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April 28, 2023.
Dear Tobi
Happy Birthday!
I hope you're having fun on your birthday. I hope you're having cake. Me, I'm having tea. Iced tea. And I'm drinking it way too fast like I'm dehydrated, or something. I must be. I was doing some "landscaping" this afternoon, widening a flower bed because it wasn't flush with the back stoop and it's always been a tricky corner to mow around. And I always felt the flower bed was a little narrow. There are a lot of tiny little flowers that have been popping up not only in the flower bed but all over in the lawn. Poppies, I think. Are those the ones with little faces? It's a good thing because I had a deep ridge along my drive where the furnace installation guys parked which is actually on the edge of my neigbor's lawn. They made a mess of it. But at least I now have heat. It's not fun when the heat goes out and its still winter. Or it was when it went out. Is it officially spring now? I don't even know. Anyway, I've found a good use for the sod, taking it from the back to the side. I hope it grows alright. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so that might help it settle. Still thirsty. I think I'll get a San Pellegrino. Ever have that? I'm guessing you probably have, having lived in Italy. I like them all. I think I'll get the blood orange. Hang on, I'll be right back. Aranciata Rossa. Yeah, that's better. Little did I know Andrew is a singer/songwriter. He used to be a barista at Mother Fool's Coffee Shop. I didn't recognize him at first. He had just finished his sound check as I was reaching for my San Pellegrino. Alright, so today's not your birthday. It's tomorrow. But I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday. I thought of you last night when I saw a picture of Hawaii with the caption Oklahoma. Oahukaluahoma, maybe. But definitely not Oklahoma. But I do like the idea of Oklahoma as being one of the Hawaiian islands. Maybe you can go to the beach today. On your birthday.
Love always and less than three,
Dave
April 07, 2023.
Dear Tobi
Just a quick note to say "Hi!"
I've been working so much lately. Emphasis on LATEly. Every night it's overtime whether we want it or not. Bigger planes, more passengers, more delayed bags, more damaged luggage, more to security search and clean at the end of the night, and an ever-revolving door of new-hires who only catch on right before they decide to quit. I'm not complaining. I can quit any time now too, as I've said. Finding a new job, or a new position, is really the only thing holding me back. I would like to find a job where I could travel more. But not as a flight attendant. Maybe as a transporter of puppies. You know, a flight nanny. Traveling across the country with a puppy. That is a thing, you know. Not sure if it's a full time thing, but I've met these people. Thing is, I'm against puppy mills. There are too many dogs and cats in shelters that need good homes. Oh, well. It was a thought.
I'm still trying to figure out how to add file upload functionality to this page. I just haven't had the time to really dig in to it, lately. I put it out there on a web designer message board, asking what code is needed, but haven't gotten an answer yet. Or maybe I have. I'll have to re-check!
I took advantage of my day off to get a few things done, taxes being one. And I treated myself to lunch at a Korean restaurant I've been meaning to try for some time now. Can you believe I've never had Korean? I've heard good things about Koreatown in Los Angeles. I want to check it out. Have you been there? It's been so long since I've been to L.A. Do you get back much? Anyway, as I missed out on the lunch menu and didn't want a full dinner I ordered "just a bowl of soup" (I forget what they call it). But it was more than just a bowl of soup. It came with a bowl of rice and four sides. Kimchi was one, I don't know what the other sides were. It was all very good, though.
That reminds me, I stepped in to a little Asian market near where I live on my way to work the other day. They have a little kitchen at the back where you can order lunch to go. Eggrolls seemed to be popular with those in line ahead of me, so I asked for two veggie eggrolls. They were out. "Pork or chicken only." He then pointed at their special Mexican menu where I could have ordered a veggie burrito. I had to laugh. Mexican food at an Asian market? I opted for the chicken eggrolls.
