Skagway

Outside gift shop in Skagway.

Heidi outside gift shop.

Wonderful setting for our special lunch.

Note the glass leaves among the flowers.

Blow, Donna. Blow!

Janet's paper-weight, getting the final spurt of white-hot glass for its base.

This entire port was fun - and beautiful - from beginning to end.

This was probably my most favorite excursion on this trip. Heidi has a friend named Heather who decided to take a summer job at the Jewel Gardens in Skagway, Alaska. When she learned we were coming to Alaska on a cruise and stopping in Skagway, Heather invited Heidi to bring two guests to have lunch in the tea room, tour the gardens, and partake in the glass-blowing. I have always wanted to watch a glass blower, but never dreamed I would get the chance to try it myself.

First we had lunch. It was incredible! Everything they serve was grown on the property. We had cream of cauliflower soup garnished with nasturtiums. Next we were served spinach pie and salad greens. For dessert we had delicious rhubarb cake with rhubarb sauce. It was all beautifully presented.

Next we went to the glassblowing where 9 other tourist joined us. I volunteered to go first. I decided to make a paper weight in cranberry glass. It was really fun. After all 12 had made their paper weight/ornament, the glass blower informed me mine had cracked. He noticed it as he was quickly placing it in the cooling chamber. So he asked me if I would like to make another. I jumped at the chance. While watching the others, I had changed my mind and thought I would rather have an ornament. I changed my colors to white and cranberry. With my experience from the first attempt, I knew to blow more air into my second globe.

The ornaments or paper weights were mailed to us. Mine was delivered this past Monday and it is beautiful.

Feeling elated from that experience, it was hard to imagine anything else could top this day, but then we walked through the gardens. I have included only a few of the photos I took. It was just so beautiful. I never expected to see flowers like this in Alaska.

If you ever go to Alaska, try to go to Skagway. And don't miss the Jewel Gardens.

Whale Watching

A pod of about 12 whales surfacing 25 feet from our boat.

This whale was 10 feet from my open window. My, did he have bad breath!!

For this day, Chad, Peder and I had booked a helicopter to land on an ice berg where for 30 minutes we would don boots with cleats and walk around on the surface. We may even fly over some whales if any were spotted. Well, to our dismay, while waiting for the bus to pick us up, we learned the excursion had been canceled due to the nasty weather. It was drizzly and foggy - not a good day to fly. So what to do? Heidi, Chad and I decided to walk into town - Juneau - to see what we could find. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a Golden Retriever next to a whale excursion booth. I pointed him out to Heidi and Chad, and since they missed their dog, Brian, they walked over to see him and talk to his owner. The dog's name was Echo. His master told us about the boat and the experts who are the commentators for it. The driver and the narrator have studied whales for years. They have been featured on the Discovery Channel and other national programs. He went on to tell us we would be guaranteed to see whales or our money would be refunded. Well, it didn't take much for us to decide to book it.

The time of the excursion was 3 pm, so that meant we had time to eat and shop a little. Echo's master recommended the Red Dog Saloon. We walked right to it, and as luck would have it, we got 3 of the last stools at the counter. The saloon was loaded with memorabilia - and I mean LOADED. Saw dust covered the floor. Huge mirrors had dollar bills mounted all around them with signatures written on them. There was a honky-tonk pianist who sang lots of fun songs. The handles on the beverage taps were dolphins. And the food - I ordered batter-fried halibut and Cole slaw and it was DELICIOUS! Plus, the servings were huge. This was really fun.

After shopping a little while, it was time to get to the meeting place to start our whale expedition.
We rode in a bus about 5 or 6 miles away from Juneau. I enjoyed that too as it was really the first time I had been "in Alaska." Somehow this made it feel "real."

The tour boat held about 24 passengers plus the driver, a crew member, and the narrator. We left the pier and sailed about 15 or 20 minutes when we spotted about 5 signals of whales blowing. Our driver slowed down the engine and we continued to see more spouts rising. Then there were tails coming from the water. We watched and watched, and then we saw many heads rising. Our narrator told us they had been watching this particular pod of 12 whales for the past 5 weeks. They estimated the pod would stay near this location for another week and then start the long journey to Maui, Hawaii, where they will mate and give birth to a calves.

