CAPITOLETTER

November 18, 2024

Capitol and Tie Creek saw frost on the pumpkins, on Sunday morning. Things had finally gotten pretty chilly during the night.

On Monday afternoon, Ronda Cordell drove to Rapid City to stay over-night at Cristen and Jayda Westling's. On Tuesday morning, Ronda had an appointment with a Rapid City dermatologist. She met Curt Zolnoski for a late breakfast after the appointment. Then, she was back to Spearfish by one-thirty for a chiropractor appointment. Diane Wear came to the ranch after work on Monday, to stay over to doggie sit and tend to chores.

On Friday afternoon, Diane Wear came by again, briefly, as she was on her way in to Camp Crook to cook at the Corner Cafe. Ronda made a quick trip to Buffalo, and enjoyed 'tips' at the cafe as she came back through Camp Crook, on her way home. Diane stayed over-night, to be able to cook on Saturday evening. She helped Ronda get the squash into a winterized place before she headed back home to Ekalaka on Sunday. Ronda drove out to the Bullock Hall on Sunday, where the Christmas Bazaar was taking place, and enjoyed lunch and looking at the crafts.

Dick and Erma Albert went shopping in the Hills on Tuesday. Things have been pretty calm since then. They both went to the Senior Citizen dinner on Friday, and enjoyed ham and potatoes. There was cake, also, for a couple of birthdays. Erma stayed to play cards and was on a winning streak. She won three games. On Sunday, Dick and Erma went to church at the Catholic Church, and stayed afterward for a pot luck dinner and Bible study.

Alvin and Marlee Cordell had a hunter from Iowa, this week, who left on Tuesday. Wade Pearson hauled some boards out for Alvin, on Thursday. Then Jess Lehman came to inspect a couple of cows that Wade took back with him. On Saturday, two hunters, a man and wife from Colorado, came. They were friends who had visited for many years. Alvin went out with them, on Sunday, and Marlee went to church at the Methodist Church in Camp Crook. Barrett Cordell’s birthday will be on Monday, so everyone at church sang ‘Happy Birthday’ for him, and got to have cake after church.

Pete Anderson went to church in Camp Crook, too, and enjoyed the cake afterward. Then Bruce and Lynn Gustafson came to visit him later in the day.

Lynn Gustafson picked up Janet Odell, and they went to the Diligent Doer’s Extension Club meeting at the Camp Crook City Hall, on Wednesday. On Thursday, Bruce and Lynn had to go all the way to Miles City, so that Lynn could get a driver’s license with ID. That certainly sounds like a hardship to me; and also a great expense. That’s 340 miles round-trip.

Monday was Veteran’s Day, and Julia Davis had a holiday from her work in town, so she could do a lot of work at home. The rest of the week was pretty normal until Friday. That’s when one of their big white sheep dogs came in with a face and mouth full of porcupine quills. There were so many, that they had to take him to the vet in Belle Fourche. Doug helped the vet while the dog was sedated, and they finally got all the quills out. The dog was groggy, but much happier on the way home.

Junior and Shirley Melum got a nice package of wedding pictures from their granddaughter, Lauren Woods. Lauren and her husband returned from a trip to Hawaii, and live outside Kansas City on a farm. She now has chickens to care for, while her husband has a large lawn care business in town.

Dawn Padden had been to Bowman for the junior high basketball games, on Friday. Junior High wrestling has also started and the high school wrestlers will begin next week. Dawn and Bryce went on a skunk hunt, this week. They got some, but fear there are more living nearby.

Karen Odell and Hywel had a pretty quiet week. Karen caught some more cats to visit the Metzger Holcolm Vet Clinic. Hywel is not a great help, and two got away when she was nearly ready to leave, but she finally got a few to take down on Wednesday. She went back again, on Friday, to pick them up. Jack Ovitz stopped by, one day, to check out an electrical breaker for Karen. He went on up the river, to visit at Junior and Shirley Melum’s. Karen made a trip to Wolffy’s in Camp Crook. She talked to both her brothers, Ron and Jim Evans in Ohio, and it was good to hear their voices. She watched the Columbus Grove High School football team on YouTube, and got to see grandchildren of her home-town friends, playing in the game. She got a great letter from her college friend, Jeanne Dineen. She and Jeanne can recall many interesting and exciting events from their college days, and trips with the university choir and cheerleaders.

Next week will be the Harding County Ministerial Community Service at six o’clock on Sunday, at the log church in Buffalo.

The echoes of a kind word can rebound from person to person until they are truly endless.