Snow and Such

It’s winter in the Upper Midwest. And because December and January have delivered on their promises to bring snow and cold to Minnesota, many local friends and coworkers are now lamenting winter’s stranglehold on the Twin Cities. I truly don’t mind that the mounds of snow at the end of the driveway are past my [...]

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Cans and Going High Tech

When I was a kid in the 70s, we played kick the can. Almost every night during summer, when the sun went down, kids in the neighborhood gathered in a back yard with the Folgers or Maxwell House coffee can — or a Well’s Blue Bunny ice cream bucket (gallon-sized) — for an hour or [...]

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A New Friend

It took the 11 years and four treks, but I’ve made friends with the North Shore of Minnesota – a stretch of Lake Superior shoreline, highway, infamous landmarks, and seasonal resorts. Up until now, my travels that direction epitomized the word miserable. Few other places in the country boast about bad weather to attract tourists, [...]

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Best Dad Memory

My Dad marched to the beat of his own drum. He set his own standards, and while they changed through my childhood years, the bar and his expectations were always higher than I was tall. Dad was a product of a rough and tumble father and a mother who only knew how to love and [...]

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Intolerance for A Day

I’m intolerant today. So… To the Red River, Fargo, Moorehead – and the two 100-year-floods which happened within six years of each other: Folks, if you knowingly live in a flood plain, quit your whiney complaining. Your options, as you have known since the time you bought the property included flood insurance, sandbags and flood [...]

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The Ugly Face of Elitism

Elitists feel they have outstanding personal abilities, intellect, wealth, specialized training or experience, or some other distinctive attributes, and therefore their views and ideas must be taken more seriously or carry more weight. In addition, they may assume special privileges and responsibilities and feel they have earned certain rights that others do not or should [...]

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Spirited Christmas, Then and Now

Christmas time is here We’ll be drawing near Oh, that we could always see Such spirit through the year” Plenty of Christmas childhood memories float around my head this time of year. Like the several-year-stretch of purchasing flocked Christmas trees from Del’s Garden Center in Spencer, Iowa. Dad and Mom even bought a red flocked [...]

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10 Things I’ve Done That You Probably Haven’t

I’m a blog thief today. This idea comes from gentiana from her blog “Headfile.” Go ahead, try to come up with 10 really unique things that no one else is likely able to say they’ve done as well. 1) I cycled across the state of Iowa 2) I shook the hand of former Vice President [...]

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Thanksgiving In A Box

In my bank of childhood memories, the Thanksgiving holiday stands out big time. My very-middle-class roots found me living in a five-bedroom house – we had a formal dining room, a front entry that seemed gynormous, and lots of space to entertain. With grandparents living just three houses away and a Dad who owned a [...]

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Random Thoughts (yet again)

It’s mid-September in Minnesota and summer begins its gentle slide into autumn – right on cue.  Five tell-tale signs that fall is upon us… 1)      Leaves find their way to the ground…mysteriously and usually only at night. 2)      Windows left open at night mean that toweling off after an early morning shower will result in [...]

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