In The Middle Lane

Zombie Jamboree

2011-05-22T10:32:00.004-05:00

We should have seen this coming. We live in a culture that is currently glorifying werewolves and vampires. In movies and on the tube they are romantic, mysterious characters. Pause while I groan. When I was young we listened to the Kingston Trio sing "Zombie Jamboree".
I doubt I knew anything about voodoo culture. I just liked the Kingston Trio.

Disclaimer: I don't believe in zombies. I don't believe in vampires or werewolves. I do believe people can be fascinated with the dark side and demons are real.

I arched one eyebrow and couldn't resist following a story online about the CDC releasing info on what to do in a zombie attack. Excuse me? A government official released a survival plan for the public to defend against zombies? Maybe that budget could be cut.

Pursuing this further, I found out they used the catchy "zombie apocalypse" release, to get people to read the info and stock a home survival kit. Have enough water, food, medications, flashlites etc. to take care of your family. Well, that I agree with. Take care of yourself. Don't just rely on the government to come in and swoop you up and meet all your needs. You may stand on your roof a long time.

I guess their plan worked. I read their zombie survival plan. I think we need more peanut butter in the cupboard in case of disaster. Google: CDC + emergency preparedness, zombie apocalypse. Photo from the CDC website.

In the Shelter of His Wings...

2011-05-22T05:29:00.004-05:00

Last winter our son and his new wife bought a home in a nearby community. The housing bubble has caused steep drops in property prices, and they got a beautiful home at a very good price. While homeowners continued to be distressed about falling value of their homes, young first-time buyers benefitted.

Our second son has been a renter for seventeen years, and this prompted me to look online for a condo he could afford. I may sound like a pushy mother, but he needed a nudge.

My husband and I began the hunt and were surprised at some of the deals on foreclosed or short sale condos. Even before the bubble burst, condos were overbuilt in the metro and prices were soft. Around Christmas I found one online that we all liked.

After the holidays we contacted the realtor and started viewings. Our search narrowed to one particular unit and we were disappointed when it didn't work out. It's a longer story, but to be brief a similar apartment in the same building became available (it had an offer pending that the bank didn't accept). The realtor called and asked if we were still interested and we proceeded.

I fell in love with the beautiful kitchen and the huge walk in closet. It is the size of a small bedroom. The building is older but was redone in 2005. Everything looks new.

It was a short sale and the deal took five months but at the beginning we prayed and put it in God's hands. Let it proceed if it is your will, we said. It did proceed and yesterday we helped our son move in. He is now the proud owner of a beautiful apartment in a nice neighborhood next to a nature center. He is two miles from his brother and has cut twenty miles off his commute to work.

That is no small blessing when gas is almost $4 a gallon. The condo also has a heated garage.

The selling price was just 20% of what it sold for six years ago. A blessing.

God is good.

Harmon Killebrew is Not Dead, He is Safe at Home

2011-05-20T13:30:00.003-05:00

When I was fourteen the Washington Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Twins. Now we had our own team to root for and it made a baseball fan out of me. It made a baseball fan out of my dad. I can still mentally see him listening to the radio broadcast of the Twins with Herb Carneal calling the plays. I can still feel the excitement I felt in 1959 when "Hammering" Harmon hit that ball long and hard. I believe his team record for longest home run still stands. He was consistently a good hitter. He was consistently a good guy. After retirement he was an active volunteer helping kids learn the game. He didn't beat his wife or make headlines for drug abuse.

His eulogists praised this nice guy who lived a good life. His kids and pastor portrayed a believer who trusted Jesus Christ for his salvation. I like to think of his welcoming committee in the next world as God standing with arms stretched out, saying, "Home safe, Harmon".

God Save the Queen

2011-05-17T10:21:00.004-05:00

QE2 is touring Ireland. She is the first British monarch to set foot on Irish soil in 100 yrs.
Security is on high alert. Today police detonated a pipe bomb on a public bus.

The Queen must be a trusting person. I would guess not all the citizens of that country are happy to see her. Anglophiles can take comfort she is not visiting (rural) China where exploding watermelons are going off like land mines. Reportedly, they were overfertilized, grew too large, and are now suddenly bursting. You thought Gallager made a mess. We are talking fields or dangerous fruit. Cordoned off square miles of melons. Wouldn't you hate your obit to read: "Died when hit by watermelons." Sad day for our financiers.

What You Talkin' About, Arnold?

2011-05-17T10:14:00.003-05:00

Oh, my. My condolences to Maria and the kids. Arnold has admitted to being a bad boy and joined the John Edwards scalawag club. I think Robin Williams is also in that club. Didn't he have an affair with his kid's nanny? Bad boys.

This movie poster made me groan. "Nothing is inconceivable". Indeed. Don't hold politicians up as heros or role models. Gossip says Arnold is trying to resurrect his acting career. He will probably have better luck with that than running for office.

I'm pretty sure if he ran for president someone would want to see his birth certificate.

On a Mission From God

2011-05-14T05:39:00.002-05:00

My dear friend Mary is again spending spring as a volunteer servant evangelist. She is in Serbia teaching English in a church sponsored community outreach program. The local Serbian church runs the school free of charge to help people learn or improve their English speaking skills. Speaking English improves their job opportunities. The program is run by a national who formerly owned a language school. Mary had previous volunteered at his school and now returns to help the students practice their skills with a native speaker. She has a big heart for people and loves experiencing other cultures and sharing her faith in Jesus.

Yesterday, a group of 16 men from our small church (attendance is only around 140 a week) flew to Hungary to volunteer their labor remodeling a donated old building that will become a church for the local Gypsies in Fadd, Hungary. They will work side by side with Gypsy men. Terrific opportunity to serve and build relationships. We are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers. Our church will reap the benefit of stronger bonds being built among these men. there are three father / son teams among the group. The ages are mixed from one college freshman to some closer to my age. We pray for their safety and for them to be a great service to the Gypsy church.

Our church has many ties to service and evangelism in multiple countries in eastern Europe.
We are on a Mission From God who also pray and finacially support those who are sent.

Raising Cain

2011-05-12T13:36:00.000-05:00

This is not an endorsement. This an inquiry.

Disclaimer: I am not a member or affiliate of either major political party and consider myself a right-leaning independent. I have previously been a member of both parties at different times and done door knocking, fund raising and attended conventions as adelegate.

A couple weeks ago a conservative friend on Facebook posted articles about Herman Cain. Mr. Cain "won" the Republican debate somewhere in the south and leads in the Iowa Republican straw poll. Many Tea Party members are supporting him.

Who is Herman Cain, I wondered. The first thing I found out is that he is an African-American Republican businessman. Why am I still surprised at that? Allan Keyes is an African-American Republican.

I have watched a few of his speeches on You tube and read some articles written about him. I don't know enough to have a firm opinion but am intrigued by the idea of an African-American Democrat running against an African-American Republican in 2012. While this would surely trigger a backlash and surging third party, I like the idea. Martin Luther King's dream would seem even closer to fruition.

Dali Lama in Minnesota

2011-05-10T06:41:00.003-05:00

Minnesota has a large Tibetan diaspora. We have the second largest contingent of them in the US. This weekend the Dali Lama paid a visit to his people. Local channels carried stories about his rallies that caused my husband to say, "Hello, Dali". Wonder if he hears that very often.

Thousands of people came to honor this spiritual leader. Many were of Tibetan heritage. Others were people who accept his religious views. Some were local civic leaders trying to honor him but I think missing the mark. The University of Minnesota honored him with a Gopher hat similar to the one worn in the photo. It appears both Indiana and Minnesota have maroon and gold for their colors and are pleased to award him with one. He is known as a peaceful man and apparently not haughty and proud or he wouldn't have worn that visor.

The Gopher football, hockey and basketball teams haven't been winning much lately. Perhaps they were looking for a better mascot.

Newt Gingrich to Challenge Donald Trump...Maybe

2011-05-10T06:03:00.004-05:00

Time for the fun to really begin. We may witness possibly the first battle between thrice married men for the Republican nomination. We should know with certainty tomorrow. This is what I heard on the local TV news last evening: "Newt Gingrich says Wednesday he will announce he is running for president on Facebook".

The announcement will take place on Facebook?

How do you interpret that statement? Is TV news telling us that Newt Gingrich won't divulge to them that he is running for president. Everyone needs to befriend him on Facebook to get the actual scoop this Wednesday.

I raced to befriend him. One can't risk falling behind on political news. Not with The Donald also announcing he will announce his candidacy after his show, "Celebrity Apprentice" is done for the season.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Gingrich joined the ranks of those who won't announce they are actually running just yet. We have two Minnesotans who cagily declared they have set up exploratory committees about throwing their hats in the ring. One of them has reporters hanging on her every word and a Saturday Night Live skit mocking her. The other is trying to toughen up his talk to attract more disgruntled voters. His reputed reputation as the nice governer from Minnesota follows him even if this state's liberals don't think he is so nice.

I announced my candidacy for governor a couple years ago when the field had over twenty people vying for endorsement. Why not join the fun, I thought. Now with the reluctance of many willing to jump in and declare they are running for president, I may do what most of them do and set up an exploratory committee. That is now the first step. Set up the committee and see if the dollars flow in. I think I may have my family's support. Jon would like to travel by limosine, Andy and his wife could join my entourage on Air Force One, and the married kids with kids would enjoy the peaceful weekends at Camp David. I think I will announce on Facebook that I am available.

No Diamonds on the Soles of My Shoes Either

2011-05-08T08:26:00.003-05:00

The ladies' gym where I belong had special vendors demonstrating their wares yesterday. Periodically they allow massage therapists and a myriad of wellness people to display or demo their products.

As I worked my way around the circuit, one lady asked me to try the magnetic innersoles she was selling. She told me to just step on them with my shoes on. Then I followed her direction to resist her efforts to push down on my outstretched left arm. She pushed downward with two fingers and I kept my arm outstretched at my side while standing on the magnets. Viola.

Next she asked me to step off the magnetic devices and again extend the same arm. She again pushed down and I again resisted, this time unsuccessfully. Impressive I thought.

I am my nature and education skeptical of many of the wellness potions hawked by holistic practitioners. I don't do coffee enemas, preferring to drink the stuff. Crystals? Pyramids? Psshaw. Even the frequent medical studies that coffee or snake oil may or may not cause death or improve health cause me to raise an eyebrow.

For a moment I was impressed with the magnetic innersole demo. Then I asked her to test the other arm but do it in the opposite order. Try to push my right arm down while I resisted but was not on the magnets.

She did and I kept my arm up. Then I stepped on the magnets and she pushed my arm down. Not a scientific study but not reassuring that her magnetic innersoles were working their magic either. I didn't buy a pair.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

2011-05-07T11:49:00.002-05:00

Red tulips. Last fall I supplemented gardens with 100 red tulip bulbs. When the wind whined and the snow whirled and drifted for six months, I found encouragement thinking of how beautiful all those tulips would look this spring. I love red tulips.

Tulips are hardy flowers and among the first blooms to emerge in spring. They popped out of the ground and were covered with snow several times in April. This past week I watched them reach full stature and bud. Yesterday they bloomed.....yellow. Good thing I like yellow tulips too. Either I forgot what I planted or had a mislabeled bag of bulbs.

When I stand on the deck now and survey the backyard all those perky yellow tulips amongst the daffodils look gorgeous. I was going for a less monochromatic look with the red. The corner garden has all pastel tulips so that will have to do.

Last spring we finally drove to Pella, Iowa for the tulip fest. What a display in this Dutch themed town. The city plants about 1/2 a million tulips not counting private gardens. It won't work out to go this year but I look forward to revisiting Pella in 2012. For now, I will have to be content thinking I can almost see Pella from my backyard with the display I have. That sounds a little like Sarah Palin. I am not even running for office. If I were, I don't suppose it would hurt to currey favorite in Iowa.

Trumped

2011-05-06T03:47:00.004-05:00

It looks like we are going to get our first republican candidate running for president. I read that The Donald said he couldn't announce until after the last episode of his TV show, "Celebrity Apprentice" had aired. That will happen in May. It would be a conflict to have a running TV show while in the campaign.

Trumped. Playing the Trump card. Both are associated with a power move. His running is a power move because his initial campaign could be self-funded. No groveling for funds at rallies or bean feeds. Whoops, I don't think the Republicans have bean feeds. No groveling for funds at NRA meets or VFW conventions or Tea Party meet and greets. Not for him. He could raise the moola.

The talk show comedians are salivating at the thought of a prolonged run at the White house by Mr. Trump. I watched the Sunday Fox News show and think those pundits enjoyed commenting on his possible race too. While they didn't actually roll their eyes, they came close.

