Groundhog Day was last week and, yes, he saw his shadow, which tells us that we will have six more weeks of winter. Now that isn’t too bad, as we have already had one week, leaving us five weeks until spring! If all the weeks are as nice as this past week, I don’t think we will care what they call it as we will be thinking spring!As much as I hate to admit it, I am ready to start cleaning house. I also love getting out-of-doors without my coat, watching the birds, smelling the early flowers and watching the green grass make its first appearance. I feel like I have been let out of my cage and am now free!Orrin and Bernice Aukes were Friday night guests in the home of their son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Christy Aukes, Larchwood, Iowa, in honor of Christy’s and their son, Logan’s, birthdays.Sunday afternoon guests in the Orrin and Bernice Aukes home were Dan Aukes, Hills, and Amy Fopma, Sioux Falls.Steen Senior Citizens had their February meeting in the Steen Community Building. Cards and games were played. Lunch was served by Otto and Bernice Bouma. Sunday afternoon visitor in the Henrietta Huenink home was her daughter, Norma VanWyhe, from Lester, Iowa.Sunday dinner guests in the Ron and Cheryl Hup home were their granddaughter, Leah Hup, Ron’s parents, Dick and Gert Hup, and Melba Boeve. Noon luncheon guests in the Jo Aykens home on Monday were Laurie Kurtz and Mackenzie, Orange City, Iowa, and Joyce Aykens, Worthington. February 22-26 is National FFA week. The creed speaker this year for H-BC is Brittany Boeve, daughter of Larry and Lois Boeve of Beaver Creek. She participated in the Region 6 creed contest in Worthington on Jan. 6 and placed 9th in the region. Congratulations to her. Melba Boeve and her son, Brian, enjoyed supper together Friday evening in Sioux Falls in observance of his birthday. Gym night with Dads will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24. There will be games, food and fun. It is open to all faculty and families and H-BC students and families.The Hills Christian School will have their annual soup and pie supper from 5 until 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at the school. There will be a freewill offering. Gert Hup was admitted to Luverne Community Hospital last Sunday afternoon. She was able to return home on Tuesday. Congratulations to Sue Baker and Howard Vis who were united in marriage on Saturday, Feb. 5, at First Reformed Church in Sioux Falls. Many of us listened to the president’s inaugural address this past week. I know there has been criticism and comments about his stand on the Social Security issue, and I know it will not be acceptable to the younger generation especially. However, those of us who grew up in the "Dirty ’30s" and Depression era learned early in life that money was hard to come by. If one needed or wanted something that needed to be purchased, you were on your own when it came to paying for it.I remember I saved pennies and put them in a round candy box. I am sure my dad had to give them to me, as I was too young to work. When I did work in a grocery store, I went to work at 8 a.m. and worked until closing. I received $5 for the day. Consequently, I was pretty careful how I spent it. Money was very had to come by, even for working men. My father, who farmed, applied for a job maintaining the road. When asked how much he wanted to be paid, he said $1 an hour. The man who was interviewing him answered, "No man is worth $1 an hour!" That was the end of that.I could go on and on about how precious money was to everyone during those years. However, I found an article titled, "Pungent Points," which has a good message for us."We cannot bring prosperity by discouraging thrift.We cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.We cannot help small men by tearing down big men.We cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.We cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than our income.We cannot further the brotherhood of man by including class hatred.We cannot have sound security on borrowed money. We cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.We cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they should and could do for themselves."