Holy Cow it’s June!

By David Crane

So with the lock down and the cooler than normal weather, it seems that Memorial Day and the start of summer snuck up on us. Also with school in a mixed up mess, everyone’s schedule is topsy turvy. Maybe the next couple of months will get things settled.

Which brings me to how we are doing. Since we re-opened the doors at both buildings on May 4th, we have seen a steady increase towards the return of normal sales. We are getting looks from people since we all have masks on and have plexiglass up at the store, but as long as the CDC recommends it, and for the safety of our crew and customers, we will keep up the best practices. We hoped everyone could try to distance themselves as much as possible in our tight quarters and wear masks. We are not going to police what should be personal responsibility. It is easier at the museum by taking chairs away from every other table. We hope the precautions we are taking will help keep all of our staff safe during this pandemic.

Other news in the ‘Burg.... The Route D overpass is going to be torn down and rebuilt. This process will start in mid-June with a target date of June 23rd to actually bring the old decking down in the middle of the night. On the evening of the 23rd, MODot will reroute I-70, along the old Highway 40, while the bridge is brought down. Hopefully everything goes as scheduled and is a smooth transition. We also understand Emery Sapp has the bid to add a third lane to the uphill portions of Mineola Hill and the work on that project will start this Fall. The last news of construction around here is the Smith Branch bridge just North of Danville on Route 161 will be taken out and replaced starting at the end of August. MODot hopes it will take around 100 days to finish.

School news to announce:

• Mason Crane has made it to being a Senior at Fulton High School. Grades are just a pass/fail this past semester, so no chance of an honor roll.
• Trask Crane made the Deans List in the College of Engineering at University of Wisconsin at Madison. He’ll be working this summer as an intern for Collins Aerospace, which was going to be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but is now going to be home-based.
• Macy Starkey is now a Sophomore at MACC and was on the President’s List this past semester.
• Shanellen Eckert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Columbia College.

Hope all is well and everyone stays healthy!

Ivan’s Insights: 100 Days of Summer

By: Lance Corporal Ivan G. Roesner, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division

The summer days are upon us. The days are becoming longer and filled with more sun. The oceans seem to be bluer. The trees, leaves, and vines are greener. And the air is HOT. The temperatures in Okinawa are staying around 75°F-85°F. That seems like amazing weather to anyone who has always lived in the Midwest. But the humidity in the midwest doesn’t come close to the humidity in Okinawa. Usually, the humidity is Missouri has a range of around 70%-80%. Most days it starts at 75% humidity when I go outside to PT at 0530. And to think, the summer days are just starting. We have all been briefed on this three-month heatwave. Drink lots of water, sunscreen, drink lots of water.

With warm weather, another event comes into play. Typhoons. To compare a typhoon to a hurricane is a mistake. Typhoons are bigger, stronger, and more devastating than a hurricane. When one comes our way, preparations are made to minimize damage. All loose pieces of equipment and gear are secured to prevent them from become a projectile. This includes a little 3/8 inch bolt laying on the asphalt. Even some of the armored humvees will be moved out of their parking space. The base will go on lockdown when the typhoon arrives. But off base is a different story.

A Marine who is married and lives off base told me he saw this himself: All hell was breaking loose and he would see the locals walk down the street with only a raincoat to protect themselves. Apparently, Okinawans will throw typhoon parties, which sounds outrageous, but I’m sure there are American folks that will throw tornado parties. The first typhoon of typhoon season happened not too long ago. Everyone prepared for it, but it calmed down to a tropical depression and veered off around Taiwan. There is definitely more to come.

I would love to hear some of the questions from the readers of the Williamsburg Villager. If you have a question about the weather, the people, food, culture, or overall experience of Okinawa, please get in touch with me via email. I will answer questions to the best of my knowledge and as soon as possible!

Email: ivansinsights@gmail.com

Cinder (Ice Cream) Cake

by Alyce Zerr borrowed from Kay Scheer

• 1 big bag of Oreos cookies
• 1 stick of butter
• 1⁄2 gallon of vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1 cup of chocolate syrup
• 1 stick of margarine
• 1 can of Eagle brand milk
• 1 8-oz. tub of cool whip

Crush Oreos, save some for garnish. Mix with 1 stick of melted margarine. Spread in a 9x13 pan. Freeze. Spread with softened ice cream and freeze. Mix chocolate syrup, stick of butter and Eagle milk. Boil together and then allow to cool completely. Spread on ice cream. Cover with cool whip. Garnish with Oreos. Freeze. Thaw slightly before serving.

Info

The Williamsburg Villager is provided by Crane's Museum and Shoppes. Please submit any announcements to David Crane at Crane's Country Store located next door to the museum by the 15th of each month to ensure publication.

Annual subscriptions are available for a $12.00 donation to the museum.

Crane's Museum & Shoppes 10665 Old US Hwy 40 Williamsburg, MO 63388 877-254-3356 www.cranesmuseum.org.

Crane's Museum is a Regional History Museum located in Williamsburg MO. We invite visitors of all ages to enjoy a step back in time. Enjoy breakfast or lunch in Marlene's Restaurant, shop for gifts at Town House Treasures, or get ready for any season at Crane's country Store's Clearance and Closeout Shop.