| 19 | Winter | 97 |
|---|---|---|
| PO Box 522 | PAMPA, TX | 79066-0522 |
| Volume 7 | of the family, by the family, for the family | Issue 3 | 806 669 6009 | On the Move | Christmas '97 | TJ Pete's Bunch | The Train! | Taiwan News |
puzzler@pan-tex.net |
On the MoveLouada has been staying busy getting her house winterized. She had insulation blown in her bedroom walls and over all the ceiling. Then she had a new door put in the back of her garage.She still gives piano lessons and enjoys sewing. Gardening and ironing are pretty much things of the past, though. By the way, the area code for the Altus area is 580 now. (In Wichita Falls it is now 940) Sharon has been learning sign language for the deaf and has taken to it naturally. She resumed working with her church's TV ministry on alternate Sunday nights. Otherwise, she stays busy working as a nurse, taking care of Jeremy and finishing up renovating part of her house inside. This year both boys will spend Christmas with their Dad in Missouri. Cecil and I are still planning our move to Greenville, South Carolina. No, we don't know just when, but we are optimistic about Spring. God has opened many doors for Cecil to get more golf experience this summer and fall. For a while he was the golf marshall at the Wichita Falls Country Club. More recently, he taught beginner and advanced courses in golf through Midwestern State University's Continuing Education. Also, he has periodically given private lessons and has done some club fitting. This was all part-time as he still works nights, full time, sorting mail at the post office. The extra money has come in handy in getting bills paid. By the time we move, we should owe little to nothing! And we'll need to as we expect a pay decrease for Cecil of around $20,000 - $25,000! Eventually, that will pay off, after he completes around 3 years of courses and on-the job training. The he'll work on getting hired to be a head golf pro somewhere. Initially, he'll be an assistant pro and complete that training on the side. I have accomplished a thing or two myself. You may recall the poem that was published in October. Then, they wrote me a few weeks ago and asked me to write a new poem for The Best Poems of 1997. They said only a select group of people were asked to submit poems. That was a nice surprise. I'm researching on how too get some poetry published for MONEY. I'd like to be the next Helen Steiner Rice. Wouldn't that be nice. (Hey...there's a rhyme!) Otherwise, I'm still in the same job at Sheppard. I like it better now than I did for a while, after a reorganization. I'm in a quieter office now. I will be eligible for early retirement in just under 2 years. When I found that out, I decided to definitely stay in civil service when we move. I'll work at whatever federal job I can get, as there is no military base there. Cecil's son, Billy, will be moving with us. After he gets his own job, he'll get on a waiting list for housing. Meanwhile, we're getting the house fixed up to sell. I wish Sharon & I lived closer to each other so we could practice sign language. About once a month, I sign praise and worship music Sunday morning for church. I hope to keep my skills up after we move. 'Til next time, Christmas '97Well, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but, since this newsletter won't be coming out until after Christmas, this phrase isn't exactly proper, but it is a good opening to our current weather conditions. It began with rain and freezing rain. We have icicles hanging from the tree limbs topped with all the snow that can set up there. We got about 6 or 7 inches on the first go around and it is supposed to continue most of Christmas week.Gretchen and Marm with all their brothers and sisters got new collars for Christmas. They must have liked them because there's a big box for Mama and Daddy from all the four legged kids. Would you believe, we have a new addition. Another stray puppy. Gypsy, one of Bob's dogs, is doing the mother bit trying to teach the new puppy some manners, so we named her Rosalie. The biggest problem is that Gypsy likes to play. They get into trouble a lot, especially when it's during the wee hours that the mood strikes them. We reprimand Gypsy, and she reprimands Rosalie. Rosalie likes to chew on wood. Bob gave her a piece of 2 by 4 to save the furniture and she occasionally brings in a tree limb (if she can figure out how to get through the doggy door). There's not many dull moments around here. We also have a genuine mouser aboard. Lucky may knock over everything in his path but he is going to get that mouse. Then plays with it. He wants everyone to see it