Hate to admit I enjoy watching "Celebrity Apprentice", but I do. I gasped last Sunday when the network cut off the end of the show with the announcement that President Obama wanted to make an announcement to the nation. Sounded like a power play. It turned out to be important news about Osama, may he not RIP.

The Donald is famous for his distinct hairdo. The stress of being Commander in Chief and leader of the world's only superpower and dealing with a dysfunctional congress seems to escalate the aging process in our chief executives. I wonder how quickly we would see Mr. Trumps's hair turn gray. I suspect about a quickly as you observe my hair turn gray, which is never. I am not saying he uses Lady Clairol because I don't want to get sued.

Perhaps we can make a deal. If he uses his own airplane, helicopter and limo we would consider letting him have the job. Think of it as cost saving in a penny pinching era. We might even let him tempt us with a generous offer for "naming rights" to a few Washington landmarks. Picture a version of Trump posing like Rodan's "The Thinker" on the reflecting pond opposite the Lincoln Memorial. The National Zoo could be renamed in his honor. There are seventeen Smithsonian Museums, couldn't we spare just one as Trump Museum? Mr. Smithson donated a mere $25,000 to get the honor of his name immortalized. I would draw the line at changing the name of the National Cathedral.

Announcing our Newest

2011-05-06T03:27:00.002-05:00

Our newlyweds of last August are expecting. Daughter in-law Laura divulged the news yesterday on Facebook. This sweet girl shared, "Our puppy was born". Laura is always soft-spoken and demure. A more crass person might have worded it "the bitch delivered". Sorry. So sorry. Couldn't resist. That is what a female dog is appropriately called and the only time a person should use that word.

Andy and Laura had reserved a puppy when the dog was bred. They wanted a Cavashon and there are not many breeders in the area. A Cavashon is a hybrid of a King Cavalier and a Bishon Friese. It is a small dog that won't shed with the sweetest face. I think I am going to love this little bundle too.

Garage Logic

2011-05-05T19:32:00.005-05:00

Kudos to Joe Soucheray, my favorite radio and newspaper guy. His radio program explores "Garage Logic". Thinking like a guy (gal) with common sense. "Euphorians" need not apply.

Anyway, picture is of grandtwins Zoe & Roman absorbed in play with my vintage Fisher-Price parking garage. Our kids had this toy in the 70's and I found one like theirs at a garage sale last summer. See. Garage logic fits. My "garage logic" is get toys that are vintage that they don't have at home. Toys with playability.

Roman loves to get this out of the closet when they come over. He lines up the cars. Runs them up the elevator and down the ramp. In the picture, Zoe takes a break from pushing her dolly stroller to help.

I love those kids. When they were over yesterday, Roman told me "I love to play with you , grandma". Made my day. I love to play with you too, Zoe and Roman.

Healthy Breakfast of Steel Cut Oatmeal

2011-05-05T07:05:00.002-05:00

I love everything about steel-cut oatmeal except that it takes 30 min to cook. It is rainy this morning and cool, so I thought a bowl of oatmeal would be a good start to the day. I put it on and distracted by something, forgot to watch it. My memory was jogged shortly before the smoke alarm went off. All the liquid had boiled away and the scorched mess was left in the pan.

I think I will eat Grape Nuts today.

This cooking accident followed close on the heels of another. When I turned off the kitchen lights before going to bed last night, I noticed the telltale glow of a red light on the coffee pot. It was on with no coffee left. The glass pot was empty and smoking hot. I confessed to my husband what I had done this morning as I was cleaning the stove after the boiled over oatmeal mess. My next thought was that accidents come in threes. What would I do next? I glanced at the stove and noted that the burner was still glowing as I scrubbed the stove top. Hopefully that was the third.

In her later years, my mom used to say "Poor old people", when she or someone else had a senior moment. I said that today. I also vowed to cut the crap (sugar & white flour) out of my diet again. I think it is clogging the synapes.

Jon is keeping a watchful eye on me today.

Picture: My oatmeal. A little on the well done side. Those aren't raisins.

Osama bin Laden's Compound

2011-05-04T04:13:00.002-05:00

We were duped. For almost ten years while we had bin Laden on the run, we thought he was living in a cave. We felt better thinking he was huddled in a sleeping bag eating goatmeat cooked on a kerosene stove and drinking water fetched from streams. We were glad he didn't have central heating or modern plumbing. We hoped the chilly winter winds blew hard and spring melting flooded the cave.

We were duped. Osama was living in a palace called "The Hideaway". Pakistani officials knew nothing about it. He was living in a fortress among retired military officers down the road a piece from their premier military training school and they didn't notice a thing. They didn't notice him hiding 35 miles from their capitol city. He didn't raise suspicions when he retrieved his morning newspaper wearing sunglasses. No one was puzzled when it was the only palace on the block that didn't come out for the annual block party picnic. No one questioned why there was barbed wire on the top of 18ft walls around the place. No one wondered why it was the only house on the block that didn't answer the doorbell when Girl Scouts came selling cookies. (Everyone else in the world wants those cookies.)

Libya's president what's-his-name (Quadafi, Gadaffi, Kadaffi??) had us thinking he lived in a tent. You don't hear of NATO bombing any tents, do you? We are not going to be duped twice. Bombs are now taking out palaces in Libya. We're not buying that Tent City story even if that is how he mislead the world when he tried to campout in Central Park in NYC when he visited the United Nations and gave that rambling monologue. We didn't let him pitch his tent in the park .

Better duck, Mr. Gadaffi. Better get nervous if you hear helicopters whirring.

Thank you, Brave Men of the Navy Seals

2011-05-02T07:38:00.002-05:00

Birther Blues -or- I Am What I Am and Who I Say I Am, I Think

2011-05-01T13:01:00.006-05:00

Never thought I would feel sorry for The Donald, but he had to sit and take it at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in DC this weekend. President Obama stuck him with a few sharp barbs about the birther issue. The Donald didn't seem amused. Not sure I would get in a sparring match with Mr. Trump, but he did start the fight.

I was amused to read Joe Soucheray's column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press this morning.
His title reads: "I, too, have a birth certificate mystery--if I am even me."
The story that follows is that he did not find out until decades after he was born that his birth certificate spells his name Soucherey and he spells it Soucheray. For those who don't know Joe Soucheray, he is a local newspaper colmnist and has a radio talk show that is humorous and conservative.
When he found out about the discrepency in spelling of his name, his wife (joked) that she probably had grounds for annulment. Then she said, "If The Donald gets ahold of this, you'll be ruined, finished." That left me laughing. I don't think The Donald did himself any favor backing that horse. My opinion. Your's may differ.

I have found over the years when I laugh at someone elses problems or dilemas, I usually find I have trod on the same path. My mom told me that when I was baptised, the priest insisted on baptising me "James" instead of Jane. He did not think there was a St. Jane and he strictly enforced having a saints name for the child. Hopefully, I won't have a hard time getting past St. Peter at the pearly gates. I don't know if my patron saint is St. James the lesser or St. James the greater.

In the meantime, I will echo Popeye's line: " I am what I am."

May Day

2011-05-01T06:23:00.005-05:00

May Day. This holiday isn't important in the US, but widely observed in European countries. We arrived in Germany on May 1st a few years ago and saw Maypoles in almost every village.

I grew up Catholic and memories of May Day involved church and a procession of children strewing flower pedals followed by clergy carrying a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May was observed as her month. I don't know how far back that tradition goes, but remember learning the Catholic church emphasized the Marion holiday to counteract Communist observance of May 1st. That was the day the soviets paraded their armaments in Red Square.

May Day has a long history and was a pagan celebration of spring in pre-Christian times. Roman culture observed it as a holiday to the pagan goddess of flowers. Druids celebrated springs arrival. In the 19th century a focus on laborers observing it began. Remember Karl Marx and "workers of the world unite"? It is still a labor day in many countries.

I found some local observances for May Day. There is an Immigration March for Emancipation. Don't think we will do that. Minneapolis has a parade in one neighborhood park. No doubt wiccans or warlocks or Charlie Sheen are having another party. We are just going to go to church. I don't think there is anything special going on.

I will continue to think of May day, may day as an urgent call for help. That is the message you send when your ship is sinking. Perhaps saying may day, may day is getting more appropriate. Sure haven't heard too much good news in this country lately.

Fascinated by Fascinators

2011-04-30T12:17:00.005-05:00

I confess to ignorance and malaise about ladies hat fashions. I was aware that QE2 always wore a hat, possibly in place of a crown. Outrageous chapeaus are also sported on female heads at the Kentucky Derby and at Ascot's race.

At AME & some other churches, African-American women have kept milliners in business. (The greater number of women in this country prefer to go hatless.) Cool.

I didn't know the hats perched at odd angles on stylish women were called fascinators. Alas, my time spent watching the Kate & William wedding was not wasted. I learned about fascinators.

The cute little feathery thing my daughter in-law wore for her wedding was probably a fascinator but I never heard the term used to describe it. Her's was beautiful.

Some of the commentators on the royal nuptials were not kind in their appraisals of the hats worn by Prince Andrew's daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. The hats were so startling that no one bothered to remark what a weird dress one of them was wearing. I'm not sure if this is all about shock value or looking good. I hope it was shock value because I think they fell short in the looking good catagory.

While designers are busy in sweatshops cranking out lace-topped wedding dresses, likely some Chinese workers are heaping birds and flowers and other stuff on hats. I want one for Halloween. The weirder the better.

Pictures: American pop-princess Sarah Jessica Parker and the Real Princesses in Fascinators.

What Kate Middleton and I had in Common

2011-04-29T07:50:00.005-05:00

We are / were both "commoners". Her status has been elevated to princess now so we no longer have that in common. He sirname was Middleton and my blog handle has a similar sound. "In-the-middle." Close enough?

I didn't set my alarm to get up at 4:00 A.M. to watch the televised nuptials from London. We did catch the kiss on the balcony. I was surprised at the simplicity of her wedding gown and veil. Perhaps that is due to memories of the pouf 'n fluff of Princess Diana's dress and train.

Kate is a modern bride. This past week media has tutored the masses on the lifestyle of Britain's most famous newlyweds. She cooks. He puts his own toothpaste on the brush unlike his father. No servants. They lead an ordinary life and will live in a five room cottage in Wales.

Barbara Walters said Kate's family didn't meet the queen until last week. QE2 has a very busy schedule. One can only imagine how the Middleton's felt anticipating that. I remember some trepidation meeting our kids future in-laws. For the first son we ordered 9 yards of rock and relandscaped the house. For the second one, we replaced torn screens and touched up the paint indoors. For the third one we replaced a sliding glass patio door. I think it must have been a lot more work for the Queen to get Buckingham Palace ready to meet the Middleton's. I am sure she had help and then she is only the grandmum, not the parent. I am sure she made a good impression.

The US threw off official royal ties when we rebelled in 1776. We kept some unofficial sentimental attachments to the British. No one does pagaentry like England. Even if America's substitute royalty (movie stars) get adulation when they marry, no one would have a spiffy red military uniform to wear when they marry like Prince William wore. Michael Jackson might have pulled it off, but he wasn't interested in marriage. Our military uniforms are more conservative. We are more practical and discovered it is easier to defeat our enemies in battle if we sneak up in camo than march into battle in red. Maybe that is why we must defend the whole world.

If It Quacks Like a Duck is It Aflac?

2011-04-28T14:32:00.002-05:00

The horror of hundreds of deaths from tornados in the south is constantly on the news today only to be softened by gossipy chatter about the anticipated royal wedding. Both of these blockbuster stories almost overshadowed news that Aflac has chosen the new voice of their duck. He lives about 10 miles north of us and is a guy who does voice-overs who has hit the jackpot with his quacky version of the company name.

Aflac. We all recognize it. Before the previous guy was fired for making insensitive remarks about Japan's disaster, I didn't even know who did the duck's voice. Comedian Gilbert Gottfreid had that gig. Here's hoping the new guy will be "Minnesota nice" and not offend.

I did a blogsearch to see what people were saying about the Aflac duck. One of the sites was by a blogster named Kyle Affleck who happens to sell supplemental insurance. Yup, he sells Aflac. If I were him, I would have practiced my duckvoice and applied to be the new spokesduck. Maybe he did. Competition was fierce. 12,000 applied.

