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Eileen Briesch
on 8/21/16 2:05 pm - Evansville, IN
Topic: My journalism journey part 13

 

One of the most difficult things about moving out on my own, away from family and friends, were the holidays. I always spent holidays with my family. Growing up, we'd go first to my dad's family on Christmas Eve for a short visit, but the big visit was at Grandma Delort's (my mom's mom).

The Delorts were a large clan; my mom had eight surviving siblings (twins died before age 1), so Christmas Eve was loud and crowded in Grandma's upstairs flat. Dad's family was smaller; just his parents and two siblings. But it was always important to spend those holidays with family.

But suddenly, I didn't have that family near. What was I going to do?

Wally and Margie immediately stepped in. First, I decided that with the curious kittens already having destroyed a Christmas decoration, there was no way I was bringing a live tree into the house I now was renting (I had moved to a small house where I could put a washer-dryer). Wally wanted me to come with him on the Big Brother-Big Sister tree cutting outing to the forest but I knew the tree was not going in my house with the kittens.

First, however, there was Thanksgiving. I was immediately invited to the Mundstocks' feast. Margie was busy making dinner when I got there; I had brought a video of "A Christmas Carol" with George C. Scott that had been on TV Wally wanted to see. Lori Jo and JoNae came out later and helped with dinner.

Sometime while we were watching the video, Wally said, "Margie, I'm thirsty." She asked what he wanted to drink. I looked at him and asked if broke his legs. He said no. I said, "Well, your wife is busy. Can't you get it yourself?" Margie, who was standing there with Wally's drink, started laughing.

I loved Wally for many things, but sometimes he exasperated me. Still, he and his family became my family over the years.

I had to go cover a girls' basketball state tournament that year. Margie was going to take care of the house and my cats. She had a spare set of my keys. One afternoon in December, I came home to a ceramic Christmas tree sitting on my kitchen table. A couple of the little plastic lights had fallen out, telling me the kitties, Kittle and Cinnamon, already had been checking out the newcomer. Margie left a note saying she hoped this would be a Christmas tree the kitties couldn't destroy.

Over the years, I had holidays at the Mundstocks often. But others also invited me. When Carol Davison learned of the Christmas Eve tradition, she invited me over to spend that evening with her two girls and her husband, Jim, who was the Anaconda Local Development Corp. director. I was happy to include them in my family for a few years.

The Anaconda Leader's publisher, Dean Neitz, also invited me for one Christmas dinner after the Mundstocks bought a newspaper in Redfield, S.D., and moved away. His Doberman pinscher, Peaches, greeted me at the door, putting her big paws on my shoulders. As big as she was, Peaches was true to her name: She was soft and fuzzy. Dean used to bring her into the office all the time. I think Puff would have been a better watchdog.

And eventually, I would move on from Anaconda, also to South Dakota. It was strange I would find I find a job 40 miles away from Wally's newspaper, in Aberdeen, S.D. Our friendship continued there and the holiday celebration also continued. But more about South Dakota later.

Christmas was a special time in Anaconda. A giant tree was put in the commons, and the area was flooded to make a giant skating rink. The picture sticks in my mind always. I took a photo of that at night and sold some at the art shows, some in Christmas cards, some in note cards. The Anacondans loved the commons area with the tree. It was as iconic as the stack.

These things made being 1,500 miles away less lonely. Anacondans were warm and welcoming all the time, but especially during the holidays. I never had a single holiday that I spent by myself.

Eileen Briesch

lap rny 6-29-04

[email protected]

 

 

    

Eileen Briesch
on 8/21/16 1:59 pm - Evansville, IN
Topic: My journalism journey part 14
During my five years in Anaconda, I was fortunate to have many interesting stories to cover. There were so many colorful people in the town, I wish I could remember them all. I can remember cir****tances and the people, but not all the names. It's at this time, I wish I had kept a journal. Alas, I did not. I have just my memories. One of the most memorable people was an elderly woman, born in Serbia or Croatia (I can't remember exactly where; there were sizable populations of both ethnicities in the area) who traveled alone to Anaconda to meet her fiancé. Can you imagine the journey? By ship, by yourself, then the long train ride across the country? Then, she arrives at the train station, only to be met by a policeman instead of her intended. What has happened, she wonders. Well, the policeman tells her that her intended is working at the smelter, not to worry, he's safe, and he's just there to escort her to a house. She marries and has children, they live in a cabin up in the mountains by Georgetown Lake. During the week, her husband is in town working at the smelter, so she's alone with the kids at this remote location. Snow socks them in many times in the winter. She lives there after the kids leave, her husband dies, as she ages and has grandkids, who urge her to move into town. She still shovels her own snow and bakes and cooks for the growing family even into her 70s and 80s. Finally, her family convinces her to move into town with them. Even then, she still is out there shoveling snow. You have to get up early to beat her to the chores. She's a tough, resilient woman who has endured all the trials of life has thrown at her. She's into her 90s and while her grandkids beat her to the snow shoveling chores now, she still is in the kitchen, baking doughnuts for the family and for charity events. I met her when she was 98. She had a sweet smile and spoke very softly, with a tinge of the accent of her native country. Her hands were gnarled from hard work. But her eyes sparkled when she spoke of her life, all the things she had done over the years. She didn't regret a thing. Grandma died a few days before she would have turned 100. I felt sad she didn't reach that milestone but knew she was satisfied with all the twists and turns she had taken on the road. Another story I wrote concerned a drunken driving accident. The man, Scott, who was a photographer took his family - his wife, mother-in-law, two children and sister - out to the Big Hole area to take senior photos of his sister, who was to be a senior in high school that fall. They were returning home when a man, whom I'll call Bob, was driving erratically, crossed into the other lane and hit Scott's SUV head-on. He was driving drunk and without a license or insurance. Scott's wife and mother-in-law were killed in the collision. His sister sustained minor injuries while his daughter had major injuries to her legs, spine and arms. His son had head injuries that didn't appear bad at first but later proved very serious. The boy, then 4, was pushed back to a mentality of a 2-year-old and has to relearn many things. The girl, who was 7, was forced to endure many surgeries to get back in shape. But she still needed physical therapy to be able to what girls her age were doing. I met the man and his family as the suspect was getting ready to be sentenced. This wasn't the first time he was driving under the influence. He had three other offenses, and his license had been revoked the last time, but he decided to drive anyway. And he was drunk again. The court-appointed public defender pleaded that Bob's family would be punished, too, if Bob were sent to prison. He noted that Bob had been going to Alcoholics Anonymous since the accident, hadn't had a drink and had been going to scheduled check-ins. But Bob still got sent to prison, small restitution for the family who lost loved ones and children who lost parts of their lives. How do you pay back a man who lost his wife or children who lost their mother? As a young person, I had sometimes driven after having a few too many. It's not something of which I'm proud. After doing that story, I realized the personal toll that drunken driving took. And I resolved never to do it again. There were other people, too, like the man who was a POW in both World War II and Korea. I met him once in a bar while doing a story about something else. We spent most of the time talking about his service record instead. For a small town, Anaconda had more than its share of characters.

