It has been awhile since that NW Okie has let me get close to "OUR" laptop keyboard. Lately, I've been teaching and hanging around with this little black "intern" of a puppy pug. There for awhile I had my friend, Ruff, to help guide this youngster pup through her toddler years. BUT... Ruff has since returned to NW Oklahoma earlier this week. WE surely do miss him. Now... that Sadie pup comes in a wakes me up in the morning. Before, she would bounce upstairs to arouse Ruff out of bed. Sadie, would you like to say a few words to our audience?

"Ruff! Ruff! Where are you? We miss your sweet self around here. This big pug around here doesn't quite fill your miniature schnauzer paws." says Sadie

This Big Pug does give that Little Pug some exercise, though. Usually in the late afternoon and evening hours. Sadie has this game of jumping upon the couch and playing keep away from me while I stay on the floor, corraling that pup on the couch. Then she hops down off the couch and runs figure-eights on the floor between me and the base of the coffee table. Sometimes I let her chase me around the table a few times... before we both are panting with tongues hanging out.

Yep! Afterwards, we make a rush to see who gets to sit on NW Okie's lap. Being the bigger of the two pugs, I can spread out pretty darn good. BUT... that onery little thing always seems to find a place to squat -- right on top of this Duchess! I'm just glad she is only half the weight she could be in another six months. Whew!

Meanwhile... Besides hunting for the "Gold in the Rockies," our NW Okie was last seen going through her uncle Bob's treasures looking for something. It may have to do with "V-mail's" from WWII. We have E-mail's nowadays, but back in the mid-1940's they used these shrunken, censored military letters called V-mail that were sent back home to the homefolks. They were so small... How small were they? They were so small that the printing on them is kind of hard to read for the little old lady without a magnifing glass in hand. Anyway, I think Okie is saving that for next week's newsletter.

Happy Homecoming to the Northwestern Rangers in NW Oklahoma! Sorry we couldn't be there this weekend! Send us your homecoming crowd, parade, football photos to share with everyone. Thanks! View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Gold In The Rockies...

Someone asked me where the "Gold in the Rockies" was located. All I can say is, "It grows here and can be found in the Fall!" If you go up above 10,000 feet, though, you will find that the Gold in the Rockies has been replaced with that wintry, white that we are experiencing on our mountaintops right now. We found this wintry scenes (on the right) up around Molas Pass, between Durango and Silverton (Colorado). The Autumn scene is taken at our place south of Bayfield, in the valley. Check out our Vallecito Webshots for more 2005 Fall & Winter scenes from SW Colorado. View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Modern World of Quidnunes...

Last week we had a 1920 news article from "Renfrew's Record" concerning The Modern World of Quidnunes. With the help of a reader we found out that Quidnunc is from Latin meaning "What Now." AND... it also means "nosy person" or "busybody."

Also... quidnunc is pronounced like KWID-nuhngk, noun. meaning: One who is curious to know everything that passes; one who knows or pretends to know all that is going on; a gossip; a busybody.

QUIDNUNC was an inquisitive person; a gossip. Dictionaries either don't include this, or tag it as obsolete. It's a fine example of an obscure (and presumably somewhat patronising) scholarly in-joke, formed from the two Latin words quid, 'what', and nunc, 'now'. It was said to describe a person who was forever asking 'What now?' or What's the news?, hence a gossip-monger; it first appeared about 1710. Nathaniel Hawthorne's use of it in The House of the Seven Gables in 1851 is typical: "What a treasure-trove to these venerable quidnuncs, could they have guessed the secret which Hepzibah and Clifford were carrying along with them!".

AND... In 1920, was this NW Oklahoma newspaper referring to this modern, young group as those who were forever asking "What now?" or "What's the news?" [SEE This Link] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Someone To Lookup Obits In Alva (OK)...

Message Board URL - I am trying to find obits for Everett Marion CUMMINGS, Roy or Leroy Gordon (or vice-versa) CUMMINGS, Olive CUMMINGS. They all died in Alva, Oklahoma, 1901-1910. Everett, 1901 or 1906; Leroy about 1905; Olive 1902 to 1905. Also looking for an Alec or Elec or Alexander and a Jacob or Jake Cummings 1901-1910. All died as children." -- OKWOODS Mailing List Woods County, Oklahoma OKGenWeb View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

NW Oklahoma Mail Carrier...

