Checking back on '09 as Ramblin' continues

Are you still writing 2009 on checks? Are you still writing checks?

Yep, if you look back on 2009 - and, in fact, the decade of the aughts or the oughts or however you want to say it - a lot has changed. But, at least a couple of things have remained constant - time doesn't stand still and I'm still Ramblin'.

What a diverse year it was. We remembered 1969, when man walked on the moon and hippies walked to Woodstock. We met the nine Knight brothers who grew up in Cedar Rapids and celebrated a reunion on 9/9/09. We talked with Steve Sellers of Marion who approached his 5,000th day of sobriety.

While I was Ramblin' from Waukon to Bennett and from Toledo to Dyersville, my Ramblin' columns moved a couple of times. I began the year on the Iowa Today section cover (no longer part of the reorganized Gazette), jumped to the Accent cover for a time and am now usually found inside the front section. Occasionally you'll find me on the front page.

So, if you've stayed with me through the year, you might remember my January request for folks to describe the cold as temperatures plunged into minus figures or my November lessons of the Great Depression.

Ah, as we endure the cold and snow and deflated economy, I can't help but recall a July day when I passed through Viola and found signs that made me smile at the intersection “Summer” and “Pleasant” streets. A great respite from not only winter, but also the flood summer of 2008.

Alas, everything wasn't roses. Three July deaths hit me particularly hard.

I met Walt Bisbee of Stanwood, who had received his Vietnam medals more than 40 year late, on July 17. He died the next day, before my column about him made the paper.

In May, we talked to Dixie Vandersee of Cedar Rapids who was honored to know that an Iowa City memorial service to Vietnam War veterans killed in action would include son, Terrell “Terry” Randall. But Dixie was ill and couldn't attend the Memorial Day service. Then she died July 23.

And Dave Schultz, a 36-year government and history teacher at West Delaware High School, learned he had cancer just as he was retiring. Optimistically, he thought he'd beat it. Sadly, Dave died July 10.

But life goes on for the rest of us and Walt, Dixie and Dave wouldn't want it any other way.

Throughout the year we talked tractors, typewriters and tall corn.

If you drive along Highway 13 north of Coggon around Memorial Day, July 4 or Labor Day, you'll probably see Vernon Althoff's three dozen or so orange Case tractors on display with American Flags. And a national calendar this upcoming April features Dysart farmer Kent Aschenbrenner's rare “mist green” 1959 Oliver 880.

A manual typewriter, dear to my heart, is at the center of Cornell College professor Tony Plaut's “Typer Piper,” a flute playing work of art.

The tallest corn in the world - 31 feet and 7/8 inch tall grown by Don Radda of Washington, Iowa, in 1946 - inspired a life-size sculpture at the Iowa State Fair this summer while Michael and Tracey Myers of Williamsburg won Our Iowa magazine's tall corn contest in the fall with a stalk 17 feet, 9 inches tall.

As I rambled, I also continued blogging. Often at GazetteOnline, I give you additional information the day my Gazette columns appear.

So, now it's 2010. Let's stay in touch.