A10
COFFEE BREAK
East Oregonian
Saturday, March 12, 2022
DEAR ABBY
Relative’s well-wishes have become burdensome
DEAR ABBY: I am blessed to have
a wonderfully supportive family, which
includes my and my husband’s siblings. I
was recently scheduled for major abdomi-
nal surgery. For the weeks leading up to it, I
quietly went about preparing the house and
putting systems in place so I could be absent,
but otherwise tried not to dwell on the upcom-
ing unpleasantness.
Most of my support people checked in
occasionally to see how I was doing or if I
needed anything. One sister-in-law, however,
has been over-the-top. She sends cards, texts,
fl owers and calls. I appreciate her support, but
it’s too much. The cards always say the same
thing — “heal gently” and “these are the good
old days of medicine.” In the weeks leading
up to surgery and afterward, I have received
nearly a dozen cards, plus her texts, etc.
Is there a nice way to let her know it is too
much and I’m tired? My body reminds me other very much. We are both retired. He
every day that I’m healing, but slowly. I don’t drinks at least a six-pack a day. Although he
want the attention and the reminder
doesn’t appear to be intoxicated, I
that I’m not yet where I’d like to
know this has to mean he is an alco-
be. Please let me know if there’s a
holic. Because he doesn’t drink and
polite, graceful way to make it stop.
drive, he thinks this is fi ne. Besides
— PROGRESSING IN CALI-
being unhealthy and giving him a
FORNIA
huge beer gut, it’s expensive. Your
DEAR PROGRESSING: A
thoughts, please. — CONCERNED
WIFE IN GEORGIA
“nice” way to phrase it might be
DEAR WIFE: Schedule your
to say, “Honey, I am grateful for
JEANNE
all the support you’ve been giving
and your husband’s “annual medical
PHILLIPS
me, but the surgery is behind me
checkups,” regardless of how long
ADVICE
now, and I am slowly regaining my
they may have been delayed. Before
strength. Please don’t send me any
you go in, the doctor should be
more get-well cards — the dozen you have informed that your beloved hubby imbibes a
sent have already worked their magic.”
six-pack per day — at the very least. Whether
DEAR ABBY: I am writing because I’m this will motivate the doctor to encourage him
concerned about my husband’s drinking. We to quit or cut back is anybody’s guess, but I
have been married 35 years and we love each am hopeful.
You could benefi t from attending some
Al-Anon meetings. Al-Anon is an off shoot
of Alcoholics Anonymous that helps the fami-
lies and friends of individuals who have an
alcohol problem. I am sure if you do, you will
not only fi nd it enlightening, but also bene-
fi cial for the practical advice and emotional
support it off ers. Go to al-anon.org/info for
more information.
DEAR READERS: This is my annual
reminder for all of you who live where
daylight saving time is observed: Don’t forget
to turn your clocks forward one hour tonight
at bedtime. Daylight saving time begins at
2 a.m. tomorrow. I love this ritual because
it signals the coming of spring and with it
longer, brighter days and warmer weather.
For me, it’s a mood elevator and an energizer.
May spring bring good things your way! —
LOVE, ABBY
DAYS GONE BY
100 years ago — 1922
Murder in the fi rst degree for the death of Matt Jepson is
the charge against Charles Vonderahe, Freewater man, who
is now held in the county jail. The crime for which Vonder-
ahe is held has been one of the darkest mysteries in the annuls
of Umatilla county murders, and his arrest is the result of an
investigation carried on for six months by Burns detectives.
The body of Jepson, 63-year-old recluse, was found near his
dugout on Government Mountain 16 miles from Milton, on
August 13, 1921. The motive for the murder, according to the
theory entertained by the authorities, was revenge. Jepson was
said to be opposed to moonshining and information given by
him is said to have been responsible for the arrest in May of
Vonderahe, who paid a fi ne of $400 when he pleaded guilty
to the charge of operating a still not far from Jepson’s ranch.
Three brothers of the accused man expressed great surprise
at the charge and declared they will stand by him, claiming
the family knew Jepson for 30 years and were friends and
neighbors.
