MOM’S MEMOIRS – IRENE LOUISE (NEE KUCKKAN) MUELLER
(Continued)
Mom’s Autobiography – Chapter 77 – In Book, Page 185
Kevin Poston Installed at St. John’s, Watertown, Wisconsin, Visit to Drained Lake Delton. Football Game at Maranatha, Watertown, Wisconsin, Dad’s 79th Birthday Celebration, Golfing in the Rain, Mom’s Account of Golfing in the Rain, Football at Luther Prep, Watertown, Wisconsin, Three Mueller Birthdays, September 24, 2008 – Pastor Don Bitter is Carried By The Angels To His Heavenly Home
AUGUST 24, 2008 – KEVIN POSTON INSTALLED
Kevin, Jenny’s husband, was installed at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran School, Watertown, Wisconsin, as the new 3rd grade teacher. He will also serve as general music teacher to grades 3-8, director of Kinderchor (3rd-4th grade choir), church music director, adult choir director, and organist. Kevin and Jenny have three children, Joshua, Jonah, and Conner. They recently purchased and are renovating a home at 405 Dewey Avenue, Watertown. Welcome, Jenny, Kevin, and children!!!!!!
SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 – A VISIT TO WHAT WAS LAKE DELTON
On page 175 of my Memoirs I said that Lake Delton drained away starting on June 9, 2008. Dick and I in September again walked around in what was the lake, took pictures, drove around the “lake”, saw the boats and pontoons sitting on dry land; in fact, one pontoon owner had put up a sign which said, “PONTOON – 4 HR – 95 cents.” But by April 21, 2009, the nightmare was over – the dam had been rebuilt, the lake refilled and stocked with fish, and the resorts were back in business.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2008 – MARTIN LUTHER COLLEGE KNIGHTS DEFEAT MARANATHA CRUSADERS
The football team, the Knights, came from Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota, came to Watertown, Wisconsin, to play against the Maranatha Baptist Bible College Crusaders. One of the Knights was Matthew Mueller, our grandson, so of course, his parents, Sue and Tim, Kevin and Jenny (Matt’s sister), Kevin, her husband, their three children – Joshua, Jonah, and Conner – Kevin’s parents, Colleen and Bill Poston, great grandparents – Joanne and Jerry Brandt – and Dick and I went to Maranatha to watch Matt, #66 play the game. And of course, the Knights beat the Crusaders 40-7. An interesting thing happened. While the game was being played, a huge Canadian Pacific train passed just near the football field (there is a picture of it in album #76). Not many people remember that Maranatha many years ago was known as Sacred Heart Catholic College. I guess Dick and I have to talk to other 80+ years old people; otherwise we are met with blank stares.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2008 – DICK CELEBRATES HIS 79TH BIRTHDAY
Dick received a very special card from our friends, Helen and Keith Becker, who were members of Abiding Savior in Weslaco. On the front are two fishermen wading in the water with their backs to the shoreline. Unbeknown to them, a very fat woman in a bikini has her exposed backend to them and is putting down her towel. One fisherman says to the other, “That’s odd…the fish were biting like mad a minute ago, and now it’s like they’ve completely lost their appetite.” And in the inside of the card, it says, “Hope your birthday is a whale of a good time.” Well, we did have a wonderful time again because Sue and Tim invited us to celebrate. Again, we had a delicious meal set on the colored balloon family tablecloth (it never wears out — unless Sue has a dozen stowed away).
SEPTEMBER 13, 2008 – GOLFING IN THE RAIN
Tim and Steve, our two avid golfer sons, asked us to go golfing at the Windwood Golf Course, Watertown, Wisconsin. We were so excited, especially me. We hadn’t golfed since we were in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. In fact, Dick threatened to give our golf clubs away, but I didn’t want to hear of it. Wouldn’t you know, it started to rain, so we waited. Finally we could wait no longer. We were glad we went because we had a lot of fun! Either Tim or Steve hit the ball, but we couldn’t find it. We did find it – stuck in a tree!
Dear all,
This is Irene, Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, Sister-in-law, aunt, etc.
