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In memory of Walt

Mandy's Grandpa, Walt, died today. After a multi-year battle with bone cancer, we're relieved to see that his suffering is over. Walt was a great guy with a smile that lit up his face and a heart big enough to share with anyone who knew him.

We'll miss ya ,Walt.

Advice?

As you may know, I'm down a wing. So I'm interested in hearing from all y'all* who have had a cast. What did you break? And what tips or tricks do you have to offer for living with the dang thing?

*Since I know most of you are yankees, a brief lesson on southern language: Y'all is singular. All y'all is the plural of y'all.

Summer...Where Does It Go?

I am just sitting here realizing "thee" wedding (of the century, I must add) is only 30 days away and I am struck by non belief. Our summers just aren't as long as they used to be. Where or where does the time go? After the wedding, it is time for Fall.

We, however, are really looking forward to our weekend because Connie & Leo (old, old, great friends) are going to park their camper in our yard for at least 3-4 days! Leo was in our wedding and Dale was in their wedding...& they cut their honeymoon short to attend ours...now that is the definition of good friends. Both couples married in 1972, (go ahead, do the math)they on August 12 and us on August 19th.

We do have some options for fun, but the most fun could be just having a campfire, good food, maybe some sweet tea vodkas, beer or wine and just being together, catching up on each others lives. I am looking forward to it immensely.

New Blond Joker

A blond teenager girl was wanting to earn some summer cash-so she decided to do some Handiman (girl) jobs. The very first home she stopped at the man of the house answered the door and she explained that she was looking for work. After an minute the man says, "the porch needs painting"-she says ok-and they agreed upon $50 for the job. The lady of the house says "does she know it wraps around the whole house?"
Oh well, the man says-she just wants to earn so extra money.
The man explained to the teenager that the paint and the brushes were in the garage and she could get going.
A couple of hours later the teen came to the door and said she was done and that there was enough paint to put on two coats and there was still paint left over. And oh, by the way...it was a Lexus, not a Porch!

This came from FOX NEWS.COM

MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. — One southern Wisconsin homeowner is probably not in love with the Oscar Mayer wiener.

The famed hot dog's Wienermobile crashed Friday into the deck and garage of a home in Mount Pleasant, about 35 miles south of Milwaukee.

Police say the driver was trying to turn the Wienermobile around in the driveway and thought she was moving in reverse. But she instead went forward and hit the home. It sat in the driveway as if it were stuck in the garage Friday afternoon.

No one was home and no one was injured. No citations were immediately issued.

Both the home and vehicle suffered moderate damage, which Oscar Mayer spokeswoman Sydney Lindner says insurance will cover.

Is this an "ok" T-shirt for a 7th grade girl to wear? The school thinks not-and the girls folks are going to court. Here is the story...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530284,00.html?test=latestnews

The Gregersons

Last night I sadly read that another of Mom's sisters just passed away...& I am just realizing that the whole first part of my childhood/young adulthood book is about over. Those chapters for the most part are history. And, a wonderful history it was!

I remember fondly so many things about Mom's sisters and brothers...from my first airplane ride with Cal (yes, doing loop-de-loops) & screaming and laughing to get togethers out at Oray & Lucille's farm...remember the keg of beer in the root cellar? Well, the adults were drinking & so were the kids, all of that came to an abrupt stop (the partying) when someone, possibly Mom (remember she was their Mom), put their foot down because Bud had a "drinking problem." I remember riding the Great Northern train with my cousin, Janice, to St. Paul to stay a week with Sylvia, Cal & Edna. We were both about 10! (What were our parents thinking??) Once there, we got reacquainted with our aunts and uncle in a way that didn't happen when we were all together. We got our first escalator ride and our first trip to Como Zoo, where we rode the tilt-a-whirl for 12 straight times! Another interesting thing that happened is that it was so hot & Cal was at work so it was just the girls...& Sylvia & Edna took off all their clothes except their bra & panties & encouraged us to do the same!! Wow!! Mom would've never allowed us to do that!

I loved Babe...she was kind and thoughtful...always interested in everyone. Carol & I went camping with Babe & Louie when we were in Washington one summer. She was the one that cut everyone's hair when we got together especially when we were going to have our pictures taken! Afterall, she had gone to cosmetology school, but everyone got the same haircut!
She married a wonderful, loving man, Louie. Louie loved kids and paid attention to us...teasing & joking.

