By MYRNA FAUSKA
Valentine’s Day 2020 is now history, and today, Monday, we are celebrating President’s Day, commemorating the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12 and George Washington on Feb. 22. When I was in school in the ‘50s, we celebrated those birthdays on alternating years with a day off. Now we have combined the two for a day off to honor both of them on the third Monday of the month. So happy birthday, Abe and George. We have some more special natal days to celebrate, so read on.
Last Wednesday afternoon, my husband Dave and I attended the public test for the spring primary election at the Glendale Town Hall. I worked with the poll inspectors setting up the equipment for the Tuesday election, while Dave observed as a representative of the public.
At noon Friday, the Hill Country Red Hats gals met at the Elroy Senior Dining Center, along with the regular attendees, for a delicious Valentine’s Day meal with prime rib supplied by Thrivent. There were treats galore and a lot of good fellowship among the partiers.
Mary Parkhurst was born on Valentine’s Day 89 years ago, and Ron and Arlene Garvens helped her and Jim celebrate with dinner at one oftheir favorite restaurants, the China Buffet in Mauston.
On Saturday, Arlene attended the KTY Jun Quilt Guild meeting at Hatch Public Library in Mauston. Later, Ron joined her as they went to Tomah to attend the Tomah Area Theatre’s production of “They’re Playing Our Song.”
There was another Valentine baby 40 years ago when Bob and Karen Marty welcomed Chip into the world. On Friday evening, the family celebrated with Lowell and Arlys Zellmer, Allan and Heather Vlasak and Lynette Vlasak at the Marty home. It didn’t stop there, though, as the next day the festivities continued at the Hidden Inn in Kendall, as Chip shared his special day with Wes Thayer, who will enter his fourth decade later this week. Allan and Lynette joined the group feting the guys.
On Tuesday evening, Lynette Vlasak and Donna Heilman attended the presentation by Jennifer Chiaverini, author of “Resistance Women,” at the Historic Elroy Theater. On Wednesday, Lynette lunched at Skaal in Mount Horeb, Wis., with some former colleagues from the school. From there, she returned to our neck of the woods to pick up Layla, Brett and Mya after school in Elroy and take them out for dinner at McDonald’s in Mauston.
What a blessing it is to know Who to thank when good things happen in our lives and to know Who to pray to for the crises in our lives and those of our loved ones and neighbors. I always want to try to remember those we pray for during church during the week, but mostly forget by Sunday night. Perhaps if I would use the brain God gave me and write the prayer requests on blank parts of the bulletin, it would be a good reminder. Then I’d have to remember to keep the bulletin, which would also be good, as I could reread other information on it. So I pray the Lord will open my heart and mind to those in need of prayer and help me remember them. Amen.