This Rural mail carrier, Roger Schreer, carried the mail daily from Freedom (Oklahoma) to Farry (Oklahoma) and on to White Horse (Oklahoma). Ren DeGeer had the contract and owned the mail hack and mules. Roger was his employee. Occasionally, Mrs. DeGeer would carry the mail." G. Walker View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Clara Gorsching Grave Marker...

"Linda, this is the result of your newsletter! Isn't this just amazing? I sent the Gorsching grave marker to Martin Gorsching in California. I'm really relieved to have found the family of little Clara Gorsching. Thank you so very much for your help!" -- Sandie View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Wright City & Pine Valley (Oklahoma)...

"I don't no anything about Pine Valley, but had a older friend at Wright City who use to work there -- named Short McGee. I lived at Wright City and worked in the Planner Mill from 1955 'til 1960. I worked for Harve Wooden who came to W.C. from Pine Vally." -- Howard Thomas - Email: howardtv@valliant.net View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Quidnunc...

The word is QUIDNUNC. It means nosy person or busybody, from Latin: What Now? View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Remembering John Schumacher...

"I remember the drug store well. John Schumacher was in my high scool class of '59. He is now a neurosurgeon, and I think he was living in New Orleans. Lost track of him years ago." -- Steve N. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Silverton, Colorado Visited...

"Just visited Silverton last week and found it to be a wonderful town nestled in the Rocky Mountains. A guy from Alabama was duly impressed by both the scenery and the people. Thanks." -- Jim View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Remembering the Schumachers of Alva...

"I do remember the Schumachers and their drug store. My mother took my sister and me in from time to time for a grape drink - we were not allowed to have CocaCola because of the suspect ingredients! The Schumachers were friends of my family and I have a quilt made for my mother by Mrs. Schumacher whom we called Aunt Julia." -- Barbara View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

1920 Language Expressions...

"Linda, you have an article in last week's issue (40) that really says what I believe. I'd like to share this with a few people, including a cousin that puts out a family newsletter.

Issue 40, Vol. 7, 1920 - Clipped From Good Papers [taken from Renfrew's Record, Friday, December 3, 1920, Alva, Woods Co., Okla., Frontpage.] -- The number of people who use good English seems to be rapidly declining in the past few years. It is so common to hear slang expressions that, considering the use, one hardly knows what is slang and what isn't. The American people are noted for their frankness and also for their inventive frame of mind. They are always inventing new expressions to expres their feelings. One great fault of all the students is the use of the past participle. It is very common to hear the expression, 'have saw,' 'have went,' 'I seen,' 'I done' and 'I written.' Surely everyone, especially high school students, know better than to use such language, yet there are but few who use correct English. We Americans are using our talents in the wrong way if we try to 'improve' on the English language by using such expressions. -- Amorita Prairie Owl. View/Write Comments (count 1)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Oklahoma Gas Prices...

"It's amazing that just about everytime a TV newsman warns us that gas prices are going up again and may reach $4 before the end of the year, within a few hours or a day, the price seems to go DOWN here in Perry, Oklahoma. The low price today started out being $2.52.9 per gallon (it was $2.62.9 a few days ago). Now it''s dropped even farther to $2.50.9 and who knows where it'll be next week? Perhaps up again; perhaps still lower. We'll wait and see." View/Write Comments (count 3)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

TODAY'S TIP: GMail Hard Drive Makes Space Available...

"The two gigabytes of storage you get with a Gmail account seems like an enormous waste of space for just e-mail. You're not likely ever to fill it; were you to come close, Google would no doubt have doubled the space by then. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to use some of that storage for something other than mail? Read today's tip to learn how. For the solution, Click HERE

[Editor's Note: we still have some Gmail invitations left. If anyone out there wants to try out Gmail, email mcwagner.lk@gmail.com for an invite to Gmail. Thanks!] View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Texas Birth Index (1926-1995)...

"The entire Texas Birth Index (1926-1995) -- Come search for free at: Family Tree Legends. This database will remain free from now on for all those interested in searching it! We're going to start giving away more databases in the near future so watch these email updates for more free offers." View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe