Along the way...

2012-02-10T20:25:00.006-06:00

Competition... more than

just winning!

Why is everyone stopping to watch one competitor?

She’s not the fastest one...

In fact, she’s coming in last.

But watch how the other athletes stop... and wait... and cheer... as she finishes her race!

This was the action at a high school swim meet recently. It took place in Ohio but I have heard of similar situations in other places. It just happened that I caught this one on video.

I was visiting our grandkids and going to their various sports activities. So I’ve got video of basketball games... soccer games... concerts, etc.

But it was when I was videoing a swim meet that my attention was drawn to a particular scenario. It was not only the competitor that fascinated me but the reaction of the surrounding athletes and folks in the stands.

Wow!

First we had been holding our breath as the divers leaped up off the board and executed their form in the air to slice into the water below. One broke the school’s record that day.

Then we were mesmerized by the swimmers as they dove into the pool and were streamlining through the blue water. We watched as they made their turns and were racing back to the wall.

And then...

Except for one.

She was coming... although much more slowly. And with more splashing.

It was obvious she couldn’t keep up with the others. And then you noticed she apparently had Down Syndrome. And so you were even more in awe of her even attempting the race.

But you also noticed that the busy commotion of all the other athletes had stopped.

They were focused on watching this one young girl in the pool.

The audience in the stands quieted to watch her final push in the race.

The girl’s arms splashed the water as she headed to her goal. And when she finally touched the wall... cheers and clapping exploded as the young people and adults congratulated her on her struggle.

So...

So if you ever get downhearted about some of the antics of youthful indulgence (along with adult ones)... just know that you can find these wonderfully touching moments of compassion - and this they will carry into their future and ours.

I put a short video on Youtube. I didn’t know anyones’ names. But because of the internet, it was sent to many and also the family of the young girl. And they expressed their appreciation. They want to show it at their annual awards banquet.

How awesome to share in one of these special moments that catches your heart.

See the video on www.paulrosie.com or YouTube - Competition at its best! (look for: alongthewaybyrosie) or go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCmOxlJmbIw&lr=1&ob=0

2012-01-26T18:52:00.003-06:00

Is it progress... or just annoying?

It was a "not so pleasant" surprise one morning recently when I discovered my cell phone had been disconnected by my wireless/cell phone service company when we changed to a new plan.

I had not been informed of this possibility beforehand and they apologized.

They explained that my phone was too old.

(This is not something a person of my age likes to hear!)

It had something to do with their equipment not working with our phones.

Although they didn't cut off my husband who has the same phone.

And of course they suggested that I could get an upgrade with a new two year contract, etc.

My old land line phone would also be temporarily forwarded to my husband's cell phone.

(Now you understand how a teenager would feel if all their calls

were sent to their dad's phone!)

But I'm impressed that the company "believed" me when I said I hadn't been told.

Then I wondered why I was so upset about the company disconnecting my cell phone without telling me.

It's not like I've always had one.

Remember the eight party phone line?

I grew up without one. When we moved to Cannon Falls we had an eight party line - where you counted the number of rings to hear if the call was for you.

Although you could pick it up and listen even if it wasn't!

And one time I recall picking it up to call out when I heard voices.

I apologized and was going to hang up when one of them told me to stay on the line because they were going to call me anyway!

But back to my old cell phone. I liked my old phone. It was in perfect condition.

And sometimes I don't like change that much. I remember years ago when I had to get a new computer and I was fussing because I wanted to keep Windows 95, but you had to upgrade.

And now that I'm busy creating new things with my Macs, I am still forced to keep upgrading.

And I loved my old phone company.

They just didn't have the ability to do what I wanted with my cell phone/internet access.

A "new-old" cell phone.

So now Steve provided me with a used phone and transferred my phone numbers

to it and I headed out.

While driving along, my "new-old" phone started ringing. I finally pulled over and

dug it out of my purse.

The phone's automated voice was asking me if I wanted to keep the voice prompts in Spanish or change them to English.

Since I have had one year of Spanish and over 70 of English - I chose the latter.

I didn't find any pictures or messages left on the phone from the previous owner, but just to be safe I looked up a translation program on the internet so I could say,

"Buenos dias mi amigo!"

A few years ago I had a local phone number that turned out to be the same as the National Bank of Panama.

If you didn't dial the correct number designated for that country you got me!

I got calls from all over the world!

A husband... and a phone...

But now I still just want my old phone back.

Like I said to the cell phone service company - I have kept the same husband for 50 years - I want to keep my old phone too!

2012-01-26T18:50:00.001-06:00

Is it progress... or just annoying?

It was a "not so pleasant" surprise one morning recently
when I discovered my cell phone had been disconnected
by my wireless/cell phone service company when we changed to a new plan.

I had not been informed of this possibility beforehand and they apologized.
They explained that my phone was too old.
(This is not something a person of my age likes to hear!)

It had something to do with their equipment not working with our phones.
Although they didn't cut off my husband who has the same phone.
And of course they suggested that I could get an upgrade
with a new two year contract, etc.

My old land line phone would also be temporarily forwarded
to my husband's cell phone.
(Now you understand how a teenager would feel if all their calls
were sent to their dad's phone!)

But I'm impressed that the company "believed" me when I said I hadn't been told.

Then I wondered why I was so upset about the company
disconnecting my cell phone without telling me.
It's not like I've always had one.

Remember the eight party phone line?

I grew up without one. When we moved to Cannon Falls
we had an eight party line - where you counted the number of rings
to hear if the call was for you.
Although you could pick it up and listen even if it wasn't!

And one time I recall picking it up to call out when I heard voices.
I apologized and was going to hang up when one of them told me
to stay on the line because they were going to call me anyway!

But back to my old cell phone. I liked my old phone. It was in perfect condition.

And sometimes I don't like change that much. I remember years ago
when I had to get a new computer and I was fussing
because I wanted to keep Windows 95, but you had to upgrade.

And now that I'm busy creating new things with my Macs, I am still forced
to keep upgrading.

And I loved my old phone company.
They just didn't have the ability to do what I wanted
with my cell phone/internet access.

A "new-old" cell phone.

But with this new techie phone/internet stuff, I realize that I probably
should have gone to Steve Winchell, local manager of KL Communications,
and have him "walk" me through the process. He has "held my hand" before -
like when I got my first cell phone years ago.

So now Steve provided me with a used phone and transferred my phone numbers
to it and I headed out.

While driving along, my "new-old" phone started ringing. I finally pulled over and
dug it out of my purse.

The phone's automated voice was asking me if I wanted to keep the voice prompts
in Spanish or change them to English.
Since I have had one year of Spanish and over 70 of English - I chose the latter.

