Some Information

About a month ago, I finished putting the first coat of paint on our living room walls. I planned on doing the second coat right away but life happened and I never got back to doing it until this morning. Right now, most of our living room furniture is shoved into the middle of our living room. Once the paint is done on that side of the room, the furniture will go back into place and then the furniture on the other side of the room will go into the middle of the room. There will be one exception though. Right now, our computer armoire is in the living room but that is going to change. I am going to move it into our bedroom today. We have a cubbyhole that is between our bedroom and our closet. It will be the perfect place for the armoire from now on.

I am telling you all of this because I want you to know that I may not be back online for a few days if Stan has any problems getting the internet reconnected back there. So don't think I've decided to shut down my blog. I'll be back very soon.

Thank you!!!

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Labor of Love Craft Festival

This will be held this Saturday, December 3rd, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST, at the First United Methodist Church on the corner of Main and Kansas in Garden City.

Soup Lunch will be from 10:30 to 2:00

~Silent Auction~
All proceeds from the auction will go to local missions.

Handmade items of all kinds will be available including jewelry, pottery, wooden crafts, wreaths, scarves, ornaments, baked goods...

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Wichita County Elementary School Christmas Program

will be at 7:00 on Thursday, December 1st, in the high school auditorium.

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Wichita County Junior/Senior High School Christmas Program

will be at 7:00 on Tuesday, December 6th. As usual, it will be held in the high school auditorium.

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Leoti Christmas Open House Parade

is tonight at 6:00. See you then!

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Guess What!!!

For my entire life, God has blessed me with the best grandparents, parents, sisters, husband, son and daughters. His blessings just continue to come to my family and I. Just today, we learned that Stan and I are going to be GRANDPARENTS in 2012!!! To say that we are excited is putting it mildly. Adam and Mel can hardly wait to welcome this new baby into their family.

Thank You, Lord!!!

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Wanted

Our son and daughter-in-law are looking for some good used carpet for their home. If you have some that you would like to sell, please call Adam at 620.874.8216. They have a pick-up and are very willing to pick it up. They live in Scott City but don't mind driving to nearby counties.

Thank you!!!

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A Wonderful Evening

We just got home from Tribune, or should I say a beautiful Christmas Village, a little while ago. The four of us took Grandma and a friend of Abigayle's to watch MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS. The fine folks at the Star Theatre allowed anyone who wanted to watch the movie to watch it completely free-of-charge! Each person was also given a bag of free popcorn and a cup of free soda pop! This was our first time to watch this particular movie and we loved every single second of it. Wouldn't it be great if more heartwarming movies like this were made much more often? There was absolutely not one thing that any person should have been offended by in this show. If you have not already seen this soon-to-be Jim Carrey classic, please make it a point to watch it soon. Our family would just like to thank Christy Hopkins and all of her friends who provided such a wonderful evening for all who attended tonight's movie!

Tribune was beautiful! Christmas lights seemed to be everywhere. It was difficult to find a parking place because so many people had come out to take in this dazzling event. And, yes, Cinderella's horsedrawn coach was at the Christmas Open House tonight! Something tells me that it will magically appear at Leoti's Christmas Open House tomorrow (Tuesday) evening!

Don't forget that the evening will start out with a Christmas Parade on Main Street. Most of Leoti's stores will be open and offering specials on their merchandise. A lot of them will also be offering some Christmas refreshments!

See you at the Open House!!!

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Just a Reminder

that the Tribune Christmas Open House is tonight. The Star Theatre will be showing a F-R-E-E movie starting at 7:30 CST. Adam Sandler's MR. POPPERS PENGUINS will be shown.

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Blau Construction

Our son has just updated his business website. I would like to post its address here.

www.blauconstruction.com

Adam lives in Scott City but does work in nearby counties also. I urge you to check out his website. You just might decide that you have some work that you would like Adam to do for you. Adam is known for his affordable prices and job satisfaction.

Check out his photos that he has posted of other jobs that he has done. The fencing photos came from a large job he just completed about a month ago.

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Christmas Children

For the past two years, I sponsored what I called "Christmas Children" in Leoti. A good number of people joined my family and I as we provided gifts to children here, whom without our help, would not have had any Christmas gifts. It was a great joint affair and a bunch of families appreciated our help.

There are still a good amount of children in Wichita County who will be doing without this Christmas. Unfortunately, I will no longer be sponsoring this movement. Several reasons are to blame for this. My current health struggles make it a great difficulty right now. Because of the fact that kids still need our help, I would like for you to contact our local churches if you would like to contribute or if your family is in need. You might also contact Leoti's Thrift Shop which is open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Every year, the gals at the Thrift Shop welcome good, clean dolls that they can spruce up, if necessary, and get to the appropriate families. The Thrift Shop always welcomes other good toys, small and large, and all sizes of clothing in good repair. If you have any toys that are in good condition or clothing that you no longer wear, please donate these to local thrift stores. Remember that one man's trash is another man's treasure. This is especially true at Christmastime. Make your charity a learning experience for your children and grandchildren. Have them be a part of the donation process. Explain to them that there are bunches of children out there who would love to have the toys and clothes that your children no longer use. Allow them to go to the shop where you are going to leave your donations of toys, clothes or cash. Being a part of this will encourage your child to do more to help their fellow man--or child. Everyone will be better for it.

Our local churches gather food for Christmas to be given to our people who need some help this year. Please contribute to this fund also.
My family and I are disappointed that we can not keep Christmas Children going this year but I am sure that you understand.

Thank you for anything and everything that you give to the less fortunate!

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Next Tribune--Movie--of--the--Weekend

Tonight, Sunday, is the last night that the movie, PUSS IN BOOTS, will be shown in Tribune.

You might want to mark your calendars for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 2nd, 3rd and 4th, when the hit comedy, JACK AND JILL, makes it to the Star Theatre's screen. Showtime is 8:00 CST. J and J is rated PG for crude and sexual humor, language, comic violence and brief smoking. Stars include Adam Sandler, who plays Jack and his twin sister, Jill, Katie Holmes and Al Pacino. This movie was just released on November 11th, 2011.

Synopsis: Ordinarily Jack has a great easygoing life. He has a beautiful wife and children. There is one day every year though that he dreads--Thanksgiving when his sister, Jill, comes to visit. Jill is a person who has a great deal of neediness and passive-aggressiveness. It is just too much for Jack to handle. His great lifestyle turns upside down and inside out...

Adults, 13 and older: $5.00
Children, 4 through 12: $4.00
Babies through 3-years-old: FREE

Refreshments are also very fairly priced.

See you at the movies!!!

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For Sale

All of our floors are now either topped with ceramic tile or wood. It is a shame that we keep our Kirby just hanging around doing nothing so we are going to sell it. Here are the particulars:

Kirby Generation 4 (This is the model with the gray bag.) It uses the paper waste sacks.

Comes complete with the accessories EXCEPT for the shampooing unit. We've never had it.

This vacuum is in EXCELLENT condition and has hardly been used in the past couple of years. We are asking $150.00 for it. If you are interested in seeing or buying it, please call me at 620.375.8033.

Thank you!!!

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Special Movie Performance

Monday is Tribune's Christmas Open House. The public is invited to watch MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS at the Star Theatre. ALL tickets will be F--R--E--E for this evening!!! You will need to pay for your snacks. Showtime will be 7:30 CST. That is 30 minutes earlier than normal.

This movie is classified as Animation/Comedy/Adaptation. It runs for 95 minutes and is rated PG for mild rude humor and some language. Stars include Jum Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, etc. This film was released on June 17th of 2011.

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Tribune--Movie--of--the--Weekend

PUSS IN BOOTS is playing in Tribune this weekend. It starts at 8:00 CST. Our family hosted the theatre tonight and people loved this movie. For the synopsis and other details, please scroll down in my blog.

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Fire Weather Watch

A Red Weather Watch is in effect until 6:00 p.m. CST on Saturday evening. High winds that are explected tomorrow with our dry conditions are perfect conditions favorable for explosive fire growth across the three state area. Conditions are expected to improve around sunset on Saturday evening.
All of Western Kansas and parts of Central Kansas, Eastern Colorado and part of Oklahoma are in the watch area.

