Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1929)

The 20th Annual Reunion of the Phend Fisher families was held at McNaughton Park Sun Aug 30th 1929.

Dinner at noon followed by business session. The meeting was called to order by Harold Phend vice President in the absense of Claud Poole, President, who was unable to be present.

Secretary's report was read and approved and bills allowed. After a great deal of discussion it was decided to have the date of next meeting the last Sunday in August as heretofore and committees were chosen.

Entertainment
Barton Thornton Chr.
Goldie Gerrard
Ruth Phend.
Arrangement
Mrs. Ed. Phend Chr.
Acquainted
Mrs. John Ernest.

Because of general dissatisfaction with

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McNaughton Park as a place of meeting it was voted to have the next reunion at the home of R. H. Phend and all were urged to come and bring their families. The attendance was the smallest in years, being 61.

Flowers were sent to Christian Phend of Nappanee and to Jacob Phend of near Granger both of whom were seriously ill. Fred Ernest was asked to bring the Family Tree up to date and present it again next year.

Officers Elected
President Harold Phend
Vice President Reuben Pletcher
Treasurer John Ernest
Secretary Raymond Phend

Meeting was closed by President and general visiting and games began.

R. H. Phend, Sec.

Cycling Shorts: Care and Rotation

The process of laundering padded bicycle shorts has confused me for as long as I've worn them. Over the summer I cycled pretty much every day, which meant having to wash the one pair of shorts I owned every night (the shorts were wool, but the chamois still had to be washed). After several months of this the shorts looked like they'd been dragged through the hedge backwards, and I am sure the frequent washing and wringing caused this at least as much as the wear. The same happened in the fall/winter season with my synthetic tights. I've tried different techniques, washing by hand in the sink in the most gentle manner possible. I also try to wash just the chamois area and not the entire short, which speeds drying time and decreases wear on the rest if the fabric. Now that I have a new pair of special club-embroidered shorts, I don't want them to meet the same fate as my old ones. Is there a special soap I'm supposed to use? Is there a way to dry the shorts overnight without wringing them out?



The other day I received the packing list for CORPSCamp - my upcoming 5 day trip to Death Valley - and this list says to pack 5 pairs of cycling shorts. As in, one for each day. I was kind of shocked to see that, and suddenly felt like that kid at school who gets made fun of for wearing the same outfit every day. Are you seriously telling me that cyclists own that many shorts? What about the people I ride with who always wear their club's kit - do they own multiple pairs of identical shorts, so it just looks like they're wearing the same thing?..The logistics are mystifying.



So let me ask this straight out: Assuming you are a roadcyclist, how many pairs of bicycle shorts do you have in rotation at a time? And how do you launder them?

Dancing the night away in Casa de la Trova

The blood that is MUSIC and DANCE runs in every Cuban’s veins. People there live to sing and dance. This isreally serious business in Cuba.







In every town and city in the country, they have a ‘Casa de la Trova’. It’s a community social centre where the locals from the neighbourhood gather in the evening together except that playing music and dancing are on top of the agenda. In Santiago de Cuba they have opened the Casa de la Trova to tourists for a minimal fee of CUC$5 per person. In fact, the Casa de la Trova in Santiago de Cuba is the most famous because they feature the unique musical style—‘Son’.



Naturally, Blondine and I did not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass. We had luck as well because the Casa de la Trova is located just beside our hotel, Hotel Casa Granda. So very near, we can go back to our room late!



So we went and paid, and we took our seats right on the front row. Perfect, we have the best seat in the casa.











The night started with some cha-cha-cha dancing. Blondine and I were invited by the local males to dance with them but we were coy--NOT. Well, our apologies misters, Blondine and I are allergic to dancing. We just came to watch and enjoy the music really, so kindly leave us alone please =)



Honestly, I don’t think Blondine and I will ever let our hair down. It’s just not us—well, unless we are with our partners, then that changes the situation drastically. In our travels, we are constantly plagued and felt the need to show off our prim and proper behaviour. It is something that is unnatural that has become natural. Am I making sense? Or am I truly getting old? All that fun and wild night life does not interest us anymore. I know it sounds pretty boring, but its part of growing old (and becoming responsible like behaving your age--Hi, I am 42).



Or like I said, it is just not us, or not for us.



Anyway, the entertainment started with the ‘Son’ band and a female guest singer. Then a couple, who are part of the act, came forward and danced together. Here is the video below:








Then later into the night, after the band and dancers have gone around selling their CD's and asking for tips, they opened again the dance floor for everyone to dance the night away. I took another video of everyone getting into the groove on the dance floor:








As you can see, it is quite busy at Santiago de Cuba's Casa de la Trova. Everyone here wants to jiggle and party, well except us, the boring ladies who just want to watch, haha.



