Book club

The book club that I belong to meets twice a month at the Cantebria Coffee House.  We have read Until They Bring the Streetcars Back, Sophies' Choice and Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.  We are going to read Sarah's Key in December.  The next book will be Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin.  I really enjoy the group of women that are in our club.  Everyone one of them add to the discussion and help each other broaden our outlooks.  I would never choose to read the books on my own that we read in club.

Shep

Today when I brought Dave to dialysis I saw one of the medivan drivers that I am always saying hi to.  I told Dave I wish I knew his name so I don't have to refer to him as my bearded friend.  So today I stopped to talk to him and introduced myself to him.  His name is Shep.  That is the second man that I know named Shep.  When I lived in Alaska I went to the Shep Woolley show in Delta Junction.  It was at the Evergreen Lodge.  During intermissions Shep came to our table and we got to know him quite well.  He is most famous for writing and recording the Purple People Eater.  Remember that song.  He recordered it in 1958.

Parade of Lights

Friday night while I was in Jamestown visiting my kids during the Thanksgiving weekend we attended the parade of lights.  It is a celebration opening the Christmas season in Jamestown.  I think that they had maybe   20 or so lite floats.  They were  beautiful in the dimly lite street.  It was cold so Natalie gave me the only blanket that was in the car.  We really enjoyed the parade.   It was only about a half an hour long so we weren't too cold.  Hot chocolate after the parade and a rematch of Mexican Train Dominos.  I lost again.

Blue and White Blitz

The Bemidji High School Lumberjacks have won every football game this season.  They will be playing for the 4 A state title on Saturday November 26th against Rocori.  It is played in the metrodome.  It has the entire town buzzing.  As someone not connected with the school I can still feel the vibes.  Many people are going to the game.    Go Jacks. 

They lost 10-17 to Rocori.  The years that I was in High School at Bemidji, the Jacks went for 4 years with 35 wins - 0 loses. At that time there was no championship game.  Different time different era.
  

Hiearchy of Bitches

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in a paper he wrote in 1943.  It was his way of describing human growth.  The lower based needs are on the bottom and the higher developmental needs are on the top.  I used this in my work daily, but from it I developed a Hierachrcy of bitches.  Excuse me, complaints.  In my everyday interactions with people I am able to judge by what they are complaining about were their need level is.  Such as complaint about sleep, or the water is not usuable in their home.  They are very needy and I should try to help them.  Whereas, if they are complaining that they did not get the tickets they wanted to the sports event or to the opera, they are fairly well actualized and probably need no help.

Recently I was talking to a friend and she told me about problems with her daughter that were of the  bottom two levels.  I sent my friend a card.  The next time I saw her she thanked and hugged me for the card  and she was amazed that it arrived just when she needed it the most.

Thanksgiving

I am at Jamestown for Thanksgiving.  Wednesday we ate supper out.  In a restaurant called Buffalo City Rotessouri  Grill.  To  quote Jamon it is Jamestown answer to fine dining.  Food was great, atmosphere was lovely, and I was seated by the real fireplace that sent out heat enough heat to warm my sole.  Natalie and I cooked together eating our turkey with all the trimmings around one.  Natalie almost forgot the stuffing remembering it in time to get it to the table.  In the back ground was the noise of three NFL games, the parade and laugher generated from the Mexican train dominos we played.  Jamon had to work Friday so Natalie and I planned our day together.  We each kept saying just so I don't have to shop we could do anything else.  I love grown children and  mine are the best.

PIE

I try not to be a pie person.  I really like pie and have it for my birthday instead of cake.  I made a fabric cake to serve as my birthday cake.  They are actually pin cushions. (refer to the picture)

I can eat all the pie I want, but I still have a birthday cake.

But that is not what I mean by a pie person.  A pie person to me is one who wants things perfect, instant, and easy.  Therefore, a P. I. E. person.   I am afraid there are a lot of pie people, especially in our new generation of people.  Pie people have a hard row ahead of them.  As my generation of people know life is tough.  We have had to develop the skills to combat this toughness to succeed.  Pie people do not have these skills and it worries me a lot. Is this weakening America???

