That settles it. . .

We will be leaving Shakopee this winter for the safety of New Orleans.

Man shot dead in Shakopee
Shakopee police are investigating the shooting death of a man on the 800 block of Prairie Street Tuesday night. Police say the man, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds, was dead at the scene.

Police were called to the home at about 7 p.m. on a report of an armed robbery.

The suspect was described as a young, dark-skinned male of unknown ethnicity, wearing glasses and a gray hooded sweatshirt. At this time, there is no indication that this incident poses a threat to the general public, police said.

Investigators from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), Scott County Sheriff’s Office and the Shakopee Police Department are investigating the shooting. The BCA processed the crime scene.

--- Shakopee Valley News

Yes, probably in the bottom half

When Stan's classmate, Karen Benson, saw this photograph passed around today along with the pictures of a recent mini-Class of 1965 Reunion, she couldn't help but quip:
"I don't recognize these two. Were they in our class?"

Recycled wood gets new purpose

This brand new homemade shelf is made from old 2x4s and an amazing 15-inch wide plank salvaged from Jennifer's century-old Dundas home. We're not sure of the species of this soft wood, but it was milled over 100 years ago and is now  thoroughly dried and very easy to work with, becoming the perfect perch for Jennifer's convection oven in her temporary galley kitchen.
The countertop was made earlier from the same material, sanded smooth and polished off with a few coats of polyurethane.

Breakfast at Canterbury

Photo by Melissa

Bill and Cindy met us for breakfast this morning at our usual table in the Card Room at the racetrack. Stan and Bill have been out for lunch before, but this was our first chance to get to know Cindy, a Michigan gal who has lived all over the country, raising two kids with Bill in California, becoming a Colts fan in Baltimore, enjoying the scenery near the Bitter Root in Montana and spending a couple years in northern Minnesota.
They are now Eden Prairie residents so we explained how they'll have to get used to winning just about every high school football game their new home team ever plays.
Bill is the new boss at Southwest Newspapers, taking Stan's old job.
After Melissa served up our ham and eggs, we adjourned upstairs to the Race Book to enter our NFL perfect picks (see below) and take a run at the Second Race at the Belmont. Kathleen showed Cindy how to bet on a horse, meanwhile looking over Donny Kieger's shoulder for a tip on her Exacta Box. Cindy and Bill's horses didn't cooperate with the beginner's luck rule, but Kathleen's $4 became $30 when Balderdash and Forever Utopia combined in a thrilling finish.

St. Paul Katie with her winning ticket and her
 coach and mentor, St. Paul's Don Kieger.

We're feeling lucky today, we have new friends and good times. Let's see if our luck holds out, here's St. Paul Katie's NFL winners... her chance at winning $2000 more today.

Update -- Batting 500
Atlanta (correct)
Cincinnati (correct)
Miami (missed by two points)
San Diego (correct)
New England (missed in overtime)
Philadelphia (missed this one too)
Washington (correct)
St. Louis (missed)

Balderdash and Forever Utopia finished together
at Belmont Park to pay $30.20 for an Exacta Box.

Handy, long-legged and good-looking too

A neighborhood garage sale lured us in the other day and that's where we spotted them. These two gorgeous stools beckoned, the perfect pair to go with the condo's black granite counter tops, don't you think? Solid as rocks, the handsome ebony jewels were tagged at just $4 apiece. Since it was a garage sale, we felt obliged to offer them $7 for the pair, but the seller held firm. We peeled eight George Washingtons off our wad, tossed the stools into the hatchback and delivered them today to the 10th floor of The Chicago Lofts in Midtown. Above, ace stool model Steve smiled his approval, he'll doubtless be seated right there again tomorrow morning, spooning his milk and granola.

Master of the Front Desk

Photo by Vera

Remember when you could call a business and a real person actually answered the phone? Remember when you could ask that person questions and get an answer that was useful? Well that person may have been Deb Gnerer, the front desk person at the newspaper office in Shakopee. She's the real, genuine thing, loves being the answer person and getting things right.
It's Deb's last day today, she and her husband Jerry bought a house in Deer Valley, AZ, and they are outta here before the snow flies. Good for them, too bad for Southwest.

Seasonal treats for the departing employee well-wishers

We dropped by to wish Deb the best today and reminisce about the day we hired her back in 2000. She'll be missed. Editor Pat Minelli says she's so helpful with customers that if one called and asked her to come out and shovel their sidewalk she'd say "I'll be right out." Pat's favorite time is when Deb makes an official, throat-clearing announcement on the public address system: "Attention Employees, birthday cake is being served in the lunchroom."
All the best Deb, enjoy Arizona! and thanks for your good work!

The Days Dwindle Down. . .

Photos by Stan Rolfsrud

He walked nine holes alone today, scuffling through the fallen leaves on a crispy afternoon that was drier and warmer than they said it would be. Couldn't help but go back home to get a camera, then walk another glorious nine.
So far, retirement hasn't been too bad, he thought.

Oh, it's a long long while
From May to December
But the days grow short
When you reach September

When the autumn weather
Turns leaves to flame
One hasn't got time
For the waiting game

Oh, the days dwindle down
To a precious few
September, November

And these few precious days
I'll spend with you
These precious days
I'll spend with you

Willie Nelson - September Song

Matt's got a new iPad

Her hair is naturally curly, Grandpa says.

He just got back home to Shakopee after four weeks at the fish camp in the Canadian wilderness. They got it buttoned up for the winter, tanks drained, bear boards in place. Matt's retired, stays in great shape, and serves as a handyman at the camp. Not sure how much fishing gets done.
Matt can do most anything, install a toilet, paint a fence, grow potatoes and tomatoes -- but he doesn't do computers. His wife Anne bought him an iPad anyway and he flew in to Canada with it, thinking he could watch the news on it once in a while, even if it was taped and a day old. They've got a solar-powered satellite connection up there and others use it, but Matt's frustration with the whole doggone deal was quite evident.

No, this is not the successor to Steve Jobs...
despite the black turtle neck.

"I don't know why she bought this thing for me, I just use it as a camera, that's about it," he confided to Stan today over coffee at his kitchen table. Sure enough, upon examination, there were 122 photos in it, many beautiful cabin and lake views, evidence of woodchopping and other camp chores. Then there were also a batch of photos of his grandchildren. . . which may have been taken by the grandchildren, they enjoy using it with their grandpa.
Just for the heck of it, Stan showed Matt that he can email those photos at will, anywhere in the world. Matt didn't seem all that impressed, said there was no point in telling him how to do it. So call it magic, but the email came through to us and here is a picture of Emma, helping out with a pumpkin. She's in first grade.
Okay, Grandpa, now type in www.........

Progress in Dundas

Yes, we'll paint the wall on the right, as soon as the mud dries.
In the works is a shelf for the convection oven, it will hang about
where the frying pan is now.

We installed the new counter top today, the one made from 100-year old planks that had faithfully served for a century holding the lath and plaster for the interior living room walls in Jennifer's house.
The old planks came down to make way for some changes, but they are back at work again, now serving as a food preparation surface in Jen's warm area. The holes made by the square nails have been filled with sawdust and glue, sanded and the surface coated with five applications of water-based polyurethane.

Meanwhile, Joe and Jen finished a new sink on the other side of the kitchen, reusing the old sink and most of the fittings, but adding a spanking new curved faucet.
The temporary kitchen is just about set up, ready for winter, while on the other cold side of the wall, rehabbing continues at its own pace.