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Page 12- PLA1NDKA 1'KK HKRALP, FRIDAY, APRIL 19.19«5 Li£e goes on quite well in retirement THIS PAST WEEK marked a year since we turned the key in the door of the Plaindealer office and said our last goodbye to a newspaper career that had served us well. Probably no one can reliably assess just how well or how poorly he has served a particular career. Perhaps all any of us can expect is to know that we have tried with the best of our ability. That allows peace of mind as we go on to a less demanding life. Or does life really become less exacting in retirement? The same sheep that came to haunt our sleep after a trying work indulge the mind in small thoughts. This week we have devoted some of those worthless moments to a consciousness that this throw-away world we live in is very wasteful. AMONG THE THINGS WE took with us a year ago were a 30-plus-year-old typewriter and a stapler that had served us well. The keys on the typewriter are still working and the com­ bination of a paper clip and solid welding have held the tOtf relu | p|^p^|p [ether well, we recall the day Publisher Tom luctantly agreed to place a paper clip at a strategic point on the threat that we would walk out if the old machine could not 4 : >* W . $ be repaired. Later, when the welder had to be called in, he tfe iper clip repair that he left it as r< day, return even now. Suddenly new commitments are responsbile for the same kind of deadlines we left behind at the office. Will we meet them? WE LEARNED AFTER April 13, 1984, that alarm clocks still tend to send a sickening feeling through the body. It was our original plan to forget that particular feature of our bedside clock but soon realized that this promoted a slow, slovenly start to each day. The result has been a loud ringing at the same hour we answered the call to work. Now it brim part of a bustling population but wii they receive for their effort. only a sense of being out the compensation fe found, too, that telephones continue to ring outside the office. A plus of a home call is that there are fewer complaints. A minus is that they usually interrupt a pleasurable afternoon snooze. WE FIND IT MORE difficult to refuse the regular requests for 'helping out' that are synonymous to retirement. The terms 'president' and 'chairman' take on new meaning. The are still designed for leaders but the fine print reads, "Con the fellow or gal who has just retired for the job. He-she has plenty of time and won't have an excuse for not serving." It's happened to us and it has happened to most everyone we know who has left the work force. In fact, it may be the most scary thing about retirement. But in honesty we must admit to free moments when we can But the stapler.was not as cooperative. Apparently it missed the relentless but apparently satisfying punishment it took on a daily basis. Neglected in the home atmosphere, it soon refused to shoot forth its metal fasteners. To replace an old friend we invested in the best in the store, along with correct size staples. Last week we found the box empty and the need urgent. "Sorry, but Arrow S-25 staples have been discontinued, we've had to disappoint others," said the office supply store salesman. It was conceivable that the necessary ingredient for an almost new machine could have been taken off the market so soon. We would certainly find a supply somewhere, or a reasonable facsimile. IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE they are unknown to the very conscientious salesman in several stores who tried to fill our need. No store we visited-five of them-had a staple that would fit. This leaves us with a shiny stapler, little more than six months old, and now unusable. It reminded us of a similar experience with a digital watch which was a gift when they were just beginning to gain popularity. Less than five years later, when the watch refused to run, it was sent to its well-known manufacturer. We were informed immediately that parts for this particular timepiece had been discontinued. Of course, they could furnish us with a new watch, y Long before the miracle of modern technology, staplers and watches had lives of at least 10 to 20 years. What's happening today? The urge to sell, sell, sell something new has to be motivated by greed, greed, greed. Voters say they want municipal band FIFTY YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 18, 1935) Elections of April 16 resulted in voters deciding to have a municipal band in the city. The proposition was passed by 96 votes receiving 384 ballots for the proposition and 286 against it. wice Incumbent Peter A. Neiss retained the office of city clerk by 34 votes over opponent Earl Walsh who made a remarkable .showing in his first venture in •the realm of politics. N.P. Justen and R.I. Overton were re­ -elected as aldermen in the first ward. Herman Kreutzer was re­ elected in the second ward along with Edward J. Buss. Ray McGee, .businessman, ;appointment •postmaster at commenced his new duties this • week. Green street received his Saturday as McHenry and With the return of the spring days, local residents who have spent the winter in warmer climates are beginning to think about turning homeward. Some have already arrived with Father Nix, pastor of St. Mary's church, returning last week from Pensacola, Fla., in time for the Easter and Holy Week services. Dr. and Mrs. N.J. Nye and son, Eugene, arrived home after spending a pleasant winter in the sunshine at Miami. Mrs. Mary Carey and daughters who also are at Miami plan to remain for some time yet. Mrs. Carey is much improved in health since she went south. FORTY YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 19, 1945) This year's senior class play, "A Mind of Her Own," will be presented in the high school auditorium April 27. Some of the Cast includes Mary Grace Murphy, Betty Lou Kramer, Dorothy Freund, George Whitting, Dean McCracken, Carolyn Hay and Terry Phalin. Also Jean Marie Thome, Glorice