Our driver cut the engine and we drifted in the area for about an hour. It was chilly because we had all of the windows open. I was lucky to be sitting right next to one while several of the whales neared our boat. They were about 25 feet away when their heads surfaced. They were huge! Our driver dropped a microphone into the water and we got to hear the whales communicating. When they got within 15 feet, he pulled the microphone up and we could hear the whales on our own. They were swimming toward our boat. I was concerned they would capsize our vessel. If successful, would they try to eat us?! The narrator calmed my fear when he said the whales know where we were and would leave us alone.

All of a sudden, I saw the back of a large whale surface really close to my open window! He was no more than 10 feet away. Wow! Did he stink. Our entire boat could smell him.

This was an awesome trip. Chad, Heidi and I loved it. When we returned to the ship later that night, we learned my cousin Linda was on a boat about 25 yards from us. She was witnessing the same whale display! How cool is that?!

Baby Shower for My Next Grand Child

Centerpiece Cake (made with Pampers)

Heidi's first glimpse of the shower.

I love her smile.

Aurelia's other grandma - aka Nana

My Aunt Liz

Me and my baby.

Saturday morning at 9:30 we began decorating the Champagne Bar for Heidi's baby shower. No, we did not serve champagne. At 10 the guests began to arrive. Peder was to fetch Heidi and Chad at 10:15 and persuade them to join him in an activity. A little after 10:30, Peder and Heidi arrived - but no Chad. Some how he managed to duck out. The first thing I remember Heidi saying was, "I knew my mom would do this at some point during the cruise." Why can't I surprise my kids??

Heidi and Chad got so many nice gifts. It was the first time our group had actually joined together since we embarked, so that was nice.

Alaska or Bust!

L to R: Heidi, yours truly, and Linda
Waiting for the shuttle to drive us to the pier.

Arriving at the pier.

Good-bye, Seattle.

Life-jacket drill - mandatory.

On 8/8/08, 20 family and friends left pier 30 in Seattle bound for Alaska. Some had sailed before, but this was a new adventure for me. Once boarding the ship, we found our respective rooms, dropped off our bags, and made it up to deck #9 to watch our ship pull away from shore. Seeing Seattle from this vantage point was really nice. We stood at the railing for quite awhile and then began acquainting ourselves with our new surroundings. At a given time, a mandatory life saving drill was held on deck #5, each room having a designated spot at which to assemble. Once there, we stood in tight rows while a crew member took attendance. I was stuck between several tall people, so I assumed our group was all in attendance. A signal of seven loud tones was given and we told that would be our signal to immediately report to this area should the ship come into any danger. It sure brought memories of Titanic back. A comforting note was that this ship had enough space in the lifeboats for everyone on board, and that each boat was stocked with food and water.

I shared a state room with my cousin Pat. We chose to room together because neither of us is fond of air conditioning. We tend to like our room warm and cozy. All but two of our state rooms were close together on the same deck. Only Heidi & Chad and Sarah's parents, Barb & Ken, had room on another deck. They also had balconies.

After unpacking my bags, I began wandering around the ship. In the back of my mind, I was searching for a spot where we could hold a surprise shower for Heidi on Saturday morning.

Home

After a wonderful vacation with family and friends, seeing gorgeous sights, traveling to the 49th state and back, I am home and thinking about going to bed very soon. I formed many new memories, took a couple hundred pictures, bought a few treasures, ate too much food (desserts), had quality time with two of my kids and their families, plus time with other members of my family and my dear friends, wept with Sandy over the death of her precious aunt -- my dear, little friend, Cassie -- witnessed my darling granddaughter, Aurelia, pop a new tooth and have a pre-birthday party, celebrated the upcoming birth of Heidi and Chad's little one, and had a couple of walks with my grand-dog, Brian. I'm nursing a mild case of pneumonia which started with a sore throat a week ago.

The problem is: I love watching the Olympic games. We didn't have any coverage of them until getting to Heidi and Chad's Friday afternoon. Now that's all I want to watch. If I had Ti-Vo (not sure how to spell this new invention), I wouldn't have to fret about it, but I don't. My eyes don't want to stay open any longer, so I guess I'll call it an end to a great time and go get some much needed rest. It will feel so good to be back in my own bed.

Sightseeing in Seattle

Today Heidi drove to downtown Seattle and she, Linda, Janet and I went to Pike Place Market. This is the first visit to Seattle for my cousin, Linda, who lives in Chicago. She liked the market as well we do.

It was a hot day here - the temperature reached 94 degrees - but that didn't keep the crowds away. When we were near the fresh fish stands, I stood as close to the ice counters as possible.

