Reminiscing
It is not usually my habit to talk about the spectacular ships built by our nation’s enemies, but IJN Mikasa might be a worthy exception. The Mikasa is a “pre-dreadnought” battleship built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the late 1890s and is the only ship of her class. I didn’t know what a “pre-dreadnought” ship was, so I looked into it. “Pre-dreadnoughts were battleships built before 1906, when HMS Dreadnought was launched. Dreadnoughts were more powerful battleships that followed the design of HMS Dreadnought and so made pre-dreadnoughts obsolete.” The ship displaced over 15,000 long tons, with a crew of over 800 men.
While she might not have been as powerful, IJN Mikasa was nevertheless a well-built ship, that was able to withstand more than most ships of her time. Named after Mount Mikasa in Nara, Japan, she served as the flagship of Vice Admiral Togo Heihachiro throughout the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. That war included the Battle of Port Arthur, which occurred on the second day of the war, as well as the Battles of the Yellow Sea and Tsushima. Just a few days after the Russo-Japanese War ended, Mikasa’s magazine (a ship’s magazine is where the powder and shells are stored) suddenly exploded and sank the ship. The explosion killed 251 men. Shortly before the Mikasa’s fatal accident, the ship had been involved in the 
Battle of Tsushima (May 27, 1905), during which she had shrugged off over 40 shell strikes from heavy Russian naval guns! In that battle 113 of her crew were killed or injured. While such an event would usually mean the end of a ship, IJN Mikasa was salvaged, and while her repairs took over two years to complete, she went on to serve as a coast-defense ship during World War I, and she supported Japanese forces during the Siberian Intervention in the Russian Civil War. Ironically, in 1912 a despondent sailor among her crew tried to blow the ship up once again while the ship was anchored at Kobe. In the end the ship served until 1923, after being pulled up from the drink, repaired, and recommissioned.
IJN Mikasa was decommissioned on September 23, 1923, following the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. At that time, she was scheduled for destruction, but at the request of the Japanese government, each of the signatory countries to the treaty agreed that Mikasa could be preserved as a memorial ship. The agreement required that her hull be encased in concrete. On November 12, 1926, Mikasa was opened for display in Yokosuka in the presence of Crown Prince Hirohito and Togo. Unfortunately, the ship deteriorated under the 
control of the occupation forces after the surrender of Japan in 1945. Finally, in 1955, American businessman John Rubin, who had formally lived in Barrow, England, wrote a letter to the Japan Times about the state of the ship. His letter served as the catalyst for a new restoration campaign. The Japanese public, who were widely onboard with the idea, supported the project, as did Fleet Admiral Chester W Nimitz. The ship was once again restored, and the museum version reopened in 1961. On August 5, 2009, IJN Mikasa was repainted by sailors from USS Nimitz, and she is now the only surviving example of a “pre-dreadnought” battleship in the world. IJN Mikasa is located in the town of its construction, Barrow-in-Furness, near Mikasa Street on Walney Island.
My grandnephew, Xander Spethman and his partner, Alli Simpson moved into their own place this past year, and they have been figuring out life as they go along. Xander still loves to go hunting and feels really good about filling his own freezer with meat to last them through the winter months to come. Xander is becoming a responsible man, preparing to take care of his partner and himself. Xander and Alli were high school sweethearts, and their love has continued. They are very happy together. Alli is a sweet girl, who is perfect for Xander. She is gentle and kind, as is he.
Xander and Allie have their own place, but they still spend most evenings with Xander’s family…parents Jenny and Steve 
Spethman; brothers Zack and Isaac; and sister, Aleesia. The Spethman family is a very close family, and since Jenny and Steve love to entertain, it is the “happening” place to be. Xander has always known that, and that hasn’t changed, just because he has his own place. People always want to hang out where all the fun people are, and the Spethman kids know that the fun people hang out at their parents’ house.
Last June, Xander and Alli decided to expand their little family, so they became “fur” parents to a sweet dog named Rocky. They love their sweet pup and take Rocky most places with them. They know that taking Rocky to Xander’s parents’ house is ok, because Xander got his love of animals for his parents, and most especially from his mom, who is an animal fanatic. Over the years, Xander and his siblings have had just about every type of pet, from lizards, to fish, to cats, to dogs, and even for a time, a raccoon who lost its mother. So having a dog of his own was a completely natural next 
step for Xander.
