Happy Holidays *

December 13

I wished for peace on Earth, goodwill towards men (and women), and several indictments for you know who. ~ Me

[Photo credit: Deb Trumm]

It’s time for the annual Christmas blog, the screed that’s always way too long as it attempts to reflect upon the things that occupied our time over the past 12 months. For the first time in two years we traveled beyond the boundaries of Minnesota, in both instances in conjunction with Ruthie’s Indiana University alumni status. Otherwise we seemed to find enough things to do in the more immediate geographic area. Then shortly after my 75th birthday, I decided I should have a stress test included with my annual physical exam. No particular reason other than it was an age milestone for someone who has had a surprisingly healthy life to date. Well, the stress test led to further tests indicating I had a carotid artery blockage and would need a triple bypass around the heart. As someone who had never had any surgeries before, I was moving quickly into the big leagues of modern medicine. I have since successfully had the carotid artery unplugged and will likely have the bypass surgery in the near future. In the meantime, with the usual apologies to Dave Barry, we bring you 2022, the year in review . . .

It’s the holiday season, so whoop de doo, and be of good cheer, ‘cuz SCOTUS was named, fun bunch of the year. ~ Me

*

January

Sharks are as tough as those football fans who take their shirts off during games in Chicago in January, only more intelligent. ~ Dave Barry

[Apparently nothing of note happened this month. We probably just sat around the house happy not to be masked at home . . . ]

February

Without Valentine’s Day, February would be well, January. ~ Jim Gaffigan

The humble baguette — the crunchy ambassador for French baking around the world — is being added to the U.N.’s list of intangible cultural heritage as a cherished tradition to be preserved by humanity. ~ Strib 12-1-22

[You’ll notice not much happened the first two months of the year with no thanks to COVID. So, friend Dave Anderson stopped in one day and taught us how to bake bread . . . ]

March

March 4^th, the only day that’s also a sentence. ~ John Green

[A frequent expression of general application in this year of pandemic, politics, and SCOTUS . . . ]

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer, and receipts for all major purchases. ~ Bridger Winegar

[As friends once again were able to gather for Wednesday Night Fine Dining at the Lure (a carryover from summer fine dining at the golf club) . . . ]

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces. ~ Will Rogers

[The smiling happy faces of attendees at our Community Education movies at the theatre in Grand Arbor, alternating semi-monthly between foreign films and documentaries. It’s really hard to learn a new language every month!]

My ability to turn good news into anxiety is rivaled only by my ability to turn anxiety into chin acne. ~ Tina Fey

[Vaccinations on a regular basis – this one the second COVID booster (we got #3 in September) . . . ]

April

April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks, “Go!” ~ Christopher Morley

[We had never been to Lakes Area Theatre at its new location. Thoroughly enjoyed this play – then never got back to the theatre because there’s always just too much to do in the greater Alexandria metropolitan area . . . ]

Accept who you are. Unless you’re a serial killer. ~ Ellen DeGeneres

[You almost feel like part of the cast here . . . ]

The only thing I like better than talking about food is eating. ~ John Walters

[The Fat Boys Walking Club noshed together at the Alexandria Golf Club, just because . . . ]

I believe it’s a cook’s moral obligation to add more butter given the chance. ~ Michael Ruhlman

[The Boys of ’65 monthly luncheon date this month took place at the Nutcracker Cafe (with a Christmas theme) in Starbuck on the western edge of Lake Minnewaska. How can you pass on the luncheon special when it’s a beef commercial?]

A human being is primarily a bag for putting food into. ~ George Orwell

[The map plotted with all the restaurants we have dined at in this capacity . . . ]

I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical. ~ Arthur C. Clarke

[The table at which we scarfed down the commercial . . . ]

Don’t send funny greeting cards on birthdays or at Christmas. Save them for funerals, when their cheery effect is needed. ~ P. J. O’Rourke

[The Garden Bar in downtown Alex set up for Tuesday Nightclub . . . ]

If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried. ~ Steven Wright

[Said Tuesday Nightclub, the humanity attached to the above instruments . . . ]

