Roaming,part 4

The used car did get me to Hills,Minnesota,the site of my youth. I stayed the first night with my neice, Marilyn Sather Nelson. She is the wildow of Duane Nelson, son of my sister, Opal. She has worked at the high school for years and pictures of adoring students cover the cabinets.If fact, three young girls stopped by being aready bored with vacation and turning toMarilyn for ideas.Her two grandchildren Jeff and Jake were there also keeping her busy.

Her home has become a haven for foreign students and she presentlly is housing a young man man wh;o has not been handed a bed of roses. Mariyln took me and my grand nephew, Scott, to Larchwood, Iowa for lunch. We were not able to fit in the time to visit her daughter,Marie and her husband, Dan, and their children,Luke and Allison. We also were not able to visit her son,Mark"s, hog operation.

The evening of June 24th spent with my neice,Carol Nelson Ehde, and Art near Luverne,Mn. They have had a successful mink operation for years and are not out of the business and slowing down a bit, I think. We have in common the loss of a child.Their loss was Pam at the age of 24. Ours was the loss oa Angela at age 13. They have two grandchildren,Jonathan and Jason. Carol is the daughter of my sister, Opal. Scott is their son, the father of Jonathan and Jason. we all love him very much.

On Saturday I attended my 60th class reunion. That evening we had a porch party at my neice, Valarie, the daughter of my sister, Beverly. Her son, Chad, as well as Art and Carol and Scott and Marilyn were in attendance. Valerie is such a precious and gracious soul.we love her dearly.

I spent Saturday night with the honey man,Dale, son of my brother, Norris, and Dale's lovely wife,Jill, an RN. We attended church in Hills on Sunday and were served a bountious dinner by Jill joined by Dale's Mother Lorraine, and Bob and by my neice, Ineborg Rye,who came from Norway after WW2 and her husband, Palmer Paulson, a retired postal worker and farmer from Canton ,SD.Aslo present was Dale's sister, Helen, one of my favorite neices.

I traveled to Lincoln, Ne. on Monday and stayed with my loyal neice, Barbara, daughter o;f my sister,Eldora. She kept vigil with Donna and I in th wanning days of of daughter, Angela's life. God bless you, Barbara, as you now keep vigil for your first grandchild,Reed.

We went to dinner with Barb's daughter,, Kim and her firiend and with her brother Jim and his wife, Verna and their family. We got to see Jim's new house also.

I tried to go quietly ouf of Barb's house on Tuesday morning but I forgot my hearing aids and had to wake her up anyhow.

I drove to Loveland, Co. and went out to dinner last night with my son, Greg, his wife, Lisa, and my grandchildren, Samuel andn Benjamin. I am updaing my blog at his DC and acupunture office computer before he shows up for work. As Bugs Bunny would say, thats all folks.

Roaming,continued-3

After having cake and ice cream with Brett, Jewell and Dan we traveled over Turtle Creek road wherewe actually saw two turtles on the roadway, to three culvert road where my sister, Vivian, and her husband, Don Helgeson, live. Don, and my brother, Ray, who we visited in Wabasaw,have something in common. They both have pacemakers and they are being recalled so in the next month or so they will have to have the old ones removed from their chest And we thought that it was bad to have our cars recalled.
Viv and Don have a fabulous log cabin house with an atrium effect in the middle. It is very gracious as are Viv and Don. Todd slept in the living room with only the screen door protecting him from the wilds of the northern woods. The other day a bear had left prints on one of the screens. They feed the deer in the winter time so the deer in recompense eat their garden in the summer. They , with the help of their four daughters ran the Cedar Rapid Lodge for many years where Don cleaned more fish than you can shake a stick at.
We visisted their daughter, Jennifer, who stayed with our family in Loveland, Colorado years ago while her and her friend were finding jobs in Denver. She met her husband, John, in Denver and when they moved to the area where now all of the Helgeson girls live. They can handle it but the question is can the Blackduck area handle them. The next day we visited Emily at her workplace, the occupational rehabilitation center. We missed Linda who is a nurse in ER but at this time is pursuing an advanced degree in order that she may get into administration and get off her feet.
The next day we missed by an hour an 80 mile an hour wind storm that tore up trees and buildings in the town of Wadena. We continued on to ST. Cloud where we stayed at a holiday in that had a pool and sauna. we also took in a movie,"Mr. and Mrs.Smith. Not a typical couple.
We arrived back in Mankato about noon. Todd showed me his home and one of his work places.
Todd is a caregive for challenged people. He takes them to Twins games.fishing and other different events as well as to their work stations. His patience and understanding makes the lives of those he works with more meaningful and fullfilling.
He then took me to see his brother, Ryan, and his home and his boat that he had just taken off the lake. He loves the quietness that fishing offers and the serenity. He has technnical computer skills that are used in Cambria table and counter top creation.
On Wednesday Todd"s Mother, Barbara, returned from and educational trip to Greece and Rome. Barb is an RN who works three days a week in OB at the local hospital.
Todd was going to join me in a trip to Hills but his work schedule changed so I no longer had a driver help me in my roaming so we scoured the used car lots and we found a bargain that I hope is not too hard to drive and will take me to Hill, Sioux Falls, Lincoln, Ne. Loveland, Co. and finally to Sun City,Az.