Napkin Rings

My mother made these napkin rings for me in the early 70's.  I use them for Thanksgiving every year. This year I am going to have the first Thanksgiving in my son and daughter-in-laws home.  So I text Jamon and asked him what food I was to bring.  I was very pleased but surprised at his text back.  He said just bring the turkey napkin rings.  I was glad that Natalie wanted to include our old tradition into her new era of making the bird.  I was also happy to think that Jamon felt it was important to continue traditions.  I guess our oldie but moldy ideas aren't so bad after all.

Roller derby

1

Bemidji has a roller derby team called the Babe City Rollers.  My next door neighbor skates in it.  I have never been, but it sounds fun.  So Saturday night along with Don and Janet Haugen I went.  From 5:30 to 7:00 was the special groups or new members that get a chance to practice and entertains us.    Then at 7:00 is the main event.  Could those girls skate.  The bout was against the Des Moines Derby Dames. It is not the roller derby I remember from the 1970's  that we watched on TV.  It was a flat track.  And although it was action packed it wasn't as cut throat as I remember. It is fun watching the "jammer."  She wears a star on her helmet and her sole job is to make points by smashing through the mass of other skaters and passing them.  One referee picks her up and skates inside the circle while pointing at her.  It is like she has a target on her back with the huge star on her helmet and a ref skating next to her pointing right at her.  The others do everything they can to block her.   I really had fun, but went home at the half as I was so tired from the Craft show all day. I can't tell you who won at this time.   Roller Derby is worth the price of admission.  I would definitely go again.

Thank Offering Sunday

Sunday the 20th was Thank Offering Sunday.  I am the Assistant organizer for this project.  This is the Sunday that the women of the church run the service.  We have women greeters, women ushers, women readers, and women liturgists.  This year Pastor Lynnea did the sermon.  We have a procession bringing in the bible, the cross and the chalice.  This is the opportunity to put out our quilts for the congregation to see before they are shipped to Lutheran World Relief or delivered to one of the four places in Bemidji that distribute our gifts to those that need them. The final count was 79 quilts and 10 knitted items.

Craft Sale at the Legion

What fun.  Two of my classmates, a classmates wife and my golf partner were there.   The legion had many booths 25 I think.  The Legion served sloppy joes and bars  In many parts of North Dakota sloppy joes are called slushburgers.   Everyone got a laugh at that when I called them that.   I made our family easy but delicous lemon bars.  Only has three ingredients. Each Legion Auxiliary member had to bring uncut bars. 

I was selling hats. crayon aprons. cup cozies. table runners, quilts, scraves,and purses.  My smaller items sold the best.  Each table cost  $15. I shared a table.  We all had such a great time.  I almost forgot to take pictures.Don and Janet Haugen were sharing a table with me.   Sharon Hirt had a table with her mothers things.  Gail Coffin was there with her feather  figurines.  Pam and Clif Haugen came by to visit.  Gloria Peterson Joy and Wilda Willie Hegstad stopped by.

Roll day at Nielson Place

Roll day is a money maker for the Nielson Place.  The third Tuesday of each month they bake the most luscious caramel rolls on this planet.  Larry, Wilda and I try to make it every time.  I get Dave my brother who lives at Nielson Place and we eat and talk away.  There is always someone that we know and it is just fun.  A lot of people come from First Lutheran ( the coffee drinkingiest church in town). 

Walking at the Sanford center

The sanford center is a 4,700-seat multi-purpose arena and convention center in Bemidji, that opened in October 2010.  On October 18, 2010 the venue was renamed from the Bemidji Regional Events Center to the Sanford Center after Sanford Health Systems purchased naming rights for $2 million over ten years.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday people can come and walk at the Sanford Center.  There are stairs and brightly lite halls to walk in.  It is such a great work out.  One sees people you know and can exchange a cheery hello.  What a positive experience.