Please be very careful with outdoor fires including throwing burning cigarettes out of vehicles, etc.

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Thanksgiving Day at the Blaus House

What a lovely day we all had with the exception of Stan having to work. Everyone who was supposed to be here was here. As per usual, we had WAY TOO MUCH food for us to eat. Thank goodness we have refrigerators and freezers so that we can stash the leftovers away for another day or two.

The weather was simply gorgeous! Temperatures in the 70s with just a hint of a breeze made it possible for all of the kids to play outdoors during the afternoon. They had a grand time! Meanwhile, all of the adults lounged around while we enjoyed visiting with one another.

There was just one little problem here. Our guests were all gathered around the dining room table while I finished baking and cooking in the kitchen. By this time, our oven had been working for about 6 hours. All of a sudden, our smoke detector went off in the foyer. None of us thought too much about it. We just figured that something was burning in the oven. But when I checked food in the oven, everything was fine. Thats about the time that Adam raised up and left the dining room. He hollered back to the rest of us that we did have a fire in our house!!! Oh, my goodness!!! Fortunately, we had two firemen in our home at the time--Leif and Hunter. They ran into the foyer just in time to see the flames being ushered through the front door and out to the porch. In our foyer, we have a large table that is an antique that was once my grandparents. On it, is a lovely antique lace tablecloth that the great grandmother of a friend of ours had created MANY years ago. Before everyone had arrived this morning, I had lit a candle on that table. As people entered the house, most of the men had left their caps there until they would leave tonight. No problem. But at some point, our son had taken his copy of the local newspaper in and laid it on the table with his cap. He never noticed that the candle was lit. Fortunately, Adam got to the fire before any damage was done to anything other than the newspaper. It was a total loss. LOL!!! Thank You, Lord!!!

Anyway, all of our guests have returned to their own homes now. We just finished cleaning the house back up. Everyone gorged on all of the wonderful food throughout the day. Now it is time to call it a day and head off to bed.

Thanksgiving 2011 is almost over. Tomorrow is the first day of the Christmas season. I would just like to take this time to wish you all a very merry Christmas from the Blaus.

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A Blessed Day

Though Stan has to work today, the girls and I will be spending Thanksgiving with Grandma (Neva Kiefer-Duncan), Mama (Donna Lou Elder), our son and daughter-in-law, Adam and Mel, both of my sisters and their families. It promises to be a great day full of memories to last a long time. God has really blessed me with an awesome family...

Because of all of the cooking that needs to be done, I better get busy now.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!

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And a ONE, and a TWO, and a THREE, and a Ka BOOM!!!

I sure wish that I had heard this countdown at about 3:00 this morning. Instead, I was still quite doped up with all of my prescription medications that I had taken at about 10:00 last night. Some of the meds insure that I sleep even better than a baby. Getting awakened suddenly is probably tougher for me than it is for a baby...

So there I was, sound asleep on my side of our comfy queen sized mattress. One of the reasons that we had purchased that particular Serta mattress set was because it had a pillow top built in at both sides of the mattress. We lie down on our bed and just sink right into it. Aw--heaven... Little did I know that after Stan had vacated the bed at 3:00 a.m., Abigayle had taken his place. Now, Abi is a cuddler which I sooo love. While she is in bed with you, she gets closer and closer and... I know that some people don't like to be touched by others. I am not one of those people. (Back up here, there are some people whom I would prefer not touch me but my family is not included in that group.) Leighlyn, who normally sleeps with Abigayle, has been complaining as of late, that Abi has rolled her off of the bed that they share a few times. Given the fact that our bedroom floors are wooden, there is not much of a soft landing for anyone who falls onto them. Needless to say, Leighlyn doesn't much care for this. Stan and I have not taken Leighlyn's complaints about this as seriously as Leighlyn might want us to. We've just had a chuckle about it. So far, no one had been injured in any way.

That was, until last night. Evidentally, Abi had pushed me to the extreme edge of my side of the bed. And if there was a countdown or any other kind of a warning system in place, I missed it. Probably while I was dreaming of all of the great food that we would be eating today for Thanksgiving and all of the wonderful memories that our family and I will be making, it happened. All of a sudden, I was awake and in GREAT PAIN! I landed on both of my knees and a curled up big toe. The pain was excrutiating! Believe me, I was not laughing about being rolled out of bed. LOL!!! There must've been a loud crash when this giant of a body landed on our bedroom floor, or maybe, it was my yelping that had awakened my bed partner who, just seconds before, had been cuddling next to my sleeping body. It did not take Abi long to realize what had happened. Afterall,she had been through this before with her sister. Immediately, she was apologizing and asking me what she needed to do to help me lift myself back up and into my bed. Poor little 9-year-old girl, there was not much that she could do. It was up to me and me alone. I could see light coming down the hallway that connected our private rooms from the public rooms. Stan was enjoying his morning coffee while he watched some western in the living room. He was completely oblivious to the tragedy at the other end of the house. By this time, I had tears rolling down my face. I just knew that both knees and that one big toe were broken beyond repair. LOL!!! There's just something about pain in the middle of the night that awakens you from a deep sleep. It seems much worse than if you would have you been awake when it started.

Somehow, I managed to crawl from the hard floor to the side of the bed to the top of the bed. That's when the second round of pain began. I have known that I have rheumatoid arthritis in my back since the early 1990s. In order for me to get out of bed, I need to sit up slowly and then remain in that position for a few minutes to allow my back to awaken slowly. This really cuts down on the pain factor. This time, I was not thinking, I guess. When I don't get up slowly, terrible back spasms appear. So for the next few minutes, I put up with the feeling that a bunch of tiny and BIG sharp knives were jabbing me in the back. Abi rubbed my back until I was able to lie back down on it. Bless her little heart! Shortly after that, the pain in my back disappeared. Unfortunately, the pain continued in my knees and toe. Abigayle was also very concerned so she turned the lamp on. I guess I expected to see blood flowing out of my torn up knees complete with bones and cartilege sticking out of the knee cap. Boy, was I surprised when they were only red from the pressure from all of my weight being forced on them suddenly. No other visible signs that they had just been involved in any kind of tragedy remained. I then looked down at my right foot. I fully expected to see 4 toes where they belonged and my big toe just hanging on by a wee bit of skin. Hmmm...guess my foot had not been as damaged as badly as I figured either. It still remained, fully intact, to where it belonged on my foot.

At that point, Abi and I decided to pull our many layers of a sheet, blankets and bedspread back over the tops of our bodies and we eventually returned to a nice deep sleep. This morning, my toe still hurts a little bit but my knees have returned to normal. Good thing since I have A LOT of cooking to do today!

So, anyway, you now know what kind of an experience I had last night. Because of it, I will be much more sympathetic to Leighlyn's woes when she complains about being pushed out of bed... LOL!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Leoti's Christmas Open House

Don't forget that this will be held on Tuesday evening, November 29th. Many of Leoti's stores will be open and serving refreshments. Customers can take advantage of special prices, too.

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A B-I-G Thank You

is going out to Mr. Rick Harp and the others concerned at the City Hall in Leoti. Earlier this morning, Mr. Harp paid us a visit at our home. He had compiled meter readings throughout Leoti this week. He noticed quite an increase in our water consumption since last month. The water bill that we just paid this month was for 8,000 gallons of water. Though it sounds like a lot, it really isn't when you consider the fact that we have a family of four who live here. There is always dishes and laundry that need to be washed. Plus we have a VERY large soaking tub in our main bathroom. I don't know exactly how many gallons of water it holds but it holds a bunch. Given the fact that all three girls in our home love to soak in bubble baths, we use a lot of water here. But when Rick did his meter reading this month, he discovered that we had used 15,000 gallons--almost double the amount of water for the previous month. We have had some substantial rains so there has been no reason for us to water the yard. Rick made a special trip to our water meter today just to see what it now showed. He discovered that the needle was just spinning out-of-control. In less than 24 hours, we had used another 1,000 gallons! During that time, I had washed one dishwasher load of dishes, one load of laundry, one shower and two baths. There was no way that we should have had that kind of water usage. As soon as Rick discovered this, he came to let us know.

