Weinzierl

Jewelers

Victoria’s Corner Bar.  Nightly Specials and Menus.  952-443-9944

8 First Street in Waconia.  952-442-2885

942-443-2078

Funeral Home & Cremation Services

952-474-9595

Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic.

Occupational Therapy.  Speech Therapy.

952-443-9888

Huber

City of Lakes & Parks  952-443-2363

“Trees Are Our Roots”

8099 Bavaria Rd * Victoria * 952-443-2990

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         I can't remember when the wind blew as it did on Christmas Day 2016, and then all through the night, continuing through the day after Christmas and into the next night.  Unless of course it was over Buffalo Ridge in Southwestern Minnesota where I  grew up.  In any case, it was good sleeping then and now.

         In addition to the wind we had a sheet of ice to navigate here in Victoria over Christmas 2016.  It wasn't a Winter Wonderland, but it certainly was Winter in Minnesota and, whether or not we love to deal with it, we all love to talk about it.

***

         When daughter Jenny and family left Victoria after some days of Christmas here, they passed through 22 inches of snow in Minot and found 17 inches of snow waiting for them in Tioga.  After picking up Goliath at the kennel, they waited at the end of their long driveway while Christopher trudged through the giant drifts to get out his snowplow and make a path for them to the house.  Jenny is living her childhood dream of Little House on the Prairie.

***

         When son Nick and family left Victoria after celebrating Christmas here, he heard his little girls downstairs in their play area shouting "Cannonball! Cannonball!"  It's a word Nick said he was surprised to hear from them.  When questioned, Sophie and Mia explained to him, "It's okay, Dad.  We used the beanbag."  Seems they learned something new at Grandma Sue's house, from Cousin Gunnar.

***

         A couple weeks ago I innocently and without much ado commented online to a letter written by Dr. Robert Moynihan.  You've maybe noticed it's what I do on occasion, express my thoughts.  But my face blushed when I saw my short, but succinct, commentary in print in his publication, Inside the Vatican. Now I know firsthand what so many of you feel like when caught unawares, not realizing that your written comments to me might appear as a letter to the editor of the Victoria Gazette.  Oh, well, life goes on. 

***

         Actually, a lot of people died in 2016, and I don't like to see that long list of familiar names in my feature summary this month, and yet it's a good reminder of where we'll all end up one day -- dead.  Or, rather, alive in a brand new world full of joy and virtue and everything good.  Or, maybe instead, dwelling midst pain, sorrow, and everything bad.  God help us.

***

         For the first time ever, my family and I attended the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass at St. Victoria.  Even though the ten of us, including our kids and grandkids, arrived a half hour early, the place was full, the pews plus folding chairs set up on the periphery.  I believe the church seats over 1,000.  I had certainly hoped we could all sit together.  Since there was no choir at the 4 p.m. Mass one of the ushers suggested we sit in the empty choir section and so we did.  It was another Amazing Grace, to be seated with my family, where my choir friends usually sit, next to the baby grand piano, which is where I sat alone forever it seems.

***

         One of my favorite pastimes is to sit by the fire on a cold winter night with pen and paper.  It's what I'm doing right now.  But earlier this afternoon I spent some time on the couch to finish reading a book sent to me a couple days ago by a friend of the Gazette.  I couldn't put it down.  Now Allan is also finding it fascinating.  Thank you, Mr. MacAlpine. 

         The book is entitled Losing Mum and Pup and authored by Christopher Buckley, son of the late Patricia and William F. Buckley Jr.  It's another confirmation that truth is stranger than fiction.  I found the Buckleys to be both brilliant and bizarre.  Maybe next month I'll give you a list of new vocabulary words that Christo used to tell the story.

**

         And now it's another New Year, although today looks the same as yesterday -- weatherwise, anyway.  Hope it's a good one for us, that our priorities are in the right place, and that we live tomorrow only when it shows up -- which is another way of saying, one day at a time.

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From the Editor

Dedicated to the sunshine of truth,

the moonshine of meeting deadlines,

and the starshine of Victoria.

The Victoria GAZETTE

Sue’s Album

A symphony of photos

and fewer than a thousand words

at www.VictoriaGazette.com

January 2017