Wow! Did Tim, Steve, Dick, and I ever have a hilarious, crazy, time not "singin’ in the rain", but "golfin’ in the rain!!!!!!!" Steve wanted to take us golfing to celebrate his Dad’s 79th birthday. We still had our golf clubs from purchasing them in the Rio Grande Valley so we could go golfing with him there. Dick thought we wouldn’t use them because of the Country Club expense up here and wanted to get rid of them, but I said, "NO WAY!" So Dick got them out of the garage one nice day and dusted everything off.
Steve picked us up at our condo, and off we went to meet Tim at the Windwood Golf Course. It was raining, and it was very cool, but we decided to go anyway – even though Dick and Tim were a little skeptical. There were a few other crazies on the course, but we persevered until we were all soaking wet to the skin, my hair were hanging wet and stringy, and Dick’s and my glasses were all wet — we could hardly see. But we were having a great time until we decided to go back to the clubhouse and warm up.
Tim had only shorts and a T-shirt on, no jacket, so he went home which was nearby to change clothes and bring back dry jackets for all of us. So off we went again! By the way, we were playing "Scramble" which I had never heard of before. One time I actually hit the ball further than the guys – unbelievable! Both Dick and I each made a fantastic putt and a hit. Of course, both Tim and Steve are very good golfers. Tim told me to drive the cart. WHOOPIE!!!! He told me to go through the puddles, and I found the biggest ones and did! Reminded me of Africa when Dick and I both drove cars through the bush "roads" during the rainy season. Sometimes it was impossible to see the "roads", and I often tell people that one time I KNOW the Lord was guiding my hands. Again, we were soaked to the skin. Dick told me we did 8 holes. All of us had a great time J . Anyway, when our "golfing" was over, we headed back to the parking lot, soaked to the skin again, and cold, but happy! WE HAD A BALL!!!!!!! Thank you, Steve, and Tim, for that.
My Kuckkan cousins here in Watertown had told us that there is a quarry at the 7th hole where they thought there is a Kuckkan gravestone. Many years ago when my German ancestors came from Germany, there was a cemetery and church, Kripplein Kristi, and also a quarry and a cave. We found the quarry, but because of the weather, Dick and I plan to go out there again some day and look around. My Kuckkan grandparents’ farm is not too far away from there. All that’s left of that wonderful farm and land is the house.
Steve took us to the China Buffet where we had a wonderful, delicious, meal. Wow, had we ever worked up an appetite! Thank you, Steve, for that too.
With much love to all of you, and God’s richest blessings, Mom and all of the above
P. S. Again, I am long-winded. That is why I have a lot to say in my memoirs. We would be happy to hear from any of you and your experiences in life. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2008 – MARTIN LUTHER COLLEGE VS. BLACKBURN COLLEGE
Of course, all of us went to Luther Prep Umnus field to watch the star of the MLC Knights, #66. our own Martthew, 6’2”, 205 lbs. play football. The Knights won the game 47-17. It’s hard to believe that when Dick and I attended Northwestern Prep, now Luther Prep, that Dick played on that very field, and then Len Umnus (for whom the field is named) was the coach of the team. There are other members of our family who played on that field. Across the field you see on the pictures a big red brick building. That is the building where I was born on April 17, 1930. In case anyone is interested, inside album #76 are school songs: “Fight On, Knights”, Martin Luther College School Song, “Northwestern School Song”, and “DMLC School Song”.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2008 – CELEBRATION OF THREE MUELLER BIRTHDAYS
Christopher Scott Mueller’s birthday is September 15th, 1984, so he celebrated his 24th birthday. Timothy Peter Mueller, Jr.’s birthday is September 19th, 1981, so he celebrated his 27th birthday. And Sue’s birthday is September 28th, 1957, so she celebrated her 51st birthday. Again, the family balloon tablecloth was on the table along with loads of delicious food, including a birthday cake for all three with candles to blow out. And there were wonderful gifts, including a scythe, which we gave Sue. She is a lover of antiques.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 – PASTOR DONALD BITTER IS CARRIED BY THE ANGELS TO HIS HEAVENLY HOME
Don was a classmate of Dick’s at Northwestern Prep/College and at the Seminary. Dick and I went to his funeral service at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. How well we remember him on the football field and basketball court with Dick winning games. Time passes so quickly.