Sound check at the coffee shop where I'm at. Free live music on Friday nights. Last Saturday I went to the Overture Center on State Street for something to do. It was the annual International Festival. Food vendors, arts and crafts from around the world, music. I caught a little of my old running pal Daithi playing with his band Yid Vicious. It's a klezmer band. What is klezmer, exactly? Without googling, I don't know. Eastern European, Jewish. You can check them out on their website at yidvicious.com. Daithi spotted me in the crowd and waved. I ran into him later in the lobby. As we were chatting he spotted Sheila Shigley in the crowd and waved her over. She's another extremely talented local musician (violin, as well) who I happen to know from my elementary school. I think we met when I was in seventh or eighth grade. She was two years behind me and has since confessed she had a crush on my cousin Jeff. We always joke about that. In fact she brought it up again saying how she doesn't think Jeff even knows. Daithi spoke up, "I'm sure he does, I'm sure Dave's told him." I laughed. He's right. I texted Jeff yesterday to tell him I ran into her again. Good timing because I suddenly remembered yesterday was Jeff's birthday.
I said quick note. This turned out to be a long rambling letter. Sorry. On that note, I should be rambling on as well.
Hope all is "OK" in OK!
ykily,
Dave
January 27, 2023.
Dear Tobi
I just checked my email to see your notes. Happy CHINESE New Year to you, too! I thought about you today while chatting with the guy who cuts my hair. He was asking if I've travelled lately. And when I travel, where do I like to go. You know, the usual questions circus people are asked. I told him I haven't travelled much beyond Europe, Central America and the Caribbean. I'm curious what his nationality is. He's Asian. I told him how I got stuck at NRT for a couple of days trying to fly standby to Seoul, and how much I loved the little town of Narita, and how I want to see more of Asia. But he didn't comment. Why should he? He's American, just like me. Anyway, I thought of you and China.
Have you found any good Chinese restaurants in Oklahoma City? I've never been to Oklahoma City. I've been to Tulsa. Ran a marathon there once. It was the half marathon course, run twice. So I didn't get to see much of it, especially considering it was foggy from start to finish. Nice that you live on a lake. I've never heard of buffleheads or hooded mergansers. I'll have to google those. Googles would be a good name for a kind of waterfoul.
Toyotas are a good cars. Known for their dependability, right? Few if any mechanical problems, from what I've heard? My car is Japanese too. Nissan. I like it. It finally occurred to me today that I haven't once checked the oil. So I did. At first I couldn't see any oil on the stick! Then I realized it was just very clean oil. I was so used to seeing it black on my old car. My old Saturn was at that point where I had to add oil constantly. Nice being able to put that money all into gas and not oil!
Hmm, how to add photos here. Good question. I'll look into that. I'd love to see what you have!
Hey, let me see if I can re-size these images here. I no longer have a separate image editing program. Or maybe I do. I still don't know what this laptop has on it. These images might not be optimized, but here you go ...
This is my Great Grandparents old apartment. They lived up the stairs on the second level. I almost didn't recognise the place. Where they once resided has been re-sided.
Hard to believe they walked up and down these steep steps at their age.
This is my Great Uncle John and Aunt Garnett's house. (Garnett was my Grandma's sister). No one lives there now. I hope. The roof is caving in! I would have loved to have seen if I could have stepped inside, but wasn't sure I should. Never know if someone WAS making it their home. The grass had been mowed out front, and I noticed a pumpkin patch out by the old barn where my uncle kept his horses -- Wisconsin State Fair award-winning horses! My Dad has old home movie footage of me and my brother with my Uncle John next to one of his big horses. I have early memories of the house. It seemed old and run-down back then!
Dad sent me a photo of this newspaper clipping. John eventually sold his land to what has now become the headquarters to Organic Valley. You can check out their humble history here: https://www.organicvalley.coop/about-us/our-humble-history/
Anyway, I've been meaning to post these pictures from La Farge. Funny to think I could have been upstairs, right there on Main Street, at my Great Grandparents' looking down below at the very moment your Dad might have been driving by with a little Tobi in tow, on his way to Husker Hollow. And I now know where Husker Hollow is! I hope to get up there this spring. If I do, I'll turn down that country road and see how far it takes me.
Funny, it hadn't occurred to me until now. I had a somewhat vivid dream recently of an old house. And I knew you were in it. It MIGHT have been my Great Aunt and Uncle's house! That would almost make sense, wouldn't it!
Sometimes I wonder if dreams are reality and reality is, well, the dream.
Anyway, Cargo Coffee's closing. I'd best upload this and be on my way before they throw me out.