The flowers - as always - we very beautiful. And cheap! There were small bouquets for as little as $3 and $5. It's fascinating for me to watch the women who create them. I talked to one of them today and she told me that her hands are sore every night when she gets home. It's always tempting to buy a bouquet to bring home on the plane (I've done it once), but I resisted.

Today I got to catch up with Hans and his family. Josiah sang a song to me about "accidents happen." It was really cute. Then Annika talked to me a little bit. It's a thrill for me to hear her say, "Hi Grandma."

Tomorrow we fly home. It's been a very nice vacation. I have loved being with my family and friends. I hope to write something about each day's events and include photos just as soon as I get a chance.

Back on Land

When we awoke this morning, our ship was docked at the pier in Seattle. It was a very nice cruise - especially being with family and friends. I'll try to give more detail to the daily events in a few days, but for now, I'll just say that we're back and chilling out at Heidi and Chad's home. There is a small line to use the computer. And we're catching up on the Olympics. We have seen NONE of this event so far. News on the ship was mostly about the situation in Georgia and a couple of pieces on celebrities.

I could have been on the Internet while on the ship, but at $.55 a minute, I decided I could do without it. I did miss the daily contact, however. It's so funny how the computer has become so much a part of our daily lives.

I will tell you that Peder made it into the finals for the competition which was held last night. He was wonderful - great - one of the two best vocalists of the nine finalist (some shout, scream, or talk and they call it singing, but in my opinion, they are not), but a young man who sang Fight for Your Right to Party won. I thought he was a good actor, but not a good singer. Anyway, it was fun, and 18 of the 19 of us on board, were there to cheer for Peder. We had signs that read "Go Peder" and yelled, clapped and stood for his performance. He got a medal to wear around his neck (as in the Olympics) and a travel bag from the ship for competing.

Greetings from Prince Rupert, B. C.

This is the first chance I have had to get on the Internet since leaving Seattle last Friday. In a way, I have had withdrawal symptoms. It's amazing how much the Internet has taken over our lives! Today we are in port in Prince Rupert, B. C. Jerry and I walked around town - in pouring rain - and are now at the public library. It cost me a US dollar for an hour's worth of time. Checked my email. I had 47 messages - many were spam. Got the news that a new little boy cousin was born into our family yesterday. He is my cousin Linda's first grandson. Congratulations to Jessica and Jesh.

Sunday last we got the news that my dear little friend, Cassie, died. She was 95 years old. I met her 15 years ago on her 80th birthday. Her niece and nephew, Sandy and Jim, are on the cruise with us. Her funeral will be Wednesday after we return. I'm so happy that she is now in heaven. I look forward to seeing her again.

We're having a great time and have seen many, many beautiful sights. My favorites are two excursions: 1) whale watching in Juneau. A HUGE humpback whale surfaced about 10 feet from my open window on the boat. He had very bad breath! I got some good photos but won't be able to post any until I get back to the US. 2) A visit to a tea garden and glass blowing session in Skagway. Heidi, Janet and I went. We had a FABULOUS lunch in the tea room/solarium and then had a lesson in glass blowing. We each made a glass ornament. It was so much fun.

Yesterday morning we sailed in a fjord up to a glacier and the captain turned the ship around so that everyone could get a very close-up look, all the while there were spotters watching for ice bergs. We saw many, but thankfully didn't hit any. I saw "calving" a couple of times. This is what they call the chunks that fall into the ocean.

I'm really enjoying being with everyone. Yesterday Aurelia and I spent a couple of hours together while she napped. When Peder and Sarah returned to the room from swimming in the pool, as I was leaving their room, Aurelia held up her arms for me to take her. This is the first time she has shown she wanted to be with me.

We sailed in very rough seas yesterday - at least it was rough for my standards. We were out in the Pacific Ocean and the waves were about 12' to 15'. Jerry said I could tell Hans that I am now seaworthy. Lil was seasick all last night, but she is great today.

Peder has been competing in on-board karaoke and last night moved into the finalists. Tomorrow night will be the deciding performance. Up to now, I haven't been able to stay awake (competition starts each night at 10:45), but I will force myself to go tomorrow.

Our ship is large - 11 stories. All but two of our rooms are on the second floor. We've been able to do so many things together, and individually. The food: it's been wonderful! I've tried to be sensible in my choices so that I can fit into my office chair when I return to work. The fresh fruit is abundant, as are desserts, ice cream, burgers & fries and pizza (I haven't had this yet, but today may be the day), and wonderful entrees and breads. All of the above are available ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT long. Can you imagine?