Roaming charge,continued

I flew out of Phoenix on 06/17/05 on American West at 8:32 arriving in Mpls., at 2:00 p,m. I was meet by Dr. Roger Nelson,dcm, and his son, Todd. We traveled in his new luxurious Chevy crew cab about 30 miles to Prior Lake, Mn. where we were entertained by Tony and Laurie (Rye) Nieson and Josh and Jasmine. They have a horse operation and we got to see their four day old fold.
Josh has so many advance placement courses under his belt that he will go from being a junior in high school directly into college. If my memory serves me right,Jasmine will be entering 6th grade. Tony and Laurie just returned from China where they were trying to complete the adoption of a young Chinese girl. It didn't work out and I know that they will continue to search to place a young child for whom they hope to furnish a better quality of life. Such caring, loving, compassionate people fill ones's heart with joy to be allowed to share in their hopes and dreams.
We spent that evening in the Nelson home in Mankato. Saturday morning Todd and I set out for Eau Claire, Wisc., to visit my brother, Ray Rye and his wife , Sandy. We were pleasantly pleased
to learn in a phone conversation that the would meet us on the Mississipi river at Wabasaw.
This is the city where the film "Two Grumpy Old Men" was filmed. We enjoyed lunch at the Anderson House, a famous historical site.
.After a enjoyable casual visit Todd and I motored on to Whyoming,Mn. where we touched base with one of my favorite neices, Tanya Entenman. While attending her sister,Audra's, wedding she told my sons, Randy and Dan, that she wouldn't get married unless I attended her wedding.
Well, she was almost right. She got married in a quiet ceremony on06/04/05. She hadn't told many ,if any, of her family member so I do believe that I was among the first to share her joyous message. God Speed, Tanya, to you and yours. We love you!
Todd and I stayed that evening in Princeton, Mn. We called my nephew, Dan Rockenson, And he had just returned from a birthday party for his Mother-in law, Vivian Helgeson, my sister.It was 10:00 p.m. so I called to wish her a happy birthday. Dan told us it was about a three hour drive to Blackduck and I think they were expecting us for lunch but somehow or other we walked into a Objibway Indian casino at Mille Lacs Lakes and stayed until we were able to walk away with about $25 winnings. Now, that's self discipline that Todd and I exercised, if I do say so my self. We arrived at Dan and Jewell's place at about 3:30 p.m. Dan is a logger and is presently engaged in logging an area that he has successfully bid on. The forest agency marks the trees that they want removed and he then harvests them. Dan is a renniasance (spelling) man. He cut his own trees, allowed time to have them cured, had the lumber mill prepare the lumber and then built his own house. Now tell me how many people you know that would have the guts and the talent to accept a challenge like that.
Their daughter, Theresa, is a RN in the Cities and their son, Brett, is physically challenged and they have created an atmosphere of love and compassion in his care that has left us, their relatives in a state of awe and admiration for their ministry of love.