Love you always,
Dave
December 30, 2022.
Dear Tobi
Just a quick note to say MERRY CHRISTMAS (belated) and HAPPY NEW YEAR (be-earlied)!
Belated, funny word. Would make sense if be-earlied was a word. Anyway, I've been so busy lately with work and car problems and all. Yes, my car started making noise this past fall. I was hoping it was something simple. I pulled into a gas station and a guy at the next pump says "You need a new muffler." But that's not what it needed. A few weeks later it started to shuddering really bad. So I immediately took it to a mechanic who optimistically says "I think all you need is new spark plugs. It'll cost you about $300." I told him "Great! If that's all it is, go ahead." I told him I didn't want to put too much into it as it was an old car and not worth it. About thirty minutes later he comes out to the waiting room and says "Well, I've got some bad news. It's time to look for another car." Engine damage. So new (used) car, going into a new (new) year.
How you been doing? Are you still in California?
I never did get around to posting pictures of La Farge. I'll have to get to that. I've been thinking about driving back up in the spring to do a little trout fishing for old time's sake. I met a couple of guys a few weeks back who went hunting around Viola, the next town over. I told them how I used to fish the creeks up there when I was a kid. They told me the trout fishing is still phenomenal. Something to look forward to next spring. Maybe I'll find a stream around Husker Hollow.
By the way, how is your dad? (And your mom?) My parents turned 80 this year. Dad was a little down about the thought of that.
Well, I best be going. I don't want to be late for work.
Thinking about you. Dreaming, too. I forget the specifics, but it was vivid and you were there. What are dreams? They're like little movies of the subconscious mind, or something. Or maybe dreams are real and waking life isn't. I don't know.
Happy New Year.
Love,
Dave
September 18, 2022.
Dear Tobi
Hey, I drove through La Farge yesterday. I haven't been there in years. Been so long. I was surprised to find my Great Grandparents' home still standing. They lived in an apartment on the upper floor of a house on Main Street. I was coming through from the other end of town and just when I thought it had been torn down and built over I saw it. Recognizable by the steep staircase on the right side of the house. I took a picture of it and sent it to my Dad. He commented how the house had been resided. Which jogged my memory as I seem to recall it being red siding or something back when I was a kid. I would have loved to have found the owner outside. I would have asked if I could take a peek inside. I bet it's changed inside. Seems it would have to have been remodeled as I recall squeaky floors and just being really old back then. I remember it somewhat well, surprisingly.
It's still a tiny town. I don't think much has changed, aside from up on a hill on the other side the headquarters of Organic Valley, a big dairy operation. I drove up the hill to it but it was closed. They had a little shop on Main Street so I stopped in to check that out. Got to talking a little to the young guy working there who had only just moved to La Farge two months ago from a suburb in Chicago. Seems funny as there really isn't much there to move to. It's still country. Although the towns around have been growing and becoming more young and hip. The driftless region as it's called. Viroqua in particular. Anyway, I told him how I wanted to stop in at the headquarters up on the hill because that was my Great Uncle John's land. He didn't seem interested in my history. He did tell me that the shop where I was standing was actually the original Organic Valley.
I was a little thrown off by the location of the huge headquarters buildings. It looked nothing like my Great Uncle John's land, as I remembered. I wondered if I would see his house still staning. I didn't. But as I was driving into town I saw a street coming in from an angle with a cemetery. So I backtracked to it, drove up over the hill and there it was. My Great Uncle's house. It's been uninhabitable for years. I remember my Grandfather telling me that back when HE was alive. There was a tarp over the door and over a window. The roof above the kitchen was caving in, but I get the impression someone is using it to store things inside. Who knows what. I peeked into an open porch window and saw a gasoline can and a few other things? I noticed the grass had been mowed, and the lawn kept up. There's a fenced in patch by the old barn with huge pumpkins. I took pictures of the old barn and the fence. I remember old home movies my Dad took of me and my brother with our Great Uncle John and his big horses. He used to take those horse to the State Fair.
I'll have to see if I can import a few photos here for you, if interested. My Dad sent me a picture of a newspaper clipping of his Uncle John and Aunt Garnett. Garnett was one of my Grandma's sister's.
