Victoria MN Newspaper

To the Editor:

I thought my dog Missy was the only raspberry eater. Tom Stumpf's hundt ate them too. Missy would go right to the garden and with her mouth yank off a cluster of raspberries and come by me. She sets it by my feet, tapping my leg, wanting me to take the berries off. She never had thorns in her mouth either!

She never begged for lettuce, but she'd beg when I'd have an apple or banana. I'd sit on the back steps with an apple or banana and Missy would make a pitiful expression, her chin sitting on her front paws. She lays down with a slow wagging of her tail and the soulful, pitiful look. Then a short bark and I'd bite off a chunk for her of whichever I'd have and she's in her glory. If I'd stand too close, she would jump at it and take it out of my hand.

Once I had an empty bag from McDonald's that I was about to toss out, and it had the pickles slices inside. I hate pickles. Missy always got excited over a McDonald's bag, empty or full. I took it over to her, let her get a sniff, and she thought it contained leftovers. I gave her the pickles and she made the funniest face, squinting her eyes, curling her lip up on one side, and stuck out her tongue, just like a kid.

If I wore a winter hat and came by her, she'd take off my hat and with her mouth bury it in the snow. She'd play with her food dish, bark at it, and push it with her nose like it's a hockey puck. The water dish, too. Some hunting breeds play that way, and she was part springer and chocolate lab.

Mom named her Missy. She got out of her puppy box and pooped on the linoleum by the front door. Mom put her nose to Missy and said, "Missy Ma'am, you have to go outside!" and the name stuck. I put a photo of Missy with Mom's coffin when she passed away on February 17th, 1991.

Happy 91st Birthday, Dad. Happy 60th to my twin brothers Dave and Dan, on March 11th.

Kay Meuwissen

Chaska, Minnesota

To the Editor:

I found the fishhook on page 40 in the poinsettia tree. Also, Sue, I just found out I was last month's winner when I read the February issue. Thanks for your sympathy and for the fun article regarding the water issue at the historic church during Mom's funeral. Happy Valentine's Day.

Linda Erickson

Melchert Hubert Sjodin

Chaska, Minnesota

To the Editor:

Thanks for your editor's letter and wonderful February Gazette. Two things I want to comment on: school days and winter weather that you wrote about.

I cannot remember such a thing as No School days due to weather, 1940-1954. The children of Catherine and Francis Hauwiller (Rose, Lois, Margaret, James) rarely missed a school day. Our parents had a balanced life of prayer times, good healthy meals, exercise, and plenty of sleep. One day it was 38 degrees below zero (we didn't have windchill temperatures back then) and we went to school. One frozen toe never kept us home from school.

Our parents moved to Watertown, Minnesota, because Mr. Knight decided to buy the farm, located five miles from Victoria and five miles from St. Bonifacius. It's now in Carver Park. It brings back wonderful memories every time I go that way to Waconia, St. Boni, Watertown. They moved from the farm in March 1959.

Your letter reminds us (my sister Rose and me) of our home town when we read your paper. There are a lot of new people, but always some people we know from 1938 to 1959. Rose (Hauwiller) Laumann and Gerald are parents of Kathy (Laumann) Sether, and Dick and their family.

I was in Victoria on December 28th, 2013. It brings happy memories. God bless your family and all our friends.

Sister Lois Hauwiller

St. Paul, Minnesota

To the Editor

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Minnesota and North Dakota

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