2021 12 29 Larry-the nut does not fall too far from the tree

 In about 1958 Dad and Mom built a new house on Beaver Creek, one mile north and 3 west or 1 mile east of Vea and Eddy Harris.  I was 6 years old and big for my age (always was until folks caught up with me at about 13 or 14 years old).  Larry and Debbie were in the Grainola Grade School, and I was home helping dad build that house.  I should tell you that after we built the new house, which was about 2 feet from the old house, Mrs. Heath (postmaster) purchased the house and moved it to Grainola and the front porch was finished out to be the new post office.  Mrs. Heath (Jimmy's grandmother) lived in the house and worked in the new refurbished porch.  Anyway, I was in charge of doing anything dad needed, like getting nails or a board, just whatever.  I did not know it at the time, but dad was teaching me a set of skills that would last a lifetime.  I learned what a 16-penny nail and every variation of that plus the difference in hammers and crow bars or nail bars, different types of saws, etc.  But here is where Larry comes into the picture.

Larry and I had a room we shared in the new house on the Northwest corner with a giant elm tree right outside the window where we built a huge tree house (Larry and I built it, not dad).  Dad built a desk in 1958 for our room and if you look in the attached picture, lower left, you will see that same desk.  Larry has taken it to OSU, U of Nebraska where he received his masters and doctorate, U of Wisconsin where he did his thesis and then to Clemson University/Edisto by Barnwell, SC where he basically built a bull and cattle research operation 41 years ago.  That makes this desk 63 years old and still being used.  He has added a few more screws and nails to keep it working.  The drawers still work like a charm.  You might notice that his fishing tackle is extremely well organized.  Well, I have to tell you that when we were little, he was extremely well organized.  In fact, I would suggest that is why he was so successful at keeping records on cattle and working with a team of folks at Edisto to build a well-known bovine research facility.  I guess I am just proud of him and the life he has lived.  One of the funny and interesting things about Larry is he can tell you precisely how many bass he has caught each year going back to at least 1983.  This year he has 1029 bass, and he records each one and what they were caught on and what the weather was plus of course the location.  When I say location, I mean down to where at on the pond or lake.

Forgot one thing, Mom was an extremely well-organized person as well and very thrifty.  Therefore, Larry did not fall far from the tree.

So, what do you learn about Larry and the Osage?

• If you build it right, it will last a lifetime
• The value is not in the desk, but the memories made 
• Organization can make you successful in a career and life and of course fishing

Thanks for listening,

gary

gary@mylifelegacy.co

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 2021 12 20 -- Larry worked with Becky Davis and Mac (her husband the singer, just fyi) for over 30 years.  Becky laughs and tells about Larry’s idiosyncrasies.  For example:  Larry liked to talk in third person, “Larry does not do oil and gas powered”.  That means he got rid of his boat with a gas and oil engine and he does not mow lawns.  On the other hand when getting ready for a production sale (that is when they sell bulls and cows at Edisto) and things needed “neated” (not really a word but you get it), he would get out the weed eater and mower and get after it.  Mac or Bob I think told him he could ask for help but Larry just was about getting things done.  In fact his allergies were terrible but he would do the work anyway.  Another thing Becky shared was Larry did not spend time telling folks good morning or the likes but rather would have a list of things to go over and get done each day.  In fact each year they would wean the calves on labor day (that means take the babies away from their mommas) and it made for a very long day.  Becky enlightened Larry that most folks either take labor day off or at least take it a little easier.  She suggested that they could do it over a couple days and not make it so miserable of a day.  Larry, in his normal way, responded with a shrug and “OK” and things were changed permanently.  You see Larry believed in doing things the same way every time so there are no mistakes and everyone knows what to expect, especially him.

