Family
My husband, Bob Schulenberg is a Wyoming sort of guy. He has lived her since he was five, and while he loves to travel, he would never want to live anywhere else. Bob was born of the 64th birthday of this great state, and he likes that. Every year, when he sees something on Facebook about Wyoming’s birthday, he mentions that it is a shared event for him and his beloved state. While many people would think it odd, Bob doesn’t like fishing, camping, skiing, or hunting. Strange, I know for a Wyoming guy, but he just likes the small-town feel of the place, even though we live in the second largest city in the state. Nevertheless, it still has a small-town feel, because in the 2024 census, it only had 58,720 people…up a bit with people moving out of failing states like California and New York, but down from the 59,038 count, in 2020.
Bob retired from the City of Casper on July 1, 2016, where he had been a mechanic for 27 years. While Bob is retired, he’s not really retired. He works on lots of cars, and many people depend on him. He says he just changed bosses, and now he is his own boss and decides what jobs to take, and what jobs not to. I seldom see him turn down a job, nevertheless. Bob is the kind of guy who has a heart for people, and a breakdown is such 
a hardship that he tries his best to fix it for them. Some jobs require tools he doesn’t have, like computers and such, but if he “can” fix it, he “will” fix it. He has even fixed vehicles of friends of current clients, who are just traveling through and breakdown. Word of mouth is great advertising.
Bob has always loved bowling and is really a great bowler. This past year, he struggles some, due to a torn Meniscus, but I have no doubt that he will come back strong in the 2025-2026 season. It’s rather funny, because while I bowled for a number of years before Bob started bowling, he quickly surpassed my averages. I was a good bowler too, but Bob just took to the sport like he had been doing it all his life. That was in the late 1970s. The rest is history. No, he isn’t as good as the pros, but then he never wanted to be a pro either. If he had wanted to all those years ago, he could have, I think. He was focused and had great form. He was meticulous, and that’s what it takes to be a great bowler, or great at any other sport. Bob has also loved hiking over the years, but the torn Meniscus made that more difficult. I know he misses all the hiking we used to do, and I still hold out hope for him to make a hiking comeback in the near future.
This year, Bob and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. I’m sure that many people didn’t think we could make it, but there was never a doubt in our minds. Now, two daughters, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren later, we are as happy as we ever were. God knew exactly what He was doing when He made our match, and we are two of the most blessed people on this Earth. It was a match made in Heaven, and Bob, I still love you very much!! Today is Bob’s 71st birthday. Happy birthday Bob!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My aunt, Jeannette Byer is an amazing woman. She just never gives up. Aunt Jeanette has suffered with Macular Degeneration for a number of years, but that does not prevent her from going out and walking every day. Her path varies from walking around her apartment complex to walking downtown. In the Winter, she walks the hallways inside the apartment complex. She used to walk down along the Platte River and even cross the railroad tracks, but her family rightly asked her not to do that because of the obvious dangers there. I’m grateful that even though Aunt Jeanette is stubborn in some things, like continuing to walk and stay fit, she was not too stubborn to agree to avoid possible danger. I am so proud of her for her continuing dedication to staying healthy, active, and vibrant. She is truly and inspiration to all of us.
Aunt Jeanette and my uncle, Larry Byer spent much of their married life living in the country east of Casper, but when the Texaco Refinery here closed down, and Uncle Larry wasn’t old enough to retire, they accepted the transfer to Louisianna. While everyone missed them very much, we all knew that it was only until his retirement, and it was a wonderful opportunity for them to experience a different place and culture, and the warmer weather wasn’t a bad thing either. They enjoyed their time in Louisianna, and hosted a number of family members there, which blessed everyone that took the trip. Grandma Byer, Uncle Larry’s mom, got to go, and she had a wonderful time. We were so happy that she got to go. They had a great time showing her the sights.