We Need a Hero

2011-02-09T07:43:00.004-06:00

Seinfeld had Superman.
World War 2 readers had Wonder Woman to fight the Nazis.
The Green Lantern fought crime.
Spiderman is doing his darndest to fight critics who are panning the new Broadway show.
Will Smith has stepped up to the plate a couple times in "Independence Day" and "Men in Black" to fight off alien invaders.
These heroes are great, but.... face it. We don't have a big problem with invading space aliens or Nazis.
We have a big problem with bad weather. Floods, mudslides in Australia and South America followed by wild fires. Grade 5 Cyclone (hurricane) in Australia. Ice, frozen water pipes and shortage of natural gas in the frozen southwest..New Mexico, Texas. Oklahoma is setting records for snowfall and ice storms. Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville are all in the snow belt. The citrus crop and strawberries froze in Florida. Sub-zero temps are dipping deep into our country. Alaska is warmer than Texas many days. The Superbowl promoters had troubles with ice sliding off the stadium roof.
We need a new hero. We need "weatherman". I wonder what he could do. Who can control the weather. Where is the one who calms the raging seas? Oh. There is someone who can do that.
His name is Jesus and this might be a good time to seek him for help.

On Marco Polo's Trail

2011-02-08T14:31:00.003-06:00

If I remember history correctly, the Chinese invented noodles. Although Italy is more famous for pasta, it isn't native to that country. The famous Venetian explorer Marco Polo first ate spaghetti carbonara in Peking and brought the recipe home.

I receive a daily recipe from a Weight Watcher's site called "Hungry Girl" and have received multiple emails recently touting the benefits of tofu shirataki noodles. They are very low calorie and protein packed. That got my attention and I looked for them at Cub (local market). No tofu shirataki noodles there. Next shopping trip was to our food co-op where you can find a nice variety of organic and healthy foods. No shirataki noodles but the clerk said they have been getting frequent requests for them. "Try Kowalski's" she recommended. I did. Kowalski's carries many things you can't find other places but they don't have any form of shirataki noodles.

The Wiki page on shirataki noodles says there are two types:

The traditional Japanese noodles are made from the konjac plant and have no nutritional value and no calories. They have little flavor and absorb the flavor of the seasoning or sauces used with them.

The health food magazines are currently pushing a variety made from tofu. They are low-carb but a good protein source. They can't be frozen or dried and are packaged wet and refrigerated.

When I communicated with my daughter Mary about my quest , she recommended trying an Asian market a mile from her house. "If they don't have it, I don't know who will". Mary wasn't too impressed with my excitement about noodles made from konjac, a fibrous plant with no nutritional value that you don't absorb. I think she asked if I couldn't achieve the same result with packing peanuts.

Anyone got any good recipes using packing peanuts?

Finding Nemo

2011-02-05T20:46:00.008-06:00

Hudson, WI is celebrating "A Hot Air Affair" this weekend. This river town is just six miles downstream. We didn't see the balloons launch this morning because flights were cancelled due to poor visibility. The valley was blanketed in fog. Daughter Mary, Mike and the grandtwins picked me up and we went for the evening display of lit balloons. A couple dozen of the balloons were inflated and tethered at a local schoolyard. They light them by using the gas powered flames. It was a mild night and quite a spectacle. The balloons randomly light up with countdowns every few minutes to synchronize all of them ablaze at the same time.

The two years olds seem to enjoy it and were little troopers trudging through the snow. Amazing sight on a nice winter night. It is always a good thing to enjoy this snowy season.

Before we left home I showed the kids pictures of the balloons that would be on display on the website. They were thrilled to see a clown fish shaped balloon we dubbed Nemo ,like the Disney movie. Nemo was the first balloon we saw as we arrived.

The Farmer in the NFL

2011-02-05T08:22:00.004-06:00

I almost choked on the coffee I spewed when I read that Farmer's Insurance is buying naming rights for a proposed new stadium in Los Angeles. It will be called "Farmer's Field".
Backer's are aiming to attract an NFL team to play there. LA doesn't have an NFL team.

Back in Minnesota we have an NFL team buy not a stadium to the owner's liking. They rejected the Metrodome. They rejected the Metrodome when it had an intact roof. Once again supporters, who can't envision Minnesota without the purple ones, are trying to drum up support for a new stadium. Our state coffers are depleted and in deficit. Our people are overtaxed. Our unemployment rate still high. We are more generous with health care for the indigent and seem to attract more indigent. (That probably wasn't pc.) We seem to have a lot of needs more important than a new stadium.
Forget our problems. Our billionaire NFL owners and millionaire players need a new stadium now. If we don't buy it for them, they could be recruited to play at the proposed Farmer's Field in LaLa land. I wonder if this time they would bother to change the name from Vikings to something that reflected southern California. They kept the Lakers the Lakers. Never could figure that. Never will understand how you can name a field "farmer's" in the midst of the biggest metropolitan area in the country.
Now do you understand why I will cheer for the Packers tomorrow? We know where they will be in ten years.

Labrīt, Latvija

2011-02-03T06:00:00.003-06:00

Priecigs jums lasijuma so emuaru.
Jane

English speakers: A welcome to the Latvian readers of this blog. Yesterday I had more hits from Latvia (28) than the USA (17). It varies everyday with small numbers from all around the world and the biggest usually my relatives and friends, acquaintances here.
Latvia is a Baltic country so I feel an affinity with my last name sounding like it is from that area.
It is a beautiful, peaceful country that would be interesting to visit.

The title translates "Good morning, Latvia" followed by "Glad you are reading this blog".

Amazing what you can do with the Google translator. Hope it is accurate.

Jane

Ground Hog Stuck in the Snowbank

2011-02-02T06:09:00.003-06:00

February 2nd. Groundhog Day. How's the weather in Punxsytawny, Pennsylvania?

Will the groundhog see his shadow? Legend says if he comes out and sees his shadow because it is sunny, he will duck back in the burrow for another six weeks of winter. If it is cloudy, out he comes expecting spring is right around the corner. Tradition doesn't dictate what he does if the snow is so damn deep that he can't get out of his hole. That is the most likely scenario this year. Too much snow.

I have missed walking outdoors. My walks have been confined to the indoor field house track. Like many seniors, I don't want to risk a slip & fall with injuries. This weekend I finally purchased a pair of spikes that fit over boots so you can walk sure-footed on slippery snowpak. Ice fishermen use them. They work well and I have taken several walks and felt secure.

You can dress for the cold. I am acclamated to -20 with the proper clothes as long as there is not a biting wind. I hate the wind. Today it is -13 with expected wind chills in the -35 degree range. Back in my burrow I go. I might watch "Groundhog Day" on Netflix today and wish we only had six more weeks of winter. From the depth of that snow in our yard, I would judge twelve weeks is more accurate.

Pique in the Cupboard

2011-02-01T05:09:00.004-06:00

I am a sucker for buying groceries with labels that say "reduced sugar", "no fructose corn syrup" or " no transfats". One cupboard shelf has this assortment of jams or jellies:
Smucker's Sugar Free Blueberry Preserves,
Welch's Reduced Sugar Concord Grape Jelly and
Smucker's Seedless Red Raspberry Jam. I eat the sugar free stuff. Jon likes the fully sugared stuff. No one eats the 1/2 sugared jelly.
As a sugar addict I thought artificially sweetened stuff was the answer. I don't think it works well for me. It just keeps the sweet tooth alive.
I continue to read labels and try to adapt to things with less calorie content. I found lower calorie bagels (I've missed bagels) and coupled that with fat free cream cheese. Toast that up and top it off with the blueberry jam. Good stuff. Jon saw what I had and picked up the cream cheese to read the label. Good, I thought. I have been trying to get him to read labels. Then he said, "Did you know there are traces of salmon in that stuff?" Following the list of 15 or 20 ingredients is Allergy Warning: Contains Milk, May contain traces of Salmon, Almonds, Pecans, and Walnuts.
Something is fishy with Great Value fat free Cream Cheese. I think I will stick to peanut butter on my lower calorie bagels.

Thank You Mr. Patrick Thiele

2011-01-27T09:16:00.005-06:00

I love living in my adopted "hometown" of Stillwater, Mn. This scenic, historic rivertown is a nice place to live filled with nice people.

Every state and local government has been making budget cuts in recent years. We must. Local government polled the residents of this area to determine which services to trim. They found the library ranked very high as a place citizens wanted to fund.

Our beautiful restored Carnegie Library has continued to serve the valley with only modest cutbacks, but yhey closed it on Sundays. This week I read in the newspaper that it will again reopen thanks to a generous gift from a new resident.

Patrick Thiele's donation will fund reopening the library on Sundays for the next year.

The article said the former CEO of St. Paul Companies ( now Traveler's Insurance) and another reinsurer in Bermuda, recently purchased the Stillwater home formerly owned by actress Jessica Lange & actor /writer Sam Shepherd. Mr. Thiele continues to live part of the year in Bermuda. I wonder which part.

Thank you very much Mr. Thiele. We appreciate your generosity.

No Need to Lick That Ice Cream Fast, It Won't Melt

2011-01-26T11:09:00.005-06:00

Saturday, Jan. 23, Stillwater had an outdoor Ice Cream Social to celebrate mid-winter. The tradition has roots going back about a half-century. It was revived a few years back and visitors and locals gather in a downtown riverside park to laugh at winter.

I didn't go but my good friend Mary did and sent me the pictures. I love the child in the stroller who is bundled up like Ralphie in "The Christmas Story" with a snowsuit that looks like a form of restraint.

Minnesotans. Gotta love 'em. Who else stands around a bonfire eating ice cream in frigid conditions?

The Suspence is Over

2011-01-25T07:16:00.004-06:00

The package arrived by USP yesterday. The suspense is over. Jon recently started wearing suspenders. He liked them except the center clip in the back was irritating against his spine when he sat. He has an old back surgery incision there. Jon is blessed to have a wife who Googles everything and found a source for side clip suspenders. They are designed to be more comfortable. He ordered a pair online.

This morning he is sporting his new suspenders. My first impression is that TV police detectives wear something similar to holster a gun. I wonder if he will be more closely scrutinized by TSA at the airport. Not to worry. Our former governor, Jesse Ventura, has just filed a lawsuit against Janet Napolitano of Homeland Security to stop that invasive airport frisk. He is claiming TSA sexually assaulted him. Who knows. He may become a hero and we will have to recycle him as governor like California did with Jerry Brown.

Wonder if Gov. Ventura was wearing the boa when they patted him down. I guess that isn't important. Go get 'em, Jesse.

Oprah's Longlost Sister

2011-01-24T07:31:00.004-06:00

There was a recent story of a 23 yr. old woman finding out she was kidnapped as a baby. The "mother" who raised her could not produce a birth certificate. They were estranged. The woman was a drug addict. The 23 yr. old searched the internet for stories about abducted children and found an artists drawing of what one infant would look like as a young woman. It looked like her. She followed up and eventually was reuinited with her birth parents. DNA tests confirmed she was their kidnapped daughter.

Over the weekend the woman who raised her was apprehended. She surrendered on Facebook.
I'm scratching my head now. How does one surrender on Facebook? I searched for some names of "famous" cops like Joe Webb, (Dirty) Harry Callahan and even "America's Most Wanted", John Walsh. Each of those names brought dozens of pages of hits. Some don't have photos so you can ID them. I am baffled.

Someone may explain to mehow to surrender on Facebook. Much of the world is registered on this social network. This could be a cost cutting measure in an era of penny pinching.

Do you think with good facial recognition software Facebook could be used to identify suspects before they turn themselves in? Think of the possibilities. You don't even have to be "ON" Facebook. Friends post pictures of people in their lives and name them.
Watch out crooks. Facebook might be coming to get you.

If this stream of thinking isn't too far fetched, maybe combining artists renditions of missing infants and advanced facial recognition software could find missing people. People who were kidnapped at a young age or people with amnesia. Maybe I am one of them. Maybe when Oprah announces her "family secret" on her TV show today they will reveal I am her long lost sister. That would be a windfall, wouldn't it? Since I am pretty fair skinned, it is also unlikely.

Truth in Advertising

2011-01-22T15:19:00.004-06:00

I just checked Facebook, blogs I watch and both email addresses for news from friends or family. Still had a few minutes to fill before we leave for a birthday party so I went on eBay.

I'm in the market for a new picture or wallhanging for the stairway. An original caught my eye. The vibrant colors and sweeping sky arrested my attention.

The bidding has started at $75 with a modest $9.95 shipping fee. I like it but it doesn't fit in my house. I was astonished that it was described as "A Truly Worthless Original Signed Painting western mesa."

I scanned down for the dimensions. It is 16 x 20 and done in acrylics. So far, so good. The artist? J.C. Worthless. True story. It is in the eBay auction under art. I suppose he is not only a starving artist but a worthless one too who lives in a worthless house and drives a worthless car. Funny name. Good artist.

