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. 

While the scurs were celebrating their newfound popularity after forecasting no snow last week, things turned ugly. Readers looked outside late last week to see snow falling as they were watching another Twins defeat on the tube. Hate mail ensued. Will the scurs redeem themselves? Starting Wednesday, partly cloudy skies with a high of 65. Clouding up overnight with a good chance of rain and lows near 45. Cloudy becoming partly cloudy on Thursday with a slight chance of showers during the day. Highs near 60 and lows around 40. Partly cloudy on Friday with a slight chance of a shower during the day and a better chance of showers overnight. Highs Friday of 65 and lows of 45 - 50. Cloudy on Saturday with a slight chance of showers. Highs near 65 and lows of 50. Partly cloudy Sunday with a chance of lingering showers. Highs around 65 and lows near 45. Monday partly cloudy with highs of 65, lows of 50 and a slight chance of showers. Becoming cloudy on Tuesday, warmer, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs near 70 and lows around 50. The normal high for May 5th is 67 and the normal low is 42, about the same as we experience on October 2nd. The duration of daylight, however, is the same as that on August 7th. May has continued the April trend of cooler than normal. On May 2nd, the high was 37. This is the normal high for March 6th. The sun will rise before 6 a.m. on May 6th so hopefully the longer days will start to warm us up. The scurs will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with some cactus juice.

Wow! What an ugly April that was and as we said last week, a throwback to the days of my youth. Seems like those were more the norm in the ’60s and ‘70s. I still recall sliding down the hill at home on the 29th of April after a spring snowstorm dumped 6” or so. Some details on this April at the ranch: we measured precipitation of one sort or another on 20 of the 30 days. We recorded a trace on three more. Logic tells you if it’s precipitating, it’s generally cloudy. With little sunshine it was also cool. On any given day, it seemed temperatures were off the average mark by about 10 degrees, more March-like than April-like. Cloudy and cool led to little drying in the fields and very little fieldwork was accomplished. On the flip side, while it rained and/or snowed frequently, the amounts were moderate. At the ranch the gauge tallied a total of only 2.54” with slightly over an inch of that falling last week. Given some sun, warmer temperatures, breezy conditions and a little luck, we still have a decent chance to get this crop planted in without resorting to extraordinary measures. Plant in the mud, the crop is a dud. Plant in the dust, bins will bust.

Gardening has followed suit with fieldwork progress. Difficult to make any headway in areas where drainage is lacking and fall tillage was not performed. Wednesday’s rain pretty much put the kibosh on any gardening plans. So when the weather deals you a lemon, you make lemonade. Tree planting needed to be done and the beauty of it was they didn’t need watering. There was already water in the bottom of the hole in places. There are still a few potted shrubs to put in, but one needs to ease into these things so as not to burn out on them. I did manage to get all the vine crop transplants seeded into the flats thanks to Bill, Deb and Amy. Mighty nice to have everything ready for me then just show up to plant. It’s even nicer to get a jump on the season when it includes Bill’s favorite and mine, those sweet Mooregold squash.

The little male goldfinches are close to full color now and the rooster pheasant we call Little Jerry II is biding his time courting the young ladies on the edge of the lawn. Some of the travelers are moving through to their summer homes far to the north and some are arriving here for the season. It’s that time of the year. Included in this week’s sightings were the barn swallows on April 27 and a brown thrasher in the backyard on April 30. A half dozen white-crowned sparrows and a Harris sparrow were spotted on May 2, and all were glad I didn’t decide to torch their favorite brush pile over the weekend. It was alive with activity and makes an excellent place for them to conceal themselves when there are no leaves on the trees. Chipping sparrows are picking out potential nesting spots in the evergreen plantings. Some of the trees are measuring more than 7 feet tall now. Not sure if it’s the same one, but a robin is back in the barn adding to the top of the same nest that has been used for at least the past three years. It’s starting to resemble a chimney and if they keep coming back, eventually we’ll have to cut a hole in the roof.

