I wrote this with the intent of having it published in the Ramona Sentinel — but somehow it was overlooked. It’s fun to look into a time capsule — even if its only in writing.

After the sun set through the beautiful stained glass windows of the First Congregational Church of Ramona, Miss Mary Conklin and Thomas Joaquin Darby were united in marriage on January 17, 1987 at seven in the evening by the Reverend Alexander S. Dreese.

Guests were seated by ushers Steve Conklin of Ramona and Fred Conklin of Fontana, California. The organist played Pachelbel’s’ “Canon in D,” to the traditional “Wedding March.

Mr. Don Conklin escorted his daughter to the altar. Mary’s Matron of Honor was Mrs. Sarah Hart, sister of the bride, of Ramona. Mr. Adam Darby, brother of the groom, from Fortuna, California stood up as Best man for Tom.

The Bride wore a beautiful two piece mid-length ensemble made of winter-white silk, accented by her black hair which was pulled up by two pearl combs. She carried a bouquet of pink and white flowers.

A dress of dusty rose with a french lace collar was worn by the Matron of Honor. The Groom and Best man wore winter-white double-breasted jackets with charcoal gray slacks and dusty rose bow-ties.

A reception followed the ceremony at the home of the Bride’s parents in Ramona. Decorations and wedding cake were in dusty rose and winter-white with the cake having flowers of pink and white cascading down its two layers.

Assisting with the guest book was Miss Cathy Harrington, friend of the Bride. She doubled by helping at the gift table as well.

The couple honeymooned at Disneyland before returning to their home in Reno, Nevada. Both are employed by major hotel and casino’s.

The new Mrs. Darby is the daughter of Helen and Don Conklin of Ramona. Tom is the son of Margery Olivera of Fortuna, California and Tom Darby of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

On my way into the radio station, I saw a bumper sticker on a truck in front of me. It caused me laugh as I read, “Conserve water, shower with a Marine.”

It wasn’t that the quote was all that funny, it’s the memory that it brought up. I promised myself that the moment I got my official paperwork and had been reassigned to the 1st Civilian Battalion, I never take another two-minute shower again.

A real two-minute shower consists of turning on the water while standing under the spray nozzle. If you’re first in line, this means your first few seconds are an icy cold blast of water cascading down your body.

About thirty-seconds or so later, jus’ as the water’s getting hot, you have to turn it off and lather up.  Within another half-minute or maybe  a few seconds more, you turn the water back on and rinse yourself as thoroughly as possible.

I never felt sufficiently clean — unless I was off-base and was free to take and enjoy a real shower.

In fact, after being discharged, I checked into a motel and took a hot shower that was so long, my skin wrinkled up like a prune. I was determined at the time to run the hot water completely from the lodging’s tank.

And I damn near succeeded — but the pizza I’d ordered arrived before I could accomplish my mission.

This is a cautionary tale of authority —

Stuck was caught between a Rock and a Hard Place. It’ not the first time Stuck had been in this position — but as usual — it was uncomfortable.

Rock was the top of the hill. What Rock said rolled downhill.

Hard Place was the newcomer — still searching for a place in the pecking order. With that in mind, Hard Place decided Stuck needed pecking on.

When Stuck decided to complain to Rock about Hard Place, it became clear to Stuck, Hard Place had the upper-hand. Therefore nothing would change.

Stuck resisted no more, seemingly bowing to Hard Place’s idea of a pecking order. Meanwhile Rock happily maintained the status quo from the hilltop.

Thus, it goes for being Stuck, between a Rock and a Hard Place.

I’ve stopped posting for a while — too much work and lack of sleep are the two main reasons.  Plus I’d like to recharge my internal batteries before heading off on another writing jag.

As I wait for my muse to awake, I’ve been playing with a small idea.  Hell, it might be a big idea — depending on who it affects:

It’s been said life’s a young man’s game.
Unfortunately — I’m an old man now.
However, I’m not content to simply sit
On the sidelines and spectate.
So I’ve made a decision.
If I can’t participate —
I’ll jus’ become a referee.