"I was born to wander, I was born to roam"

And roam indeed is what I will be doing this week I am blessed to have a Grand Nephew, Todd Nelson, son of Barbara and Roger Nelson of Mankato,Mn. as a dear and trusted friend.About three years ago I flew to Mpls. and Roger and Todd picked me up. We had dinner together and then for several days Todd and I visited relatives and friends in Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota. He drove and I relaxed.
About a month ago I was talking to Barbara and she said that Todd might have some time off in June. I woke up in the middle of the night and thought that we might repeat our earlier grand tour.The next morning I discounted the idea for I thought what would a young man of Todd's age want to roam around the country with a Sun City Senior. Well, after a few days, I said what the heck, it won't hurt to float the idea. I did, Todd rose to the occassion and in a few days we will tip toe through the tulips.

:On a ticket generously funded by Brigid and Dan , I will fly to Mpls on Friday the 17th arriving about two in the afternoon. the temprature forcast for Phoenix that day is 104 degrees. I sure that it will cooler there but the reception that I always receive from Barbara,Roger,Ryan and Todd will warm and touch my heart beyond measure.
Roger's Mother, my sister, Opal, passed away earlier this year. My son, Randy and I flew from Colorado to attend the services.From 1962 to l969 we traveled from California each summer in a camper trailer to visit our relatives.Randy enjoyed that and was a great traveler.Then when Randy was a freshman in high school we traveled from Colorado to Minnesota to tow back his 31 Model A five window coupe which we had stashed in Grandma Rye's garage.Later, Randy flew to Minnsota to attend Art Ehde"s father estate sale.He was a rural mail carrier in Steen, Minnesota and he knew more about model A's then Henry Ford and his house and garage were filled with Ford parts. Randy bought a hand tire pump and even before the days of terrorism he couldn't take it on the plane because it could be used as a weapon. Why am I telling you all of this? Well, since those high school days Randy had not been able to work it into his plans to return to the midwest.

So after God only knows how many years Randy returned with me for Opal's funeral.After three days after we boarded the plane in Sioux Falls to fly back to Colorado. After we were settled back in our seats , Randy said.
"Dad, you really have a nice family" And they are the ones that I will be blessed to see because of the fine relationship that I have with Grand Nephew, Todd. God willing, we will see brother Ray and family: sister Vivian
(I have to do all the work) and family; my deceased sister Beverly's family;My deceased sister Opal's family;my deceased brrother Norris's family and hopefully my deceased sister Eldora"s family in Lincoln ,Neb.
And when in Hills I will attend my 60th class reunion. I just attended my granddaughter, Cassia's graduation in Fort Collins, Colorado. She was first in a class of over 600 students. In Hills in 1945, I graduated 12th out of 13. Ten years later, I returned a techer in my home town. One of the most embarrising moments was when in a study hall of 100 students , one of them, a Darrell Stolltenberg asked if he could carve hid name in the desk.I said,"What kind of a question is that/". He said, well, your name is carved here on my desk. Case closed.

Be it ever so humble, where ever you roam
be it ever so humble, there's no place like home

SUMMER SUNSHINE

Yesterday, June 5th was the 8th birthday of Summer Elizabeth Rye daughter of Brigid Deveney Rye And Daniel
Gene Rye. Yes indeed, she is the embodiment of summer sunshine in the Valley of the Sun, a treasure for all seasons. Two weeks before school ended she had a party at her school. Then she had a birthday party making gingerbread houses along with several friends who had birthdays in this time frame and the party was orchestrated by Brigid who is so creative and touches the hearts of all of those who have the good fortune to be in her wide encompassing circle. Also, a birthday pool party with an "old" Claire and a party with a "new Claire.
All of Brigid's family were out of town so I was the honored guest at Summer"s evening party.
As always a sumptious meal was enjoyed and appreciated by all and I got to take mashed p;otatoes and beef home to enjoy during this lunch hour.
Summer has matured so and is such a precious and talented young girl and

"I am, among all men, most richly blessed."

Brigid and Dan's entire life is center around "Summer Sunshine" and it is a joy to behold such a family bonded in love. Each one enriches the other and this family knows where the true riches of life reside. God speed to each of them on this day and each and every day of their lives!