Monthly Archives: October 2025
Halloween is a beloved part of American culture, offering people a chance to kick back and have a little fun. It’s a time for all ages to embrace creativity, fantasy, and maybe even a little goofiness. The holiday encourages people to dress up in costumes, often depicting the heroes or villains of the day, as well as celebrating a love for the spooky. Some people prefer to be as scary or gruesome as they can, but I prefer the cute costumes, the superheroes, angels, kitties, puppies, and even the inanimate costumes, like the little girl I once saw dressed up as Lego blocks. You know, the ones that make me smile. It isn’t just the kids that dress up either. Many adults dress up. They might be things like gangsters, pirates, Indians, or maybe the girls of the “Roaring Twenties.”
In the US, Halloween’s roots can be traced to European immigrants, especially those from Ireland and Scotland. 
The term “Halloween” comes from “All Hallow’s Eve,” the night before the Christian observances of All Hallow’s Day on November 1st and All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. Like other Christian holidays, it included vigils starting the previous evening. Together, these days form Allhallowtide, a time for honoring all saints and praying for souls of the recently deceased. People pray for the dead for reasons such as hope for salvation (believing prayers might free souls from sin and prepare them for heaven), coping with loss (helping Christians handle grief), and charity (doing good deeds for the departed to atone for their sins). While I don’t personally believe these prayers achieve such things. But this was the tradition from that era and maybe still is.
Of course, Halloween has evolved to include other customs. Some lean into its darker side, while others keep it 
secular, focusing on kids’ costumes and free candy. For children, costumes are fun, but having a huge stash of candy is the ultimate thrill…especially when they think they can have some whenever they want to. Naturally, most parents won’t let them have full control of all that candy, but hey, a kid can dream! Either way, they get to go out trolling for free candy, and coming home with a bag full of “loot” is the best part of it all. Happy Halloween everyone. Have fun and stay safe out there.
My nephew, Matt Miller joined our family when he married my niece, Michelle Stevens on August 14, 2021. They were this perfect couple, and they had known it since they were kids in 8th grade. Of course, at first, they were just friends, but that is really how the best marriages start. If the couple aren’t friends, it’s hard to make a marriage last. These two have that part covered. They are both there for each other, no matter what life brings them. This past year may qualify as the worst life can bring, when Michelle’s mom, my sister, Alena Stevens passed away on April 23, 2025, following a battle with Cancer. Matt was a rock for Michelle. Losing your mom is one of the worst things a person can go through, and the person needs someone who can hold them and comfort them. That is what Matt did for Michelle.
This year has also been busy in a good way for Matt and Michelle. The bought a house a while back. The house was a “fixer-upper” and thankfully, this wasn’t the first house Matt’s parents had renovated, because they were a great help to Matt and Michelle. Matt had helped his parents in other “fixer-uppers,” so they knew what to expect, but for Michelle, this was new territory. Nevertheless, they have made it all look easy, and it is shaping up to be an amazing house. So far, the entire upstairs level has been remodeled. All thanks to Matt and his parents, for the most part. They have bought and remodeled/built many houses throughout Matt’s life so 
having their knowledge and skills have been incredible. And that saved Matt and Michelle A LOT of money. For Matt and Michelle, living in a “construction zone” has been stressful, to be sure, but it has also been very rewarding for them to build the house of their dreams. Matt has been working tirelessly to make it all possible. He works overtime days and even when he’s off he works all day long to make this possible. Michelle is still shocked at the amount of work that goes into a renovation. So much so, that she can’t even describe how much work it’s been. She feels beyond blessed.
Matt has been able to take a little bit of time off to “play” once in a while. This year Matt and his dad both cored on opening day of archery hunting with elk. And they both got antelope this year as well. Their skill at hunting 
has been such a blessing, because it has filled their freezer with lots of meat for the year! Matt has always loved hunting and fishing, and so he is very good at both. He has hunted and fished in a variety of places, including when the family took a trip to Alaska to visit his brother there. Matt feels blessed to have had such a fulfilling year. Today is Matt’s birthday. Happy birthday Matt!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Normally, we don’t think about the state of Idaho having big earthquakes. They do get hit on a fairly regular basis, but the quakes are usually in the 2 to 3 magnitude range. There are 2,928 earthquake incidents in Idaho on record since 1931. The state averages just 35 earthquakes per year. The 1983 Borah Peak earthquake, measured 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale, struck Idaho on Friday, October 28th. It was at a depth of 16.0 miles and caused significant damage, resulting in two fatalities. Some readings showed a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale in Custer County, Idaho. That made the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake almost a one-of-a-kind event for Idaho.
