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The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
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  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

Home→Published 2025 → February → 13

Daily Archives: February 13, 2025

Feb 13, 19-I Forget

The New American Digest Posted on February 13, 2025 by DTFebruary 13, 2025

Most significant other (MSO) & I had a most unusual per-marriage relationship. I can't really say we "dated" in the usual American sense - although she claims we did a little. I never considered going out with a group of people a date, but she was a foreigner of a conservative culture so in her eyes, I guess we did.

But not for long.

I don't know what it was - I was in my early 40s and by some definitions, I'd been married twice before ... actually had recently broken it off with #2.

But the little voice inside my head told me to not hesitate; this woman was worth the full commitment - I knew it right away. Wasn't sure she did.

We were in Colorado. Being of vastly different religions - or the same one, depending on how "religion" is defined - and being as Colorado acknowledged common-law marriages, we got married in the eyes of the state.

Turns out the Feds don't recognize common-law when it comes to things like green cards and immigration processes.

So today is the day we went to the courthouse and got married for the Feds.

So today, Feb 13th, is one of our anniversaries. And it had nothing to do with Valentine's Day, it had to do with being Friday the 13th.

But we have three anniversaries.

Our family and friends wanted a "wedding", so a few months later at a nicer time of year, a friend of ours, legally empowered to perform weddings, not that it was necessary, married us yet again in the "proper way" - in front of friends and family. A good time was had by all, music included "They're Coming To Take Me Away" (yes, ghostsniper, it'll be on Tunes For Tuesday someday), and I heard the food was excellent - I didn't get any. And everybody went home happy.

Especially me.

Our apartment was full of guests, including parents ... and that one friend that gets too drunk. I was with him when he tried to check into the hotel he and his wife reserved. They took his money then denied he paid - and refused him the room. So he and his wife also spent our wedding night with us.

MSO and I spent our wedding night sleeping on the floor with the other lessor beings; parent sets getting the two bedrooms.

But the anniversary we celebrate is the first one, the common-law marriage where we both committed to each other some 25 years or so ago.

And it seems to still be working out. Wouldn't trade what I have for anything.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Replies

I Was Going To Get All Philosophical Today, But …

The New American Digest Posted on February 13, 2025 by DTFebruary 13, 2025

Here's a train picture instead. I admit to being somewhat of a steam engine groupie. And I like the 1800s versions most of all.

1897
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Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Replies

Rules

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


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Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

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