Steve and Nancy hosted the Rolfsrud siblings last night for post-nuptial steak and ale in their Mankato home. It was a delightful evening that capped the excitement of the Breck/Mitch wedding week, and we smiled and reflected on those events in the calm afforded by lovely surroundings. Sosie motored in from Alexandria with a rental car trunk stuffed with distributables. Mother had instructed her to go through some of her closets. This she did with apparent relish and now she divvied the treasures. . . and the trash. . . with sisterly fairness and impartiality.
We trucked our take home to Shakopee last night and now, during a long, glorious morning rainfall, began sorting.At the top of the pile was this (above) 44-year-old color photograph in remarkably good condition, taken by an unknown during the black and white era. It was tucked beside a tattered copy of Charles Dickens' David Copperfield.
The photograph was taken at the Alexandria Country Club during one of the only visits Stan had ever made to this elite private retreat. The moment was the Student Council Banquet as Stan handed a gavel to his successor, Jim Ahlfors.
Notably, Stan wore a white linen suit, acquired pre-prom in 1964 at Bob's Clothes Shop on Broadway where "Bob and the Twins Want to See You!" One of the twins sold gullible Stan the white suit for $49, which seems like a bargain today, but one which pinched Our Father's Norwegian face, when he learned of his son's impractical, if not uppity sartorial decision-making.
Today the rain continues to fall as we scan the splendid Dickensian prose, realizing we've never read David Copperfield and may now actually have time to do so. The 1898 edition was owned and carefully annotated in the margins by Mom's late brother Ralph, which will undoubtedly add to the pleasure of finally reading it.
Thanks to Sosie.
We'll doubtless report on some of the other treasures as they come to the top. We also await some lovely vignettes that mother wrote in long-hand about her childhood experiences when she was prompted to do so by her grandchildren.
One story supposedly is about mother playing and hiding in the wheat field, and subsequently blaming the damaged wheat on the pig. You'll hear the end of that tale when Sosie delivers it.
