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From the Editor |
British Petroleum. It’s been in the news a lot lately, ever since the explosion in the Gulf on April 20th, 2010. It’s a date that went down in infamy long before that environmental catastrophe, however. For one thing, it’s Allan’s birthday. It’s also Cowboy Tom’s birthday. And I’m sorry to say that it marks Hitler’s birthday, too. Seems you always gotta take the bad with the good. First time I ever saw BP on a sign at a filling station here in the States was at Indian River, Michigan, right across the street from where Father Elstan lived at the Cross in the Woods. It’s where we filled up and picked up convenience things for lunch. Father liked green pea and ham soup from a can. Although he expressly enjoyed fine dining in the evening, he was always satisfied with a simple meal at noon. The BP sign was green, and white, and it wasn’t hanging around Victoria, Minnesota, nor any of the other hot spots that I frequented at the time -- not Chanhassen, Waconia, Chaska, Eden Prairie, Excelsior -- so it stuck out like a sore thumb to me in Michigan. Now it sticks out wherever I go like a flashing neon light in the middle of a desert, not to mention the Gulf of Mexico. *** Volcanoes. They’ve been in the news a lot lately. A few days ago two volcanoes erupted in Guatemala and Ecuador and thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes. Some were killed. Children are missing. Guatemala’s main international airport was closed. Ash covered part of Guatemala City. A thousand homes were damaged or destroyed. In Guatemala it was the Pacaya Volcano. In Ecuador it was the Tungurahua Volcano. It was only in April that a volcano in Iceland erupted, melting a glacier and causing heavy flooding, forcing nearly a thousand people to evacuate, putting the world of aviation in turmoil. Nobody could pronounce the name of that volcano either. It is spelled Eyjafjallajökull. *** Tornadoes. They’ve been in the news a lot lately. A big one in May ripped a wide swath through Oklahoma and Kansas. People were killed. People were injured. A mile-wide tornado tore through Mississippi in April killing people and causing significant injuries. A mile-wide tornado stayed on the ground for 34 miles in northern Colorado in May, destroying 80 homes, damaging 700 homes, killing a person. A massive tornado ripped through rural South Dakota in May. Farms and homes were damaged but miraculously, no one was killed. *** Sidewalk Cafes. They’ve been in the news a lot lately, especially here in Victoria, Minnesota. The Victoria House and Floyd’s have had outdoor dining for many years already, and each have expanded and upgraded patios and decks, and in more recent times we’ve also got Vic’s Bar and Grill as well as the School of the Wise providing outdoor seating. The tables and chairs fill up quickly for both lunches and dinners. It’s all so European. *** Minnesota Twins. They’ve been in the news a lot lately. Our son Nick has season tickets and invited his dad to this past Saturday game against the Texas Rangers. The Twins won 8-3 and a good time was had by all. It was the first time Allan was in the new stadium and he got sunburned. Nick, too. If men don’t have a mother or a wife seated next to them, they get in trouble. Each of their tickets was $32. Yes, they’re pretty good seats, but how often can a young family with kids go to a Twins game at that price? The beer at Target Field was $7 a cup and the Brats were $6.50 each. Parking was $10. In other words, it was easily over a $100 afternoon. On the way home to Victoria, Allan called and asked what’s for dinner. I suggested he stop and pick something up at the Fresh Seasons deli here in Victoria since I was working nonstop on the Gazette, and so he did. The entire tab for dinner at home -- fried chicken and a broccoli with bacon salad -- was $8.08. And our bottle of wine is seldom more than $10. *** Grandchildren. They’ve been in the news a lot lately. Everywhere you go, there they are. We have a new one, born to our son Nick and his wife Jen, and she’s healthy and beautiful. Mia Marie is music to my ears. The hills are alive with the sound of music, with songs they have sung for a thousand years. My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds that rise from the lake to the trees. My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies from a church on a breeze. My heart has been blessed with the sound of music, and I’ll keep singing no matter BP, volcanoes, tornadoes, and the coming of the hurricane season. |
June 2010 |