Thursday, July 9, 2009

Rita's Beautiful Smile 08/2008
Bob and us, where's his other hand?

Kim and us, she was falling and I tried to catch her.


Rita and her parents on our back deck Keith and Maggie



Rhonda Me and Judy at Szechwan Chinese Resturant in Sioux Falls, we always went there for dinner before Schwan's banquet




Rita's Parents Keith and Maggie, Uncle Pat and Sharon, and my sister's husband Don at the world famous Sports Bowl in Sioux Falls





At Palisades State Park in SD where Rita and I hung out alot, I used to jump off this bridge.






Glen Boyles and family in downtown Sioux Falls







Cousin Pat, Jeff Wagner High School Buddy








My Cousin Pat and his son









Randy Page and daughter Christine, ole Schwans Friend










Kyle, Rhonda's Son











Curt and Shirley, Rita Best friend's Sue's parents from High School












Maggie, Megan and Blaze at their home in SF








These are the rest of my pictures from the trip, I would like to thank everyone for being there for me and my family Love Ya





























Quick Note

Our family, most of them at least where there, missing Michael and my sister Michele on the 4th of July at lake McConaughy in Nebraska. This is an annual event for our family because the lake is soooo awesome, it has miles the sandy beaches and the clearest water. Mejana fell asleep on the tub due to the waves, I guess she has some of her dads love of water. Rita and I were here last August with Abbie and Andrew. Also at the lake was Dennis Naibauer, Celeste, Jordon, and Brandon. We jet skied, tubed, swam and just laid around and almost got a ticket from the sheriff for lighting off fireworks, he asked if I was done and I said almost and his reply was, your done or get a $240 ticket and we'll take your fireworks, OK I'm done, and they left. This lake is notorius for Bad Storms and we have lotsa stories about them but this time was real nice, except for missing Rita, it was hard not to think about all the good times we had there as a family, I was always pointing out things Rita and I did . My favorite picture of us at sunset was taken at that lake you can look back in the blog to find it. Lora had a friend Kim who did a 150 mile bike ride for MS and we cheered for her an everyone else for riding for a cure, it was a riot and Lora still has a sore throat from yelling. Love Ya All and Thanks for the comments they keep me going, I actually check daily just like Rita

PS Its Paula Nester 40th birthday party this weekend, thats Paula and Rita at Michaels Graduation

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Where have I been




Winethirty with Jolene,John, Pat, Judy, Diana, Mike, eric and Rhonda

Jon and Jeanie

Back porch of Rita Parents "Notice the Railing
Andy and Lori Best man at our wedding


Ron and Jane new home

Mag and Randy

Joe and Jean


Wayne and Amy
Rita and I with Al at Schwan's banquet


Rita and Alicia at home in Randolph

At Park In Randolph

Hey Everyone

Sorry haven't written much, Its seems I'm a little off these days and can't find my motivation. Rita was my Motivation and My Cheerleader, they say that behind every Good man is a Better Woman and that was Rita. You don't know how much you rely on your wife until she's gone, Rita was always building me up and pushing me to do better and I Know She Wants Me To get My Motivation Back. I start Grief Share next week at a local church for 13 weeks, I look forward to it and finding my way again.

Well we survived Abbie's Graduation and 18th Birthday with the help of friends and family, espically my sister Michele who was their for me and my family through it all. It was a very special day as Abbie received a card from her MOM, yep it was beautiful and made us cry and miss her evan more. Mag Borst took some pictures which I'll post that had a cloud in some and others not, HMMM who could that be, don't know but we'll just say Rita was able to be there. In her cards to us she always put I can't be there but we'll always be there in Spirit!!

After the Graduation Randy Borst and his son Jake and I went on a 1000 mile motorcyle trip up to Devils Tower in Wyoming then through the Black Hills and Badlands. It was Fun except for the Rain, Hail and Wind that followed us everywhere. Then I went on a 3800 mile trip to see everyone(Jon&Jeanie, Joe&Jean, Wayne&Amy, Ron&Jane, Mag&Randy, Andy&Lori, and everyone in SiouxFalls) and ended up in South Dakota where I spent a week visiting and revisiting our old hang outs. On the last night there we had winethirty at a bar that served frozen wine, It was awesome because I had around me Jolene (with Rita when we 1st met) Diana ( girlfriend who was with me when I met Rita, OK must clarify, Diana due to the circumstances hated Rita but that wasn't working for me and Jeff because we where best friends and Jeff started going out with Diana that same night. So Jeff and I decided these girls should get over it so we could party together. Jeff and I met at an 18 bar to have a few pitchers of beer and I ask Rita to join and Jeff asked Diana to join. Rita got there 1st and had her sit with the back to the door and when we started smiling she turned around there was Diana, well we all started to laugh and long story short Diana was in our wedding and Jeff and Diana evan drove down to North Carolina one sumer to visit.) Judy who was Rita best friend in High School and lived a few doors down from her parents. Rhonda and Eric, who that day drove around with me to find our old parking spots as the ole card board hill had turned into a sub division and Alvin lake turned into a State Park. My 2 cousins John and Pat. It felt really good to be in Sioux Falls and around our family and friends.

OK so Al Bussman hires Rita and I to work for Schwan's Ice Cream on July 18th 1983. I learned what Hard Work was all about that summer, Al started me at $350 a week, that firgured out to about $4 an hour. It was a paycheck and they had awesome benefits. I was leaving every week on Sunday and not getting home until late Friday night or Saturday Morning. So we decided that wasn't working for us and I started taking Rita and Alicia with me and we could at least see each other every night and spend our weekends together. I would put our bike on the top of my car so Rita would have transportation when we got to the motel. We looked like the Beverly Hill Billies traveling around. It took about 4 months and I was making enough money to get our own apartment in Sioux Falls and 2 months later I was offered Routes in Randolph, Nebraska. We moved there on 1/01/1984 and bought a home that was the best in town in 1905, lets say it needed a little updating. It had allot of beautiful features though, hard wood floors, walnut and oak, great fireplace that I loved to fall asleep in front of with Rita and the Kids, stained glass window, cut and beveled glass doors all solid oak, corner double lot, all for the price of $26,500, payment was about $232 per month. Which Rita took advantage of and bought a new car that cost $250 per month, I remember because I expalined what I wanted in the deal and to have the paperwork ready at the dealership and I would stop on my route and sign it all, well when I got there it was all wrong and I knew how much Rita wanted it so she got the car.

It didn't take Rita long to get to know all the Schwan's wifes in town and all our neighbors. Randolph is a small town of about 800 folks, so lets say everyone always knew what everyone was doing which made Rita happy because she loved to talk. I remember meeting Mag Borst at her dads Grocery store, because she saw we where new in town and wanted to know where we lived and guess what right next door to her parents Paul and Lorraine, I bet she already knew that because Mag knows everything that goes on in Randolph just like her mom did. It was awesome living in a small town with so many people who cared about you and would do anything for you. Paul and Lorraine would watch our kids when our pipes would freeze and the washer backed up througn the house or a bat decided to hang out in our living room when I was on an overnight and Paul came to the resue. I remember Sunday's there we would always go for a walk or ride bikes with the kids and end up at the park. We would play with the kids and talk about our future together, and wondering when that next one would arrive. Rita made where every she was at with me, a Home with lotsa of Love plus Friends and Family.