If I studied all my life, I couldn’t think up half the number of funny things passed in one session of congress. ~ Will Rogers

[At Carlos Creek Winery with people who obviously enjoy wine (and/or a brewski) . . . ]

I think it’s always funny when somebody thinks you’re going to do something super sexy and then you don’t. ~ Olivia Munn

[As we’re inside, the weather outside still must be frightful . . . ]

There’s nothing simpler than avoiding people you don’t like. Avoiding one’s friends, that’s the real test. ~ Dowager Countess Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith), Downton Abbey

[Wednesday Night Fine Dining at the Lure with most of the usual suspects . . . ]

May

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, and summer’s lease hath all too short a date. ~ William Shakespeare

[Run for the Roses fund raising event at the winery for Theatre L’Homme Dieu . . . ]

Turns out you have a really fun time if you go to work every day and focus on being silly and funny and happy! ~ Hannah Murray

[The stable halves of the Boys of ’65 at the Lure . . . ]

I actually think of being funny as an odd turn of mind, like a mild disability, some weird way of looking at the world that you can’t get rid of. ~ Calvin Trillin

[The Boys of ’65, absent their above stabilizers . . . ]

A funny thing happened to me on the way to the White House. ~ Adlai Stevenson

[Maestro Brad Lambrecht of the Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra addressing classicial music fans at the Legacy of the Lakes Museum . . . ]

I’m a classic example of all humorists – only funny when I’m working. ~ Peter Sellers

[Ruthie with BAT at the winery. Always a good time when he and Brenda come to town from Flora-Bama . . . ]

They’re great girls. They’re very funny, they’re very smart, they’re fun to be with. They’re very lively, as I think people can tell. And you know, they’re very confident girls. ~ Laura Bush

[Winery babes . . . ]

Stan Fields: “Describe your perfect date.” Cheryl: “That’s a tough one. I’d have to say April 25. Because it’s not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.” ~ Stan Fields (William Shatner) and Cheryl Frasier (Heather Burns), Miss Congeniality

[Uncorked, but semi-corked for foot traveling through the wilds of the winery . . . ]

The trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat. ~ Lily Tomlin

[One of two times this spring when we had to round up the babies and head to the basement under a tornado warning . . . ]

June

The castle grounds were gleaming in the sunlight as though freshly painted; the cloudless sky smiled at itself in the smoothly sparkling lake, the satin-green lawns rippled occasionally in a gentle breeze: June had arrived. ~ J.K. Rowling

[The Salty Dogs were playing here . . . ]

I don’t really need to be dirty to be funny. ~ Jimmy Kimmel

[Said Salty Dogs . . . ]

It’s hard to be funny when you have to be clean. ~ Mae West

[We were sitting too close to get them all in one shot . . . ]

To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer. ~ Paul R. Ehrlich

[This was our trip to Indiana University (IU), Bloomington, Indiana, for Mini-U – looks like everybody graduated after one week! See if you can spot Ruthie and me . . .

I gave a funny speech at my wife’s birthday party, and I’m thinking, ‘Hey, I’ve still got it.’ ~ Larry David

[In Biddle Hotel, our on campus lodging . . . ]

[Said Biddle Hotel with Ruthie and Rita, The Biddies . . . ]

If you think you have it tough, read history books. ~ Bill Maher

[In a courtyard of the Memorial Union, where our classes were held . . . ]

Coach: How’s a beer sound, Norm? Norm: I don’t know, I usually finish before they get a word in. ~ Coach (Nicholas Colasanto) and Norm (George Wendt), Cheers

[Janko’s Little Zagreb restaurant in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, with friends, family, and fans . . . ]

I drink to make other people more interesting. ~ Ernest Hemingway

[The Mini-U wrap up . . . ]

You’re only as good as your last haircut. ~ Fran Leibowitz

[The Super, on the right, entering Theatre L’Homme Dieu . . . ]

July

Every July, I look forward to taping a Christmas show – in July in Nashville. In 98-degree weather. I love it. ~ Larry the Cable Guy

[I had never read the book. It became a must under the onus of SCOTUS . . . ]

Anyone who says that money cannot buy happiness has clearly never spent their money on pizza. ~ Andrew W.K.