Hello from Seattle

Today we had a pleasant flight to Seattle, flying Sun Country. Leaving from HHH is so efficient - you should try it. 30 minutes into our flight we were offered beverages. A few minutes after that they handed out hot turkey sandwiches - delicious! I sat next to a very nice couple from Portland. The woman's name was Donna. She patiently taught me how to play Sudoku - at least the "easy" level game. When we were landing, she tore out three pages for me to continue playing. How nice is that?

It has been wonderful being with Heidi and Chad - and Brian - again. I hadn't seen them since last Christmas. Heidi looks very cute. She's six months pregnant.

Tonight we walked 2 miles down the hill toward Puget Sound to have dinner in a restaurant there. Chad drove down separately and so we had a ride back up the hill. It's so pretty in Seattle. Many people have beautiful flowers and shrubs in their yards.

It's been fun hearing from everyone as they have arrived in Seattle today. We're all here - and tomorrow's the day!

I'm on Vacation! Yahoo!

I love my job and the people I work with, but I'm happy to report I'M ON VACATION!!

Over a year ago, several members of my family and several of my friends booked passage on an Alaskan cruise. It seemed so far off - and it was - but it's getting closer. Tomorrow we fly to Seattle. Friday we set sail. It's so exciting!!

Another Candle on My Cake

It's rather dark, but shows the photos hanging from the ceiling - photos of Alaska.

One of two inflated boats hung from my ceiling.

Dog sled photo hanging in my cube.

Yes, I added another candle on my cake yesterday. Wow! Where does the time go? My life is full and overflowing. I have no complaints.

Yesterday I celebrated with friends from my choir. They decorated my choir chair - but of course the decorations had to be removed prior to the worship service. :-) After services, they took me out to eat at one of my favorite restaurants. I ordered cranberry/walnut pancakes and Hormel bacon. It was delicious! The waitress brought a huge piece of carrot cake, which we shared.

Today I was surprised to find my cube decorated wonderfully in an Alaskan cruise theme, complete with two ferry boats. The greeting at the entrance is:

ANIBVIKSAK KUVIANARTOK

which is Happy Birthday in Inuit, the language of one of the Indian tribes living in Alaska. This afternoon we'll be having my party - with home-made chocolate layer cake from LaVonne. I work with fantastic people - more of my friends.

Thursday I fly to Seattle to Heidi and Chad's. On Friday, 20 of us will board the Rhapsody of the Seas and be on our voyage to Alaska. I'll be celebrating more while on the cruise. I sure hope I'll be able to fit in my office chair when I return!

We Are Remembering . . .

This is a scene of the new I-35 bridge, still under construction. It is immediately beyond the 10th Avenue Bridge, which is in the forefront.

Today we are remembering the horrific event a year ago of the collapse of the I-35 bridge near downtown Minneapolis. 13 people lost their lives. Many others were badly injured and are still recovering. Heroes came from all directions. There were so many cries for help, it was hard to know who should be helped first.

Where were you when you heard the news? I was watching the 6 pm news on my favorite news channel - KARE 11 - when at 6:06 they broke into their broadcast with "breaking news" of the hard to believe event. What? The bridge collapsed?! How could that be? Hundreds of vehicles were creeping along in bumper-to-bumper traffic due to construction crews on the bridge. Many of them fell into the Mississippi River. A school bus full of kids returning from a summer outing was hanging near the edge. A truck burned upon impact.

I immediately phoned Hans in Rhode Island and told him to turn on the news - something like CNN - because the I-35 bridge had just fallen. "Which bridge, Mom?" The one by the U. "You're kidding!" No, it's true. "My gosh, I've been over that bridge thousands of times." Me too.

Later that night I learned that that my cousin Jill had been over the bridge three times just that day!

The new construction crew started rebuilding the newly designed bridge last fall. They were given a completion date of December 24, 2008. They have worked around the clock since commencing and say they will have it completed in September - next month. Today, in memory of those who lost their lives, they will stop work from 3 - 9 pm.

There is a memorial worship service today at 11 am. Later in the day, 13 wreaths will be placed into the Mississippi River from the Stone Arch Bridge, while the names are the victims are read. At 6:05 pm, there will be a minute of silence throughout the twin cities.

