Finding where you “shine”!

This is a story about a dog. But it could be about any one of us! Finding the place where you can share your special talents.

Just ordinary... or maybe not!

Pepsi was his name. An ordinary black lab. He was brought to a rescue shelter when he was about two years old.

Kim Balder of the Cannon Falls New Leash Rescue explained that he was her “first truly difficult dog”.  “He was like a bull in a china shop when he was in the house. Not 'house broke' at all and he would never settle down.  The only way we could get respite from his destruction was to put him in a kennel or leave him outside.”

He was adopted and returned three times. No one could deal with his energy, she explained.

But he was special in one way!

Pepsi was “fanatical about tennis balls”! To tire him out they would spend a couple hours a day “hitting a tennis ball out in the field and have him retrieve it... over and over and over!”

One day Pepsi dropped the tennis ball he had been playing with into the pile of balls. It got all mixed together. But when he returned to the pile he went right to the same ball.

Kim recalled, “After doing this time and time again an idea popped in our heads that maybe this energy could be used for good... like rescue or bomb detection or something!”

So Kim contacted "a police liaison that worked with rescue dogs for placement on the police force. After they tested him and worked with him for about a week, the Brooklyn Park police department wanted to adopt him and enroll him in a drug detection program.

“Within a month he could identify 17 different drugs by scent. He went on to spend the next 5 years with the police and drug detection task force and Pepsi ended up retiring at 7 years old.”

Kim Balder of New Leash Rescue 
and one of her dog friends, Zeus.

Giving a “voice” to the “voiceless”.

Kim Balder on the Oxford Mill Road started in an animal rescue program back in 2008. In March of 2018, a few of these “like minded individuals started a new rescue named New Leash Rescue.”

Kim explained that she stays in this type of program “because I feel this is what I was put on this earth to do.” And she explained that she is so “grateful and proud of everything my husband and family have done over the years to help me live this dream.”

How many?

Over the past 11 years, Kim has personally helped 836 dogs, puppies and a few cats find homes.

“Dogs get to our rescue in a variety of ways” she explained. From “impounds, owner surrenders, Animal Humane Society, other states, almost anywhere that needs help.

“We've helped dogs from neglect situations, hoarding situations and medical situations - that without us, they might not have made it.”

“All the dogs that come to us get medical care first. All of our dogs are given shots, heartworm preventative, flea and tick preventative, spayed/neutered, microchipped, and dewormer.”

Check out adoptable pets at www.newleashrescue.org or contact Kim at newleashrescue2018@gmail.com.

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WHO DONE IT?

 

Scenarios are flourishing as to the reason for the disappearance of the old antique pickup truck advertising the Country Side Antique Mall and Cannon Power Sports on the south side of Cannon Falls!

It’s disappearance was one problem.

The other was that no one knew how long it had been gone!

 It could have been missing for the last month and a half or so.   Or, it could have disappeared the night before it was recently reported missing to the Cannon Falls Police Department.

The CFPD posted this picture on their Facebook page and have had thousands of clicks… but no info yet.

  The possibilities…

We’re still waiting for Spring to show up around here - so we have time to come up with ideas like these:

Maybe it wasn’t blown away in a storm.

Maybe it wasn’t stolen.

Maybe it wasn’t taken for parts to be sold.

Could be?

Maybe it was just borrowed.

Maybe, since it wasn’t operational, it was taken for repairs.

Or maybe it was captured by “Aliens”!

What do you think?

Hopefully someone with an inquisitive mind (or just bored) will come up with more suggestions.

Like ideas of where it could be hidden or stored.

Before the crops grow too tall, we can check out ravines and places that its parts could have been dumped.

Disney Cars

 Or could it be…

I like my granddaughter’s suggestion… maybe it was really a movie version of the cartoon heroes:“Transformer” or “Robot” in disguise!  Well, they can turn into vehicles or beasts and work with humans to save the world!

Or what about the character, Mater, from the Disney movies: Cars.  According to the internet, Mater “is the rustiest, trustiest tow truck in (the town of) Radiator Springs.  He loves… helping out stranded cars!" 

And then there’s the suggestion that’s always popular… “Aliens” took it!  (Roswell, New Mexico may be challenged by Cannon Falls, Minnesota!)

A real “Who Done It?” 