The Borah Peak earthquake struck at 8:06 am MDT in Idaho’s Lost River Range, registering a magnitude of 6.9 
and becoming the state’s largest recorded quake. Triggered by a slip along the Lost River Fault, it reached a Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), causing severe shaking and damage. The towns of Challis and Mackay were hit hardest, with the property damage estimated between $12.5 million and $15 million. Tragically, two schoolchildren lost their lives, and others were injured. The quake also caused significant surface faulting and created a 22-mile-long zone of fresh scarps and ground breaks, with vertical displacements up to 2.7 meters.
The Challis-Mackay region faced significant damage, with 11 commercial buildings and 39 homes severely affected, while another 200 houses had minor to moderate damage. Mackay, located about 50 miles southeast 
of Challis, suffered the worst. Many large buildings along its Main Street were damaged, with eight of them condemned and shut down. These structures were mostly made of materials like brick, concrete block, and stone, each varying in size and type.
The earthquake led to significant geological changes, such as surface faulting with visible ruptures, ground displacement, and tilted blocks. It caused groundwater fluctuations, altering water levels in springs and wells, while temporary lakes formed due to rising water tables. Numerous aftershocks occurred, including a notable 5.8 magnitude event almost a year later, on August 22, 1984.
When my niece, Siara Kirk hit on her future husband, Chris Kirk, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. My niece is a bold, outgoing girl, and when she saw Chris, she thought he was cute. That was really all she was thinking at the time. Little did either of them know where that first date would take them. The year 2021 ended on a high note starting in early September when Siara confidently approached Chris at the local Loaf and Jug convenience store in Casper, complimenting his freckles. This marked the beginning of a wonderful relationship. They discovered they shared many interests, including a passion for exercise and travel, with a special love for couple’s workouts that are truly impressive when performed by these two. Their love grew, and on March 20, 2022, Chris proposed, and Siara accepted.
For Chris and Siara, “supposedly” life hasn’t changed much over the past year, but I would beg to differ. With 
the addition of their sweet boy, Nathan, on January 15, 2024, everything changed. They now have a sweet, goofy little boy that keeps them hopping all the time. There is really never a dull moment. I could go into so many of Nathan’s antics, but I’ll save that for his story in January. Chris and Siara are busily keeping up with all the antics of a soon to be two-year-old boy!!
Chris loves being a dad and working from 8:00am to 8:00pm means that he has some weekdays off. Chris loves that because it gives him tome to be with his boy. They are best buddies and do everything together. 
When Chris is at work, Nathan spends the day calling for his daddy and fully expecting him to come home immediately. When Siara does something to make Nathan mad, he yells for his “Dada” to tell on his mom. Of course, that won’t work for very long, but Chris is such a patient and calming man that he can defuse any situation quickly…including the rantings of an almost two-year-old boy about a mommy who is “doing him wrong!!” Chris is not only Nathan’s best friend, but he is Siara’s best friend too. These days Chris is looking into becoming an electrician. The apprenticeship program is a difficult one to get into, but I have no doubt that with hard work and perseverance, Chris will make that dream come true. Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
There’s nothing greater for a mother to hear than a teenager or young twenties child saying, “Mom is amazing!!” So often kids, especially teenagers wish their parents would become invisible for a few years. You know, just until the child gets over the embarrassment of their parents. My niece, Dustie Masterson has kids that not only loved her through their awkward teenage years, but on into those early twenties too. Her daughter, Raelynn, who is the oldest child at 22 years old, says, “Mom is always encouraging us to do what we think is best, and she doesn’t influence us one way or the other. People always talk about how hard Mom works on day-to-day tasks, and that’s great, but I think she puts way more effort into emotional matters. When I’m really upset, of tired, or even on the occasion that I’m scared enough, I always think ‘I want my mom’. It’s a bit childish, no matter how old I am, I think I’ll always need her in some capacity. Just talking about my bad days to her always makes me feel better and sleep a bit easier, and we sort of have a routine of talking together at the end of the night before bed. She’s also very quick to tell me when I need to eat or sleep because I’m too emotional and taking it out on others. It’s helped a lot, by helping me realize where my emotions are coming from, and coping mechanisms that’ll help me unwind from that state.”
The family is taking Dustie to the Halloween Circus that’s in town today. She’s really looking forward to it. She 
loves the time she gets to spend with her family, because as anyone wo works a lot of hours knows, that time can be limited. In fact, Dustie missed out last year when it was in town, but her children, Raelynn, Matt, and Taylor are pulling for her to get to go, because one of the circus days is her birthday. Raelynn says, “I don’t say it enough, but Mom deserves much nicer than what we can usually afford on her birthday. I love my mom. I hope her birthday is blessed and wonderful.”
