To the Editor:
It was so good to talk to you on the phone.  I had been thinking about you and decided enough time had gone by without talking and catching up.  I have so many fond memories of the seven years I lived in Victoria. 
Do you remember (of course you do!) when we worked on the ice fishing con-test together?  The last year I lived in Victoria I hounded all the local businesses for prizes for the contest. 
You tell me that Terry Hartman is doing such a great job with the Hartman business.  Gee, I remember when Terry was just a kid and came to work in the office when I was Marvin's office manager. 
I remember walking in Carver Park with you, along the lake, and the long philosophical discussions we had.  I miss that.
I know I am jumping around like a jackrabbit in this missive, but my mind is flooded with lots of memories and they all want out.  Do you know that in the 12 years since I left Victoria I have moved seven times?  Thank goodness that Dick finally retired.  I always told friends who said they had to clean their closets or wash windows that I didn't have to do that.  I just moved. 
Life is good and we have had lots of wonderful experiences in our travels, but one of the outstanding places we have lived is Victoria.  I can close my eyes and see the rolling hills and lakes, the Apple Farm, Al Folden's face behind the counter in the post office, and the faces of all the folks whose names I can't remember but whose smiles I do remember.
We are now living in Kingston, Tennessee, in a log home which we built on a lake.  We came here four years ago to help my parents who were struggling to live out their twilight years in the home they never wanted to leave.  They didn't have to.  They accepted our help with only a little protest.  They are gone now, but we stayed because it had become home and we decided we would leave friends and home no more for a corpora-tion that thought it owned us.
I enjoyed your photo page with pictures of Jenny's wedding.  What a beautiful girl, but then you don't need me to tell you that.  And Nick, is he still as bashful as I remember?  And Allan, are you married to a guy with gray hair too?
The Gazette is still the same breath of fresh air in the world of newspapers that it was when I lived there.  I hope we don't let nearly as much time go by again before we touch base.  Tell everyone I said, "Hello."  There are so many with whom I have lost touch.
Talk to you again, Sue.  Keep on doing what you're doing with the Gazette.
Love, Nancy Maynard, Kingston, Tennessee

To the Editor:
School's out!  No more homework!  No more books!  No more teachers!  But more wood ticks, sunburn, horseflies, swimmer's rash, squirt guns, mosquitoes, steaks and burgers on the grill, potato salad, watermelon, and water balloons.  Anyone can "hook" up some mischief for the summer when they see the fishhook on page 27 in the student artwork.
Kay Meuwissen, Chaska, Minnesota

To the Editor:
I have always looked forward to the Gazette coming but because of macular degeneration problems with my right eye, I have to limit my reading more as they get quite tired and things get blurred.  I do a lot of writing so it's sometimes a choice between writing a letter or card and read-ing something.  I think it is best if I cancel my subscription to the Victoria news.  Greet your mom and dad for me.  It was so nice to see their picture along with those of Jenny's wedding.  Keep up the interesting way you write the articles.
Love, Madeline Buesing, Lakeville, Minnesota

To the Editor:
The Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District is changing its common name from Hennepin Parks to Three Rivers Park District.  The name change was unanimously approved by the Park District Board of Commissioners on December 6th, 2001, and will become fully implemented by the fall of 2002.  The Park District's legal name, Suburban Hennepin Regional Park District, will remain the same.  Please update your files to reflect the change, since Carver Park Reserve in Victoria is part of the system.
The name change will more effective-ly represent the Park District's unique status and responsibilities as a "special park district" not affiliated with one single county.  The new name has been selected in order to better represent the geographic distribution of parks and trails operated by the Park District, as well as to directly connect the name to the natural world and our mission of promoting environmental stewardship.  The new name will be phased in over the next two years, with its official use having begun May 1st, 2002.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Janet Haben, Three Rivers Park District, Plymouth, Minnesota

To the Edtior:
Just a few lines to tell you that the June Gazette arrived when it should have.  I really enjoyed seeing all the wedding pictures.  Thanks for sharing.  I found the fishhook on page 27.  It's part of the desk in "The Chaska Ghost-Out."
Barb Johnson, Sacred Heart, Minnesota

To the Editor:
I was looking for the notice I sent you on our Open House for the new Carver County Horticultural Society.  We spoke about it last month, and you were going to give us a plug.  Grant, I don't have the Gazette in front of me -- I'm looking at your web site -- but I don't see it.  Was the notice printed?  Our Open House was June 18th at the Valley Free Church in Chaska.
Annette Heintz, Carver County Horticultural Society

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Oops. 

Click here for more July letters to the editor.