Aunt Jeanette doesn’t drive anymore, obviously, but she does enjoy the trips she gets to take with her daughter 
Tina Grosvenor, often to the casino, where they do a little gambling. If Aunt Jeanette has a vise, gambling would be it. She enjoys it, but she never gambles to excess. She just dabbles in it, and that’s ok. A girl’s got to have a little fun…right!! Aunt Jeanette might not be a “young girl,” but she is young at heart, and in many ways, young in body too, and that is all her, because she never gives up!! She works every day to stay strong and active. Today is Aunt Jeanette’s 89th birthday, and she seems more like 65 to me, for sure!! Happy birthday Aunt Jeanette!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My uncle, Elmer Johnson, like many boys, had a mischievous side as a kid. One day, Uncle Elmer was plowing with an old tractor at his dad’s place. His dad had gone out to use the outhouse, which was what they used back then. That’s when Uncle Elmer and his brother Les came up with an idea. Uncle Elmer drove the tractor right up to the outhouse, while Les hit it with a 2×4 as Uncle Elmer revved the engine. Their dad came running out of the outhouse with his pants around his ankles and the Montgomery Ward catalog in hand. He wasn’t too happy with them, but he was relieved the outhouse survived the whole ordeal in one piece. I’m sure he thought that boys had come too close to the outhouse and couldn’t get backed off of it in time. While the situation was highly embarrassing, he was relieved to be alive. I would assume the boys got into some form of trouble, but maybe their dad was a kidder too, and so he might have let it go.
I think Uncle Elmer might have been an interesting character to know as a kid. His childhood mischief reminds me a bit of my dad, Allen Spencer and my Uncle Bill Spencer’s antics as kids. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit to learn that all of them pulled some of the same stunts. I think it’s most likely just a guy thing. I don’t know if Uncle Elmer had access to dynamite, like my dad and uncle did, but I’ll bet that if he did, he probably pulled a stunt similar to my dad and uncle’s stunt of dropping the gate post about a foot deeper in the ground with dynamite. After the stunt with the tractor and the outhouse…oh yes, Uncle Elmer would have done the dynamite stunt too. No doubt about it.
Uncle Elmer was mischievous for sure, but he was also a great cook. Holidays at the Johnson house meant some really great dishes. Cooking isn’t always common among men. Many men can grill, and that is often considered their domain, but Uncle Elmer was an exceptional cook anywhere. His favorite meals to prepare were holiday feasts, always made from scratch. The family would gather around the kitchen, drawn by the incredible aromas, eagerly anticipating the meal. When it was finally ready, it was always worth the wait. Uncle 
Elmer loved experimenting with flavors and dishes, and somehow, every meal was a success. He had an instinctive talent for combining ingredients and seasoning to perfection. I can’t help but wish I had been able to enjoy some of those meals. It’s hard to believe that 44 years have gone by, since you left. Today would have been Uncle Elmer’s 92nd birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Uncle Elmer. We love and miss you so much.
My brother-in-law, Chris Hadlock has had a very busy year. The place he and my sister, Allyn Hadlock own along the North Platte River, needed a lot of work when they got it. They tore down the mobile home his parents had lived in and built a new house a few years ago. That put the garage on hold, but the old garage was really not very safe, and it was not big enough, so this past couple of years have been spent preparing for and building Chris a dream garage. At the end of last year, the garage was finally finished, inside and out. With that done, Chris has switched his focus back to the property again. Chris has loved that place since he lived there as a kid. Now that it belongs to him, that pride he felt back then is as strong as ever.
This year, Chris and Allyn had the driveway paved, painted the small garage, sorted thru a lot of stuff. Chris is getting things back in order since he had to focus on the garage so much last year to get it finished. He is very conscientious about the property and likes to take good care of it. I think he wants to make his parents proud 
of what he has done with the place, and they definitely would be. Because their daughter, Kellie was getting married on June 28, Chris really ramped up on the property improvements, because they were having Kellie’s shower and the rehearsal dinner out there, and Chris wanted it to be especially nice.
Even in the midst of wedding plans, Chris and Allyn took a trip over Memorial Day up to Sheridan, thru the northern Big Horns, up to Cody and Cooke City. The family went camping over Mother’s Day to Guernsey and camped at Glendo for Father’s Day. Then, after all the rush of the wedding was over, Chris and Allyn went camping in the Big Horns. They were joined by their son, Ryan Hadlock, his wife Chelsea and their daughter, Aurora. Their daughter, Lindsay Moore, her husband, Shannon, and their daughter, Mackenzie went as well. Their daughter, Jessie Sawdon, her husband, Jason, and daughter Adelaide couldn’t go because they were headed to see his family in Michigan. Kellie, her husband, Tim Thompson, and daughter Jolene stayed in Casper to relax after the wedding. Chris really enjoyed all this time off. He loves all his kids and grandkids and would do anything for them. He loves spending time with them! On top of all the work on 
the property, Chris was very busy at work, selling police communication systems, and he still enjoys it very much.