These days Xander works at Walmart, as a stocker. He was working for a pipe company called Tubescope, but Walmart pays better, and when you are a responsible family man, you have to take that into consideration. One thing about it, Walmart would also be a less dangerous job to have. Working with pipes and such is a dirty job, and it can be dangerous around heavy pipe. That said, I’m sure Alli likes this job much better for him. For Xander, it’s all about what is best for his family and that is what makes him a responsible man. Today is Xander’s 20th birthday. Happy birthday Xander!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My sister-in-law, Brenda Schulenberg has always been a hard-working career woman…or at least all of her adult life. Brenda started working at American National Bank right out of high school and has been in banking ever since. These days and for many years now, she is in human resources at Hilltop National Bank, and I’m pretty sure the place would fall apart without her. In fact, during Covid and even before that, when Brenda was in the hospital, they went way out of their way to get work to her so she could do what only she could do. During Covid, before it was decided that with a note, essential workers could go to work, the bank got a computer for her to have at home so that her vital work could continue.
One might think that Human Resources would only entail hiring and firings, but there is much more to it, at Hilltop National Bank anyway. One might also think that banking is an 8 to 5 job, but not in Human Resources at Hilltop National Bank. Part of what Brenda does…a big part of what she does, is payroll and tax prep for the bank and many other businesses too. Payroll and taxes wait for no man, and so Brenda often ends up working for 8:00am to 10:00pm. Yes, Brenda works too hard, but nobody else wants to do that job. They have hired many people with the plan of helping Brenda, but none have lasted very long. It seems that people don’t like those long hours. Go figure!!
Another part of Brenda’s job, and the one that is causing her to work lots of hours right now, is when the bank has a software conversion. You might think that only happens once in ten years or so, and you might be right, but it sure seems like it happens more often than that. I can personally recall several software conversions Brenda has been a part of, and I don’t work with her. Most of us think of a software update, and it’s usually a simple download, that is over in a few minutes or an hour, and then everything is updated and finished, but that is not how these updates work. A bank has many complicated systems, and with security issues these 
days, they have to keep things safe and up to date for their customers. Hacking is a big issue, and customers demand that the bank protect their money, and rightfully so. That means that the bank has to be up to date on all aspects of security, as well as allowing the customer to have safe access to their money. Brenda is always a part of that process, and the bank depends on that. I still have no idea what they are going to do when she decides to retire. I guess time will tell. They will have to figure it out someday. Today is Brenda’s 60th birthday. Happy birthday Brenda!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
As my grandnephew, Chris Spicer graduates from Rawlins High School today, he will be looking forward to a number of changes coming very quickly. Following graduation, Chris and his mom, Andrea Beach will be moving to Casper, to be near family. Chris’ grandparents, Caryl and Mike Reed lived in Rawlins until last July, and when they moved to Casper, there was nothing keeping Chris and his mom in Rawlins, except that Chris was in going into his senior year at Rawlins High School…definitely not the time to move and switch schools. So, Andrea and Chris made the decision to stay in Rawlins for one more school year. Now that year in over and by June 1st, Chris and his mom will be living in Casper and checking out the job market.
Chris has had a few ideas about what he wants to do with his 
life, and he has decided to attend Casper College, and major in Graphic Design. Since I didn’t really know all the aspects of graphic design, I decided to research that field a little bit. I found that, “Graphic designers can work in a variety of industries and create visual concepts using computer software or by hand to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They work with print or digital media and design a variety of projects like advertisements, logos, packaging, websites, and more. They use design elements and layouts to achieve artistic or functional effects. They may work in specialized design services, publishing, or advertising, public relations, and related services industries.” Basically, that tells me than the career possibilities are endless, and I know that Chris will have lots of career opportunities.
For now, Chris will be getting a job while going to school, but he is not sure what he will go for right now. I 
suppose it depends on what is available. But before all that, Chris, his mom, and his grandma will be taking their annual Black Hills trip. The trip has been a tradition for years now, and they look forward to it very much. This is a trip where Mike (Caryl’s husband) stays home to let the three of them have some bonding time. It has been an important time for the three of them, and it is great of Mike to give them that time. Chris and his mom are going to be going through a lot of changes, but they are positive changes that will greatly improve their lives, but this day is all about graduation. Today, Chris takes that important first step!! He graduates from high school!! Congratulations on your successful public-school career and on your graduation from Rawlins High School, Chris!! We are all so proud of you!!