Dustie’s daughter, Taylor says. “Mom is one of the strongest people I have and will ever meet, she handles everything with a grace like none other. Mom has always been there when we really needed her and she takes all of our opinions into serious thought, like when she left Walgreen’s she asked us what we wanted. I aspire to handle things the way mom does with such calm and patience. Mom has been such a huge influence in how I live my day-to-day life. When I get stuck on something I ask ‘how would Mom handle this’ after that I can usually figure it out. Mom has shown me how I want to be treated in all aspects of life and that is something I will always be grateful for. I love my mom more than anything and I feel like that can never be shown, but I sure can try! Happy birthday Mama!! I love you!!”
Dustie has always been an inspiration to her children, Raelynn, Matt, and Taylor, as well as to her husband, my nephew Rob Masterson. When Dustie came along, I could see that Rob was beyond happy. His life prior to Dustie was less than happy, and then she came into his life. Everything changed. I watched Rob go from sad and broken to happy and fulfilled. Dustie is the glue that holds her family together, and it’s a sweet thing to watch. They all love her very much and she loves them. Today is Dustie’s 45th birthday. Happy birthday Dustie!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My aunt, Sandy Pattan had a rough couple of years, but she is a fighter, and she has worked very hard to fight her way back to health. Aunt Sandy has lived independently for many years, and she has no intention of living any other way in the near future. These days might find Aunt Sandy making one of her three daily walks up and down the hall outside her apartment. On most days, she goes two or three times, making ten to twenty rounds. When she first started her walks, the neighbors rather thought she might be lost or something, but now that she has met a few of them, they know she is just staying healthy. Most of them say “hello” when they see her, and she has even become friends with the lady across the hall. That has the had added benefit of the opportunity to visit with the three grandchildren she babysits. They have come to Aunt Sandy’s for visits, and she gets to be “the cookie lady” to the kids. She loves kids, and she really enjoys their visits.
Aunt Sandy is a very social person and loves to have people come over to her house. She works hard to keep her house clean and polished so it is always “visitor ready.” She does it alone, without help. It’s part of being independent. She tries to keep her windows super clean, because she loves to watch the sunrise and see the birds that fly here and there, outside her apartment. While Aunt Sandy hates Winter, she is very much enjoying the Fall colors. She especially loves the yellow, although she would enjoy more reds too. Aunt Sandy’s hatred of Winter is quite evident when she wears sweaters if the temperature gets below 70°. I wish I could say, “I’m kidding,” but I’m not. If you go for a visit, even in the Winter, wear short sleeves. It’s necessary.
Aunt Sandy has a heart for giving. She likes to make and gift things to people she cares about. She hasn’t been able to do that as much these past couple of years, but she has plans to get back into it as soon as possible. 
Some things are a simple problem of the amount of time that has passed since she made these things. It’s a little daunting to get back into some things, as we all know, but Aunt Sandy is working hard to get herself back into the craft work she has done in the past. I am very proud of her hard work. While it isn’t easy, Aunt Sandy is no quitter. She will fight to the end to keep her independence and to get back to doing the things she has done for years. Today is Aunt Sandy’s 80th birthday, and she is still going strong!! Happy 80th birthday Aunt Sandy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Tucker Schulenberg joined our family when his mom Rachel married my brother-in-law, Ron. Tucker was a cute little not quite three-year old boy, who could melt your heart. with his little smile. In those early years, all girls were thought to have cooties, and it didn’t matter how old they were. I think grandmothers and aunts might have had a particularly bad strain of cooties. Of course, the girl, aunt, or grandma would not realize that they have been infected, but a little boy can sniff it out in an instant. That’s why Tucker 
always scrunched up his nose when he was subjected to a hug or kiss. Of course, Tucker would outgrow his girl-allergy in a few years and has had no adverse side effects from it.
One person who seemed to have missed out on the cootie infestation, was Tucker’s mom. He really never developed an aversion to hugs from Rachel. Tucker and Rachel were so close, always. They used to take silly selfies together, often with blue tongues. They made funny faces, and in general made each other laugh a lot. Rachel was such a great mom. And when she married Ron, Tucker got a good dad too. Tucker followed Ron around everywhere. He wanted to be just like Ron, and when Ron adopted him, Tucker felt like his world was perfect. Tucker wanted to learn everything he could from Ron.
Tucker was such a cute little boy, and it was so sweet watching him try to be a man. It’s always cute to see little boys try to imitate their daddies. Being a dad is so important and it’s such an important responsibility. Little boys depend on their daddies to show them the way to be a man. Watching Tucker and Ron together was so sweet. I think we all miss those years. Today is Tucker’s 18th birthday. It’s hard to believe he is a grown man now. Where have all the years gone? Happy birthday Tucker!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Japanese had a need in 1940, to create a way to support their military operations in the Burma (now Myanmar) region during World War II. It was decided that a railway was needed to fulfill that need. The Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, was a 258-mile railway built during World War II to connect Thailand and Burma. It was constructed under brutal conditions by forced laborers and Allied POWs. Built from 1940 to 1943, the Burma Railway, was created for that purpose. Stretching from Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbyuzayat in Burma (now Myanmar), it was designed to transport troops and supplies while avoiding risky sea routes.
