Fact Or Fiction? (175)
In our two months of eating out since our house fire, we have eaten at just about every food establishment in Albert Lea. Based on our being middle class, this is what we have found to be to our liking.
Breakfast — The sunshine yellow Knight’s Inn Motel for the price, quality and friendliness of the employees is number one.
Lunch — The Big Island Grille and Bar going through the soup and salad bar with a hot popover Monday thru Friday, getting two for one is number one.
Coffee — McDonalds has the best coffee especially considering the price a senior pays.
Evening Meal — Trumble’s is our favorite mainly because of the local atmosphere — especially anytime the owners are present.
When it comes to doing our weekly laundry — the laundromat on East Main on the South side of the street is top dog. The senior lady running it is a real people pleaser.
I must give credit to most of the employees in Albert Lea as we have found only a few rude employees. (The kind that are too busy with non-job related things.) Genie did walk out of one store where the long cell phone conversation was more important than the customer.
How about it Steele County? If Waseca County can look at a rain garden at St. Olaf Lake Park, as per the plan presented by Hugh Valiant, can Steele County look at a rain garden at Beaver Lake? The purpose of a rain garden is to capture runoff; letting it settle before it empties into the lake.
Alpha is the beginning; Omega is the end. All life has a beginning and an end. AARP is considered an elderly group of over-the-hill senior citizens who are past the beginning (Alpha,) and are approaching the end (Omega.) There is a business person in Hollandale nearing this point in life — in fact he will reach it June 4th as he becomes an AARP eligible member by turning the “Big 50.” Dale Miller just mmight know who this person is!
I’m fed up with all the mail solicitations for money. I’m gathering five or six and driving with them over to the local cemetery. Once there, I print, “In the cemetery now,” and mail it. So far, no response back.
Look at the back side of a Culver’s menu. Listed as coming soon is a Culver’s in Hartland!
A local high school English teacher tells me in about 10 years there will no longer be a spelling bee. I asked her to explain. She hands me a piece of paper after printing the following on it:
“SUP OMG MY BF HAD ME LMBO.”
She tells me that was a question and an answer in today’s world of texting. She refused to decipher into my English and explained this is the current way of spelling, thus goodbye spelling bee. Can you decipher the above? (I had a 13-year-old girl translate as I couldn’t.)
A few trivia items:
• Lanesboro is the bed and breakfast capital of Minnesota.
• The shortest Bible verse is “Jesus wept.”
• “Circle Me Bert” was the featured program at Central-North-East Freeborn Brotherhood a number of years ago.
• Go to www.newrichlandstar.com to proofread this article.
• Sign seen on rummage sale picnic table. “For sale — ants are free.”
• Bring a golf club to Target Field when going to a Twins game for the golf ball-size hail.
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 36th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 the Twins played a night game at Target Field in Minneapolis against Tampa Bay. What was so unusual was not the fact that the Twins lost, but the clothing they wore consisted of baseball caps with flaps and earmuffs, plus sweatshirts with a hood. Under the uniform either a full long-john or a to the waist long-john was the undercover apparel worn. Yes, it snowed and the green grass was white!
With all the cold weather, Genie has gone to an undercover outfit also. Her’s is an under the cover while watching the Twins on TV.
Where our son lives, in Vermont, it began snowing at a minor league baseball game just as the game started. These were the big, fluffy snow flakes which caused the game to be cancelled. The fans decided to make the best of it so they built a life-size snowman at all nine positions!
The word is out on defeating the Twins. Score four runs and most likely your team will win. Score five or more runs and it is almost certain your team will win. (The Twins have only scored more than five runs once so far as of the writing of this article.)
Can a high school softball player hit two home runs in one game? Can a high school softball pitcher throw 25 strikeouts combined in two consecutive games? Can the above mentioned players live on the shore of Beaver Lake? Can the above players have a coach named Wenday? Can the above players actually be one in the same person? Ask Jade Schultz and she will tell you yes to each question. How does Jade know? Because she is that person.