[Notes from today's events: today while family, friends, responders and neighbors gathered at the Gold Medal Park, a bald eagle circled the air above them. It was a peaceful scene. From there the group walked to the Stone Arch Bridge, led by a company of bagpipers. The names of the 13 victims were read just before 6:05. At 6:05, some of the construction workers - in hard hats - stood on the new bridge and unfurled a large American flag. State-wide we were urged to hold a minute of silence. At 6:07, bells tolled from several big churches in downtown Minneapolis. I think it was a fitting remembrance.]

I Did It!!

Today I rode my bike to work! This has been a goal of mine for quite some time. It's been one of those things: I want to ride it; I need the exercise; I'll save on gas emission pollution; I'll save $$$; It's quick; and on and on. I've had one excuse after another for not riding it. But today the weather forecast is for thunderstorms and possible hail. I abhor hail - the reason being possible damage to my car. Anyway, I did it. And it felt good.

Delicious Serving of Pineapple - $12.00

Today I cut my little pineapple from the plant and prepared it for eating. First I twisted off the perfectly shaped leaves from the top. It came off in one nice peace with a tiny, yellow core intact. I saved it as I need it to grow another pineapple. I was surprised the core was small - about the diameter of my little finger. After trimming off the outside, 7 nice bite size pieces remained. They were sweet and very juicy. Simply delicious!

This is the most expensive pineapple I have ever eaten = $12.00 to be exact. But that doesn't matter as I bought it as a decoration and never thought it would actually ripen. In a week, after the little core and leaves dry out a bit, I will plant it in some potting soil and patiently wait - for about three years - for another fruit to grow.

The Water Horse, Legend of the Deep

Last week I saw the movie The Water Horse, Legend of the Deep and I really enjoyed it. Hans, Peder, Heidi, Janet, Jerry, Aunt Liz and Pat, I think you may like it too as it takes place in Scotland along the shores of Loch Ness. As you know, we have all been there. We've climbed around in Urquhart Castle, and you will see the famous stronghold in one of the scenes.

I had to use subtitles as some of the brogues were difficult for me to understand, much as it was when I was over there. It's rated PG, so it might be a little much for Josiah.

Mystery Solved

A few months ago, I asked Sarah to add "Live Traffic Feed" to my blog. It's been interesting noting the locations from which folks are viewing my entries. For weeks I have been thinking that my co-workers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are checking out my space, as well as those of my family. But this morning I discovered that each time I check in on one of the blogs with Live Traffic Feed, it is registering me as connecting from Grand Rapids. That is because our work connection is from the network there. Mystery Solved.

More Blessings

Tonight I'm counting more blessings. I work with some amazing people. Today one of my colleagues brought me "just picked" peas and green beans. He said it was a thank you for watering his office plants last week while he was away on business. I fixed some of the beans for lunch, and tonight I prepared a dish I haven't had for years - creamed peas over new potatoes (I bought the new red potatoes at the farmers' market Saturday.). It's an "old fashioned" dish, but very tasty. What a treat to have fresh, home-grown vegetables.

De For Family and Friends Cruise

Our family and friends cruise is coming up fast. We depart from Seattle on 8/8/08! We have 20 people going. If you're curious about it, check it out here.

My Pineapple Is Ripe!

A couple of months ago I bought a pineapple plant at IKEA. It has never grown in size, but this morning when I went outside to check on my flowers, I noticed it had turned yellow! Now, do I cut it and eat it? Will it then grow a new pineapple? Does anyone out there have a pineapple farming background? I found this article on the Internet.

Happy Birthday, Heidi!

Today my baby turns 31! I can hardly believe it. As I recall that day, I remember it was 101 degrees outside, and thankfully, we lived in a house with central A/C. She was only 17" long; weighed 6 lbs., 2 oz. After having two boys, when the doctor announced, "It's a girl," I remember asking, "Are you sure?"

The first thing I bought her was a doll. Little did I know she would never play with dolls. She doesn't have a passion for dishes either. But those things don't matter. She has been, and continues to be, one of the joys of my life. Have a great birthday, Heidi!

Weekend of Family Get-togethers

This was a busy weekend of family get-togethers. On Saturday, my father's side of the family held their family reunion at a city park in St. Peter. Except for the wind, it was a lovely day for an outside activity. I would estimate there were about 60 people in attendance. My father was the youngest of 10 children. Sadly, none of them are living any longer. Of the first cousins, there were 8 in attendance - - the oldest being 91. I am the third youngest of this generation. One cousin brought a box of photos that he thought should be shared with others. It was fun looking at them. I was thrilled to get a picture from the living room of the house in which I lived from birth to 9th grade. Since my folks died when I was young, I don't have very many things from my youth.

