Estelline’s Portal To The Past

Ever since H.G. Wells wrote about it, people have been fascinated by the concept of time travel. I, too have dreamed about stepping through a portal to the past to experience first hand what life was really like untainted by faulty memories and flattering recollections.. Well, I’m here to tell you such a place “does”…

Language Abuse

We received a lovely gift from our daughter on Thanksgiving this past week..a beautiful bright red poinsettia plant which Linda is convinced she’ll somehow manage to kill off before the family gets a chance to see it when they come home for Christmas.  I don’t know about you but both Linda and I have always pronounced…

Manna From Heaven The Real Story

I found it somewhat satisfying when, a couple of weeks ago, my pal and fellow Norwegian (although he only claims about a half a pint of Norskie blood) Steve Hemmingsen, wrote a blog which included pictures of a lutefisk feed he attended in Astoria. He actually seemed to enjoy himself and the lye-cured cod fish…

Magical Cures Or Snake Oil?

“What in the world are you laughing at?” Linda shouted from the other room. “A commercial,” I hollered back. “Commercial?…you haven’t watched a commercial since we got the DVR.” “I know..but this is too hilarious to skip over. It’s an ad for a new piece of exercise equipment called a shake weight that’s supposed to…

Milk It For All It’s Worth

I was brought up believing that if you help out or do something nice for somebody..just do it and shut up about it. So, I’m sort of going against my raisin’ here by mentioning that Linda and I joined with other members of our church last week serving at The Banquet in Sioux Falls. I…

Captain 11 Update

I’m sure a lot of you can appreciate how lucky I’ve been to have had Dave Dedrick as a friend for 35 plus years. After all, I grew up with him on television too..both as a Kelo personality and, of course, as Captain 11. Because of that, many people, who know that Dave has been in…

Hero Worship

It seems only fitting that Art Wollmann’s funeral be held on Veterans Day because he was not only a gallant World War II veteran but a hero in every sense of the word. I am one who believes that the word “hero” has been applied a bit too freely in recent years diminishing its meaning. …

No Heavy Lifting

Well, wadda ya know..there’s going to be a bit of Indian Summer after all. My old colleague, Gary Weckwerth recently commented on Facebook about the political correctness of using that term to describe a burst of Autumn warmth..but nobody’s ever accused me of being too politically correct anyway so I’ll take my lumps if some…

Snowbirds

I’m watching flocks of robins outside my window pane Gobbling up sun dried berries and shivering  in the rain. Their instinct says it’s time to leave as they fuel up for the trip The branches swaying to and fro offering very little grip.   I love it when robins come each spring but hate it…