Freund, Charles Martin, and Adolph Wideman. Gladys Stilling and Mary Ann Noonan also will take part. Although businesses were closed last Satu ~"ay because of the death of the P sident, grade school elections k it the town buzzing. The final vote gave Dr. R.G. Chamberlin 153 votes for president, resulting in his reelection. George H. Johnson and Mrs. Paul Schwerman were elected as members in the write- in election. This is the first time a woman has ever served on either the grade or high school board in this city. TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 14, 1960) Theron Ehorn was elected county coroner in a race which included Dr. John C. Goetschel of McHenry who received good support in the nine McHenry precincts. County authorities believe the person who broke into the Eugene Fischer home at Hunterville Park sometime last week must have gained en­ trance by boat, as the house was entirely surrounded by water. The only items taken from the home during the absence of the owners were two beach towels, a formal dress and three slips. Results of the annual polio drive revealed a total of $2,050.17 collected locally. TEN YEARS AGO (Taken from the files of April 18, 1975) In two contested races, Raymond L. Smith of Ward III and Walther E.I. Schaedel of Ward IV won election as alderman against Robert J. Mortell and Ronald Meurer, respectively. A 16-year-old Wonder Lake youth was charged in the murder of a six-year-old boy who died of stab wounds Tuesday night. Mike Giddings and Bryan O'Neil, students at McHenry high school West, placed first in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science, Region V Science Fair held at Northern Illinois University. They are now eligible to compete in the state finals at the University of Illinois. Four-foot, 11-inch Rose Lillegard of McHenry Shores last Tuesday out-polled two men contenders to become the first woman president of a local municpality, with 121 sup­ porters, she topped her nearest rival by 50 votes to garner 48 percent of the vote. BLOOD DRIVE McHenry East High School students, in cooperation with the Aurora Area Blood Bank, supplier of blood to local hospitals, will sponsor a blood drive from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. All donars are reminded to eat a normal breakfast that day. 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"Gonstead Method of Chiropractic" Dick Peterson Tinkering never was one of my good points I marvel at those in the construction trades, the people who can commit a plan to paper, follow it and create something useful. Actually, I am envious of anyone who can work with his hands. When I work with my hands, I end up wringing them more than working with them. As far as construction goes, I can't remember the last thing I built with a hammer, saw, wood and nails. A long time ago, my brother and I used to tinker around in grand­ ma's basement, which had a wall full of wood. My brother sawing a board straight. I don't even have a birdhouse to my credit. Doesn't every kid have a birdhouse of his own, built by himself? I admire people who can make things. I admire straight lines, solid joints and clean cuts. It's just like fielding a sharp line drive to third, sinking a jump shot or throwing a ~ irfect spiral. Or people who can do long division in their pertec heads. All of this pent up admiration comes to a head when I have to do something with my hands. Then I start wringing them. Last summer we had a room removed from our house and rebuilt. Of course, we hired someone to do that. Not wanting to be panty-waists-or waste money, God forbid-we figured we would "finish it off." Doesn't finishing off sound so incidental? That was seven months ago and finishing seems to a very long way off. ' A professional would have had the project finished within a week, tops. At the seven-month mark, I foresee at least three more months of work. And I have not even had to saw a board yet. That comes later, a whole lot later. I Progress has ground to a creeping crawl because the room needs walls with that finished low. The product that is used is called drywall, which makes walls look like walls. Apparently it is quicker, easier and cheaper to install than having the walls plastered, a vanishing art. Hanging drywall, which comes in 4-foot by 8-foot sheets weighing 50 pounds, isn't difficult but takes times. After plugging a thousand nails, getting plugged on the ear by a 2- by-6 and stopping everything for about two months to nurse a drywall-related hand injury, the sheets were hung in place. That leaves covering the seams and filling in the thousand nail holes with a dough-like plaster substance called joint compound. I had not anticipated the depression joint compound would cause. I've been in a drywall funk since January. Maybe the compound gives off oderless fumes. (About the only benefit to drywalling are the nice 5-gallon buckets that the joint compound comes in. You get to keep those and they have many uses.) According to all the "how-to" books, three applications of varying widths to hide the Between each ap- sanded to smooth its this compound must be applied in seams between the sheets of diywall. plication, the di surface for the following applications and make the 30-odd sheets look like one big, umnterruffted plaster job. It was interesting to find out just how much dust this compound can create when sanded vigorously. It has penetrated and covered the entire house. As the dust deepens, so do the drywall blues. And two compound ap­ plications remain. To do the job properly, the whole process takes time, lots of time for the amateur. There is lots of frustration and aggravation, not to mention that nightmare-like feeling of being up against infinity. I'd estimate there are six miles of seams in that room. That's as close to deal ing with infinity as I hope I ever come. The how-to books don't mention this. About the only tip-off they give is a subtle one. 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