Grandma Jenny's Story

This is a true story that I have included in my book "Gibbon's Secrets" that I wanted to share with you today.

From the book "Gibbon's Secrets"

Bud’s favorite story from Grandma Jenny was when she told about coming out to Nebraska from Pennsylvania. Grandma Jenny always told the story with a far-away look in her eyes, and always began her

story the same way:

     “My mother had died in childbirth and I was living with my grandparents just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My dad had moved to Nebraska, and wanted my brother and me to join him at his homestead.

Dad asked my Granddad Mills to bring us out on a train, all the way from Pennsylvania. 

     The year of our journey to Nebraska was in 1878, and I was four years old. I know I was just a little girl when we made the trip, but just think about it - Gibbon was only seven years old in 1878. We were

prepared for this long journey: each of us had our own tin cups for the water stops along the way. Grandmother Mills had also packed a big picnic basket, full of food for the long trip. 

     We arrived at Missouri Valley, Iowa; which was the end of the rail line at that time. Then we took a ferry across the Missouri River to Nebraska. When we landed on the Nebraska side, our dad and uncle met us with a wagon pulled by a team of oxen. I was kind-of scared of my uncle, because he had this big mustache and a pair of guns strapped around his middle. My dad looked like he always did, except he also had a beard and mustache.

      Buck and Berry, the oxen team, had no trouble pulling the covered wagon along the trail. We arrived at our cabin situated along a creek.  It was occupied by my aunt, uncle, dad - and now my brother and I.  One day, not long after we got there, my aunt had been baking pies. She put the pies on the window sill to cool, and the wonderful smell of fresh-baked pies attracted a pair of Indians. The two Indians very quietly came up to our cabin begging for food; they appeared harmless and carried no weapons. I could tell they were really hungry, and felt sorry for them. I encouraged my aunt to give them something to eat.

      Even though this was in the early Frontier times, we lived comfortably in our cabin, and never went hungry. Also, we never faced serious problems with the Indians.  Our homestead was not too far from Petersburg, Nebraska. I married your Grandpa Erskine, and while living in Petersburg gave birth to your mother, Addie.”

Bud could have his Grandma Jenny re-tell that same story a hundred times and never get tired of it. The two parts he always liked best were the two oxen, Buck and Berry, and the two Indians coming up to the cabin.

Three Cups of Tea

I just finished reading the book, "Three Cups of Tea" - One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.

This is a story about Greg Mortenson, the director of the Central Asia Institute, and how he dedicated his life to building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  It's difficult for me to give you a total review of the book, but to me it is a story about a man willing to face many hardships to accomplish his goals of building schools to bring the gift of literacy to children deprived of education due to poverty, exploitation, slavery, gender discrimination, religious extremism, and corrupt governments.

It is not a totally easy read book but one that will pull you right into the story - giving you the feeling that you are right there with Greg Mortenson during his struggles to accomplish the goals to - Promote Peace...One School at a Time.

View from our 3rd floor deck

Good morning!

We are blessed with the view from our 3rd floor deck which is ever changing, giving us a fresh perspective of Lincoln both morning and night.  This morning the fog was a blanket over Holmes Lake, drifting toward downtown Lincoln finally totally obstructed the view of the capital building.  At one point the fog appeared to be covering the city with around half of the capital building boldly sticking up above it.

Most evenings we are able to see beautiful sunsets, and the interesting part is watching the sun move south along our landscape view of Lincoln.  When we moved in on the 30th of June this year the sun was setting just behind the capital building, and now just under three months the sunsets have moved quite a distance south.  On a clear day you can watch the sun quickly dip behind the horizon, and on a cloudy day you can see the sun peeking through the clouds on the same horizon.  In either case God's paint brush selection of oranges early and pinks later on have been spectacular.  It is impossible for me to capture the beauty with my little digital camera but I will insert a  picture for your enjoyment.

