We're here! Let the fun begin...

House is gone, lot for sale?

We've checked into the Country Inn Suites in beautiful downtown Deerwood, Minnesota, got the wifi secret password from the clerk, but do you know what? Nobody in town has every heard of the Rolfsruds. Ok. It has been 65 years since Mom and Dad abandoned their tiny home out on County Road 133 near its intersection with 10 and moved away to Alexandria, but wouldn't you think?
There's not a trace of the old homestead with its stone fireplace, we drove by to see, and found nothing but a vacant lot with the familiar topography. Was there a fire? Where did everything go? Is the lot for sale? Gentle breezes blowing through the shady pines, a northern comfort on this hot day, gave up no secrets.
Down below is the little lake, here are the weedy remains of a driveway, the overgrown trees the big girls played beneath with their little brother and new sister.

The babysitter lived here, about 300 yards from our house.

There's a dock way across the little lake where somebody now has a summer home. Dad had a rustic cabin and typewriter there, struggling to write his early work, commuting there in a little red row boat. When it got cold, he retreated to a shed beside the garage that also had the bunnies mother was raising along with the kids.
But it's all gone now, just the memories.
Four miles away they're starting some new memories, new beginnings at the outdoor marriage of Joe and Heather. We drove by this afternoon, there's a huge tent set for dinner and a bunch of white chairs optimistically placed under the blue sky where they will plight their troth.
Festivities start at 5 p.m., enough left now for nap and a peek at the PGA.

Dad rowed across this lake to a rustic cabin on the far shore.