Sunday August 23, 09

Minneapolis, MN

I shall not comment on the Locerbie, Scotland Pan Am convicted bomber, being turned loose by the Scot's.

I shall not comment on No. 4 wearing purple. (in respect for our Wisconsin cousins and friends)

With that out of the way I will continue with my usual updates on the activities of Jim and Doris this last week.

It has been a great week weather wize in Minnesota. We are no longer in a negative position on our rain fall. Everthing is green again. The lakes and rivers are still a bit lower than normal soon going into the fall season. The temperatures have been warm and on some days a bit cool for August. We are enjoying. 

The tomato crop has exploded and we are supplying any and all who love those ripened on the vine Love Apples. I had more success this year. New soil, reguar doses of the right kind of fertilizer plenty of water and tender loving care. Wish you were here to share the bounty with us.

This week "The Great Minnesota Get Together", The State Fair begins its anual run through Labor Day. We have not missed this experience since moving here from Wisconsin. It is an experience like no others. It is the most popular annual event in Minnesota and especially in Minneapolis and St Paul.  We will let you know whats up at the fair in next weeks posting.

Doris is required to attend therapy sesions each week. The therapists are great and are making sure the recovery is complete and use of the wrist will back to normal soon. 

There are a few signs in the Twin Cities that the poor economy is beging to turn. There are some job openings, some workers are being called back and the Real estate market is not as stagnate as it was a short time ago. This does not mean everything is rosey, cause it is'nt. There are still many folks down and many foreclosers,  but all in all it's better than it was a while back. Eide Saw stil has the crew on a short week but they are anxious to return to 40 hours soon. 

I, as usual keep busy in my shop crafting what ever excites me. Lately it has been Amish and stlye small tables and entrance benches. A place to sit when you come in to the house, sit and take off your shoes and relax for a few minutes before hugging your wife.

We have been cooking on our gas grill, on our balcony during this summer. We cooked outside a lot when we were camping but sort of got out of the habit for a spell. 

It works great, the only problem is clean up. It's difficult to slop water and whatever on a balcony where it will run over the edge and down on your neighbor's below.  

We are learning and enjoying. Always trying somthing new. 

Our newest Grandchildren, the triplet girls will be starting kindergarten in a week or two. They are excited as well as Gina, their Mom. We do not know of the class room arangements for the girls. Will they be toghther or will they be separated? Is there 3 kinder classroms, two, or just one. Interesting questions and it will be fun to hear how they take to riding the bus and being in school and maybe separated for the first time. It will be interesting as we remember some of the trials and tribulations with our triplet boys. 

With all the crazy things going on in this world it's hard to keep smileing and keeping your ducks in a row, thats why a bit of humor does one much good. 

SO,

In case you weren't feeling old enough today...........

The people who are starting college this fall were born in 1990-1991.

They are to young to remember the shuttle blowing up.

Their lifetime has always included AIDS.

CD's were introduced two years before they were born.

They have always had an answering macine.

They have always had cable.

Jay Leno was always on "The Tonight Show".

Pop corn has always been microwaved.

and last but not least, 

They have never heard: "Where's the Beef".

Thanks for tuning in.

keep in touch

Jim and Doris

Sunday August 16, 2009

Tiger Woods lost the PGA at Hazeltine Golf Course, near Minneapolis an hour or so ago. 

It is always good to see young people coming up to take on the champions. 

I am not a golf player or golf fanatic. I caddy'ed when a young lad and never did pick up the golf bug. 

In those days before and at the beginning of WW2 the caddy's at the Kenosha Country club, in Wisconsin earned .80 cents to carry a bag of golf clubs for 18 holes. If you were fortunate enough to keep in sight the golfers golf ball, stand by it and wait until he approached for his next shot and make sure you were there when he needed a club, you might get a twenty cent tip. This made a days work on the coarse a buck. A big days pay back then. Sometimes the golfers would play 9 holes in the morning and stop for lunch and play the balance of 9 holes after lunch. Other times they would play all 18 at the same time. You never knew until the golfers decided. We had to hitch hike to the golf coarse and hitch hike back home after the days work. Sometimes you would sit all day waiting for a caddy job without getting one. Just hanging around the caddy shack waiting all day for nothing. A 16 oz pepsi was a nickel and we carried our lunch. I guess thats why I never became interested in playing the game. I did manage to collect a small set of wooden shaft clubs in a golf bag some where along my career as a caddy. Sometime during my Army career my parents got rid of them. They would have been a great collectors item today. I guess even if I had been home I probably would not have keep them. It's like all the old cars we drove and should have kept as collectables. 

Doris had some additional therapy on her wrist this past week. More to come. She experiences some numbness occasionally and now has the choice of more surgery to correct the cause.

We shall wait for her to make a decision as to what to do. 

Our tomatoes are starting to turn red in mass and we will be sharing them with friends. There are more than we can ever eat. Canning is out of the question. Mainly because of Doris wrist problem and the shortage of storage in a Condo. When our 8 children were all home and growing we always had shelves full of fruit and vegetables stored in the cellar for the coming winter months. 

Times have changed!

Dear Abby, I was married to Bill for three months and I didn't know he drank until one night he came home sober!

Thanks for tuning us in,

We appreciate.

Keep in touch.

Jim and Doris

Sunday August 9, 09

All of us here in the Upper Midwest have been waiting for rain. We are about 5 inches short of that wonderful liquid that keeps everthing alive, well and green. Without water my tomatoes could not survive very long.  Last week we had a few of those wonderful (love apples) between to slices of toasted bread with some smoked bacon and a touch of Americas Kraft Mayo. Doris' favorite. There are many green tomatoes waiting to turn that beautiful red color while on the vine. Thats the best, when they are vine ripened outside in the sun. Wish you were here for one of Doris' home grown delights.