I didn't find any pictures or messages left on the phone from the previous owner,
but just to be safe I looked up a translation program on the internet so I could say,
"Buenos dias mi amigo!"

A few years ago I had a local phone number that turned out to be the same
as the National Bank of Panama.
If you didn't dial the correct number designated for that country you got me!
I got calls from all over the world!

A husband... and a phone...

But now I still just want my old phone back.
Like I said to the cell phone service company -
I have kept the same husband for 50 years -
I want to keep my old phone too!

2012-01-26T18:47:00.001-06:00

Remember the eight party phone line?

A "new-old" cell phone.

A husband... and a phone...

But now I still just want my old phone back.
Like I said to the cell phone service company -
I have kept the same husband for 50 years -
I want to keep my old phone too!

2012-01-26T18:35:00.005-06:00

Remember the eight party phone line?

A "new-old" cell phone.

A husband... and a phone...

But now I still just want my old phone back.
Like I said to the cell phone service company -
I have kept the same husband for 50 years -
I want to keep my old phone too!

2011-12-02T18:32:00.002-06:00

Not to be forgotten!

Tis the season to be jolly... (or not).

My mom died many years ago. So I’m over it, right? And most of the time, I am.

But as I walked through a grocery store recently I saw the new addition of special holiday treats. And tears started flowing down my cheeks.

Just arrived on the shelves were German Christmas breads... directly from Germany too.

And they reminded me of Christmases long ago.

Those were the times my mother would delight us with all her baking and the treats of that exciting time of the year. (It’s not a tradition that I have carried on, alas.)

Mom had been an orphan in europe before the first World War. She told us some of her tragic experiences.

But she also shared her German traditions and she really knew how to bake German Christmas cookies and sweets!

Actually, I didn’t care for some of them that much - except for the Spritz cookies! Made with real butter. You see, I was a little kid during World War II and we appreciated real butter.

Anyway, when I saw these German delights on the store’s shelves... through my tears... I knew I wanted to taste them once again.

Then I considered that maybe the breads would go best with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. As a kid I didn’t get wine. Nor much coffee either. Only a taste once in a while because I was told it might stunt your growth.

And then I wondered: does anyone “dunk” anymore? I mean dipping your slice of bread or roll in your coffee. I can’t remember when I’ve seen anyone do this recently.

Did we just do it because years ago the rolls dried out since we didn’t have airtight containers or freezers to keep them soft?

So many memories... but finally, later in the evening, with the snow falling lightly outside and a glass of wine for a toast inside, I cut open the festive breads and we tasted them once again.

And, you know... I still didn’t like them that much!

But I loved the memories that came with them.

So let’s take courage from the advice given by others who are missing loved ones... “Try not to think of what you have lost, but the joy you had.”

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

2011-10-11T06:32:00.002-06:00

When we don’t know what’s going on!

“Sudden acceleration problems”. This was the wording used in the media when a car was described as speeding out of control.

I was looking to buy a car made by the same company that was under suspicion for having this problem in one of their other vehicles. It was explained to me that the problem was probably a floor mat moving out of position, driver error, conspiracy theory, etc.

Whatever... I decided I liked this car and my husband and I bought it. It “cornered” nicely and it was so much fun to press all those buttons on the control panel. Keep in mind my mentioning these “buttons”.

A couple of months later, I was cruising along without any concerns in the fast lane on a six lane freeway. All of a sudden my passenger leaned over to adjust one of the buttons on the dash probably for the temperature. And... all of a sudden I didn’t have any power!

This was the opposite reaction that had been publicized about some of the company’s products, remember?

Did I say that every lane on my side of the highway was filled with speeding cars?

I didn’t know what was happening but I knew I wasn’t speeding out of control... actually I wasn’t speeding at all.

I put on my turn signals and tried to change lanes before I would come to a complete stop. But it didn’t seem like anyone wanted to let me in their lane. I got honked at but I just kept trying to move over as I kept slowing down. I finally made it across the lanes and pulled onto the shoulder.

I sat there waiting until I felt good enough to try starting the car again. It purred back to life and we drove home safely. My passenger thought they might have accidentally touched a button that caused the problem but we still don’t know why the power went off. It’s been a few months since then and I’ve enjoyed driving it.

But this memory might have been lurking in my mind when I recently parked outside Cannon Falls’ city hall. I pulled in next to a large black SUV. I was sitting so low compared to it that I couldn’t see in its windows.

I pressed the button to turn off my engine.

But I didn’t stop moving!

I still had my foot on the brake pedal so I jammed it harder.

I still didn’t stop!

I realized I would be on the grass if I didn’t do something and a sudden wave of nausea hit me as I kept rolling.

But at the same time - out of the corner of my eye I realized that the big SUV next to me wasn’t staying in place. It was backing out of its parking spot. So I wasn’t really moving at all!

It was just from my perspective of not seeing that the higher vehicle next to me had a driver in it and the perfect timing of their car moving backwards - that I had thought that I was the one who was moving!

I got out of my sweet parked car... and since then have pondered how much our “perception” influences our belief in what “reality” really is in everyday life.

A little bit of hell... and heaven

2011-07-05T14:43:00.001-06:00

2011-06-18T19:59:00.013-06:00

“Country folks are OK!”

Her “whim” turned out great!

She applied “on a whim”... actually she was content in her job and it was a “stretch” to think about going from a small station in Iowa to CBS affiliate WCCO in Minneapolis. But after about nine weeks of intense interviews, e-mails, etc. she was informed she got the job.Samantha Smith, daughter of Mike and Lynn Gronlund of Randolph explained, “I was really excited... my mom cried... and dad keeps me grounded.”

Samantha had been working as news director at KNIA/KRLS radio in Knoxville, Iowa. This meant a 70 hour work week where she was on call 24/7 in case there was an accident to be covered. But she also won many awards from the Iowa Broadcast News Association including “Overall Excellence in Anchoring” and helped the station earn top honors in the small market radio division.

Now Samantha is the Anchor/Reporter for WCCO radio from Wednesday through Sunday. In this position she “stacks the news stories”, researches and writes them and it’s her voice you hear bringing you up-to-date on the news every hour during her shift.

Samantha believes having had the opportunity to do many things in high school allowed her to learn a lot. Also, the principal let her to design her own project in journalism for credit.

Samantha at Randolph, MN high school

But keep in mind that Samantha came from the “country”. So how is that going to fit in the “big city”? Plus, the folks back home like to “take care of our own” so I headed up to ‘CCO to check things out.