Ya Shure!    

Thoughts while shoveling snow…

(the ones that can be printed!)

Like: “How to make money 
selling drugs… legally!”

Perhaps due to being confined inside during recent frigid snowstorms… my mind pursued this thought:  people are expected to turn in their unused medications to a central drop off site or get rid of them someway.

BUT… why shouldn’t the person dropping them off get paid for them? Like when you return a product.

  Other businesses give refunds. So why not the “Big Pharma folks”?

Kind of an incentive to get drugs out of a potential robbery or accidentally in the hands of a curious child.

What about trust?

Plus: how do I know I can I trust that the medication “picker upper” person isn’t reselling them?

“Street value…”

I wanted to check out the “street value” of some of these drugs on the internet.  But then I thought I might get in trouble if someone was spying on my site.  And you might be suspicious if I stopped by and asked to use your computer!

So I was guessing $20 - $32 a pill for oxycodone. 

Now the folks I know who have had them legally prescribed don’t want to get addicted so they ration them pretty carefully.  

And if they don’t use them - they might have a good amount of money to gain.

Facebook…

I posted this question on Facebook and got some interesting replies.  I also reminded everyone that I don’t take meds at this time so don’t come checking me out! 

Researching these drugs on the internet showed that some of them could be passed on to third world countries where their access to meds is limited.  

And the effectiveness of some meds might not be as outdated as their labels would suggest.

Safety issues?

But a concern would be that the unused meds might have been tampered with.  So that would rule out capsules I guess.

Local drop off site

Cannon Falls has a drop off site for left-over meds situated inside city hall and next to the police department.  

Checking with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) they had some suggestions: like putting them in an unappealing product or flushing them down toilets or putting them in plastic bags in your trash.  But some folks don’t like these ideas because they still can potentially pollute the groundwater, etc.

With more snow in the forecast…

I'm expanding on this idea. Other businesses give refunds or take their product back. So why not the "Pharma folks"? 

With the result that you'd be getting drugs off the streets... or out of bathrooms - for some to steal or accidentally be used by curious toddlers.

Any other ideas friends? 

Or just some warmer weather…

Help for “friends” surviving

 dangerously cold temps!

     

                                                             (Photo by Kari Moline)

Although she had loved blue birds since her first day in kindergarten when her teacher put pictures of birds on each locker… Kari Moline had never seen a real live one until she moved to Cannon Falls, Minnesota in 1986 as an adult! 

The house she and her husband bought came with an old birdhouse tacked onto the big oak tree in their front yard, Kari explained.  And it was quite a surprise the next spring when she spotted her first pair of bluebirds building a nest in it.  They’ve been there ever since.

Surprise!

But it was another surprise when her husband spotted a bluebird in their yard one cold January day.  Kari had thought they were supposed to migrate south in the fall.

The next year she noticed a few staying over winter again.

So Kari researched on the internet and found that “bluebirds will winter over in cold climates if there is enough food available. Also, approximately 12% of bluebirds do not have the genetic code to migrate south.”

Worms, worms and more worms! 

Finding that bluebirds like meal worms, Kari began feeding them that.  But after a few years - and many dollars - she began to raise her own.

Instructions

“After watching a few on-line videos”, Kari learned that “the worms eat wheat bran, which is relatively inexpensive to buy in bulk. I purchased some plastic bins about 5" tall and followed the instructions to fill the drawers with 2-3" inches of wheat bran, then add a few peeled carrots for a moisture source for the worms.  

“I found an on-line source and ordered 5,000  live meal worms, placed them in the bins and checked them about once weekly.  Then added more carrots or wheat bran if necessary and checked on their progress. I was now a meal worm farmer!” 

Meal Worm Farmer Extraordinaire!

“Meal worms start their life cycle as little beetles,” Kari explained. “The beetles mate and lay eggs which then grow into adult meal worms. From there, the adult worms changed into pupae, then into beetles.  

“Occasionally  a few beetles escape the plastic bins. I just gather them up and return them to the worm farm. The beetles are harmless and don't bite.”

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 Is “Flipping Homes” for you?

“House flipping” is when a person buys a house and fixes them up a bit and sells them again.  But this can be a risky process!

  Two gals from Cannon Falls are doing this.  In their first year they flipped four homes: one in Burnsville and three in Rochester.