There is an old Norwegian true fable that the robin will build a nest after it has snowed on its’ back three times. This fable goes on to say that is als the time to begin field work (including getting the garden ready for planting.) In other words, whether the tires hold up, green or red, let’s roll!
Rumor has it that Grandma and Grandpa Denherder of Beaver Lake are out of pennies. Thanks Madison, for your help in NRHEG Elementary as a student in raising pennies for your school to be third in its size in Minnesota in the Pennies for Patients campaign. (The money is used to fight blood cancer.)
Times have changed. It used to be a great fun-filled tradition. I’m referring to the filling of a May basket with goodies and leaving it on a doorstep as you ran away after ringing the door bell on the first day of May. I will admit getting a surprise of snowflakes in the air on May 1st but sad to say “No May basket.”
Do you remember when you planted a tree on Arbor Day?
Did you remember Mother’s Day? If so, great. It not, it’s not too late to ask for forgiveness.
An young man from Ellendale is now a college graduate. He graduated Cum Laude in Finance which means he worked his tail off to get good grades. He has a good work ethic as he was one of the best carry out cashiers at Lerberg’s that we’ve experienced. Tom Burshem, you will be a good finance person!
We are currently spending our days and nights betwen the lake cabin, our house in Albert Lea, and the Sunshine (Knights Inn) Motel on East Main in Albert Lea. We’re now shooting for June 1st for our Albert Lea house to be livable.
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 36th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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.
Yes, we’re still staying at the sunshine yellow Knight’s Inn Motel on East Main Street in Albert Lea. It looks like the fire-related items will be fixed by May 15th and we should be moved back into our Albert Lea house shortly thereafter.
Genie busted a tooth off at the gum line. When the bill for the tooth plus a bridge was $2,700, she decided to put the busted tooth under her pillow for the tooth fairy. We now know the tooth fairy doesn’t visit the pillow of senior citizens!
For those of you interested in joining a newly formed liars club: Pat and Bill Draayer, of the Hollandale area, are the officers. Pat is the president and Bill is the membership chairperson. They are also involved in the “Red Power” event this summer at the fairgrounds in Albert Lea. I think the color red is a competitor of the color green. Please see Pat and Bill for the details of the above.
One of the motel employees told me one day I would see her name in lights. I thought maybe I could make the day come real soon. (In “Lisa” lights.) Other great employees are Robin and tall Tracey in housekeeping, Michelle, Kathie, Janet and Ben at the front desk and Jonathyn in the dining room. So far, I’ve mentioned all the great motel employees in one of these articles. (We’ve tried very hard to find a bad employee — no luck so far.)
Most of you have seen the TV show “Jeopardy” where you are given the answer and you have to figure out the question. For example: Marge LaFrance of Beaver Lake, and Arlene of Hartland fame. “Who are the retired educators that enjoyed a lunch at Applebee’s in Albert Lea?” Joe LaFrance of Beaver Lake and Virgil of Hartland fame. “Who were the last to find their own lunch spouses?”
I first met him when we were freshmen at New Richland after we attended different country schools through eighth grade. He was a farm boy and so was I. I can recall his reddish complexion with lots of freckles and big hands proudly wearing a FFA officer jacket. Upon graduation in 1954 from New Richland, he went his way and I went mine. After about, 20 years we moved back to the area and re-connected. Whenever we drove by his farm on Highway 13, we would do the “Beep — it’s good to see you — Beep Beep” on the car horn.
I yakked with him at Blondie’s in New Richland last fall after the crops were out and he remarked he would continue farming until they carried him off the farm to the cemetery. Tuesday, April 12, 2011 his remark came true. Farmer David Swenson, you are definitely cream of the crop. I’m looking forward to our re-connecting.
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 36th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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.
