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SECTION 2 - PAGE • - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 16.1981 Past 65 by Carl Riblet Jr. Q. "My mother lives with a man she isn't married to. The church bells didn't ring for them, as my aunt says. My father is dead. What do you think about senior citizens who live together as man and wife but do not marry because the woman would lose her Social Security check which she gets by virtue of being married before?" - Anna Mae K. A. When a man and woman are past 65 they are presumed to know enough about life and the times to make their own decisions about marriage or no marriage while living together, without help from anybody else. I see no harm in the arrangement, although children may not like it. Nosey neighbors sometimes don't like it either. I am well acquainted with a couple who live that way. He is 70. She is 71. They live in his house and are happy. They have found peace and security. Her monthly SS check spells the difference between enough and hard­ ship. They are not legally married, but many in the area believe they are indeed married. I would not like to live that way, but I can't be a critic of those who are said to "live in sin". That is because I was married to a woman 10 years younger on Oct. 30 in the chapel at Christ Church in Winnetka, 111. My bride said the ceremony at the altar was "beautiful." As we marched down the aisle after the wedding - the second for both of us - the rector rang the chapel bell. How proud I was with this beautiful woman on my arm. This is what I wrote the rector from the lake in Wisconsin where we honeymooned, "The ringing of the chapel bell was the frosting on the cake of our wedding." There is life indeed in aging bones, contrary to the unknowing, closed-eyes opinions of so many who are young. Q. "Can somebody tell me, if you can't, what the old Indian term is for the little dust devils that whirl over the desert on an otherwise calm day? A group of 20 of us in Cabazon, Calif., tried and failed to come up with the answer. Can you help us find out through your readers?" - - G.S.M. A. The best I can come up with is the feminine name of "Maria." I can find no other name, Indian or English. If any of you out there know the answer to G.S.M.'s query, will you please write to us? Q. Frank JB. wrote to you asking where he could locate a copy of a painting that hung in his school room in 1920. It was a print, I should think, of Sir Galahad on a horse, with the inscription, "My strength is as the strength of 10 because my heart is pure." Alfred Lord Tennyson is the author of the inscription. The painting was by George Frederick Watts. It and another painting of Sir Galahad was found at the Boston Public Library." -- Anonymous. A. The author of the foregoing letter did not really sign himself "Anonymous." He forgot to sign the letter at all. Q "I have lived in the north woods near Brainerd, How To Subscribe to The McHenry Plaindealer Tho McHonry Plaindoalor 3812 W. Elm Street McHenry, II. 60050 • 3 Years-$40.00 • 2 Years-$28.50 • 1 Year-$15.50 • 6 Mon*h»-$8.50 • Payment Enclosed Nam* Address City Prices good in McHenry County. Minn., most of my life and had many experiences with the wildlife there. I now have a 25,000-word manuscript, consisting of individual stories about each animal or bird. There are many photographs, too. I con­ tacted a publishing firm in Iowa. They wanted $3,000 in advance to publish it. Too much. Can you tell me of any publishing companies that will look at a manuscript with an eye to possibly buying it for publication? I am 74. My right arm is crippled after surgery for cancer. I don't expect it to get any better but I intend to keep on writing, painting and sewing until it quits working altogether." - Charlotte O. A. Be cautious about paying a so-called vanity publisher to put a manuscript into book form. Such books seldom, if ever, are widely marketed and the cost, as Charlotte discovered is high. If a publisher will not or cannot pay the expenses of publishing plus perhaps a small advance on expected royalties, he isn't mud) of a publisher. Charlotte can And a list of publishers at her local library. Also, she can subscribe to the monthly "Writer's Digest which will give her many valuable tips and information that may tell her where to send the manuscript. The Digest also publishes an annual titled "Writer's Market" that lists publishers, what they need and are looking for, and literary agents. Charlotte should not send money to have a manuscript read. A bona fide publisher or agent will gladly read it without charge. They are always looking for publishable material. Most of all, she should not become easily disappointed at rejections. My first book, "The Reluctant Taxpayer," was turned down by 11 publishers before my agent sold it. You can write to Carl Riblet Jr. with self- addressed, stamped en­ velope at P.O. Box 40757, Tucson, Ariz., 85717, with questions on specific problems on aging. No identities are revealed. Holiday Gift Idea For Animal Lovers ' Veterans suffering from service connected ankylosis of one or both knees or hips may receive Veterans Ad­ ministration help toward the purchase of needed automotive adaptive equipment. Here's a holiday gift idea for the animal lover on your list-a gift membership to the Humane Society of North Central Illinois. ciety of North >is. / it works-Make Here's how it worlnrMake a donation in your friend's name to the society. A card will be sent to the person named telling him that he has received a membership as a gift. The new member will' also receive a mem­ bership card and a sub­ scription to the society's quarterly newsletter, "Kindness in Action." Donations are tax- deductible. If interested, call the society at 697-2880 or contact the Humane Society, 1000 S. LaFox, S. Elgin, 111. 