Now you may remember there have been many movies made about country folkswho go to visit the big city. There was an old movie series called Ma and Pa Kettle. If you don’t remember that one you might recall the TV series, The Beverly Hillbillies.

And if you don’t know that one... now you can watch: “Paul and Rosie go to the Big City!” I had the idea to add a second meeting to this trip. The other was to say “Hi” to the little brother of my girlfriend who was a bridesmaid in my wedding so many years ago. As teenage girls we had mainly ignored this ten year old kid. But when I met him after he had grown up, he gave me one of the nicest hugs I’ve ever received.

It’s been at least five years since then, so I figured I needed a hug again.

I e-mailed Dave Mona at WCCO and he responded that he would be on the air with his show, the Sports Huddle with Dave and Sid (Hartman) when I got therebut just to “buzz” them and they’d let me in.

So here’s the result... even with my panicky backseat driving suggestions, Paul drove unscathed to the downtown location.

We came to the locked door of WCCO and pressed the button to ask to be admitted. A familiar but unknown male voice told us the door was now open and we walked in.

The elevator door stood ajar and I went in and started pressing buttons. Nothing happened. I finally got on my cell phone and called the station and told them, “I’m inside but I can’t get the elevator to work.” Well, they would come get me because the door to the stairs was locked.

Remember the familiar sounding voice? It turned out to be Bruce Hagevik who I’ve heard on the air for years. He previously had been on KDHL in Faribault and worked with Rod Johnson of Cannon Falls.

In a few minutes we were sitting in the studio while Dave and Sid bantered with their callers on the air. I finally got my hug from Dave and then met the delightful Samantha. It was later, when Paul and I tried to find the way out of the building by ourselves, that we ran into difficulty. We should just be able to follow the EXIT signs, right? Not!

Paul had become interested in the Twins shirt in the glass frame on the wall and then some more pictures. But these led in the wrong direction.

I found a door that looked like a possibility. But it led to an out-of-order freight elevator. Paul asked me to step back into the hallway to test the door in case it would lock us out. It did. I was tempted to leave Paul in there but decided to open it for him.

After other wrong turns I found my way back to Samantha’s studio and Bruce headed us in the right direction.

Guess I’ll just have to wonder where that freight elevator would have gone!

***

(More video from the Beacon and our interview will be on the Cannon Falls Cable/Internet Channel 12 - www.cannonfallstv.org

or on Youtube - Along the way by Rosie)

2011-05-25T17:04:00.001-06:00

What is stupid?

Why do we think a particular lesson is stupid? Or rather, why do we think we are stupid because we took so long to learn the lesson?
At least we finally learned it!

I’m talking to myself of course.
I could have a pretty simple way of life if I just wasn’t so curious.

By my age I have learned a lot of things... some not so much fun but a lot of them have made life sweeter and more comfortable.

Although I’ve got to admit that having a computer has been a mixed blessing!
If I would just stay with the things I’ve learned to do on it I think it would be very fulfilling. I can write up my stories... e-mail friends... gab on Facebook, etc.

But not me.
I got fascinated making my own videos... and then sharing them with the world.
The problem is that I don’t always understand the books that explain how to do it... and I don’t remember what I was taught at the classes I took and I can’t understand my own notes on how to do these things. (I may have oversimplified this... but you get my mindset.)

And maybe this isn’t just about the computer.
Maybe it’s more about life...

Maybe there are still things to “conquer”.
You see, I was told back in junior high school by an adviser that I was too shy to be a journalist. I should pick another profession.
But I thought maybe “shy” people could be more sensitive when writing up a story.

Although 50 years later I found I was still dealing with some of the same fears I had as a teenager.
I had thought I could “tough it through”... and that works sometimes.

Like when I was reading my columns on a twin cities radio station a couple years ago. I had to shorten my stories to fit in the 120 second time frame they offered. (Although I hope newspaper readers take more time to enjoy the full column!)
But while reading on the air I was so nervous I thought I would throw up. Since I was doing the show by telephone from home, I realized I didn’t want to throw up on my carpet. So I put an empty ice cream bucket next to the phone. (Wouldn’t that have been an interesting audio for the station’s listeners to hear?)

But I didn’t have to use it.
And after a while I didn’t even have the bucket near the phone.

But recently I was heading to video a group of people and 90 seconds of pure anxiety hit me. Well, it's down to 90 seconds sometimes. I reconciled this fear with the fact that I knew when I got to the “shoot”, I would go into action and really enjoy the process. And I did.

The next day I was heading to another interview and as the fear hit me again I had another thought. I recognized that the fear was valid (I know the mistakes I've made) but just as valid was the thought that I would enjoy the session. And the people would too.

So I chose to skip the fear and smile at my new thought. This worked. And I'll do it again.

It seems like a good lesson... and I guess that any time we can learn one, we’re not stupid.

Now back to my questions about my computer...

2011-05-13T11:08:00.002-06:00

Sometimes we just need to remember the good things we learned as children...

Actually - all the time.

Adult Version:

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

As I lay me down to sleep,

Golden Memories do I keep.

Set aside, I make it clear,

Are worry, anger, pain and fear.

Bitter thoughts and words and deeds

Cancelled out by Godly seeds...

Of love, joy, peace, prosperity—

Promises God gave to me.

Lord, when I sleep I rest in you,

When I wake I’m born anew.

2011-04-21T22:39:00.004-06:00

Is the “Wonder” missing?

The ‘awe in a relationship”... have you lost it?

Do you catch yourself taking them for granted? Familiarity can lead to dullness. Not disrespect, but just missing the enjoyment of the honor and specialness of a person or a place.

This was brought to my attention at a funeral of a friend as I watched the priest go through his usual role leading his congregation through the rituals they were used to.

I have talked to Father Jay Kythe of St. Pius Catholic Church in Cannon Falls before. I am not a member of his faith. But that does not limit his graciousness to me.

But he’s not the first priest to be kind to me. I remember another one years ago who was always available to explain a ritual to me. One time I came in asking for the meaning behind the stained glass windows. He motioned me to follow him across the sanctuary.

I wanted to be careful that I didn’t step anywhere that might be considered holy to his faith and that I was ignorant of. So I made sure I followed him very closely.

It turned out... almost too closely!

You see, I didn’t know he was going to genuflect (drop to one knee) as we crossed behind the altar... and so I had to make a quick stop while trying to balance myself so I didn’t topple right over on him! He never knew (I don’t think!), but I’m still chuckling to this day!

So with this history I watched Father Jay during the service.

Each time he made a reference to God I was fascinated by the awe and reverence he showed. And I wondered how many hundreds of times he must have said the same words... made the same gestures at the altar... and yet he could still express such honor to his creator.