and warns everyone to stay away. Then stashes it. Sam found it and had the audacity to parade in front of Lucky with it. I thought World War III broke out. Bob took it awayfrom them and disposed of it and I found the mouse hole. Things are going fairly well at work. It gets hectic at times and my arthritis protests, but it's generally not boring there either. I have had a couple of awards at work and another raise in pay. There's talk of new duties and I surely hope that is "instead of" rather than "in addition to." I had to give shots to all the dogs the other day. Bob just couldn't do it. then I came home with a prescription for my shots. Rather than paying $38 per month for them, I got enough for 5 months for less than $10. Insurance pays 80% on my prescriptions, but they had quit paying for the shots in the doctors office. I figured I would have to swab off an area and stab myself since he couldn't give a shot to the dogs but Bob decided for a $36 a month savings he could give them. He done an excellent job. He has a gentle touch, so I figured he would, and besides, I draw his blood every couple of weeks. Monta Holderman TJThe biggest news from Idaho is the newest addition to our little family. Shannon and Kenneth are the proud parents of a son. He was born on November 25th, weighed 5 lbs 9 oz and was 18 inches long. His name is TJ Jensen! He has lots of black hair and is a beautiful baby. He needed special attention during a 5 day hospital stay as he was 5 weeks early. He is doing very well and so are his parents.Shannon and Kenneth are enjoying their new home and did quite a bit of landscaping this summer. Kenneth has recently been upgraded in his job. Shannon still lacks one class to graduate and she is enrolled in the Spring semester. She has been and will continue to work at a furniture store here in town. Barbara and Dennnis are fine. Proudly playing the role as grandparents! They are always busy with their many projects around their house and yard. Dennis's latest project was building a beautiful cradle for the baby. In June, they had to sand bag around their house due to the flood threat-no damage! In July, during a "dry" thunder and lighting storm, their roof was struck by lighting causing considerable damage as well as damage to some of their appliances. Thankfully, nobody was home! Roger is doing good. Just completed a big home improvement project installing a "French drain" from a low place behind his house to a sloping area in front to a dry well. He'll be home during the Christmas holiday's along with some friends from Florida. They will be spending part of their vacation snowmobiling in Yellowstone Park. T.J. is doing quite well. His vision has improved a lot since his cataract surgery and further correction with glasses. I finished the Master Gardener's course through the County Extension office and am now enrolled in an Advanced Master Gardener's class. T.J. and I went to Chicago in October to visit Roger for a few days - had a very enjoyable time. T.J. had not been there for several years and it was just great that he was able to make the trip. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season to everyone. Assistant Editor The Train!To solve this problem you need to set up two equations. The length of the train can be expressed two ways by combining the velocities of the train and the vehicle and multiplying by the time taken. Let L be the length of the train, VT can represent the velocity of the train, the velocity of the vehicle can be VV, the time it takes to get by the train while facing it can be tf and tp can be the time it takes to pass the train. It's easier to manipulate letters than it is to manipulate figures so we'll set it up with just letters for now.
L=(VV-VT)tp Another way to find the Length (VT+VV)tf =(VV-VT)tp Note that the Length doesn't change VT(tf+tp)=VV(tp-tf) Solve for the Velocity of the train. VT=VV(tp-tf)/(tf+tp) The right side now contains all known values VT=75 mph (4 min - 1 min)/(4 min + 1 min) VT=3/5 * 75 mph or 45 mph Either equation will work for finding the Length of the train. L=(45 mph + 75 mph)1 min or 2 miles Pete's BunchKeeping up with this branch of Watts is theoretically impossible. Dad still runs his pumping business getting people out of trouble in their most inopportune moments of distress. Problems still arise with the truck but some how get alleviated with dad's ingenuity. Ma's cataract surgery was successful for both eyes. She can now drive again.Terry and Christie are now couriers in Tucson. They both claim to enjoy the new work. The girls, Adrianna, Mellisa and Rebecca are now enrolled in a Public School.
