North Platte, Nebraska

I have a BIG EVENT coming up in Nebraska -- and it reminded me of this wonderful story...which I blogged about awhile back....

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During WW II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Thousands of young soldiers would spend 5-7 days on troop trains going from the West Coast to the East Coast, and vice versa. These young soldiers, many in their teens, were away from home for the first time...headed off to Basic Training, or, after their training, off to an overseas assignment.

On December 17, 1941, just ten days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the town of North Platte, Nebraska, got word that their boys in the National Guard, Company D, would be on a train coming through town. 500 townspeople went to the station to greet their soldiers. With cookies, candy, cigarettes, sandwiches, they went with hearts full of love and well wishes.

But they had the wrong information -- and the soldiers of Company D on the train were from Kansas. The people of North Platte shared their gifts with these young soldier strangers from a different state...and wished them well. And that was the start of something big...really, really big...

One woman wrote a letter and said she had never felt better about anything she had ever done. And why can't they do this for ALL THE SOLDIERS who would be coming through town?

AND SO THEY DID...

The North Platte Canteen was opened on Christmas Eve, 1941, with just five volunteers that first night. But it was the beginning of a a grass roots effort which brought together hundreds of ordinary citizens offering comfort and kindness for every trainload of soldiers for the duration of the war.

I was so inspired by this story, I WANTED TO LEARN MORE...so I read this book -- which I highly recommend!

By the time Bob Greene decided to write about the Phenomenon of the North Platte Canteen (2003), most of the players were in their 80's or 90's...

Eventually, 125 small towns and communities in Western Nebraska and Eastern Colorado took on the job of greeting and feeding every soldier who came through town. For the duration of the war, the canteen in North Platte, Nebraska routinely fed 3,500 to 5,500 soldiers EVERY SINGLE DAY.  On one day, in 1943, 15,500 soldiers were noted in the Canteen guest book.

The 10 minutes they spent in the North Platte Canteen became a memory those soldiers treasured for the rest of their lives. One soldier wrote, "you treated us like royalty. I have never before experienced such kindness, and I will never forgot it..."

As a matter of fact, the North Platte Canteen became a common topic for soldiers in every theater of WW II. Whether they were on the beaches of Normandy, in a POW camp in Indonesia, or on a ship in the middle of the Pacific, whenever soldiers or sailors would get together, somebody would ask, "so, did you ever go through North Platte, Nebraska?"

The most remarkable thing is that the citizens of North Platte accomplished all this during a time of severe shortages and rationing. Without a dime of government help or a single paid employee...

How did they do it? Well, it couldn't have been easy...

For example, chicken eggs were prized by farm families, and sold for their own grocery money. But one woman knew the local turkey hatchery discarded the eggs that had been candled and weren't fertilized, so she collected those eggs and made ten angel food cakes every week, using every bit of her own sugar ration, as well as the rations of her family and neighbors...

Meat was expensive and scarce, but pheasants were plentiful. The limit at the time was 12 birds a day per hunter -- so the men and boys hunted pheasants and the women created ways to cook and serve pheasant meat. They fried, it, stewed it, or made loose meat sandwiches out of it...they ground it, used it to make chili, or smoked it to make lunch meat.

The North Platte Canteen was open 24 hours a day and met every single train, and fed every single soldier...

Every church in Western Nebraska and Eastern Colorado, every women's club, Extension office, 4-H Chapter, Boy Scout troop, or Lions organization...was assigned a day. They all worked for weeks to plan and organize what they would serve at the Canteen when it was their turn....

By the time the war ended, the Canteen in North Platte, Nebraska had served over 6 million soldiers.
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So -- why am I writing about Nebraska this week??

Cinemark Movie Club

On a day when it's going to be 100 degrees...there is nothing better to do than TAKE THE KIDS TO A MOVIE.!!

Of course, the trouble with that plan is that movies are expensive -- and once you factor in the $20 popcorn -- it's really not an affordable Grandma Camp Activity.

BUT THEN I SAW ON FACEBOOK -- that our local theater, Cinemark -- have a summer program for kids. For three months (June, July and August) -- they have a "Kid's Summer Movie Club".

On Monday through Thursday -- at 10:00 AM -- they have a recent (not current) kids' movie -- and the tickets are only $1 each!!

SIGN US UP..!!

All the seats in this theater have been converted to the Recliner/Lounger variety. (which I love)

Even before the movie started -- the kids enjoyed the lobby activities.

Taking pictures in front of the big stand-up ads for coming attractions.

Jurassic World looks pretty good.

Posing for the Incredibles 2...(whatever that is).

I think many movie theaters around the country have similar programs. So CHECK IT OUT. The movie we saw on this particular day was "Nut Job 2".  I was not familiar -- and figured it was a cartoon movie, so I'll probably take a nap in my comfy lounger chair.

But I was pleasantly surprised.  The movie had a message, and it kept me interested...and  there were a few lessons at the end.  Which the kids and I talked about...the value of WORKING for something, as opposed to having it handed to you...how much more you appreciate things when they are almost taken away from you...

