CAPITOLETTER

September 18, 2023

The news will be a little short this week. Karen has been quite busy. She wrote out a very old song, and then she arranged her piano accompaniment and recorded the piano part. Next, she recorded her voice and added it to the mix. Then, she wrote out the violin part for the break in the middle. After that, she has been practicing every day to sing and play at Jeff Odell’s wedding. She sent the mp3 to Jeff and he passed it onto the DJ. With that done, she had to be sure she packed the violin along with her wedding attire. On Wednesday, Karen and Hywel went to Mitchell, to visit with Cody, Kylie, Kellan, Kenna and Carson.

On Thursday, Cody became the driver for Karen, Kenna and Carson, and they went to Canton, South Dakota for the wedding rehearsal. Kylie and Kellan came later, after football practice. They met Micki, Jesse, Rowan and Murphy Hinds at the hotel in Sioux Falls, and at Canton, met with Mollie JD and Kyia Smith and Jeff and Amanda Odell. Hywel even got to come along, but spent his time in the van. The wedding was wonderful. Kyia was a flower girl. Murphy was ring bearer. Kenna was head usher. Kellan, Rowan and Carson were ushers. Cody was Best Man. Micki did her own special reading. Mollie read her own original poem, written just for the wedding, and Karen sang her song, “Some Sunday Morning” from ‘San Antonio,’ a 1945 western that had starred Errol Flynn. Amanda’s mother had been the wedding planner, and her creations were beautiful for the outside wedding and dance. Amanda’s sister was Matron of Honor, and the well planned day was very fun and beautiful. Carol Smith came with Kenny Smith’s family. Mike and Elizabeth Odell came along with Keely’s family and Liam and his girlfriend.

Chancey Odell and Megan were there from Camp Crook. Master Scott and Dixie Bachmeier came from North Dakota. Jeff and Amanda had lots of friends and neighbors there, too. Hope I didn’t forget anyone from Capitol and Tie Creek. Hywel had come along with Karen, and he stayed at Amanda’s parent’s home which had a perfect dog fence for him. Karen didn’t make it until the midnight hour. She got to dance with Jeff and Kellan, but her bum leg wore out, so she and Hywel were back at the hotel before midnight. On Saturday, Jeff’s family met for breakfast, and then Micki’s family flew back to Tacoma, Mollie’s family drove back to Minneapolis and Cody’s family and Karen went back to Mitchell to be able to see Kellan play football for Mitchell High School that evening. There was a ‘tailgate’ party at the stadium, and they all ate supper there.

Then before the game, there were two performances of dancers on the field. Next they looked high in the sky to see three objects drop from a silver plane. One was followed by a jet of green vapor, another waved a designed flag, and the third brought a huge American flag. In their own time, each sky diver dropped suddenly toward the football field with a running perfect landing on the fifty-yard line. Chancey and Megan joined Karen and Cody’s family in the stands, and they got to see Kellan play lots of defense and receive kick returns in the first half of the game.

The Mitchell High School band was spectacular at halftime. Their band won many competitions last year, and it looks as if they will win again this year. Kellan had some really exciting accomplishments in the second half, and Grandma was very glad she got to be there to see him. Karen, Chancey and Megan spent the night with Cody’s family, and then, they all headed for home on Sunday. Hywel was glad to get rid of his harness and leash and run around on his own again at home.

Curt Zolnoski came to Clint and Denise Zolnoski’s, on Monday, to spend the night, and to help with preconditioning, and ultra sounding, on Tuesday. Gene Secrest came from Spearfish, and Diane Wear came from Ekalaka to help, too. It was a fairly nice day, but the wind was blowing a gale. Mindy Yates and Kylie Kennedy were the techs at the chute. On Thursday, Ronda Cordell went to Ekalaka to get her hair trimmed. She had lunch at the Wagon Wheel , and then stopped by the NRCS and FSA offices. On Sunday, Ronda went to Camp Crook for the chicken dinner at Over the Edge.

Hope everyone saves their news for next week, and maybe I can catch up.

Some of the most Heavenly times come right after your hardest work.