Here’s a break-down of The Iowa Caucus results going back to 1972:

• 2008 —

Democrats: Barack Obama 37.6%, John Edwards 29.8%, Hillary Clinton 29.5%, Bill Richardson 2.1%, Joe Biden 0.9%, Others 0.2%

Eventual nominee: Barack Obama

Republicans: Mike Huckabee 34.4%, Mitt Romney 25.2%, Fred Thompson 13.4%, John McCain 13%, Ron Paul 9.9%, Rudy Giuliani 3.4%

Eventual nominee: John McCain

Barack Obama won the presidentcy

• 2004 —

Democrats: John Kerry 37.6%, John Edwards 31.9%, Howard Dean 18%, Dick Gephardt 10.6%, Dennis Kucinich 1.3%, Wesley Clark .1%, Uncommitted .1%, Joe Lieberman 0%, Al Sharpton 0%  Eventual nominee: John Kerry

Republicans: President George W. Bush unopposed

George W. Bush won the presidentcy

• 2000 —

Democrats: Al Gore 63%, Bill Bradley 35%, Uncommitted 2%

Eventual nominee: Al Gore

Republicans: George W. Bush 41%, Steve Forbes 30%, Alan Keyes 14%, Gary Bauer 9%, John McCain 5%, Orrin Hatch 1%

Eventual nominee: George W. Bush

George Bush won the presidentcy

• 1996 —

Democrats: No caucuses, President Bill Clinton unopposed.

Republicans: Bob Dole (26%), Pat Buchanan (23%), Lamar Alexander (18%), Steve Forbes (10%), Phil Gramm (9%), Alan Keyes (7%), Richard Lugar (4%), and Morry Taylor (1%)

Eventual nominee: Bob Dole

Bill Clinton won the presidentcy

• 1992 —

Democrats: Tom Harkin 76.4%, Uncommitted 11.9%, Paul Tsongas 4.1%, Bill Clinton 2.8%, Bob Kerrey 2.4%, Jerry Brown 1.6%, Others .6%

Eventual nominee: Bill Clinton

Republicans: No caucuses, President George H. Bush unopposed.

Bill Clinton won the presidentcy

• 1988 —

Democrats: Richard Gephardt 31.3%, Paul Simon 26.7%, Michael Dukakis 22.2%, Jesse Jackson 8.8%, Bruce Babbitt 6.1%, Uncommitted 4.5%, Gary Hart .3%, Al Gore 0%

Eventual nominee: Michael Dukakis

Republicans: Robert Dole 37.4%, Pat Robertson 24.6%, George H. Bush 18.6%, Jack Kemp 11.1%, Pete DuPont 7.3%, No preference .7%, Alexander Haig .3%

Eventual nominee: George H. W. Bush

George H. W. Bush won the presidentcy

• 1984 —

Democrats: Walter Mondale 48.9%, Gary Hart 16.5%, George McGovern 10.3%, Uncommitted 9.4%, Alan Cranston 7.4%, John Glenn 3.5%, Reuben Askew 2.5%, Jesse Jackson 1.5%, Ernest Hollings 0%

Eventual nominee: Walter Mondale

Republicans: No caucuses, President Ronald Reagan unopposed.

Ronald Reagan won the presidentcy

• 1980 —

Democrats: Jimmy Carter 59.1%, Edward Kennedy 31.2%, Uncommitted 9.6%

Eventual nominee: Jimmy Carter

Republicans: George Bush 31.6%, Ronald Reagan 29.5%, Howard Baker 15.3%, John Connally 9.3%, Phil Crane 6.7%, John Anderson 4.3%, No Preference 1.7%, Robert Dole 1.5%

Eventual nominee: Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan won the presidentcy

• 1976 —

Democrats: Uncommitted 37.2%, Jimmy Carter 27.6%, Birch Bayh 13.2%, Fred Harris 9.9%, Morris Udall 6%, Sargent Shriver 3.3%, Others 1.8%, Henry Jackson 1.1%

Eventual nominee: Jimmy Carter

Republicans: Gerald Ford (1st), Ronald Reagan (2nd)

Eventual nominee: Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter won the presidentcy

• 1972 —

Democrats: Uncommitted 35.8%, Edmund Muskie 35.5%, George McGovern 22.6%, Others 7%, Hubert Humphrey 1.6%, Eugene McCarthy 1.4%, Shirley Chisolm 1.3%, Henry Jackson 1.1%

Eventual winner: George McGovern

Richard M. Nixon won the presidentcy

In 1855, the miners in Gold Canyon had their best year, to that date. About 200 miners dug up an estimated $100,000 in gold.