Gibbon's Secrets - Chapter 26 - Lt. Jack Shaunesey' Special Assignment - 1942

Jack drove to the Kearney Army Air Field soon after the new commanding officer, Major V.B. Trevellyan, arrived.

Jack was introduced to Major Trevellyan by his orderly and the Major said, "Welcome to Kearney Army Air Base, Lt. Shaunesey.  What can I do for you?"

Jack said, "I have been trained by the FBI for a special project here in mid-Nebraska, and my commander ordered me to meet with you and explain my assignment."  Major Vick Trevellyan said, "Let's go in the conference room, and I'll have my orderly bring us some coffee."

"My commander advised me to give you this letter which will explain totally the area of my training by the FBI, and my responsibility to protect key government facilities in Central Nebraska.  I will be working on the perimeter of these facilities, and with the security in place we will be protecting them from  the outside.  I would like to be introduced to your officer in charge of security.  Together we can plan and coordinate our efforts to better protect this facility for you.  It is not our intention to interfere with your security measures already in place, but to compliment them from the outside."

Author's Footnote-
This was a very good example of how local law enforcement agencies were working directly with government facilities security groups.  This combination of internal and external security was happening all across our great country to protect the government agencies from spies and terrorist attacks.   Just think about the security that is going on today for the same reasons!   

chapter 28 - World War II Time Line - 1942

September 22nd 1944

A contract was awarded to Kiewit-Condon Company; which included grading and paving taxiways, runways and aprons of the Kearney Army Air Base.

The best part of the 60th High School Reunions

The best part of the 60th High School Reunions was the reconnecting with old friends (and I do mean old).  My Dad told me that after his 50th class reunion he wasn't going to any more because everyone there was old - except him!  Well, both in Curtis and earlier in Gibbon it was true that there were a few older people in attendance - but not you or me, right?  I want everyone reading this blog to know that it definitely was worth exposing my age at the reunion - just to be able to see and talk with old friends.  I'm just going to post two pictures to show you joy in the faces of old friends meeting each other again.

What can beat the smiles on their faces?  Nothing!

Chapter 40 - "Gibbon's Secrets - World War II Time Line 1944

September 17th, 1944
Operation Market Garden


Allied paratroops land inside the Netherlands, the biggest airborne operation ever attempted.

Practical Accounting & QuickBooks Start-up Class

Practical Accounting Course utilizing the "Cover Your Nut" Book Given October 8th


The class will be held October 8th at SCC Continuing Ed Center from 8:00am to 5:00pm.  If you are interested in the class you can contact SCC at 402-437-2709 asking for ACCT-3524.

Practical Accounting presented over six hours will give you the accounting basics toward a better understanding of both accounting systems and financial statements.  Followed by two hours of Practical QuickBooks Start-up which will give you the basics necessary to set up your accounting information.

The book, "Cover Your Nut", presents Practical Accounting in an easy read method for individuals that need to have a better understanding of accounting for their small business and is the required book for the course.

Cover Your Nut?

What does Cover Your Nut really mean?


To cover all costs relative to income.  The break-even report shown in this book is a tool used to see at what point in the volume of revenue the company will cover all costs.

A story goes that a Peddler in the days of the "Old West" was driving his wagon into a western town with a wagon full of goods.  He stopped in front of the hotel and when the innkeeper came out he said, "I have this wagon full of goods but no money and I need a room for the night."  The Innkeeper said, "You take off that wagon wheel Nut and give it to me, when you've sold enough goods you have covered your Nut." 

UNSA 1949 60th Reunion

 

The above seal was found in the Girl's Dorm as we were making our tour of the UNSA (UNCT) campus during the celebration of the 1949 60th reunion in Curtis on the 11th & 12th of September 2009.  Dale Wolf pulled the people carrier around the campus with his antique John Deere tractor and you can see him behind the podium, in one of the classes rooms, pretending he was teaching our class.  Imogene Vickers Olsen was also trying to be helpful by pointing out a unique sign on one of the class room doors. 

 

Dale can be seen in the following picture strumming his guitar and leading a small group in song.