Lambeau lambasting

I am not sure that I have the qualifications to write about football.  I have followed the vikings through thick and thin.  Well, we are in that thin part right now.   Although Monday during the border battle they surprised a lot of us with a defense that showed it can take charge of a game.  I tend to judge teams by their logo and the sharpness of their uniforms.  Did you say that you have to judge a quarterback by how well he throws a ball?? That's good to know, but I still think he's cute.   I kind of like to watch the tight ends myself.  But that is just me. 
Minnesota is in a conflict over building a new stadium for the Vikings.  More or less they are threatening to move if we don't.  The Vikings have TV ads and media marketing blitzes, articles in the newspaper and players making appearances all through Minnesota.  They have chosen the site of Arden Hills as the site they would like. The government just sold it to Ramsey County tentative on the stadium being built there.   The Vikings will settle for nothing less.  The law makers would like to see the Vikings stay but can't support using tax payers money to do that.

   This is the flag that is flown over at my neighbors house.  What could he be thinking.

Below is an artist rendition of the proposed stadium

Church family

One of the best attributes in the First Lutheran church is the church family.  I have never felt more at home in a church in my life.  I am so glad that I transferred my membership to this church.  I am part of the quilt group and the knitting groups which I have talked about before.  But I joined the Mary circle.  I was insistant that I join the Mary circle.  That was the circle I was in in Beach.  I told the ladies that I had just moved here and had changed everything else in my life that I needed to keep something stable and I had chosen to keep my circle the same.  Wow, was I a lucky camper to have joined this group of loving, dedicated to God women. 

We have a meeting, a bible study and eat at each meeting.  And of course we drink coffee.  Remember First Lutheran is the coffee drinkingest bunch as I have mentioned before.

We get our bible study out of the magazine called Gather.  Today lesson is on Power and Authority.
One of our members meets with our pastor and is our leader for the lesson.  After reading this lesson I can hardly wait to get to the meeting. 
We also draw names each month and pray for the person whose name we draw.  The power of prayer is strong. 

How to start a fight

I did not write this but it is so good that it needs a spot in my blog.

HOW TO START A FIGHT One year, I decided to buy my mother-in-law a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift... The next year, I didn't buy her a gift. When she asked me why, I replied, "Well, you still haven't used the gift I bought you last year!" And that's how the fight started..... ________________________________ My wife and I were watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire while we were in bed. I turned to her and said, 'Do you want to have Sex?' 'No,' she answered. I then said, 'Is that your final answer?' She didn't even look at me this time, simply saying, 'Yes..' So I said, "Then I'd like to phone a friend." And that's when the fight started... ________________________________ I took my wife to a restaurant. The waiter, for some reason, took my order first. "I'll have the rump steak, rare, please." He said, "Aren't you worried about the mad cow?" "Nah, she can order for herself." And that's when the fight started..... _______________________________ My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table. I asked her, "Do you know him?" "Yes", she sighed, "He's my old boyfriend. I understand he took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since." "My God!" I said, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?" And then the fight started... ________________________________ When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to take care of first, the shed, the boat, making beer.. Always something more important to me. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came out again I handed her a toothbrush. I said, "When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the driveway." The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp. ______________________________ The best one J My wife sat down next to me as I was flipping channels. She asked, "What's on TV?" I said, "Dust." And then the fight started... ________________________________ Saturday morning I got up early, quietly dressed, made my lunch, and slipped quietly into the garage. I hooked up the boat up to the van and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour. The wind was blowing 50mph, so I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio, and discovered that the weather would be bad all day. I went back into the house, quietly undressed, and slipped back into bed. I cuddled up to my wife's back; now with a different anticipation, and whispered, "The weather out there is terrible." My loving wife of 5 years replied, "And, can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that?" And that's how the fight started... _______________________________ My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary. She said, "I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds." I bought her a bathroom scale. And then the fight started...... ________________________________ My wife was standing nude, looking in the bedroom mirror. She was not happy with what she saw and said to me, "I feel horrible; I look old, fat and ugly. I really need you to pay me a compliment.' I replied, "Your eyesight's damn near perfect." And then the fight started........ ________________________________ I rear-ended a car this morning...the start of a REALLY bad day! The driver got out of the other car, and he was a DWARF!! He looked up at me and said 'I am NOT Happy!' So I said, 'Well, which one ARE you then?' That's how the fight started.

