Today when Bobbie, Jim and I were driving back from Rhine Plymouth after shooting pistol, I was looking out over the fields at the stands of trees scattered all over the Wisconsin landscape. I was reminded of the woods that stretched in back of our house. We used to play in those woods. We played war and cowboy and Indians. We even had a tree that we called the Tarzan Tree. You could climb that tree, grab a vine and swing to another tree. This was really fun until the day the vine broke. Naturally, I was the person doing the swinging. I landed on my solar plexis and knocked the wind out of myself. I still remember the terror I felt because I was unable to catch my breath. Obviously, I lived and frankly it did not discourage me from acts that are a little bit on the edge.

However, what the woods really reminded me of was lying in bed at night with my sister Nora. We could look out of our bedroom window over the woods and there were three big pines that stretched high above the rest of the trees. We gave them names. I believe they were a family of some animal or other and we would put ourselves to sleep making up stories about the family of trees.

I remember some of those big pines being blown over by the strong winds of winter and spring and us using the root holes for forts the following season.

That woods is now all gone and built up with houses. Lots of good memories.

I seem to be the only on not done shooting, but I missed two Fridays and did not try to catch up on Sundays. I just used Sunday for practice, such as it was. We have two more weeks of league actually so I am OK and only have two more targets to fill next Friday. The bust-up party is May 21. I wonder if they know they are having a birthday party for me.

Tomorrow, we are going on a bus tour to Ft. Atkinson to the Fireside where we will partake of a delicious meal and see Guys and Dolls.

Later

Mary