This is another of my “hopscotch” columns (a running of the words in street language).
Have you noticed how a fellow columnist is now writing with a bit of humor? Could it be due to a four-wheeled vehicle called a Studebaker?
The people of Portugal and Spain will traditionally eat 12 grapes just as the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve. This is to ensure 12 happy months in the coming year.
I missed being able to tour the Christmas decorations at the Vince Peterson farm (Vince retired this year after four decades).
Have you been to the new business by Ellendale called Casey’s? Be sure and say “hi” to Larry on your next visit.
The Wagner Watch is a most appreciated ad in the Star Eagle.
An NRHEG alumni asked me to say “hi” to her fellow alumni (she goes by the handle, “Debbie Baas”).
Once again, modern technology blew me away. Genie received a letter from a classmate (Sandy Hargens) with a postage stamp that was a picture of Sandy’s dog, Echo. Yes, you can print a postage stamp of your liking from your computer.
We received a homemade pecan pie from Dan and Laurie (they live on top of the Green Mountains just outside of Burlington, Vermont) via USPS Priority Mail. It took longer to get here than it did for us to eat it. We eat good things fast.
Police statistic: The least number of cars stolen is on Christmas Day. The most number of cars stolen is on New Year’s Day.
Many stores in Mason City are entered via the door on the left and exited via the door on the right.
The sentence, “The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog,” uses every letter of the alphabet.
In his end-of-the-year meeting with the heads of the U.S. church bodies, President Obama let them know he was aware that most church bodies were suffering financially. He asked if there was anything he could do to help their finances. The unanimous answer was, “Quit making $1 bills.”
While waiting to order at the busy local KFC, I started to talk with a lady also waiting to order. She let me know she lived in New Richland and worked in Albert Lea. I stated that I was a graduate of New Richland and asked her last name. She looked at me and said, “I recognize you, you write a column in the New Richland paper and if I tell you my name it will be in the paper and I don’t want that.”
She did okay giving her description: “About five feet, six inches tall, under age 40 with the outstanding feature of wearing pink shoes.” Tell her you saw her description in this column.
A duck’s quack doesn’t echo, and no one knows why.
There is a hotel in Sweden built entirely out of ice; it is rebuilt every year.
Her name is Sharon, his name is Jim; her name is Genie, his name is Bob. At the Senior Citizen Christmas Party, Sharon was the lucky winner of bottled wine. Genie was the lucky winner of a food certificate good for cocktail shrimp. Jim and Bob are waiting for the consuming party that they promised to invite them to.
How did Genie and I celebrate New Year’s Eve? At the stroke of 12, we each ate 12 grapes.
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.