CAPITOLETTER

October 7, 2024

Curt, Caden and Carsen Zolnoski and Erik Berglund came to Ronda Cordell’s from Rapid City, last week, to help work on a siding project on the trailer house. The guys stayed with Clint and Denise Zolnoski. They came to “Git-R-Done,” as Larry the Cable guy would say. When they left Sunday afternoon, only a portion of the east side was unfinished. They came back again this weekend to finish the siding, skirting framework and insulation. Erik’s son, Blaz, came along with them, this weekend. When those guys get at it, it’s like a whirlwind of activity.

Along with their whirlwind, Saturday brought some serious wind a-blowing, but that didn’t deter their work. Caden and Carsen helped Ronda dig in a green, treated two by twelve, to replace the railroad ties on one end. The ties being used weren’t in line and wouldn’t be mouse-proof. When the guys left on Sunday afternoon, they’d gotten the bottom enclosed before it turned cold. Tin was in place on the west long, sixty foot side and the deck back was done, so Ronda doesn’t need a step ladder to get to those places.

Ross Phelps stopped by at Ronda’s, on Monday, to get paid for September’s work. Diane Wear came from Ekalaka for a visit, on Monday morning. They picked some garden goodies, and drove down to the creek to check on a group of calves. Diane stayed for lunch before heading home.

On Tuesday, Ronda went to the Buffalo Clinic for blood work, and then stopped by Blossoms ‘N’ Brew for lunch. She thanks Michelle for lunch. She’s been there several times this summer, mostly because there’s no cafe in Camp Crook open at lunch time. She finds it interesting to see the “long-distance” customers that are there. She visited with two women from Canada, there, this week. On other occasions, she met customers from as far away as Florida and Georgia.

On Friday, Ronda cleaned the trailer house of clutter, so that Joie Douglas and a friend, Luke, from Wahpeton, North Dakota could stay over. She had given Joie her old Lincoln Continental, and they loaded it on Saturday morning to take it back to Wahpeton with them.

Dell Dague hauled a load of hay for Ronda, from east of Newell to the Old Church hay yard, and by mid-day he was headed back for another load. Clint drove the loader tractor over to unload the bales. Curt went to pick him up, and Clint joined the work crew for lunch at Ronda’s. Denise and the girls had gone to the Pumpkin Patch near Spearfish for the day.

Dick and Erma Albert were headed to Sturgis on Wednesday, so that Erma could get an x-ray. They heard a thump, and steam seemed to be rising from their pick-up, so they turned around and went back home. Then they used the car for the trip. They decided they had hit a deer, but didn’t see any along the road. On Friday, they both went to the soup dinner at the Senior Center. On Sunday, they went to church, and then to Saloon Number Three for lunch. Father Brian joined them for lunch there. The Catholic Church Bazaar will be on November third, this year, at the Rec Center in Buffalo. It is always a most delicious meal.

Lynn Gustafson went to the Hills, on Monday, for a doctor’s appointment. On Tuesday, she and Linda Matthews went to Bowman. Bruce and Lynn went in to Camp Crook, on Wednesday, to have lunch with Pete ‘Gordon’ Anderson and Dixie Garr. They went to the Little Missouri Church for the service on Sunday morning.

Ernie, Rachel, Tommy, Junior and Shirley Melum had a big day, on Sunday. That morning, they all went to church at the Baptist Church in Baker. It was baptism day for Tommy, with lots of family there for the special day. They stayed for the church dinner after the service. Then they visited with many of the Kalbach family. They got to see Bessie’s house in Baker, and then see the house Daniel had bought, too. They enjoyed the visit with all of the Kalbach family. On the way home, they stopped for a visit with Marguerite, before coming on home.

Karen Odell visited with all her children this week. She also talked with her cousin and a high school friend in Ohio. She learned that another high school friend living in Florida, who had finally gotten his house rebuilt after a hurricane three years ago, was hit again this time. On Wednesday, she made a trip to the Metzger-Holcomb Vet Clinic in Spearfish. On Friday, Chancey Odell had to make a trip to the same clinic to take his cat in to be stitched up, so he brought Karen’s cats home for her, too. Chancey did not know what had attacked his cat, but after it’s belly got stitched up it was much happier.

On Friday night, Karen got to watch the Mitchell Kernels football game on YouTube, against Aberdeen. It was a tough match against one of the best teams, but it is wonderful to get to see a grandson play, even though she was far away. Micki Odell gets to teach in a brand-new school building this year, in Tacoma, Washington, and Murphy gets a new classroom. Jeff Odell is harvesting a bumper garden crop in Iowa. Cody’s family in Mitchell spends much of their time following school sports, music and speech competitions with all their kids active in many things. Mollie Smith is busy with a new cat, but Kyia’s broken hand will soon be healed, and then she will soon be going to volleyball games again this winter.

We need some prayers for our whole country, and also for areas where terrible weather has caused devastation. Hope you can help out.

The light of one star can still penetrate to reach us, even through billions of miles of darkness.