Larry was funny in this way but if you take a peek at his boat (or boats, but that is another story) you would understand things get done very systematically.  Now that I think about it when he was a kid and we roomed together (yes, small house with 3 bedrooms and Debbie got hers and Larry and I shared one) he was the same way.  I remember when he decided to practice being a pitcher for baseball.  He literally wore out his shoe dragging it during pitches.  So, he got a metal toe protector for his shoe.  I do not believe anyone ever practiced or worked as hard as Larry to get perfection.  In fact, I watched the only baseball game (another story) he every got to pitch and it was a NO HITTER.  Pretty good, huh?

So what do you learn from your brother, in the Osage?

·       Perfection can sometimes blind us from a better process

·       Humility is wonderful when it is sincere

·       Practice makes perfect

·       Larry is a ‘life worth living’ and I love him for it

Thanks for listening,

gary@mylifelegacy.co

please email me any stories you have about my brother and I may/might use them on the blog or in a book.

 

 

Mac and Becky Davis, Bob Webb, me, John Mueller

With a little memory help I am going to write stories on my brother, Dr. Larry Olson, not just from memory but his friends and other family memories.  So one of the things I want to ask of YOU is to please send me stories you remember about my brother.  They only have to be your perspective and at least 80% true.  Send those to gary@mylifelegacy.co and I may or may not add them to the blog and hopefully a book.  So here goes.

Dr. John Mueller of Edisto (don’t say Adesto or Bob Webb will know you are not from around here) use to fish with Larry and of course they worked at Edisto Research and Education Center near Barnwell, SC.  He said when Larry was shopping for fishing equipment and in particular lures, when Larry found what he wanted he would reach all the way to the back of the display and take ALL of those available.  In fact I can tell you from personal experience that if there is a supply chain problem (2020 and 2021) Bass Pro Shops only needs to call Larry to resupply their inventory.  He has thousands of lures and plastic worms and Bubblegum SuperFlukes all displayed in one of his rooms.  I also should say he has thousands more in well organized and labeled clear plastic boxes.  As a side note every Christmas, he gave all the nieces and nephews and especially the girls fishing lures.  In fact he gave the bright pink Bubblegum SuperFlukes  to the girls.  Now in case you don’t know it each packet contains at least 10 or up to 20.  I don’t know about you but why would a 6 month old, 1, 2, and 3 year old need all those Bubblegum SuperFluckes?  Strangely enough, the girls loved them and played with them.  We found them everywhere, but apparently they are good for bass fishing.  Did I mention that Larry has 6 bass mounted on his dining room wall that are between 11.5 Lbs. and 12.5 Lbs.?

Well, as you know I like to end with a little wisdom and have added a money saving tip so:

What do you learn in the Osage?

·       Bubblegum Supperflukes are not just for fishing

·       A gift from the heart is more important than what it cost

·       It is the memories that we create that are the real value in life

Thanks for listening,

gary@mylifelegacy.co

What is your story?

Save a few bucks: Get married because two can live cheaper than one as long as one does not eat and one goes naked.  Sorry, that was just too much fun.  Here goes a real one: Instead of having expensive letterhead, get a good quality printer (I use an HP Office Jet 6300, about $150), nice quality paper (be careful when ordering but I ordered online from Office Depot and saved a bunch by purchasing a case, Note:  some companies don’t include the same number of sheets in a case or order), then develop what you want your stationary to look like.   It is easier and dramatically cheaper.

A Wet Wooly and save a few bucks

Larry Olson and Kenny Kelsey                  Sally and Beth Shumate

Now you may not know what I am talking about when I say I first learned about a wet wooly, but I am going to tell you.  At our house in Grainola there were many times that the Snyders (Gladys, Billy and Suzie) and/or the Shumates (Mrs., Janie, and Sally) would visit us, 1 mile North and 3 West down on Beaver Creek.  That of course is from downtown Grainola.  