Chris’ daughter-in-law, Chelsea says “He’s amazing! Still loves fishing, especially with Ryan. He’s been teaching Aurora some things on the guitar. He’s always ready to help, listen, or just hang out. We love him so much and we’re so glad we get to spend so much time with him!” That is a sweet tribute and needs no improvement. Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Today would have been my sister-in-law, Marlyce Schulenberg’s 75th birthday, but she will be forever 39. She died of cancer in 1989, and we all miss her very much to this day. Marlyce was sweet and loving to everyone who knew her. Though she was developmentally disabled, she excelled in many things. She was an excellent cookie baker, and I can’t eat chocolate chip cookies to this day without thinking of her. Sometimes, when my husband Bob, Marlyce’s brother, and I came over to my in-laws’ house, Marlyce would say, “Caryn, I made chocolate chip cookies today.” She was thrilled when I smiled and told her I couldn’t wait to have some. Marlyce was a people pleaser…not for any self-promoting way, that was just Marlyce. She liked making people happy. It was the only way she knew how to be.
Marlyce, as the oldest of six children, often found herself on the receiving end of sibling teasing. It wasn’t mean-spirited, because they all teased each other, though some handled it better than others. Marlyce didn’t mind the teasing about supposed boyfriends…whether real or imagined…since it often made her grin or blush a little. She liked having or thinking about having a boyfriend, and among the other people at NOWCAP where she worked, matchups were common. Still, other types of teasing could really annoy her. Her siblings, Debbie Cook, Bob Schulenberg, Jennifer Parmely, Brenda Schulenberg, and Ron Schulenberg, knew exactly what kind of teasing would get under her skin, much to the frustration of their parents, Walt and Joann Schulenberg, who would step in when it got out of hand. Being the oldest, Marlyce had to deal with all this typical sibling mischief, something anyone with siblings can likely relate to. Despite the teasing, her siblings loved her dearly. When I joined the family, Marlyce was 25. I never participated in the teasing. I think it would have broken her heart if I had. Marlyce was always so kind to me that I couldn’t bring myself to tease her, even in a playful way.
Marlyce loved kids, and especially babies. It makes me sad that she never met my grandkids or great 
grandkids. She would have loved them, and they would have really loved her too. Mom and Dad worried about what would happen to Marlyce when they passed away, but in the end, she went home first. They needn’t have worried. We would have taken care of Marlyce, even if it would have been a lifestyle adjustment for whoever she lived with. None of us were thinking about that the day she left. We just knew everything had changed, and we would always miss her deeply. Marlyce would have been 75 years old today. Happy birthday in Heaven, Marlyce. We love and miss you so much.
On July 8, 1951, the city of Paris, the capital city of France, celebrated its 2,000th birthday. While 2,000 is an amazing feat, the reality is that Paris was probably much older than that. In fact, it is believed that the “City of Lights” was most likely founded around 250 BC. If we accept the 2,000-year mark in 1951, the city would then be 2,074 today. If we accept the “roughly” 250 BC date, then Paris would be 2,275 today.
The history of Paris dates back to around 250 BC, when the Gallic tribe known as the Parisii settled on an island in the Seine River, now called Île de la Cité. By 52 BC, the Romans, led by Julius Caesar, had taken control of the area and named it Lutetia, meaning “midwater dwelling” in Latin. Over time, the settlement expanded to both banks of the Seine, and the name Lutetia was replaced with “Paris.” In 987 AD, Paris became the capital of France. As the city developed, the Left Bank became known as the intellectual hub, while the Right Bank was known as the business district.
Paris became more like the city we know today, when during the French Renaissance period, from the late 15th century to the early 17th century, it became a center of art, architecture, and science. In the mid-1800s, Napoleon III enlisted the help of civic planner Georges-Eugène Haussmann to modernize Paris. Haussmann’s designs transformed the city with wide, tree-lined boulevards, expansive public parks, a modern sewer system, and other infrastructure projects. Paris continued to flourish as a major center for arts and culture. The French Impressionist movement emerged In the 1860s, showcasing the works of Paris-based artists like Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Currently, Paris is home to around 2 million residents, with an additional 10 million people living in the surrounding metropolitan area. The city continues to shine as a hub for food, fashion, commerce, and culture. 
