The little treasuresReports BASEBALL GUY FROM OAKDALE: &quot;My dad was from Augusta, Georgia. After enlisting in the Army in 1939, he was stationed at
The little treasures

Reports BASEBALL GUY FROM OAKDALE: "My dad was from Augusta, Georgia. After enlisting in the Army in 1939, he was stationed at Fort Snelling, which was a top-notch military base of the era. They had great social events, sports, and dances — and that's where he met my mom. When the war broke out, he traveled all over, but returned in a few years to marry Mom, and to make St. Paul his home.

"Last weekend, my nephew Ken Babin was married, and he wished his departed grandparents could have made the event. I resurrected Mom & Dad's wedding picture, cleaned it up a bit, and so they were there ... in a frame and sitting on the altar."

Approximately 343 words (is NaNoWriMo a word?) from Pelagia Castleberry, Author: "Subject: Another November ... another novel.

"November is just around the corner. That means that it's soon time for the 2013 NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, This is a time and organization created 'specially for all writers and writer-wannabes to encourage us to try our hands at getting a story out of our brains and onto the page (hard copy or computer, though to verify word-count, the document will need to be submitted to nanowrimo electronically).

"The challenge is to take the month to write a novel. For adults, the challenge is to write 50,000 words. For teens, the challenge is set at 30,000 words. I participated last year for the first time and completed my first novel after years of 'Someday I will write....' The novel I wrote has not reached publication -- and that's OK. It was a fabulous exercise that got me more into writing, and I look forward to November 1 when I can start writing this year's novel (whatever that may end up being).

"You can 'win' the challenge by reaching the word-count goal. Winners get discounts on certain software for writers and other kudos. But here's the kicker: You cannot lose this contest; you are in competition with yourself, your brain, and maybe your typing ability.

"I've done the count. I will be away from my computer for 18 days in November. That's OK; I'll use those days to think of what I want to write, and the 12 computer days to type. I can't lose!

"I would like to encourage any writers and anyone else who wants to give this a whirl to participate. It's free -- and the tools you find on the nanowrimo site may be exactly what you'll need to start writing on an ongoing basis.

"I'm doing it. I'd surely like to know who else is out there giving this a try. If you let Bulletin Board know you're participating, I, for one, will cheer you on -- and I'm guessing (as I am rarely the only one) that others will do so, too."

Life as we know it

The Doryman of Prescott, Wis.: "While I was waiting for my eyeball shot this morning, a guard walked into the clinic with a prisoner. They were immediately ushered into an examination room -- and I was surprised to feel a pang of sympathy for the guy. Partly it was because he was old and hunched over and needed a cane to hobble along. If I knew what this bright orange grandpa was convicted of, I might have lost my compassion very quickly; however, at that moment I couldn't help feeling sad that he was being helplessly displayed for our conjecture. P.S.: Get checked for age-related macular degeneration!"

What is right with people?

Juvenile Division

The Cheerful Witch of Burnsville: "In response to Midnight Angel's Halloween story [BB, 10/21/2013]:

"Last Halloween, I was passing candy to all the neighbor kids, dressed up in my cheerful witch costume, with black fingernails, dangly skeleton jewelry, huge peaked hat, mesh stockings and pointy-toed boots. They expect me to be there every year, as I have been doing it for many years.

"It got to the end of the evening, when a group of big kids that did not look like my usuals arrived. By then, my candy was down to about five pieces. I looked into the bowl and said: 'Oh shoot, I'm going to run out. How about you guys give me a few pieces from your bags, so I can get enough to last?' To my shock and surprise, they started digging out handfuls of candy and filling my bowl, until I had nearly as much as I had started with.

"Their generosity served well to restore my faith in Big Kids."

Come again?

IGHGrampa: "Subject: Unappreciated joke.

"The picture of the day [BB, 10/23/2013] reminded me of a hardware store in Bismarck a long time ago.

"The building where the hardware store lived had an upstairs rented out to a tap-dance school. The tapping sound of all the heels and toes seemed to be amplified through the building structure.

"One day, I was in the hardware store when the tapping started. I looked up and asked the register lady: 'Mice?'

"She gave me a blank look and paused. 'Uh, no. It's a dance school.' Then she went on with counting out my change.

"I was a little disappointed that she didn't appreciate my joke, and even seemed a little annoyed. Maybe the constant tapping above her had deadened her sensibilities."

Our times

Twitty of Como: " 'Do you want that gluten-free?' she said.

"I don't know if my face showed it, but I was confused. I was in a strange city (Seattle); in a coffee shop (one that wasn't Starbucks!), establishments the likes of which I normally NEVER habituate; ordering sweets to go with my 'Plain old black coffee, please'; and the barista was asking me a question to which I had no immediate answer.

"Gluten-free? Did it matter? To me? What's gluten, anyway? Trying not to look as stupid as I felt, I smiled and asked: 'Why? What's the difference between gluten-free and regular sweets that aren't good for me?'

"She smiled at my feeble attempt at humor and humored me with an explanation about taste and allergies. I didn't really listen, because the whole while she was talking, I was thinking: 'Gee, I wish I had Mandy on my speed dial.' Mandy is the world's best barista back home. I don't habituate her coffee shop, either (insert sigh), but I knew she'd know the answer. A-a-ah ... chalk up another entry in the long list of the trials and travails of travel. Gluten. Bah! The coffee itself will probably kill me first...."

It takes all kinds?

The Grand Duchess of Grand Avenue: "I'm not exactly sure that I saw what I think I saw the other day.

"I was in a thrift store and walked into the ladies' room. On the way by the sinks, I thought I saw someone washing her feet! Now, I was torn between saying 'Whoa there, missy -- what ya doing?' and pondering if I also could get my foot into (and out of) the sink without pitching over.

"I made no comment to that worker bee, but did ask another one if I actually saw what I think I saw -- and she said: 'Yes, that one washes her feet in the sink every day.'

"Yesterday The Mister got his first Christmas card of the season. Can it really be Christmas season already, when we still have two more months to cycle through? Can I expect to see Valentine's Day displays in the middle of November? What is the rush, anyway?

"And what's up with the foot washing? Can't you wait till you get home? The world is spinning by way too fast for me to keep up ... sniff ...."

Gee, our old Falcon ran lousy!

Schoolmarm Jan: "I have fond memories of my 1961 turquoise Ford Falcon now.

"Back in '65, I needed a car because I was student-teaching in Roseville and needed transportation from NE Minneapolis. My father bought the used Falcon, and I was delighted until I tried to drive. It had a stick shift, and I had never driven one. After quick lessons, I was on my way.

"Unfortunately for me, there was a big hill approaching the stoplight at Broadway and Central Avenue. I used to pray the light wouldn't change to red, as I never knew if the car would start rolling backward as I pulled in the clutch to neutral.

"After a few years, rust attacked the floor of the car on the driver's side. There was a perfect hole under the floor mat, and TC would drive the car to go ice fishing. No need for an ice house. [Bulletin Board notes: No need to call, Walt of Wayzata! Yes, she meant "fish house."] He would just remove the car mat and fish through the hole.

"Eventually the clutch gave out, and it was junked."

Band Name of the Day: The Eyeball Shots

Website of the Day: Gluten, at