With spring planting season here, the little fat buddies are on sabbatical once again or at least until the rainfall that knocks us out of the field. To send us off in the right frame of mind, CS recently made a pan of caramel rolls, still almost too warm to eat when they arrived. Lynne S. brought in a cake to thank those who had taken Davey to his appointments in addition to those with whom he shared those morning bomb sessions. Without that nourishment for our bodies, it would be difficult for us to nourish our minds. What’s more, it would be nearly impossible to convey all that wisdom and knowledge accumulated over the course of a long winter to the masses.

See you next week…real good then. 

By REED WALLER

Staff Writer

It was time to spend some money. The NRHEG board of education approved a number of purchases at their regular meeting Monday, April 18.

Bus purchase

“We skipped a year with bus purchases,” Wellen reminded the board.  After bidding, Hoglund Bus Company gave the district a discount for the bus on the lot as well as $3,500 on trade-in, for a cost of $78,811.05.

Lawn Tractor for Ellendale

Last year the district purchased a tractor for New Richland.

Erlandson Implement “started with government pricing, and went down from there,” said Wellen. A $12,540 trade-in of the district’s 2000 model John Deere brought the purchase to a balance of $19,950.

New Lockers for High School

214 lockers 15” wide were approved for purchase through Wissota Supply Co., plus 27 12” lockers, for a total of $38,240.

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

It was a relatively normal agenda which was on the docket for the New Richland City Council as they gathered for their second meeting of April Monday night. All members were present as they approved the consent agenda items which included a request from the New Richland firefighters for their street dance to be held on June 16 on Broadway Ave.

There were no public hearings, petitions or ordinances/resolutions to be heard.

Ambulance chief Jenny Johnson reported 84 runs so far in 2011, compared to 231 for all of 2010. Johnson requested to purchase a portable suction unit for the ambulance rig which was approved at a cost not to exceed $600. Johnson also noted some minor maintenance issues with the rig which will be repaired.

Brad Field reported normal conditions for the Waste Water Treatment Plant. The council received some good news concerning the ongoing 7th Street NW water issues. After some minor excavation and televising of a county tile line, the cause of a basement constantly flooding out was determined. The offending tile was capped and the problem should go away.

The 2011 NRHEG High School Junior/Senior prom will be held Saturday, May 7.

The theme for this year's prom is, "A Hollywood Premiere." Prom-goers will be able to pick up their tickets at New Richland Care Center between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m. Pictures will be taken in the high school gymnasium from 4:30 to 6 p.m. by Brent Hemingway. Parents will be allowed in the gym at 6 p.m. to take group pictures, for example, all junior boys, all junior girls, etc.

The Grand March will start at outside at 7 p.m. (weather permitting) and inside at 7:30 p.m., with the dance to follow.

If it is raining, the Grand March will start inside at 7 p.m.

Ash Avenue, on the east side of the school, will be barricaded during the Grand March so parents, family and friends may congregate in the street for picture taking.

All pictures are being taken before the Grand March this year so that all parents, family and friends can leave immediately after the Grand March to allow students to enjoy their prom for a longer period of time.

The Grand March, inside and outside, is free for all who wish to attend. The dance will conclude at 12 midnight with the After Prom Party to follow at the Geneva Community Center.

Calls received and/or action taken by the New Richland Police Department:

• March 18, 8:05 p.m. — Directed patrol, S. Broadway Ave. Okay per staff.

• March 19, 7:40 p.m. — Medical assist, N. Broadway Ave. Assist rendered.

• March 21, 1:15 p.m. — Civil Matter, 3rd St. NW. Child custody.

• March 21, 3 p.m. — Animal complaint/loose dog, unspecified. Returned to owner. Owner warned.

• March 22, 11:30 p.m. — Civil matter, W. Division St. Party with questions about child custody matter.

• March 23, 8 a.m. — Agency assist, Hwy. 13 and 30. Assist rendered.

• March 23, 7:20 p.m. — Civil matter, W. Division St. Child custody.

Here are some things you always wanted to know - or maybe not - but I will tell you anyway.