It remains one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, famous for landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, which was built in 1889 to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame Cathedral, built in 1163, Luxembourg Gardens, and the Louvre Museum, where Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is displayed.
As hard as it is for any of us to believe, my grandniece, Taylor Masterson is all grown up. As of today, she is 18 years old, and as her sister, Raelynn says, she’s a “full adult” now. Raelynn says, “I really couldn’t be more proud of who Taylor is becoming.” Taylor is happy and working at Starbucks now. She is also learning to be her own best advocate, making sure that she has the things she needs and that people don’t step on her. Taylor spent much of her young life being shy, and maybe, a little insecure, but now, her voice keeps getting more and more confident. Raelynn tells me, “She’s going from the little kid who had trouble talking, who had trouble speaking out, to this adult who loves so deeply, and speaks her mind, it almost feels unreal. She’s creating boundaries and making sure they stick.”
Taylor has a long-time best friend named Christian. When they were 14, they spent most of their time playing board games on the porch, but these days, they are going out and being active in the world more often. Taylor is becoming a very responsible adult. She insists on buying her own things when she has the money. Even for dentist or doctor appointments when her parents, Rob and Dustie Masterson say it’s fine. She even called the dentist all on her own and made her own appointment! Taylor is doing quite well at the adulting thing, I think.
Taylor never fails to tell Raelynn when she is getting too worked up. She is learning to be a calming effect of her sister and others around her. Raelynn has some anxiety issues, and Taylor knows how to help. Raelynn says, “If it’s a particularly bad day she’ll tell me to go take a nap, or bring me a snack, or tell me to drink some water and just breathe. Mom and dad do that as well, but Taylor in particular is the one usually on my case about it.”
Taylor’s mom, Dustie says, “Taylor is one of the most sensitive and caring people that I know. People say that they’ll give you the shirt off their back and some people may, but most people really don’t. With Taylor, whether it’s a detriment to her or not she will give you whatever you need or want. No matter how much it hurts.” Dustie knows her daughter well. She knows that Taylor is introverted and introspective. Dustie says, “I think that it’s important to mention most people anymore are more about ‘look at me look at me’ but in a lot of ways, 
Taylor reminds me of me she’d rather be behind the scenes getting it done with nobody being the wiser as to who got it done.” Very well said, Dustie!!
For Dustie, this birthday is particularly hard, because Taylor is the baby of the family, and now she’s an adult. All of Dustie and Rob’s kids are adults now. It just feels strange for a parent. Taylor was a rainbow baby, arriving after a loss. She helped her mom heal when she was baby and she’ll probably never know how much. She’s such a loving kind of soul and Dustie just wishes more people could see that that. I think Dustie and Raelynn told the world. Oh, and Taylor’s favorite non-human is her cat, Axel, whom she loves with all her heart. Today is Taylor’s 18th birthday. Happy birthday Taylor!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Every year, my husband, Bob Schulenberg and I take a week and head to the Black Hills over the week of the Independence Day holiday. It is a week of relaxation and hiking. One of our favorite hikes starts at the Calumet Trailhead on Sheridan Lake. It winds around the lake giving us incredible views from far above the water. One year, we saw a group of Turkey Vultures sitting in the trees. These are incredibly big birds, that resemble turkeys a little bit, and you tend to wonder how they are able to fly at all…they are so big. The trail also has Chipmunks, Downy Woodpeckers, and many other birds.
At the far end of the trail, you cross over an earthen dam, to the opposite side of the lake, where there are a 
set of stone stairs and other stone structures. The trail then winds down to a dam and at some point, winds on to points unknown…at least to us. That part of the trail is steep and almost more of a rock-climbing event…not the kind of trail we like to hike. The trail actually splits of at a couple of different points and ends up quite far from the trail we are hiking on. Maybe, someday we will take one of those spurs and see where it takes us. The Black Hills is full of trails that cross each other and even share the same space for a short distance.
Our all-time favorite trail in the Black Hills, however, is the trail to Black Elk Peak (we always knew it as Harney Peak). I won’t go into my thoughts on the name change, because it won’t do any good anyway. The hike to 
Harney Peak was a difficult one. It takes three hours one way, but it was worth every step. The view from the top is absolutely amazing. You can see five states from up there. The chipmunks up there are really friendly, or they like to beg for some of your lunch. Either way, I have had them com right up to me to get a chip and even climb over my leg like it wasn’t attached to a human, supposedly their enemy. We haven’t been able to hike Harney Peak for a number of years now, and I really miss it. Nevertheless, our trips to the Black Hills will always be a treasured time for Bob and me.