One evening the Shumate family was at our house and Larry and Sally and myself were sitting on our very old brown couch (it never wore out).  I think Larry and Sally were both in college at the time and they had learned some new antics.  Anyway, Sally was sitting between the two of us and Sally (at least I think it was her) stuck her finger in her mouth and got it nice and wet, then she stuck it in my ear.  I thought it was Larry, so I put my hand behind Sally and pushed her forward.  Then I took my fist and let Larry have it on his shoulder.  I forgot to mention that the wet finer being put in my ear is a WET WOOLY.  Well, I hit him so hard he rolled over the arm of the couch and fell on the floor yelling.  I did not feel bad one bit for that and even if Sally did it, they were both guilty as they were laughing and a little too proud for their trickery.

Next week, December 21st, 2021, Shouna and I will be married 25 happy years.  Not bad 25 out of 47, that was a joke.  Anyway, I tried a wet wooly on my wife early on in our marriage and it just did not go over too well.  I thought it was pretty funny, but not her.

So, what do you learn from your big brother or what do you learn in the Osage?

• A wet wooly is not a good idea in making your wife happy
• Orneriness behavior has its roots in the Osage
• Older brothers can be a pain in the ear
• Memories are good for the heart

Thanks for listening,

gary

gary@mylifelegacy.co

How to save a few bucks:  call your friends and learn to play cards, like 10-point pitch or spades.  It can save you a lot of money rather than going out to eat and you will create better friends and memories.

You don't know what you think you know

Well, I am here in South Carolina with my brother Larry who is in the hospital.  You might not be like me, but I bet you are.  

I think of Larry, my brother, as a recluse and not particularly well-known or has any close friends but a great fisherman and OCD about fishing and cattle.  Larry has been in the hospital or rehab hospital since November 1st, 2021, and today is December 14th, 2021.  What I have learned is that he is not a recluse, has a huge list of close friends that love and admire him and that he has been very successful on a national basis in the cattle business.  WOW!  To me, he was just my big brother, and I was proud of the fact he had a PHD and was called Doctor Olson.  I was also pleased to find out he believes in God and knows Jesus.  I am blessed by the time I have been spending with him and what I have learned.

What I remember about him was he loved to quail hunt and he and I would hunt for hours and hours without a dog and of course he was a great shooter.  He also was a great fisherman, and we would fish for hours and hours when we could get away from farm and ranch work.  We would seine for minnows or dig worms or get some liver out of the freezer (for catfishing) and head for the creek behind the house (Beaver Creek).  I should comment that since dad did not like liver it was free game to use it for fish bait.  Mom liked it but no one else did at our house, but that is another story.

What is interesting to me is that all that OCD stuff and love of fishing and cattle has not stopped.  Just in case you don't know what OCD is:  it is a passion for being orderly and very detailed.  His house is the most organized place in America.  Every cabinet and every room and every file are well documented and labeled and organized.  Even his shirts are not just organized but evenly spaced and placed on hangers that are color coded for how they are washed and ironed.  Yes, he does iron his own clothes.  When he was in college he would not let mom iron his shirts as he was very picky then as well.  His socks and underwear are folded and organized in the drawers.  There is no clutter, not even under the bathroom sinks.

OK, back to his friends and South Carolina.  The outpouring of love and admiration for Larry was shocking as I had no idea.  Kevin Yon shared that Larry has done more for ranches across America than about anyone he knows.  Becky Davis worked with Larry for 30+ years at Edisto/Clemson and she talks fondly of Larry and what a good boss he was.  She shared how he always had a list of things to do even when she and her husband Mac ran into him in a Cincinatti airport.  They called out to him and instead of saying hello, Larry talked about what they needed to do when they got back to home.  Very focused!  Phil Perry and David Gasda and Melissa McCleod all shared what a good friend he was and how helpful he was to them and their family.  They may have been blessed, but I was enormously blessed.

So, what does this teach me?  What do you learn in the Osage?

• Write down the stories of your family, NOW
• What you think you know is not the real story
• Remember the best of a person, forget the bad, it only hurts you

If you are mad or upset with someone, you might want to find out what they are thinking because it is probably only half the story, your half.

Thanks for listening, 

gary@mylifelegacy.co

if you need to talk:  405-410-2918 or text