50 years ago — 1972
Mother Nature off ers farmers an easy do-it-yourself proj-
ect that takes no eff ort at all. By sitting back and continuing
to farm in the same old ways, a man can turn rich farmland
into wasteland. Depending on the soil depth, the project can
be accomplished in just a few years, or, in parts of Eastern
Oregon, in a few generations. Long-time soil measurements
near Weston and in the Parawa area near Pendleton show that
since farming began 90 years ago on virgin land, nearly a foot
of soil has been lost in fi elds with slopes of fi ve to 10 per cent.
This averages about 16 tons per acre per year. Sediment from
an eroded fi eld contains a much greater percentage of organic
matter than the soil from which it was eroded. Farmers are
using more conservation practices but much remains to be
done, say soil conservation technicians.
25 years ago — 1997
More than 300 Hispanic students from Umatilla and
Morrow counties fi lled the Pendleton Convention Center
Tuesday to learn about the importance of reaching for the
stars, as well as some tools to help them get there. The students
attended workshops to discuss issues such as community
action, Hispanic heritage, and saying no to gangs and drugs.
Between the workshops and other programs, including a
colorful dance presentation by the Quetzalcoatl Folkloric
Dance Group from Hermiston, the students visited booths
prepared by area colleges. The keynote speaker, Dr. Dovie
Trevino of Western Oregon State College, told the students
she was one of 14 children born into a family of cotton pickers.
She fl unked fi rst grade because she could not speak English.
“Don’t just think about what you want,” she said. “Plan what
you want to do.”
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
In 1864, Lt. Gen. Ulysses
S. Grant assumed command
as General-in-Chief of the
Union armies in the Civil
War.
In 1912, the Girl Scouts of
the USA had its beginnings
as Juliette Gordon Low of
Savannah, Georgia, founded
the fi rst American troop of
the Girl Guides.
In 1925, Chinese revolu-
tionary leader Sun Yat-sen
died in Beijing.
In 1947, President Harry
S. Tr uman an nounced
what became known as the
“Truman Doctrine” to help
Greece and Turkey resist
Communism.
In 1955, legendary jazz
musician Charlie “Bird”
Parker died in New York at
age 34.
In 1971, Hafez Assad
was confi rmed as president
of Syria in a referendum.
In 1980, a Chicago jury
found John Wayne Gacy Jr.
guilty of the murders of 33
men and boys. (The next
day, Gacy was sentenced to
death; he was executed in
May 1994.)
In 1987, the musical play
“Les Miserables” opened on
Broadway.
In 1994, the Church of
England ordained its first
women priests.
In 2003, Elizabeth Smart,
the 15-year-old girl who
vanished from her bedroom
nine months earlier, was
found alive in a Salt Lake
City suburb with two drift-
ers, Brian David Mitchell
and Wanda Barzee. (Mitch-
ell is serving a life sentence;
Barzee was released from
prison in September 2018.)
In 2011, fi fteen passen-
gers were killed when a
tour bus returning from a
Connecticut casino scraped
along a guard rail on the
outskirts of New York
City, tipped on its side and
slammed into a pole that
sheared it nearly end to end.
(Driver Ophadell Williams
was later acquitted of
manslaughter and negligent
homicide.)
In 2020, the stock market
had its biggest drop since the
Black Monday crash of 1987
as fears of economic fallout
from the coronavirus crisis
deepened; the Dow indus-
trials plunged more than
2,300 points, or 10%. The
NCAA canceled its basket-
ball tournaments because of
the coronavirus, after earlier
planning to play in empty
arenas. The NHL joined the
NBA in suspending play.
Major League Baseball
delayed the start of its season
by at least two weeks. (An
abbreviated 60-game season
would begin in July.)
Ten years ago: A day
after the massacre of 16
Afghan civilians by a U.S.
soldier, President Barack
Obama called the episode
“absolutely tragic and heart-
breaking,” while Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clin-
ton called it “inexplicable.”
Greece implemented the
biggest debt write-down in
history, swapping the bulk of
its privately held bonds with
new ones worth less than half
their original value.
Five years ago: A bus
plowed into people taking
part in an early morning
street festival in Haiti, killing
at least 34 of them. Author-
ities in Mexico recovered
New England quarterback
Tom Brady’s Super Bowl
jersey more than a month
after it had gone missing
from the Patriots’ locker
room following the game.