The Japanese solution to the labor question was to use approximately 60,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs), including around 13,000 Australians, and over 200,000 Southeast Asian civilians who were forcibly recruited. The construction was marked by extreme hardship, with workers facing malnutrition, disease, and brutal punishment. The laborers laid some 258 miles of track from Ban Pong, Thailand (roughly 45 miles west of Bangkok), to Thanbyuzayat, Burma (roughly 35 miles south of Mawlamyine). laid some 258 miles (415 km) of track from Ban Pong, Thailand (roughly 45 miles [72 km] west of Bangkok), to Thanbyuzayat, Burma (roughly 35 miles [56 km] south of Mawlamyine). The Japanese aimed to finish the railway as quickly as possible, using large numbers of prisoners spread out along the entire proposed route. Construction was incredibly challenging, as the path cut through dense, mosquito-filled jungles and uneven terrain, all while enduring monsoon conditions. Workers had to build bridges over rivers and canyons and carve through mountains to create a straight and level bed for the narrow-gauge track. The most extensive and deepest cuts in the railway were made at Konyu, about 45 miles northwest of Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
During the early months of the Pacific War, Japanese forces launched widespread attacks on Allied bases across the western Pacific and Southeast Asia as part of the Southern Operation. By late spring of 1942, Allied strongholds in Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the Dutch East Indies had fallen, resulting in the capture of approximately 140,000 Allied prisoners of war. Additionally, around 130,000 civilians, including about 40,000 children, were taken by the Japanese. Although civilians were generally treated better than military 
prisoners, the conditions in Japanese captivity were notoriously harsh. Over 11% of civilian internees and 27% of Allied POWs died or were killed while under Japanese custody, compared to a 4% death rate for Allied POWs in German camps. More than 12,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) and tens of thousands of forced laborers died during its construction, hence the name Death Railway.
In any type of occupation of one country by another, there will exist those who will rebel, and form a resistance. On December 11, 1994, Russian troops invaded Chechnya to crush the independence movement. It would be a long occupation, not ending until 2009. During that time, the Chechen people were angry, and eventually they decided to rise up and protest. On October 23, 2002, around 50 Chechen rebels stormed a Moscow theater, taking 700 people hostage during a sold-out performance of the popular musical “Nord Ost.” As the second act began at the Moscow Ball-Bearing Plant’s Palace of Culture, an armed man walked onstage and fired a machine gun into the air. It’s possible that people initially wondered if this was part of the show, but it couldn’t be. There was no part of the show that involved a machine gun.
The terrorists, including several women, were well prepared. They were wearing explosive vests and identified themselves as members of the Chechen Army. With that, there would be little question that they meant 
business. They had just one demand, and it was intended to be non-negotiable…the immediate and complete withdrawal of Russian military forces from Chechnya, a war-torn region north of the Caucasus Mountains. Chechnya is a predominantly Muslim area and has long faced challenges in asserting its independence. A devastating two-year war ended in 1996, but that was far from the end of hostilities. Russian forces returned three years later, blaming Chechens for a series of bombings in Russia. This terrorist attack was a recipe for disaster, because of President Vladimir Putin’s rise to power in 2000, his tough stance on Chechnya, and his refusal to negotiate with terrorists. When Putin took over, the Soviet Union collapsed and Russia adopted capitalism, although its interpretation of a “free market” differs from much of the world.
The refusal of both sides to negotiate resulted in a 57-hour standoff at the Palace of Culture that resulted in the deaths of two hostages. Russian special forces raided the theater on the morning of October 26th. It was later revealed that they had used a powerful narcotic gas, which rendered nearly all the terrorists and hostages unconscious, before breaching the walls and roof and entering through underground sewage tunnels. The raid resulted in the deaths of most of the guerrillas and 120 hostages. Security forces later defended their decision to use the gas, claiming that a complete surprise attack was the only way to prevent the terrorists from detonating their explosives. In the end, the hostage situation did nothing to accomplish the demands of the 
terrorists. Following the theater crisis, Putin’s government tightened its control over Chechnya, facing accusations of kidnappings, torture, and other atrocities. In retaliation, Chechen rebels escalated their terrorist attacks on Russian soil, including a suspected suicide bombing in a Moscow subway in February 2004 and a major hostage crisis at a Beslan school that September.