Ice Road Commuters

2011-01-22T05:14:00.004-06:00

We live in the smallish historic town of Stillwater, MN. The welcome signs proclaim it as the "Birthplace of Minnesota" because it was in this Minnesota / Wisconsin border town that early
pioneers met to plan for statehood. Our deed shows the land originally being in the Wisconsin territories. Abraham Lincoln signed off on the land.

The beautiful St. Croix river forms the border between states. Residents living on the opposite bank mostly work and shop on our side of the river. They cross the historic lift bridge, dealing with slow rush hour traffic that stops at a red light and when the bridge is lifted for boats. Plans to built a bigger bridge has been going on since the early 60's. I am not hopeful I will ever see it built in my lifetime. The river is designated as a national scenic river and anything constructed must comply with restrictions.

The fight goes on. The Sierra Club had held up construction with a lawsuit. Numerous other challenges were raised. It will now take an act of congress to build it. Literally and I mean LITERALLY, it will take an act of congress. Frankly I don't see them spending 2/3 of a billion on a new bridge anytime soon, do you? It doesn't personally affect me. Maybe we should just let everyone drive six miles downriver to cross.

For years some ingenious brave folks have found a way to cope with the congested bridge. In winter months there is an ice road that some employees of Andersen Windows in nearby Bayport, Mn use as a shortcut to work from Wisconsin. It's been cold enough to make thick ice this year. You don't see any "ice road truckers" on this road, only personal vehicles saving a few minutes on their commute. Another advantage of this road is that it is easier to fix potholes than on a blacktopped highway.

You haven't seen me doing this and you won't. I cringe just watching the TV show about the truckers.

Stirring Vivaldi

2011-01-21T08:58:00.003-06:00

Just heard David Garrett perform on the Today Show. Wow. Rock and classic violin. Love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42k2kpvk5io&feature=related

Stillwater, Mn is 26 Below Zero This A.M.

2011-01-21T07:31:00.006-06:00

It's cold enough to make your hair stand on end. It is colder "up north". When did you say global warming would start? Never mind. We are hearty people. Tomorrow when it is a little warmer, Stillwater is having an ice cream social in Lowell park. Free ice cream and coffee for adventurous souls. Chili for sale at a nominal fee. I am considering it. I think my brain has frozen.
Link: discoverstillwater.com

Photo: credit to son Andy. Stole it from his Facebook site without his permission.

Hanging Out With Oprah in Australia

2011-01-21T06:55:00.005-06:00

I admit it. I like Oprah. I tune in from time to time. I don't subscribe to all of her philosophy or bent toward new agey spirituality, but she is likeable. People identify with her honesty and she genuinely seems to care about people. I disagree with her on some of her social positions.

This week Oprah is airing the shows taped in Australia before Christmas. Australia is fascinating. The land down under. Population living mostly on the coast. Strange animals.
Beautiful buildings. Penal colony for the Brits when it was colonized. Aboriginal people who still live in the outback. Crocodile Dundee and dingos. Breathtaking natural beauty and that Great Barrier Reef.

Yesterday Oprah and her entourage were shown climbing to the top of that famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. She made headlines by bringing everyone in one of her TV audiences with her on the trip. If I had been in that audience, I might have been the only one who didn't want to climb the bridge. It is higher than the Golden Gate or the Mackinaw bridge. I have seen those structures and don't think I would climb them. Not only are they high, chances are it is windy up there.

If one manages to reach the summit, you must then turn around and go down. I don't like down either. I also don't like diving in reefs or hunting for crocodiles in the wild. I do like vicarious adventures and will tune in today to see what else I can "experience".

The Thinker

2011-01-20T07:18:00.003-06:00

Husband Jon has been busy scanning old negatives into the computer. Images long hidden are coming to life on his monitor. For years we felt guilty that we had taken so few snapshots of our only daughter. The older boys and our youngest are well represented in our photo albums. Mary's picture is found less often.

We were vindicated when Jon began scanning his old negatives. He had taken pictures of her on black and white film, probably developed the film himself and not many got printed. Our precious daughter's baby and toddler pictures are a joy to fine.

Today I snuck a peek to see what else he had found. Wasn't I happy to find one of myself (much younger me) sitting in an outhouse. Jon thinks it was posed and I seem to be fully clothed so I would agree.

I am sitting in an old wooden outhouse, probably at Joy Park on Silver Lake in North St, Paul. Rodan's sculpture of "The Thinker" comes to mind. I wasn't a great scholar or a contemplative person in my early 20's. Perhaps I was following Jon's directive to get the shot he wanted. I hope so.

Guess Hu's Coming to Dinner?

2011-01-18T12:55:00.007-06:00

Hu Jintao, China's president is coming for an official visit this week. Not here. He will visit the White House. There will be an official black tie state dinner in his honor on Tuesday. The night before he will dine privately with President Obama in the old family dining room. That is what I read in the paper. I have never heard of the "old family dining room". I didn't even know there was an old family living there.

I wonder what will be on the menu. The Chinese don't like cheese or uncooked lettuce or uncooked vegetables. Their president is certainly coached in proper etiquette and would probably eat what is served anyway. Our son's Chinese exchange partner cringed when she saw we ate raw lettuce and vegetables. She said they were better for you cooked. I'm thinking they cook everything to prevent food born illness. President Hu Jintao should just relax. We don't have that problem, do we?

Why do I not feel optimistic that the US will come out ahead with this meeting. While there was excitement by some in the 70's when diplomatic channels opened with China, we seem to be in decline while they thrive. We envisioned great business opportunities and markets opening to us. We got imported goods that put our factories out of business. We have become debtors as they finance our overspending. I should be more positive. Could we sell them some GM cars assembled in Detroit or a Florida condo?

If we don't make headway with getting them to revalue their juan (currency) we better learn to eat our lettuce cooked..... that and our goose. We can fix these in our hot pots that are manufactured in China.

Hope Springs Eternal

2011-01-16T08:04:00.006-06:00

It's only 63 days until spring. Actually, it's only 63 days until the vernal equinox. The arrival of spring weather varies. Last year it was early, other years we have had significant snowfalls in late April.

I threw out the poinsettas and jumpstarted spring at our house. Iris on the entry table greet you. Silk pansies and bluebirds adorn the dining room table. We may be digging out from the almost daily snowfalls, but indoors the season has changed. It is snowing this morning. More is predicted tomorrow.

Rule 17 and the Wearing of the Green (and gold)

2011-01-16T06:16:00.004-06:00

Today's email brought this: A list of 45 Lessons for Life, attributed to 90 yr. old Regina Brett of Cleveland. I have seen it before but read it again. Sage advice. Smell the roses type of advice.
Rule 17 caught my eye. "Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful" it says.
I am not yet 90, but respect the wisdom of age. It got me thinking. Take stock.

I will keep my husband who is useful, beautiful and joyful. I will not make a big life change, travel, write and book and be on Oprah.

When I pondered the Vikings and the deflated Metrodome (AKA Hubert H. Humphreydome at Mall of America Field) I wasn't so sure that package was useful, beautiful, or joyful. They break our hearts year after year. Allegiance to a bunch of well paid athletes gathered from around the country to wear purple? Allegiance to a billionaire owner? Love lost on that Pillsbury Doughboy building?

Don't tell my sons, but I am considering becoming a Packer fan. I would have to watch the games at a border bar in Wisconsin. We will see. I was glad to see them win big last night.
Go Pack.

Do Blogs Have Infommercials?

2011-01-15T06:25:00.004-06:00

I have been known to purchase a thing or two on eBay. I have succumbed to sales pitches and called in to order products pitched while sleepily watching infommercials in the wee hours. I have even gone to the As Seen on TV Store at the Mall of America to buy one of those vacuum bags to store pillows and blankets. You may want to remember that because I am about to do a product endorsement. You judge if I am credible.

Mary good friend Mary gave me a Christmas present that I love. She has listened to my whining about trying to keep my windows clean. When the late afternoon sun shines through the dining room windows all the streaks show. In warmer months they need cleaning at least monthly. I use a long poled sponge / squeegee and a solution made with rubbing alcohol, ammonia, Dawn and water. It works pretty well but not perfectly. I hate doing it in cold months because the solution runs down the pole and I get cold and wet.
Mary gave me something called " My amazing cloth". I was skeptical. Then I tried it. Viola. Windows, mirrors, and the glass shower doors cleaned up easily with just that damp cloth. No soap. No squeege. No streaks. No problem. I love it. Thanks Mary.

Time Flies

2011-01-14T12:07:00.003-06:00

Today is the 25th birthday of our youngest.
Like moms everywhere, I paused to remember the birth of this son on a very cold January day.
He arrived at 8:30 am at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, MN.
He is an only child with two brothers and a sister. Most of his childhood he was an "only" child but when we brought him home as a newborn he was the adorable baby brother of very loving siblings.
Sister, Mary, was thirteen and got some concerned looks from strangers when she pushed his stroller. Brother Dave, fifteen, was very patient trying to soothe Andy when he cried. He would rock him or push in the stroller until he quieted. Older brother Dan, then seventeen, was also very close and when he left home for college he missed you the most.
Andy. Our unplanned but much loved son has grown up, married his sweetheart and most recently become a home-owner. Congratulations and Happy Birthday.
Photo: Laura & Andy on move in day.

The Price of Peace

2011-01-13T12:45:00.002-06:00

I just left the house as bullets were flying and "the" war was raging. Jon was watching a DVD of "The Pacific", a miniseries done by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Jon wasn't actually watching as I left, he was snoozing in his recliner. This is a man who gets up very early, sometimes at one or two am. When he sits to watch a movie he rarely sees more than the first fifteen minutes. There are ten episodes in this miniseries. I figure it will take Jon until summer to see all of them.

Eventually I will probably watch the series with him. I don't like war movies much. I don't like the violence or the audio at ear-deafening levels with the surround sound system. That is pretty shallow thinking. War is loud and messy. I was moved when I watched the first Spielberg / Hanks production about WW2 called "Band of Brothers".

Band of Brothers was based on real individuals, a group of men from Easy Company lead by Capt. Dick Winters. Dick Winters just died in January at the age of 92. He survived the hell of

that great war and lived a long life. He will be remembered kindly as a hero. So many others died with less acclaim and did not live long lives. We are indebted to them forever. May they remain forever young.

Justice Delay-ed

2011-01-13T07:55:00.004-06:00

I cannot speak with any expertise about Tom Delay or his politics. I don't feel strongly about him or the charges that convicted him of money laundering. I am not sure I am against money laundering. I have heard most of our currency is contaminated with traces of cocaine. Go ahead. Launder the money. I don't care.

Looking at the former politician, my impression is that he is guilty of something. Bad clothes? Too much Botox? A facelift? The worst contestant on Dancing With the Stars?

Mr. DeLay's attorneys will appeal his recent conviction. They cite trumped up charges and trying him in a liberal Texas county. That surprised me. There is a liberal county in Texas?

Cool Date 2

2011-01-11T08:06:00.001-06:00

1 - 11 - 11

Weather, You Like It or Not

2011-01-11T06:05:00.006-06:00

We've made a dent in January and February is a short month. These are things a northerner tells oneself to cope with a harsh winter. After almost a decade of less than normal winter weather, Minnesota is experiencing a return to our regular climate. It started abruptly in November with an early heavy wet 8 in. blanket of snow weeks before Thanksgiving. We had not had snowy day of thanks in years.

December was cold and we had record breaking amounts of snow. Weather statistics have been kept for about a hundred and thirty years. Overcoverage on TV news had us almost cheering for that extra inch of snow to break the old record leading me to believe that cold, snowy weather causes madness.

Hear we go. Old and crazy and cacooning. Better plan a winter get-away. We looked at our options and I began to campaign for a road trip to the gulf states. Go south to Louisiana and eat crawdads in Cajun country. Explore the coast along Mississippi and Alabama. Perhaps a nice ocean side rental in the Florida panhandle for a few weeks. I solicited friends from New Hampshire to join us. I found nice pictures on the internet of white sandy beaches to try to convince my husband. It had possibilities.

Everything changed this weekend when the second big winter ice / snowstorm hit that region.
Six southern states are hunkered down waiting for the ice and foot of snow to melt. They don't have our fleet of snowplows or our enormous stashes of salt and sand. They just stay indoors until it disappears. Only the children are thrilled with snow days that cancel school and let them go sledding.

Some Minnesotans handle winter better than others. They ski, slide, ice fish or snowmobile. The rest are at risk for cabin fever. At risk for delusions of snowmen peeking in their windows.

Maybe that is how Minnesota will solve it's fiscal problems. We can sell snowmobiles, parkas and skis in the south. They may need our advice to handle difficult winters and learn to enjoy the snow. They better watch out if they start wishing for that extra inch of snow to set new records.

