Bzzzzzt! “My gosh, it still works,” I thought to myself as I waved my old coded ID card in front of the little black box outside the KELOLAND parking lot and the gate slowly rose to let me in. I guess I’ve always been surprised that the gates of KELOLAND were ever opened to me…
If you’re allergic to corn, or are diabetic, stop reading now! It’s about to get awfully corny and sugary sweet around here. As I close in on my 74th Christmas, I got to thinking about which ones have been the most memorable. The first Christmas I have any recollection of at all was in 1949…
Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? I have the answer..my dad’s home movies of Yellowstone National Park. Trouble is, I haven’t figured out how to market them to all you insomniacs out there yet. We made that family trip to Yellowstone in the summer of 1953, I believe. I just remember being car-sick…
“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things.” I haven’t seen the movie, “The Sound of Music” in years..so why is that song running over and over through my head? I like the tune…
Linda and I are just back from 12 days of togetherness; unavoidably..but still comfortably inseparable because we decided on a serious 36 hundred mile road trip in our new (to us) Big Red II Ford Explorer. Our motivation to embark on such a long journey to Seneca, South Carolina, was the 50th anniversary surprise party…
It would be like Christmas without lefse (Norwegian version of a tortilla only made from potatoes) if I didn’t see at least a short fireworks display on the Fourth of July. So, again this year just before dark, I’ll try drag Linda, who doesn’t share my sentimentality about tradition, off to some public fireworks show.…
At the age of 35, my uncle, Army Private 1st Class Raymond Lund, would have been considered the old man of his outfit, Company C. of the 357th infantry. Most of the soldiers who climbed over the side of their ship and down the rope ladder to waiting landing craft below on D-Day, were 10…
For the last 34 years, Linda and I have made it a point to celebrate our anniversary in June by taking a road trip somewhere. They’ve all been fun but some more memorable than others. For example, in 1987, we managed to talk our bosses into letting us have three whole weeks off at once so…
“I don’t trust anybody who doesn’t look me square in the eye.” We’ve all heard people say that because making eye contact with others as we speak or listen does suggest we’re being truthful in what we’re saying and interested in what we’re hearing. The trouble is, a lot of us Norwegians are naturally shy…
Well, I’m car shopping again. Okay, it’s been 17 years since last having said that. But now, Linda and I have no choice. You see, Big Red, our 2000 Lincoln town car which has served Linda and I so loyally for so long, has been brought to a humiliating end…by me. First, a little background.…