You see, I also follow his creator. And I have a feeling of closeness with God.

But unlike Jay, I realized that I had somehow lost the feeling of awe.

As Jay explains: “My relationship with Jesus is that He is my brother and a close friend, someone whom I love very much.... Not only do I choose to love Him, but I try to see how He loves me in small and big ways every day.

“I thank Him for those acts of love He does for me. It could be something as small as the sunlight filtering in through the window to seeing the charity in the heart of someone I meet...

“The way I do my acts of love for Him is by praying every day, reading the Scriptures, and simply just talking to Him daily.

“Also whenever I extend a hand of charity towards someone else, I extend it to Him ("Whatever you did to the least of these little ones, you do for me").

So you see, thanks to the example of Father Jay... the awe is back for me too.

The kind of awe and wonder that I see again in a new baby... a flower... a sunrise... a friend... and God.

2011-04-03T09:26:00.002-06:00

The “Good” and “Bad”

about a small town...

Growing up in the “Big” city was good. Although I really didn’t have anything to compare it to. It was all I knew.

The prevailing idea was that you had more advantages in the “Big” city than in a small town.

After some 30 years living here, I am questioning that concept a bit.

Surprisingly, by growing up in a small town you can be more confident in public affairs. You see, in a small town you may grow up next door to the mayor or a bank president. And you know a lot about your neighbors in a small town!

(It seems like in a small town they either know what I’ve been doing or they think they know... and the latter might be a lot more interesting!)

Anyway... the result is that you’re not going to be in too much awe of someone’s title because you’ve already seen them cleaning up dog droppings in their back yard!

So I’ve jotted down some of the “Good” and “Bad” things about living in a small town.

The “Good” is that you have easy access to public meetings to get basic knowledge on government and parliamentary procedure. I saw a teenager speak to the local city council and do a fine job. When I had to present my concerns another time I didn’t do as well. I found my right arm was shaking so much that I thought everyone could see it. In talking with my friend the mayor afterwards, he grinned and said he saw it!

I decided I would have to practice. The council allows public input for two minutes at the beginning of their meeting. What better place to get a grip on public speaking than in front of friends? I didn’t do it... but the opportunity is there, or so I tell myself.

To continue:

The “Good” is that a small town can have special opportunities compared to a big city. Like our own cable/internet TV channel with its programming highlighting the local area.

The “Bad” is that they didn’t have anyone who wanted to do it.

The “Good” is that when a job needs to be done in a small town, you have a good opportunity to be the one to do it.

The “Bad” is that although you have been taking computer/video lessons you don’t have the equipment to do the job you would like to.

The “Good” is that the whole world will be seeing your videos anyway.

The “Bad” is that... I can’t think of anything bad. My friends are already forced to watch my videos on Youtube!

The “Good” is that in this process, I have taken advantage of some opportunities that probably wouldn’t be available in a big city.

The “Good” is that I can highlight local musicians and artists and just friendly folks who make this planet a good place.

The “Good” is that there is opportunity here for others too.

The “Good” is that I have been finding that there sure is a lot of “Good” in a small town.!

(Watch "Along the way... with Rosie" on both Channel 12 and on the internet at www.cannonfallstv.org.)

2011-02-14T08:38:00.007-06:00

GUARD DUTY!

Some people used to have statues of lions

guarding their entrance.

This morning I looked outside our front door

and saw our two barn cats

perched on top of the railing posts...

"guarding" our entry.

Or more likely,

they were waiting for me

to come outside to feed them!

Either way, it was a

delightful reception to greet me.

Sparkle

Smokey

2011-02-02T21:35:00.005-06:00

A Voice from Beyond...

“Just call to let me know you’re OK.” How often do we ask this and how many times do we listen for the phone to ring to hear a voice on the other end reassure us that they’re fine?

Bill Pohl was that kind of person. When his health problems became more difficult he utilized his cell phone to keep in contact with friends and family.

Bill had been battling diabetic complications for several years. In July of 2007, his two lower legs had been amputated and along with other health issues that meant frequent hospitalization.

This past year he struggled with lung and heart issues. The next decision was whether he would go to a nursing facility or continue to stay at his home.

Bill was a former Cannon Falls High School teacher and football coach. He and his family - wife Lucy, two daughters Kris (O’Brien), Kari (Maffei) and son Kyle lived here for several years. The last years were spent in Onalaska, WI.

A call came...

It was on a Tuesday a couple of weeks ago that Kris was informed that her dad had now had a heart attack and was on a respirator. The family gathered at his bedside with the knowledge that he didn’t want to live that way. Kris explained: “We were all down there when he was taken off it.”

Kris is the Community Education Director at the Kimball Area Public Schools and lives near St. Cloud, MN. She had to go back to get her girls and husband and return to Onalaska for a private ceremony. A memorial service was planned for a couple of weeks later so other relatives could travel to be there.

A voice mail...

So back in St. Cloud on the day after her dad’s death, Kris was on her cell phone making arrangements to be away from work for another couple of days. It was at this point that she saw there was a new voice mail and hit the keypad to listen. (It was actually a voice mail from a week earlier, but came up again as a new voice mail.)

And she burst into tears.

Because the voice on the phone was someone she didn’t expect to hear again.

“Hi Kris, this is Dad.” She didn’t hear the next part because of her shock and tears but then she calmed down and heard him end with: “Anyway I’m just letting you know... I’m home.”

William G. Pohl, 67, passed away Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Even "Peg Leg Pirates" go on with their lives...

2011-01-15T09:54:00.009-06:00

Strange coincidences

in their family ties.

Being a “pirate” was part of the recuperation process for Tim Wynne after he lost a leg due to complications due to diabetes. Also helping was the unique and touching experience of having grown up in the household of Ray and Mariellen Wynne of Cannon Falls.

Hereʼs their story...

Tim and his Dad, Ray, both have artificial legs. Tim had surgery last August to remove the lower part of one leg and Ray had lost two legs due to an accident 25 years before. To show the spirit and “grit” of this family in times of tragedy, Timʼs wife, Valerie, decided that since real pirates may lose a leg and still go on living, she would throw a “Pirate Party” for him! So Tim put on a black eye patch and showed off his newly acquired “peg leg”!

This positive attitude has helped the family as they dealt with the stress of pain, grief and fear. And, Tim explained, “It made everything easier to know what Dad had gone through... so I knew I could.”

Similarities between the two men.

The coincidences between Ray and Tim are fascinating. Ray was born in August and lost his legs in February when he was 54 1/2 years old. Reverse the months and you have Tim born in February and losing his leg in August when he was 54 1/2 years old. Ray had a pulmonary embolism in the main artery of his heart. Tim had one too.