Really.  It was good.  Well worth the $3...(although the popcorn was still $15)....

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P.S.  If you haven't been to a theater for awhile -- GO NOW.  The Loungers are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G...

VanderVeer Park

Grandma Camp, 2018. It was just a regular Monday. I don't ALWAYS have something fabulous planned.

This was an ordinary summer day. Beautiful -- except for the hot and sunny part. We should do SOMETHING. And, if possible, GO OUTSIDE. Hummm...

I drive by Davenport's Vanderveer Park ALL THE TIME.  Although I haven't been there for 20 or 30 years, I seem to remember they have a children's summer activity going on this summer... 

Hey -- the BEAUTY of  kids who are 5 and 9 years old is that WHATEVER I TELL THEM...they are DELIGHTED.

And -- HOLY COW -- this park is stunning..I was blown away by this beautiful, mature, manicured, well-maintained park.  It is magnificent.  WHY HAVE I BEEN MISSING THIS FOR ALL THESE YEARS??

We walked through the beautiful Rose Garden -- then, sat on the edge of the large, beautiful fountain...

We discovered many Pirate Items around the park -- as well as some permanent sculptures that were good photo-ops.

I was struck by how similar Vanderveer is to another favorite park of mine -- New York City's Central Park.

Curious -- I went to the internet -- and learned this:

"In 1885 the city of Davenport acquired the property that had been the Scott County Fairgrounds. It is a significant example of landscape planning, and of the civic improvements that were being made by the city in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Five years after the land was purchased and improved it was named Central Park after New York City's park of the same name.  Like its namesake it featured naturalistic landscaping, a glasshouse, floral gardens, a large pond, picnic pavilion and a picturesque bridge. Central Park was the first major park established by the City of Davenport. The year that it opened the city established the Board of Parks Commissioners. They acquired other properties and established residential parks similar to Central Park.

In 1911, Davenport's Central Park was renamed Vanderveer Park to honor an early Davenport Park Commissioner."

The kids walked around the huge pond

There were SWARMS of tadpoles

For 25cents, you get a handful of corn to feed the ducks...

And there are ALWAYS DUCKS in this pond.

Feeding the ducks has been a child's entertainment for over 100 years...

There are beautiful mature trees.

And dozens of benches, which families can pay for, as a remembrance of a loved one...

We read some of the plaques -- and sat on a few of the benches.  It's amazing how, on a very hot day, the SHADE of a mature tree is a cool, welcome respite.  You almost forget that in this day and age of AIR CONDITIONING...

The kids loved following this colorful brick road -- which led to...

Yes, a modern playground!!  With about five slides (Warren's standard of measure).

The Boys In the Bunkhouse

As you know, I spend a lot of time in my car (I live in the middle of a corn field)...AND I AM ALWAYS listening to a book on tape. Some are better than others. I'm a big fan of Jack Reacher (thank you, Lee Child)...

This book was so good, I found myself driving around aimlessly, just so I could listen to another CD...

The shocking thing is that it's a TRUE STORY...about something that happened right here in my own back yard.  I well remember the scandal when the authorities removed dozens of elderly mentally disabled men from a run-down, fat infested abandoned schoolhouse....where, apparently, they had been living FOR DECADES....

Basically, working as indentured servants for the Louis Rich Turkey Processing company...

Gheesh...welcome to the Heartland....

From Amazon:

With this Dickensian tale from America’s heartland, New York Timeswriter and columnist Dan Barry tells the harrowing yet uplifting story of the exploitation and abuse of a resilient group of men with intellectual disability, and the heroic efforts of those who helped them to find justice and reclaim their lives.

In the tiny Iowa farm town of Atalissa, dozens of men, all with intellectual disability and all from Texas, lived in an old schoolhouse. Before dawn each morning, they were bussed to a nearby processing plant, where they eviscerated turkeys in return for food, lodging, and $65 a month. They lived in near servitude for more than thirty years, enduring increasing neglect, exploitation, and physical and emotional abuse—until state social workers, local journalists, and one tenacious labor lawyer helped these men achieve freedom.
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This is THAT kind of unbelievable story. 

The kind where my friend Marion and I look at one another and say..."Why would anybody write fiction? 

The truth is so bizarre, it never lets you down...."

BOOKS ON CD

Books are like roads -- often, one leads to another...

I enjoyed reading Katherine Graham's autobiography, and I was surprised to learn a bit about her relationship with Warren Buffet.

She made it very clear that she was a big admirer of Warren Buffet...and, in may ways, his advice SAVED the Graham family fortune...

Because of the internet, the once-proud Washington Post basically went belly up -- but by the time that happened -- the Graham family had diversified their investments. And made millions via their investment in KAPLAN University...

Then, I got interested in Lincoln, Nebraska...which, I can't remember exactly how it happened -- but seemed to lead me once again to Warren Buffet...

I knew his name.  But not much else.  I wonder how Warren Buffet grew up to be Warren Buffet.

TIME TO GO TO THE LIBRARY...