I will now show you a random sampling of the 1949 classmates that attended the reunion.

I will be sending Dale a CD of all the pictures I took at the reunion and he will be compiling an accumulation of other pictures for everyone.  It was a great time and good to see all the classmates again.

2nd 1949 High School Reunion

We are just about ready to leave for the trip to Curtis, NE for the 1949 Class Reunion.  I was invited by friends from Gibbon to attend the 1949 Class Reunion (I would have graduated with these friends if my folks would have stayed in Gibbon).  We moved to Curtis in 1944 as World War II was at its peak.  In last chapters of my book "Gibbon's Secrets" I do include the story of  friendships developed in Curtis, one being my neighbor and life long friend (Vernon "Sonny" Shirley).

So, now we are headed for this 2nd 1949 reunion and I have been selected to take candid shots of the individuals attending this 60th reunion.  I will post a selection of these next week.

Please contact me if you find my blog interesting

I have been sharing bits and pieces from my two books and have been curious if anyone out there finds this interesting.  I haven't really heard from anyone but my closest friends regarding my blog and would like to hear from more of you.

I was invited to attend the 60th reunion of the 1949 high school class in Gibbon - by a classmate that I would have graduated with had my family stayed in Gibbon.  We moved to Curtis, NE in 1944 and I will be attending my 60th high school reunion for the 1949 class this coming weekend (9/11-12/2009).  Pretty neat, don't you think.

I had heard from a lady from Gibbon after she had read my book "Gibbon's Secrets" and she wanted me to meet her at the reunion and to sign her copy of my book.  Her name is Arlene Williams and she proved to me that it is a very small world we live in.  She told me that she had worked for my mother Addie as a hired girl to clean the house and to do ironing - she was a young teenager at the time.  Not only did she work for my mother but her brother Bruce worked for my father as one of his truck drivers.  She shared a time when she was in a hospital in Kansas and was visited by my father and her brother.  She remembered watching out the window of the hospital as my father and her brother struggled to turn a gasoline tank truck around in a very small parking lot.  Arlene is 87 years old and is communicating via email with her friends and family - that is how she contacted me and I found her to be a joy.

Another lady at the reunion told me that she had read my book "Gibbon's Secrets" and found that my stories about growing up during World War II reminded her of the same type of happenings while she was growing up - but she did add that the book was sure full of baloney.  I advised her that another term for "baloney" was "fiction".  She agreed and we had a good laugh together.  Most of the experiences that I tell about in the book are fact based but I'll admit that at times I did stretch the truth a bit (that's what makes a story interesting).

Anyway, please let me know what you think about my blog - I would appreciate hearing from you.

RG Bud Phelps  

Gibbon's Secrets - Ch 28 - World War II Time Line 1942

September 1st, 1942
Construction of the Cornhusker Ordnance Plant west of Grand Island-Nebraska is completed.

September 5th, 1942
Construction was approved for the Kearney Army Air Base east of Kearney-Nebraska.

Gibbon's Secrets - Ch 13 January 1941

     The winter still was holding on tight, with flakes of snow gently floating down from dark gray, puffy clouds.  The low temperatures seemed threatening to both man and beast (even boys).  Bud and his friends would seek refuge in Mr. Ross's big red barn during the cold days of winter.  The barn's haymow was packed high with hay, and the cows were all lined up in their stalls with their heads deep in the mangers munching on hay.  This created warmth that drew the boys in to it like a magnet.
     The boys loved being up in the haymow because it was a nice, warm and dry place to play on cold days.  Jumping off of the rafters into the hay was great fun.  Bud climbed out to the middle of one of the big rafters and yelled, "Captain Marvel, hero to the downtrodden, is diving off of this bridge to save that person who fell off his speed-boat into the churning water."  Duncan said, "I'm with you, Captain Marvel."  Wally followed suit by yelling, "I'm the Green Hornet; crime fighter for the helpless."  Stanley jumped off right after Wally, yelling, "The Green Hornet's right hand man is following you, sir."