This is the year Dale turned 80 on March 5th. I felt it was a milestone birthday that needed to be celebrated, even if it did happen to fall in the middle of the week. So Mom and I planned a small celebration. We knew he wouldn't be comfortable with a lot of people and noise, so we decided to have a card shower. 
I was able to take a few days off and drive down to Arlington with a cake I ordered from a neighbor. The day before his birthday, he had a visit from Lyle Rapp, Helge Larson and Grace Oleson Nemitz. Mom said he enjoyed it all, but it did tire him. So when I arrived late that afternoon, I just spoke with him by phone so he could rest. Pat was able to come up from Sioux Falls to spend the day with us also.
Dale in March 1952 with his dog Chipper and piles of snow.
Even though Dale is in a nursing home, he still almost missed a celebration due to the weather. Mom told us how many birthdays he had spent over the years sitting on a snow plow clearing the streets or moving snow out on the farm. This year there was another small snow storm which may have contributed to a train/semi-truck accident in Arlington. As a result, all streets that crossed the railroad were closed until the cleanup could be finished. Dale was a little frustrated in the morning knowing we were all on the other side of town unable to get to the nursing home. By lunch time Pat, Mom and I decided we would go out of town a few miles to get around the train, but by then they opened up one street.
Dale received so many cards and he enjoyed discovering who remembered him. Surprisingly he got a card from three of his previous teachers, (one Sunday school teacher, one elementary teacher and one high school teacher) still alive and living in Arlington. He explained to me that in those days a teaching certificate only took 6 or 9 weeks to get, and these teachers weren't too much older than he.
Cards received for Dale's 80th birthday.
He also told us that he will never forget his favorite birthday gift of all time. It was back when he was 6 or 7 years old. At that time, they received a lot of goods from the Sears catalog. Any order placed by mail on a Saturday was sure to be filled and returned before the next Wednesday, unless bad weather, then it would be in the mailbox on Thursday. He made it known he liked two items in the current catalog, both pencil boxes. One was 19 cents and the other with 2 drawers was 29 cents. He said he was so happy and surprised when he opened the package from Sears that day to discover the 2 drawer box! What a treasure.
The cake was a great item and all the ladies had to ask who were all those lovely children.
Randy Ivers and his mom Elaine were in the nursing home and we asked them to join us. I think Dale liked joking around with Randy, who always takes great joy in good food - and lots of it.
As usual I couldn't get a smile out of Dale once the camera came out. Here he is waiting with Mom and Pat for the cake to be cut and served with coffee.
Dale watches the entertainer (karoke) from Dell Rapids pack up his equipment to leave.
We all left around 4:30 but Dale made me promise to come back after supper. I really think he is just so grateful to have company. It must be tough for him to see the same faces day after day and not be able to even venture outside for a little break or solitude.
David is planning on driving to Arlington this weekend to spend some quiet time with Dale. He isn't bringing his two very active young sons along this trip.
I think we all wish we lived closer to make things easier, but all are so grateful that he can be in Arlington and close to friends he has known all his life.
