by Elaine Rassel

Thanks again to all of you who have remembered Steve and me (and families) on the death of Jeanette. And, to the person that left cookies thanks! It is nice to know that others care.
The Marcus City Council closed out year 2021 with a short meeting. The new mayor and new Council persons were sworn in at the end of the meeting.
Well, I got past the 13th of December. The number 13 has not been a good number for me (even if it doesn’t fall on a Friday!) I called Ila O’Brien (in Tenn.) on Dec. 14 to wish her a Happy Birthday. She gave me a recipe of her mothers for Ebleskiner. Now to find the time to make this!
On Wed. (Dec. 15) there were some schools up north that were not opening that day. There was a weather forecast of very high winds (over 70 miles per hour) due for our areas. If the school wasn’t already closed, by noon the schools in our area were dismissing early due to this forecast. The Sioux City schools were even dismissing early!
Zachary just doesn’t believe all that is on television or the newspapers about a lot of things and this weather forecast was one of them. We went to Sioux City to pick up some supplies, including printing paper (that is supposed to go up 50%). We were at Arby’s and had paid and was waiting for our order when a siren went off! This Arby’s is by Menards. Can you imagine people at Menards finding a place to seek shelter? And probably shop lifting at the same time?! As the person handed us our order, she said to her workers, “The last order is finished, so seek shelter”. The sky, at that time, didn’t look like it was going to turn into something the weather bureau had forecast.
We left and I was enjoying my roast beef sandwich (he was going to save his until we got home) when the sky behind us was gradually turning blacker. We had had some patches of rain coming down and now it was raining again. We made it home before it got worse. Of course, the goats and kittens had to be in and the door shut just in case there was some truth to the high wind story.
The name Marcus came up on the weather screen. Someone did call in and report a tornado south of Marcus. It appears that after time passed, that Kingsley did get hit. The Pierson Middle School was a shelter for those (only from Kingsley) to stay as the electricity was gone. Cherokee County was in several warnings or advisors until later that evening. The next day, there were schools that were 2 hours late start, or closed for the day. Kingsley was one of them. Anthon-Oto was without power and changed from a 2 hour late start to closed completely. There were some pictures sent in from the Kingsley area that showed some of the damage. It seems that shortly after we left Sioux City, they did get some damage. People were warned about their “inflatables” they were using for Christmas outside decorating, they should make sure they could withstand the wind or they would be blown away.
The winds we had were nothing compared to what Kentucky had. That area is terrible!
I see where LaVonne Rae who lives in Cherokee now, had her 100th birthday. She and Bernice McIntosh went to school together and were the last in their classes still living. She used to come from Sioux City to take her dad to our church until he passed away. She said she really missed the time she took to be with him. The Wallin’s were members of the church for a number of years.
The MMCRU High School Winter Concert was last Thursday evening. There was a “first” at this concert. The band was divided into “mini” bands before they went together as the large band. These mini’s gave the music students a chance to play their instrument other than just be one in the big band. There were two students that were in charge of the “bongo” drum for background music. That was nice that they were included in this program.
I needed one black and one colored ink for the printer. It was mailed out (free of charge) in a box 12 inches by 15 inches and 8 inches in depth with a lot of bubble wrap! If you are familiar with ink, this was entirely too big of a box!
Talking about door deliveries, people in the North side of Sioux City have had their door deliveries stolen. Television showed the person responsible for this when someone had a camera that took a good picture of him. What he was doing with the contents of these boxes, unless he was putting them up for sale again, wasn’t told.
There was a town in Ohio where a person could mail their package to someone else by dropping it off in a Post Office outside box. When the “receiver” didn’t get the package, the Post Office began to investigate. There was someone who reached down in this “federal” box and took the package. It appears that this someone was standing close by and waiting for someone to drop off a box.
