Sunday, November 22, 2009

Should I Dig Up The Time Capsule?


I'm going to date myself by telling you this story as it's a story about when I was in the 6Th grade which is some 44 years ago.

Now you might be wondering why I relating a story that is so old. You see, it has to do with something we did when I was in the 6Th grade. And, it has to do with the question, "Should I Dig Up The Time Capsule?"

For those of you who are from the baby boomer generation or before you know what a time capsule is. For those of you who don't - let me explain. Back then time capsules were all the rage with teachers and students. You would take a large metal box or tin can and fill it with all sorts of material items, papers, etc. - anything relating to you and your culture. Then you would bury it outside in the hopes that someone in the future would find it.

Well, my 6Th grade class buried a time capsule back in 1965. Back then my 6Th grade class was housed in an old four room schoolhouse and the time capsule was buried in the back right hand corner of the schoolhouse next to the foundation. We buried it about 3 feet deep - I think.

I can't remember whether it was a box or a several coffee cans that we buried. It may even have been the size of the box above - just not as old as that one is. I just can't remember. In any event, I don't remember exactly what we put in it - but, can remember standing outside with the rest of the class while we buried it. I can remember the teacher saying that we were all charged with opening up the time capsule some time way in the future. Whoever was still around. It's coming up on 45 years since we buried it. I'd love to dig it up and find out what we put in it.

The image above is from an article on the Ozaukee Country website and is about a 100 year old time capsule they found hidden within the cornerstone of the County Courthouse .

According to their website, "The time capsule contained newspapers, paper documents from organizations and churches, business cards, 1901 stamps and coins, a small metal plaque memorializing the contractors Wurthmann and Vollmar, commemorative ribbons from the cornerstone celebration, four historic photographs, an original copy of Becker’s poem, speeches from the ceremony, and the script for the laying of the cornerstone ceremony. All these items appropriately reflect the people and the culture of Ozaukee County 1901."

I'm not even sure the old four room schoolhouse is still standing or whether or not the time capsule has already been discovered. I hope it hasn't been lost. If the schoolhouse is still standing do you think I should dig up the time capsule? Or, leave it for another 45 years or even 55 years years until it's 100 years old



Friday, November 20, 2009

One of My All Time Favorite Pictures



While browsing through some of our old pictures the other day I came across one of my all time favorite pictures. So, I thought I'd show it to you and explain why it is one of my all time favorite pictures. The reasons are purely sentimental, emotional and humorous.

The emotional part is because it shows my beautiful step daughter and I with my twin granddaughters during a wonderful period in all our lives.

The sentimental part is because when I look at this picture it is realistic as to how things are with a little sense of humor thrown in. You see, for me, I can see what all four of us are thinking.

My step-daughter is trying to get one of my granddaughters to hold "Mommy's" hand. I can almost hear her saying, "Hold my hand. I don't want you walking in the street without holding my hand!"

My granddaughter is holding on to Mommy's hand while trying to get her sister to hold her hand. And, she is getting ready to say, "Why won't she hold my hand. Mom she won't hold my hand!"

Her sister is holding her twin sister's hand while reluctantly holding Nana's hand. I can almost hear her saying, "Boy you are tall. Should I be afraid?"

I am holding on to my granddaughters hand and looking down at her saying, "Don't be afraid. I'm not a monster! Tall, but not a monster! LOL LOL"

The following picture is what happened next:


I can clearly remember that day. It was one of those all time beautiful weather days and we all had a wonderful time that day. Looking at the picture brought that all back to me and I was happy it did.