CAPITOLETTER

January 22, 2024

The deep freeze was broken on Sunday at Capitol and on Tie Creek. We had had nearly three weeks of below zero weather, that never seemed to even approach positive numbers. There was a few inches of snow on the ground that the sun’s warmth hadn’t even softened. The good thing was that the snow was still crystals and not ice. Sunday morning was hazy, but one step outside and it felt like spring, and already things were beginning to melt.

Ronda Cordell got most of her taxes organized during the nasty days. She went out every day to do chores around the corrals. It took several layers of clothes to keep the chill away. She was so used to layering up, that on the first ‘above-zero’ day, she had to shed her down vest. Clint Zolnoski went to Baker on Wednesday to get the Can-Am.

On Thursday, it was snowing and blowing, but Shirley Latham’s funeral at the Camp Crook Community Center was well attended. Ronda had stopped to pick up Denise’s soup for the funeral lunch in town. Darby had been sick with the flu, so she didn’t dare take the girls out. Ronda had heard news reports about the danger of sepsis being prevalent, and that even a scratch shouldn’t be taken lightly. She had also heard that cases of strep throat could settle and cause issues in joints.

On Friday, when Ronda was taking things to the basement where she stores canned goods and vet meds, she discovered water was leaking. Ross Phelps came from Ekalaka to see if there was an easy solution, but, of course, there wasn’t. That room was stuffed full, but is now getting less stuffed as they are trying to figure out what the issue is. Luckily her sewer is still operable. On Saturday, Ronda drove to the Bergstrom place to have supper with Linda Hannah. Tony Hannah had flown back to Alaska for a week, but ended up with a bout of Covid upon arrival, so he will not be back until Monday. On Sunday, Ronda drove to Camp Crook to have fried chicken at Over The Edge.

Dick and Erma Albert have been avoiding the frigid weather. On Wednesday, Erma went

to her chiropractor’s appointment, and did a little shopping in Buffalo. They both went to the Senior Center, on Friday, for dinner. Next week will be the Friday chicken dinner. By Sunday, things had warmed up, and they got out for mass at the Catholic Church. Then, they went to Saloon Number Three and had lunch with the Helms family and Father Brian.

Alvin Cordell had read that two record low temperatures had been set in Ekalaka last week. A man came from Bowman on Tuesday, to work on the emission controls on Alvin’s tractors. He couldn’t use the tractors in the coldest weather, when they were needed most, because the technology cannot work in the cold.

On Wednesday, Alvin and Marlee went to Camp Crook for the Mexican dinner at Over The Edge. Ester Oleson was the special cook for the evening. They went to the Shirley Latham funeral on Thursday, and even with the terrible cold and wind, there were many people there. Alvin helped up at the cemetery, afterwards, and the wind and cold up on the hill was frightful. Alvin made a trip to Baker on Friday to get supplies for working on corrals. Marlee went to church in Camp Crook, on Sunday, and conducted the church meeting afterward. Alvin has counted nearly 300 turkeys in one bunch around his place.

Dale Moncur stopped by to visit at Junior and Shirley Melum’s, on Saturday. Ernie, Rachel and Tommy Melum went to the Shirley Latham funeral, on Thursday. Rachel and Tommy Melum went to Baker, on Sunday, for church and Youth Group that afternoon.

Dorothy Padden was the honored sports fan for Harding County, and her picture was in last week’s paper. She deserved the recognition, because I know of no more faithful and committed Grandma. She loves sports, and is always there supporting the kids. This week was a quiet one for her, because some events were cancelled because of the extreme cold. Bryce and Dorothy went to Camp Crook, on Thursday, for the Shirley Latham funeral. Bryce and Dawn had a difficult time with their electricity, and brown-outs did some strange work on appliances. They are gradually getting fuses replaced and things fixed, but some things may have to be replaced.

Karen Odell had been staying close to home in the frigid weather. Tuesday’s forecast gave the best hope for warming, so she went to Camp Crook to mail letters, and visit Wolffy’s to stock up on groceries. Wednesday was cold, but when Chancey Odell called to invite Karen to Over The Edge, Karen couldn’t resist getting to eat Ester Oleson’s Mexican food, especially when she didn’t even have to do the driving. Ester is known for her wonderful cooking, and it was great to hear she would be cooking again. Chancey, Megan and Karen got to visit with lots of people that evening. The news of Ester’s cooking had spread, and lots of local people had stopped in. Karen learned that there would be church this week at the Methodist Church, but she still didn’t trust the weather man’s prediction of a warm Sunday.

When the UPS man confirmed that it was going to be above freezing, and maybe close to 50 next week, Karen felt happy. The UPS man usually does good his research. Chancey came over on Thursday, to get things Karen had for the funeral, but she decided to let him deliver them, so he didn’t have to bring her home again after her road had blown shut.

On Sunday, Karen headed out for church, and her vehicle started as if it were summer. Her road was already nearly melted off. Sam Cordell led the service, and Karen played piano for the hymns. The Sunday School kids all got to ring the bell, and Lynnette Wolff gave the children’s sermon. There was a church meeting after the service. Karen stopped at the post office and got some mail. In the afternoon she watched another church service on YouTube, and caught up on her past violin teacher, Emmy Jerde, and Zeona Road’s music, that was on YouTube, too. She got to see pictures of Micki Odell’s family, in Washington, as they were skiing in the mountains. Then, Karen talked to her brother, Ron and Patsy Evans in Ohio, where it was still frigid.

Please keep the Latham family in your prayers.

It seems it takes much less brain work to be critical, than it does to be correct.