My nephew, Rob Masterson met his wife Dustie while he was in the Army, serving in Louisiana. It didn’t take them very long to realize that they were in love. Anyone could see that they were perfect for each other. When Rob was discharged, they returned to Casper, Wyoming where Rob’s family all lived. We all liked Dustie right away, and Dustie worked really hard to fit in with Rob’s family. She loved Rob deeply, and that meant loving his family too. For Dustie, that was easy, because not only did she love Rob, but she was and is a very loving person in her own right, and she loved Rob with all her heart.
Now, over twenty years later, Dustie says of Rob, “My husband is without a doubt my ‘perfect’ partner and my best friend. I don’t know how other couples are, but we are both most comfortable together.” Rob and Dustie 
used to work together at Sam’s Club, where they were both department supervisors, she in grocery, and he in the tire shop. While it would mean that they would no longer work together, Rob nevertheless, encouraged her to accept a job offer at Walgreens, when it came her way, because he knew it would be a far better fit for her. Rob is very selfless when it comes to things like that. Dustie says, “I know in my heart that he will ALWAYS be there to support whatever I choose to do.”
Our family is used to the dynamic that Rob and Dustie have, but when people outside of the family see them together, they inevitably tell her that she has the perfect husband. Dustie would agree…for her, Rob is the “perfect” husband. Rob is a sweet man. As his aunt, I can attest to that. He grew up the only boy out of his parents’ five children, and after their divorce, the only man in the household. Rob took that “responsibility” very seriously. He is protective of all women, but none so much as his own family. Dustie says, “What most people don’t know is what we’ve been through separately (good and bad) helped us decide how we were going to go about our relationship. I’ve never known anyone who loves as deeply as Robert.” Rob is a man who picks his close relationships carefully, and that means mostly, his family and the very few that he calls friend. To those who are in that circle, he is loyal, protective. He is also true to all his beliefs and morals, and he will not be 
swayed by whatever is trending. Dustie thinks “you guys” did an amazing job bringing such a good man into this world…of course, she means his mom, my sister, Cheryl Masterson, and probable my parents, his grandparents, Al and Collene Sencer, all of whom would have to be the ones to take the credit for Rob’s raising. I would agree. They did an amazing job. Rob is a great husband, father, grandson, nephew, and friend, to all who fit in one of those categories. Today is Rob’s birthday. Happy birthday Rob!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
For my sister, Caryl Reed, this past year has been filled with changes within her family. On November 12, 2022, Caryl’s son Allen and his wife Gaby left Wyoming and moved to Eugene, Oregon. They had been living in Casper, while Gaby went to nursing school. Gaby then went to work at Banner Health in Casper, while Allen was working there as a hospital administrator. It was a perfect situation for Caryl. While Caryl is happy for Allen and Gaby, she still misses them very much. She hadn’t had Allen and Gaby living near her for a long time. It was a time that Caryl will always consider herself blessed to have had.
On July 12, 2022, Caryl’s husband Mike retired. Caryl had been retired for a few years. Caryl and Mike had been planning, and preparing their ranch outside of Casper for this momentous change in their lives, for some time. Suddenly the time had come, and they were ready to make the move. It was so exciting for everyone, but it also meant that they would be leaving Caryl’s daughter, Andrea Beach and their grandson Chris Spicer; along with Mike’s daughter Amanda Reed and her partner, Sean Mortensen in Rawlins; as well as, their granddaughter, Jadyn Mortensen in Laramie, where she is going to college. That makes the move bittersweet.
Now, almost a year later, Chris Spicer is graduating from high school in Rawlins, and so he and his mom, Andrea will be moving to Casper. For Caryl, that means that once more, she will have some of her family living nearby. Of course, there will always be a tie to Rawlins, because Amanda’s family has no intention of moving, at this time anyway. Andrea has been wanting to move to Casper for some time, and wouldn’t have waited, but Chris is a senior at Rawling High School, and you just don’t move a kid in their last year of high school. Everyone agreed that it was best for him to finish there, but I know Caryl will be happy to have them in the same city again. It’s a hard thing to have your family live in a different place, especially when it is far away from you. It always nice to have at least one child close by. Thankfully, Rawlins isn’t too far away, nor is 
Laramie, so Caryl and Mike will be able to visit Amanda and her family easily. That will help too. For Caryl and Mike, family is very important, as it is for all our sisters and for our families, but we also know that sometimes our children must move elsewhere for the betterment of their families. It is just a sad reality, but they are happy, and so will we be. It always nice to have at least one child close by. Today is Caryl’s birthday. Happy birthday Caryl!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
On July 1, 2022, my brother-in-law, Mike Stevens retired from a 39-year career in the oil field business, but this story is not about his retirement or his career, because those are things from his past. Following that retirement, Mike and my sister, Alena have been focusing on two things…relaxation and grandchildren. My sister tells me that they don’t do much, but I think they probably do. Whenever the grandchildren are over, I know that the house is suddenly filled with giggling energy, because that is what grandchildren bring. Two of their grandchildren, Elliott and Maya, live in Sheridan, so they don’t get to see them as much, but with retirement, they are making more trip to Sheridan, and their son Garrett and his wife, Kayla will also be bringing the girls to Casper more often. In the meantime, their bonus grandchildren, Brooklyn and Jaxxon Killinger love to spend time at their grandparents’ house. They often come over after school, and that is when the fun gets going. Mike is a kid at heart, and he loves joking and playing with the grandchildren.
