A home for Bert & Ernie
. Jan was to be a bird sitter. Gary standing there for a minute, stretching out his response with a long drawn out Oooookay. Pam Cox, who frequented Jan’s Stateline ceramic business, asking if Jan could look in and feed her birds while she and husband Bob were on vacation. Gary was aware of Bob’s printing and clock repair on Main Street, but had no idea the couple were engaged in the raising and selling of a variety of birds. It was a given conclusion when Pam asked, that Gary would accompany his wife to the Cox residence, Pam proudly showing her aviculture collection, explaining the duties of how to feed and water the caged feathered vocalists. The couple taking on the responsibility. A bird avidity was not one of Gary’s attributes, but upon the return of the Cox family, a new additions resided at the. Willson residence, a pair of glowing white Budgies.
. Finding the appropriate location was not difficult, the small room at the rear of the kitchen that provided for the wash machine and water heater would be suitable for their domain. The new residential endeavors receiving a welcoming reception, Robert and Sandi being questioned for applicable names, and without hesitation the two birds were appropriated as Bert and Ernie, a reverence to the television incarnate. The two newly acquainted residents firmly established, Jan finding that Ernie in reality should have been endowed Ernestine, thus a search for a larger more suitable habitat was in order. Fulfilling a trip to Wichita, a three tier wooden dowel constructed domicile was purchased, the much larger quarters, a provision for a possible family expansion.
. The wooden structure proving to be an adequate abode for the two nestling Parakeets, except for Bert’s inquisitive nature, soon discovering he could peck at the dowels, opening a fissure, and enjoy the freedom of flight throughout the house. Gary doing his best to discourage it, replacing the missing wooden restraints immediately. Robert and Sandi’s interest in the two birds soon waned, the youths finding school and outside activities more attuned to their appreciation, but this was to be expected, Gary inheriting another incumbency of custodial care. Ernestine giving indication of expectancy, by composing a nest, but wasn’t resolute in her accomplishments, her demeanor began to change , and she began to display signs of physical distress. A question to Pam concerning the ailments, the bird having developed a disorder that was common to parakeets.
. Ernestine passed on, soaring in the boundless heavens, an additional beauty added to God’s Realm. With Ernestine’s demise, Bert soon became despondent, refraining from eating, getting weaker, but still a relentless worker at freeing himself from his prison. Rising at 4:30 a.m., readying for work, Gary entered the bathroom, a bereaved sight, finding Bert floating in the commode, his nighttime flight having gone awry. Gary having no affinity for the despondency encountered by Bert’s passing, so when Robert and Sandi questioned about the disappearance of Bert, the story was, Bert manage to gain his freedom thru an open window and was enjoying his life amongst the towering trees, soaring with the clouds, and once again free of confinement to join in the activities with all the other birds.
. The brisk Kansas winters required an ample supply of firewood for the Hurricane Wood burning stove . Gary always keeping an eye open for free firewood. Huber Farney offering to oblige, mentioning the old growth of wind breaking trees surrounding his large two story farmhouse needed to be removed, as he had planted a newer growth of row trees, and they were big enough for a wind break. The Farney’s older tree row was a combination of Cedar and Osage Orange, better known as hedge. As a novice with a chainsaw, Gary entered the firewood escapade full of confidence with his 16 inch Homelite, expecting the readymade tree row would succumb without any difficulty, he was wrong. It was his first experience cutting hedge, having heard it was slow burning, giving off lots of heat, and was high on the list of best firewood, if not the best. What wasn’t said was, its qualities of slow burning high heat was due to its hardness, and those qualities also could devour the chain on a under-powered 16 inch chainsaw. Saving face he proceeded to harvest just enough of the cedar to justify his attempt, and for the Farneys to see that he had been there.
. All was not lost in a search for firewood, Gary having taken notice of the news on television about the influx of Dutch Elm Disease that was sweeping Kansas and Oklahoma. He was very much aware of the detriment to elm trees on both sides of Main Sreet between 9th and 11th street, bringing it to the attention of Glen Piper, as several of these trees were on school property. The City of Kiowa finally taking action, having the most severely affected Elms removed, Gary suspected it was a result of Glen placing a call to some higher authority about the Dutch Elm problem. The elm tree take down and removal wasn’t a total loss, visiting with city employee, Tex Dixon, discovering the city would be hauling the trees to the dump on the cemetery road, Gary mentioning he was willing to haul off limbs up to sixteen inches in diameter. Apparently Tex got the word out to those falling the trees, Gary able to compile a host of good size limbs, piling them along the driveway and fence line of his residence. When he was employed at John Deere he looked into buying a log splitter, finding it cost prohibitive, but recognized that ingenuity was free.
. At work he came up with a four foot I beam, a remnant from the assembly of the new Service Company shop, having it two chisel blades welded to it to form a cutting edge V, then mounting a three inch diameter cylinder with a push plate on the end. A discarded Service Company electric 10 thousand P S I hydraulic pump, previously used for endowing fittings on high pressure hoses, was a meaningful source to activate the hydraulic cylinder. The time consuming work to begin, chain sawing the logs in useable lengths, and introducing his homemade log splitter to the elm. The appliance was absolute in performance, young Robert accompanying Dad in the log splitting operation, Gary placing the logs in position, while Robert operated the hydraulic pumps control button, the two recognizing a summer’s work, for a winters heat.
Inquisitive Quest 
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