Photo: credit to son Andy who built this with his college buddies a few years ago.

Going Home to Glory

2011-01-09T06:29:00.001-06:00

My review of the book in blog titled "I Like Ike" on January 9th, 2011.

I Like Ike

2011-01-09T05:31:00.005-06:00

Last month I heard David Eisenhower on a radio interview discussing his latest book, "Going Home to Glory" , a memoir of his granddad's final years. His granddad was former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. I enjoy a good memoir and decided to read the book.

When I told my sister, Carolyn, I was in queue at the library for this current release, she reminded me that she had always been an Eisenhower supporter. I remember it well. When Ike ran in 1952, Carolyn sported an "I Like Ike" campaign button which she says she still has and has occasionally worn when she doesn't particularly like the party's candidate. My parents always voted Democrat and being a mewing conformist who was inclined to sit on daddy's lap and say "I love you daddy", I liked Adlai Stevenson in 1952. Cut me some slack. We were too poor to be Republicans and it was 1952. I was seven years old. David Eisenhower would have been four.

David is the only grandson of the former WW2 hero and fifties president. Ike had two sons. One died at age three leaving David's father John the only surviving child. The family was very close and John Eisenhower was also a West Point Army man who worked with his father during and after the White House years. The family then lived on a house on the property of the Gettysbury farm where Ike & Mamie retired.

David grew up around powerful people. He tells of writing his first story and having granddad's secretary type it up so he could sit outside Ike's Oval Office selling copies for a small sum. Before reading the book, the only thing I remembered about David was that he married President Nixon's daughter Julie. She is listed as co-author of the memoir. In the book there is a cute photo of them as children standing with the Eisenhowers and Nixons as David steals a glance at Julie.

I was born in the waning days of WW2 and President Eisenhower was in office during my school years. My memories of him are mostly that he was a war hero, commanding the invading allies push to overthrow Nazism in Europe. I don't think I knew much about the man except he liked to play golf and warned about a "military-industrial complex" as he left office. That was a strategic warning and I am not sure we heeded it. As I read the book my esteem for the late president would grow.

David writes with the discipline of the historian he is and the love of a grandson. His affection shows but it doesn't come across as a white-wash. He recalls his granddad's temper. He was a general and didn't tolerate incompetence. He was a general and after leaving office declined to be called "Mr. President". He requested JFK restore his General rank and wanted to be addressed as General instead of Mr. President. He had spent his lifetime earning that title.

I had not thought of Eisenhower as championing civil rights, but wasn't he the one who sent federal troops to the Mississippi and Little Rock? During his presidency he had tried to stop Lyndon Johnson's opposition to civil rights legislation. Lyndon's heart would later change.

I didn't know he opposed the John Birch society. I didn't know of his counsel to Lyndon Johnson during the Vietnam War and Lyndon's great esteem for him. Perhaps that war would have had a different outcome if they had followed Ike's advice.

He was a man of faith and belief in a moral standard based on the bible. He was opposed to supreme court rulings that stopped the practice of teaching biblical principles to school kids.

He didn't criticize his successors similar to the position President George W. Bush has held.

He didn't talk about the war. He did tour Europe in the early sixties bringing his young grandson David and granddaughter Anne. That esteem of European heads of state left an impression on young David. Ike gave the eulogy at Winston Churchill's funeral at the invitation of the queen. He was a close friend of Winstons.

I didn't know the memoir he wrote about his presidency is called "Waging Peace" and he was very proud that no American soldiers had died on his watch.

I have not quite finished the book. The final chapter waits for me because I know the end. It spans the years after leaving offiice until his death. I am not quite ready to say goodbye to this good man.

I wish I had an "I Like Ike" button. I would wear it too. Farewell General Eisenhower.

Minnesota, Hothouse For the Political Candidate

2011-01-07T13:25:00.009-06:00

Speculation was stirred recently when Michele Bachmann indicated she had left every option on
the table regarding a run for president. She is going to travel for a couple of months, no doubt testing the waters.

Michele is our Congresswoman. She won a hot contest for re-election last fall. It was the most expensive, well-financed bid for congress in the country. Both parties watched and out of state people sent money.

Bachmann stepped up to the plate to lead the Tea Party Caucus which previous to her volunteering, did not seem to have one leader.

Like Sarah Palin, the camera and media buzz around her. Like Palin, she is a fierce warrior...not intimidated and sure of what she supports. Like Palin she is not afraid to "go rogue" which delights her supporters and infuriates her detractors. She has said a few things that made even people who like her cringe. When Pres. Bush gave one of his state of the union speeches a few years back, there was our Congresswoman pushing to grab him and give him an on camera kiss.
I cringed that time. I cringed when she talked about not filling out the census forms and defended BP as the Gulf well was gushing. Oh, well.

Now I am wondering about how a possible Bachmann for President move would affect others.
Do you think Minnesota's former Governor, Tim Pawlenty, cheered? Two candidates from Minnesota might be a bit much. Guess which one has better name recognition.

Did Sarah Palin feel threatened? They would split the vote, wouldn't they?

Is Barach Obama worried about running against someone who only has four years of national
legislative experience? Maybe he should be. He had four years of national experience and won.

How about John Boehner? Do you think he cried? Were they tears of joy or anguish?
It was reported poor John Boehner teared up three times the day he was sworn in as speaker.
He had already asssigned Michele Bachmann to the Intelligence Committee, a job whose proceedings she is obligated to keep secret. I wonder if that was intentional on his part. He did not grant her request for a position of power in the party. Maybe Michele cried that day instead of John Boehner. Maybe not. We will have to watch and see. Don't count her out.

.....................................................................................................

Governor Dayton Targets Minnesota Jobs

2011-01-04T05:42:00.004-06:00

Mark Dayton was sworn in yesterday as Minnesota Governor. In his inaugural speech, he championed creating more jobs for Minnesotans. He spoke of working together to solve the states' financial problems and stated he is governor of all the people, not just those who voted for him. Since he won by a small margin, that was a reasonable appeal. I didn't vote for him but will give him the benefit of the doubt and see how he does.

I don't understand politics. I don't understand Minnesota politics. Mainly we tip toward the liberal side in state politics, yet we have sent Michele Bachmann to Washington. Dayton is the first Democrat governor in twenty years and the electorate gave him a solidly Republican legislature to work with. Last term we had a Republican governor and a Democrat legislature.

Something tells me all will not be peaceful. However, we have a budget deficit similar to California. We have a 6.5 billion $$$ deficit. Match that with a smaller population than California and it is proportionately similar. We have to fix it. States can't print $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Californians who are coping with floods, mudslides followed by snow in southern CA which will soon enough be followed by firestorms, have decided to recycle. They resurrected Jerry Brown who was governor decades ago. This is a progressive state known for supporting "green" technology and they recycled their governor. Is that innovative? I don't know. I am a Minnesotan who humbley recalls we sent a boa-clad wrestler to our state house a few years back. The only similar thing Californians did was terminate Gov. Gray (Davis) and replace him with an actor.
Can't disparage them for that. Another California actor did pretty well for himself in the White House in the 80's.

Good luck to all the Governors and legislators and leaders out there. I hope they remember to say their prayers and proceed carefully. We need all the help we can get.

===============================================

Drawing a Line in the Driveway

2011-01-03T04:10:00.006-06:00

When the snow season began, I called the circulation department of a local paper asking them not to have their carrier drop a copy at the end of my driveway each week. Since we already receive a copy via US mail, we don't need two. Nicely, I expressed my appreciation for this free circular which is mostly ads but also lists local events and news. These papers are often covered by snow. It can snow a little every day in January. I ran over one with a snowblower a previous year. Not good. They get frozen in the melting snow and ice. I don't need two. Does anyone appreciate the drop at the end of their driveways in the winter? These are the reasons I gave when I called. Please stop.
Next week I had another paper generating another call. With duplicate papers in front of me, I called the circulation department. Bet they love me. She claimed to have told the carrier and would follow up. Next week I still got my drop. I called again. Still politely, I asked if they remembered me and my request. Yup. He is one of my best carriers, she answered. High praise, I thought.
The following week I didn't get my driveway copy of The St. Croix Valley Press. Yeah. We are making progress. As we backed out of the driveway Sunday to go to church, my heart sank. At the end of the driveway in a thin orange plastic wrapper was a paper. When we drove through the neighborhood I noted none of our neighbors had one. Great, I thought. I have put a bullseye on our house for a vindictive paperguy. Show the crabby lady who is boss.
This blog was my revenge. I actually walked out to the end of the driveway in robe and slippers at 4:00am to retreive the paper... in the cold, and it is a good thing I did before making another call to the circulation department of the St. Croix Valley Press. The paper in the driveway was the weekend (free) edition of the Stillwater Gazette. Another day. Another battle. It's hell to be retired.

=============================================================================

Lose Weight With This Amazing Exercise

2011-01-02T06:34:00.004-06:00

I am in a friendly competition with husband Jon to see who can get more hits on their blog. Being a low tech person, I was surprised when daughter Mary showed me how to check the "stats" on blog hits. I had no idea. I began blogging in 2006 and by Oct. 2010 thought this was an exercise in narcissism. I was out of ideas. I don't lead that interesting a life. There are millions of bloggers in the world. Most are read by their moms. My mom is dead. Who cared if I blogged? Narcissism.
I started again when I realized I was becoming annoying on Facebook. Too many comments. I have a need to talk. Even if it is electronic chatter.
Jon and I looked at our stats. I had one entry that has over 2500 hits. His top number was 6. He only had a couple dozen entries. I have a lot more over four years. You can't tell who clicked on the blog, but you can tell country of origin. I have Russians, Latvians, Japanese. Some of them are computers who send me comments in languages and characters I don't understand except for the word Viagra.
Mentioning the blue pill will probably generate more. Thank God for Spam blockers.
Most hits are probably random by clicking on "next blog" or word search by Google.
As I write, Jon is blogging about Justin Beiber. He might win today if nine year old girls search that name. I think there are a lot of repentant overweight people out there who will be drawn to my title.
This is narcissistic, isn't it. Good luck Jon.

Link: http://jonniebegood.blogspot.com/

Cool Date

2011-01-01T05:20:00.000-06:00

1 – 1 - 11

Having a Ball With The New Year's Bat

2011-01-01T04:53:00.003-06:00

We went with Mary, Mike & the twins to Ikea yesterday. They were checking out closet storage units for the kids room. Before shopping, we hit the cafeteria. This is an inexpensive, family friendly place to eat. Swedish meatballs are good kid food and during the holidays they are feeding children under 12 free. Thanks Ikea.

The twins were enamored by a child's room display. Toy furniture. A properly sized kitchen stove, sink, table set and bed. Stuffed animals and play food. A pink room that fascinated Zoe. I kept watch while Mike and Mary shopped closeby.

As we were about to check out, Mike spotted the buy of the day; bins of glove bat puppets. Of course he bought one. Who could resist the "New Year's Bat". The children were thrilled when daddy demonstrated the critter's ability to fly.

Bats. I like the kind from the store better than the real ones.

Who Dat

2010-12-31T18:21:00.002-06:00

Jon found an old negative with a picture of our daughter Mary when she was about a year+. When he emailed it to Mary, she showed it to two year old Zoe and asked "Who is that"? Zoe answered, "Roman" , her brother. She is on to something. Roman looks like his mom. Zoe is a clone of her dad, Mike.

Andy & Laura's Real House

2010-12-31T10:16:00.002-06:00

I found the picture. We are going to stop in today.

Eat the Yellow Snow

2010-12-31T10:02:00.003-06:00

I took a snowshoeing lesson yesterday at a Lake Elmo Park. A friend and I signed up a month ago thinking we could try snowshoeing before buying the equipment. I envisioned a cold, sunny December 30th. Normal weather. It rained. It poured right before we started and then only light drizzle while we were outside. It was fun anyway.
The class was conducted by a naturalist who gave us some practical advice on which snowshoes to buy. He told us he would give us cues on tracking animals and what to note in the snowy woods. We had just started our trek when the leader bent down, picked up some yellow snow and ate it. Didn't his mom warn him? After watching us squirm, he admitted it is okay to eat some yellow snow. If it is by a tree and on the surface, go for it. The yellow is from the tannin in the tree. Yellow snow contaminated by animals melts the snow a little and is sunken. Aren't you glad you know that?
We enjoyed snowshoeing and I would definitely do it again. Next time I would try not to fall. The snow is deep and it is a little tricky getting up again. Thanks to some kind fellow shoers who gave me a hand. No harm. No fowl. Fun even if I was very wet when it was over. I have had the desire to just run off into the wood into deep snow for a long time. My only adventures have been hiking on paths or X-country skiing in the slots.

