Opinion
Flight 236, Gate 15
These folks waiting at Gate 15 all look pretty standard. Hmm. No trouble makers near as I can tell. That big dude at the end of the aisle will be good to have on board, though, in the event we need to subdue a terrorist.
Notes from all over
What an amazing time to live up North. The colors changing is one of my favorite times of the year. I like to walk through the woods at this time of the year, when typically the weather is perfect and there are not any bugs to contend with. It is also easier to see the wildlife in the woods as the leaves fall. However, with it comes a lot of work. Boats need to be winterized and put away for the year. Dock needs to come out of the water. They say you should change the oil in all your ATVs, lawn mowers, etc. I’m finding I’m doing more of the winterizing this year than the enjoyment out in the woods.
Bucket List
This past summer, our cabin neighbor, Ernie, was showing us a beautiful new John Deere tractor he had just purchased. It came with four-wheel drive, a full cab, a front-end loader, and a grader – pretty cool. I like tractors. Growing up on a farm, I was driving our tractor by the time I was eight years old, but it was an ancient one with worn paint, a metal seat, and missing cowl parts. Watching Ernie show us around his shiny new John Deere had me a touch envious, but it’s not for the reasons you may be thinking.
Notes from all over
A bird needs a left wing and a right wing to fly. Typically, when they work together, the bird’s performance is best. We will start to see a major migration to the south as ducks and geese will form a V and fly thousands of miles. They will accomplish this amazing feat by working together. I think about this phenomenon and then I think of our country.
A BWCA Kinda Day
The plan was unveiled a month ago by my friend, Garrett – a day trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. It had been years since my last visit to the BWCA so I said, “Sure. Count me in.”
Notes from all over
In 2024 the top five countries visited are France, Spain, United States, Turkey, and Italy. I was surprised by that fact. I thought the United States or Italy would be number 1. I was wrong. Having said that, I’ve been to all four but Italy and while I like the other countries I don’t think anything compares to the United States. And if our cities out West and East would clean up the crime and the encampments, I think we would be number 1.
A Common Bond
I’ve long felt a kinship with Worcestershire sauce. Similar to my surname, it’s a word you don’t see very often, so pronunciation can be a problem for both. I worked with a fellow who never got my last name correct, as it proved to be a tongue twister for him. “Wanaileous” was the best he could muster. My wife, a former elementary teacher, had a student refer to her as “Miscellaneous” rather than Mrs. Wilenius which was actually a close guess. So yes, Worcestershire and Wilenius have issues that Soy and Nelson do not.
Notes from all over
Cook / Tower / Orr / Surrounding Communities in the summer we have mosquitoes ready to carry someone away. In the winter we have some of the coldest temperatures in the country. If we are “lucky,” there is enough snow for snowmobiling. A lot of people will say, “Oh my, what a horrible place.” I had friends up from Chicago, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Denver over the last couple of weeks. To a person, “OH, MY GOD, it is so beautiful up here.” It’s kind of unfortunate and fortunate that more people don’t get to experience it.