Back in the Saddle

In spite of winter's persistence
here in north-central Minnesota,

spring has sprung - at the very least -
in the minds of a couple men in our household.

Sunday afternoon, after changing the oil in his motorcycle, Dan took his pride and joy for a spin, dropped our middle son off at a friend's house, and zoomed out on the season's first run.

From here on out, I shouldn't have wake my husband. As the quote goes:

"The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome."

He's Back in the Saddle.

This One's for You

Two-and-a-half years ago, I posted an entry called Take Care to Wonder featuring music I thought was lost but discovered was in my possession all along. Every week, that entry receives numerous hits. A few days ago, a reader posted a comment asking me to record and upload the song - one she vaguely remembered - so she could hear it again.

So for all the parochial school children of the 1960s and 70s, This One's for You!

February Meltdown

It was that time

when
the
sun
would
set,

the
moon
would
rise,

and
a
child
would
run
and
play.








Celebrating the February Meltdown here Along Life's Road.

Valentine Vignette

He
brought
her
a
rose.

She
drew
him
a
doodle.








Each wrote the other a verse of valentine affection.

Invigorate:

to
impart
vigor,

strength

or
vitality;

animate.

Defining
winter's

arctic
blast.

Wall of Fame

On our stairwell wall hangs a large boat paddle painted with the words: Fish Stories Told Here.

Granny T's fishing hat, Grandpa Curt's first rod and reel, and Grandpa Roy's 17-pound northern pike all hang there too as conversation pieces in our family history.

Our bassmaster has long aspired to making his mark on this wall too.

While working at the elementary basketball tournament this morning, Aaron told his buddy, "Today I'm gonna spear my biggest one yet."

This afternoon, he did.










With this 38-inch
northern pike
in his grip,

Aaron joins
 the family
Wall of Fame.






(Weight estimated between 13-14 pounds)
(96.5 cm and roughly 6 kg)

Grandparent Gifts

Some of us are blessed by grandparents touching our lives. As a child, I spent hours playing cribbage with my Granny T.

"I'm gonna take those points!" she'd threaten if I missed counting a 15 for two, a pair, run or a go. When I countered, "Yeah, Mom says: You play for blood!" Granny would pipe up, "No, I don't play for blood. I play to win!"

That gift of competiveness stuck. As an adult, I've taught all four of my men - from my husband to my three sons - to play cribbage to win. The long winter nights provide a perfect opportunity to exercise Granny's gift.









However, my son Aaron would argue that the cold winter days provide a greater opportunity to exercise his grandpas' gifts.

During the summer, Paka Al helped Aaron remodel Dan's old fishhouse into a spearhouse.


On those days, when young ALJ can convince his dad or the elder ALJ to spend time on the frozen lake,

he's off lighting
the fire
in the milk can stove,


chiseling
through
the ice,

dropping
the
Christmas
decoy
from
Paka Al

and poising
the birthday
present spear
built by
Grandpa Curt

to
lance
lunkers.







If I am so blessed,
I wonder what legacy
I'll leave my grandkids?