Sunday April 25, 2010

Hi to all,

Last week in our "Neck of the Woods" the wether was just like it is supposed to be in the Minnesota spring season. Warm sunny days, cool nights and not much rain. It did rain on Saturday and touch early Sunday AM. We are all looking forward to the great Upper Midwest summers than we just can't get enough of. Where did the phrase Neck of the woods come from? Every one has used it and never gave it a thought. There really isn't much of in the way of woods in our "neck of the woods! We are urbanites to the core. The only time in my life when I lived in"the Neck of the Wooods" is the summers and one winter at my Uncle Ray Nelson when the farm was mostly "neck of the woods" We cut wood to cook with, to heat the house, to heat the wash water and rinse water. We cut wood to use for buildings, a house, and a barn during my time in Sheldon, Wisconsin. After a tour in the army in the last year of the war I became an urbanite again and have been ever since. It's really nice being an urbanite in downtown Minneapolis. With a turn of a faucet hot water for my shower is instant. Cold water to brush my teeth and hair comes from the other faucet not from the pump in the pump house. A simple turn of the thermostat provides us warm or cool air and my car, old as it is is always parked in a heated garage where the snow and ice melts while Doris and I rest in our 14th floor home. Neat Huh!

The tables I manufactured for Jane and Gary have been moved to Lake Morrison where they will spend there lifetime. I am now framing mirrors to match the hickory trim in the new lake home. The home is finally livable and furniture and belongings are being transported to the lake almost each week end. I am looking forward to my first visit.

Business at Eide Saw is picking up a little each week. Not what it was a couple of years ago but on the rise. I keep busy in my shop and the last few weeks I have been rakeing last years leaves from along the fence. Good exercise for an old fellow who is beginning to feel achy knees and shoulders.

The Minnesota Twins are still in fierst place, although they did lose today. I did'nt watch as I was busy cooking, writing and a bit of napping. The new ball park is drawing a full house for each game and I have been invited by son Jay to attend an afternoon game on may 5th. I shall dutifull report my thoughts of the new ballpark.

The Minnesota Vikings are not so fortunate. Have been trying to get the taxpayers to construct a new football arena. Their lease is up after the 2010 season and threats to move the team to another venue (cities are crying for them to move to their new unoccupied stadiums. Will they leave? We shall see how much this team means to this important asset in Minneapolis.

Son Jay, the new owner of the next store duplex is busy rehabing the last side. The first side has been rented and he has begun to enjoy his new cash (cow) flow. He is looking to rest soon after the necesarry repairs are accomplished before it was suitable for renters.

I am patiently waiting for late summer to transplant my 6 tomato plants that are beginning to consume our sunny living room window. (this is a downside to condo living, we are surronded by concrete). The tiny tomato seeds have turned into growing plants. They have atained a height of 7 to 8 inches and are anxious to travel to the outside of the shop where they should flouraush till fall. Naturally I will keep you posted.

Son Tod is improving in sunny Califorinia. Doris and I are thankful for his friends the "Siglers" who have answered the call, feeding, cleaning and caring for him. The balance of the Battenberg clan are working, no one has been laid off from their jobs and all are looking for the wonderful summer days ahead.

Doris is back on her long time school volunteer schedule. A few more weeks and she will have to fill her time in some other manner. She has been nominated for a volunteer award. The award dinner is soon and I will keep you up to date about this lady that has worked and volunteered at Kenwood school for 39 years. She is feeling good and still gives money to the tribes at Mystic Lake Casino each and every Tuesday. Never leaves home without her trusty four wheeled brake and comfortable seat walker. Bus leaves from the hotel for the casino at 11 o'clock AM. Every one of her gang helps to see that she gets there and back home again. I wish they would help her win a little oftener.

Sign's (again)

"Teacher Strikes Idle Kids"

"Miners Refuse to Work After Death"

"Juvenille Court Trys Shooting Defendant"

"Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors"

Thanks for looking in! We appreciate.

JIM and DORIS

Amen !

April 19th, 2010

Good Morning,

Spring has arrived in Minnesota. Snow and ice are memories. The grass has, or in some area's is turing green and leaves are begining to show green.

Most in the Great Upper Midwest are excited about the Minnesota Twins and the new state of the art Ball Park.

The twins are hot and off to a good start at their new home and learning how to field balls that are hit off the new walls and watching to see how they bounce in the green grass. It's a long season and we will see what we shall see! The games thus far have all been sellouts as we the people are anxious to see how our millions of dollars were spent. Target Corporaton was a large contributor and thus "Target Field" is the chosen name. I shall attend with son Jay on the afternoon of May 5. He has aquired tickets and together we will sample an afternon at the ball park. I am sure we will enjoy the food, the seats, the view and enjoy the home town boys swinging the old hickory. Of course there are no hickory bats any more. As usual we Americans have cut our way and almost eliminated all of the hickory trees in the country and now it is exciting to watch the bats break as the hitters swing to make contact. The various woods being tried now are all suspeck and the old time manufactures of those great hickory ball bats are trying everything to find a wood that will compare with Hickory. So far no luck.