It is best to interrupt the diaphragm spasms that cause hiccups with a little lemon juice or by simply sucking on a lemon slice.  The sour taste gives a jolt that stops them, at least momentarily.

So many companies are advertising - no fat - low fat - as a means to catch the consumer’s eye. While this may be true and valid, sometimes these fats are replaced with other ingredients that are more than just a filler, which are downright not good for you.

We all know it takes a teaspoon of sugar to make the medicine go down. But it also takes a little sugar or salt to make some foods more palatable. Look for herbs that will bring out flavor, and also look on the label for sugar/salt substitutes that may be more harmful for your health.

Research suggests that 80% of all cancers and 70% of heart disease could be stopped or remedied, if we followed certain health rules.  Isn't it worth looking into? In fact, many catastrophic illnesses all stem from the lack of knowledge and participation, diabetes being one of them. 

There are so many unknown or not so widely known human illnesses out there. This truth should behoove us to do what we can to stop the obvious, so as to slow down the progression of new calamities along the way.

Are you aware that getting less than six hours of sleep makes you prone to developing cancerous polyps in your colon? It is more advisable to set your alarm clock for bed time than to set it for getting up.

Got an itch? If it is by your face, it could be from your cell phone.  By your belly button - your belt buckle.  On your wrist - your watch. Any of these items may have nickel in them, especially if they have been in use long enough to make the covering thinner.

Ohio State researchers say to stop sneezing and other allergic reactions with yoga practice. It keeps you from being stressed and more susceptible to allergies.

Figure how much you make an hour before you make a purchase. Is it worth the amount of time you spend to get it? Same goes for snacking. If you know how many hours you need to exercise for that taste of one calorie tidbit, you might think twice before you eat it.

Because 70% of your body is comprised of water, it stands to reason that many times when we really think we're hungry, we actually are thirsty. A glass of ice water every morning will require your body to heat up the water to body temperature, an effective weight loss technique. 

The body also utilizes the water to stay hydrated. Water is also necessary for blood circulation. To determine how much water your body needs, divide your weight in half. That number is the minimum amount of ounces you should consume in a day.

I've also heard that we should drink eight glasses of water for the first 150 pounds, and 8 ounces for every 25 pounds above that. It's never advised to gulp excessive amounts of water or other liquids, because it upsets the electrolyte balance which may send the body into shock. Remember too that foods you eat contribute to the water in your body.

Working out before breakfast prompts the body to burn more fat for fuel.  Having a cup of coffee right before a workout gives you endurance, plus it reduces any aches or pains you feel during exercise. The caffeine blocks adenosine, which is a chemical that sends pain signals to the brain, so sayeth the researchers at the University of Illinois.

Sipping coffee could reduce your risk of diabetes up to 30%. Coffee is rich in compounds that make your muscles more sensitive to sugar hormones in soft drinks, which helps you use more glucose for energy. Some say no coffee is best while others say it is good for you. Does it make you shake your head?

Research shows that women who sip just one soft drink or fruit punch daily increase their risk of developing diabetes by 83%. That large load of rapidly absorbed sugar taxes the pancreas' ability to keep blood sugar on an even keel, according to Dr. Testelbauns.

It isn't enough to keep the salt shaker off the table or out of the cooking area.  Often when sugar, oils and carbohydrates are cut from processed foods, the salt amount is increased to bring out the taste. Read the label!

People can cut their risk of diabetes 25% by consuming one of these treats daily: one cup of cherries, 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce, one cup of vegetarian chili, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, one cup of baby carrots, 1/4 cup sweet onions, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Also try ground cinnamon on oatmeal instead of sugar. It’s good.

Researchers say that drinking unsweetened cranberry juice or calcium fortified orange juice can boost our HDL's 10% or more. Keeping HDL's (good kind) above 55 milligrams could cut your risk of Alzheimer’s up to 60% (NY Columbia University).  HDL's clear artery clogging fats out of the brain so the brain tissues stay young and healthy.

Other ways to raise your HDL's include lifting weights and eating a diet rich in omega 3 and omega 98 like nuts, seeds, fish, seafood and avocados.

