Dick

I lost the first half of this exchange of stories about Uncle Bill, If you have them and want to send them onto Gary, that is fine with me.

How are you doing with the farming? It sure has been a nice fall since the rains have stopped. I hope this weather lasts all the way until next summer.

You know you talked about the beaver building dams in the ravines and holding back all that water from the rains this fall, and that the water, if it keeps rising could flood your shop. I remember Great Uncle Anton (Tony) Dietrich and his son Joe would go around on their ford tractor in the spring of the year and disappear over the horizon or into the brush and next there would be a huge explosion. Then you might see or hear the tractor moving onto a new location and another explosion, and this would go on for most of the day. They would come back with a pile of beaver, that they would skin and sell the pelts. No problems with water backing up in the ravines? Its amazing what a little dynamite can do. Just an idea on how you could handle them pesky beaver and make some change for your pocket at the same time.

Larry

 

Dick

Suppose to rain again, for the next couple of days, good luck with the haying. The week end forecast is looking good though. When I was a working stiff, it seemed to me, that it only rained on week ends?

We did get the shingling done. Next step is to put in the windows and doors. We just work on week ends, so it kind of drags out the process, but it also gives a old man time for his muscles to rejuvenate and to stand up straight again.

The Hackman family, including his mother always referred to my Uncle Bill, as the The Bill, so that is probably why you misunderstood Uncle Gus, as he was saying to you, that, that is The Bill coming over the hill in the hills.

Uncle Bill was the oldest in the Hackman family and he outlived his brothers. He ended up in the nursing home in Rolette.

Another interesting story about my Uncle Bill, Since most people were kind of scared of him.

I and my wife were sitting in a restaurant in Rugby, and this woman came up to our table and told me, that she would like to thank me for my uncle. I must have looked a little puzzled, and I was.

She explained that her mother was in the Rolette nursing home, at the same time as my Uncle Bill. Her mother was partially blind and could not read. She said that my Uncle Bill would sit beside her mothers bed and read to her, and that she loved it, and so she wanted to Thank me for my Uncle Bill. I was amazed, and really appreciated the gesture.

Thanks for the stories.

Good Luck with the haying.

larry

 

From: Dick Johnson

Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 6:38 AM

To: larry hackman

Subject: Uncle Bill

Larry,

Did you get the shingling done? Nice weekend to work outside anyway. I just about finished up the baling but with break downs and short days, I still have another day or so. Maybe today!!!!! This summer is one for the books.

Once in the mid 1970s, I had a terrible kink in my neck and had bad pain running down neck and back so I was kind of bent over and could hardly open one eye. I was driving school bus and looked pretty contorted when I reached for the door handle to let the kids off. When I went to drop off Shanon and Archie Metcalfe, who were the last ones on and off, they hit the ground and turned to me and said, “Goodbye Bill” and then laughed and took off for the house! I wanted to say, “You little rug rats, I ought to kick your behinds.” I just had to chuckle as I suppose they were about right. I guess I did resemble Bill Hackman. I just thought it was cute and you might appreciate the stories.

Dick