During World War II, Winston Churchill had little choice but to focus all of his attention on winning the war against Hitler. While that was a necessary situation, the people of England, as people will do, felt like he was ignoring their struggles. The reality is that if he hadn’t done things the way he did, they would have been living in a very different England, more likely known as part of Germany. Winston Churchill was Prime Minister in the United Kingdom from May 10, 1940, to July 26, 1945, when he was replaced with Clement Attlee, who was more focused on social services and free services, which came about because the people were feeling put out and broke during the war years.
The reasons for Churchill’s loss in the 1945 election are listed as 1. Churchill’s loss of focus on people’s mood as he concentrated solely on winning the war; 2. The Labour 
Party’s promise of social reforms that Churchill delayed, causing a gain of public support in post-war Britain; and 3. The Labour Party’s strong messages and the Tories’ past failures. These things all shifted votes away from Churchill’s war successes. Churchill really had no other choice, but to do what he did, but people get tired of war and the hardships that can come with it. They don’t see the reasons that these things are necessary.
The Labour Party, led by Attlee, achieved a massive victory in the 1945 general election with their post-war recovery agenda. They took over a nation nearly bankrupt after World War II, facing shortages in food, housing, and resources. Attlee formed the first Labour majority government, aiming to ensure full employment, a mixed economy, and expanded state-provided social services. They nationalized public utilities and major industries, introduced key social reforms like the National Insurance Act 1946 and National Assistance Act 1948, established the NHS in 1948, and increased subsidies for council housing. The government also reformed trade union laws, working conditions, and children’s services, created National Parks, passed the New Towns Act 
1946, and set up town and country planning. In foreign policy, Attlee focused on decolonization, overseeing the partition of India (1947), the independence of Burma and Ceylon, and the end of British mandates in Palestine and Transjordan. Attlee and Ernest Bevin urged the U.S. to play a strong role in the Cold War, supported the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe, and helped establish NATO in 1949 to counter the Soviet bloc. After narrowly winning the 1950 election, Attlee sent British troops to support South Korea in the Korean War.
By 1951, the Labor Party and Attlee were losing their support from the people. Socialist policies really don’t work, even though they sound good at first. In the election, Winston Churchill was returned to the office of Prime Minister. The people now understood that he was always the best choice for that office. Churchill held the office until April 5, 1955, when he retired. He was replaced by Anthony Eden.
Independence Day is always a special day for those of us who are patriots, but under some presidents, it is much better than under other presidents. This year, we have a wonderful president in charge. Yes, I’m a conservative, a patriot, and I’m a Trumper!! And…yes, I am unapologetic about it. I was in Keystone, South Dakota when President Trump came to Mount Rushmore, and I would have been inside, if I could have won the lottery on the tickets. That would have been a fantastic moment. Either way, the fireworks at Mount Rushmore that year were awesome. The reality is that Independence Day is a day for patriots…the ones who love this country and the conservative values the United States has always stood for. We will continue to fight for the United States, now and forever.
My husband, Bob and I love to spend the Independence Day week in the Black Hills, and almost always do. In fact, I can only think of one year that we haven’t in decades. The fireworks display in Custer, South Dakota is amazing. The whole show is very patriotic, and everyone has a great time. The event takes place on Pageant Hill, and people get there early. Music is played for a couple of hours while waiting for it to get dark enough for the main event…the fireworks display. Of course, the real meaning of the fireworks display is to remind us of the battles that took place to win our freedom for the British during the Revolutionary War. People think of Independence Day as one big party, there is a much deeper meaning to it.
Nevertheless, we can celebrate this day, because with the battles that took place to win our freedom, came the celebration when we won our freedom. That is a cause for celebration, and it is a reason to continue to fight 
against those who are trying to change the United States from the dream our forefathers had in mind for this nation. We have to protect the values they set for us, the protections they put in place, and the Constitution we live by. These things are as worth fighting for as our freedom from British rule was in 1776. Happy birthday to the United States!! Happy Independence Day everyone!!
