Hormel Stock Holders' Annual Meeting

Yesterday I drove to Austin to attend the annual Hormel stockholders' meeting. I've been a Hormel Foods stockholder for about 24 years, ever since I started working there. For many of those years I have attended the annual stockholders' meeting, held in my high school auditorium. Once Hans went with me. Other years my friend Lil came along. When I tell my friends that I am going to this event, they look at me rather strangely and ask: What is it like? I can't believe you would enjoy something so boring. Well, I have not attended any stockholder meetings from my other investments, but I have to say that this is a fun event!

Not only are the highlights of the past year reviewed, but videos are shown of current and future Hormel product TV commercials. I don't know who works on their creative/marketing team, but they are really cleverly done. I laughed and laughed at most of them shown last night. Another highlight was seeing former co-workers and two guys I have known since we were in kindergarten together. Can you believe that?! One of them is now working with my brother at his part-time job at a Volkswagen/Audi dealership in Rochester. I also saw four friends who went to the same church as I. That was really nice. They wanted to know about my kids and grandkids. Of course, I had lots of pictures along of Josiah and Annika taken at Christmas time. At the conclusion of the meeting, everyone goes to a counter to pick up their gift box - new Hormel products and coupons for money off on new items. This is very nice! Jerry said he really enjoyed the evening.

Instead of driving home last night in the below zero weather, I spent the night at Donna and David's and got to catch up on them and their extended family. Donna looks SUPER! She has lost 130 pounds. She feels so much better and has gotten to stop taking some of her medications. I'm thrilled for her. It was really nice seeing them again.