Thanks, Sam

 As if fires and earthquakes aren’t enough, today my sister Solveig sends word from California of a new menace: Her front yard tarantula. Coaxed from its hiding place in a bucket, it thanked her husband by brushing past his leg, then went on to do whatever tarantulas do when left alone.

They apparently do make occasional appearances in her Sunol, California, back yard, but are rare enough to warrant a thoughtful photograph for her squeamish brother in Minnesota.

 

 

Correction

A previous post described people crossing the southern border as "rapists and thieves." That is not correct and we apologize for the error. The correct quotation would be "rapists and murderers." We regret the error. 

Lock him up!

So much on-line scamming of good people, trying to do the right thing. Turns out the “We Build The Wall” fundraiser, fathered by Steve Bannon and friends, with promises to spend every cent constructing the wall, was merely an old-fashioned scam to bilk working people, frightened of the “rapists and thieves” heading this way. Gives the Go Fund Me site a bad name, have to believe Go Fund Me does God’s work at times, but you have to be cautious. Hope they throw the book at them, but not before they can be pardoned. 

Don’t worry about Steve. He’s avoiding the covid, living on a friendly yacht this summer; Covid will be gone by the time he is jailed.

Lock Him UP!

Jennifer Kathleen Blethen

A lovely midsummer Minnesota day sparkled over Jennifer’s Celebration of Life Saturday, the long-awaited acknowledgement of the loss of the youngest child.

Her older sisters carried it out at last, fighting back the challenges of Covid 19 and the occasional tears for one gone too soon and dearly missed.

Friends and relatives came and went, maintaining safe distances, under the huge pavilion reserved for the occasion in Roslund Park, Edina. There were three hours of memories, laughter and tears, videos, photo boards, zoom attendees from as far away as Switzerland, and a fresh buffet lunch, much as Jennifer would have served.

Three bouquets, taken from Jennifer’s floral design past, were imitated from photos given to Bachmann’s, arranged thusly, and admired by guests.

A positive atmosphere prevailed, friends in masks wondered why old acquaintances couldn’t recognize them. Some from grade school days weren't even recognized with their masks off, of course. Renewal and newsy exchanges abounded amidst the fond shared stories from Jennifer's life.

In case you missed it, here’s Jennifer’s vita, put together by her mother, Kathleen:

Jennifer Kathleen Blethen, August 30, 1971  - December 23, 2019.

Captain, Garden, Picture

Captain, Garden, Picture.

I took my annual Medicare wellness exam yesterday and I was just fantastic. The doctor gave me three words to remember, then asked me to draw a clock face and make it say 9:20. I did. It was the best clock face ever. Then he asked me if I remembered my three words.

Captain, Garden, Picture, I said.

The doctor was amazed and said that this had hardly ever been done before. Just outstanding. Then he asked if I had fallen recently. I said yes, I was catching  my granddaughter’s fast pitch and I lunged at one that got away, wide right. We were playing on a sidehill so I took a tumble. No injury. Simply amazing.

Captain, Garden, Picture

I still remember those three fantastic words today. Imagine that. I must be special. Gifted.

Sadly, someday I may join the milions of Americans with some form of dementia and for whom this test is intended to diagnose. But for now, my intelligence test results are so amazing I could be President of the United States!

Starting on a lawn tractor, he's still operating

Chris trained on Dad’s lawn tractor. He’s still operating.

Today he’s ram-rodding a crew through a perilous cut in a magnificent mountain pass, blasting 28 foot boulders and digging a state-sponsored four-step pool, presumably to help salmon in their annual struggle upstream to lay eggs. Normally he supervises from a pickup with his faithful bulldog at his side, but the other day, one of his operators was a no show, so he took over a backhoe, extra large.  The old boy still has it. I have a video to prove it. Don't make me post it.



Chris is my partner from the Big Brother program in the 70s. We’ve stayed in touch, though he has moved to the West. He is still my brother. Once a state champion heavy-weight wrestler, he’s always had a love for heavy-weight equipment and sent us pictures from time to time, putting an ever bigger machine to work. But our favorite picture will always be the one where we’re both astride the little tractor in Alexandria, mowing Dad’s lawn. Who knew? No one can be prouder. Hmm. Wonder if he’d let me try my hand sometime?

When the project is complete, we’ll post another picture.