[A lovely afternoon at Rolling Forks Vineyards up on the hill overlooking Lake Minnewaska . . . ]

Chaos in the midst of chaos isn’t funny, but chaos in the midst of order is. ~ Steve Martin

[The new patio at Theatre L’Homme Dieu . . . ]

There’s nothing wrong with you that an expensive operation can’t prolong. ~ Surgeon (Graham Chapman), Monty Python’s Flying Circus

[Our first venture to Gathered Oaks for outdoor music with Josie (who will be Dr. Josie in a couple years) . . . ]

Usher: Bride or groom? Wedding guest: It should be perfectly obvious I’m neither! ~ Four Weddings and a Funeral

[Sunday morning breakfasts at the Alexandria Golf Course, a treat all summer . . . ]

Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with a seat missing, but it hurts. ~ Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen), Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear

If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. And if you do have to say it, make it really funny so I can screenshot it and save it for later. ~ Sabrina Carpenter

[Good heavens, back on the Theatre L’Homme Dieu patio again . . . ]

It’s funny the way most people love the dead. Once you are dead, you are made for life. ~ Jimi Hendrix

[Tuesday Nightclub at the Garden Bar . . . ]

Yes, I believe blue material is funny, but if that’s all you’ve got, you’re dead in the water. It’s not good. ~ Howard Stern

[Ditto . . . ]

They say Yogi Berra is funny. Well, he has a lovely wife and family, a beautiful home, money in the bank, and he plays golf with millionaires. What’s funny about that? ~ Casey Stengel

[Ditto, in art . . . ]

[RIP Mel Lamar, mentor to Tuesday Nightclub . . . ]

I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early. ~ Charles Lamb

[Beautiful Anthony Miltich on a beautiful day with beautiful Lake Le Homme Dieu in the background at the beautiful Lure Lakebar patio . . . ]

It’s funny because it’s funny. ~ David Spade

You know you’ve reached middle age when you’re cautioned to slow down by your doctor, instead of by the police. ~ Joan Rivers

[A night, with selfie, at Theatre L’Homme Dieu . . . ]

Trying is the first step toward failure. ~ Homer Simpson

[The Boys of ’65 back in action . . . ]

[Self explanatory, i.e., requires no further introduction . . . ]

This is our table. ~ The Super

[Said Summer Soiree . . . ]

Money is not the most important thing in the world. Love is. Fortunately, I love money. ~ Jackie Mason

[It’s always nice when the theatre’s board president (backgound) and executive director (with bottle) pour for you . . . ]

I know that there are people who do not love their fellow man, and I hate people like that! ~ Tom Lehrer

[Be careful waving your number around at an auction!]

If you find it hard to laugh at yourself, I would be happy to do it for you. ~ Groucho Marx

[Holding down the fort at the Soiree. Incidentally, soiree is the French word for prepare to spend some money . . . ]

I’ve always found it easier to be funny than to be serious. ~ Molly Ivins

Let me entertain you and we’ll have a really good time. ~ The Super

[The Super is not averse to tracking down the bare-chested guys . . . ]

When humor can be made to alternate with melancholy, one has a success, but when the same things are funny and melancholic at the same time, it’s just wonderful. ~ Francois Truffaut

[Our next Indiana University related road trip. We were going to IU’s summer camp, Camp Brosius, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and had to show we were COVID free . . . ]

Certainly there are things in life that money can’t buy, but it’s very funny – Did you ever try buying them without money? ~ Ogden Nash

[Before entering camp, we like to tour the Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin . . . ]

August

The month of August had turned into a griddle where the days just lay there and sizzled. ~ Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

[Ruthie at Camp Brosius with former Hoosier basketball star John Laskowski . . . ]

Tell me I’m beautiful, it’s nothing. Tell me I’m intellectual – I know it. Tell me I’m funny, and it’s the greatest compliment in the world anyone could give me. ~ Julie Newmar

[Our screen porch in Rappaport, our cabin at camp, where one and all met to discuss world events, play cards, hang laundry, and drink adult beverages . . . ]

If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on somebody else’s path. ~ Joseph Campbell

[Being of advanced ages, we now rent a golf cart to haul our posteriors up and down from the lodging area to the lake front and dining hall. Otherwise, it’s like 70-something stairs . . . ]

The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed. ~ Eminem

[And yes, it’s a camp – we have field trips!]