As soon as Rick left, I called Stan who was at work to let him know. Needless to say, Stan was quite concerned. He promptly made arrangements with his boss, Mr. Ron Hanson, to leave work a little early this afternoon so that he could find the problem and get it repaired sooner than later. Thank you, Ron!!!

Once at home, Stan found that a water supply line to our water heater was broken and water was going everywhere. About $50.00 worth of repair supplies later, our problem was solved. Though no one ever enjoys finding out that they have a problem such as this, we were just thankful that Rick contacted us immediately and the weather was great for working on outdoor repairs. It could have happened in the middle of winter.

Anyway, we really, really want to thank Rick and the City of Leoti for getting right onto this problem so that we could fix it before it got any worse. Just another thing to add to our long list of things to be thankful for...

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Myrna Belle Grimes--Garden City

(March 6, 1922 - November 20, 2011)

Myrna Belle Grimes, age 89, died Sunday, November 20, 2011 at the Homestead Health & Rehabilitation Center in Garden City, Kansas. She was born on March 6, 1922 in Ingalls, Kansas the daughter of Ray and Marietta Henderson Glaze. A resident of Garden City since the early 1940’s she had worked for the City of Garden City, the Finney County Senior Center and most recently for Price & Sons Funeral Home.

She was a charter member of the Word of Life Church, the Garden Valley Sams, the Happy Campers, the Garden City Kennel Club, RSVP and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary all of Garden City, Kansas.

On August 11, 1940 she married Roger Stillwell. On June 30, 1972 she married Russell Grimes in Scott City, Kansas. He died October 2, 1988 in Scott City, Kansas.

Survivors Include: Two Sons, Roger Dean Stillwell of Meeker, Oklahoma and, Terry Leon Stillwell of Fountain, Colorado Two Daughters, Myrna Lavon Hamill of Garden City, Kansas and Brenda Jo Scott of Taylorsville, Utah; Two Step-Sons, Steve & Jim Grimes of Green Castle, Indiana; One Step-Daughter, Debbie Snyder of Vero Beach, Florida; Ten Grandchildren, Twenty-Seven Great-Grandchildren and Eight Great-Great-Grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at 10:00am, Monday, November 28, 2011 at the Word of Life Church in Garden City, Kansas.

Burial will be held in the Valley View Cemetery in Garden City, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to the Myrna Grimes Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home of Garden City, Kansas.



Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Lupe A. Hernandez, Jr.--Garden City

(September 30, 1954 - November 20, 2011)

Lupe A. Hernandez Jr., age 57, died Sunday, November 20, 2011, following a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was born September 30, 1954, the son of Guadalupe, Sr. and Theresa Araiza Hernandez in LaJunta, Colorado. A 1973 graduate of Garden City High School, he worked for the City of Garden City Street Department, and had served in the National Guard.

Lupe was a member of the Catholic Faith. His hobbies included following the Denver Broncos, working with model cars and studying the Native American Culture.

Survivors include: Three Daughters, Stella Hernandez, Tiffany Hernandez, and Sara Hernandez, all of the home; Four Sons, Miguel Ibarra of Pueblo, Colorado, Gabino Ibarra of California, Bernie Hernandez of Dodge City, Kansas, and Leonard Hernandez of Chanute, Kansas; Four Sister, Lupe Hernandez of Buffalo, New York, Eppy Barella of Pueblo, Colorado, Lillian Hernandez of Pueblo, Colorado and Ruth Unruh of Andrews, Texas; and 1 Grandchild.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Raymond & Johnny Hernandez, and one sister, Flora Garcia.

Memorial Service will be held at 3:00pm on Saturday, November 26, 2011 at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Garden City, Kansas.

There is no public visitation.

Memorials may be given to the Lupe Hernandez Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home.



Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Looking for the Perfect Christmas Gift?

Then call Rick at the Leoti City Hall. Three dogs are just waiting for you to take them home from the dog pound. Their time is at the end of the line. PLEASE step forward to adopt one, two or all three of them!!! Tie a great big red ribbon around his neck and say "Merry Christmas" to someone you love!

Currently, there is a black Lab mix male who is 1 1/2-years-old. He loves to play and is wonderful with kids and other dogs. This guy has not been neutered yet. Because of that, you will need to pay a one-time REFUNDABLE fee of $55.00. As soon as you show proof that neutering has been done on him, your entire $55.00 will be given back to you. You just can't beat a deal like that, huh?

The office's phone number is 620.375.2341. City Hall is open from 8:00 to noon and 1:00 to 5:00, Monday through Friday. The office will be closed on November 24th and 25th in honor of Thanksgiving Day. You do NOT have to be a resident of Wichita County to give these dogs a home.

Please call soon or it might be too late...

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In Need of a Home

Leoti has an Australian Shepherd/Heeler Cross who is looking for a home. He is between one and two years old. This poor dog has been abused in the past, however, since he has been in the dog pound, he has become much more trusting. He LOVES affection and just needs a good home. This dog is very good with other dogs.

You will need to pay a one-time REFUNDABLE fee of $55.00 to take this guy home with you. As soon as you show proof that you have had him neutered, the entire $55.00 will cheerfully be given back to you.

Please call Rick at Leoti's City Hall. That number is 620.375.2341. The office is open from 8:00 to noon and 1:00 to 5:00, Monday through Friday. The office will be closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday, November 25th.

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Adoption Needed

One female (ALREADY SPAYED) Lab Mix dog

Two years old

She loves to play and go for walks. This dog is great with kids and other dogs. And because she is already spayed, there will be NO fee required to adopt her and take her home with you!

Please call Rick at 620.375.2341. Monday through Friday, 8:00 to noon and 1:00 to 5:00 CST. CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after.

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Clarification on Christmas Open House Movie

My mother, Donna Lou Elder, has been teaching school for over 50 years now. She has always been an awesome teacher whom her students love. She has always enjoyed teaching them the story of MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS. I mentioned that Tribune's Star Theatre will be showing it for Tribune's Christmas Open House on Monday evening. My mom told me that she had never had the opportunity to see the movie. I did not know if adults were allowed to attend this special viewing so I contacted board members. Soon, I learned that E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E, irregardless of age, is very welcome. That is just another of the many things that I love about the people who take care of this amazing theatre!

There is NO ticket charge for anyone who attends the Christmas Open Houses in Tribune.

See you there!!!

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Want-to-Buy

A good used twin sized bed. If you have one that you want to sell, please call 620.375.8027.

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Thanksgiving, etc. Weather Forecast

If you are planning on heading out for our neck of the woods this holiday week, I think that you'll be pleased with our weather forecast. As a matter-of-fact, when I was watching the noon news yesterday, the meteorologist mentioned that most of the nation will have good traveling weather except for possible areas in the upper eastern part of the U.S. where snow is predicted.

Tuesday: High--59 Low--27 Sunny

Wednesday: High--66 Low--35 Sunny

Thanksgiving Day: High--Upper 60s Low--Upper 30s Sunny

Friday: Highs--upper 50s Low--lower 30s 20% chance of rain

Saturday: Highs--mid 40s Low--mid 20s Windy

Sunday: Highs--around 50 Lows--upper 20s

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My Obligation

Chances are, unless you have been hiding under a cabbage leaf, you have been hearing reports of alleged male sex abuse from a well-known man who once served as a coach at a high-ranking university in the USA. These alleged victims are all underage children. I could go on and on and on about my feelings about this particular case but I won't do that now. I am quite sure that you have already come up with your own opinion on this matter.

I will say that I have had male relatives who were sexually abused by men whom they respected. I have had male friends who were also abused by older men. As a previous foster parent, I got to know boys who had also been sexually abused by so-called men. Sexual abuse is terrible no matter what gender you may be. It is my opinion, based on what these men and boys have told me, that if it is indeed possible, male abuse is tougher to get over than female abuse. Why? Though it is quite difficult for a girl to admit that she has been abused by some man, it is much harder for a boy or young man to come forward and report that some man has sexually abused him.