And speaking of joking, Mike’s son, Garrett tells me that his dad is always joking around. He is a great jokester. 
He always texts Garrett and his sisters, Michelle Miller and Lacey Stevens (soon to be Killinger) a joke or something like it on April Fools’ Day. For the kids, it isn’t April Fools’ Day until they have received their “Dad’s April Fools’ Day Joke Text” from their dad. Nothing is off limits, and the kids know it. A couple of years ago, Mike group texted Michelle and Lacey, saying that the family dogs, Callie and Ozzy got into some poison, and they woke up to them dead in their kennel. Both Michelle and Lacey were crying at work…when they got the text from their dad saying, “April Fools!!” Well, needless to say, the girls were “so mad!!” Garrett was living in Sheridan This year’s April Fools’ Day text found Mike telling the kids that he had won the lottery!! That one was not as successful, as the kids had learned their lesson, and so caught on pretty quickly. Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped Mike from sending out those April Fools’ Day Joke Texts or any other day joke texts. Now, with the grandchildren in the picture, Mike has a whole new audience for his jokes.
This year, Mike has had a much more serious role in life. When my sister, Alena Stevens was diagnosed with very early breast cancer and had to undergo a lumpectomy and radiation, her husband, Mike was literally her 
Rock. No one wants to receive that diagnosis, and not everyone has people standing behind them to support them through the “nightmare.” Alena was very blessed to have Mike and her children behind her when it happened to her. Mike led the way and was a role model for the children on how to “be there” for their mom. That person has to push back their own fears and lift up the person they are supporting. It’s never easy, but it was what Mike did, and what he led his children and grandchildren in doing. He led the way in prayer for her and in his support at home. Now that the cancer is gone, Alena will be forever grateful to Mike and her kids for all they did for her…and to God be all the glory for her healing!! Today is Mike’s birthday. Happy birthday Mike!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Our grandniece, Katy Herr married Dylan Herr on November 24, 2021. Dylan is co-owner of a group of Red Wing Shoe Stores in Wyoming and Colorado. Dylan and Katy are active in their community and are always giving back. They support the Boys and Girls Club, and Casper Area Chamber of Commerce. Katy and Dylan and really amazing people, and they really make the community proud. Not everyone is able to be there for their community like that, and Katy is the perfect partner for Dylan in his work. Katy is very social, and always smiling. She makes everyone feel welcomed and appreciated.
Katy is a wonderful mommy to their son Max. Their baby boy is her dream come true. Katy had long wanted a child, and when she got pregnant, she was beyond excited. Max just loves his mommy, and they love doing things together. They often go shopping and of course, to his daddy’s store. Katy and Max love Dylan so much and going to his store is always a treat. The three of them also travel to Colorado to see Dylan’s family and visit the other stores they own.
Katy loves to bake and is quite good at it. She even sells some of her baked goods. Katy is very resourceful, and she can make wonderful, tasty treats, that anyone would love to receive. I especially love her cake pops. Her baked goods show her creative ability. Katy is a stay-at-home mom. She loves raising her son, and not sending him to daycare. It is something she is quite grateful for. She also wants to be able to help out some, and her cake 
pops are a perfect side-hustle kind of business to add a little bit of extra income, while having a great time making great things.