Ice out, first dock in same day at Beaver Lake
Written by Jim LutgensAn interesting thing about the Beaver Lake Ice Fishing Contest last February was who caught the largest fish. Nancy Cornelius has a cabin at Beaver Lake. Do you suppose she did a lot of research and thus knew exactly where to fish to catch the big one?
Are you aware there is a 29-inch, 10-pound walleye swimming around in Beaver Lake? It was caught and released by Stewart Graves last October. Does the above wet your whistle as to what to do at 12:01 a.m. May 14th? (Mother’s Day and the Minnesota fishing opener is not the same weekend this year!) A fishing I will go, a fishing I will go, hi-ho and thank you Genie, a fishing I will go.
Very important anniversaries in April: Ed and Arlene Miller, 60 years; Paul and Audrey Romer, Russ and Marie Tesch, 50 years.
President Ronald Reagan had a neat saying, “There you go again.” His saying would most certainly hold true in the case of Beaver Lake residents Lonny and Sue Klemmensen and Dave and Diane Broskoff. Brogan David Klemmensen, son of Cory and Angela Klemmensen, was born December 14th. As of this writing all four grandparents are in agreement that there will be more grandchildren.
Last September, in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming, Genie and I were invited to a chicken breast cookout by some couples from Montana. They mentioned a couple that had an outfitter’s ranch where they lived. They referred to the wife as a “Minnesota Girl.” They also told us of the lady hog farmer back in Minnesota who they had met when she visited her “Minnesota Girl” sister in Montana. At a meeting of the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Ladies in Austin, Genie and I were their program. After the program about our experiences with LAMP (Lutheran Association of Missionaires and Pilots,) we were talking to Ladies President, Ila Akkerman, about the nice new facility. Ila mentioned her husband Dale, was very involved in the design and layout. She mentions that they have four children Jill, Jack, Jane and Jay. Jill is a lady hog farmer married to Reed Demmer living by Hartland. Jane is married to Denny Chatlain and they have an outfitter ranch in Montana. Small world, isn’t it?
Genie and I walked around Beaver Lake Tuesday, April 12th for the first time this spring. The lake level is normal for this time of the year. The ice went out early a.m. Sunday April 10th. Sunday p.m., April 10th, the first dock this spring was in the lake at Chuck and Jean Groth’s cabin. Why did you wait so long?
The water was turned on at Beaver Lake Saturday, April 16th. We won’t be hanging out at the cabin until our house is livable after the fire — hopefully by May 1st. Genie has gotten spoiled telling “her” chef what she would like for breakfast.
In the following order on Sunday, April 24th: Hubby Paul Hanson took Paula Hanson to Easter Sunrise Service. Hubby Paul Hanson took Paula Hanson out for her birthday buffet dinner. Hubby Paul Hanson took a nap in the chair, Paula napped on the couch at the cabin. (Fact or fiction, you decide.)
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 35th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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.
The odd thing about rare events is they sometimes happen
Written by Jim LutgensGenie and I are leading an unusual lifestyle. We arise by 7 a.m. and head for breakfast in the dining room. (Serving is until 10 a.m. Monday through Friday and until 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday). After breakfast, our hectic day starts with all kinds of fire-related things. We should be out of the golden yellow building motel on East Main Street in Albert Lea by May 1st.
Our home in Albert Lea is a work in progress. The attic insulation is being replaced, various other things are being changed along with an entirely new kitchen (walls, ceiling, floor, plus all new appliances.)
At first we were very unhappy with our insurance company (All State.) We were later assigned to a young lady claim service adjuster by the name of Ann Hawkins. Ann jumped right in, raised cane and things are now living up to the slogan of All State. (You’re in good hands.)
The food employees have all been on the scale of one to ten with ten being the highest, and they are eleven! Food servers Pam, Lisa and Jeri can read your mind after they have taken your breakfast order once. When you return again, cooks super Steve and Kim have prepared just what we ordered and it tastes good. In case you think this is fiction, stop in for breakfast at the landmark yellow motel building on East Main Street in Albert Lea.