2FH,LLC

This is their business name.  Looks professional… and their legal adviser explained it would look better on documents than the words it stands for.

The two business women agreed.  

But they can’t help smiling because 

the 2FH stands for 

“Two Flipping Hotties”!

Teresa and Emily

Teresa Johnson recently moved to Cannon Falls.   For over 16 years she had been an active duty Army spouse, married to Lt. Col. Jesse Johnson and a  stay-at-home Mom to their four children.  This means she had moved to several different homes and found her love of interior design grow.  

Teresa explained, “Each new Army home brought on new challenges.  Challenges in which I loved to find a solution!” 

She met her business partner Emily Schoenfelder, also of Cannon Falls, three years ago through their children’s sports games.  Teresa continued:  “We bonded over kids, Plexus Health Supplements, clothes, purses and real estate!” 

Emily Schoenfelder is the CFO of Black Diamond Xtreme Engineering located in Cannon Falls.  She is a CPA who spent 10 years in tax and audit work before shifting gears to corporate accounting. 

Teresa explained how their talents complement each other. “Emily is the numbers brain and I am the design brain.”

Teresa also does private interior designing on new builds, existing homes and remodel work.

She continued,  “We work on a very strict budget, which gives me the ability to challenge myself and the supplies we use; while maintaining the quality of the work.”

Scariest part of flipping homes!

Teresa explained, “The scariest part about this business is buying homes often times without an inspection, since the flipping market is very competitive.  And knowing very well to ALWAYS expect the unexpected!  

“When looking for potential flip homes, we consider the profit margin, the amount of work needed, and use our natural ability to see value in homes that our competition may not.”  

Warning!

“I would suggest to people who may be thinking of entering the flipping world based on the fun shows they may watch on TV…  DON’T!"   

Teresa continued, “Yes, it is fun.  But, our definition of ‘fun’ might be a bit different than yours!  This is not a straight forward, reliable source of income.  

“It is a game which involves wins and losses.  No matter the amount of work you may put into one home, you are not guaranteed anything!” 

Not like on the TV shows…

“And, there is no network TV crew there to help us out of problems.”  (Yes, they are open to having their own reality house flipping show!)

Each home is a challenge Teresa explained.

“Every one of our flip homes has brought a unique challenge to our business.  Whether it be a success or a failure, each one of those challenges has turned into our greatest reward of learning.

“We decide what we can do ourselves based on how the budget is playing out.  I've done things I would have never seen myself do!   

“In the end, no one will work like Emily or myself will at our homes.”

And Teresa clarified one design mistake when she took something that was popular in one location of Minnesota and used it in another.  But it did not translate as well in the second location.  

She concluded: “We have both learned and laughed throughout the process of each home!” 

A hint when considering flipping a house:

When considering a house, Teresa concluded, we make sure we do not have to replace ALL of the kitchen and ALL of the bathrooms!  The exterior is also a huge undertaking. And there is always 10% of unforeseen costs that arise to keep us on our toes!   

Here is one example 

of their changes that proved popular.    

       Before  

 After

Kitchens are a huge factor whether the house will be a good flip! Teresa shared.  They always try to keep the cabinets instead of installing new ones. It cuts major costs. Shown here are upgraded appliances, painted cabinets, new countertops, new backsplash, knobs, lighting, and flooring.  

 

Is “Life" just another 

"Escape Room”?

Blind folded... because I was a dangerous outlaw you know - I was taken into an old cell from the 1800’s out in the "Wild West”.

Then I was shackled to the wall and told to sit on the bench below.  

The rest of my “gang” was brought it and shackled too.

Only then could we remove our blindfolds.  

“Escape Room”

And so I was introduced to the game of the “Escape Room”!  Wikipedia describes it as: a physical adventure game in which players solve a series of puzzles and riddles using clues, hints, and strategy to complete the objectives at hand. Players are given a set time limit to unveil the secret plot which is hidden within the rooms.

It’s an opportunity for “team building”, for example, to see how you can work together, listen, think creatively and keep trying other ideas if some don’t work.

Here’s the plan…

My college age grandchildren had chosen a scenario they thought I would like.  Rather than being locked in with zombies or pirates, etc. they decided we would perform a “Wild West” jail break - Time Period: 1800’s.    