As a side note, Ray recalled that when he was in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) at the hospital he hadnʼt been told much about his case. So he carefully watched from his bed as a doctor looked at his chart and proceeded to give a whistle! Ray figured then that something was really wrong. Another doctor explained to him, “They know youʼre here but you shouldnʼt be!”

Timʼs problem came after he had complications with diabetes. He ended up having part of his leg cut off so he might save the rest of it.

“Phantom pain.”

Both men know the feeling of phantom pain. Tim explained, “Thereʼs a lot of pain - you have to build up your tolerance. And yes, sometimes it feels like I still have pain in my ankle... but my ankle isnʼt there.” Ray said this feeling of pain was explained to him, “that the part of the body was connected to you and your brain is still trying to send signals to it.” Sometimes it feels like a tingling to him - almost a ʻbuzz”.

Recently Tim has been getting used to his prothesis and practicing to get his balance back. Ray commented, “After a while you donʼt think about it - itʼs your leg.

”Filling in the gaps...

Though both men do amazingly well, their wives have had to step in to fill the gaps. Valerie had to drive their car, mow the lawn, and she added, many little things that Tim canʼt do - like picking up the soap in the shower if it falls out of his grasp. Mariellen recalled how Ray will get everything organized in the morning to get dressed and go sit down only to find that he has forgotten to get the socks out of thedrawer. Then he calls her for help.

But both families know they can rely on each other and the bonding of shared experiences.

***

These “pirates” kept going on with their lives. Tim Wynne and his Dad, Ray, take a moment to show their “peg legs”. Ray encouraged Tim that heʼll get adjusted to using it. “After a while you donʼt think about it - itʼs your leg.”

2011-01-12T21:44:00.006-06:00

This puts a different look on it.

When wondering if you should try for a new job...

or do something differently...

but you're worried that you will

feel really dumb if it doesn't work out...

Well, I recently did something like that.

But a man gave me some good advice...

He said,

if you don't do it,

you will get the same result

as if you had been turned down.

So I might as well try it.

2011-01-08T21:17:00.003-06:00

A hunch...

or a message from God?

Maybe we should pay more attention to “hunches”... and maybe sometimes they really could be a message from God.

Even if they are just “little things” - not important.

We were invited out to a dinner party and I thought it would be nice to bring a little gift for the hostess.

But then my next thought was: “I don’t think she likes anything I bring so why bother?”

Followed by this response: “But it’s the nice thing to do... and maybe sometime I’ll pick the right gift!” You know how the pattern goes.

Picking the gift...

One thought kept repeating in my mind - “get flowers”. And another one was... “not chocolate.” Well, this didn’t seem too difficult - although I love chocolate.

These thoughts kept circling in my mind like a merry-go-round that doesn’t stop... “flowers - not chocolate - flowers - not chocolate”, etc.

Finally it was time to go and I figured I had it settled. On the way we’d get flowers.

The store had some beautiful cut flowers and plants. But either they did not seem right, had few blossoms or they were too expensive.

I didn’t have time to waste making the decision and then I saw sitting near the flowers some fancy chocolates! I took them. (I know - one of the thoughts in my head had been “Not chocolates.” But that thought was probably not right. Right?)

A warning here?

I took the box to the check-out counter. The cashier took a look at it and said something about it being nice and then she read the tiny warning on the label suggesting that people should be careful if they are allergic to pine nuts. Now how many times does a cashier read the warning to you? I’d never had this happen before. But I just chalked it up as interesting and bought the chocolates.

We arrived at our destination and walked into a lovely atmosphere of festivities. I gave my gift to the hostess and joined the other guests in conversation.

It was a half hour or so later that I accidentally overheard the hostess say to someone that she was allergic to “pine nuts”. I don’t know why I overheard that particular piece of information since I was several feet away listening to another conversation.

But then I realized that I had again brought the wrong gift!

I left my group and went to explain to her that she had better not eat the chocolates I had brought. Her husband grinned and said not to worry, he would!

How many warnings?

So, did I learn a lesson?

Well... how often do you get a hunch that says not to do something followed by a person reading a warning to you?

I hope I listen better next time.

2010-12-29T08:57:00.007-06:00

Was it “meant to be”?

Could it be that each winner got the prize that was just right for them?
It seemed to me that happened in the contest we just finished - to connect the Minnesota Vikings team member with his right nickname.

I couldn’t tell which one of the prizes was worth first place so I decided to let each winner pick one. First place got first choice, etc.
The Vikings donated four different prizes. I donated one. So five winners.

When I went to pick up the prizes from the Vikings head office, I noticed one was a team cookbook. They gave an extra one for me to keep.

And I saw...

As I looked over the prizes I realized I would have liked any of them. But I fell in love with the tiny lapel pin memorializing the 50 Years the team had been an NFL franchise.
I was trying to figure out a way to get a similar pin for myself when someone suggested I just take it. No one would know.
That’s probably true. But I remember the words from a favorite movie, City Slickers. The quote goes something like this. The “cowboy”, Billy Crystal, is asked a philosophical question: If you could cheat on your wife and no one would ever know, would you do it? And Crystal answered: No, because I would know.

So besides not taking the lapel pin from the prizes, (because I would know), I decided to add the extra cookbook I had been given so there would be six choices for the five winners.

And they chose...

The first place winner came to the Beacon to pick out his prize and chose the 50 Seasons of Vikings book. Then the second place winner sent his wife who chose the Vikings 2010 team book.
The little lapel pin hadn’t been chosen. But it was way too soon for me to even think that it might be left for me.
The third place winner came and picked out the cookbook. Since I had also put in my copy of the cookbook, it was there when the fourth place winner chose it.
The fifth place winner picked the “Party by Rosie”, which they agreed to let me just get them a gift certificate from Econo Foods since we had run out of games to watch that fit our schedules!

Surprise!

So guess what prize was left since I had put my Vikings cookbook in the pot?
The little Vikings lapel pin!
It must have been meant for me! I was so excited. It was like finding a lost puppy!
I went to the Beacon to recover it and excitedly explained how every one had chosen their prize and this one was left over.

I had more errands to run so I clutched the slip listing the winners and their choices and hurried on. It wasn’t until later that I realized I didn’t have the little lapel pin. Somewhere it must have slipped out of my hand. It was gone.
I retraced my steps and asked the businesses if someone had turned in a little plastic bag with a Vikings lapel pin in it.

It just doesn’t seem possible that the little pin was saved for me through the whole contest... only to disappear when I held it in my hands.
I sure miss that little lost “puppy” - lapel pin.

Could this mean...

