PJ and I visited EMG, with an overnight in Minnesota. Main purpose of trip: Knights of Columbus Father-Son Banquet. Here's what happened:
Wednesday 14 March - easy flight; we swing by our old (c. 1983-1986) place (2498 E. Cohansey, Roseville); then up to Steve & Cecilia's place in New Brighton. Fun as always - some interesting beers (especially the one from Decorah(!)), pizza, good stuff all around. Angie and her three kids were there, also Mark & Therese. Birthday singing for Steve and me. Snow on the ground!
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We didn't care much for the new paint job at the Cohansey house. At bottom
seems to be the only photographic evidence of our time in New Brighton. |
Thursday 15 March - after scraping a touch of ice off the windshield - rather a throwback experience - we go to breakfast with Steve & Cecilia at a nearby Byerley's - this was fun. Onto St. Joe. First we stop in Algona for groceries. Charlie & Mark already in St. Joe. EMG has a pretty bad cold - unfortunate timing but what can we do!? - main goal is for him to get over the cold and be ready for upcoming international travels. The five of us (to a lesser extent EMG, who is doing some resting) start watching NCAA first-round tournament games - which turned out to be an excellent diversion throughout the weekend given EMG not feeling so great during those first days, and the weather not being so great either. We walk up to the cemetery and visit the family graves and wander generally.
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| Pictorial highlights from Father-Son Banquet (Thursday). Missing EMG! |
Steve & Nick arrive. We leave PJ and EMG at the house; the rest of us proceed to Mass and the Father-Son Banquet - held in the gym just like in the old days. I've not attended since March 1974; I'd think that the entire group of EMG-plus-three-sons hadn't attended since March 1971 (and well, we still haven't!) Nice turnout for the dinner - fun as always to catch up and chat with various - salisbury steak for the meal (just like always!) - some local troupe of unicylists-jugglers provided the entertainment, we liked the whole experience - except for EMG absence. Back to the house for chatter, beers, basketball, goodbye to Steve & Nick. PJ and I are staying at the AmericInn.
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| Post-banquet photo that includes our reason for being there! (Thursday) |
Friday 16 March - After breakfast we head straight to the Capesius seed shed - Nick, Bill, Chris, a few others show up including Peter Erpelding; Steve arrives from Mason City; I had requested some Pioneer paring knives and Chris comes through; also plenty of coffee and conversation, including tales of EMG (with Fr. Kollasch in tow) rounding up a coyote with his pick-up at rather high speeds, at least for driving over farmed ground. Next stop: Kossuth County courthouse, where we pick up paperwork in support of Luxembourg citizenship.
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We learn that oven-door-closed-via
baseball-bat technique works as well as ever. (Friday) |
Dolores arrives in St. Joe. Lunch, chat, basketball in St. Joe. Weather deteriorating; Dolores & Steve leave in late afternoon. Basketball and lots-of-euchre ensues; this is followed by pinochle as Mark takes a break. We considered going to a fish fry but passed in view of dicey weather and excellent leftovers. More cards and basketball as the evening progresses - all of this ended up being a fun experience for our little group-of-four (Charlie, Mark, PJ, me). Icy car, icy (though fine) road conditions back to Algona. EMG still not feeling so great though a bit better.
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| A dad and four kids (photo taken Friday). |
Saturday 17 March - after breakfast we meet up with Kathy and Mary Lou at the Perky Parrot; Charlie and Mark join; it's fun to chat with them, we need to do it more regularly. Down to St. Joe for lunch with EMG, who now is noticeably better; but not enough to mix in with the care facility folks in Algona - which is the next stop for the group-of-four.
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| Coffee stop at Perky Parrott with Kathy and Mary Lou. (Saturday) |
But first an interesting diversion - Charlie (driving minivan) is struck by a guileless driver as we drive through an unmarked Algona intersection. So we lose a little time with the local police (who know Judge Gales, among others).
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Drama free traffic episode; the
minivan took a minor hit quite nicely.
(Saturday) |
Lovely visit with Caroline - she's switched locations and has had a rough year, but all in all doing pretty well - her CO granddaughters were there so caught up with them. Then we visited Marguerite at a different facility - she is unhappy with being there, not sure what's up. Back to St. Joe for more and more basketball and cards; EMG has improved to where he can offer some advice and sit in for a few hands (where he went alone mostly, with pretty good success). Pork loin supper prepared by PJ utilizing Capesius-supplied meat - this was quite successful. As the evening proceeds Beth checks in by phone from PA - for some reason this was highly entertaining if/because largely nonsensical - eventually we finish watching/playing and head back to Algona.
Sunday 18 March - check out of hotel; we all attend Mass in Livermore (including EMG, who is now quite a bit better); coffee and rolls in church basement (lots of chatting with EMG and Eugene Mertz); then the five of us (Charlie driving, carefully, in his minivan) take a pleasant road trip around the home place, Livermore, the St. Joe hill farm and adjacent countryside, etc. After that - it's pretty much lunch, pack, leave.
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CCG at our card-playing post. Seating (and b-ball viewing access) determined by draw
of the cards (CCG lost the draw). Note necessity to prepare hand-drawn queen of diamonds. |
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| Our usual fine visit with Caroline. (Saturday) |
While we were disappointed that EMG wasn't at top strength throughout - otherwise the trip couldn't have been nicer. It was great that the local siblings made the effort to be available in those early days; we got to catch up with the Capesius group and four aunts; and our little core group in St. Joe had a fine time of it whiling away a few days there - these are good experiences.
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I rather like this picture taken by PJ from the road . . . a dreary March day in northern Iowa
just before spring sets in . . . ruts somewhat mimic the lines of the main tree . . . (Sunday) |
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| We had a fine time with our airport delay (Sunday) |
