Wow! I am flattered Tammy! I had no idea I could be in the top three of the morning Internet routine. My usual routine is to check my spam filter at Verizon to see how many ‘real’ emails they have stopped (they seem to let all the spam through and only block email I want to receive), then I go to the PJS and start on the Opinion page (just to see what lunacy Luciano is blabbering about), then the Obits, and from there I wander about the news outlets like CNN, MSNBC, etc.
After about a half-hour of that I am usually disgusted enough to start blogging about whatever ticked me off the most or seemed the most ridiculous.
We saw RV too and I have always wanted to do that also! My first experience with an RV was an old school bus my Grandpa Legel had gutted and turned into a camper —— sort of. I always thought that was really cool.
I really got interested in the idea in 1988 when we went to Yellowstone and the place burned down. We had to leave the park via the northwest and we had no map. We stopped at one of the little General Stores and asked this older gentleman behind the counter where we could get a map of Utah so we could go around the Tetons and back south to our camping trailer in the Teton National Park. They were all sold out and he took us to his motor home to let us look at his map. This thing was a monster —— a house on wheels.
In conversation he explained how he and his wife had sold their home, bought this behemoth and lived on the road like gypsies. He said they had never regretted it and that they took turns visiting their kids and mooching off of them. Sounded like a great idea to me and I think we should try it. We have to get our kids raised up and out first so it will be a while.
You mentioned stories and I got a brazillian of them. I just don’t know if most people want to hear them — or would even believe them.
MjL 15 Oct 2006, 5:55 a.m.
I have an historical story that I was reminded of a while back by brother Alan.
It seems he was talking to somebody who was a member of or had known about the Marquette Heights Men’s Club (#MHMC). It seems there was somebody bragging about how they were there ‘in the beginning’ and I asked Alan what his name was. Never heard of him. And I should know because I was the founding father of the MHMC twenty-some years ago.
I am actually amazed it has lasted all these years and is still doing so well. I doubt if any of the current members are aware of my idea to start that club.
It all started around 1982, give or take, when one of my neighbors came to the door and wanted to know if I wanted to join the Jaycees. I had moved back to Marquette Hts. in mid 1980 and really hadn’t gotten to know the neighbors. I wasn’t all that social (still not) but the idea intrigued me so I heard them out instead of shutting the door on them. (Like I usually do to anybody who rings my doorbell to get into my pockets or sell me religion (that’s another dozen stories)).
I went to a little get-together they had in a neighbor’s garage and I liked these guys right off because the first thing they did after shaking my hand was to give me an ice cold beer. Free beer was always a good start back then.
So there were guys who belonged to the E. Peoria Jaycees and they had to renew their charter. It seems they needed to have so many guys and they were a few short. And because they didn’t have enough guys, they didn’t have enough money to renew their membership fees.
Now two things perplexed me —— why the E. Peoria Jaycees and why should we pay them money to run our own club. After some discussion it was obvious the Jaycees seemed to be running things and spending most of the money and I could see why they were having trouble getting new members.
The main talkers where my closest neighbors and I remained polite because I lived there and didn’t want to start off wrong —— and there was free beer.
After a couple hours one of the guys says we have to make a decision because they are supposed to meet with the Grand Puhba of the Jaycees at the City Building and we need to have something like two more guys sign on and pay up. I really wasn’t interested in paying money to E. Peoria but there was still beer left so I suggested we just go up there and see if the guy would give us an extension or something.
I figured I could be like a part-time member until I got the lay of the land and I didn’t want to part with any cash or make any commitments until I understood more about it. Well everybody hemmed & hawed around about it and there was still nobody willing to join up —— so several of us piled into a pickup truck (I climbed in back with the beer) and we motored up to the City Building.
Well the Grand Puhba was about an hour (and three beers) late and when he finally showed he was snotty about us not having the money and he could give us an extension (I could see he REALLY wanted that money) but he didn’t like it and so on and on.
Finally I had about enough of his snot (and too many beers). I told him where he could shove his Jaycees. He stormed off all squealing tires and mumbling.
Now the guys who had given me the free beer were not so too happy and probably regretted inviting me. It was then I said —— “What do we need with those bozos anyway? Why don’t we just start our own club and we can spend the money on whatever we want to!” (Like beer!)
Since we were at the City Building and the mayor’s car was in the parking lot I suggested we talk to him about using a meeting room in the City Building to have meetings. I had known Gary Little, the mayor, since I was in the fifth grade when I used to deliver his newspaper. He said there was no problem and told us he would join up too —— so we had a meeting place and our first new member all in the time it took to drink another beer!
We started meeting regularly and the MHMC grew steadily for the several years I was around. We brought fireworks to Marquette Hts. for the first time in the history of the city (one of our members launched fireworks as a second job).
We started the Spook Hollow at Halloween and it was one of the biggest and best because it was free. (That was back when the MHMC wasn’t all about making money). I eventually parted ways with them after I divorced my first wife and they just didn’t treat Tracey all that good.
I sometimes think about finding out when and where the MHMC meets and just showing up to see what goes on —— but I figure I would probably be disappointed and they wouldn’t appreciate some old geezer telling stories about how HE founded the MHMC when they were just little kids.
I am really amazed it is still around —— I was sure it would fold without my guidance. I’m glad it is still going strong though because I know it made a difference for the kids of Marquette Heights. I wish we’d had fireworks and Spook Hollow when I was a kid.
These pictures were taken at the annual Funfest for the Fourth of July celebrations. We raised the money for the fireworks at the Funfest. This was the year Tracey & I got married. We were planning our wedding while I was Grand Puhba of the Funfest that year. What a hectic time that was. A wonderful memory and now a story.
MjL 15 Oct 2006, 5:56 a.m.
WOW! So much that I didn’t know! I guess I like the stories and pictures because “The Legels” never really got together way back then. What a shame!
Not many Legel men are social are they?! However, you are more talkative than most Legel men.
I love that camper! I can’t believe MHMC is still around. I was President of Morton Jr. Women’s Club years ago, but it lost its interest and dissolved years ago. Then I moved onto the schools.....and we know where that leads me!
Keep on sharing! Have a good Sunday -- not too pretty outside though.
Tammy 15 Oct 2006, 8:36 a.m.
Yes the weather doesn’t look too promising does it. Guess I will have to stay inside and take a nap. Darn!
I’m really not very social —— I have to make an effort to join things and there usually has to be something that really interests me. Since I don’t drink beer anymore that makes it more difficult.
Once I get on a roll I can really tell a yarn or two though. I know what you mean about the Legel get-togethers. We really didn’t start doing that until my Dad’s brothers and sisters started coming home for visits. And I think that probably started just before my Uncle Darrell passed.
I think that is why I have been trying to keep the weekend get-togethers going with my family and with my Mom, DD and Alan. We don’t discuss anything all that earth shattering, but it is good to keep up with one another.
I guess as you get older you realize people can pass from your life in an instant and it sucks to have only old memories when they do. It’s far nicer to have a LOT of old memories to share!
MjL 15 Oct 2006, 9:03 a.m.
AMEN! So keep that “history” flowing! (Dave is even learning new things about HIS family!) He’s not very social either so you probably won’t “hear” from him real soon....imagine that!
Tammy 15 Oct 2006, 10:57 a.m.
That’s OK —— if Dave doesn’t want to blog back and defend himself we can just say whatever we want to about him!
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