As I was driving out of town toward Viroqua guess what I saw. A road sign for Husker Hollow! I would have loved to have went down the road but there was traffic behind me and it was getting dark. Next time. I did Google Roberts and Husker Hollow and found this photo. Check this out, fourth photo down! The Roberts/Campbell clan: http://www.vernoncountyhistory.org/photos/historic_photosx.php. (You might have to copy and paste that.)
Do you remember the name of the Roberts your father is related to? My Dad has an old Bible passed down from my Grandma that belonged to his Great Great Grandfater, Willis J. Roberts, who fought in the Civil War. A relative of yours, too! Remind me how again.
I still find it fascinating that you and I met many many many many many years later.
Gotta run for now. Coffee shop's closing. But I'll try to add photos later.
Love always,
Dave
July 29, 2022.
Dear Tobi
So sorry to hear you had to leave Italy. I didn't know Italy required boosters every 3 months. I had my single shot vaccine, and the booster some time after that. I hear there's another available, but I haven't gotten it yet. I'm not sure I want to. Not that I don't trust it, I just don't know anything about it. And now there's this monkeypox thing.
I thought of you when I opened up my laptop today to a beautiful image of an island somewhere in Italy. I forget which. It was one of those ever-changing screensavers. If it's still there next time I log in I'll take note. I wish I were in Italy right now. I've only seen Rome. I'd like to roam, and see more of the country.
Will you be moving anywhere else? Like back to China? Canada? Some other country?
More later. I must run out to my garden. Disappointed yesterday to see someone stole one of my cabbages. I hope they don't come back for more. I have four enormous Late flat dutch cabbages. I'm surprised the thief didn't go after one of those! Think I'll get some potatoes today.
I dig potatoes.
Dave
August 12, 2022.
Dear Tobi
So sorry to hear of your friend's husband. Was he suffering from depression? A friend of mine took his life a few years ago. He had health issues that led to it. It's hard for friends to understand. And it has to be hardest on the family.
:(
Dave
July 29, 2022.
Dear Tobi
So sorry to hear you had to leave Italy. I didn't know Italy required boosters every 3 months. I had my single shot vaccine, and the booster some time after that. I hear there's another available, but I haven't gotten it yet. I'm not sure I want to. Not that I don't trust it, I just don't know anything about it. And now there's this monkeypox thing.
I thought of you when I opened up my laptop today to a beautiful image of an island somewhere in Italy. I forget which. It was one of those ever-changing screensavers. If it's still there next time I log in I'll take note. I wish I were in Italy right now. I've only seen Rome. I'd like to roam, and see more of the country.
Will you be moving anywhere else? Like back to China? Canada? Some other country?
More later. I must run out to my garden. Disappointed yesterday to see someone stole one of my cabbages. I hope they don't come back for more. I have four enormous Late flat dutch cabbages. I'm surprised the thief didn't go after one of those! Think I'll get some potatoes today.
I dig potatoes.
Dave
July 08, 2022.
Dear Tobi
Well, here I am enjoying an iced coffee on the balcony of Cargo Coffee on East Washington so I thought I'd drop you a line to say Hi.
Hi.
Love always,
Dave
P.S. I haven't had coffee iced in a long time. Funny, lately I've been into tea. Iced tea, that is. Black, sometimes mixed with lemonade, sometimes mixed with their orange something-or-another herbal iced tea. When I order it black I always ask for a lemon. I don't always get the lemon. They seem to get distracted and forget. But I don't make a fuss. I found a volunteer mint plant growing this spring in my community plot, so I transplanted it to my row of herbs. Often I take a few leaves right before I leave and later put them in my iced tea. I don't really know what to do with it, otherwise. I must look into this as I do like it. I like mint ice cream, but I don't make ice cream. I like mint Lifesavers, but I don't make Lifesavers. I quit chewing gum long ago. I don't plant dill anymore. It plants itself. It grows everywhere. I had a little in my lettuce salad yesterday. It lent the dressing a nice flavor. Or "flavour" depending upon your preference (I haven't forgotten that you are Canadian). As with mint, I don't really know what to do with dill. Used for pickling, sure. And good on salmon. I don't grow salmon. Although I should. I hear they do. Farm raised salmon!
