On Monday evening, April 8, the weather box on our TV read: Warning, get out of Dodge (Albert Lea). Bomb cyclone Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Genie and I took heed and left early morning Tuesday, driving to Harrison, Arkansas. We stayed at the Quality Inn of Harrison, 575 miles from Albert Lea.
The Great Janie, with her slow, delightful southern drawl, welcomed us as we checked in, staying five nights. She issued a challenge to us. She was aware of “Minnesota Nice” as she gave us a list of 20 current employees. We were to let her know when we left if all of the employees qualified to be rated “Minnesota Nice.” Pam, Denise, Lela, Stacy, Kayla, Jeremy, Pauline, Tabitha, Nikki, Ally, Sammie, Tammie, Ethan, Ashley, Micheala, Nettie, Janie, Thomas, Tom and Tyler were the employees. Genie and I accepted the challenge.
We visited with Sandy and Frank Meng, relatives in Harrison. Frank’s 91st birthday was Saturday the 13th with white cake trimmed in brown and green frosting. Sandy has two young sisters, Faith and Hope, chihuahua dogs in the process of being trained. Surprisingly, the dogs are very trainable. Frank likes all to know he is an old trained Norwegian originally from Iowa.
While in Harrson, we had to break bread with “Neighbors.” Neighbors is the local must-go-to restaurant.
Claire, a friend of Sandy’s, gave us a tour of her goat and sheep hobby farm. Very interesting.
While driving around we saw a dead opossum on his back, feet up, holding a Bush beer can. Upon finishing the beer, the opossum flipped over and staggered away.
As we checked out of the Quality Inn we let Janie know all 20 of her employees qualified as Minnesota Nice.
From Harrison, we drove to Marshall, Missouri to stay one more night at the Comfort Inn. Heather at the desk most certainly qualified to be rated Minnesota Nice.
We were driving north on Highway 65 going up a slight hill in Missouri when we met a car going rather slow. The male driver put both hands on his windshield. T’was then we spotted the 40 mph sign as we slowed from 65. We know why Missouri is referred to as “The Show Me State” as we drove by the parked state trooper on the other side of the incline.
We filled gas going south and filled at the same station going north on the way home six days later. Gas was $2.39 going douth and $2.72 going north.
From our observation, Iowa is the corn state, Missouri is the black angus state, Arkansas is the must-have-a-chair-on-the-porch-with-a-pond-if-living-in-the-country state.
The Missouri and Des Moines Rivers were very high, with flooding. We even saw an irrigation system with one end under water.
While the “Bomb Cyclone” hit Albert Lea, temperatures in Harrison were a record-high 85-89 degrees.
In checking with the local TV meteoroligist, a bomb cyclone is a rapid drop in pressure and a storm gaining strength explosively.
P.S. Check your May 13, 2019 calendar.
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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.