Knitting -- My new best friend

Well, being cost effective is not always to best measurement of whether or not to do a project.  Since I have started knitting I find great satisfaction in making things that have a shape to them out of a piece of string.  Sock yarn is very much like the grocery string that we are familiar with.  In fact it might even be thinner.  Most socks cost $2.00 to $6.00 a pair.  Where as these socks cost $13.99  a pair but that doesn't include the intense labor to make each one.  I have two more balls of yarn to make two more pairs of socks. They are beautiful and unique.  

Now it makes sense to me that sock should come in pairs, but pants.  Why is it called a pair of pants?
Shouldn't it be called a pair of legs?    But then a shirt isn't called a pair of shirts, there by making it a pair of arms.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  I guess I will have to wait and ask God when I get to heaven just what went wrong in this pants thing.  I remember in Oh, God the movie where George Burns played God.  George as God said he was disappointed in the avacado as he made the pit to large.  Very funny.

Driving

Is it just me or are there truely that many poor driver in the world.  I take my brother to dialysis three days a week and have many opportunities to witness poor driving skills.  I guess just poor skills all around.  Walkers and bike riders are also bad.  At the time in the morning that I go to pick Dave up it is dark--6:00 AM.  Walkers and runners are out for their exersize.  It really surprises me that more aren't hit, hurt, or killed.  They all seem to think that their black jacket is just the ticket to go out in.  No light, no reflective gear and no brains.  They usually go in pairs so it seems what they are talking about is more interesting to them then where they are.  They are walking in the turning lane instead of the bike path or walking lanes.  I am always surprised when my lights pick them up.  Bicyclist, on the other hand, seem to believe that they are the only ones on the road and rules don't apply to them.  Predictability is the key word for bikers and cars to get along.  We as drivers need to be able to predict what the biker will be doing.  Just when you think you have it right they cut in front of you or come shooting out in front of your car from the sidewalk across the  crosswalk.  This all happens in the dark.
Drivers do not use their turning signal.  They must thinks that they need to save them or you know where they are going.  They make left had turns onto a 4 lane and end up in the far lane.  They are not aware of who or what is near them.  I have seen a number of bad accidents on Paul Bunyan Drive. It seems like all the drivers drive like they are going to a fire.  Or maybe they are giving away free booze somewhere and they must get there to be first in line.

There are two ladies that walk between Anne street and 30th and I see them everyday.  I just love them.  I don't even know them. They wear euclid green and reflective vest like are used on the highweay crews.  My hat goes off to them.

Today, I saw a man wearing the reflective vest, but he was carrying two flashlights The white light was heading forward and the red light he had backwards in his other hand. As he pumped his arms in his walk it looked like flashing lights. Gotta love him for his attempt to stay safe.

Fighting Souix logo goes down again

The University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux logo was designed by Bennett Brien, a noted American Indian artist and sculptor. Brien, who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from UND, describes the symbolism of the UND athletic mark as follows:

"The feathers symbolize the outstanding rewards that students, faculty, staff and alumni will achieve for academic, athletic and lifelong excellence. The determined look in the eyes symbolizes fortitude and never giving up and the focus necessary for sustained academic, athletics and lifelong achievement. The paint on the cheekbone symbolizes that life can be a battle and we have daily struggles. The color green symbolizes the development of young people and their growth at the University of North Dakota. The color yellow symbolizes the sun which provides humanity light and warmth in order that life may continue. The color red symbolizes the lifeblood that has been poured out to make our state and peoples great."