I remember coming home from school one day and Mom was cooking something in a large pot & when I looked at her, she was crying...I asked what was wrong...& she told me that another sister had just been diagnosed with cancer. These sisters and brothers were like Mom's first kids...and I know she misses them, just like I do.

My early life was especially good because I got to know my aunts and uncles well. I will miss them.

Rest in peace, Babe.

The 4th is always fun in Bemidji. The carnival next to Paul and Babe, the beer tent, the parade...bingo, water ski show...while its almost the same from year to year, there is a small town charm about being in Bemidji during the 4th. And don't forget the fireworks...carnival food...(Stittsworth Brats for me)...and fireworks around a campfire...fishing... followed by a fish fry with the Shrivers...

July 1, 2009

It's almost over-summer I mean-although weatherwise, its really just getting to the northland...flowers are blooming...kids are swimming...but its almost done. The days are already getting a bit shorter...I haven't even camped yet...

Moving...

Good email, Gary...thanks for sending it.

So, the news for Mandy and I is that we just moved from St. Paul to Hugo this past Friday. Our new address is:

5702 126th St. N
Hugo, MN 55038

Have a good night, all.
Matt

Blogging with the fam...

I had forgot how much I enjoy blogging. When we blog we leave a piece of digital history for everyone to see...your family can look back and see what you were doing at different phases of our lives...

This blog had a couple of beginnings---but it stretches back to Aug 3rd, 2005-lots of announcements (Nathan's getting married) to updates on Bryce and Hildur's heath...today is June 30th 2009-both at still up and about...

Times have changed...new technologies (Facebook) put a damper on this blog and others-the last entry in Lois's cooking blog was in Oct 2008-but Pete's was just yesterday.

I hope we can all keep on blogging and telling our family stories...oh yeah-Arron's getting married...Miranda is coming home for it and today... we had a bear...

Early Morning Surprise

At 4:30 am the phone rings...I shake out of bed-run to the answering machine to get the phone-our next door neighbor Joel was already talking...the first words I heard was "...a bear is wrecking your bird feeder..." I went to the window and looked at the feeder and indeed it was a bear-a big bear. I ran and got my Nancy...she came running... Now I don't know how to gage how big a bear is but when he stood up next to the feeder-he was just the right size to eat directly out of it without have to stretch to reach or bend over...my first guess is nearly six foot tall. We got the camera out but no pictures we good enough to post...sorry...we're sleepy and it darkish out. What a early morning surprise.

Emma's (almost) famous

We were not aware of this, but a reporter from the local Sun interviewed several kids at Pilot Knob Elementary. But we received an email yesterday from Emma's teacher and learned that Emma is on the Sun website and on youtube. Check it out!

It's February 1

And that means:

Happy Birthday Gary!

We're Back

Its been a while but now we are back-New computer and Hard Drive so we're all set!

A Honor Roll

Its time to celebrate-Joseph, (my nephew!) made the A Honor Roll! What a big deal-

His mom Vicky works with him every night and practices his spelling and math-What a great accomplishment! Way to go Joe...! I am very proud of you!

i3DVR

My first day is the 8th of December. I will be flying out to Toronto and spending a week or so in processing with I3DVR. Then off to Texas with the VP of Sales. Then home for the holidays. n January, I am back to Texas and Oklahoma for the first full week. Then back to Toronto. 
The adventure begins...

My New Job

This past Monday I traveled to Buffalo, NY to interview for a new sales position. And before I got back to Bemidji on Wednesday, I was offered and I  accepted the position.

I will be working from home, selling into Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Texas and others I can't remember. I will be working the phones to extablish a route then fly to meet these clients. 

Next week I will be traveling to Toronto for training-Then around the 15th, I will be going to Texas for one week to train with the VP of the company.

I will be selling I3DVR camera systems to integrators and dealers-a much different sell than what I do today. 

Its very exciting...

Holiday Brew

                                                                                                                  The Holiday brew is complete and now in the bottles-Just gotta wait about 10 days then the holidays can begin!