I think we should try and "SAVE WHAT IS LEFT" of everything. I wonder what our Grandfathers would think about all the new multi-million dollar stadiums and then find that we have squandered all the hickory trees. The Ball Park is within walking distance of our 14th floor condo. It's fun to watch the fans walk to and from the games on these great sunny spring days saving much congestion on the hiways and city streets. Our new Light rail transit brings the out of towners right to the ball park station and returns them to the burbs after the game. A far cry from what we once thought of the Dome as being state of the art. Now we have the dome without any tenants except the Vikings. Their lease runs out in a year or to. The good news is, the dome is paid for. We just have to find some other venues to fill it.

Doris and I have had a good week. Doris still continues her "help the kid's" at Kenwood school twice a week. I still travel to the shop each day. I have stopped offering advice and stay in my shop making sawdust. The last project was 11 various tables and a large mirror framed for the new mansion on Morrison Lake. Jane and Gary have always dreamed of this and the four bedroom home will be occupied weekends this month. They are happy as clams and busy moving "stuff" from home in Minneapolis to the Lake. We all, of course know this moving exercise will never cease as long as there are two homes a little less than 3 hours from home.

Son Tod is improving and is able to move around a little more a each week passes. He wears a brace on his right leg and arm. I am always amazed at the folks, (whom we have never met) (we could all practice some of this helping hand stuff) have taken responsibility for his care and convelesence. We are sorry he is in California and not closer to home. That, however is what he has chosen and he is happy with his decision.

Our tomato plants are enjoying the small table next to the only sunny window we have. We will have them as company for at least another month. I will then transfer them to their place in the sun outside the door of my shop. They do get tender loving care throughout their short life but they make many of the Eide Saw family happy when those fresh off the vine big red ripe wonders of nature mature.

As usual I will try and make you smile in signing off.

"HEADLINES"

"Enraged cow injures farmer with Axe"

"Plane to close close to ground, crash probe told"

"Iraqi Head seeks arms"

"Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half"

"Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft"

Have a great spring.

Call, write or vist anytime.

Jim and Doris

Saturday, April 10

Minneapolis

Happy Easter to all, one week late.

Doris and I hope all had a Great sunday last and made certain all the kids( no matter what age had a great family day.

As a young boy Easter was a special day for Brother John and I. We would wake up early and hunt for the Easter basket my mother worked hard to make special. There was always a special easter surprise that she created and would last long after the candy and decorated hard boiled eggs. Mother would always purchase a large chocolate egg that I always looked forward to. It was large and fill with a yellow candy yolk surrounded be white candy and covered with delicious chocolate. I wound slice thin cuts and enjoy then rewrap it, place it back in the basket until next time. I also remember that the next-times were not to far apart. This was always a wonderful easter gift Mother provided far into my adulthood that she purchased from the Fanny Farmer candy store. Fanny Farmer is no longer around and I still miss this wonderful delicious chocolate egg. I am sure Brother John also recieved some special delight that he enjoyed as much as I enjoyed that egg. In those days we also were required to eat the boiled eggs that we helped color when we grew older. It was almost a sin not to eat them. We learned quickly that it was better to eat them A.S.A.P. as the days past and the eggs aged.

The weather turned great for the holiday and we spent it at son Jim's in Chaska, MN. About a 30 mile trip from our condo in downtown Minneapolis. Not to much traffic on a beautiful Sunday. We are always the recipient, of the delicious ham bone that Doris and I create pea or bean soup from this base. In addition there is always a care package of ham for us to enjoy.

This year there were only host's Jim and Jay and Gina and their four youngsters and the two of us. Gina had hidden plastic eggs around the yard and the four kids had a ball hunting. After the first hunt the kids each took a turn turn at hiding the eggs. After 5 Easter egg searches they began to tire and look for something more exciting to do.

Yesterday, Friday was "Important people Day" at school for Dylan and his sister's Emma, Aylisa and Laura. Doris and I respectfully attended and had chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and one large cookie. We had a ball and we think the kids did too. We hope to be invited again next year when Dylan will be a second grader and the girls will be following in first.

I have transplanted my tomato plants to a larger plantable pot. At first they looked sickly but after a few days, perked up and are growing like crazy. The plastic grow boxes are prepared and ready to accept this plants as soon as the merry month of May arrives. ( along with assurance of warm days and nighhts.

Son Tod is doing well in California. He now wears a brace on his right leg and arm and is moving around quite well with weekly session at re-hab. We feel bad that we cant be there for him. We talk to him each week. This is kind of strange as in past years we would'nt hear from him in months and even sometimes in years. Were glad to have him back in the fold and are appreciative to the Siglers who have assumed the total responsibility of caring for him.

Doris is back at school for a second day each week. She and the staff look forward to having her as well as her kid's. She loves it and it is important to her to have this special responsibility.

I am, as usual into the shop each day. I just finished a large project for Jane and Gary's new four bedroom lake home. She asked me to build 8 bedside tables and took posesion of two more I built previously. It took many weeks of my part time retirement, but enjoyed the opportunity.

I always like to share a bit of humor in our blog and try to make you smile, so here goes!

SIGNS of THE TIMES

In a clothing store;

" WONDERFULFUL BARGAINS FOR MEN WITH 16 AND 17 NECKS"

In a General Store;

"WHY GO ELSEWHERE TO BE CHEATED WHEN YOU CAN COME HERE"

In a Paris France elevator;

"PLEASE LEAVE YOUR VALUES AT THE FRONT DESK"

Have a great spring and forget about the crazy folks among us!

Do not text while driving - (as far as we are concerned or any other time)

Jim and Doris