The University of North Dakota “Sioux” nickname made its debut more than 74 years ago, in the autumn of 1930. The “Sioux” nickname became the staple of the University of North Dakota officially on October 2, 1930. In the Friday, October 3, 1930, edition of the Dakota Student, UND’s student newspaper, featured a front-page banner headline, “Sioux’ Replaces ‘Flickertail’ as Caption of University Sport Teams.” An article in that issue reported, “At convocation yesterday morning (which would have been October 2, 1930), the official announcement was made that the Athletic Board of Control had conducted the rites of changing the name and had given their sanction to the abolition of Flickertail and to the enactment of the Sioux.”
The name was chosen because the area of the Dakotas was once part of the Sioux Nation. UND was founded in 1883 in the Dakota Territory, six years before North Dakota became a state. The Sioux were born brave warriors. Their name connotes courage, honor, overcoming adversity, pride, and victory.
The “Fighting” reference was instigated in the mid-1960s by then UND Sports Information Director Lee Bohnet.
The “Fighting Sioux” has been represented graphically in a variety of different ways, but nothing stable seemed to come into use until the late 1960s when the Chicago Blackhawk logo was adopted, primarily for hockey. What is termed the “geometric” logo was introduced in 1976 and was applied to most athletic activities. UND’s use of the Blackhawk logo was discontinued in 1993.
The new Indian head logo, designed by UND Alumnus and Native American artist Bennet Brien, went into use with the advent of the 2001-2002 athletic season. The 2001-2002 athletics season was also the inaugural season of the Ralph Engelstad Arena.
The University of North Dakota is the home of the Fighting Sioux. UND officially adopted the name of the Fighting Sioux in the 1930’s because the Sioux Warriors were the most courageous of all warriors. The great Sioux Nation epitomized honor, courage, pride, overcoming adversity and winning battles. All fans in Ralph Engelstad Arena are asked to cheer your team to victory and exhibit good sportsmanship, as well as respect the American Indians and their proud and honored culture and heritage.

Recently the ND government mandated that they can use the logo. But yesterday they reversed their decision to use the Fighting Sioux nickname.  NCAA has won this round.  Spirit Lake Sioux will counter, again. The Ft. Yates tribe is offended by the nickname and keeps the NCAA stirred up.   Why are they focusing Just on the Sioux and not doing the same to the Seminoles? 

November 11th

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”


Something to think about 11-11-11.  I will not burden you with my thoughts.  This is the place that you think about this and form your own opinions.

skiing

I have cross country skied off and on for most of my life.  In fact the skis I use probably are considered antiques by now.  The new skis have a different system to hook the boot to the ski.  I cannot get new boots until I get new skis.  I think that I will just go on using what I have. 

I just found out about two trails in Bemidji for skiing.  They both have warming shacks on them. I am excited to try them.  Well, I actually can wait for snow and don't wish it here early.  But, I am just saying if we have to have snow and I know I will be skiing.

I was planning on posting this story until later, but I woke up to snow on the ground.  Doesn't look like this will be melting anytime soon.  I have to shovel my walks. 



The history of the safety meeting.

My Dad in the front and Uncle Willy in the back

My family has been having safety meeting as far back as I can remember.  They were started by my Uncle Wilfred.  He worked for Reserve Mines on the Iron Range.  He was in management. He managed the crew of workers. He visited our family a lot, especially coming to the cabin on Red Lake.  Anyway, at the lake there was a lot of just sitting around time.  Waiting for the bewitching time when the walleyes would be biting.  He would joke that we were having a discussion on safety as we were just sitting around not being productive.  Apparently that was the joke at his work when he found two or three guys not working.  He said he assumed they where having a safety meeting.  The phrase just happen to catch in my family and from then on everything was a safety meeting.  That is why I call the meeting with my nephew each day he stays with me a safety meeting.

The folded napkin

A Truckers Story
If this doesn't light your fire ... your
wood is wet!  I did not write this story but is truly worth reading.
I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His
placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy.

But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn't sure I
wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie.

He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and
thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my
trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables
as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade.

The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy
college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish
their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded
"truck stop germ" the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense
accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I
knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely
watched him for the first few weeks.

I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff
wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck
regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot.

After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of
him. He was like a 21-year-old kid in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh
and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt
and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee
spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem
was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were
finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one
foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty.Then
he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses
onto his cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish
of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker
with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right,
and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he
met.

Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was
disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social
Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their
social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they
had
fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was
probably the difference between them being able to live together and
Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy
place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that
Stevie missed work.

He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something
put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome
often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and
there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape
and be back at work in a few months.

A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word
came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine.

Frannie, the head waitress, let out a war hoop and did a little dance in
the aisle when she heard the good news.

Marvin Ringers, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight
of this 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his
table.

Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Marvin a withering look.

He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked.

"We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay."

"I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the
surgery about?"

