The Crow's Nest - February 28, 2016
I hope all you leap year birthday celebrants have a great day tomorrow! It is hard to believe the month of February is already (almost) gone. It doesn’t seem like we have been home from Arizona 1 whole month. Time sure does fly as the old adage goes.
It was great fun spending the month in Phoenix – or more precisely – Cave Creek. Beautiful weather along with many things to see and do. We left a couple of days early for home because of forecasts of impending bad weather. I am sure glad we did as we did run into lots of snow and ice in the Black Hills which made for treacherous driving. A huge blizzard went through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and other states just after we made it back to Edinburg. Chuck says he does not want to go back to Arizona next year. We have pretty much done everything there is to do and see. Years ago we lived in Sierra Vista (near the Mexican border) so we have seen and done lots. He thinks we should try another place to winterize for a few weeks. I guess I fully agree as there are so many possibilities through-out the United States.
Another era is passing, and there is not much I can do about it. That is the era of writing checks for purchases. The other day I was in a store in Grand Forks wanting to make a purchase. I pulled out my trusty checkbook and was told the store does NOT accept checks anymore. Well, did I ever get flustered!!!! I do have a debit (credit) bank card, but have not used that since it was taken away from me in Nairobi, Kenya. I know I deserved it as I tried to use the ATM there with my bank card but put in Chuck’s pin number from his bank card (from another bank). Miss ATM did not like that so she decided it best to confiscate my card. Our niece smooth talked the bank into finally returning my card. I was sure I would be spending my last days fading away in some dark, dingy cell in the wilds of Africa. I vowed NEVER to use my ATM card again. Well, I’ve been practicing using the card at home by sliding it under my iPhone and quickly punching my pin number on the keypad before pulling my card to safety. I tried using the card in Grand Forks the other day and it actually worked. I was SO proud of myself!!
A big thank you to cousin Allen Sorbo for his very thoughtful birthday gift. Allen gave me a six-pack of Costco toilet paper. He gave me that last year too. He says the Costco brand is wider than others. Anyway, I appreciate his remembering me on my “special” day.
New babies have arrived in the area recently. Brian and Jill Troftgruben have a new baby boy named Beckett Ethan. Big brothers Noah and Carter will have to teach Beckett the finer points of playing hockey. And Jason and Maggie Hepokoski and daughter Nora welcomed new baby Nolan Larry into their family the middle of February. Congratulations to both these young families.
Edinburg has had its share of “downers” also. Patsy Foseide fell and broke her arm a few weeks ago. Then Ken Seim had surgery. Rodney Nygard was just recovering from a broken ankle when he needed emergency gall bladder surgery. Rose Denault just had knee replacement surgery in Fargo and Bernice Flanagan should be returning today from the Mayo Clinic where she had esophageal surgery. Each of these great people are in my thoughts and prayers as they recover.
There was a benefit for Abbie Sondeland a couple of weeks ago. Many, many people came to wish her well. Abbie had been battling blood clots since before Christmas. She spent many days and weeks at Altru in Grand Forks and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Abbie is now on the mend. She even made the Honor Roll at UND for the fall semester!!
The Kertz family just had a gathering in Peoria, Arizona. Jim said the whole family was there at Felix’s place. He said they had a wonderful time being together. I can just imagine all the fun and laughter that took place!
Jared and Jessica Ellingson leave next week for Denmark. They are going to visit Per Worm and family. Per was an exchange student in Edinburg years ago and a great friend of Jared and Jessica’s. His daughter stayed with the Ellingson’s last year while she attended Valley-Edinburg High School as an exchange student.
Hope everyone is reading their seed catalogs and getting ready for spring. We will talk later.
