Comments from Bertha and Cecil's grandsons, Craig and Andy Bishop, sons of their daughter, Myrna.

Grandson, Craig Bishop

When we were kids, we went to Lake George to visit Grandma and Grandpa for two or more weeks every summer and for about ten days at Christmas.

Grandpa would take us on pontoon boats around the lake. Sometimes we would go fishing. One time I caught a small mouth bass that was huge. Another time Grandma caught a huge northern pike that jumped off the hook onto the pontoon. The fish was flopping allover the pontoon. Grandpa grabbed a paddle and was trying to hit the fish to keep it from going back into the lake. He finally hit it and they had it for dinner.

In winter we would help Grandma and Grandpa cut holes in the ice and set the hooks for ice fishing. Then we would go back to the house and watch for the flag to pop up. Sometimes Grandpa would take the snowmobile down the hill to the lake to see if they had caught a fish.

When I was five or six, I went snowmobiling and did not want to stop even when I was cold and my feet were very cold. Mom and Grandma were afraid that I had frostbite and put my feet in warm water to warm them up.

When I was older, the Van Ordens came up with their snowmobiles and a group of us followed the trails back into the woods by the pipelines. Our snowmobile stopped and wouldn't start. Grandpa drove the Torino back there to help start the snowmobile and got stuck in the snow. It was already late and getting dark so we had to leave it there until the next day. We all had to shovel and push to get it out of the snow.

Sometimes we and the neighbors' grandkids would make a hockey rink and play hockey.
 

Grandson, Andy Bishop

Every summer we would go to Lake George to visit Grandma and Grandpa. We would swim all day. Sometimes we would take the paddle boat or canoe back into the lily pads to pick blossoms and catch frogs. We would bring our bikes and ride allover. I usually got to celebrate my birthday at the lake and Grandma would bake me a cake. Ah! Those were the days.

Speaking of baking, Grandma makes the best sugar cookies-soft and big. At Christmas after we grew up, she gives us our own box of cookies. One summer Grandpa and I made a kayak using a frame and an old awning. The fabric ripped out fairly quickly but we had fun doing it. Grandma wanted a picture of a fish painted on the pontoon so I painted it for her.

In the winter we would go snowmobiling. I liked the yellow Ski Doo best. We would help Grandpa put new starter pull ropes on them. Grandpa would tinker with those old machines to keep them going. One year when we came back, the Ski Doo had quit and Grandpa had it in a million pieces trying to fix it. No more Ski Doo.

One year Lake George was frozen with smooth clear ice all over. We skated allover the lake and played ice hockey. It only happened that year. Usually it was snow covered and rough.

After we were teenagers, Grandma and Grandpa spent the several winters in a RV park near Orlando, Florida. We would go down during Christmas break to visit them. What fun we had going to Disney World, Sea World, and the beaches especially Cocoa Beach with them.

 

  1. Edna Berns
  2. Lavern Berns
  3. Walter Berns
  4. Wilma Bicking
  5. Myrna Bishop
  6. Donna Burge
  7. Janice Clark
  8. Bertha & Cecil Drake
  9. Mildred Eipperle
  10. Hilda Fuller
  11. Arthur Heiden
  12. August & Rika Heiden
  13. August Heiden Children
  14. Carl Heiden
  15. Emma Heiden
  16. Ernst Heiden
  17. Heinrich Heiden Children
  18. Helen E. Heiden
  19. Henry Wm Heiden
  20. Herman and Reka Heiden
  21. John Heiden
  22. Leo Heiden
  23. Lester Heiden
  1. Mary Heiden
  2. Norma "Jeanie" Heiden
  3. Wm Carl & Mary Heiden No 1
  4. Wm Carl & Mary Heiden No 2
  5. Wm Frank Heiden
  6. Dianne Houpt
  7. Lena Koster
  8. Laas/Burmeister
  9. Linda Miller
  10. Helma Nickel
  11. Mary Lou Opfermann
  12. Rambow Family
  13. The Rambows by Drake
  14. Grandma Rambow
  15. Minnie & Wm Rambow
  16. Carol Toburen
  17. Marie Tommelein
  1. Walter Berns Poem
  2. Bridge School
  3. Christmas Eve Party
  4. Dentist Visit
  5. Dixon Rd Lots
  6. The Depression
  7. John Eipperle Fun Times
  8. The Farm House
  9. Five Generations
  10. German Book
  11. Germany
  12. Grape Community
  13. August Heiden Documents
  14. Herman and Reka Heiden Article
  15. Higher Ed
  16. Home Farm
  17. Indian Burial Ground
  18. Leo Heiden Homes
  19. Letters from Germany
  1. Life on the Farm
  2. Lutheran Church
  3. Mary Heiden Cooking
  4. Mary Heiden Health
  5. Mecklenburg, Germany
  6. Middle Names
  7. Mildred Eipperle's Death
  8. Nephews
  9. Helma Nickel's Cooking
  10. Old Receipts
  11. Reunions
  12. School Days
  13. Sparrow Hunting
  14. Stormy Weather
  15. Wedding Shiveree
  16. Willows by the River
  17. The Woodlot
  18. Work on the Farm