But this experience was kind of like the Vikings’ football season this year. The possibility of a championship was there... like the little team lapel pin... but not for long.
Like they say, (way too often if you’re a Vikings fan) - there’s always “next year”!

2010-12-23T12:05:00.004-06:00

I'm making a Christmas tree

out of the

Christmas cards we have been receiving.

It's fun to be reminded of the folks

and

review these beautiful scenes

at this time of year.

More additions to come

after picking up the mail today.

Got to add to the left side I think.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-16T22:09:00.007-06:00

Close Battle for Winners!

It was a tight battle among Minnesota Vikings Fans as to who knew the most nicknames in our "50 Years of Vikings Nicknames" game!

We had a list of 35 names given to us from folks like Dave Mona (host of the Sports Huddle radio show with Sid Hartman on WCCO), former Minnesota Viking Bob Lurtsema, Judy Hammerstrom (sister of former Viking Dave Osborn), Doug Johnson, and whoever I was talking to about it.

Extra Credit Names!

It was the "extra credit" names that some folks included that made the difference for them. And thanks for the clarification that the Iron Man nickname was not just for Brett Favre but also Jim Marshall. We made allowance for that.

Also, an entry from Steve Anderson and Barney Flom explained that the nickname for Quadry Ismail was actually for his brother. We decided to give everyone credit who marked it down anyway. Plus, we didn't mark it wrong if you spelled a name incorrectly! (Since I made up the rules I could do this. We're having fun, remember?)

Prizes!

The winners were to be announced in the newspaper and could choose from a variety of prizes. One was a "party" for the winner and a friend to watch a game at our house and eat "game food." And if they had a larger TV than we do - we would go to their house!

The Vikings head office provided more prizes: 1) the 50 Seasons of Vikings anniversary book, 2) the Minnesota Vikings 2010 Team Guide book, 3) Purple Pride cookbook - from the families of players, coaches and staff, and 4) a 50 Year memorial lapel pin.

I'll be calling the winners in the order I calculated so they can choose their prize. All except the "Party" can be picked up at the Beacon.

The Winners!

The winners are: first choice of the prizes goes to the entry from Steve Anderson and Barney Flom because they got all 35 nicknames correct. Second choice goes to Bud Gustafson who only had one wrong. Third choice goes to Art Rew with 30 correct but since he had 19 extra nicknames he had a "heads up" over Karyn Edelbach who only had six extra.

A tie between Duane Nordvold and Randy Schneider (both had 30 correct with one extra nickname) was decided by drawing a name out of my crockpot by my husband (they were handy). Duane won.

Honorable Mention: Cheryl Nordvold, Mark Myers and Brandon Walters. Thanks to all who took part - even by just talking about it!

Go Vikings! Go Fans!

ANSWERS TO NICKNAMES GAME!

Answers to "50 Years of Vikings Nicknames" Game: "Jay or J.A."(Jared Allen), "Boom Boom" (Brown), "Catfish" (Neil Claybo), "Coffin Corner" (Greg Coleman), "Pepper and Pep" (Daunte Culpepper), "Moose" (Carl Eller), "Old Man on the Turf" (Brett Favre), "Gannon the Cannon" (Rich Gannon), "Rip" (Ross Hawkins), "Cheap Shot Wally" (Wally Hilgenberg), "The Rocket" or "The Missile" (Quadry Ismail and his brother), "Two Minute Tommy" (Tommy Kramer), "Avis" -for finishing number two in the Heisman trophy voting (Ed Marinaro), "Iron Man of the NFL" (Brett Favre or Jim Marshall), "Wrong Way" (Jim Marshall), "The Captain" (Jim Marshall), "The King" (Hugh McElhenny), "Freak" (Randy Moss), "Ozzie" (Dave Osborn), "Purple Jesus" (Adrian Peterson), "Motor Mouth" (John Randle), "The Slippery Seed" (Oscar Reed), "The Mossiah" (Randy Moss), "B-Rob" (Brian Robison), "Bozo" (Ed Shrockman), "All Day" (Adrian Peterson), "Special K" (Kory Stringer), "Scramblin' Fran" (Fran Tarkenton), "Dutchman" (Norm Van Brocklin), "Benchwarmer Bob" (Bob Lurtsema), "Chainsaw" (Stu Voight), "Money in the bank" (Stu Voight), "Whiskey" (Wade Wilson), "Stormin Norman" (Norm Van Brocklin), "Mooney" (Roy Winston).

2010-12-01T19:55:00.010-06:00

“50Years of Vikings’ Nicknames” Game

2010 commemorates the Minnesota Vikings 50th season. In honor of this occasion (or just to reminisce about some of our favorite memories), we have put together a game to see if you can remember or figure out some of the nicknames of the players. Some of these may be less well known than others.

The nicknames have been sent to me from Dave Mona (host of the Sports Huddle radio show with Sid Hartmann on WCCO), former Minnesota Viking Bob Lurtsema, Judy Hammerstrom (sister of former Viking Dave Osborn), Doug Johnson, and whoever I was talking to about it!

Mail, e-mail or drop off your entries with as many answers as you can figure out - at the Beacon or: minnesotavikingsfans@yahoo.com. The contest ends at 5 p.m. on December 10.

Prizes!

The winner’s name will be announced in the newspaper and may choose from a variety of prizes. I thought it would be fun if the winner and a friend would be invited to our home to watch a game and eat “game food”. Sorry, no high definition TV. So if you have a better set-up at your house... I’ll bring the food there! (Certain conditions may be added to make it convenient for me! Like distance and date.)

The Vikings head office heard of my “prize” and decided to send some of theirs. So the winners will now have their choice of either “my party” or 1) the 50 Seasons of Vikings anniversary book, 2) the Minnesota Vikings 2010 Team Guide book, 3) Purple Pride cookbook - from the families of players, coaches and staff, or 4) a 50 Year memorial lapel pin.

Game Rules:

Nicknames are listed first.

Fill in the blanks with their real name from the list following them.

Include entrant’s name, address, e-mail address and phone number.

Deadline: 5 p.m. on December 10.

In case of ties, a winner will be drawn.

Have fun!

Here are examples:

“Purple People Eaters” Mid 1970’s Vikings defensive line of Alan Page, Carl Eller, Gary Larsen and Jim Marshall.

“Hyperboreans”(We’d never heard of this one.) The Vikings team nickname. The Hyperboreans were a mythical barbaric people in Greek mythology. Today the term can be used for any people who live in a cold climate, as the Vikings did. (Wikipedia)

“50 Years of Minnesota Vikings Nicknames”

NICKNAMES

“Jay or J.A.”