No Pardon Necessary

2010-12-30T11:21:00.002-06:00

Grandtwin Zoe. Recommended by her mama. Love that kid. Can't hide mischief if you leave fingerprints, Zoe!

Well, Pardon Me!

2010-12-30T07:05:00.006-06:00

Rumors circulate that New Mexico Governor Richardson will posthumously pardon Billy the Kid before the governor leaves office. Billy, who was a pulp fiction hero in his time despite the problem of his killing 21 people, is again becoming a folk hero.
In an era of glorifying "Gansta rapsters" we also get folks who don't think mass murderers are so bad. Maybe he was misunderstood. Maybe his parents weren't attentive. I digress. Weren't there some guys who lead more admirable lives back then that we could idolize?

I wonder if Jesse James wants to line up for a pardon too. Public opinion turned against him when he cheated on wife Sandra Bullock with that human billboard of graffiti. No pardon for you Jesse....yet. Maybe in a hundred years. The public may be more inclined to pardon the original Jesse James.

Every time I get judgmental I am self-reminded of my lack of continuity. In yesterday's blog I claimed to "love" Brett Favre. I want to qualify that. I love his dedication to football. I am still mad at him for his sexting and betrayal of wife Deanna. Even Bill Richardson can't fix that. Pay the fine, Brett, and make nice at home. You may be a sports hero but so was Tiger.

***********************************************************************************

Tuesdays With More - Joe Webb to the Rescue

2010-12-29T06:56:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, son David commented that the networks probably wouldn't broadcast many Vikings games on Sunday night or Monday night football next year. They have had a lousy year. This year the Vikes were spotlighted several times. That honor came from having a great 2009 season. Favre carried us to the very steps of the Superbowl in 2009. We tripped and didn't make it, but it was a superb season.

2010 was not destined to be a repeat. "Our" (he may have finished a career in purple, but the Packer's should claim him) #4 played with a lot of heart and also a lot of injuries. He played with a broken ankle. He played with an injury that left his right hand purple and numb. He probably would have played after a concussion if league rules hadn't trumped his decision. He is a warrior and I love him.

Our luck...injuries, collapsed stadium roof etc. seemed to follow the Vikings to Philadelphia. A blizzard caused the game which was scheduled for NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcast, to be played on Tuesday. There hadn't been a Tuesday NFL game since 1946. Critics, including Pennsylvania's governor were irate that the game wasn't played in the snowstorm. He called the NFL "wusses".

I didn't hold much hope for an interesting game. Favre was on the injured list. The second string quarterback had a less than stellar performance at the last game. Then he went on the injured list as well with "turf toe". Turf toe? Did he stub his toe? Our only remaining quarterback was an untested rookie who was drafted as a wide receiver. Joe Webb to the rescue. Michael Vick, quarterback on the Eagles, would eat his lunch. Vick has had a great year.

Hope springs eternal. Joe Webb and Vikings defense played an amazing game and won big. They won an honor game and made snow-buried and soon-to-be rain drenched Minnesotans smile again. They impressed a surprised bunch of football TV comentators.
Joe Webb with that big smile and those fast scrambling feet won our hearts.

We are the champs of Tuesday Night Football.

Go Joe. Thanks Brett for a great effort. You may get that new stadium yet. Just don't send me the bill.

New Homeowners

2010-12-28T10:09:00.002-06:00

Our youngest son Andy and his new wife Laura just signed the papers this morning to buy a house. (No, it is not the one pictured on this blog. That is grandtwin Zoe exploring a play house at the Minnesota Arboretum.) I had a picture of their new home on my computer but must have deleted it.

We are always thrilled with our kids and grandkids milestones in life. Graduations, weddings, births etc make us proud. We are also happy for this young couple to be so blessed to start out in a home of their own. They have been city apartment dwellers in a nice old building on Grand Avenue, St. Paul. The downside has been the parking issues. Although they have two spaces to park offstreet, that space has shrunk to by 25% with all the snow. Now they can drive into their own garage. Garages are prized in this cold clime.

We are going to gain a closet when Andy takes his stuff from his old room. I have plans for that closet. Their house is bigger than ours so I am showing no mercy. Move the stuff when you can. Christmas decorations are going to find a home where he now has his things.

Congratulations kids. You really are grownups.

New Plan for Economic Recovery

2010-12-27T04:15:00.003-06:00

What do TARP funds, Wall Street bailouts, tax relief, Cash for Clunkers, and GM buyouts have in common? All are federal programs for economic recovery that may or may not have worked depending on your political point of view.
What will they do in the new congress? Will we see more ideas for spending or more ideas for saving. I don't know. If they do decide to continue the federal charge-as-you-go program, I have a suggestion that many citizens might back. Buy a snow plow blade for every driver who wants one. This would benefit about half of the country who have been struggling with big snow this winter. Even the south and the high country out west have had too much snow. We are buried in white stuff in Minnesota.
This program could even get the backing of big-business NFL and TV networks who have seen a few games postponed in December. Manufacturers of the snow plow blades would hire more workers. We would sell more gasoline to people who would drive and not get stranded during storms ; BP & Shell would be happy. Employees would show up for work and productivity would be higher. There would be savings to local communities who would pay less overtime to city snow plowers. The mail could go through and US Postal service could stay competitive with UPS and Fed Ex.
I am starting to like this idea. Mobilize Americans. Don't worry about cancelled flights during stormy weather. Drive. Drive unimpeded by drifts of snow. Blaze the way.
Now all I have to do is convince our Hawaiian president of the need. He is missing the great east coast blizzard. Maybe I can appeal to John Boehner. Hope he doesn't get sentimental and tear up.

"And It Came to Pass in Those Days" that the media got something very right

2010-12-26T02:00:00.003-06:00

In this age of political correctness when wishing someone a "Merry Christmas" is frowned upon by some, I was pleasantly surprised at what I noted yesterday. The St. Paul Pioneer Press published an "Excerpt: An Account of Christmas, from the Book of Luke (King James version)" on the Opinion page in the place where the editorial usually is. Surprising and much needed good news in this troubled world. They printed Luke 2: vs 1 -20.

A New Christmas Story

2010-12-25T06:17:00.004-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve celebration that started at noon and ended about the time midnight mass from the Vatican was on TV. We weren't watching TV, that is what was on when I collapsed into a recliner before bedtime.

Our new daughter in-law Laura had to work the 3-11 shift at the hospital so Andy and Laura came for lunch. That is the lot of nurses. Some must work the holidays. Andy stayed. After her shift they were to meet her parents and brother at Midnight Mass at the St. Paul Cathedral.

Our oldest Dan and family and son Dave were here to celebrate too. Dan & Jen's kids are growing up. Zach is eighteen and a great kid who gave me two big hugs and an "I love you grandma" as he left. Mina will be fourteen soon and the sweetest girl. She played with the two years olds and helped them pass out the presents. I reminded her it wasn't many years ago that she and I played "having tea" at holidays. We would get out the doll dishes and I would be the pretend customer at her cafe. Now Mina wants to go to culinary school and open her own restaurant when she grows up.

Daughter Mary and Mike arrived after the kids afternoon nap. The two year old twins were such a delight. They talk in short sentences and we were all entertained by what they say. The loved all the toys they got, but Roman was fixated on the package of 48 AA batteries that Andy gave son in-law Mike. Roman carried it around asking everyone if they would "open it" for him. We all declined to slit the shrink wrap for him and chase the 48 batteries that would scatter. Next, Grandpa Jon got a (sealed plastic) package of Jordan Almond candy. Roman called these "beans" and kept after grandpa to "open beans, grandpa". Sorry little one. Choking hazard. No beans for you.

Jon fires up the wood stove in our attached garage during holidays for a smokers' lounge. (one less this year. Dan quit.) Mike came in and announced we had a "Christmas Bat" flying around. Grandpa & Mike brought the twins out to see it. The bat flew circles around them as they held the kids. They weren't scared. Then Jon opened the door and the critter flew out. Zoe became upset when the bat exited and Roman started crying. What, no bat for Christmas Eve? I guess fear of bats is learned behavior. If I had been out there they probably wouldn't have had such warm thoughts about pet bats.

When they came in, Zoe continued to talk about the bat while Roman wept. He wouldn't let me console him, so I picked up Zoe and asked if we should look out the window for the bat. There is a full moon and it is bright outside with the snow cover. I pointed to the sky and asked if she saw the bat flying around. Couldn't see him. Then I told her that Santa would fly in the sky tonight. Santa would fly with his reindeer. "No", she said. "Santa and (his) doggies". I wonder if the lead dog has a red nose.

Someday Zoe and Roman will be eighteen and you can be sure we will tell them the story of the Christmas bat and santa and his doggies. We might even give Roman his own jar of "beans" and a package of batteries. I hope they will give me a hug and an "I love you, grandma" as they leave.

Merry Christmas from a very blessed woman. Keep your eye out for the bats and the doggies.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T09:55:00.003-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Fresh snow again this am. I ran to the grocer for a couple of last minute items. When I came out, I was surprised how much snow had accumulated on my car. I stood next to it and pressed the remote. I heard the click but the door wouldn't open. I repeated the process but still couldn't open the door. Then I realized why there was so much snow on my car. It wasn't my car. Don't tell anybody. Time to go now. Time to shovel more snow.
Merry Christmas.

Dear Santa

2010-12-23T11:14:00.002-06:00

Jon yelled for me yesterday saying, "Come see what I really want for Christmas".
The one seen belongs to the city of Stillwater.

Beautiful...take a peaceful moment to feed your soul

2010-12-22T06:18:00.001-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MscEkYz3R2A

Driving Miss Zoe

2010-12-22T04:30:00.005-06:00

Last Christmas I drove my family crazy with my worrying. Our German friend Kai, who was studying at a Virginia university for a semester, was driving here from the east with a German friend. They had a record two foot snowfall in the area days before he left and more snow and ice storms enroute. He didn't call and I was concerned. They arrived intact.

There is a lot of traveling home to family for the holidays and this year a lot of stormy weather. One friend has a daughter & family coming from Colorado with three kids under 18 months in the car. Her other daughter will come with three kids from Texas. Mom's breath easier when everyone arrives safetly. We drove through winter weather when we were young and it didn't concern us at the time.

Our daughter Mary & husband Mike are driving their new minivan and the twins to the Chicago area to visit his family. His brother will be home from the Air Force and he has never met the kids. Everyone is anxious to see each other and we were glad they could do the trip. They left just yesterday as it was snowing, driving the direction the snow would go.

My job is to pray for safe travel and not to worry. I did and was relieved to get emails sent via cell phone from Mary while enroute. The first one left me laughing so hard and lightened my mood. Mary said, "We are an hour out and Zoe is squirrley. She keeps saying 'I want to drive'. Mike had his last cigarette this morning and we are having a gay old time." Another email arrived later saying they were in Illinois. Good. Good luck and happy trails. I am just keeping that message of "I want to drive" in my head. Did I mention that Zoe is two years old?

Winter Begins At 5:38 pm CST

2010-12-21T09:43:00.002-06:00

Did you think it was winter already? Wait a little longer. It starts this evening.

Save the Dome

2010-12-21T07:30:00.003-06:00

Ten days ago Minneapolis was in the news for a near-record early December blizzard that dumped snow measured by the foot. This load of snow caused the inflatable roof of the domed football stadium ( officially the Hubert H. Humphrey Dome at Mall of America Field) where the Minnesota Vikings play, to collapse. Down it came, just like the hopes of Vikings fans who have watched their purple team collapse this season. Off went the Vikings to play a rescheduled Sunday to Monday game in Detroit.
Stadium officials, Vikings management, NFL bigsters, media and local government stared at the hole and scratched their collective heads. What to do. What to do? It became apparent there was no quick fix. No fix before the next game on Dec. 20. Moving to another city would result in too much of a revenue loss. The decision was made to play at the beautiful year-old TCF Bank stadium on the U of MN campus.
Tell me again why we didn’t think of that before. Share that stadium. The Gophers play on Saturdays. The Vikings play Sundays.
We watched as an Herculean effort converted the TCF stadium from a buried in two feet of snow winterized Dr. Zhivago ice stadium into a ready to play again shoveled out, semi-defrosted option. They did it. They were ready for the final game between the Vikings and Bears.
Die-hard fans came despite another snowstorm starting a few hours before game time. Die-hard fans came despite scarce parking that cost $20 - $40 bucks. Die- hard fans came despite the no alcohol policy of the university. Die-hard fans came even if they couldn’t tailgate. These folks love the Vikings and the nostalgia of outdoor football kept their spirits high.
In an era of cash strapped state and local governments, we should take note of this desire for nostalgia. Why not return to the days when tough northern teams who played outdoors had an advantage over teams like the Miama Dolphins and other hothouse teams? Bud Grant knew the possibilities and those were the golden days of the Vikings. Toughen up. Outlast them. Fans stayed warm enough huddled over parking lot tailgate barbeques in their snowsuits with ETOH coursing through their veins. We could do this.
Here is my win/win solution. It came to me this morning after reading an article in the paper about officials shooting out another panel in the stressed Metrodome roof. The roof has been temporily patched but a buildup of ice was threatening to damagethe supporting cables if it collapsed again. They used a shotgun to destroy the panel leaving another gaping hole for the ice to come down .
Why can’t we just shoot the whole thing down? Sell the right to shoot holes in the dome roof to the highest bidder. Won't we all have more $$$ after the Tax cuts? Rich men have spent big money hunting big game in Africa. Why not spend big money for a chance to see who can fire the round that brings the whole thing down? Then we could keep what is left of the building and play outdoor football there. The parking, public transportation and surrounding bars are already in place. Pretty it up a bit. Fans could drink, tailgate and wear snowmobile suits to watch football. We could beat the Miami Dolphins and have our vengeance against the New Orleans Saints who beat up Brett in 2009’s playoff.