One year ago: The city of
Minneapolis agreed to pay
$27 million to settle a civil
lawsuit from George Floyd’s
family over the Black man’s
death in police custody, as
jury selection continued in
a former officer’s murder
t r ial. Senate Major it y
Leader Chuck Schumer and
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
called on New York Gov.
Andrew Cuomo to resign,
adding the most powerful
Democratic voices yet to
calls for the governor to leave
offi ce in the wake of allega-
tions of sexual harassment
and groping. (Cuomo would
resign fi ve months later.)
Today’s Birthdays: Politi-
cian, diplomat and civil rights
activist Andrew Young is 90.
Actor-singer Liza Minnelli is
76. Singer-songwriter James
Taylor is 74. Rock musician
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) is
66. Actor Courtney B. Vance
is 62. Actor Julia Campbell is
59. Sen. Tammy Duckworth,
D-Ill., is 54. CNN reporter
Jake Tapper is 53. Actor Rhys
Coiro is 43. Country singer
Holly Williams is 41. Actor
Samm (cq) Levine is 40.
Actor Jaimie Alexander is
38. Actor Tyler Patrick Jones
is 28.
CHURCH DIRECTORY
PENDLETON
LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH
Sunday Service: 9am & 6pm
Tuesday Kingdom Seekers: 7pm
Wednesday Bible Study: 7pm
We offer: Sunday School • Sign Language
Interpreters • Nursery • Transportation • & more!
Pastor Dan Satterwhite
541.377.4252
417 NW 21st St. • Pendleton, OR 97801
www.facebook.com/
PendletonLighthouseChurch
Solid Rock
Community Church
140 SW 2nd St Hermiston, OR 97838
541-567-6937
Worship Service: 11:00AM
Sunday School: 9:45
Pastor Wilbur Clark
Our Lady of Angels
Catholic Church
Redeemer
Episcopal
Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
241 SE Second St. Pendleton
(541)276-3809
www.pendletonepiscopal.org
PendletonPresbyterian.com
Sunday Holy Communion: 9am
Wednesday Holy Communion: Noon
M-F Morning Prayer 7am on Zoom
Worship Services On Facebook
10:00am Sundays
All Are Welcome
Community
Presbyterian
Church
14 Martin Drive,
Umatilla, OR
922-3250
Worship: 10 AM
Sunday School at 11:30
First Christian
Church
565 W. HERMISTON AVE.
201 SW Dorion Ave.
Facebook.com/PendletonPresbyterian
OPEN HEARTS – OPEN DOOR
www.graceandmercylutheran.org
Sunday Worship 8:45 a.m.
Sunday School 10:00 a.m. (Nursery Provided)
Fellowship, Refreshments & Sunday School
Check Out our Facebook Page or
Website for More Information
541-289-4535
Pastor Weston Walker
Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, ELCA
(First United Methodist Church)
191 E. Gladys Ave. / P.O. Box 1108
Hermiston, Oregon 97838
The Salvation Army
COME WORSHIP
WITH US AT THE
COUNTRY
CHURCH
215 N. Main • Pendleton
10:30 - Worship Service
Sundays at 11:00am
In Person worship Sundays
at 11:00am
5:30 Family Fellowship Meal • 6:00 Bible Study
32742 Diagonal Rd.
Hermiston, OR
Office Phone: 541-276-5358
Hours: M-F 9:00am-1:00pm
(DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)
Iglesia Católica Nuestra
Señora de los Ángeles
Center for Worship & Service
Sunday Worship Service
9:30 - Sunday School
Wednesday Bible Study
COME AS YOU ARE
150 SE Emigrant
(541) 276-3369
St. Johns
Episcopal Church
N.E. Gladys Join
Ave & Us
7th, Hermiston
541-567-6672
JOIN OUR INCLUSIVE
CONGREGATION
ON OUR JOURNEY WITH JESUS
Services 9:00am Sundays
In-person or streaming on
Facebook or Zoom
FAITH LUTHERAN
CHURCH
in Mission for Christ LCMC
Sunday Worship.........9:00 AM
Bible Study......10:15 AM
Red Lion Hotel
( Oregon Trail Room )
To advertise in the Church Directory, please contact Audra Workman
541-564-4538 or email aworkman@eastoregonian.com