The only good thing that I think these allegations has produced is that any boy can be molested or raped. Because of all of the media coverage on all of this, male victims, young and old, have learned that people are horrified by what these people have had to endure ever since their attacks and that there are people out there who can help the victims with their ongoing survival.

Earlier this week, I recorded a Dr. Phil show on our DVR. I finally had the time to watch it a little while ago. As I watched the show, the more determined I became to stand up and take my own stand to help boys and/or men who have been sexually abused. Male sexual abuse is anything but laughable. Though their abusers may have convinced them that the victim was "asking for it", THIS IS NOT TRUE. Pedophiles don't abuse just any and all children. They look for children who may be vulnerable. Once they have secured that person, work goes into effect to make this child trust in the pedophile and then, wham-o, the abuse happens. Unfortunately, some of these victims will eventually become abusers themselves.

I've done some research on this matter and came up with some excellent internet sources for learning more and how to deal with male sexual abuse. I'd like to share them with you now.

www.malesurvivor.org/myths.html

www.jimhopper.com/male-ab

www.pandys.org/malesurvivors.html

www.menweb.org/sexabuse.html

www.aest.org.uk/survivors/male/

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Elder Christmas Dinner

The annual Elder Christmas dinner will be held at noon on Sunday, December 18th. For the first time in many years, there will be a change in location for this event. It will be held at the Senior Center in Leoti.

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Patrick Lewis Street--Leoti

(November 19, 1965 - November 20, 2011)

Patrick Lewis Street, age 46, passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2011 in Leoti, Kansas. Patrick was born November 19, 1965 in San Diego, California, the son of Edward & Ruth Morgan Street. He had been a resident of Leoti, Kansas since 2008 moving from Loveland, Colorado. He was a technician at E.S.E. Alcohol in Leoti, Kansas. He was a United States Navy Veteran.

Survivors include- Two daughters- Patricia Street- Wellington, Colorado Amber Street- “ Two Step Sons- Thomas Herrera- “ Alex Gomez- Fort Collins, Colorado Parents- Edward & Ruth Street- Folsom, California A sister- Karen Street- Folsom, California Eight grandchildren

The family has requested cremation and memorial services will be held at a later date in both Colorado & California.

There will be no calling times.

Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas is in charge of local arrangements.




Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Holiday Clean-Up and/or Handy Man Work Needed?

Thursday is Thanksgiving. In December, we have Christmas and New Years Eve. Do you need some work done around your house so that you'll be ready for your guests? Then give Adam Blau a call at 620.874.8216. He can get the work done for you. Maybe you just need some interior or exterior painting done. Adam can do that, too!

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Tribune's Christmas Open House

will be during the evening of Monday, November 28th.

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Wichita County Schools' Schedule

Due to Thanksgiving this week, students of Wichita County Schools will only have school today and tomorrow. There will be no school for the rest of the week. School will resume on Monday, November 28th.

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Tribune--Movie--of--the--Weekend

This week's movie at the Star Theatre will be PUSS IN BOOTS which is described as Kids/Family, Action/Adventure, Animation, Comedy and Science Fiction/Fantasy. It is rated PG for some adventure action and mild rude humor. This was released to the public on October 28th, 2011. The stars behind the voices include Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris.

Synopsis: The movie series of SHREK reminded us, adults, about the character, Puss in Boots. He is known for his outlaw fighting and loving. He goes from being an outlaw to being a hero when his life becomes entangled with the tough and street smart, Kitty Softpaws. Humpty Dumpty asks the duo to help him as he masterminds their efforts to save Humpty Dumpty's town...

Each movie will be shown at 7:30 CST on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 25th, 26th and 27th. Given the fact that this is Thanksgiving Weekend, you just might happen to have some out-of-town guests who would love getting to check out the fine renovation of the theatre in Tribune.

Adults, 13 and older: $5.00
Children, 4 through 12: $4.00
Babies through 3-years-old: F-R-E-E

Refreshments are always very reasonably priced also.

Don't forget that the evening of Monday, November 28th, is Christmas Open House in Tribune. To celebrate, the theatre will be showing MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS. There will be NO CHARGE for anyone who wants to watch the movie that night.

See you at the movies!!!

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Leoti City Hall

will be open until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the office will be closed all day on Thursday and Friday.

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Thanksgiving Courthouse Schedule in Wichita County

This week, the Wichita County Courthouse will be open until 5:00 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Due to Thanksgiving this week, the courthouse will be closed on Thursday and Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Wichita County Junior High Basketball Games

will begin at 5:00 p.m., CST, tonight. Girls games will be held at the former Wichita County Junior High School gym. Boys games will be held in the Wichita County High School gym. I urge you to come and be a spectator. Leighlyn cheered for the boys' games last week. Of course, we wanted to watch her so we went to the boys games also. INCREDIBLE!!! That is the first adjective that comes to my mind to describe the games that we saw last week. Our opponents were the Tribune Jackrabbits. Our boys were just AMAZING. In all of my 50 years, I have never seen any junior high teams play the way that they did that evening. As far as I am concerned, I hated to see the games end. The games were very entertaining. Wichita County boys won all 3 of their games. If they keep up at the point that they are at right now, Wichita County has some amazing high school basketball games to watch in the future.

Tonight, the Stanton County (Johnson) Trojans come to Leoti. We'll be there. Leighlyn will be cheering for the boys team plus my cousin's son, Boone Steimel, will also be playing. We're all looking forward to the games!

As always, there is NO charge for watching junior high athletic events in Wichita County.

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Wichita County Elementary School Christmas Program

You might want to mark this on your calendar. The grade school's 2011 Christmas program is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., CST, on Thursday, December 1st, in the high school auditorium. This program will include children from kindergarten through and including 6th graders. The theme for the vocal music students will be Rock n' Roll with a 1950's theme. Anyone who has been to Mrs. Jayme Brown-Bishop's musicals, knows that they are simply incredible and quite entertaining. The band is out-of-this-world also. Mr. Allen Brockmeier is the band director for all Wichita County schools.

Remember that EVERYONE is invited to any and all school music programs in Leoti. There is NO charge for any music programs except for the high school musicals.

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Fatal Accident in Wichita County

Yesterday evening, I was told the sad news that a resident of Leoti was killed in an accident at work yesterday. I don't have any more details on it than that. If I find an obituary, I will post it right here.

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Ryan Alan Skibbe--Scott City

(August 13, 1987 - November 19, 2011)

Ryan A. Skibbe, age 24, passed away at his home in Scott County, Kansas on Saturday, November 19, 2011. He was born on August 13, 1987 in Garden City, Kansas, the son of Greg & Kelli Burgess Skibbe. He graduated from Scott County High School in 2006 and was currently a college student and a farmer.


Survivors include his Father - Greg Skibbe of Scott City, Kansas, Step Mother - Ronda Skibbe of Scott City, Kansas, One Brother - Daniel Skibbe of Scott City, Kansas, Two Step Brothers - Scott McIntyre of Colby, Kansas, Jason McIntyre of Colby, Kansas, One Uncle & Aunt - Gary & Claudia Skibbe of Scott City, Kansas, Five Aunts - Dana (Burgess) Shapland of Dighton, Kansas, Marcie Burgess of Denver, Colorado, Toni (Burgess) Palen of Leoti, Kansas, Joni (Burgess) Stegman of Marienthal, Kansas, Grandfather - Max Burgess of Scott City, Kansas.


He was preceded in death by his Mother – Kelli Skibbe, Grandmother – Glenda Burgess, and Grandparents – Albert & Pauline Skibbe.


Funeral Services will be held at the First Baptist Church of Scott City, Kansas at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 22, 2011 with the Rev. Kyle Evans presiding.

Interment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to the Ryan A. Skibbe Memorial Fund % Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.




Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Disappointing Hunting

Last weekend was the opening of pheasant hunting. Ordinarily, M-A-N-Y people from all over congregate in Western Kansas to hunt. But I spoke with different ones last week who told me that the news that our drought had killed a lot of pheasants during the summer, kept many people from coming here this year. They decided that the expense of lodging, fuel and food were just too high with no promise of any plentiful birds.

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Slumber Party Fun

Our daughter, Leighlyn, turned FOURTEEN last Sunday!!! I still cannot believe that my baby is already so very old... The celebrations began last Friday when we took one of her very best friends with us to Garden City to spend the night. While we were there, we did some shopping, some good eating and spent the night at a hotel that has a great indoor swimming pool. On Saturday afternoon, we returned home. It was a fun time for all of us.

On Sunday evening, my mother, sister, Lori, Leif and Lars came here for a dinner party and birthday cake. We had a grand time then also. I am a firm believer that great family and friends need to get together as often as possible. We shouldn't wait for special occasions as so many do. Get together just to celebrate that the sun rose that morning.

We put her slumber party off until last night. Eight of Leighlyn's friends from her class and her fellow cheerleaders came over. Abigayle invited her great friend and cousin, Brooklyn Burch, over for the night. Everyone had a great time! When I asked Leighlyn what she wanted me to prepare for dinner last night, she chose homemade chicken and noodles. Her wish was my command. Thank goodness for bread machines. Most of them, including ours, has a cycle for just putting doughs together. I always cheat and make our noodles there. We had LOADS of noodles for all. After dinner, the teenagers went to the high school to watch blind volleyball games. In this game, sheets are put over the volleyball nets so that neither team can see what is happening on the other side of the net. Spectators get a big thrill out of watching this game.

After the game, all came back home where they enjoyed watching scary movies and just getting to be with one another. It was very late in the night before most of the girls were asleep. Stan ended up having to work this morning. When he came to the living room where everyone was, he found that 2 girls were still awake. The girls ended up "decorating" the sleepers with make-up.

After all were awake this morning, they enjoyed playing WII games while I made some homemade cinnamon rolls.

Only one thing bad happened during the night. Stan had lost his wallet at some time when he was either taking the girls to the school or returning them back here. He retraced his steps between the house and the school several times. Still nothing. When one of the moms came over this morning to pick up her daughter, she found the wallet in our front yard. What a relief! In addition to cash, Stan's debit cards, CDL and other important things were in it.

Well, most of the kids are gone now so it is time to clean everything up. I am proud of this group of girls! They were all respectful of our home and cleaned up after themselves, for the most part. Not all kids who attend slumber parties clean up after themselves. Horrendous messes have been known to happen.

We had a great time with Leighlyn's friends and Brooklyn last night. We'll look forward to their next party. Abigayle's birthday is April 17th. She is already making plans for it. LOL!!!

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William Samuel Engler--Garden City

(March 8, 1918 - November 11, 2011)

William Samuel Engler, age 93, died Friday, November 11, 2011 at the Villages of Jackson Creek Nursing Home in Independence, Missouri. He was born on March 8, 1918 in Finney County, Kansas, the son of Max C. and Bessie M. Altus Engler. Bill was a farmer and had been a lifetime Garden City resident.

He was a member of the First Assembly of God Church of Garden City, Kansas.

On December 28, 1939, he married Margaret P. Moody in Garden City, Kansas. She survives.

Other Survivors Include: One Daughter, Charlotte (& Robert) Ziemer of Larned, Kansas; Two Sons, William (& Judith) Engler of Garden City, Kansas and Terence “Terry” (& Brenda) Engler of Independence, Missouri; One Sister, Neada (& Jim) Wheatley of Garden City, Kansas; Six Grandchildren, Twelve Great-Grandchildren and Two Great-Great-Grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, One Sister, Maxine Engler and Four Brothers, Max, Herman, Duane & Ronald Engler.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00pm, Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at the Assembly Of God Church in Garden City, Kansas with Pastor Terry Engler and Rev. Arnold Wheatley presiding.

Burial will be in the Valley View Cemetery in Garden City, Kansas.

Visiting hours will be from 10:00am-8:00pm on Monday with the family receiving friends from 6:00-8:00pm@ the Price & Sons Funeral Home in Garden City, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to the Emmaus House in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home of Garden City, Kansas.


Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Antonio "Tony" Barraza--Leoti and Garden City

(April 14, 1951 - November 12, 2011)

Antonio “Tony” Barraza, age 59, passed away on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at Wichita, Kansas. Tony was born April 14, 1951 at La Junta, Colorado, the son of Mauricio & Annie Montoya Barraza. He was raised in Leoti, Kansas by his adopted parents, Margarito “ Maggie” & Jennie Ortiz, Sr. A resident of Garden City since 1972 moving from Leoti, Kansas, he had been a Mechanical Engineer for Tyson Foods for over 20 years.

Tony was of the Catholic faith and was an avid fisherman, woodworker, enjoyed playing pool and watching sports.

On August 29, 1970 he married Patricia Moffet at Leoti, Kansas.

Tony’s surviving family includes- His wife- Patricia Barraza- Garden City, Kansas One son- Tony J. Barraza- Eugene, Oregon Two daughters- Ginny Barraza- Garden City, Kansas Stephanie Brant- Scott City, Kansas Four brothers- Manuel Barraza- Houston, Texas Isaac Barraza- Lubbock, Texas Richard Barraza- Houston, Texas Lawrence Barraza- Rocky Ford, Colorado One sister- JoAnn DeLeon- San Antonio, Texas Six grandchildren His parents, and three brothers, Faustin Ortiz, Eddie Barraza and Margarito Ortiz, Jr. precede him in death.

Vigil Services will be held at 7:00 pm Friday, November 18, 2011 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Leoti, Kansas.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, November 19, 2011 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Leoti, Kansas with Father Benjamin Martin officiating.

Burial will be in Leoti Cemetery, Leoti, Kansas

Friends may call from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm Thursday and from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm Friday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.



Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Leoti's LadyBug

For all of your floral needs, don't forget to call the girls at the LadyBug. Their phone number is 620.375.2172. They will deliver. Cash, checks, VISA AND MASTERCARD are accepted.

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Tribune's Christmas Open House

will be during the evening of Monday, November 28th. While you shop, let your children enjoy the F--R--E--E movie at the Star Theatre in Tribune.

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Tribune--Movie--of--the--Weekend

The Drama/Kids/Family movie, DOLPHIN TALE, will be shown at 8:00 CST on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 18th, 19th and 20th, at the Star Theatre in Tribune. It is rated PG for mild thematic elements. Stars include Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd and Kris Kristofferson.

Synopsis: Inspired by the true story of a courageous dolphin named Winter and the people who banded together to save her life.

Following this post, you will find the next 2 upcoming movies. Don't forget to mark them on your calendar!

Adults, 13-years-old and older: $5.00 each

Children, 4 through 12-years-old: $4.00 each

Babies through 3-years-old: F--R--E--E

Refreshments are always very fairly priced.

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Upcoming Movies at Tribune

This weekend, (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), DOLPHIN TALE, will be showing.

November 25th, 26th and 27th, PUSS IN BOOTS will be shown.

Monday, November 28th, MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS will be playing. This is the Tribune Christmas House so NO admission will be charged.

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Thanksgiving Supplies Needed

More food is needed for Leoti's Thanksgiving Food Boxes that will be delivered next week. Here is a list of items needed:

1. Stuffing mixes

2. Cranberry sauce

3. Olives

4. Gravy (canned or powdered)

5. Canned vegetables

6. Monetary donations are always welcome.

If you would like to donate something, please take it(them) to the United Methodist Church of Leoti by Sunday, November 20th.

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Carmen Enriques--Leoti and Garden City

Mrs. Carmen Enriques passed away. Her burial services will be held at the Marienthal Cemetery on Sunday, November 20th, at 11:00 a.m.

