It must be near Arbor Day. The Redbuds are in full bloom, the blossoms are out on the fruit trees and the weeds are making their appearance in my lawn.
We transplanted zoysia grass from a couple other sections of the lawn. We got the original plugs from Dick Niemann a number of years ago. The beds have grown so we thought we'd give it a try at transplanting.
Jim Cass, a salesman at Whitehead - Rhoden said that's the same type of grass planted around the Omaha World - Herald building. Jim says he believes the World - Herald was the first to plant that type of grass in Omaha.
Hopefully, the grass will do what they say . . . choke out weeds.
There's a number of us who will find that out. We put in 2,000 plugs. Our neighbor Don Farson is going to try it with about 1,400 plugs.
The biggest election disappointment we read was when Lewis Martin, Sr., withdrew as a candidate for the Nebraska City Airport Authority.
"Louie" as all his friends know him, has been an outspoken person on a number of local issues and he has never made any bones about it — he likes it, or he doesn't.
We've never known him to say "don't quote me." It's a matter of fact, he's not only offered comments on some of Nebraska City's tastiest tissues, he will even write them up.
When Louie withdrew as a candidate, he disappointed many of his friends. We don't know whether he would have been elected, but we're sure of one thing — he'd sure given 'em a whale of a pre-election campaign.
The Airport Authority is one of those "public service" jobs like the school, park and utility boards. Nebraska City has been fortunate to have so many people willing to take those jobs and often some of the guff that goes with them.
Ole' Jerry is smiling.
Jerry and Bev Hall are putting in a lot of hours at their Sears Catalog store on Central Avenue getting ready for the move to their new location at Seventh Street and Central Avenue, the former Montgomery Ward store.
The main floor will be Sears and the lower level will be a mall design with a number of smaller shops and stores.
The Halls are pretty excited about the move.
Jerry is still only a few steps away from a donut shop, namely Zipp Bakery. The additional floor space is needed, the couple says.
A grand opening will be held after things get settled at the new store.
Jimmy's goin' to wheel it
Jimmy Rowe, the energetic son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Rowe, is going to get some wheels under him. Jimmy is going to have his own motorized vehicle for getting around.
The youngster has lived with a bone disease that slows his movement, but not his active mind. We remember well the day his dad had the grand opening of Rowe Motors at 1518 Central Avenue. Jimmy was the on-the-spot entertainer of the daylong KNCY broadcast.
Jimmy will have a special permit to operate his vehicle, but meanwhile we understand he's been eyeing his dad's four-wheel drive pickup trucks with the side pipes, flame painting, carpeting and all that jazz.
We have a little experience in that line. No. 1 son bought Jim floor has a deep pile shag carpeting of pastel colors The the late Mark Sheldon of Percival.
Jim put in the heavy mechanical work, but believe it or not kids . . . he never split the manifold or put side pipes on it . . . mercy mercy.
So, we've been doing a little mechanical work (mostly spilling oil and grease in the garage) and some of the "niceties" a teenaged boy just has to have in his pickup.
Ron Ferguson at the Tri-State muffler shop put on the side pipes running separate pipes to the manifolds. It has a good sound.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Mason gave No. 1 son strips of carpeting left over from their home carpet job and we just about put Ron Frederick at Aneco out of the glue business.
The cab ceiling now has a golden brown shag covering and the floor has a deep pile shag carpeting of pastel colors. The same carpeting was used behind the seat.
Gary White of G & L Conoco fixed the truck up with four used 70's with straight tread and mounted them on chromies.
Aside for a few adjustments here and there, the rest of the job is masking and painting.
So, when it's all done (he's hoping for Arbor Day weekend), all he needs is money for gas . . . and gas . . . and gas . . . and gas.
The reason we are such experts in the car job[illegible] because we went to the auto show in Omaha (with a carload of boys) and came home drooling.
The retirement dinner party.
If two of Nebraska City's retirees thought they were going to take down their shingles and disappear in the crowd, they got the surprise of their lives the other night.
Dr. F. C. Reese and Dr. D. D. Stonecypher were the honorees at the retirement dinner party. Actually, they were the targets of much humor fired at them by their many friends over the years.
There were also a number of serious moments when friends pointed out that the two men are missed.
We join the Nebraska City community in wishing them the best in their retirement and good health to them.