I am going to begin this week’s column with a recipe that the Marcus Cooking
School presenter, Jean Erickson didn’t have room in the cookbook for.
How to Cook Spaghetti (any noodle)
Spray pan with Pam. Bring water to a boil. Add salt and spaghetti. Stir. Bring back to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Stir. Turn off heat and cover pan. Let sit for 7 minutes. Drain and serve.
If you are interrupted, just leave it covered until youneed to serve it.
Another busy week—the School Board met on Monday evening. I was glad it was in Marcus.
We have had our share of funerals with two of them this past week. We went to Frannie Zembsch’s funeral on Tuesday. When we arrived at the church, I told Steve he should take the elevator and I would take my salad down the east steps. No, he held the door open for me and before I went down the first step, I said over my shoulder, “Would you hold my purse for me?” Some man said, “Certainly!” I knew it wasn’t Steve but Father Tim! I thanked him for the offer and Steve did hold it until I got back up. (I didn’t know that Steve had held the door for someone else other than me!)
Fran’s obituary told what an ambitous person she was. She must have liked her job as she had worked from 1969 to her retirement in 2018 in the L.J. McGivern Law Firm and then in Knudson Law Firm. She will be missed by those who knew her. May she rest in peace until we meet again. While at the lunch, Claudia Goodrich’s son came to speak to me. I hadn’t seen him for many years. He is one of Frannie’s cousins.
On Thursday was the funeral for Phylis Ames, Jeff and Todd Ames and Danae Dreckman’s mother. Our sympathy goes to these families. May she rest in peace until we meet again.
Thursday afternoon I called Jean E. to get her recipe and then Steve for a ride to her house. His car temp was “hot” and he later found out it was a hose that had broken. I finally located Zachary and picked up the recipe. Later on Zachary put another hose and anti-freeze in the car.
The two that are not “morning people” are still delivering the papers for Steve until he is okay with getting up and down in the car for as many papers as he has. It is good that they had done this route before and could help out when needed.
As far as the Fair is concerned, I still haven’t found out what the woodcarvings went for. I probably never will find out. I honestly thought they were going to be at the Hall of Progress building on Sunday night but evidently were sold close to the Fair Office.
Friday I had just had my hair done and was looking better than I went in. A couple of hours later I was in a business place when a lady came up to me and said, “Your hair looks beautiful!” She gave me a tap on the shoulder and went on her way. I must admit that the week I had had, her compliment was well received! It’s amazing how something like a compliment can make a day for someone!
I think of how having hair done is just an everyday thing but the beauticians/barber that does the amazing job of improving you, is probably one of those who go to (for instance) Heartland Care every week and make some of the residents feel better when their hair is done—and, also works at their shop almost daily but finds time to go to Heartland Care.
On Walnut Street there is a person who shares tomatoes with anyone by putting them on a table by the streetside. The next time you stop and get tomato/tomatoes, consider leaving a “thank you” note behind—take a rock along and weigh down your appreciation note. If you know someone who is doing “over and beyond what is usually expected”, pay them a compliment.
We have a grocery store and a hardware store in Marcus that towns our size don’t have. Let them know you appreciate their being there. How about an employee that works in a store? Do you appreciate their service to you? Tell them but also let the employer know how you appreciate this clerk. By giving a compliment, you made someone feel better and also you feel better!
Saturday Zachary was up to doing some “smoking” of a couple of roasts. I was watching a ball game that finally broke the tie in the 11th inning, when I smelled his cooking. He is always rubbing some smelling stuff on the meat and this time it was even more after they were done. I did try a couple of pieces and made some instant mashed potatoes to kill the taste. Then I got 4 cups of ice cubes in a gallon bag, some salt and then put a mixture of milk, sugar, and vanilla in a smaller bag that went into the “ice” bag. I shook this for just over 5 minutes and had some ice cream before I went upstairs to work on some articles. I have to admit that the ice cream wasn’t as good as the kind you mix up and turn for quite awhile, but it was okay.
It was 12:30 a.m. Sunday and I was busy getting one of the articles written up when the telephone rang. I went down the long hall hoping I would get there before the caller hung up. When I picked up the phone, it was Zachary wanting to know if I would make him some waffles! (The other morning I had the ingredients all ready for waffles when they came home from delivering papers, and NO he didn’t want any.) I went downstairs and just over an hour later, I had made waffles, did the dishes up, and finally was ready to finish the article—hoping it wasn’t “lost” when I reached it. I still cannot save anything on this program even though Bethany finally does after so many tries.
I was just finishing the article when the phone rang. It was almost 3 a.m. The papers were ready to be delivered. For once, Bethany was ready to go! I let her know that these early morning hours are probably the most “peaceful” hours she would have for the rest of the day!
How about the latest report on a child’s death after swimming in the Elkhorn River just west of Omaha. The child died from a brain-eating amoeba called amebic meningoencephalitis, a usually fatal infection caused by the naegleria fowleri amoeba.
Last month, a Missouri resident died of the same infection caused at Lake of Three Fires in southwestern Iowa. The lake’s beach was closed for three weeks for a precaution.
People are usually infected when water containing the amoeba enters the body through the nose while swimming or diving into lakes and rivers. Not always lakes /rivers but in 2020 tainted tap water in a Houston-area city was found. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea or vomiting, and progressing to a stiff neck, loss of balance, hallucinations and seizures. These cases are rare but there are about three cases in the U.S. every year and that these infections are over-whelming fatal.
Our regions are becoming warmer and as the water warms up and water levels drop because of drought, this organism is happier and more typically grown in those situations. The water temperature where the child was swimming was between 86 and 92 degrees. (Maybe it is safer to use a city swimming pool than going to a river.)
Remember in your prayers and thoughts those who have lost loved ones to death, are expericing health problems, some of which are terminal, have a job but are still trying to make ends meet, encourage those jobless (if able) to find a job, and be with those who are still trying to shorten the distance of friends/family who are not getting along by building a bridge instead of a wall.
I will leave you with this quote from Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American author, “The most I can do for my friend is simiply be his friend