Eileen Briesch

lap rny 6-29-04

[email protected]

 

 

    

yvonnef1964
on 8/21/16 12:41 pm
VSG on 08/11/14
Topic: RE: Sunday

Hi Ladies,

Yesterday turned into a uneventful day, we had a tornado go thru but it didn't do any damage at my apartment complex or lose electricity.  It cause damage down the street from me and people lost electric. I thought I was going to lose power when I was sitting in my bathroom, my nightlight went off but it came back on. At least it's cooler today, don't need my ac on. It rained a little this afternoon but now the sun is shining.

B liquid egg whites ham and cheese omelet and string cheese 

L cottage cheese,  cabbage, and baby carrots 

D sirloin pork chop and cabbage that will be the last of it.

S Greek yogurt with chia seeds and banana

Everyone have a good day. 

                
seasheleyes
on 8/21/16 11:17 am - Manteca, CA
Topic: RE: Sunday

Doing pretty well, thanks. I slept like a rock last night and feel better because of that. I'm ready to start my day with a small smile. 

Breakfast- veggie omelet with a few pieces of potatoe

Lunch- bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich 

Dinner- peanut butter with Apple slices and cranberries

Snacks- mixed nuts, fresh tomatoes with cottage cheese

lightswitch
on 8/21/16 8:59 am
Topic: Sunday

So, I hope you all are having a good weekend.  

B: Egg

Lunch: Soup

Dinner: Peas, okra, cornbread

Snack: cucumbers.  

yvonnef1964
on 8/20/16 6:09 pm
VSG on 08/11/14
Topic: RE: Saturday....

Julia,

Sorry about your cat. Thinking of you.

                
lightswitch
on 8/20/16 2:37 pm
Topic: RE: Saturday....

Nancy,

I think you and I are a lot alike. I never ever slow down.  My doctor thought that when I retired, I would take it easy but nope, I have taken on some volunteer projects and I am going full-force on those projects. 

Plus, I am going to start teaching quilting and crocheting classes.  My forage club (we harvest wild mushrooms and ginseng) wants me to teach them how to dry herbs and mushrooms and ginseng and they want to learn how to can so I am going to hold classes.  That's exciting, no?  

Okay, let me get off of her. I have some oyster mushrooms that I harvested the other day and we are going to eat them with shrimp....

 

lightswitch
on 8/20/16 2:25 pm
Topic: RE: Saturday....

Julia,

I know how hard it is to put one of the babies down. Poor Jinx but I am sure you have given her a wonderful life, one not possible had you not rescued her. As you know, recently, we had to put down our Ginger Pie and it killed me....I still miss her, bath breath and all.  Now we have Wanda Susie who is only a few months younger than our Ginger Pie and Wanda's health is beginning to fail.  She is grotesquely overweight, and we've tried to put her on a diet but she was the one abandoned in an empty house and had gone days without food or water. So, it's too hard to mess with her food.  We are going to have to make that decision soon or we are going to wake up in the middle of the night to her dead next to one of us.  Plus, I think it is awful to let our pets suffer.  Jinx RIP and I hope, if there is a Rainbow Bridge, you find my Ginger Pie to snuggle up to....

Enough of the sentiment. I ******g love cottage cheese with tomatoes. 

lightswitch
on 8/20/16 2:21 pm
Topic: RE: Saturday....

Yvonne, 

I think my favorite season is fall because of all the gloomy, rainy days. I love to hear the rain pouring outside and going for days without the sun doesn't bother me in the least. We've also had rain the last couple of days and I have to say, I've enjoyed it. 

seasheleyes
on 8/20/16 10:46 am - Manteca, CA
Topic: RE: Saturday....

Good Morning Everyone,

I had a trying day yesterday. We have three cats and two are quite old. When I got home from the birthday party I saw that Jinx was looking really terrible...I have been knowing it was time but trying to not face it. So I took her in for euthanasia. She was not doing well but they had lots of emergencies. I was there three hours and in the end her blood pressure dropped so low that she was almost dead when they gave her the shot. She was almost 16 years old and had a good life. While I was waiting a couple came running in with a bigger dog that had a heart attack...they were sobbing, I was sobbing...oh lord. Their dog died. I was just as upset about their loss as I was with mine. 

I feel shell shocked today. I just need to get on with some tasks. 

Breakfast- protein drink

Lunch- toast with peanut butter

Dinner- leftover barbecue ribs

snacks- tomatoes with cottage cheese

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