Breakfast flakes

Maybe it was all the excitement of trying out the new tropical fruit blend smoothie package (peach slices, mango chunks, pineapple chunks, banana slices) purchased yesterday from Target, which we hoped would relieve the boredom of our usual morning mix; or maybe it was the excitement of seeing the big Mitt Romney running mate announcement aboard the battleship Wisconsin, we don't know. But for some reason this morning we were so completely distracted that we somehow forgot to insert the black plastic tamper through the hole on the lid of our Vita-Mix blender before stomping down on some uncooperative frozen fruit pieces.
This momentary oversight caused an immediate and unfortunate blending of black plastic with mango, peach and pineapple chunks.
A crisis over morning coffee can be most unpleasant, but the incident was quickly smoothed by the friendly Vita-Mix people at the other end of an 800 number that was answered immediately.
We read the serial number off the bottom of the blender and the young man said they would Fed-Ex a replacement tamper to us immediately. However, this mishap will have to go on our permanent record and we'll need to pay a fee next time.
Wow. They have a frequent manglers policy. So this has happened to other distracted operators.
Kind of exciting, makes you feel like a part of a wide unfocused community.

Rookie

Meanwhile, 3:10 at the Archer House River Inn, Northfield. . .

Seeking old Roundup Gang photos

Back in 2008 we wrote a story about Mom's famous neighbor at her assisted living facility in Alexandria. Ardis Wells lives down the hall from Mom, and from time to time we get inquiries about Ardis. We've only interviewed her once, but she's a cool lady and we're happy to pass on this inquiry from today's mailbag. Can you help Elizabeth?

Ardis Wells

Hi. I came across your blog today at Rolfsruds & Friends. I was searching “Jimmy and Ardis Wells and The Roundup Gang (Jimmy’s band). My father (actually step father but dad to me) played the steel guitar in the band. Ardis Wells attended my Dad’s 70th birthday (he is now 84). Dad lives in Brooklyn Park MN.

I have a B&W photo that my brother snagged off the internet of the band but we would love to find more photos. This morning my brother was able to buy a nice photo off of Ebay of The Roundup Gang. My dad used to have the same photo hanging up in his home. He also played steel guitar for other bands and big name country singers. (You might check out the songs “Careless Fool” and “Cry Baby Cry” by Dave Dudley on Youtube…my dad played steel guitar for both songs, and played for some other bigger names like Buck Owens, Roy Clark, Rex Allen, and we think he may have even played early on with the Everly Bros before they became a big name but we are not sure, still trying to confirm this.)

When you met Ardis in Alexandria, did you happen to acquire any photos of her with The Roundup Gang? I saw the pic in the video on your blog but she appears with only women. Jimmy Wells and my dad were in the band but not in that particular picture. We are wanting to find pictures of the band that include both Jimmy and my Dad.

Thank you very much.

Elizabeth Auppl
Owatonna MN

(Laskowski is my dad’s last name.)

Back to Wisconsin

After an interesting conversation this morning about geological formations in the Baraboo, Wisconsin area (vast portions have never been glaciated, making the massive rocks in the area some of the oldest exposed formations in the world) our house guest was on the road again, back home to Fox Lake. We enjoyed hosting Sharon, the wildlife biologist, and wish her all the best. Should be a good day for travel, cool temps and overcast skies.

Devils Lake in the Baraboo Hills near Fox Lake. (Photo from Google Images)

Fashion show tonight. . .

New job,
New doo --

She has beautiful curls, naturally. So, for a new look, they get straightened.

New threads, too.

 
Jennifer has a new job in Northfield. Tonight we were treated to an impromptu fashion show, because when you get a new job, you need a new hairdo and some new clothes. Our house guest, Sharon, (below -- back from a day of work in Minnetonka) joined us in approving the new wardrobe, a couple of favorite ensemble are shown here.
(New shoes, too, naturally.)

Working girls.

Little-known factoid:
Jennifer is a 1984 graduate of
the prestigious John Casablanca Modeling School of Edina.
No kidding.

Happy Birthday, Hai!

He's hard at it again today, you can be sure, keeping the newspapers up and running, and we hope he has a really great day. Happy Birthday to our son.

Our company's here!

It was a perfect evening for sitting on the porch tonight, cool, quiet, low humidity, watching the twilight fall. A perfect evening for getting to know wildlife biologist Sharon Reilly, who will be staying with us for three days. She's on assignment in Minnetonka as a publishers' rep during the day, but we'll share her evenings. We've already learned a lot about birds, cats and the nest-building habits of bald eagles and some of her theories about how they survive. She's worked in Hawaii, been to Midway Island, and now lives in Wisconsin with a couple of cats -- but she really loves poodles, which is a good thing for Birdie, who plans on running downstairs to wake her up in the mornings

Laurie's got a brand new bag

Not only did our birthday girl enjoy a slice of $50,000 cake last night, she got this spiffy insulated zip-up padded lunch bag, the perfect thing for the busy executive on the go who wants to be stylish without bruising her lunch banana. Kathleen found this gift for our great family friend at the Bibelot and Laurie gushed appropriately while receiving it.
Laurie was the recipient of another unusual gift. Her sister, Brenda, bought them a Segway tour of downtown Minneapolis. They took a short course in Segway management, then merrily rolled, single-file, through the Mill City's sights and sounds with a gaggle of fellow funseekers.

Four hour package, about $80 each.

Vote for me, please

Here's my house.

She's in his grasp, but, alas, not his district.

John Siegfried has drawn up a map, pitched a tent and is running hard for county commissioner. We know John as a successful Chaska restauranteur with a droll sense of humor, but he seems to have a knack for grassroots politics as well. We're not on his map and can't vote for him, but we offered encouragement the other day anyway, along with local attorney and health enthusiast Katie Bloomquist  (at right, wearing a shirt that says she's lost 50 pounds and to ask her about it.) 

A good memory is the famous Mother's Day sign John once posted on his popular J's Family Restaurant in downtown Chaska.
It read, "Come In, All You Mothers."