The maintenance guys of Little Brad and Chuck are a riot. Their appearance reminds me of Mutt and Jeff (one short and one tall.) The big difference is these two get things done.
Jeannie at RSVP of Albert Lea is a faithful reader of this article. Thanks, Jeannie.
The Mother-Daughter Banquet was held at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church (my church) with 150 attending. Of 150 attending, 145 were daughters and the other five were young boys. President Eunice and the other ladies put on a very good show. The theme was food related with Chef Ole (me) as greeter and his helpers (Swen, Lars, Thor, Arne, Nels and Little Ole) as waiters. Lena was the dining room hostess. The main dish was wood pile hotdish created by Chef Ole. The program was Janet Letnes Martin of Church Basement Ladies fame.
A big event here at the golden yellow building is the Spring Bluegrass Festival Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 15-17, 2011. Genie and I plan on attending some of it. For information call the Knights Inn at (507) 369-5210.
F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely on God) of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church has booked a 56-passenger bus plus 56 tickets for Lutheran Night at the Twins vs. Baltimore Monday, Aug. 22 and Tuesday, Aug. 23, with one bus each day. At this point we don’t know the cost or where the seats will be until the first part of May.
Question of the day at Hanson Tire in Albert Lea: “What’s wrong with employee Bob?” Answer: His grandson had his tonsils removed!
Food for thought: You know, the odd thing about rare events is that they sometimes happen.
Trivia: Liz Taylor honeymooned after her first marriage, at the Hotel Albert in Albert Lea. Ken has now joined Barbie as an AARP member. She is 52 and he is 50.
Sunday April 24, “Hosannah, He is risen.”
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 35th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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.
After church on Sunday, March 13th, Genie and I left by car headed down I-35 for Harrison, Arkansas. Just south of Clear Lake, IA, we were past the snow, ice on the water and into what looked like spring. We saw robins, blackbirds, geese, red-tail hawks, a gray fox, vultures, black angus cows, lots of deer laying down, and about six horse-drawn, slow-moving vehicles with the occupants dressed in their black going- to-church Sunday outfits.
We stayed at the Comfort Inn of Marshall, MO on Sunday night. Much to our surprise, winter was there to greet us Monday morning, as there was about six inches of wet snow during the night. After 75 miles south and lots of vehicles in the ditch, we were back to spring conditions.
We arrived in Harrison Monday p.m. on time to enjoy fresh bread, home made soup and coconut cake with Frank and Sandy Meng. An interesting thing about Frank is even though it says “Made in China” on the bottom of his right foot, he is really a displaced Norwegian from Iowa. Sandy is also from Iowa, where her and Genie grew up together to be great ladies. (Lucky Frank, lucky me.)
They showed us a very interesting church outreach ministry. The First Baptist Church of Harrison made the decision to have an outreach ministry. The result is a building with an inside walking track, plus a fitness area open to all Monday through Friday. Seeing is believing as it is most impressive.
We stayed four nights at the Quality Inn in Harrison. St. Patrick’s Day morning Genie observed a young man in his pajamas with bare feet, carrying a refrigerator and putting it in the trailer behind his truck. Genie thought this was rather odd at 7 a.m., seeing as how the refrigerator was identical to the one in our room. The net result was one young man didn’t get to wear any green, as he got an orange outfit to wear while in the slammer.
We left Harrison early Friday morning back to Albert Lea. An interesting thing we noticed was most of the deer we saw laying down going south were still laying down in the same spot as we went north.
Many of you readers are aware of the “blue” building as a landmark on the Bath Road between Beaver Lake and Albert Lea. Genie and I are now staying in the “golden yellow” landmark building in Albert Lea because of a kitchen fire in our house on St. Patrick’s Day. Brad Combs, our godson, was doing some handyman work when the fire started. He mananged to put the fire out, thus saving our house. Thanks, Brad.
