Winding down

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It's been a busy week at work, but I can't talk about most of it, so that's why I haven't been posting much here. I've still got to finish the presentation for the talk I'm giving April 1 at a conference in Cedar Rapids, but I've got at least half of it already laid out in Keynote on my PowerBook. I'm going to try to relax some at my grandparents' house this weekend, where we're going for Easter, and maybe I'll do some more vacation planning while I'm there. We're thinking about making a trip to Glacier National Park via Amtrak this summer. With gas prices as high as they are right now, it's really not any more money to take the train than it is to drive, and they get a lot of visitors there who come that way, so there are shuttles that will take you around the park, or you can rent a car if need be. We never really got much of a chance to take a honeymoon, due to my wife's job when we were married, so this would be a nice opportunity for us to get away for a few days, and I think my wife would be glad to drag me somewhere without internet access for once.

Has anyone ever been to Glacier? Have anywhere you'd suggest staying? I'm leaning towards visiting West Glacier, as there seems to be more to do there, like rafting, boat tours on Lake Macdonald, and even helicopter tours of the park. I'd love to hear your suggestions, just post 'em below.

Arthur Hoeft 1907-2005

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My Great-Uncle Arthur Hoeft died last night, he was 98. No details on the funeral yet, but the funeral home has a web page that lists the obituaries. Art and his wife Verona used to take care of me sometimes when I was a child, as their farm was just a few miles from ours. As a kid, I used to like going to their house since they always had Sugar Smacks and at home we rarely got sugary cereal, so it was a treat. The last time I saw him was at Christmas, and he was now in a wheelchair most of the time, having fallen last fall.

Update: The obit is now up:

GARNER – Arthur Hoeft, 98, of Garner died Wednesday (February 23, 2005) at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M., Tuesday at St. John’s Lutheran Church, east of Garner with the Rev. Carl Hedberg officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M., Monday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., Garner and one hour prior to services at the church.

Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Lutheran Church, Hospice of North Iowa or the Ventura Senior Citizens.

Arthur Herman Hoeft, the son of Herman and Martha (Reinhardt) Hoeft, was born February 8, 1907 at Fort Dodge. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church east of Garner. He attended St. John’s Parochial School. Following his schooling he worked for various farmers in the Garner and Ventura area. On February 27, 1934 he married Verona Ann Schultz at her parent’s home near Forest City. They farmed in the Ventura, Garner and Clear Lake area. In 1957, they purchased their own farm and in 1966 moved to the home farm. After Verona’s death in 1986 he continued to live at the farm. In 1996, he moved to Prairie View Apartments in Garner.

He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where he was a deacon, Walther League and the Ventura Senior Citizens.

Art is survived by two children, Darwin (Jerrilee) Hoeft of Custer, SD and Carolyn (Larry) Shadle of Carthage, MO; grandchildren, Ann (Tim) Hossler of Beverly Hills, MI, and Laura (Rev. Glenn) Niemann of Pekin, IL; step-grandchildren, Patty (Marty) Allen of Gresham, OR, Jerilee (Paul) Sever of Salmon, ID, Renee (Tom) Dickinson of Post Falls, ID, Dave (Jenny) Squire of Houlton, WI and Bob (Kathy) Squire of Peru, NY; three great granddaughters; eight step great grandchildren; a step great great grandson; two sisters-in-law, Irma (Henry) Bokelman of Ventura and Lucille Schultz of Mason City; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Verona, Mar. 23, 1986; his parents; a brother, Lester Hoeft; a sister, Edna Knopf; and a step great grandson, Mark Sever.

The last line of the obituary is especially sad, as Mark Sever died earlier this week in a snowboarding accident, he was 14. It's been a rough week for that part of my extended family.

Bad Car Day

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Last night the automatic window motor on our 2001 Camry started acting up, after a bunch of hassling with it, I at least got the passenger side window rolled back up, so we could drive it until we schedule it to be fixed. Then this morning, while driving it, some cold snow blew back from the top of the hood onto the hot window, and the sudden temperature change cracked the windshield for the entire width of it. Since my deductible is $500, it looks like I'm out around $200-$250 for a new windshield now.