Genie and I attended the American Legion breakfast in Albert Lea on a Sunday morning after church. Students from Alden-Conger were involved in service. We were privileged enough to sit at a table with Alden-Conger parents and students. Because of this, I am no longer a greenhorn regarding trucks and high mileage vehicles.
One of the table helpers from Alden-Conger is the daughter of Jeff and Ann Erickson. She has been very busy helping the family get the Golden Bubble ready to re-open (Jeff and Ann Erickson are the owner-operators). An interesting bit of family ownership is Jeff is the grandson of former owner Harry Krueger. Thus the fourth generation helped at the table where Genie and I were eating. Take it from an old-timer, Jeff and Ann will make it a want-to-go-to place. (I’ve known Jeff and Ann since they were high school students at Alden). The telephone number for the Golden Bubble is 507-391-5043 and their e-mail address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Genie and I will see you there.
Another Mardi Gras has gone by. Genie and I have been there once and it was a hoot! There was an Ace Hardware Store on the main drag. On one corner was an old bank converted into a McDonald’s restaurant. The unusual thing was they sold liquor in a drink and you could walk out with the drink. On another corner was an usual-style building that sold Chicory Coffee with a pastry-type doughnut — delicious! We decided to take a walk on Bourbon Street as far is it would go. We ended up in very shabby, tough looking housing. A black and white police car pulled alongside of us. He rolled down his window and asked where we were from. He politely stated, “If you want to get back to Minnesota alive, hustle your buns out of here.”
This world is advancing too fast for me. For example, an area Lutheran church has made a decision that is was out-of-the-box thinking. If a Sunday bulletin is not printed, no church service. If a Sunday bulletin is printed, there is a church service. I refer you to the church powers at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, rural Albert Lea.
FROG (Fully Rely On God), an outreach mission to promote fun, food and fellowship from Central Freeborn Lutheran, is trying to reduce the cabin fever epidemic. They have a guess when the snow on the west side of the church parking lot will all be gone. The contest entry deadline is April 1 with the correct date winner getting a Dairy Queen ice cream cake.
FROG is promoting visiting someone who doesn’t get around much anymore. Your reward, other than a good feeling, is to select a coupon from one or more of the coupons on a table at Central Lutheran. Coupons are from Applebee’s, Arby’s, Cabin Coffee, Dairy Queen, Heritage Restaurant, KFC, Perkins, and Trumble’s. Be sure to say thanks when using a coupon!
Another cabin fever reduction is the date on this newspaper — the first day of spring!
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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.