Today many of my family members had a great time at my cousin Diane's new home in Blaine. Peder, Sarah, Aurelia and I drove together. My brother and sister were there, as well as my cousin Linda from Chicago and Aunt Liz and Pat. Diane and Dave's entire family was there including our newest cousin, 6 month old Ethan.

9 of us in attendance are leaving for Seattle in 25 days to set sail for Alaska on 8-8-08. We had lots to talk about: have you completed your boarding pass? What are you planning to wear? Are you planning to take any land excursions? Or trips for whale watching? What time does your flight arrive? As for me, I'm looking forward to experiencing ship life; seeing sunrises and sunsets out at sea; looking at the stars and moon - perhaps the aurora borealis; watching for whales; sitting in the hot tub; touring the kitchen; looking at glaciers; watching for bald eagles; and shopping in the ports. Hopefully I'll still be able to fit into the clothes I'm bringing! In all, 20 of my family and friends are going to Alaska.

Back to our afternoon together. . . It was so much fun seeing Aurelia walking everywhere! She is so tiny and sweet. It's hard to believe she is walking already. She never cried once, even though she hadn't had a nap. She soon fell asleep once we were on our way home.

E. T.

My kids and grand kids are movie fans. So am I. While our tastes vary, sometimes we see eye to eye. Peder posted an entry about Pixar movies. He went on to say which ones he has seen and which ones he owns. Of that list, I have seen the following:

Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, Cars, Ratatouille, and Wall-E . I liked all of them very much.

Tonight I added another movie to my personal viewed list: E. T. That's right, it's an 80's movie and up until tonight I had never seen it. I have to say that I really liked it. I even cried at the end.

What a year I am having - - a trip to Ukraine, Austria, Germany; time with Hans, Rachel, Josiah and Annika; watching Star Wars with Hans; having one of many (I hope) over-nights with Aurelia; getting ready for a new grand son!; and preparing for an Alaskan cruise - we sail in less than a month! Yes, it's a good ride.

News for the Girls in My Family

Guess what's coming to the Mall of America? An American Girl doll store! Now we won't have to drive to Chicago for those special dolls, doll clothes, and accessories.

Aurelia and Annika, won't this be fun?! Woo hoo!

Fort Snelling

Abigail Hunt Snelling, Colonel Josiah Snelling, yours truly.

Josiah Snelling autographing my Josiah's book.

Abigail Snelling signing Josiah's book.

Nancy displaying the beautiful dishes!

Quilting frame

Cross-stitch by Josiah's daughter, Mary.

Post headquarters.

Military parade.

Happy 232nd birthday, America! What a beautiful day this has been. Something new has been added to this holiday in Minnesota. Each year, in addition to celebrating our freedom from England, Minnesota is henceforth honoring Viet-Nam veterans, of which my brother is one. Thank you to all of the men and women who served during this war.

My sweet grandson, Josiah Snelling, is named for Colonel Josiah Snelling. He was in charge of the 5th Regiment of Infantry. In 1819 they arrived at the junction of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers to build the northwest link in this chain of forts and agencies. Here, where traffic could be controlled on two major rivers, Fort Snelling was completed in 1825. Colonel Josiah Snelling's officers and soldiers permanently changed the landscape. They made roads, built a gristmill and sawmill at St. Anthony Falls, planted hundreds of acres of vegetables, wheat and corn, cut hay for their livestock, felled trees for their fires and made the first documented weather recordings in the area. All the while they enforced the laws and policies of the United States. I had never visited this historic place until today. Since they have special events on July 4, I promised myself I would take the opportunity to tour it today with a couple of my friends. It was so nice, and I learned so much. I plan to go there again!

I got to meet the actors, Josish Snelling and his wife, Abigail. When I told them my grandson's name, they were astonished. To their knowledge, no one has ever shared that before with them. They graciously autographed the book I bought as a gift for Josiah. It is titled Frontier Fort; Fort Life on the Upper Mississippi, 1826.

We saw the cannon salute, a soldier's theater production of an 1819 historical drama, demonstrations of period cooking, a doctor bandaging a young person, bought root beer in the general store, and viewed the military parade, complete with drums and fifes. During Col. Snelling's review of the troops, the soldiers fired muskets. It was a fascinating time.