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Antonio "Tony" Barraza--Garden City and Leoti

Word was received that Mr. Barraza, 59, passed away last weekend in Wichita, Kansas. His vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 18th, at Leoti's St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, 11/19 at the same church. Burial will be in Leoti Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society in care of Price and Sons Funeral Homes.

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My Absence

I have been having some major health issues lately. My doctors are working on this latest problem. I have complete faith that all will be fine again soon. I have a Wonderful Lord and a group of great doctors who have never let me down! In the meantime, I may not be on here as much as I normally am. Please don't give up on me! I enjoy getting to meet you here!!!

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Leoti's Veterans Day Parade

This wonderful parade was held on Friday. It started at the museum and ended at the 4-way stop. I urge you to go to www.leoti.info/ to see the pictures of this parade and the reception that was held immediately after it at the museum. I would like to thank all of the people who organized this. I hope that this will be the start of a new tradition in our county. I was not able to attend any of this because I was at a doctor's appointment. I am very happy that Mr. Ellis Rewerts was there and took some great pictures of it! Thank you, Ellis! You do such a GREAT service to our community by spending a great deal of time and energy putting our local events on film!

Wichita County has had a great deal of men and women who have sacrificed much to keep this great country of ours safe and strong. Some have given the ultimate sacrifice. To all of these people, I say a great big than you! In our particular family, my grandparents, Roy and Helen (Graham) Elder, had 12 children. All six of their sons were only too happy to join the armed forces. Fortunately, all six of them returned home after their tours had been completed. The six girls who were left at home, did all that they could do by doing whatever work needed to be done to help the efforts that their brothers were doing overseas. To me, this is a great source of pride that I have in all of them.

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Annual Thanksgivng Dinner

Once again, Christ Covenant will be having a Thanksgiving dinner for anyone interested at noon on Thanksgiving Day (November 24th). It will be held at Christ Covenant Church in Leoti.

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LadyBug Flower Shop

For all of your floral needs, please call the girls at the LadyBug. Their phone number is 620.375.2172. Cash, checks, VISA and MASTERCARD are readily accepted.

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Elizabeth Marlene Turley--Leoti

(July 28, 1963 - November 9, 2011)

Elizabeth Marlene Turley, age 48, passed away on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at Wichita County Health Center in Leoti, Kansas. Elizabeth was born July 28, 1963 at AFB Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, the daughter of Albert & Elizabeth Haulk Baldwin. A resident of Leoti, Kansas since 2000, she was a homemaker and had studied to be a nurse.

Elizabeth was a member of Christ Covenant Church and the VFW Auxiliary, both of Leoti, Kansas.

She previously married James Hubbard. He passed away in January of 2000. On March 23, 2000 she married David Lee Turley at Scott City, Kansas.

Elizabeth’s surviving family includes- Her Husband- David Lee Turley- Leoti, Kansas One Son- Arthur Turley- Scott City, Kansas Five Daughters- Tara Turley- Columbus, Ohio Wendy Soto- Scott City, Kansas Brandy Turley- Scott City, Kansas Cynthia Turley- Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Christina Turley- Leoti, Kansas Twelve grandchildren Her parents, and three brothers predeceased her.

At her request, Elizabeth’s body was donated to science.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00 am Monday, November 14, 2011 at Christ Covenant Church in Leoti, Kansas with the Reverend Bob Everest officiating.

There will be no calling times.

Memorials may be given to the Elizabeth Turley Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas.




Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Big Weekend Ahead

Bright and early Saturday morning, pheasant season in Kansas will begin. This season usually brings out 110,000 to 150,000 hunters from around the nation to the state of Kansas. Because so many people come to our state to hunt for the beautiful bird, a lot of money is spent by non-residents while they are here. Motels, restaurants, fuel stations and other stores usually make a good amount of money during this season.

It is believed that there will be a shortage of pheasants this season. A smaller amount of quail are also predicted. The drought is to blame for this in our area.

We should expect highs in the 60s and 70s this weekend. Not bad for those people who will be combing through fields searching for the birds. We have had some moisture so if you plan on hunting this weekend, I recommend that you bring some boots with you.

All people between the ages of 16 and 64 are required to have licenses in Kansas. Children under the age of 16 who live in Kansas do not need a hunting license. A new hunting license is available for residents of Kansas between the ages of 16 and 20. It will cost $42.50 one-time. This license expires on December 30th of the year that he/she turns 21. A multi-year hunting/fishing license is also available for peope from 16-20. This license will cost a one-time fee of $72.50. It, too, expires on December 30th of the year that the licensee turns 21.

Adult residents pay $20.50 for a hunting license. Residents Hunting/Fishing license combo costs $38.50.

Non-resident hunting licenses cost $72.50. Non-resident combo licenses cost $112.50 each. Non-residents of Kansas under the age of 16 will need to pay $37.50 for a hunting license.

Hunters are restricted by law to hunt on property where "NO HUNTING" signs are posted.

Please be careful out there.

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Death Notice

Mrs. Elizabeth Turley passed away this morning in Leoti. As soon as I have her obituary, I will post it here.

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Tribune--Movie--of--the--Weekend

We have a 3-day weekend coming up. Want something to do? Head over to Tribune on Friday, Saturday or Sunday and watch the movie, FOOTLOOSE. Each evening's movie will begin at 8:00 CST. This is classified as Musical/Performing Arts/Remake and runs for 1 hour and 53 minutes. Stars include Juliann Hough, Andie MacDowell, Dennis Quaid, Miles Teller, etc. The movie is rated PG-13 for some teen drug and alcohol usage, sexual content, violence and language.

Synopsis: Ren MacCormack is transplanted from Boston to the small southern town, Boment, where he experiences a heavy dose of culture shock. A few years prior, the community was rocked by a traffic accident that killed 5 teenagers...

Adults, 13 and older: $5.00
Children, 4 through 12: $4.00
Babies through 3-years-old: F--R--E--E

Refreshments are also very fairly priced.

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Another Leoti Closing

I just received word that Wheatland Electric will also be closed on Friday in observance of Veterans Day. They will re-open on Monday morning.

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Veterans Day Parade in Leoti

There will be a parade on Friday morning at 10:00 in Leoti. All veterans are invited to be in this parade so that we can honor them for their contribution to keep this great country of ours free and strong.

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Veterans Day in Leoti

In observance of Veterans Day this Friday, there are some closings that the public needs to be aware of.

Security State Bank will be CLOSED on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Western State Bank will be CLOSED on Friday. They will RE-OPEN on Saturday from 9-noon.

The Wichita County Courthouse will be CLOSED on Friday.

The Leoti City Hall will be OPEN all day.

School will be in session all day.

Just thought that you might be interested in this information.

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My Progress

Well, as of yesterday afternoon, I have completed my task of painting the dining room walls. I am very happy with the result. Once the paint had dried, I was able to re-hang all of our pictures, shelves, etc. Since I had also moved furniture, I needed to hang our decorations in different locations in the room. Given the fact that I enjoy this, I had a fun time deciding what needed to be hung where. The drapes have also been put back into place. It is such a good feeling knowing that this is finished! I plan on painting the kitchen tomorrow. After that, I can put the paint away for another time. As you know, I ordinarily love painting but since I have done our living and dining rooms recently, I am ready to be done with this for awhile. LOL! Though the paint is already on the walls in the living room, I still need to re-dress the windows there. I normally put heavier drapes on the windows during the winter to help combat the cold outside. Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate those. It is beginning to look like I have donated them elsewhere. The thin curtains may have to be used now too.

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Just a Reminder

The Wichita County High School's musical, GREASE, will be performed this weekend in the high school auditorium. Elementary school children will preview it on Thursday afternoon. The public is invited to attend the performances on Friday and Saturday evening. Folks, I am hearing great things about how the high school music students are doing with this production. You won't want to miss it.

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Moisture

Though our winter storm was supposed to have started on Monday, we did not receve anything until early Tuesday morning when drizzle appeared. During the morning we had some gorgeous wet snow fall to the ground. There was a lot of snow but, for the most part, it melted as soon as it hit the ground. Later in the afternoon, the sun came out and what little snow had hit the ground melted. We checked our rain guage yesterday afternoon. It showed that we had gotten a total of 1" of moisture. Fantastic! As you know, Western Kansas needs all of the moisture that we can get.