“Boom Boom”

“Catfish”

“Coffin Corner”

“Pepper and Pep”

“Moose”

“Old Man on the Turf”

“Gannon the Cannon”

“Rip”

“Cheap Shot Wally”

“The Rocket” (His brother was “The Missile”)

"Two Minute Tommy" (for many late game come-from-behind victories.)

“Avis” (for finishing number two in the Heisman trophy voting.)

“Iron Man of the NFL”

“Wrong Way”

“The Captain”

“The King”

“Freak”

“Ozzie”

“Purple Jesus”

“Motor Mouth”

“The Slippery Seed”

“The Mossiah”

“B-Rob”

“Bozo”

“All Day”

“Special K”

“Scramblin’ Fran”

“Dutchman”

“Benchwarmer Bob”

“Chainsaw”

“Money in the bank”

“Whiskey”

“Stormin Norman”

“Mooney”

PLAYERS

Adrian Peterson

Bret Favre

Wally Hilgenberg

Ross Hawkins

Norm Van Brocklin

Jared Allen

Bill Brown

Tommy Kramer

Hugh McElhenny

Ed Marinaro

Kory Stringer

Bret Favre

Quadry Ismail

Daunte Culpepper

Wade Wilson

Stu Voigt

Carl Eller

Bob Lurtsema

Rich Gannon

Randy Moss

Roy Winston

Jim Marshall

Stu Voigt

Fran Tarkenton

Jim Marshall

Dave Osborn

Neil Clabo

Brian Robison

Ed Shrockman

Adrian Peterson

John Randle

Greg Coleman

Randy Moss

Oscar Reed

Norm Van Brocklin

Extra credit: other nicknames you think of! (If we can validate them!)

Mail, e-mail or drop off your entries with as many answers as you can figure out - at the Beacon or e- mail: minnesotavikingsfans@yahoo.com. The contest ends at 5 p.m. on December 10.

Your name:_________

Address:___________

Phone:____________

E-mail:____________

2010-11-10T21:51:00.004-06:00

You’ve gotten this far...

Accept and encourage...

The men told of having had a 15 year “meth” habit... or being addicted to alcohol so they weren’t allowed to see their children... or they had been jailed or in prison, etc.

It was difficult to look at over 30 men dressed in nice shirts and ties singing in the choir at a church and imagine what hell they had gone through. And they add, what hell they put their loved ones through.

So how was my memory triggered as to what a cop once taught me about acceptance and encouragement?

These thoughts came when one man stepped forward and explained to the audience that because of his addiction he had been homeless... and slept under bushes near an alley in Cannon Falls, MN.

I remembered his story.

I wrote it for the newspaper back in 2008.

And I remember being concerned about his rehabilitation.

When I researched the story about Thomas McConnell back then I was touched by his striving to become the man he wanted to be. .. a man not controlled by his addiction... reconciled with his family... becoming the person he believed God wanted him to be.

But I also was concerned whether he would make it or not.

Doubts...

So I took my doubts to a cop who had been involved with many of McConnell’s problems over the years, Cannon Falls Assistant Police Chief, Rich Wisniewski.

He recalled that in a program called Teen Challenge (which includes adults) McConnell got a better grip on his problems and graduated from their recovery program. Wisniewski gave a talk at the ceremony.

And Wisniewski also taught me. He dealt with my concerns by suggesting that I just accept Thomas where he was at. Recognize how far he had come. And this is what I wanted to tell the men in the chorus. But I wanted to add what I had learned as I considered Wisniewski’s suggestion.

You see, I have kept his e-mail with these thoughts at the back of my desk for two years. (I know I really should clean my desk more often!)

I appreciated being reminded to accept someone just where they were. Recognize that it is amazing that they had gotten better.

And then I had another amazing thought! Maybe I should even consider doing that for me!

Revelation!

And this is the “revelation” that I wanted to get across to the men working on their own struggles that Sunday morning... accepting and encouraging themselves.

Don’t wait for someone else to recognize how much you have accomplished. You know what it has taken to get you to this point. Give yourself credit.

And push on.

(The Teen Challenge choir shared their thoughts and their music recently at True North Church in Cannon Falls.)

2010-11-03T12:31:00.002-06:00

A “Time Out”

for Randy Moss,

Brett Favre,

and Brad Childress

from the “Grandma Patrol”!

Sit in a corner fellas.

This is your “Grandma” speaking.

I’m going to talk to you one at a time and I want the other two to be quiet.

Randy - Would you like to be a great football player? That means filling the gap -

in this case it was to get the team to work together.

As a “Grandma” who loved you - I sure expected more from you.

Now, sit there while I talk to Brett.

Brett - What kind of leadership do you think you are portraying to the team? What if they all should act like you? As a “Grandma” I know you’re able to do better.

Now sit there while I talk to Brad.

Brad - Are you able to lead and teach these guys who may only believe their own press releases? And are you being true to yourself? Your “Grandma” is concerned you are losing your own soul in this struggle and losing the team too.

OK guys. You can come out of your corners now and have a cookie.

Love,

“Grandma”

2010-10-28T22:03:00.003-06:00

A “sign” of the times?

It was to honor them.. but it turned out to be embarrassing instead!

Since our neighbors were helping with our Adopt a Highway road cleaning project I thought it would be nice to change the name on the sign honoring the volunteers and include a reference to them.

The present sign only mentioned our farm because when we started the project about ten years ago we hadn’t asked anyone else to help. It was something we could do by ourselves we thought.

And since only Paul and I were doing the cleaning, we could pick the day we wanted. The sun would be shining and birds singing and folks driving along would wave and smile.

But soon we noticed that the neighbors had also been cleaning their road frontage areas. That made it much quicker for us. And since the paint on our old sign was now cracking, we decided to change the name on it to honor our friends.

The embarrassing part!

I was informed by the county that they were making the new signs smaller to save cost. They told me its new size but keep in mind that this didn’t make any impact on my spatially challenged brain! (I once brought home a Christmas tree that looked fine when we chopped it down out in the woods - but was probably twice as tall as would fit in our house!)

The new signs would have two pieces so the county only needed to replace the smaller portion when someone new took over that section of road.

The previous sign that had been mounted all these years was four feet across. This new one would have the top section be 2 feet by 2 feet with the Adopt A Highway notice. on it. The bottom section would be 2 feet by 1 foot for the name of the group. You would be allowed two lines for the name with a maximum of 18 letters per line.

The original sign put up years ago had caused a lot of chuckles. I had sent the county the name I wanted on it: Spirit Song Paso Finos (Horse Farm). I emphasized that this was all I wanted on the sign. I did NOT want our personal names on it.