Katy and Dylan love doing things with the families. From fun outdoor activities, to golf, to monster truck shows, their interests vary. Max loves doing anything his parents want to do, and that makes it all even more special. I think Max inherited to best of both his parents’ personalities, and that makes his a sweet and very smiley kid. And he inherited their looks too, and that makes him a little cutie!! Katy and Dylan couldn’t possibly be happier with their little family, and I am very happy for them. Today is Katy’s birthday. Happy birthday Katy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
When our cousin, Larry Hein was a kid, my husband, Bob; our kids, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce; and I went to visit family in Forsyth, Montana every summer. Larry was older than our girls by 6 and 7 years, respectively. That could have made him not want to hang out with the girls, but Larry also had a little sister, Kim Arani, and that made him able to understand the kinds of games and such that little girls wanted to play. Grandma Hein had a playhouse on the ranch she and Grandpa Hein owned, and for the girls, it was the coolest place to play. Larry didn’t mind playing house with the girls, even though it was probably not that interesting for him. He was just that kind of a kid. Easy going and a good brother and older cousin. I was thankful, because the girls wanted to get to know their cousins, and the girls and Kim wanted to play girls games.
Larry was a big help to Grandma Hein too, as I recall. Work on a ranch is really never done, and while kids don’t usually do the work of a ranch hand, they can help with things like gardening, mucking stalls, feeding the chickens and other animals, and definitely playing with the dogs that always seem to be part of a ranch. Larry was a good-natured kid, and he loved his grandparents. He was easy to get along with, and respectful to his elders. He was always a joy to be around.
As an adult, Larry started a mechanics shop and towing service. In the small town of Forsyth, Montana, he was 
pretty much the only show in town on those kinds of services, meaning that he was often busier than he could handle. His shop always had vehicles waiting their turn, and the towing part of the business kept him running a lot. After Larry’s dad, Ed Hein died, Larry did his best to keep his business running while helping his mom, Pearl and his sister, Kim deal with their grief. He was a good man, but Larry lost his life to a heart attack just three months and two weeks later. The two losses were devastating to the whole family. Today would have been Larry’s 54th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Larry. We love and miss you very much.
Friday, May 16, 1986, found the Cokeville, Wyoming law enforcement officers all out of town. It wasn’t normal for every officer to be out of town, but Cokeville was a small town of just 535 people, and normally a quiet place, where nothing ever happened. It was a peaceful place where everyone knew each other. It was a great place to raise a family. Everyone went to church together, worked together, and played together…on a normal day, but this day was not going to be a normal day. This was a miraculous day.
That day, around 1:00pm, David Young, a disgruntled and mentally unstable former Cokeville marshal; his wife, Doris; and his youngest daughter, Princess, known as Penny; entered the town’s only elementary school with an arsenal of weapons and a gasoline bomb in a grocery cart. David Young had initially planned to involve longtime friends Gerald Deppe and Doyle Mendenhall. They had invested money with him in a get-rich-quick scheme that he had called “The Biggie.” This, however, was too much for the men, who eventually refused to participate in the event. Both men were handcuffed in a van outside the school.
No one saw this coming. Why would they? Nothing like that had ever happened in Cokeville before. There was still an air of innocence in the town…until that day. The trio entered the school, and Doug Young began threatening the people. It was at this point that Penny also refused to participate and after her dad said she was “no daughter of his” she left to tell the police. Unfortunately, other than the office personnel at the police station, there was no one who could really help, but help was on the way, nevertheless.
As the events unfolded, the Youngs took the school hostage. They had a bomb, and it was leaking gas. The children were getting sick, and teachers felt led to open the windows. Children later said that they saw people dressed in white told them to go near the windows. One teacher felt led to make a box with tape on the floor so that the bomber was in there by himself. No one was allowed in but Doug, the bomber and his wife, Doris. When the bomber went to the restroom, he put the string that would set off the bomb on his wife’s wrist. She forgot not to move her arm up, and she accidently set off the bomb. She was killed. A bomb expert who examined the bomb said that there had been gunpowder under the bomb, and had it not become wet with gasoline, it would have been as if the air was on fire. He also said that several of the wires were cut, and there was no explanation as to how that had happened, but it meant that the bomb didn’t have its full force. The students said they saw beings of light all around the bomb when it went off. Doug came out of the restroom and saw that he had failed. He went back in and fatally shot himself, after shooting one teacher in the back, somehow missing his spine by about an inch. Other 
than that teacher, no one was injured. The bomb did go off, but most of its power was miraculously thwarted. Afterwards, everyone who was there, told the same stories of people dressed in white, and beings of light. No one wavered about what they saw. No one changed their minds. You can believe what you want, but as for me…I believe God sent His angels and gave them charge over the teachers and children at Cokeville Elementary School that day. And the angels bore them up and kept them safe. Glory be to God!!
