptance of change is the norm because no one disagrees where it counts, on editorial pages or by writing letters to legislators.

Don’t rely on someone else portraying your ideas. Speak out yourself. Write a letter and send it to me. I can fix the grammar and spelling if need be.

Luckiest guy on Mother’s Day? Had to be me. When I asked my wife what she wanted to do, she said, “How about a wheeler ride?”
Evan and Megan joined us and we loaded up the truck with two wheelers and a dirt bike. There will come a day when we can ride trails from Ely and that day is coming soon. We’re hoping to complete construction of the Prospector Loop from Ely to Mattila’s Shelter and beyond by this fall.
For now, however, unless you want to ride blacktop, trailering is your best bet.
We pulled into an old gravel pit and unloaded the machines. The weather was on the iffy side but a few raindrops weren’t going to stop us.
Evan and Megan took the lead and off we went down the trail. The leaves hadn’t filled in the forest yet so the views were just great. Seeing into the woods and out on to lakes, rivers and bogs is a fun part of spring riding.

We’re creatures of habit. At least I am.
I tend to eat the same foods, watch the same tv shows and keep the same hours- early to bed, early to rise..
There is one new thing in my life though. When I turn out the bedroom light at night, the room’s ceiling is filled with interesting patterns as if etched in ancient plaster.
No, I haven’t been remodeling, the sight in my right eye went away two Saturdays ago and after visits to several doctors, we now know it is permanent. Nick, Mary, Megan and Evan are filling in for the new absence and the job now is to train myself to do without and learn to drive again.
A steelworker friend of mine in Illinois lost an eye by running and falling on scissors. He went on as an adult to walk steel beams on high rises, so I know it can be done.
Meanwhile I’m at work answering phones, opening and sorting mail and keeping up (I hope) with circulation.

The two most popular “get together” holidays are Christmas and Easter. This is when we usually spend quality time with family and good friends.
There are forty one tenants living at the Pioneer Apartments. There is no more room at the Inn. A brunch was planned for Easter Sunday beginning at 2 pm. All the food is made from scratch by the tenants. We had a dozen people who got together in the apartment building lounge which was decorated for this event.
The names of the people at the brunch and how long they lived at the Pioneer Apartments are: Tonya, 5 years, Sharon, 3 years, Kevin, 4 years, Donna, 3 years, Vance, 2 years, Gigi, 2 years, Chantel, 3 years, Cassie, 1 year and when I asked Vicki how long she’s been here she said “20 minutes!”

by Willow Ohlhauser -

by Charles D Novak

Another classmate has been taken from us. Richard Mobilia passed away on February 28. My condolences to his family.
Richard and I had a great working relationship as bus boys at Vertin’s Restaurant when it was located in the Forest Hotel building. We worked so well together the waitresses would actually request our services during the busy summer months when the tourists flocked to Ely.
The two of us kept the tables and booths clean so customers could make their menu choices, pay their bill and leave a generous tip for their server which was sometimes shared with us. During the busy summer months we worked without taking a break. Those white jackets we had to wear had us sweating like gladiators. We had all this fun for a salary of fifty cents an hour, a small fortune in those days.

BOB CARY’s BAND practicing at Anne’s:, l-r: Bill Lynott, Dick Mitchell, Fred Godec and Bob Cary.

Good compass
“Is my dad coming back? ”
He says, “I hope so.”
The boy asks, “Did you ever go to jail? ”
He says,“ no.”
“Why did my dad go to jail?”
He says, “Your dad got in with the wrong crowd.”
“I never want to get in with the wrong crowd.”
His grandpa says, “Good for you. Now here, you hold this wing while I glue it, okay?”
He reaches up his hands, his grandpa moves his fingers, places the balsa wood plane blade between his fingers and says, “Now you hold that still while I glue it.”
He says, “Ok grandpa.”
Grandpa leans in, drips the translucent glue off a steely tip along the edge of the plane’s wing blade to the side of the plane’s body.
He says to his grandson, “You can let go of that now.”
His little hands release.
Grandpa leans back and says, “Well it’s all done. You want to go fly it?”
There is a loud, “Yeah, can we?”