Last evening looking out over our 14 floor balcony to the North and West, I could see the black storm clouds and the lightning  beginning to gather strength. There was a lot of wind outside the downtown area.  I had to take my flag down before the wind damaged it, blowing against the bricks. I cannot remember a severe wind storm in this urban area. Maybe it's the big buildings that discourage the wind from forming into tornadoes or maybe were just lucky. 

Some of the suburbs did suffer a bit from tree limbs trees blowing down on roofs and cars but no serious injuries. An added advantage to downtown living!

A few weeks ago, after I gathered enough courage, I posted a new picture of myself on this blog.

I thought someone would notice! I have had many of you advising me of the lousy first attempt, a picture taken from this computer.  Any way, as of this date I have not had any comments about the newer version of myself. The tee I am wearing was a gift from our good freinds Nancy and Larry Broers. We have known them from our travels in the RV. They have this great farm, where Larry was born (a few years ago is all that needs to said about that) and farmed all his life until now. This was always a wonderful place to stop, visit and rest on our way home from Arizona and other points. Any way, Nancy thought I should have this shirt that states loudly with it's black letters and yellow background that

                             "THIS IS WHAT A COOL 80 YEAR OLD LOOKS LIKE!" 

I wear it on special occasions! I should have worn it to the Carlson Get Together, but forgot.

Larry and Nancy have retired from the farm and have built a large wonderful log home on a small Minnesota lake  near Pine River, Minnesota. The home is really great and they are happy as clams to be away from all the Iowa corn and soybeans. A larger home than Maryln's  but on less land. Anyway, thats the story of the yellow tee. Arent you glad you found that out!

We are looking forward in a few weeks to "The Great Minneasota Get Together" the Minnesota State Fair. Doris and I have made a tradition out of this event and almost never miss a few days of walking, sitting, eating, listening to all the free music, looking, and even resting on occasion during this event. We travel to and from the fair on the wonderful bus system that Minneapolis has grown over the years, for 50 cents, seniors can travel to and from the fair and be delivered right to the main gate. The trip home is just as easy with buses leaving about every twenty minutes.  It sure beats driving in all the traffic and trying to find a place to park the car and walk a long ways before getting to the gate. Come join us sometime!

Doris is still traveling to the Hand Therapy Clinic and a few check ups with her former cadre of MD's. It is begining to come to an end is no longer the pani in the r--r that it once was. 

I have finished my knee therapy a bit sooner that than expected because of the progress I have made. 

This reminds me of  "The Smart Foot"!

1. While siiting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles with it.

2. Now, while your doing this, draw the number six "6" in the air with your right hand.

    Your foot will change direction!  and there is nothing you can do about it.

Thanks for tuning in this week.

Jim and Doris

Sunday August 2, 09

Doris and I returned from Madison, Wi on a Saturday afternoon of fun and visiting with most of the Carlson connected relatives. I am not sure how many of us were in attendance but it was a large group.

Doris and I are always glad to see all that show up for these affairs. I not sure when it all started but most of the direct descendants of Alvin and Otilda learned of them as soon as they learned to talk and walk. It was kind of born in them. The rest of us, the husbands and wives of the directs, always made sure we made an appearance at one of these family gatherings for the first time after the wedding. There were no ifs', ands or buts, if you married into the Carlson Family you were expected (required might be a better word) to attend. 

At first if was kind of scary and freaky for me. Here I was, a 22 year old dumb kid from out of town who had just acquired a new wife and was now required to meet the whole of this large  family of 12 children at a picnic some where I had never heard of or even cared about. After all, I was just used to being married and getting to know Ma and Pa Carlson.  It took me a couple years to meet em all! It's pretty obvious that everything went as planed. I eventually became one of the Carlson's (by default). I have an enormous amout of empathy for these new folks, male or female, young or old who feel they are being dragged to this annual event and probably would rater die than give in. I know how they feel.

It has been a long time since I was threatened as to what might happen if I did not escort their youngest daughter Doris to my first experience at meeting this large bunch (mostly Norwegians) of what I now know were great people that I learned to love, look forward to visiting, and eventually taught me to play and join in the euchre card games. 

I now look forward to seeing all of the family at least once a year at the home of a volunteer that offered their home for this annual get together. I have been heard to say that this is the last time we will attend because of the long distance drive. Then when the time draws near, I wilt like dead dandelion and anxiously wait for directions and times for the annual ritual.

For those that missed this one at Marilyn's hide-out in the Baraboo River Hill Country of Wisconsin all I can say is, what a beautiful home in a beautiful setting. Located on 40 acres of woodland (that by law cannot be disturbed) and a small field where deer and turkeys feed regularly. They can be seen from the back windows while relaxing and realizing what a great place this is. It would be worth your while to visit Marilyn and see what a jewel her home is. Thanks Marilyn for letting us share. Be sure to get good directions or you will never find it. This is the only place that-my GPS could not find. I was forced to purchase a road map ($6.87) from a gas station. I must have GIVEN AWAY thousands of those when I ran a gas station. Alas, I still could not find Klien Road.  Doris and I were, saved by Richard and Suzy Judd and his  car full who recognized my car and Minnesota license plate while I was stopped at a wide spot in the road trying to decide if I should turn right or left on one on Wisconsin's lonely County Trunk Roads. Doris was relieved as she believed we would never return to our urban home in Minneapolis. It was a great time! Thanks to Marilyn and all who provided food and drink.

Comments from the year 1955:

"if cigaretts keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. 20 cents a pack is ridiculous."

"if they think I'm going to pay 30 cents for a hair cut, forget it!"

Thanks for tuning in.

Jim and Doris

Dont be afraid to drop us a line. We get lonesome up here in the wilderness!