But when the large sign was placed on the county road we saw it had our names on it. Plus, it was misspelled!

The county agreed to come and paint over it - or do something - but I said that we were all laughing so much that they could leave it. And no more cost to the county.

A surprise!

But I figured I wouldn’t be surprised this time. We chose the new letters for the sign to read: Paul and Rosie And Friends.

And yes, the spelling was correct on this sign.

But the size of the sign brought new laughter! Having been used to seeing the large signs honoring volunteers on highways across the state, this one got lost in the outdoor space along the road and looked like it was the size of a postage stamp!

And I had to tell the neighbors that this had been done especially for them!

Guess I’d better think of some other way to thank them.

Minnesota Vikings "Grandma Patrol"

2010-10-21T21:24:00.000-06:00

2010-10-06T16:44:00.001-06:00

It’s how you play the game...

Grappling with questions like “Monday Morning Quarterbacks” reviewing a game, Bill Priest, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Cannon Falls Medical Center (CFMC) and I “tackled” some “hard hitting” questions from folks around here.

I felt it would have been more appropriate for the incoming “coach” or new CEO, Tom Witt, M.D. to line up for this “scrimmage”, but Witt is reorganizing his practice so he can be here two days a week as he handles both the Lake City and Cannon Falls hospitals. Bill explained, this is not an unusual practice in the MAYO system.

I kicked off with a question about the recent exodus of physicians from CFMC and also the Lake City hospital which lost several too.

Bill came back with a fair catch, explaining about the play pattern of the previous CEO. “Greig Glover made tough decisions that needed to be made. They weren’t perfect but his intentions were valid. CFMC is a better place for having Glover here.”

I countered with an audible: “What about the public image of CFMC?” Bill decided to go for it: “From a numbers perspective, our volume hasn’t gone down and our surgeries are higher. Over the last year we’ve grown and added services including nine new staff members. Our goal is to provide excellent care and service to the communities we serve and earn the opportunity to provide for their future health care needs... we’re looking forward... to create a “Care Team” of the physicians, Physician’s Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, etc. Our goal is to get back up to 4-5 doctors.”

The Game Plan

The game plan, Bill continued, has their Team Based Medicine evolving... (resulting in) the enhancement of the medical personnel through the use of medical records online beginning in February. This will give more information about the patient immediately to the various medical personnel involved.

In a quick hand-off I questioned: How do the CFMC charges compare to other hospitals? Bill answered: CFMC is smaller but has some of the same costs as other bigger hospitals.

With a lateral pass I asked about CFMC’s relationship with the nursing home. Bill caught it and explained: “We partner with the nursing home and provide Dr. Simon Mittal to take care of the residents. It’s the patient’s choice if he wants his previous doctor or Mittal. It’s always the patient’s choice.”

In a goal line play I asked, what about after hours care here? According to Bill’s knowledge, “There have been very few times if at all that we would have needed an after hours surgery team and keeping that team on call. Usually the patient can be kept safely with the pain controlled until the morning. If not they will be sent to Rochester.”

“Sneak Play!”

In a sneak play I asked: Will taxpayers end up subsidizing a new hospital by paying for sewer, water hook-ups, along with the $2 million in taxes they have been collecting, etc.?

Bill took possession and explained: “It is yet to be determined how much MAYO would participate in getting utilities to any new building project. The city has been good to work with and the indication is that MAYO appreciates this.”

But in the end, we all realize this isn’t a football game. As a Monday Morning Quarterback I recognize that an incoming administration has the opportunity to call the plays as they see fit. But with MAYO’s apparent resources of psychologists, public relations people, etc., it seems like there could be a better way to handle such difficult situations.

Here's a question for the new "coach":

In the chance of going into over-time, here is a another question from a local resident for the new “coach”, CEO Tom Witt:

“What should we expect of a new administrator who comes from a clinic with five physicians who just left where he was full time? And how is he going to manage another problem clinic on a part time basis, hiring a new crew of physicians, team development and so forth, while still running his old clinic?”

I haven’t heard the whistle blow nor seen the play clock stopped. Looks like the game is still on.

2010-10-04T08:48:00.005-06:00

Obituaries... reasons to read them!

Obituaries... why read them?

Obits are a notice of a death... typically including a brief biography of the deceased person.

So you might read them because:

You look for friends’ names.
You look for your name! (Just kidding!)
Or when the folks in the obits are younger than you, you wonder why you are still alive.
Then one woman explained to me that when her unmarried girlfriend got to be 55 years old, she started reading the obits to see who was eligible for dating again!
But a comforting reason came to me one day. The obituary page is the one place in the newspaper that you are sure to see stories about people who were loved. I’ve never seen an obit saying the guy was a bum or liar.

The listings mention how much the deceased will be missed by children and grandchlldren and cousins and good friends, etc. It might mention what their jobs had been or what they had been interested in.

A surprise ending to the obit!

There was even one death notice that had a surprise ending! Read on. Usually the remembrances are written by the person or family putting it in the paper. But one was apparently written by the person who had died!

A recent St. Paul Pioneer Press obituary section had this one: “Mayer, Beth born October 18, 1919 in Wildrose, North Dakota.

“To Charles Teske, watchmaker & inventor, & his wife, Martha Alice Piersen Teske, the youngest of six children. Charles missed a patent on the unbreakable mainspring by just a few months.”

The obituary continues In “first person” vernacular and was printed with no corrections as follows:

“He died when I was yet young. After that Mom moved us around alot to find work.

“I especially remember our times at Johnson's Certified Dairy Farm in Robbinsdale, MN, where Mom cooked for the hired hands. She had every other Saturday off & we would go by streetcar into Mpls. to shop. We always ate lunch at Dayton's & I would always order blueberry pie or chocolate cake & icecream.

“I remember vividly the day Charles Linberg's son was kidnapped and murdered. I was 13. I bought my first driver's license at a filling station in Excelsior for 10 cents. I went to the Jr. Prom with Harold and the Sr. Prom with Albert.

“I was crowned queen of the Winter Carnival & my picture was in the Brown Section of the Mpls. Paper, which later became the Parade Section.

Then she tells about graduating from college, meeting her husband there, her family, her work, her interests and trips.

Now read the ending!

If you read this obituary to the end, you will find the surprise. The 90 year old lady writes: “What more was there left to do? I died at 10:10 AM, Sept. 10, 2010 with few regrets. I only wish I had learned to play the piano. My memorial service will be...”

Besides musing about her writing her own time of death, I thought how wonderful if we only regretted not learning to play the piano!

Will the dam hold? Flooding near Cannon Falls, Minnesota

2010-09-26T08:26:00.000-06:00