I want to live my life, not record it. ~ Jackie Kennedy

[For one night at camp, all kids are taken away and adults enjoy fine dining together in the mess hall . . . ]

Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy it. ~ Sai Baba

[This was “Clue,” a self-production by Theatre L’Homme Dieu. It was a hit all week!]

Due to budget cuts the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off. ~ Aaron Paul

Life must be lived as play. ~ Plato

However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. ~ Stephen Hawking

[Alexandria Golf Club, just because. I haven’t played golf since 2015, but I continue to eat here. One must maintain one’s priorities . . . ]

Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. ~ Plato

[A beautiful afternoon with the Cheese Bots at Rolling Forks Vineyards overlooking Lake Minnewaska . . . ]

Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to. ~ Bill Vaughan

[The usual suspects cheering on the Cheese Bots . . . ]

Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen. ~ Mark Twain

[Tuesday Nightclub – yup, they’re regulars on the schedule . . . ]

September

But when fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. ~ Stephen King

[Happy Birthday to me. It’s a beautiful day, let’s go for a ride!]

I’d kill for a Nobel Peace Prize. ~ Steven Wright

[In Battle Lake, Minnesota, the setting for Jess Lourey’s Murder-by-Month novels. Here I’m being straddled by Chief Wenonga, the heart throb of the novels’ protagonist . . . ]

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. ~ Grandma Moses

[The Nonfiction Book Club, accentuated by wining and dining and occasionally wandering off topic . . . ]

Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities. ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

[Ruthie displays her new Norwegian vimple . . . ]

I was trying to daydream, but my mind kept wandering. ~ Steven Wright

[Celebrating another successful season at Theatre L’Homme Dieu . . . ]

There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. ~ Oscar Wilde

[At Theatre L’Homme Dieu, women hold up three quarters of the sky . . . ]

Life is hard. Then you die. Then they throw dirt in your face. Then the worms eat you. Be grateful it happens in that order. ~ David Gerrold

[The Cheese Bots at Rolling Forks Vineyards . . . ]

Life is like a trumpet – if you don’t put anything into it, you don’t get anything out of it. ~ William Christopher Handy

[Tuesday Nightclub joined by Annie O’Flynn on the accordion . . . ]

I’m trying to elevate small talk to medium talk. ~ Larry David

[High school classmate, Tom Kiehne, in town from Austin, Texas, for his induction into the Alexandria Education Foundation Hall of Fame, visits with Anne Riggs, our high school French teacher, at the Garden Bar. And yes, that’s Anne’s husband Bill on the trumpet in the above photo . . . ]

How sweet it is! ~ Jackie Gleason

[And here’s Tom with his Hall of Fame plaque (not to be confused with the plaque that was subsequently removed from my carotid artery) . . . ]

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

[Party on . . . ]

That it will never come again is what makes life sweet. ~ Emily Dickinson

[Tom with his fellow HOF inductees . . . ]

We are all here for a spell, get all the good laughs you can. ~ Will Rogers

If I wasn’t a golfer, I would still be miserable – but not as miserable. ~ Larry David

[When I did golf, when we got to the 9th tee at the AGC I could see Lisa Grimes giving lessons in the practice area. I’d keep her swing tempo in her head and play beyond my abilities for the rest of the round . . . ]

Life’s more amusing than we thought. ~ Andrew Lang

[Hall of Fame inductees lead the homecoming parade . . . ]

Life well spent is long. ~ Leonardo da Vinci

[Tom wanted the whole weekend experience, so we went to the homecoming football game. We left at the half and thus missed Alexandria’s sophomore placekicker, Daniel Jackson, kick a 52-yard field goal, the 3rd longest in state high school history . . . ]

October

The clear light that belongs to October was making the landscape radiant. ~ Florence Bone

[Tom and Pam left for home the morning after the homecoming game . . . ]