60177. Long Lease A Plus Diane Berlin Johnsburg 675-6291 Most Illinois farm leases are written for a single year. There may be advantages, however, to extending leases to three year terms. Crop-share leases are usually written for one year with an automatic renewal for following years if legal notice to terminate is not given by either the landlord or the tenant. Such notice must be given four months before the end of the term. This means that for leases running from March 1 to Feb. 28, notice must be given prior to Nov. 1. In other words, it is now too late to terminate a crop-share lease for next year. These arrangements have worked well over the past several years, primarily because the length of tenure for most crop-share leases is fairly long. Often, a farmer has been renting a farm for most of his life. In contrast, most cash i leases are written to ter­ minate in one year and must be renegotiated each year, except in cases where there is a clause which automatically adjusts the amount of cash rent to be paid. Since most producers today have a substantial investment in equipment and machinery, longer-term leases would reduce some of the risks faced by tenants. In addition, they would lend greater stability to the farmland rental market, as well as rural communities. A farmer who is renting a new piece of land would not be out of line to request an initial lease of three years. This would allow the tenant time to better demonstrate his actual production capabilities and plan his machinery purchases based upon financial terms and cash flow projections. Landlords would also benefit from longer-term leases as such, leases would provide incentives for tenants to take more interest in the farm and its long-term development. A tenant may, for example, be more apt to implement soil erosion control techniques if he were to feel he would be able to benefit in future years from these methods. A disadvantage to longer- term leases is that dissatisfied landlords and tenants may have difficulty terminating the agreement. Another consideration would be that leases of this type could create problems for a landlord's heirs should the landlord die. The ad­ vantages of longer-term leases to both landlords and tenants, however, appear to outweigh these potential problems. » * * * There is only one way to make an honest dollar. 1 Local Girl Takes First Melissa Stevens of Johnsburg took first place in the beginners division of the McHenry County Tumble Weeds, at a meet Sunday Dec. 6. This was Melissa's first tumbling meet and she came through with flying colors. Congratulations to you for your first place and may you add many more to your collection. DISTRICT 12 NEWS The schools have an­ nounced there will be early dismissal times as follows for the week of Christmas; Tuesday, to be announced; Wednesday, Dec. 23, high school 1:25 p.m.; Ringwood and Kindergarten, 2:05 p.m.; Bush, Middle and Junior high, 2:25 p.m. Kindergarten through fifth grade Christmas parties will be held as follows: Ringwood, 12:45 -1:45; Bush and Middle, 1-2 p.m. School will resume Jan. 4. JOHNSBURG P.T.O. Everyone is urged to "Get your Act Together" for the Johnsburg P.T.O. Talent show. Tryouts for the Jan. 29 show will be held Wed­ nesday, Jan. 20 and Thur­ sday, Jan. 21, at the high school cafetorium. All ages are welcome and en­ couraged to try out. If you dance or sing, or even if you don't, come and have some fun! There will be cash prizes along with an added at­ traction. New this year is a traveling trophy to be awarded to the best teacher participation act. Watch for f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n regarding this annual event. APOLOGIES In last week's column I reported that the Christmas trees at J.C. Bush and Chapel Hill road were decorated by the Girl Scouts of Troop 140. However, it was called to my attention that all the Girl Scouts and Brownies of Johnsburg participated in this lovely display. Please accept my apologies for this error - it was unintentional. DATES TO REMEMBER Dec. 22 - Dist. 12 Early D i s m i s s a l - - t o b e a n ­ nounced. Dec. 23 - Dist. 12 Early Dismissal - High School, 1:25 - Ringwood and Kin­ dergarten, 2:05 p.m. - Bush, Middle and Junior high 2:25 p.m. Dec. 23 - Deadline for Baby Sitting Safety course - all students grade five and up Jan. 20-21 - Tryouts for P.T.O. Talent show - further details to follow. Jan. 29 - P.T.O. Talent show - high school auditorium. SET CHPA MEETING The board of directors of the Comprehensive Health Planning agency for McHenry County, Inc. (CH­ PA) will meet on Monday, Dec. 21. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Crystal Lake Ambutal, meeting room number 1, 4900 S. Route 31, near Crystal Lake. The meeting is open to the public, which is encouraged to at­ tend and participate. Con­ tact Mr. Janishewski at the Health Systems agency office in Cary, 111., 312-639- 0061, for more detailed in­ formation. Put a little 6 & your Saturday. Sjaturda The premiere (ournalWeekly for McHenry County Saturday. November Beginning this Saturday, the Shaw Media Group, the largest publishing group In McHenry County, presents Saturday EXTRA, a totally unique Saturday JournalWeekly offering Interesting feature stores and money saving ads. T" day -- style -- il value -- % Saturday EXTRA Is the only McHenry County publication designed for your weekend leisure lifestyle. the editorial style of Saturday EXTRA consists of interesting local feature stories, a departure from the crush of the usual news. Saturday EXTRA readers will enjoy reaping the savings from the many advertisers who will be bringing their sales message to you in Saturday EXTRA. catch something every Saturday morning!