These Trucks Come With Diamonds

2010-12-20T05:23:00.003-06:00

We had dinner last night with a small group of friends that we rarely see. A few months ago we were invited to a birthday party for Bruce that we were unable to attend. During dinner I asked how the birthday party came out. This brought a smile to his face and a laugh from his wife.
She had kept the party as a surprise. When he was a little late arriving home, she called and asked him where he was, assuming he was just held up at work. His answer didn't please her. "I'm on my way to Michigan" was the answer. They live in Minnesota. Michigan is the wrong way. People are coming. There is a party planned.

She had assumed he would be home as usual. He had other plans. Bruce collects vintage trucks and had purchased a '74 Dodge pickup on-line. He has a lot of trucks and wouldn't give a straight answer when I asked how many. A lot. A lot of trucks. He owns a large farm with buildings to store his collection. His wife does not think he needs more trucks and his philosophy is that "It is easier to obtain forgiveness than permission" to make another purchase.

Wife Margaret flashed a beautiful new diamond studded wrist watch which he purchased after his latest acquisition. Keep the bling coming, Bruce. You don't need her permission to buy that.

Expectant Life -or- Expecting a Long Life

2010-10-21T12:42:00.006-05:00

I had breakfast yesterday with a group of retired nurses I had worked with over the past few decades. Some of us meet monthly but yesterday were happy to see four new people join the group. It has been a few years since I have seen some of them.
We took turns telling what was going on in our lives. There were updates on our kids and grandkids and husbands. Some were going through serious health problems and we empathized. Several were getting ready to head to a warmer climate for the winter. One is going to New York to sing with a Chorale group at Carnegie Hall. We were impressed. She said her granddaughter asked "What's Carnegie Hall". Kids will keep you humble.
My former "boss" said she had fired her doctor and now got her health care from a "Mid-life midwife". ?? Everyone but me seemed to understand the term. Since she is a year older than me, I wondered what place a midwife had in her life. Of course I Googled the term when I got home and found many sites. One described a mid-life midwife as someone who helps you give birth to the rest of your life. Hmmm. The word midwife doesn't seem to fit in my life, and if this is mid-life I am surprised. I enrolled in Medicare on my last birthday. If this is mid-life I should be expecting to live to 130. I guess I am not that optimistic.
Mid-life doesn't seem right for me, but I am not going to upgrade to an "End-life Midwife either. I think I will stick with my physician.

Youngest Contestants Survive Dancing With the Stars Cuts Due to Prejudice

2010-10-20T05:47:00.002-05:00

(Wondered if that title would catch a few readers.)

Youngest dancers I speak of are our twin grandkids who love the show. A few bars of da-da-da-da, DA,Da,Da...get their attention. Daughter Mary reports Zoe says "Tutu, mama" and isn't happy until she is wearing her pink tutu. Mary had to get it out of the laundry Monday night. Who knew you needed more than one tutu for a toddler girl? You need two tutus at two: a spare if one is in the wash!
I submitted a little story about Zoe titled "The Girl in the Draggin' Tutu" a month ago. She is still draggin' it around and wearing the versatile garment over jeans or pajamas.

Daddy's Girl

2010-09-13T12:28:00.003-05:00

Daughter Mary commented on the kids blog about a resemblance between Mike and Zoe.
I agree especially after comparing photos of a young Mike to Zoe.
(Pictures pilferred from the twins blog.)

Little House Not On The Prairie

2010-09-13T12:09:00.005-05:00

Found a Lil Tykes Playhouse on Craigslist for the kids birthday.

My Latest Read

2010-09-10T07:25:00.002-05:00

Enjoyed this book which was recommended by my sister in Texas. Had to call her and ask if the pioneer rancher in the book, August Schmidt, was the same homesteader of their property. Yup. It made the book more interesting because we have stayed with them and can picture the area.

The novel is about the great drought of the '50's and presents an empathetic picture of the trials of ranchers and men who work the land.

Time For Vikings to Pillage When the Saints Go Marching In

2010-09-09T08:19:00.003-05:00

Headline in the St. Paul Pioneer Press this morning says, "Imagine". Beneath that is a photoshopped picture of our #4, Brett Favre holding the superbowl trophy.

Many NFL fans felt good seeing Drew Brees and the NO Saints win the big game last February. New Orleans needs encouragement and that quarterback brought game.

It is time to have mercy on this franchise. The Vikings have never won the big game. Those who lived through the glory years in the 70's are a little gun shy, at least I am. We have four Superbowl games and four losses. But, hope springs eternal.
This might be the year. It is #4's last season. (At least that is what his contract says.) Fans are hanging a lot on one guy. We could win it all if those bruisers from the Saints don't mangle poor Brett at the season opener tonight.
If that happens, we will have to live with today's front page and print that photoshopped picture to hang on the wall.

The Last Word on Feet

2010-09-08T12:38:00.003-05:00

Now some cute feet. Zoe, prepped to be a flower girl and Roman in his big boy shoes.

Watch Your Step

2010-09-08T11:47:00.005-05:00

Today's title seems a natural to follow yesterday's "Walk This Way". The similarity ends there.

I am issuing a caution to all who are associated with me to "watch their step".
This might sound superstitious, but in case there is any truth to Six Degrees of Separation, step lightly. Too many coincidences lately to people I love.

My husband, Jon, fell a month ago breaking his kneecap and injuring is foot.

My friend, Karen, fell Friday and broke a bone in her foot. While she was hospitalized, her grandson was treated at the same hospital's ER for an injured foot....then his mom slipped and tore a tendon in her ankle.

Tomorrow we are going to visit Jon's 95 yr. old aunt who fell and thankfully didn't break anything.

This summer we are cheered on Jon's cousin as she recovers from foot surgery.

The summer started with our thirteen-year-old granddaughter falling from her bike and breaking a wrist and elbow. She didn't hurt her feet.

My sister just had wrist surgery and another friend also named Karen is recovering from hand surgery.

Today when Jon visited his podiatrist regarding his slowly healing foot, the Doctors nurse who has helped us this past month was hobbling out on crutches. She had fallen and broken a bone in her foot.

Careful out there. Even the caregivers are going to ground.

Walk This Way

2010-09-07T12:10:00.002-05:00

More about those twins who are almost two. Mary and the kids spent time with us yesterday while Mike did some painting. We took them for a walk. They held our hands and kept up. (Maybe we kept up with them.) I was thinking the half mile walk would end with us carrying a kid or two, but they were troopers. At every intersection Zoe says "stop" while we looked for cars. Cute. The main distractions were a squirrel a rock or two they had to have.

This brought back memories of walking with our kids when they were little. Daughter Mary was a trooper. We took her on hikes on steep trails by Lake Superior campgrounds and around Lake Nokomis. She kept up. Zoe and Roman are like mommy.

It's a Small, Small World

2010-09-04T13:07:00.002-05:00

Zoe and Roman make friends with bride Laura's cousin Hannah.

Flower Girl and Ring Bearer Spotting "deplain"

2010-09-04T13:04:00.002-05:00

Roman marched down the aisle carrying his ring pillow and a cup of crackers. Zoe would have none of it. Her job was to look cute and she did. While the bride and groom were speaking their vows an airplane was spotted by the twins who announced "Plane". Memorable and priceless. we don't have a photo of them when they saw the plane during the ceremony but they saw another one later on.

Andy & Laura

2010-09-04T13:00:00.001-05:00

One week ago already.

Here Comes the Bride and Her Dad

2010-08-31T11:08:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday our youngest, Andy, married his Laura. The bride was lovely. This is her entrance on the arm of her proud dad. More pictures to follow. We are all taking a deep breath and relaxing that all went well and it didn't rain on their outdoor ceremony.

Let My People Go..... The Plague of Frogs Continues

2010-08-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

The past few years we have seen a resurgence of tiny frogs and tree toads in our yard. It was amusing initially. The inch long amphibians could be viewed clinging to the siding or stuck on windows. They hopped away from approaching lawnmowers. They clung to potted plants on the deck.
I was fine with the little fellows until they started hitchhiking indoors. A summer or two ago I found one in the kitchen sink. He was promptly relocated outside. Later I saw one on the living room floor and caught him up with a stern warning not to come back.
Three weeks ago as I stumbled into the bathroom in the early am I noticed a leaf on the floor and bent to pick it up. Before I could grab it, it hopped away. Not funny. I caught him too.
They giving me the creeps.
They habituate our deck, clinging to the umbrella over the table and deck furniture.
My husband, now wheelchairing (broken kneecap is healing) in and out to smoke on the deck. undergoes a security check not unlike the US / Mexican border crossing by me. I am certain they will hop on in with him or hitch a ride on the back of his wheelchair.
Yesterday I picked a pail of ripe tomatoes and took them to the sink to wash. Out hopped another frog.
Today when I stooped to pick up the newspaper by the front door a frog was perched on it. I am getting paranoid. Jon says we need to "defrog".
Our former pastor used to question why Pharoah asked Moses to take away the plague of frogs tomorrow. Tomorrow? Why not now? today? No wonder the Israelites triumphed over the Egyptians. What sane person wouldn't want the frogs gone today. That is my prayer. Lord keep those jumpers away from my dwelling. Please. Now... if it is convenient.

Mary, Queen of the Gypsies

2010-08-14T06:59:00.004-05:00

This isn't a shrine, or a novena or a new name for Jesus mother. This isn't about
pampered EU royalty or a new pop music princess. This is about my dear friend Mary.
Mary is spending the summer as a servant-evangelist under the Christian ministry "Light for the Nations". She is living in a gypsy village in Szekelyhid, Romania among the people she loves teaching English to youngsters. Speaking English will give these young people a better future and employment.
She loves the people in the camp and they return the love. She says they treat her like a queen. If you knew Mary you would smile. She is unassuming and humble but lights up a room with her smile. Her red hair sets her apart and her taste for colorful clothes and jewelry gives her a regal flair. She is one of the most lovely people I know and we all look forward to her return in late September to hear more of her stories and see all the pictures.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, Mary. I think you are going to miss those loving people when you return home.
This is not her first trip to Romania but is her longest. I believe she has gone on eleven mission trips to eastern European countries. The picture on the blog is from a previous trip. Of course, Mary is the one in the torquoise coat holding the bright pink umbrella. The same wagon is her chariot this summer. Most of the time they walk and occasionally slog through the swamp for access to a computer.
Minnesota is going to seem dull after this experience.

Are They Going to Get Mooned

2010-08-13T06:31:00.004-05:00

I am gullible and believe too many of the circulating stories on the net. I check some stories with Snopes, but wonder why I trust Snopes. Reportedly Snopes verification is done by a husband and wife sitting at a computer somewhere in the US.
It enjoys a good reputation but who verifies them. My next level of trust is in Wikipedia. Do you realize anyone can edit a wiki? With that in mind, here is one of the latest rumors on the web. Snopes says it is a rumor.

On August 27th, there will be two moons in the nightsky. This is not the same as a "blue moon" when a full moon occurs twice in the same calendar month twenty-eight days apart. The two-moon show is predicted because Mars will preportedly be closer to the earth than it has in the last 5,000 yrs. Mars will appear as large and bright as the full moon.

http://bl141w.blu141.mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0

Our son is getting married Aug. 28th. I don't believe in astrology or horoscopes or follow signs in the sky, but even Jesus had a star that shone when he was born.

Andy will be all eyes on Laura on August 27, the light of his life the night before the wedding. No predicted display in the sky will distract from her.