OF COURSE somebody wrote a biography about one of the richest (and strangest) men in the world!!  Great book.  Really a good job, Alice.  THANKS!!

BEST EVER Summer Sandwich

Writing about Sophie, and thinking about how Lilly will always remember her made me think about all that.

Being remembered, I mean.

The real truth is -- You can never know what people will remember...

I certainly hope Lilly and Warren will remember all the wonderful things we did during Grandma Camp. Or -- do I have to worry that the only moments they remember will be those bad times when Grandma lost her patience, or, worse yet -- POPPED HER CORK (yes, we even have a term for a Grandma meltdown)...

Last week, I found out that a man I used to work for --Jay Ohland -- died in 2015. We haven't been in touch for many years, but it was sad for me to realize he's gone.

He was an architect and I was his secretary, and we worked together in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

I think of Jay every summer...because of his favorite sandwich...

The incredible, delicious, cannot-wait-for-it-every-year-I-look-forward-to-eating-it...

Mayonnaise and Peanut Butter Tomato Sandwich...!!

These are the basic ingredients. Fresh, soft white bread: Chunky Peanut Butter on one slice, mayo on the other...

I lay the thick slices of tomato on a paper towel to absorb the extra juice...

Then, I lay the tomato down...salt to taste....

When Jay first told me about his MOST PERFECT SANDWICH...(in 1973)...I thought he was crazy. It sounded like a terrible idea. Those things cannot possibly go together!!

But I was wrong. And he was right. And this is a sandwich I've eaten every year for over 40 years...

I'm sure Jay will be remembered by his family and friends for many wonderful things...the buildings he built, the loving moments they shared. The vacations they took, or time they spent together.

But I like to think Jay would be delighted to know that I think of him every time I eat his favorite sandwich...

Good-Bye, Sweet Sophie

Do you ever think about how you will be remembered?

Or who might remember you, even...

Recently, Lilly lost her best friend -- her little white dog Sophie. Of course, that's the way life works. As Lilly grew up, Sophie grew old...but that little dog had a huge impact on one girl's life. And she will never be forgotten...

Lilly really did think of Sophie as her sister...

Of course, we had a little family service for Sophie...and, these are the words Lilly wrote on the lid of Sophie's hand-made coffin...(yes, she bulleted her list)...

• Best Dog
• Best Friend
• Good Eater
• Good Farro
• Kind Hearted
• Tolerant
• Fashion Model
• Better than Human
• Brave
• Comfort Provider
• Fluffy
• Good Listener
• Loving
• Gentle

Lilly said...."You will always be in my heart..."

Our Boat Ride

As we were waiting to board the Blue Heron, Calvin bought the kids a slurpy...

They'd had a LONG DAY -- and needed a snack!!

As we got ready to get on the Blue Heron -- Captain Mark took us into the shed where they store the life jackets. Since I can't swim, wearing a life jacket on the Mississippi is a no brainer for me.

The kids had no choice.  They couldn't get on the boat until they strapped up their life jackets...

Most of the adults chose to just carry their life jackets on board...

Warren was bothered by the fact that Calvin wasn't wearing his life jacket...

We'd been on the boat for about half an hour, when Warren asked..."Why doesn't Uncle Calvin have to wear a life jacket?"

Me: He's an adult, hon. And it's not comfortable for him.

Warren: What happens if he falls into the water?

Me: Well, you and I are both wearing life jackets -- we'll have to save him.

Warren: (long pause)...then he said, "You can save him, Grandma. I'm just going to float..."

Blue Heron Boat Ride

2018 Grandma Camp just keeps marching on...

The wonderful Eco Tourism has great programs and activities -- most of them totally FREE.

Every week, they offer FREE boat rides on the Mississippi River.

The pontoon boat seats 24 people.

My brother Cal and his wife Jeanne joined us.

The boat ride takes about an hour and a half.

Captain Mark pulled away from the dock and we were MOVING FAST up the channel and out into the main river.

Lilly has been on this boat before -- and Captain Mark let her take the wheel.

Of course, Warren has to do EVERYTHING LILLY DOES.  He actually got to drive for a long time.

Lilly got another turn -- and she and Captain Mark were goofing around.

Captain Mark has been doing tours on this stretch of the Mississippi for about 20 years. He took us to the exact spot where the Bald Eagles nest, and we also saw the last remaining cabin on an island.   There are three commercial enterprises -- a nuclear power plant, a sand pit, and a fertilizer plant...barges pull up to move things down the river. It's a busy place, with lots to see....

Lilly settled in, like she was driving that boat to New Orleans...

I felt like Captain Mark knew every inch of his stretch of the Mississippi. (that's the Cordova nuclear power plant)

Considering it was the middle of summer, the weather was cool, and the sky was overcast. Lilly and Warren had swimming class in the morning, and it had been a long day. We all became mesmerized by the rhythm of the boat, cruising on the water...

Lilly fell asleep...I'm not kidding...

Yep. Grandma Camp will WEAR YOU OUT...