How about you? Are you growing anything this summer?
May 22, 2022.
Dear Tobi
Just a quick note to say "Hi!" Hi! I'm having a quick cup of coffee before heading in to work. Sitting directly across fro me is your youngest, Gracie, looking all grown up now. And she probably is! No, really. The young woman sitting at the next table here on the balcony looks a lot like I remember.
Busy May as always. Work is work, planting the garden mornings before work is fun work, two long races on consecutive weekends, neither of which I have been prepared for in recent years. And then my client in Colorado has had some problems connecting to her website; and when I took a look, so did I! Turned out to be the server, not her or me. But then the ability for her to make updates isn't working. I think that third-party content management system must have closed down as neither of us can access it. So I guess that will be my June project, getting her reconnected to make edits when needed. But at least most of May is through!
How are you doing? Are you still in Italy? Hey, I was talking to a passeger whose last name is Limonecelli. I said to him how that must be a name that has some meaning. He told me his father was an orpan in Italy, and over there they don't give names to the orphans, they leave it up to the child once they reach a certain age. He told me his Dad grew up on a lemon grove, so he called himself Limonecelli, or "Little Lemon". Is that the correct translation? Didn't seem quite right to me, but what do I know? Either way, I thought it was kind of a cute story.
Oh well, off to work. I'm running behind!
Love you,
Dave
April 29, 2022.
Dear Tobi
Happy Birthday!
Just a quick note to say hello. Hope you have a great day. Or am I too late with that time zone thing? Hope you had a great day!
Thought of you yesterday while listening to a radio show with a theme. Theme Time Radio Hour with your host Bob Dylan. The theme was the Moon. Did you see the Moon last night? It's the same one, you know.
I must sign out for now as they're trying to close shop. More here later!
Again, Happy Birthday!
<3
Dave
February 25, 2022.
Dear Tobi
It's about time I sit back and relax on the balcony on a much deserved day off and enjoy a (second) glass (why not?) of iced tea. I probably could have gone in today, but why? I went in on Sunday, thought about calling in sick on Monday, went in, left work early because I wasn't feeling well, and called in sick the next two scheduled days. One must be careful as not to become too smug. It was Sunday when I commented that wearing a mask during the cold and flu season just might be the thing to do as I haven't gotten either during the last two years! And then Monday I awake with an aching stomach and aching head. I still don't know what hit me. I had one of those home COVID tests and tested negative. So that was a positive! I was fine by Thursday to go in and work the two hours I promised a coworker. Two hours is a nice shift. It should be the norm, don't you think? Just pay me the weekly 40 for a 10 hour week. Sounds fair, right?
Which reminds me, I had made changes last week to my first web client's site. Quite a few changes last year since the new director took over, and I never did bill her for that. She mentioned this in her latest email. I explained the clumsiness of having lost all previous invoices during The Great External Hard Drive Crash of Whatever Year That Was. I told her not only had I forgotten where I was, "professionally" (whatever that means), in my invoice numbering, but I had forgotten the hourly rate at which I had been charging. I told her I wasn't concerned about payment for anything in the past, but I was considering a freelance business name change, anyway, and that I would follow through, as requested, in billing her. I asked what she would consider a fair rate. She replied. Not quite the four times ratio I joke about in the last paragraph, but three times what I seem to remember charging several years ago. Which is more in line with what freelance web designers make, I'm told. This will make my friend Jamie (who's sort of in the business) happy as he's been telling me I'm stupid for not charging what I'm worth. What can I say? It was my first client, a friend of mine (who passed away over a year ago), and a nonprofit. So now I'm left trying to come up with a different freelance name. I don't like the one I've been using. I would like something a little more anonymous. Or random. That way I could start afresh with billing. Invoice 0001.
How are things with you? Are things a little more relaxed in Italy? Have you been keeping up with the news on this continent? I haven't, really. I mean, I still don't know what the trucker thing was all about in Canada. Something about disrupting traffic in protest of mask mandates. Personal freedoms, and such. I used to know someone in Canada. I wonder what ever happened to her. :)
Thinking of you.
Love you always,
Dave
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