We have three employee guardian angels here at the “golden yellow” building motel. Tracy, Theresa and Chelsea are so great, as they even fed us pizza the first Sunday night at the motel!
Hopefully, I’m done with the “Uffda” stomp ‘til next December. For you non-Norwegians, that is when you stomp your feet three times upon entering a building to get the snow off your boots as you say “Uffda.”
Trivia — Gas was $3.239 per gallon in Missouri on Friday, March 18th. Lots of meadowlarks in Missouri. Snow geese follow open water as they migrate north.
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. 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. This is the Hanson’s 35th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, 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.
On a very, very foggy Thursday morning Genie and I drove to the 32nd Annual Eelpout Festival in Walker, MN. Vehicles were appearing and disappearing until we got to Highway 2 at Grand Rapids, MN. Because of the fog, it took two hours longer than normal. Fortunately, the temperature was in the mid-40s so the roads weren’t icy.
320 miles and we arrived at The Palace Casino and Hotel just west of Cass Lake where we stayed four nights. Brian gave us a great welcome back upon check in.
Because of the warm weather creating unsafe ice conditions, only ATVs and snowmobiles were allowed to drive onto Leech Lake. The Cass County Sheriff’s vehicles were at each ramp onto the lake enforcing the ban on the vehicles.
With the ban of vehicles on the lake it created a problem of parking space in Walker plus wall-to-wall people on shore. Genie and I didn’t enter the Karaoke contest as there were too many waiting their turn in the Trapper’s Lodge. The Trapper’s Lodge was a huge tent with Karaoke on one end, a meal of eelpout nuggets and fries on the other end, and an ice bar with ice sculptures in the middle. We had our picture taken sitting on an eelpout ice sculpture.
We even saw Grandma Jane and Grandpa Dan with grandchildren Ellie and Aaron from Albert Lea looking at all of the eelpout which had been caught. (The biggest was 13.33 lbs.) For more details talk to Jane at the Albert Lea Medical Center Pharmacy.
We attended Sunday church at Trinity Lutheran on Highway 2 west of Cass Lake. The bulletin stated to let Ardean know if you are not able to attend the Meatball Dinner next Sunday — so we let him know we couldn’t!
To Karin, William, Bill, Eric and son “H.B.,” Betsy, Jennifer, Chris her, Chris him, Lisa (welcome back,) Jason, River, Auntie Kim, Brian, Robert, Maggie, Audrey, Vernae, Bernice, Sheila, Sharyl and the rest of the employees at the Palace, you are all guest treatment specialists.
In talking to Brian at the motel desk, he had noticed the bath towels have gotten smaller, too. We decided it was just like candy bars and cars being made smaller than before.
In driving the highway between Cass Lake and Walker this summer, notice the country store at Wilkenson as Lisa is hoping to re-open it.
The Palace Hotel has a room rate special of $30 Mon-Thur and $45 Fri-Sat. for March and April of 2011. Call (800) 442-3910 for reservations. The facility has a snack bar, a bingo hall, a non-smoking dining room, a smaller casino with an 80-unit motel and indoor pool all under one roof, plus “about you” guest specialists.
Some of the local hustlers, with lots of head hair, were peddling a tiny, raw eelpout, a small red jalapeno, and a glass of home brew for $10. They guaranteed if you ingested all of it, the results would be lots of hair on your head. They told me it was a fundraiser for the local Lie-ons Club. So far, I’m still bald!
The 320 mile drive home on the President’s Holiday was very slow with lots of vehicles in the ditch due to icy conditions. It took two hours longer than normal.
True trivia — 2200 ice anglers went fishing on a beautiful (weatherwise) Saturday in February at Lake Agnes, Alexandria, MN. They were all successful “ice” anglers and nothing else. The organizers decided to double up on the prizes next year!
Many thanks to Ken Bertelson for filling in as greeter at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church during my absence.