So, when you find yourself in Santiago de Cuba, do not miss Casa de la Trova!







And oh, this is what we ate for our last evening in Santiago de Cuba, at Hotel Casa Granda. We were so full from the El Cayo Restaurantlunch bingeing that I opted for vegetables and a yummy pina colada. Blondine was craving for pizza though. Then we had coffee and an egg flan.



For the next day we are off to the eastern part of Cuba, to the islands, to Cayo Coco!

Damrak and shopping in Bijenkorf

Friday at work is our casual dress day but if I have a client call I am usually in formal business attire. As a person, my style tends to lean towards classic, so even if I dress casual, I still look a bit formal. I can never do t-shirts and rubber shoes. When I wear jeans I always pair it up with high heels otherwise I would feel naked.



It is officially autumn in the Netherlands but today we had summer. Actually, for the whole week we had summer temperatures which is of course a delight to us as we don’t often have clear skies and sunny weather. I had a client visit today but I was not in the mood to dress up business formal because of the warm weather. Yesterday I wore my usual business outfit and I was sweating like a pig. Pffft!



Anyway, after work today I went to Bijenkorf in Amsterdam to buy the item I have been eyeing for since last weekend.



Shopping in Bijenkorf today.



I saw this particular item last week in Bijenkorf Utrecht and when I came back yesterday to buy it, it was gone. I was told by the sales girl that there are only 2 left in the whole of Bijenkorf in the Netherlands and they are in Amsterdam. I was already thinking of buying the thing online direct from the designer’s website but I hate to think of the duties and taxes plus the hassles of picking up the item since I am never at home during the day.



Got to Bijenkorf Amsterdam and saw the thing and it is the last one! Whew, I bought it. It was Dwaze Dagen in Bijenkorf and the sales ladies and gentlemen were all dressed in funny characters in yellow. Unfortunately the item I bought was not part of the Dwaze Dagen discount.



Parked the car in Q-Park/Bijenkorf which is as usual unbelievably expensive. I paid 12 EUR for just 2.5 hours park.



I also took a few fotos of Damrak. This area of Amsterdam is always teeming with people and cyclists. The Damrak is the street where the trams pass from the Dam Square leading to Amsterdam Centraal (Train) Station.



Last Tuesday I was here in Amsterdam in the same area and in fact we parked at Q-Park/Bijenkorf as well. I had dinner with colleagues from Geneve and the Netherlands in Brasserie Harkema which is located in Nes street, just a few minutes’ walk from Damrak. I was too busy talking during dinner I forgot to take fotos. Well, when I am dining with colleagues and business partners I rarely take fotos anyway.



My rating for the food at Harkema: Cesar Salad—4 stars, Grilled Tuna—4.5 stars, Tiramisu—4.5 stars. The place is quite big, modern and trendy however it doesn’t offer a cosy ambiance. It’s more like a business restaurant. Well, we ate there for business anyway.



Here are a few fotos in Damrak:



Visit Period: September

Cassi and her Feather

and a 5 and a 6

What would life be with out more critters to take care of. As if we didn't have enough horses we let ourselves be suckered in to taking 2 more horses last July. Acutually they are ponies. Well sort of. Number 5 is Stormy who is half Minuture Horse and half Shetland, number 6 is Traveler who is half Tennessee Walking Horse and half Shetland. They are half brothers on their Shetland mama side. You wouldn't know it to look at them. Stormy is the short solid black one and Travey is the larger pinto. At this time they are still stallions and I am not sure when or if we will geld them. Right now they don't seem to know they are stallions but I am sure that will change when the mares start coming in season soon. Right now all they want to do is play. And play they do. They are constantly running, bucking, kicking, and biting on each other. They need the excersise and it runs them down as it would little kids on the playground. I have hopes someday of a cart and harrness but that might be another dream. Travey is terrified of any kind of rope around his rear end. Stormy does ok and both are good at leading, grooming, and tying now. You can see the difference in their size in the photo and I hope Travey doesn't get so big I have to seperate them. He does seem to be getting taller, remember he is half Tennessee Walker, and is not quite 2 years old yet. Stormy is almost 3.

Morning Glory Tower

This is part of the tower of morning glories in my garden. I originally had them on a 15-foot pole, but they kept growing to the top, so I put in some bamboo extensions the other day. They are already twining up!