Thereafter, the collective annual earnings declined. By 1857, this decline had spurred some miners to prospect upper Gold Canyon and the adjacent areas.

They looked for gold-bearing gravel, which experience had taught them they would find in canyons, but not on plateaus or level ground. The ‘one ledge theory’ then popular in California held that all gold nuggets and flakes came from a single source and were washed downhill by the passage of water in rivers and creeks, and during spring run-offs.

Some of the miners explored and dug in what would soon be named ‘Six Mile Canyon,’ but no sites of great value were turned up. Few of the men there were able to dig up more than $4 worth of gold in a day, and that not on a regular basis.

The first bonanza (good weather or good fortune) was over; the first borrasca (squall weather or bad fortune) had begun.

During the first California state legislative session, lawmakers voted to eliminate the right of Indians to vote because they feared the control the Indian peoples might exercise. The Legislature also enacted the “Act for the Government and Protection of Indians.”

This law set the tone of Indian-white relations for many years. The act provided the following:

• The Justice of the Peace exercised jurisdiction over all complaints between Indians and whites, “But in no case shall a white man be convicted of any offense upon the testimony of an Indian or Indians.”
• Landowners would permit Indians who were peaceably residing on their land to continue to do so.
• Whites could obtain control of Indian children.
• If any Indian was convicted of a crime, any white person could come before the court and contract for the Indian’s services and in return pay the Indian’s fine.
• It was illegal to sell or administer alcohol to Indians.
• Indians convicted of stealing a horse, mule, cow, or any other valuable could receive any number of lashes up to 25, and a fine not to exceed $200.
• The law also provided that the abuse of an Indian child was to be punished by no more than a $10 fine.
• An Indian found strolling or loitering where alcohol was sold, begging or leading a profligate life was liable to be arrested.
• After the justice of the peace, mayor or recorder would make out a warrant and within 24 hours the services of the Indian could be sold to the highest bidder.
• The term of service would not exceed four months.

This law was widely abused with regard to the use of Indians as laborers. It eventually was used to justify and provide for what would later be coined as Indian slavery.

Mail service was begun between Salt Lake City and San Bernardino in 1852. This led to stations being built at natural springs along the ‘Old Spanish Trail’ where fodder for horses grew without cultivation.

One of these was built-in meadows about 55 miles away from the nearest neighbor to its northeast, which was one of the longest stretches between stations.

In 1855, Mormon settlers arrived at the distant station and planted a settlement. They cultivated about 500 acres of farmland.

When the Mormons anticipated battle with the US Army in 1857, the settlers abandoned their development and returned to Utah. Not long after the Mormon departure, Octavius Decatur Gass moved to the station and expanded the farmland under cultivation.

He sold fruits, vegetables, and beef to miners on the Colorado River and in the Potosi Mountains. Gass preserved the common name by which the area was already known.

He called his little place, “Las Vegas Rancho.”

In October 1879, former U.S. President Ulysses Grant paid a visit to Virginia City. A parade was held in his honor, at which passed in display several volunteer guard units that had been formed during the Civil War and were still organized.

None of these military companies had ever fought a battle. Membership in them had become a social obligation of rising young men.

Their shiny, satin uniforms had been designed with the thought that the best and brightest got the most applause, and perhaps the most attention from women. The decorations and frills added to their uniforms would have shamed hotel doormen and Admirals, everywhere.

When Wells Drury of the Sarsfield Guard was introduced to President Grant, the ex-soldier looked at the newspaper editor’s get-up and remarked, ‘Young fellow, I never had as fine a uniform as that all the time I was General of the Armies!’

Furthermore, Grant toured the area’s many mines with John MacKay, one of the co-owner’s of the Consolidated Virginia Mining Company, considered the richest mine on the Comstock. He was so moved by the rough working conditions that he exclaimed to MacKay, “That’s a close to Hell as I ever want to get.”

I was talking with my boss, Dan. He told me he’d been so busy the last few weeks that he’d gotten none of his Christmas shopping done.