Last night I went to the Bloomington Summer Fete with a couple of friends. We arrived around 5 pm and were able to listen to three concerts, eat foods from the vendors (I had a bratwurst, chips, a pina colada-non alcoholic, and some caramel corn), and finally watched some of the most wonderful fireworks I have ever seen in real life. Because Bloomington, as well Minnesota, is celebrating its sesquicentennial this year, our city council pulled out all the stops and provided the largest display ever! There were gorgeous bursts of beautiful colors up in the sky while myriads of splendid, artistic explosions were near the surface of the lake. Many boomed; others crackled. There were oohs! and aahs! and wows! heard over and over. They estimated an attendance of 40,000 people in attendance. We saw a few people with their pet dogs. That was hard for me to understand, since my grand dog, Brian, would not have liked this at all.

Exciting News!

I hadn't added anything to my post for about a week and was thinking and thinking about what I could write about. I had decided to post some things regarding the sesquicentennial that Minnesota is celebrating this year, but I have news that has pre-empted that: Heidi and Chad are going to have a boy! She had an ultrasound today and the technician said she was 100% sure. The nurse then told Heidi that this technician has an accuracy record of 100%.

One of my favorite sayings is: "Good news stays and bad news never goes away." Based on that, I have about six months to mention our 150th birthday. This news about my new grandson is much more important to me!

You can see a photo of Heidi here.

Fond Memories

Yesterday I went to the memorial service for one of the dear neighbors we had when I was young. She was one of the many wonderful mothers in our very special neighborhood. Two things I recalled about Neola was that she had been part of the Ice Capades when she was a young women. She taught several of us how to skate backwards and do cross-overs. The fact that she shared this always made her special to me.

Also, they were the first family in our neighborhood to get a TV. But they wanted to be sure we could all share in the fun and let us pack into their living room to watch this new marvel.

Our neighborhood did lots of things together. For years we had neighborhood picnics, held in one another's back yards. My dad had a movie camera, so we have movies of the picnics, bonfires, and even of me riding my first bike (3rd grade). The 12 or so mothers had a birthday club and had fun celebrating each of their birthdays together.

Neola's kids (my contemporaries) thought it would be fitting for her mom's memorial day to have a picnic, so yesterday about 60+ people gathered at one of our city parks and poured over old pictures and talked about our memories. Several of the old neighbors were able to attend, including the last remaining "mother" and her daughter, Vae. Vae and I had played together when she was home from school with the measles and I with chicken pox. We all agreed that we were rich to have experienced such a loving neighborhood in which to grow. Neola, you were a blessing to me.

Another Family Member Has Become a Blogger

My niece, Lynn, has joined the world of blogging. You can check it out here. I'm so happy about this as it sure keeps our family connected.

Many years ago our family kept up each other's news and comings and goings with the 'Round Robin. I'm not sure who started it, but it worked like this: someone, such as my mom, wrote a letter and mailed it to my Aunt Liz. Aunt Liz read it and then wrote her letter and put both letters in an envelope and mailed them to my Aunt Ginny. Aunt Ginny read both letters and added one of her own. Then she mailed them to my mother, who would remove her first letter and add an undated one. This continued for years. Oh, how exciting it would be when the 'Round Robin appeared in one's mailbox.

Eventually this included me, my brother and sister, and my cousins. When it came to me, I would set aside some time to sit down and read each letter. Sometimes this was the only time I would hear from far away cousins. Occasionally we would include photographs. As more family members were included, it would often take 9 months to make the rounds, especially when one would keep it for months and would finally discover it under some other papers, would jot a quick note of apology and get it sent on its way. Of course, an envelope had to get larger and larger.

That 'Round Robin ceased to exist some years ago - I can't really say when. Its replacement has been emails, and now blogs. I love how the blogs keeps my family connected. If you've been thinking about creating one, please do it.

Observing the Colors

Last Saturday was Flag Day in America. While Aurelia still slept, I hung my flag on my patio. There was a breeze most of the day, so it waved gently, looking grand. While sitting out there later in the day, it reminded me of one particular afternoon while in Stuttgart, when Hans, Rachel and I were outside watching Josiah and Annika, and other children playing on the playground equipment. The children stopped what they were doing and stood quietly. Then Hans commented, "Oh, they've stopped for 'The Colors.'" He went on to explain that everyone, everywhere on U.S. military bases around the world, stops what they are doing in respect for the raising or lowering of the flag. At that point, I remembered our bus stopping mid-route while on the base in Japan, while the flag was being raised and the National Anthem was being played. I am so proud to fly our flag!