Frannie quickly told Marvin and the other two drivers sitting at his booth
about Stevie's surgery, then sighed: " Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be
OK," she said. "But I don't know how he and his Mom are going to handle
all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getting by as it is."
Marvin nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of
her tables. Since I hadn't had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie
and really didn't want to replace him, the girls were busing their own
tables that day until we decided what to do.

After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of
paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I didn't get that table where Marvin and his friends were sitting cleared
off after they left, and Pete and Tony were sitting there when I got back
to clean it off," she said. "This was folded and tucked under a coffee
cup."

She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I
opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed "Something
For Stevie."

"Pete asked me what that was all about," she said, "so I told him about
Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked
at Pete, and they ended up giving me this." She handed me another paper
napkin that had "Something For Stevie" scrawled on its outside. Two $50
bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny

"truckers."

That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is
supposed to be back to work.

His placement worker said he's been counting the days until the doctor
said he could work, and it didn't matter at all that it was a holiday. He
called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming,
fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I
arranged to have his mother bring him to work. I then met them in the
parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back.

Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn't stop grinning as he pushed
through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and busing
cart were waiting.

"Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast," I said. I took him and his mother by
their arms. "Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate your coming back,
breakfast for you and your mother is on me!" I led them toward a large
corner booth at the rear of the room.

I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched
through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after
booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in
front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers
and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper
napkins. "First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess," I
said. I tried to sound stern.

Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the
napkins. It had "Something for Stevie" printed on the outside. As he
picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table.

Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath
the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to
his mother. "There's more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table,
all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems.
"Happy Thanksgiving."

Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and
shouting, and there were a few tears, as well.

But you know what's funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and
hugging each other, Stevie, with a big smile on his face, was busy
clearing all the cups and dishes from the table..

Best worker I ever hired.


Plant a seed and watch it grow.

If you shed a tear, hug yourself, because you are a compassionate person.

Paul Bunyan - the mighty lumberjack

Bemidji's Paul Bunyan will be 75 next year.  The legend's statue was erected in 1937. Paul Bunyan is like family to Bemidji residents I grew up reading all the tall tales associated with the tough duo.   I hear by the paper that every event next year with be tied in with the 'year of the legend.'   This postcard is an early one as there are no trees behind Paul and Babe.  Presently, there are trees between him and the lake.  I think my best rememberance of Paul and Babe was when they recently repainted him.  A women wrote a letter to the editor in the Pioneer long after they where done painting him.  Her letter started with  "Hello, doesn't anyone realize the Babe had a black tuft on the end of his tail.  When are you going to finish the job and paint in his tuff."  Several months later a black tuff appears on Babe's tail.  The power of the people triumphs.

Spring ahead, Fall back

Just as sunflowers turn their heads to catch every sunbeam, so too have we discovered a simple way to get more from our sun.

Daylight Saving Time (fast time as it was called in 1957) gives us the opportunity to enjoy sunny summer evenings by moving our clocks an hour forward in the spring. By the way it is Daylight Saving Time and not Savings as most people say.  I call it savings.  Yet, the implementation of Daylight Saving Time has been fraught with controversy since Benjamin Franklin conceived of the idea. Even today, regions and countries routinely change their approaches to Daylight Saving Time.  Minneapolis and St. Paul once didn't have twin perspectives with regard to the clock. These two large cities are adjacent at some points and separated only by the Mississippi River at others, and are considered a single metropolitan area. In 1965, St. Paul decided to begin its Daylight Saving Time period early to conform to most of the nation, while Minneapolis felt it should follow Minnesota's state law, which stipulated a later start date. After intense inter-city negotiations and quarreling, the cities could not agree, and so the one-hour time difference went into effect, bringing a period of great time turmoil to the cities and surrounding areas."The fast time issue was one of the greatest legislative battles in Minnesota history . . .," declared the St. Paul Dispatch, May 20, 1960. The dispute was temporarily resolved with passage of a bill in 1957 that allowed the governor to adopt daylight savings time for the whole state.  And in 1959 in a special session of the Legislature, a permanent
daylight savings time law was approved. But in a compromise, its length was made the shortest in the nation -- extending from the fourth Sunday in May to the Tuesday following Labor Day.
In 1966, the U.S. Congress, tired of the patchwork daylight savings time zones across the country, passed a law that pre-empted state law and made daylight savings, which runs from
the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, uniform.
I remember going with my Dad to informational meeting (fall of 1956) at the Grant Valley Townhall. Daylight Saving Time was put into law in 1957 in Minnesota.   The government official explained what Daylight Saving Time was and then turned it over to the public to ask questions. Charlie Schmidt, our neighbor said and I quote,"It's only another hour for our crops to dry up."  I was about to say you can't change the amount of sun we get, but when we get it when a big hand came over my mouth.  I asked my Dad why he hushed me in the meeting.  He said he knew what I was about to say and it would only embarrass Charlie.  I wish I had learned that life lesson that day.  The only times that I get into trouble to this day is when I open my mouth when I should just keep it closed.