Now keep in mind that when I come to visit them I like it really relaxed.  You see, I’ve got enough “adventures” in my regular life keeping up the farm.

   Just let me sit on their couch, with their little dog keeping me warm and a good book in my hand and I just watch them hurry along on all their busy activities.

On with the game… 

But the six of us, including their parents, settled down and scoped out the cell to make our escape.  I was the first one to get out of the shackles around my ankles.  I couldn’t figure out the code locking them that I was supposed to decipher… but I figured I could just slip out of my shoes and out of the shackles.  

I don’t know if that’s cheating but we were planning a “jail break” you know! 

Here’s the plan…

I climbed on the bench and found a loose bar in the cell’s “window”.  Then my son-in-law figured out how to get the key to the cell which was hanging across the room.   

But getting out of the cell was just a part of the scene and we still had to get the outer door opened.  

Actually, when the others got out of the cell into the open jail area ahead,  the “Jailer” stepped in with me for a moment. Now I was standing next to the cell door so I just slid out and snapped it shut so I could lock the jailer inside!   

I’m still smiling.

But the “jailer” had a “heart”…

I think the jailer felt sorry for us though as we heard little “hints” muttered by him when we were stymied.  (Thanks Jailer!). 

Many ideas were tried and failed and some succeeded.

If I had been alone - I think I would still be in the cell.

Even so… it took us almost the full hour time limit to get out.

And finally I could go back

     to the “Escape Room” 
of my regular life.

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 What’s up with the 
"New Sheriff In Town"!

 Looked like the new sheriff in Goodhue county got in a fight… but it was with a large tree… and his weapon was a chain saw… and although the sheriff won… he’s got some “warrior wounds”.  

(I interviewed Marty Kelly and 
his wife Mary via email.)

                                              Photo by Jack Kelly

This is his story… and he’s sticking to it!

Our new sheriff, Marty Kelly’s version: “I was cleaning up the old Belvidere Trail on our property to open up trails for walking or snowmobiling this winter. I had a fire going and was enjoying the day off. 

“There was a dead tree leaning over the trail. The branches had blown off in a prior storm so I thought it was an easy cut. 

“Having cut thousands of trees in my life I notched it where I thought it would fall. When I got through the back side the tree spun around. I didn't know where it was going to fall. 

“I was on a bit of a hill so I jumped down and attempted to run out of its way. I ended up tripping on some branches and the tree landed on my back and left side. 

“I believe adrenaline and several guardian angels got me out from under the tree and to my ATV. I did not have cell reception where I was at so I knew I had to get myself out of the woods. 

“I drove myself back to my house which was about two miles. When I got home I called my Dad, who lives close by, and asked him to come and drive me to the hospital. 

“I then called my wife and informed her I was headed to the hospital and asked her to meet me there. I walked myself to my van and waited for my Dad to take me to the hospital. 

He feels the pain…

“As we drove to the hospital the adrenaline and shock must have wore off. When I arrived at the ER, Dr. Kays and his trauma team did a wonderful job getting me out of the van and assessing my injuries. 

“My injuries included; 5 fractured ribs, 4 fractured vertebrae, punctured lung, fractured right hand and damage to my left wrist. This injury required surgery to repair the damaged tendons, ligaments and cartilage. 

“I have five pins holding it all together.  Soft tissue damage to my right knee and left shoulder. 

“The doctors say my wrist will be the most difficult recovery but as of right now my ribs and back seem to hurt the most. 

Change in plans…

“Prior to this accident I was putting in about 20-25 hours a week preparing for my duties as Sheriff. This has been on hold but Jeremy Lerfald, Chief Deputy, has done a nice job stepping in with some interviews that have taken place for positions that will open up in January. 

“Current Sheriff, Kris Johnson, has also been incredibly helpful during this time as well. 

Cop jokes?

“I have not yet heard any jokes about the incident but I am sure they are coming. At this point it still hurts to laugh, so hopefully we hold off for a little while. 

Taking office…

“I will be sworn in December 28th and will start my position as Sheriff on January 9th. I will have some doctor appointments but should be ready to begin work on the 9th. I am excited to get started.” 

(My personal thought: I’m waiting for the “cop jokes” to start! 
Then you'll know you’re getting better!  
Uff-dah!)