Aurelia Has a "Sleep-over" with Grandma

Friday night Aurelia came to my home to have a "sleep-over." She hadn't been to my home in a little while and it was interesting to see how she carefully observed everything. She wasn't sure of me, and she didn't seem comfortable about her mommy leaving her. But once Sarah left, we went to the kitchen and I started giving her a little supper. Once again, she kept looking at all of the things I have on the walls - mostly plates. She could hear Peppi singing in the dining room, so I took her to see him. He seemed to delight her.

We played for a little while in my cottage, and then she fell asleep in my arms. She slept until around 3:15 am and then woke up, very hungry. I fed her a bottle, changed her, and she slept again until 8 am! That was good as I had come down with a cold and needed the extra sleep.

Saturday morning I bathed her and we played again. She had lots of smiles on Saturday. It was really nice to have her with me, and good for Sarah and Peder to have a night and morning to themselves. And I sure hope she didn't catch my cold.

Star Wars

When Star Wars first opened, our family went to see it at an outdoor theater. This theater was unique as it had two screens, so one could choose whichever film pleased them. The speaker for our vehicle was playing Star Wars, but I was watching the movie on the other screen. Don't ask me what it was, as this was about 30 years ago.

Just about a month ago I watched Star Wars in Stuttgart, Germany, with Hans. I know he was very pleased that I had asked to see it with him. For the first 30 minutes or so, I sat quietly taking it in. Then Hans said, "Do you have any questions, Mom?" So I asked a few things. Now I must say that Hans is a big fan and owns all of the Star Wars movies (don't ask me to list them), and when Rachel told me Hans had seen Star Wars 90 times, he explained, "That's only 3 times a year for the past 30!"

Hans, how I wish you could come to Minnesota this summer as there is a Star Wars exhibition at the Science Museum of Minnesota. This afternoon I listened to a radio interview with the actor who played C-3PO . It was really interesting. They said 55,000 tickets were sold already for the event. I'm glad I was able to watch this classic with you, Hans.

Happy 3rd Anniversary, Peder and Sarah!

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Something to Consider

It seems the subject of the rising price of fuel is on every one's minds these days. In speaking with my Aunt Ginny this afternoon, she said she paid $4.099 per gallon the last time she put gas in her car. Heidi told me she has been paying over $4/gal for quite a while. The highest I have paid - to date - is $3.93. A co-worker of mine in our Michigan office said he was paying $4.19/gal. While in Germany, I saw 1.46 Euro per liter. At that time, that would have translated to $2.3068. Remember, one gallon equals 3.78 liters, so that would total around $8.95/gallon!

Today I ran into this article. It makes a lot of sense to me.

This 'n That

This afternoon I went to Rosy's to tutor her mother and grandmother. What a fun time we had! I hadn't seen Rosy since the last Monday of April due to the mission trip to Ukraine. In that amount of time she has lost her two bottom front teeth. Her grandmother and mother have been working on the little phrases I taught them the first time we were together. They are so eager to learn. Mid-lesson, Rosy's mother, Maricruz, gave me a delicious dessert. I'm not sure what it was, but it looked like pudding and was orange flavored. There was a sweetened cream for the topping. When I said it was very good, Maricruz beamed!

Rosy's family lives near the Mall of America and IKEA. I took advantage of this and drove to IKEA to shop for a few things. I knew they usually had house plants and so I planned to buy one for the little table on my patio. To my surprise -- they had pineapple plants! I never dreamed I'd see a live pineapple, let alone own a plant! In the photos you see part of my patio including my new pineapple plant and my beautiful calla lilies. I'm so glad I tried something extraordinary. It's hard to stop looking at them.

There's a new word being used this summer: staycation. With the high cost of fuel, many folks are finding it nearly impossible to go away for a vacation. We're being encouraged to explore the sights and sounds in our own cities. Two things I want to see are Fort Snelling on July 4th where they re-enact part of the civil war, and the home of James J. Hill, builder of the Great Northern Railway. In a couple of weeks I'm going to the Twins game with my church choir. We'll be playing Washington. There are also free concerts every Tuesday night at the band shell at Lake Normandale. I may even venture into the pool where I live! There's plenty to do without spending lots of money.