Golf

What a game.  I got new clubs this year.  My last ones were forty years old.  They were Wilson Laura Baugh.  Really nice in their day.  Got to love the hybreds.  I really did not know much about them but I really like them.  My set came with a four and a five hybred.  I noticed that it did not come with a three iron.  I really missed that club.  So I just carry my old three from my other set.  Now the woods aren't made of wood.  They are a metal I am not sure of the spelling.  It starts with a T and ends with an M and the rest you are on your own.  Anyway,  I love the sound they make when you hit the ball.  I think that my driving game has improved thanks to the new driver.  Nothing can really help my putting game.  Maybe hours of practice.  But other then that it is what it is.  My irons game is good.  Mostly straight down the fairway.  I only lost two balls this summer.  My hits are short but controlled.

I text my son after my last game this summer and told him that I was two strokes short of a hole in one this year.  He text back that is probably called a par.  I told him that I prefer to call it a near hole in one.  We got a good laugh over that.

I usually don't improve much, but this summer was different.  Maybe I just concentrated more because of the new clubs. Can you spell titanium?        

Knitting - the knitwits in action

We have a knitting group at church.  We meet every Thursday and talk and knit.  We had 11 there today. The baby sweater is one of my projects.  I have also made an afgan and a prayer shawl.  My Friend Wilda told the story about the church member who got my prayer shawl.  She was so touch by the gesture.  We have learned later that the women's husband died this week.  She will need that shawl even more as the weeks go on.  I am even more motivated to knit another shawl.

Appliances

I have often wondered about appliances breaking.  Tell me, how can an appliance work one day and be broken the next.  It is like they were programed to break on a certain date.  Nothing seems to be made to last.  Its like nylons.  I remember that my mom and grandmother were able to sew up a hole in their hose.  Now we can't even get to the event we put the nylons on before they run.  I solved that problem by buying liquid nylons.  I just spray them on when needed and off I go.  At lunch my friends thought that the regular nylons still had a purpose.  How could a robber just spray your liquid nylons on his face and hope that they would disguise his face.  I just shake my head.  But we did get a good laugh talking about all the possibilities.

Anyway my ice maker broke.  Two of the plastic paddles snapped off and one landed in the freezer and the other is wedged in the machine itself.  Each revolution that the ice maker does it hits that wedged plastic and strains until it finally snaps on by.  Well, I have ordered a new one.  Parts and labor $275.  He assures me that he will be here early next week.  No don't count on it.  Until then I am making ice cubes in a tray.  What a novel idea.

The repairman was here on Monday and put in my new unit.  I find that it is slowest ice maker I have ever seen.  This is Thursday and I have 1/2 of a bucket full. After reading this blog I had Aunt Sonja text me and tell me to stop using so much ice. 

Cleaning

Can you see how the wall behind us just shines?

My friend Linda is moving to a different house.  All three of us went to school together.  The picture shows the determination that we felt.  We could move mountains if we set our minds to it.  We spent four hours deep cleaning two of her rooms.  We got the livingroom and the bedroom.  It is fun cleaning someone elses house. Well, maybe fun is not exactly is the correct word.  Wilda and I clean the same way.  I was explaining that I take about 6 to 8 passes on the same spot with the vac until I think it is clean.  She told me about her vac which has a clean indicator light with signals her when her carpet is clean.  What will they think of next.   I love older homes.  They seem to have more character then our cookie cutter homes.

Helping others makes you feel so good.