Marian is pursuing her Masters in Library Science. Along with her course work, she works part time at Clarendon College. She loves to cook, sew and craft. Rollerblading, tennis and aerobics are among the activities she enjoys to keep fit. I proposed to Marian and having accepted we tentatively set February 14th as our wedding date. The invitations sent will be limited, however, I intend to send one to each assistant editor so those that may be interested and able to attend can get more detailed information from them as the time draws near. Carol and Robin have picked up and moved from Duncan to Enid, Oklahoma. Laura and Jennifer are both attending college. Carols youngest daughter Vanessa graduated from High School with honors last May. Vanessa plans to stay close to Duncan for now where she works at a bank and recently married J.L. Swanson on the 27th of December. Beverly's daughter Christine (Cricket) has enrolled to attend Texas A&M at College Station. Beverly continues her career with the Army. Louis and Pamela remain in Duncan where Louis has set up a wood shop for creating nick knacks for the Flea Market. Gene, Rita, Josh, Meagan and Jesse along with Kelly and James enjoy their proximity with Lake Texoma. Bobby is in Wichita, Kansas where he does volunteer warehouse work for a local church. Steve is in Cape Giradeau, Missouri where he is furthering his education. Danny (Doc) has also recently married Debbie. Danny has an e-mail address so those of us
that e-mailing capabilities can keep in touch. It is: One of these days I'll put a family directory together with names and e-mail addresses. Be sure to let me know if you have one! Roy Taiwanian NewsWe are doing well in Taiwan and are looking at establishing a church planting movement in the Central Taiwan county of Nantou. We are the only county in Taiwan without a beach, but we have the best mountains (camping, hiking, rafting and other general boring stuff). Gailia is doing great with her ladies Bible class and the children are doing better than ever at school. Justyn has his eye on appointment to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Co after graduation and is trying to keep his G.P.A. up for that. He still has two years before he gets out of Taiwan. As for Nathan, well he is a trooper. He is really coming along with his ability to achieve in school. He is doing well and is developing into quite a good communicator. He still loves outdoor activities. Whitney is still slim and trim and wears a mouthpiece to correct a problem with her teeth. She is doing very well in school too. She keeps up with her brothers which is a real challenge...she isn't going to let them get to far ahead of her. Amber is famous since the typhoon named in her honor hit Taiwan. She is known far and wide. She got a 16" bike with training wheels for Christmas and has taken off once to parts unknown to us. She is a real explorer for a 4 year old. I am plugging away at my work. I am up in the rural and mountainous areas quite often and live in a tent a few days every month. These areas are Buddhist and Taoist, but the people are open to the Gospel. I just have to find the key that will open the closed doors of their hearts. If God keeps drawing people to Himself as He is now doing maybe I can work our family out of a job. Wouldn't that be great. I did get to go into China on a two week mountain biking trip through the Tibetan Highlands of Sichuan province. It was the best adventure of my life. God really blessed that opportunity. I built my bike from scratch, so I'm riding a GT aluminum frame with Shimano XTR components ( some are XT). I chose a 24 speed bike with desert raptor tires. Those extra three gears make a big difference on hills. The Oakley glasses just make me look really cool. Justyn is 15, Nathan is 12, Whitney is 10 and Amber is 4. Gailila and I are old enough to start thinking we need a piece of property in Colorado so we will have a place of our own (can missionaries think like that?). Bye for now, |
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As some of you have been informed, I met a lady here in Pampa through a mutual friend of
ours. Her name is Marian Grona. She has a daughter, Shelly, who is finalizing her Bachelor's degree in Personal Relations. She expects to graduate this summer. Marian's father, Virgil Belcher is a semi retired accountant having devoted thirty plus years to H&R Block in Amarillo. Virgil also fills in at his church giving a message when needed. His wife, Ann, taught special education for fifteen years. Virgil & Ann have already adopted Levi as their grandson and Shelly is excited about having a brother.