The athletic field - it sure seemed bigger as a kid
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Pilgrimage
A few weeks back now Cindy & I were pilgrims back to the Promised Land orGod's Country otherwise known as home or Minnesota. We flew into Milwaukee and met up with our vagabond of a son Matt who had just returned frombackpacking in Europe. You will have to ask him all about it. He must havetaken 5000 pictures or more - thanks to digital technology.
We managed to squeeze in a few favorite restaurants and visits with family and five of the best friends anyone could have. Then it was off to the Holy Land to visit our folks.The Mississippi river valley around La Crosse, WI has got to one of theprettiest places I have been too. The other thing to be said is that afterliving in the desert for three years the upper Midwest is GREEN! IT IS INTENSELY GREEN AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ABOUT ALL THE WATER. WOW!
Cindy's folks in Rochester are doing fine. It sure was good being with them even for such a short visit. They gave us a tour of their new RV which is a large van.Wow! It has just about everything. After buying it a short time ago they managed to take it out on a few shakedown cruises to make sure they knew how to turn on the coffee maker in the morning, etc. Right now they are traveling in the West heading toward British Columbia I believe. They love to travel to see God's creation. When they get back they should really be familiar with their RV.We also managed to see Scott & Anita and their two boys Paul & Michael. It was Paul's birthday so we celebrated at Fuddruckers. It was nice seeing everyone.Cindy stayed with her folks a short time more then flew home to work. Matt & I went further West to Montevideo to my folks.
My folks both live in an assisted living facility called Copper Glenn. It is a wonderful place with a great staff, great food and good care. Matt & I helped move a few pieces of furniture from their home to Copper Glenn. The rest of the time was spent eating, chatting, eating, working, taking coffeebreaks, playing cards and eating. You notice that eating seems to have a prominent place in the schedule. That's retirement for you.
Brother Don came in from Phoenix too. It was great seeing him again. We live only 6 hours apart but our lives do not afford us much time so we don't see each other very often.
One day brother Don, Matt & I made the trip to Redwood Falls where Donny & I grew up. I'll include some pictures for you other family members who haven't seen the homeland for years. The houses (we lived in 3 different houses while living in Redwood Falls) seemed smaller and the trees were bigger. The athletic field that fits into so much of the Jorgenson mythology seemed smaller. The swimming pool where I remember diving off the diving board and swimming underwater to the opposite end still looks big. The sliding hill by the pool looks a bit wimpy now. As a kid that hill was a place for long afternoons in the snow. I left Redwood Falls in 1969 so a few things have changed since then. The movie theater where we would go for Saturday matinees is still there.
Our beautiful park also looks smaller. It was the site of church picnics, school outings, camping trips with the Boy Scouts and many hikes with my friend Mike Boggess. I'll include a few pictures. The island (that I allegedly tried to burn down once) is very much forested. The zoo still houses a few animals. The golf course was green and lush. Our old church has expanded and taken over the whole block. It was fun seeing all of that again. I do not know if I'll ever go back there again.
The trip to Redwood pretty much ended our pilgrimage. Matt & I drove up to sister Rebecca's in Minneapolis for the night where Todd and Paul Miller joined us for dinner. The next day I flew home. It was good seeing everyone and seeing "home" once again. Sometimes I miss it even though I know you can never go back. It wouldn't be the same. I'm not a kid anymore, my family no longer lives there, my friends are gone so memories are all that live there now.
Peace.
We managed to squeeze in a few favorite restaurants and visits with family and five of the best friends anyone could have. Then it was off to the Holy Land to visit our folks.The Mississippi river valley around La Crosse, WI has got to one of theprettiest places I have been too. The other thing to be said is that afterliving in the desert for three years the upper Midwest is GREEN! IT IS INTENSELY GREEN AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ABOUT ALL THE WATER. WOW!
Cindy's folks in Rochester are doing fine. It sure was good being with them even for such a short visit. They gave us a tour of their new RV which is a large van.Wow! It has just about everything. After buying it a short time ago they managed to take it out on a few shakedown cruises to make sure they knew how to turn on the coffee maker in the morning, etc. Right now they are traveling in the West heading toward British Columbia I believe. They love to travel to see God's creation. When they get back they should really be familiar with their RV.We also managed to see Scott & Anita and their two boys Paul & Michael. It was Paul's birthday so we celebrated at Fuddruckers. It was nice seeing everyone.Cindy stayed with her folks a short time more then flew home to work. Matt & I went further West to Montevideo to my folks.
My folks both live in an assisted living facility called Copper Glenn. It is a wonderful place with a great staff, great food and good care. Matt & I helped move a few pieces of furniture from their home to Copper Glenn. The rest of the time was spent eating, chatting, eating, working, taking coffeebreaks, playing cards and eating. You notice that eating seems to have a prominent place in the schedule. That's retirement for you.
Brother Don came in from Phoenix too. It was great seeing him again. We live only 6 hours apart but our lives do not afford us much time so we don't see each other very often.
One day brother Don, Matt & I made the trip to Redwood Falls where Donny & I grew up. I'll include some pictures for you other family members who haven't seen the homeland for years. The houses (we lived in 3 different houses while living in Redwood Falls) seemed smaller and the trees were bigger. The athletic field that fits into so much of the Jorgenson mythology seemed smaller. The swimming pool where I remember diving off the diving board and swimming underwater to the opposite end still looks big. The sliding hill by the pool looks a bit wimpy now. As a kid that hill was a place for long afternoons in the snow. I left Redwood Falls in 1969 so a few things have changed since then. The movie theater where we would go for Saturday matinees is still there.
Our beautiful park also looks smaller. It was the site of church picnics, school outings, camping trips with the Boy Scouts and many hikes with my friend Mike Boggess. I'll include a few pictures. The island (that I allegedly tried to burn down once) is very much forested. The zoo still houses a few animals. The golf course was green and lush. Our old church has expanded and taken over the whole block. It was fun seeing all of that again. I do not know if I'll ever go back there again.
The trip to Redwood pretty much ended our pilgrimage. Matt & I drove up to sister Rebecca's in Minneapolis for the night where Todd and Paul Miller joined us for dinner. The next day I flew home. It was good seeing everyone and seeing "home" once again. Sometimes I miss it even though I know you can never go back. It wouldn't be the same. I'm not a kid anymore, my family no longer lives there, my friends are gone so memories are all that live there now.
Peace.
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