I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it. ~ Charles M. Schulz

[Ruthie’s sister Rita in a cool little upgraded room in the Garden Bar . . . ]

I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive. ~ Joseph Campbell

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. ~ Willie Nelson

[Taking Rita to the MSP airport for her trip home. A fresh snowfall highlighted our stop at the Weaver Road rest area before we hit the Twin Cities beltway . . . ]

The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination. ~ Carl Rogers

[After dropping Rita at the airport, the Super and I went to the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul before heading back to Aex . . . ]

Life is like a roller coaster, live it, be happy, enjoy life. ~ Avril Lavigne

[Inside the conservatory . . . ]

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. ~ H. Kyle Seale

[Has been reported as wondering about the origins of feather dusters and autoharps . . . ]

If someone else is paying for it, food just tastes a lot better. ~ Gilbert Gottfried

[On the drive home, we’d hoped to nosh at Krewe, a cajun/creole restaurant in St. Joseph. Krewe was not open, but we found Bello Cucina just around the corner . . . ]

I wish I were dumber so I could be more certain about my opinions. It looks fun. ~ Scott Adams

[There used to be several Bello Cucinas in west central Minnesota. This one in St. Joe is the last one standing. The owner said he can’t find chefs or staff to reopen others. I noted there is lots of staff waiting at the southern border. He sadly nodded . . . ]

What’s another word for Thesaurus? ~ Steven Wright

A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere. ~ Groucho Marx

[We were at the winery for the Cropdusters . . . ]

Love means having to say you’re sorry every fifteen minutes. ~ John Lennon

[Unbelievably, it appears we’re at the winery?]

Out with the old, in with the new’ is a fitting expression for a holiday that is based on vomiting. ~ Andy Borowitz

[The Fat Boys Walking Club wandered into a trail tunnel and discovered graffiti has been replaced by “Alexandria” by high school kids . . . ]

New Year’s Resolution: to tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time. ~ James Agate

[The Lure is back in play for the Wednesday Night Fine Dining Club . . . ]

My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I’m right. ~ Ashleigh Brilliant

[After another trip to St. Cloud Hospital we finally hit Krewe when it was open for lunch . . . ]

Everyone has a purpose in life. Perhaps yours is watching television. ~ David Letterman

[And subsequently brought home goodies from the bakery associated with Krewe . . . ]

There may be aliens in our Milky Way galaxy, and there are billions of other galaxies. The probability is almost certain that there is life somewhere in space. ~ Buzz Aldrin

[A picture perfect late October day . . . ]

I don’t expect to live forever, but I do intend to hang on as long as possible. ~ Isaac Asimov

November

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree. ~ Emily Brontë

[The detritus from the Wednesday Night Fine Dining Club sends the proprietors ISO Japanese soccer fans . . . ]

Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. ~ Benjamin Franklin

Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise. ~ George Gershwin

[Tuesday Nightclub were joined by Chuck Wencl on saxophone at the Garden Bar . . . ]

Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me. ~ Carl Sandburg

[Coming out of the Lure, as the Super was walking toward our car, I thought “Currier & Ives” Christmas card . . . ]

Art is the proper task of life. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated. ~ Confucius

[American Association of University Women meeting for Project Bookshelf at the Garden Bar . . . ]

Every time something pops in my head, I think twice about it and I do it anyway. ~ Gilbert Gottfried

[It’s great to be back at the Runestone Community Center to cover high school hockey . . . ]

Life is something to do when you can’t get to sleep. ~ Fran Lebowitz

[The 6:00 am Saturday doughnut run come hell or below zero windchills . . . ]

Love conquers all things except poverty and toothache. ~ Mae West

[Elsa Lee performing at the winery . . . ]

I did not climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots. ~ Ron White

[The beef commercial luncheon special at Charlie’s Cafe in Freeport, Minnesota . . . ]

The hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy. ~ Helen Hayes

[The usual suspects gather at the winery for an afternoon with Elsa Lee . . . ]

‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving, a Wednesday to be sure; to keep fine dining going, four attended The Lure; we shared firecracker cauliflower, but had our own drinks; we had a good time, as surely me thinks. ~ Me

December

Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing. ~ Helen Keller

[First home basketball game of the year; first for me in a couple of years. May as well toss in a blizzard to get there!]

