The month of April 2018 was very unusual. April 2018 set a record for the most snowfall and coldest of any April since area records were kept. Many other records were set in regards to lowest high temperature for a certain date in the month.
April is known for April showers bringing May flowers. This April, showers were non-existent. (The closest to a shower were thunder snow booms during a snow storm).
On most days the temperature was less than the normal high. On Wednesday, April 18, 10 inches of snow shut everything down. On Monday, April 23 temperatures were in the 60s and have been in the high 50s and low 70s and low 70s every day after. Thus, the weatherman is saying, this area went from winter to summer with no spring.
The late snow and cold weather confused the spring birds arrival. I counted in excess of 200 snow birds at our bird feeders one morning. Bird food wasn’t to be found except that furnished by humans. The sale of meal worms was at an all-time high. That great photographer, Ruth Olson of Albert Lea, managed to get a photo of a robin with a mealworm in its beak while sitting at her feeder. (The photo was on the front page of Albert Lea Tribune).
The local weatherman summarized the month of April by saying, “Weather will be weather, whether you like it or not.”
Once again the Minnesota DNR put some hard core fisherman in between a rock and a hard place. The opening of fishing weekend in Minnesota is the weekend of Mother’s Day. Most of the guys will follow that old wise saying, “If Momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy.”
Eugene Lysne. Dwayne “Whitey” Hagen, Bill Neff, Bill Christianson, Vern Strand and Duane Hatlel: are six local military veterans that like to hear the spoken four words, “thanks for your service.” (Please comply. They were six of the veterans that went on the honor flight to D.C.).
Locally the medical profession recorded the most ever cases of a certain type of illness in the month of April. It was called some kind of “fever” with obecalp the prescribed medication. (I might have spelled the medication in reverse). A strange thing is the fever is virtually gone since people got out of their cabin when the weather turned warm.
Arlene Murray was voted by her fellow auxilians as Auxilian of the Year at Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea. There are about 100 auxilians so you could say “she is one in a hundred.” (When you see this young at Heart Auxilian give her a high five.)
This past week Genie had what she called “A cultural week.” She went to supper before and then to civic music with friends on Monday. Thursday, she went to an act-play through community theater. On Saturday she went to civic music with the program being Glenn Miller.
My culture for the same week was watching the Minnesota Twins lose seven consecutive baseball games. I have a one-word comment “UFFDA.”
Who is Pavlina? Pavlina is a tall not young but not old lady with a very neat accent. She has the great ability to be a people pleaser and at the same time have a very good job performance. Her job is the complimentary breakfast for the motel guests at the Comfort Inn Ocean Side on the outer banks in North Carolina. In our eating there she found out I liked scrambled eggs, thus the next morning Genie and I had scrambled eggs. (A prime example of her people pleasing ability.) Pavlina, many thanks for your hospitality.
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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.