Thank You, Lord!!!

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Movie--of--the--Weekend

Just wanted to let you know that I have not yet received the information about what will be playing this weekend in Tribune. I apologize for this inconvenience.

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William R. "Bill" Saunders--Garden City

(October 12, 1930 - November 7, 2011)

William R. “Bill” Saunders, age 81, died Monday, November 7, 2011 at the St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas. He was born on October 12, 1930 in Pleasanton, Kansas, the son of G.R. and Blanche Winslow Saunders. Bill received his Education Specialist Degree from Pittsburg State College in Pittsburg, Kansas. In 1956 he moved to Garden City, Kansas where he worked as a teacher at Abe Hubert Middle School.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Garden City, Kansas. He also belonged to the Finney County Historical Society and the Kansas National Education Association. Bill was well known for being a community volunteer.

On June 5, 1955 he married Marilyn Ruth Taylor in Fort Scott, Kansas. She died August 21, 1995 in Garden City, Kansas.

Survivors include: Two Daughters, Ann Knoll of Garden City, Kansas and Susan (& Ron) Heddleson of Plymouth, Minnesota; One Grandson, Jeff Knoll of Katy, Texas and One Granddaughter, Amy Knoll of El Dorado, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and one brother, George Saunders.

Funeral services will be held at 7:00pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011@ the Presbyterian Church in Garden City, Kansas.

Friends may call from 3:00-8:00pm on Wednesday and from Noon-5:00pm on Thursday at the Price & Sons Funeral Home in Garden City, Kansas.

Interment will be in the Valley View Cemetery in Garden City, Kansas.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be given to the Bill Saunders Memorial Fund or to the donors choice in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home of Garden City.

Price & Sons Funeral Home 620 N. Main Garden City, Kansas 67846 620-276-2364 condolences – priceandsons.com Price & Sons Funeral Homes are not responsible for obituary charges unless notified of the charges prior to printing.


Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Van L. Buckner--Scott City

(March 13, 1935 - November 6, 2011)

Van L. Buckner, age 76, passed away at his home in Scott County, Kansas on Sunday, November 6, 2011. He was born on March 13, 1935 in Savanna, Oklahoma, the son of Marion Adolph & Elsia Oriella Spears Buckner. He graduated from Savanna High School in 1953 and moved to Scott City, Kansas where he worked for Pete Hutchins & Sonny Jones. He was a farmer & cattleman and enjoyed watching sports on TV.

He was a member of the Gospel Fellowship Church in Shallow Water, Kansas.

On July 7, 1954 he married Lois E. Bullard in Raton, New Mexico. She survives.

Survivors include his Wife - Lois Buckner of Scott City, Kansas, One Daughter - Vickie Keller of Garden City, Kansas, One Son - Van A. & Cozette Buckner of Scott City, Kansas, One Sister - Laura & Truitt Sewell of Sulphur Springs, Texas, Three Brothers - Max & LaRue Buckner of Mustang, Oklahoma, Delmar & Frances Buckner of Bethany, Oklahoma, Reedis Buckner of Savanna, Oklahoma, Thirteen Grandchildren and Five Great Grandchildren.


He was preceded in death by his Parents, Two Daughters – Susan Heim & Carolyn Johnson, Two Sisters and Four Brothers.

Funeral Services will be held at the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 9, 2011 with Larry Taylor & Don Williams presiding.

Interment will be held at the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to the Van L. Buckner Memorial Fund % Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday and 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Wednesday @ Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.



Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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More Information on the Earthquake

I am probably the last person to find out that the tremors we felt last night came from an earthquake in Oklahoma on Saturday. If I receive any other information, I will post it here.

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Earthquake in Leoti???

Yeppers! We had earthquake tremors here. Our earth quaked last night. And, NO, I did not fall out of bed to cause it. LOL!!! I don't know exactly where it happened or how big the area it was that was affected. We had just gone to bed and Stan was snoring away. I was still watching one of my shows on HGTV when, all of a sudden, I felt a bit of a jolt then our glass vases on our dresser began jiggling and making noises. My first response was that I must have overloaded the washing machine just before I called it a day. Normally we do not feel any movement in the house when we are doing laundry. After a very short time, all went back to normal.

Today, I received an email from a good friend of mine who lives in Pratt. She asked me if I had noticed it. She had not but her daughter did feel it.

To my knowledge no serious damage was done. The closest fault line that I am aware of is underneath a dam in Manhattan, Kansas. I am ASSUMING that that may have been the center point for this event.

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Sunday's Progress

Whew! This past weekend went by very quickly. Yesterday, I gave you a rundown on all that I had hoped to accomplish yesterday. Unfortunately I was unable to get it all finished. I managed to paint about one half of the dining room, do laundry, make some homemade breads. That was about all. Hopefully, everything will be finished today.

The breads that I made didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. I set out to make some hoagie buns for sandwiches that Stan takes to work often. I used a french bread recipe. The end product tasted really good but the crust was a bit too tough. The worst part was that the rolls did not raise much. We ended up just eating them with dinner last night. If you happen to have a bun recipe, would you please email it to me? I would really appreciate it!

Stan and Leighlyn made a bunch of progress on their project--building a house. Nah, it is not very big--probably about 3' long x 2' wide. Leighlyn has a school project that she is to construct a house out of boxes, wood, etc that mirrors a house of horrors that Edgar Allen Poe wrote about many years ago. In the book, the writer told what color each room was painted. For once, my excess paints came in handy! I happened to have all of the paints he mentioned including ORANGE and BLACK. Stan and Leighlyn are building the house out of particle board. About half of it is built so far. They will finish building and painting it tonight--hopefully. The project is due tomorrow. Stan and Leighlyn spent most of the day outside yesterday working on this. It was sunny but cold. They bundled up as well as they could but could still move their arms and hands like they needed to. The end project is going to be quite elaborate. Stan even cut the gothic windows into the house as they were described by Mr. Poe.

Abigayle had a fun time yesterday playing games and reading. She was not that interested in building or painting. I'll try to remember to let you know tomorrow how things worked out today.

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Greg A. Knoll--Garden City

(February 10, 1959 - November 5, 2011)

Greg A. Knoll, age 52, died Saturday, November 5, 2011 at his home in Finney County, Kansas. He was born on February 10, 1959 in Garden City, Kansas the son of Aruellius & Alice Becker Knoll. A 1977 graduate of Holcomb High School, Greg was a farmer.

He was a member of the St. Dominic Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus both of Garden City, Kansas.

On February 20, 1982, he married Michel Ann Winter in Garden City, Kansas. She survives.

Other survivors include: Two Sons, Shane (& Andrea) Knoll of Holcomb, Kansas and Zachary Knoll & Holly Nevin of Holcomb, Kansas; Two Brothers, Rick (& Bonnie) Knoll of Holcomb, Kansas and Kent (& Marcie) Knoll of Moscow, Kansas; Two Sisters, Debbie (& Steve) Guy of Holcomb, Kansas and Roxie (& Mark) Heckel of Holcomb, Kansas; His Father, Al Knoll of Garden City, Kansas and One Granddaughter, Taylor Knoll of Holcomb, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his mother.

Vigil and Rosary services will be held at 7:00pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Garden City.

A Memorial Funeral Mass will be said at 7:00pm on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Garden City.

Friends may call from 10:00am until 5:00pm on Tuesday at the Price & Sons Funeral Home in Garden City, Kansas.

Interment will be in the Valley View Cemetery in Garden City, Kansas.

Memorials be given to the Greg Knoll Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home of Garden City.

Price & Sons Funeral Home 620 N. Main Street Garden City, Kansas 67846 620-276-2364 www.priceandsons.com


Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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Pitbulls

Before I go any further, PLEASE do not think that I am slamming any type of dog!!! This is just a semi-funny experience that I had last weekend when we were in Colorado Springs.