The scammers are out again! Zachary received a call on the cell phone that his “grandson” was in jail and the caller could get him out but needed a debit card or a gift card for $500! The answer was, “I don’t have any kids, so I don’t care if this person is jailed or not!” Bang, down went the other receiver. Usually it is grandma that gets the call, but this time it wasn’t.
In California there has been a lot of damage to stores when the “wreckers” come in and smash and then grab and run. What is wrong with society today? All this violence just doesn’t make sense. These people can’t all be without jobs and need what they are taking. Maybe the more they can get by with, the more they try. I’m sure glad I didn’t grow up with all these things that are happening in today’s society.
Thelma Gravenish is celebrating her birthday Dec. 22. It is easy for me to remember this as my sister, Carolyn also has her birthday on that day.
Well, Dec. 7 has come and gone as far as the television ads wanting people to switch to their Associate plans. However, just a week later, that person that was “whoopy ding” in his ad, was on again doing the same thing about getting more money added to the SS check, and free this and that. I sure hope the others don’t come back on. People should check with dentists, doctors, etc. if they will take this plan before they sign a contract and can’t get out of it. We live in a rural area that is trying to keep our places open as well as doctors. These places and people want the money they think they deserve for their services, not a plan that doesn’t give them all they want.
When it was on social media that Friday was going to be a “shoot out” or something or another in schools, there were six kids in Sioux City that took up on this with threats to their school. They now say that they never intended to do anything just go along with others. How much longer is this going to go on without doing anything about it. I don’t blame people for taking their kids out of school until this was settled. (All of this is getting closer to home.)
A while ago, there was a person that came to the Remsen church to talk about what people should do if a “shooter” came in. “Go under a pew.” How many people can get under a pew in a short time? For some, the space under the pew wouldn’t be big enough. The kid that shot people in the Michigan school, was in attendance in 2018 when the school had a session on “what to do if a shooter came in”. From this session, he learned just where his victims would be. Maybe Mental Health should be on the top of the government’s list of where to spend extra money.
The following article should bring a laugh or two! “Grandpa Late to Christmas Feast”.
It was past two when consternation seized the Christmas party at John Henry’s.
The telegram read: Have had an accident. Do not wait dinner for me. James H. Eston.
“Goodness, gracious.” This from Grandma Eston, who had come as is addressed to help Millie. “What do you s’pose has happened?”
John Henry grabbed the telephone and called Balltown. He got Doc Wilkins and asked if he had treated Jim Eston. “No”, Doc said, “I saw him in the mornin’ driving around in his car.”
Other sources of possible information were tried without success. The gay gathering of kin folks settled down to apprehensive waiting.
Around three-thirty, the youngsters complained of hunger.
“Now children,” Millie said, “we’ll wait awhile yet. Maybe Grandpa isn’t hurt so bad he can’t get here.”
Finally, John Henry said he would drive to Balltown and see what he could learn. It was a forty-mile drive and the time was near five, but he thought best to go.
As he was about to leave the driveway for the road, Grandpa’s car was seen coming at a dangerous clip. The old man was all smiles as he stopped before the house and alighted.
Grandma, Millie, Jack, Samuel, Mary, John Henry and numerous children all asked for an explanation at once.
“This morning,” said Grandpa, “I sampled some candy, your Grandma had made, and it was so tough I got my upper and lower plates stuck together. I pried, and darned if I didn’t pry two jaw teeth out of the plate on the side I eat with. I simply had to have ‘em for that turkey. The dentist said it would take about five hours as it would have to be vulcanized. But, I’m here and okay!
“And you just did get here by the skin of your teeth, didn’t your, Grandpa!” This was from John Henry, Jr.
The party, joyous, entered the house and soon all were settled for the delayed dinner.
“Grandpa,” said John Henry, “please ask the blessing.”
Keep in your thoughts and prayers those who have lost loved ones to death, will have to change their lives, motivate those to find a job, help those who do have a job but still are in need financially, and to those who are still at a distance from families and friends to build a bridge instead of a wall.
I will leave you with this quote from Billy Graham, American Clergyman: “God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with.”