Stillwater Woman Wrestles with the WWE

2010-08-10T09:57:00.005-05:00

I was left scratching my head after hearing an interview on "The Today Show" this morning. A reporter asked Vince McMahon who heads World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., if negative ads about his wife Linda, former WWE Ceo and now reppppublican candidate for senate from Connecticut, would damage their companies' "brand". We have sunk to new lows when professional wrestling may be concerned about an association with politics. Reminds me of jokes about the pig going into the bar and the pig being worried about his reputation.

Minnesota has once again been a trend setter. We elected a wrestler to the governor's office ten years ago. I don't think Linda McMahon was ever seen in a pink boa so she may be a less objectionable candidate than our former head of state.
It is primary election day in Minnesota and as a good citizen we should vote. I wonder if I could write in Hulk Hogan.

Jon has been coping pretty well with confinement due to his kneecap fracture. He scoots around the house, hopping between w/chair and bed or recliner. Much of his time is spent programming his new netbook computer. I (dutifully/ naggingingly) remind him to put is swollen leg up. He is supposed to wear an immobilizer on the knee but rejected it after two days. Today I quipped, "What if your knee heals but your leg is stuck at a 90 degree angle?" He answered, "Give me a break". Thought he already had one.

Vocabulary Word of the Day : Brontide

2010-07-27T10:40:00.003-05:00

We fixate on weather reporting in our state. Because we have extremes of cold, snow and hot, steamy summers our attention is focused on weather. We don't need to listen or watch weathercasts if we have a computer but we do. My late father in-law amused us years ago by buying a VCR to tape the 10pm news and weather because he fell asleep watching it. Think about it. By the time he played the tape that weather system was happening.

It seems like it has rained half of the days this summer and we should be grateful. With all the precipitation and forecast precip you would think I would have already heard about brontide. As we had our early morning cup of coffee on the deck we noted dark clouds approaching and a low, rumbling thunder without lightning. I googled "thunder" to see if there was a name for the phenomonon and found brontide.

Will the Real Butter Princess Please Stand Up -or- Float Like a Butterfy

2010-07-22T09:34:00.009-05:00

We have a long tradition at our Minnesota State Fair of sculpting a bust of contestants for Dairy Princess. I never was a dairy princess, but at long last have reached my dream. Facebook has an app that allows you to see yourself memorialized. Who could resist.
link: apps.facebook.com/butterfy.

It's Cool to be Green

2010-07-21T20:43:00.003-05:00

Just listened to a story on NPR that amused me. A Canadian man from Nova Scotia is involved in a disagreement with local authorities. Self-described as "not a tree hugger" but wanting to be responsibly green, he purchased a motorized Coleman cooler on wheels. It is designed to be an extreme cooler that will transport a person(up to 300 lbs) to the picnic while keeping the liquids very cold. The ad claims it will travel at 15 mph. He said he would emit less carbon if he drove the cooler around town than if he used his Impala.
http://www.cooler-store.com/cruzin_cooler_motorized_cooler_750watt_50_750xe_6900_prd1.htm

The first time he took it on the road he was stopped by a policeman who asked to search the vehicle. He didn't have beer on board, but was advised to wear a helmet and drive on the sidewalk. He complied and was later stopped by another officer who ticketed him for driving a motorized vehicle on the sidewalk.

The guy is appealing claiming people drive motorized wheelchairs and scooters on the sidewalk and don't wear helmets. The judge agreed there was some merit to his case.

Local politicians have not addressed the question of motorized coolers on wheels.
There might be a window when this inexpensive form of transportation would be viable.
Just be sure to drive sober. It isn't legal to canoe, bicycle or even walk drunk in Minnesota.

Losing Face

2010-07-20T10:59:00.006-05:00

My nemesis: Facebook. I know that punctuation is incorrect. A couple years ago I even read the book, "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" but I don't recall what I read. If you can believe it, I had excellent grammar and punctuation skills in high school. Trouble is high school days are eons ago. I am now in that group who will wear purple when they want and throw in a colon or semi-colon where I think it looks right.

Now about facebook. After receiving another suggestion about fixing my double account, I made the leap and did the fix. I was finally able to spot my problem. The double account was due to using two e-mail addresses on login. Because I had the same password on both, I was reluctant to push de-activate. I did it and the correct account survived. Hardly anyone comments on my Facebook blurbs so it really is insignificant.

I should be happy about killing off my evil faceless twin on Facebook, but my joy didn't last long. Today I made a new booboo. Thinking it would be fun to befriend Ole Savior, a guy who is running for governor, I asked to be his friend. (I blogged about him last week.) Ole seems to have a sense of humor based on his pick of a running mate named Elvis. Terry Elvis Anderson. They are running as Ole & Elvis. I wanted to see if he was selling t-shirts. When I put in a request to be his friend, a screen came up with all my Facebook friends and email list. I hit the wrong button and offered all of you to him. If you get a request from Ole, you can ignore it. I plead forgiveness unless you too would like an Ole & Elvis for Governor t-shirt. I REALLY did do this accidentally.

Pimping Pawlenty

2010-07-17T10:40:00.004-05:00

Our Governor, Tim Pawlenty, has had increased national visibility the past few years on national TV shows. He frequently travels on weekends appearing to prefer speaking to a group in New Hampshire or Iowa to doing a ribbon cutting ceremony at a grand opening in Minnesota. He won't announce he is running for president but everyone thinks he is.
Yesterday I listened to radio program political analysts from New Hampshire and Iowa discussing Pawlenty. One thought he was a nice guy but boring. Many Minnesotans have been pleased with a bland governor. He followed the big guy...the former wrestler/ movie actor. Enough said. There are no scandals in Pawlenty's wake except that his wife caught more fish than he did at the Governor's Fishing Opener.

What can the Governor do to attract more attention and support? Maybe he should use the opportunities he has. If Iowans think he is boring, he might remind them that Minnesota is all they have to defend the border to their north. We have been holding the line at the northern border. (We are the only state that noticed and reported the 9-11 terrorists when they were taking flying lessons here.)
I am not aware of illegals running across the northern border to deliver babies in border hospitals and we don't even need a 15 ft. fence. Tim could brag that we have answers to keeping our borders secure. We also keep a lot of Wisconsin Cheeseheads out because we don't seem to be able to replace that 1930 river crossing in Stillwater. How long can our old bridge last? The river is 65 feet deep and there won't be many who wade across like they do the Rio Grande at low water.

The Tea Party has it's champion (Sarah Palin). Maybe Pawlenty could boost our state image and his career by championing fishing. He could share our recipe for lutefisk. He would be unique. Lutefisk provokes strong feelings. Love it or hate it. That might be what he needs. Now he better work on his fishing technique and not let wife Mary outshine him next year at the Governor's opener. He should also be cautious going fish-to-fish with former Gov. Palin.

Did Palin Look Pale?

2010-07-17T09:28:00.003-05:00

Someone should invite Sarah Palin over for a cup or tea and sympathy. I am assuming she is not thrilled with her daughter's recent engagement. Haven't seen or heard any recent press releases from Wasilla welcoming Levi into the family. Maybe they are resigned. Maybe they are accepting.
Our offspring get to pick their own mates. We have been pleased with the choices our kids made. Not all parents are. I am not Bristol's mom so I will offer my opinion. The guy is a cad. He is naive and was probably manipulated by politically motivated people to behave badly. Don't marry him. It is a big country. You may not like anyone you see in Wasilla, Alaska, but it is a big world.
Is this girl a romantic, or also naive or seeking the limelight herself? A reality show is in the offing. I am glad I don't have cable. Bristol is reportedly making $15,000 to $30,000 per appearance as a single mom warning against teen pregnancy. That should pay the diaper bills. You don't need Levi.

Bayfield with an Olive

2010-07-15T04:23:00.003-05:00

We just returned from our annual visit to the quiet little town of Bayfield, WI . We visited many times over the years and now do an annual summer visit. It has become one of our favorite places. Pictures don't reveal how charming it is. (Google Apostle Island National Shore. )
We found the beach where locals swim this time. Miles of sandy beach with crystal clear water and only a few people. Bliss.
Bayfield, tucked into a bay on Lake Superior, reminds me of a little fishing village on the east coast but without the throngs of people. It does get its share of tourists but if you stay overnight most leave. We stay downtown and have dinner on the deck of a local establishment overlooking the gazebo and marina. We enjoy the view and a martini. I am not a drinker. Never have been able to drink without giggling. We cold have shared the first drink.
This visit left me with an overwhelming urge to sell our house and move there. While it would be blissful May to Oct., the winters would be long. Most local shops close, sailors and summer people leave and the local population of 611 hunkers down for the winter. We talked to a couple locals who love it but admit it gets quiet. Maybe with a Kindle and a fast internet connection....
In the end we agreed to continue our yearly visits and maybe rent a house for a month to see if this is a pipe dream. Jon also promised to take my ashes back for a dinner and drink on the deck if I go first. Smiling, he said I would probably not be so worried about talking too loud after that martini. I kept asking him in a whisper if I was talking too loud. Never could handle the booze.

Good Book

2010-07-14T19:47:00.003-05:00

Just finished reading "Peace Like a River". I picked it off a display at the library of books recommended by the librarian. I am keen on reading books by Minnesota authors and this didn't disappoint. The characters are beautiful.
It was published in 2001.

Suspicious Minds Question Candidate on Fair Proposal

2010-07-11T13:41:00.011-05:00

I'll bet most Minnesotans thought Brett Favre was a modern day savior. In spite of Brett giving his all, we know how that worked out. Don't lose hope. A new "savior" is on the way. This isn't about football or religion. Worse. It is about politics.

After watching twenty DFLers (Minnesota's version of a Democrat) file to run for governor, we have seen that list pared down. We have an endorsed candidate. We also have two rich guys who are spending their own money with hopes of winning the DFL primary without party endorsement. They are Matt Entenza and Mark Dayton. The last time I made a comment about Dayton on this blog, I heard from his people. I won't say anything about him this time. If he wants to spend a large part of his family inheritance pursuing election, that is his business. I don't have to understand.
Mayor Bloomberg of NYC did the same. Personally, I think candidates who freely spend other people's $$$ are thinking more clearly. No one asked my opinion.

I digress. The purpose of this blog is to reveal a new Republican candidate for governor. Our primary has been moved up to August and we will vote soon. Voters need information. I know, we will be bombarded with more campaigning than we can handle but this guy's name caught my attention. He isn't really new to state politics. He has run for office as a Democrat for the past 26 yrs. Ahh, a man in the tradition of the late-great Harold Stassen. Sadly, the Democrats haven't warmed to him this year. He didn't get a single vote at the convention this spring and switched allegiance to the Republican party who must be thrilled. His name? His name is Ole Savior. You read correctly.

Today's paper list him among "Other GOP (Minnesota's term for Republicans) Candidates". They say "He proposes to build a new Minnesota Vikings stadium funded in part by racetrack gambling proceeds and to keep the State Fair open year-round."

Isn't that wonderful? We could eat pronto pups and chocolate covered bacon on a stick all year 'round if we didn't mind standing in line in our parkas and mittens.
This guy sounds like a fresh fount of ideas. Since local politicos heavily campaign at the State Fair, we might keep them off TV and not calling us on the telephone. They could work the fairgrounds year around. I think I might like Ole Savior.

Good luck winning over Republican voters, Ole. Your first name might help in this land of Sven & Ole, but building stadiums with gambling revenue isn't going to endear you to most.

I wonder why the Democrats didn't vote for him. Don't discount him winning if it becomes a three-way race. We did elect a governor in a boa a few years back, a Saturday Night Life writer and even an inmate in the state pen won election as a judge. The judge didn't get to serve his term on the outside.

Someone thought the name Ole Savior was an unfair advantage. Apparently Ole didn't feel that secure his name alone would help elect him. He chose an Elvis impersonator as a running mate. Now we know why he wants to keep the state fair open year-round. They could play the grandstand. The other plus for Ole is the purple necktie he wears in this picture. Go Vikes. We don't know if Brett Favre is coming back this fall. We need some help wooing him.

I might have dropped out of the gubernatorial race too soon. I thought my credentials were a little thin. Who knew? Thanks to those who encouraged me. Thank you. Thank you very much.

If you want further amusement, read his profile on the link to website. Certainly if his good ideas don't impress, the fact he donated 6 gallons of blood might help him.
Link: cut and paste to address line.

http://mpls.startribune.com/news/metro/elections/profiles/26137.html

Raspberry Pie from the Norske Nook, Hayward, Wi....worth the drive no matter how far away you live.

2010-07-08T15:53:00.001-05:00