Its too early. I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January. ~ Lucy (Charlie Brown Christmas)

The only rule is don’t be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in. ~ Paris Hilton

[There was still danger involved in procuring the Saturday morning doughnuts. I woke the Super for this happy presentation . . . ]

[Another self explanatory . . . ]

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. ~ Pablo Picasso

[A wonderful concert enjoyed by all . . . ]

Life is too short to worry about anything. You had better enjoy it because the next day promises nothing. ~ Eric Davis

May you live all the days of your life. ~ Jonathan Swift

[The Christmas lights on Broadway . . . ]

Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students. ~ Solomon Ortiz

[The season opener for the Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra (CLSO) with Maestro Brad Lambrecht presenting his pre-concert maestro’s notes . . . ]

Music is the soundtrack of your life. ~ Dick Clark

[The CLSO . . . ]

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made. ~ Groucho Marx

[Well, hello again to Tuesday Nightclub . . . ]

Life is like a wheel. Sooner or later, it always come around to where you started again. ~ Stephen King

[The day a one inch snow forecast turned into a Christmasy six . . . ]

Simply enjoy life and the great pleasures that come with it. ~ Karolina Kurkova

Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become global garbage cans. ~ Jacques Yves Cousteau

Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going to fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. ~ Eddie Cantor

[On the way to St. Cloud Hospital as the sun was rising with the “skyline” of St. Joseph in the distance . . . ]

Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. ~ Immanuel Kant

[The exterior temperature was a balmy one degree . . . ]

Life, if well lived, is long enough. ~ Lucius Anneus Seneca

[St. Cloud Hospital is on the banks of the Mississippi River . . . ]

Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things. ~ Kenneth Branagh

[The view from my hospital window. Ruthie spent the night in the lit up building across the street, designed to house families of patients . . . ]

Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act. ~ Truman Capote

[Dr. Ojo and staff at St. Cloud Hospital successfully performed a Carotid Endarterectomy. In recovery, they do ask if you’ve passed gas yet. A rite of passage. Nimoy (live long and prosper) was there to comfort me at home . . . ]

See, life is a journey and every chapter is very interesting. ~ Zeenat Aman

[A book signing at Cherry Street Books with Jess Lourey and Sara Stonach, both Minnesota based authors . . . ]

My life needs editing. ~ Mort Sahl

[This is the first time we met Sarah, and we had a nice chat . . . ]

Enjoy life… that’s what we’re here for. ~ David Faustino

[Jess has been a rather longtime friend now though we actually don’t see her much because she lives in Minneapolis and is quite the world traveler . . . ]

In life, as in art, the beautiful moves in curves. ~ Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

[With my irregular sleep schedule since the surgery, I awoke very early one morning to find the babies all snuggled together . . . ]

Tonight’s December thirty-first, something is about to burst… Hark, it’s midnight, children dear. Duck! Here comes another year! ~ Ogden Nash

[With four days of snow forecast, it was time to make the first pot of chili of the season . . . ]

In Memoriam

We said our final goodbyes to two original members of the Fat Boys Walking Club . . .

[Paul “Rock” Fieldhammer died in Arizona on March 24 at the age of 79 . . . ]

[Bob “Weakie” Annen died on May 3 at the age of 84 . . . ]

[We said our final goodbyes to Merill Kiehne on July 11 at the age of 101. Merill was the last of the parental units for the Boys of ’65 . . . ]

[Grandson Tom lost his other grandpa, Ed Andrews of Noblesville, Indiana, on October 19 at the age of 86 . . . ]

[The photo above and the three below were taken on a family visit to our home on Lake Darling in 2004 . . . ]

[With Tom’s Grandma Fran at Carlos Creek Winery with Joey Dee and the Starliters . . . ]

[Ed was an avid golfer . . . ]

[Tom got a hug from grandpa on his graduation from Purdue in 2016 . . . ]

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. ~ George Washington Carver