Note from the Editor:
Many thanks to Dale’s sister Madeline for sharing some of the earliest Dumpsters that were not in the files we uncovered on Juneberry Lane. As you read in the prior post, Dale’s monthly missives were not titled “The Dumpster” until May 2010. The posts Madeline found started in July 2009 and were simply entitled July Update, August Update and so forth.
So, thank you Madeline for sharing these earlier posts. And happy Memorial Day to all!!
Stephen
And now, here’s this week’s featured attraction, Dale’s post from July 2009
July ! July !
Charles Dickens said it best. ” It was the best of
time, It was the worst of time.” NO , not Sarah Palin resigning or M.J.
sudden death nor the Red Soxs. Yes! it’s the weather. RAIN.
Sure , our gardens and farm crops need water to grow, But not this much water. Seriously who needs 12 inches in a month. It sure did make for
a wet 4th week-end at the camp ground. Can you say MUD ?
Cousin Lois said her garden was just a mire of mud and the flowers had curled up and were waiting for the last rites. I had so many
slugs in the yard that Jeff Probst could of feed all his Survivor Contestants
for the whole month. So Mother Nature, I promise to never, ever complain about the heat, if you will fix that broken water pipe.
It as always was good hearing from so many of you.
Thanks to your e-mails I now know that Father’s Day is a big event in June. Good news that Ellie K and Dick B are recovering from their operations. Clem, I would like to hear more about that new grandchild. It was wonderful having son John from Baltimore here for the week-ends.
The Star for July might have been Susan Boyle, the shy Scottish Maid, with the voice of an angel. Who has recovered from depression and is now on her way to a great music career. Or it could of been Mirie
Stivashankar , the 13 yr old girl from Kansas, who won the national spelling bee. She was awe inspiring as she conquered words that only Webster knew.It probably was easier for her after she mastered the spelling of her name.
But the Star for July I am proud to say was my handsome grandson Nick Sinclair. He graduated from Hall Dale Jr.HS and was recognized for the his great work over the last two years. Nick received the American Legion award for courage, integrity, honor, and scholarship. The Presidential Award for Academic Excellence which included a letter from Pres. Obama, also the P.E. award for leadership in the classroom. Nick it must be in the gene pool (mother’s side) . Nick has just returned from the Costa Rica’s rain forest where his Uncle John took him for a special vacation.
What book have I been reading this month ? American Passage, History of Ellis Island. by Vincent Cannato. It is not on Oprah’s book list. But it has lots of great true life stories of the immigrants who went through the island’s gates into NYC. Yes ! it’s a history book and I know you hated your boring history teacher. But that was years ago, so get over it.. You might like it.
If you read my monthly commentary you are probably thinking Dale you are watching too many ” 60 Minutes Reruns with Andy Rooney” I
will admit that I am a dinosaur when it comes to all the new electronic gadgets. I feel no need to conceal that I’m happy with snail mail, hard copy, VCR, my a.m. desk radio,or a Fred+Wilma’s dial telephone. So I’m not keeping up with the Jones, maybe not even with the people in Mayberry. Because for music I don’t need that iPod hanging out of my ear or watch Letterman on the TiVo while I eat my morning Cheerios.It seems I’m living in a world that I no longer know. I am a modern day Rip Van Winkle.
For example, take the growing popularity of the Cell Phone. Yes, it has a place in our society, a real potential for service, “Like I have fallen and I can not get up.” or “the flat tire on a dark rainy night.” Especially since we no longer have any highway phone booths. So I’m not against cell phones, I have one but It drives my family and friends crazy because I never turn it on. They feel that a normal person will carry it and use it daily. This small folding pocket phone loaded with giga bytes, will let you take pictures, play games,watch TV shows, go on the Internet, text messages or tethering to people next to you. All while driving 80 mph down I 95. I really do not need a cell phone hanging on my belt to do this. If I need to make a call, I will borrow yours. Because, like you said, all normal people have one today.
That’s it for this month. In the next e-mail I will give you my recipe for a delicious Zucchini/horse radish dip. Just kidding. I wish you many sunny days ahead. My life is good here and I hope it is in your neck of the woods. They say friends will leave footprints in your heart, so please walk all over me.
God Bless, Dale