I enjoy watching a couple real court shows on TV. My favorite is Judge Mathes. Earlier that week, I was watching my other favorite. On one day earlier that week, an episode spotlighted a problem with some pitbulls. It was a terrifying situation that the plaintiff claimed to have been in. As you probably already know, I am a great lover of dogs. I enjoy dogs so much that whenever we travel, our Chloe goes with us. Chloe is a tiny Chinese Crested. We all enjoy having her with us. She is excellent about staying on her leash and never presents any danger to strangers. You'll recall that we had attempted to go to the coffin races that Saturday. Once we had determined that we did not have the umph required to make the walk necessary to the event, we opted to sit down on a bench to rest up before we headed back to our van. While we sat there, we enjoyed watching the steady line of people and a bunch of their dogs make their way to the race. During this time, Chloe chose to sit on my lap. All of a sudden, a leashed pitbull saw her on my lap and made a gigantic leap onto my lap also! All of a sudden, I didn't know if Chloe and I would survive our rest on the bench! My mom was sitting right next to me. She was thinking the very same thing. Instinct told me to not show any fear. Evidentally Chloe had decided to ignore her natural instinct on this matter. She began barking at our unwanted visitor. With one arm, I was holding her back and trying to protect her. With my other hand, I slowly put it out in front of me to pet the dog to try to settle it down. I don't know if it worked much or not. Other people had now gathered around us to watch what was happening. I was doing my utmost best to stay calm and cool through this all. You might be wondering what the dog's mistress was doing at the other end of the leash, right? Well, the strength of the dog was preemptive to pulling it away from Chloe and me. The mistress nervously laughed throughout this ordeal. This was disgusting then and it still is to me today. Honestly, I don't know how she was finally able to pull the dog off of me and back into the parade of people walking to the race. I would say that the quick prayer I manged to send to God was the cause. I can honestly tell you that this is a scary memory that I hope to not have to relive. As soon as the dog was several feet away from us, we hurriedly got off of the bench and headed back to the van just in case the pitbull decided to pay us another visit.

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Winter Weather Watch

We received information from a local weather network that much of Western Kansas including us are included in a winter weather watch that will be in place starting tomorrow afternoon through at least Tuesday night. Our area should expect 3-6 inches. North of Interstate 70 is predicted to have more. At this time, it is still unclear as to where exactly the heaviest snow will fall. Before the snow begins falling, rain is expected. Winds will also be strong. Because of all of this, the weather station is warning us to be prepared. If you have things that you need to do outside, it is probably a good idea to get that done today. Tomorrow morning might be too late. I recommend that you check into your own weather channels to obtain more information.

Let it snow! Let it snow!!!

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Our Computer

As you know, we have been having lots of problems with our computer for quite awhile now. Yesterday, a good friend of mine let me know that their computer is about the same age as ours--approximately 6-years-old. She suggested that we go through all of the programs and get rid of unnecessary ones. Though Stan has deleted files and programs in the past, he did a much more thorough job of cleaning it now. He discovered very large programs that we never use and he also discovered programs that we never intentionally added. The result? Our computer is working much more quickly and smoothly than it has in a L-O-N-G time. I suggest that if you are having any difficulties with your computer, that you give this a try. It definitely worked for us! Now, like it or not, I should be able to return to more writing on my blog. LOL!!! Please don't expect much writing today as I have some projects around the house that I need to finish today. For example, as you know, we moved our archway that seperates our living room from our dining room a few weeks ago. Due to a lot of pain that I have been having since before that weekend, I have not been able to finish the part of sealing up the seam that seperates the old and the new parts of the changed wall. It had to be filled in my sheet rock mud. You know me, I LOVE working with sheet rock mud ordinarily. This time has been different. Stan has now finished applying the mud that has finished off the seam. Now I still need to do my Tuscan treatment on just the new wall. Once that is complete, I will need to repaint the entire kitchen. This time, no new paint will be necessary. Of course, that makes Stan very happy! LOL!!! We still had a bunch of light yellow paint left over that we need to get used up from another project. The walls above the chair rail are already painted light yellow and we love it. However the walls below the rail line are white. We decided that we would prefer having the yellow on the entire walls. Wish us well. We want to finish this project today. We still have a few small spots in the living room that we need to put another coat of the living room'siving room that need more paint. After they are finished, our drapes can be re-hung.

And...if that is not enough work for one day, I need to replace one or two floor tiles in the utility room. A gallon of dark paint was overturned. I have no idea how the paint can ended up on the floor in there. I have a cabinet where I house extra paint. Anyway, it ended up on the floor. Before we discovered this mess, some of the paint had been tranferred to the floor. Though I tried to wash it all off, some of it had dried. The good news is that we still have some extra tiles that are identical to what is already on the floor. No new supplies will need to be purchased. YAY!!!

You can look forward to hearing more from me soon.

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Thank you, J!!!

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Wichita County High School Musical

Mr. Allen Brockmeier and his high school music students have been busy preparing for this year's production, GREASE. And, Folks, from what I am hearing, this is going to be a dandy! You might want to mark this event on your calendars. The musical will be showing at 7:30 CST on Friday and Saturday, November 11th and 12th. It will be held in the high school auditorium. I suggest that you might want to come a bit early so that you can be assured a good seat. At this time, I do not know how much the tickets will cost. If I get that information, I will post it on my blog.

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Thank you!!!

I just want to thank whomever you are who sent me a birthday gift in the mail. I received it just a few minutes ago. All got here safe and sound. Unfortunately there was no return address or card identifying who took the time to send this to me. Hopefully that person will read my thank you note here.

Again, thank you!!!

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Tribune--Movie--of--the--Weekend

REAL STEEL will be playing tonight, Saturday and Sunday, November 4th, 5th and 6th. Each evening's movie will begin at 8:00 CST.

Synopsis: In the near future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, Charlie Kenton is a washed-up boxer who lost his chance at a title when 2,000 pound, 8 feet tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together the low end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next...

This movie is labelled as Action/Adventure/Science Fiction/Fantasy and Sports. It is rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language. Stars include High Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Kevin Durand, Anthony Mackie and Evangeline Lily. This movie is produced by Steven Spielberg, etc.

Adults, 13 and older: $5.00
Children, 4 through 12-years-old: $4.00
Babies through 3-years-old: F--R--E--E

Refreshments are also very fairly priced.

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David M. Olivarez--Garden City

(May 4, 1948 - November 2, 2011)


David M. Olivarez, age 63, died Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at the Garden Valley Retirement Village in Garden City, Kansas. He was born on May 4, 1948 in Alice, Texas the son of Adan and Elma Mungia Olivarez. David had been a resident of Garden City since January of 2011 and he had worked as an auto body painter and mechanic.

He was a member of the Catholic faith.

In 1964, he married Belinda Ortiz. She died on October 4, 2008.

Survivors Include: Six Sons, Carlos Olivarez of Hutchinson, Kansas, Danny Vela of Chicago, Illinois, David O. Olivarez of Garden City, Kansas, Steven Olivarez of Garden City, Kansas, Jeffrey Olivarez of Dodge City, Kansas and Roy Olivarez of Larned, Kansas; One Daughter, Vanessa Olivarez of Garden City, Kansas; His Father, Adan Olivarez of Alice, Texas; One Brother, Oscar Olivarez of Bryan, Texas; Twenty-Seven Grandchildren and several Great-Grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his Mother and One Brother, Eloy Olivarez.

Funeral Services will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at the Price & Sons Funeral Home in Garden City, Kansas.

There will be no calling times.

Inurnment will take place at a later date in Texas.

The family requests memorials be given to the David M. Olivarez Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home.

Obituary courtesy of Price and Sons Funeral Homes of Garden City, Scott City, Leoti and Tribune.

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You May Have Noticed...

that I have not been on here for a few days. Our computer is on strike...AGAIN. Stan has been doing some work to it and it seems to be getting a bit better. Believe me. Santa Claus will be receiving a letter from us letting him know that the Blau family would really appreciate a new computer this Christmas. Once this one is in better running order, I will resume to my posting.

Thank you for your patience!!!

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