On the Campbell soup can down by the Educational coupon, I found a little sign that reads "Made in the USA.” That made my heart glad! We need more of those signs on our merchandise.

On to another topic...The kind of weather we've had certainly doesn't make you think sunscreen. Even so, sunscreen isn't just for sunny, summer days. It should be applied daily, because even on cloudy days the sun’s harmful rays penetrate the clouds and can damage your skin. Twenty minutes of sun exposure a day is all that is necessary for producing Vitamin D.

When we do too many things at once, we can't fully commit to doing any one thing well. This is especially important when you're driving, as it can quickly become a safety issue. It sounds like law enforcement are going to clamp down on this issue in the not too distant future, regarding cell phone usage, eating, etc.

Do you enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars?  Do you think about how much exercise is involved? It’s more than you think. Dancing actually enhances your memory and makes your brain grow.  Get smart - Dance!

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, April 28th: Martin Rossing, Rodney Peterson, Mildred Flugum, Jamie Cameron,  Jean & Chuck Groth

• Friday, April 29th: Derek Anthony Kubicek, his 5th; Jane Brocker, Roberta Dettman, Angie Hall, Mitchell Jensen, Pat & Linda Goodnature, Jennifer & Steve Schultz

• Saturday, April 30th: Nancy Williams, Jeff Misgen, Paul Moen, Bradley Randall, Dawn Cooper, Kevin Cooper, Jonathon Lein, Karey Dufresne, Judah Ashton, Jonathon Lein, Rick & Melonie Miller

• Sunday, May 1st: Carter Levi Titus, Jim Hanson, Shirley Pichner Helgeson, Christopher "Critter" Johnson, his 10th; Luke Dobberstein, Gene Budach, Sandi Otto Glenn, Richard Helmers, Sue Kasper Anderson, Tim Kasper, Norma Long, Cari Jensen, Thomas Van Riper, Veronica & Jim Graif, Heidi & Ryan Baldwin

• Monday, May 2nd: Jack Benjamin Owen, his 3rd; Diane Smith, Ted Radke, Jill Goodnature Kubicek, Bonnie Shaunce, Stephanie Corey, DeWayne Farr, Nolin Joe Simmons, his 7th; Joshua Nicholas Paulsen, his 9th; Roger Anderson, Gerald & Mildred Flugum, Dean & Carolyn Wangen

• Tuesday, May 3rd: Jase Dean Knudson, his 3rdd; Cassidy Worrell, Fern Possin, Justin Robertson, Dale Dulas, Wayne Dobberstein, Anthony Brandt, Merle Bartness, Leah (Ruth) & William (Bill) Scott, their 2nd

• Wednesday, May 4th: Joyce Wayne, Angie Worrell Aaseth, Daniel Knudson, Kenneth Schumacher, Charles Wangsness, Keith Miller, Shirley Draayer Anderson, Dean Heskett, Thad Tuttle, Leslie Ray Farr, her 9th; Jessica Marcus, Julia Elizabeth Rye, her 4th, Brooklyn Cecila Strand, her 7th, Melonie Butler, Lexi Jo Brandstad, her 10th  Thursday, May 5th: Mckenzie Lynn Jensen, her 10th; Alexis Janning, his 10th; Jeff Draayer, Shirley Jensen, Melody Krenke, Ron Langlie, Ryan Larson, Shirley Swearingen, Amber Obermoller, Dennis Sauke, Martin Whelan, Erik & Shannon Smith, their 10th; John & Lucille Nechanicky, Tim & Jolene Sorenson, Kevin & Annie Avery

• Friday, May 6th: Caleb Scott Harpel, his 11th; Brad Borchert, Tracy Haddy, Cheryl Nelson, Iris Jensen, Brandon Wallace, Bill Vavra, Tim Wilker, Jennifer & Michael Vetsch, their 11th, Bill & Judith Hatch, Everett & Marian Camp

Birthdays and anniversaries are for reflecting...dreaming...enjoying. Have a wonderful day!