You know you’re tired, but you don’t know why until you look at your calendar from last week and you’re getting ready for church on Sunday morning. Genie and I (especially as octogenarians) felt very tired Sunday morning October 1, 2023.
We looked at last week’s calendar and this is what we saw.
Me doctoring on Monday, September 25th for sciatica. I now have a disability Minnesota driving and parking permit, also a deer hunting license permit to hunt from a vehicle in Minnesota.
Genie doctoring on Tuesday, September, the 26th. Genie now has a parking disability Minnesota license.
On Thursday, September 28th we attended the funeral of Rev. Netha Brada at St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Rev. Netha’s father and Genie’s mother are brother and sister.
The service was held at the same church where Rev. Netha had served as the pastor. It is a very old and quaint church, right beside the river in the town of Iowa Falls.
The service was followed by lunch with goodies in the church basement, with many stories of reminiscence as the family of Rev. Netha is scattered across the United States.
On Friday, September 29th we attended the Funeral of Lila Griggs at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, Minnesota. Lila is the mom of Reverend Matt Griggs, Pastor of Central Freeborn. I know Pastor Griggs is good, but I was concerned that he might do the service. (I couldn’t see how a son could officiate at his mother’s funeral with his own children sitting in the pew at their grandmother’s funeral without him in the pew with them. My concerned were for naught when I found Pastor Griggs’ friend Rev. John Heille was officiating. To me, the final hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” was very appropriate for the closing.
On Saturday, September 30th we headed for the wedding of April Quandahl and Jackson Knudson beside a pond in rural Iowa by the bride’s grandparents.
Somehow we missed the turn to the wedding site. I asked a lady and her son if she knew the location. She replied, “No,” as they had just moved there from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. She asked if we had an address. I gave her the wedding invitation with the address. Her reply “Follow me,” as she got in her car and put the address in her GPS. She took us right to the site, stopped and motioned to the wedding sign and drove away. Once again Genie and I both remarked “Minnesota Nice.”
The wedding site was even better than we had imagined. The wedding was located in a site with all the outdoor fall ambiance to make it great.
Genie and I were the fill-in grandparents for Jackson. Both of us deemed it an honor, especially because we don’t have any grandchildren.
A reception and dance followed the wedding at the Community Center in Festina, Iowa.
We drove back to Albert Lea Saturday night as the Youth of Central Freeborn were doing the coffee hour in church on Sunday to raise funds for their activities (one of which is a horse drawn wagon ride to Gene and Diane Wangen’s cabin in the woods with S’mores and hot dogs on Sunday afternoon, October 15th.)
P.S.: Two things must happen for the Twins to win the World Series:
1. The Twins Don’t Play the Yankees.
2. The Twins must hit at least three runs every game!
In conclusion: “GO TWINS!”
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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 New York. 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.