Yes, we’re still staying at the sunshine yellow Knight’s Inn Motel on East Main Street in Albert Lea. It looks like the fire-related items will be fixed by May 15th and we should be moved back into our Albert Lea house shortly thereafter.

Genie busted a tooth off at the gum line. When the bill for the tooth plus a bridge was $2,700, she decided to put the busted tooth under her pillow for the tooth fairy. We now know the tooth fairy doesn’t visit the pillow of senior citizens!

For those of you interested in joining a newly formed liars club: Pat and Bill Draayer, of the Hollandale area, are the officers. Pat is the president and Bill is the membership chairperson. They are also involved in the “Red Power” event this summer at the fairgrounds in Albert Lea. I think the color red is a competitor of the color green. Please see Pat and Bill for the details of the above.

One of the motel employees told me one day I would see her name in lights. I thought maybe I could make the day come real soon. (In “Lisa” lights.) Other great employees are Robin and tall Tracey in housekeeping, Michelle, Kathie, Janet and Ben at the front desk and Jonathyn in the dining room. So far, I’ve mentioned all the great motel employees in one of these articles. (We’ve tried very hard to find a bad employee — no luck so far.)

Most of you have seen the TV show “Jeopardy” where you are given the answer and you have to figure out the question.  For example: Marge LaFrance of Beaver Lake, and Arlene of Hartland fame. “Who are the retired educators that enjoyed a lunch at Applebee’s in Albert Lea?” Joe LaFrance of Beaver Lake and Virgil of Hartland fame. “Who were the last to find their own lunch spouses?”

I first met him when we were freshmen at New Richland after we attended different country schools through eighth grade. He was a farm boy and so was I. I can recall his reddish complexion with lots of freckles and big hands proudly wearing a FFA officer jacket. Upon graduation in 1954 from New Richland, he went his way and I went mine. After about, 20 years we moved back to the area and re-connected. Whenever we drove by his farm on Highway 13, we would do the “Beep — it’s good to see you — Beep Beep” on the car horn.

I yakked with him at Blondie’s in New Richland last fall after the crops were out and he remarked he would continue farming until they carried him off the farm to the cemetery. Tuesday, April 12, 2011 his remark came true. Farmer David Swenson, you are definitely cream of the crop. I’m looking forward to our re-connecting.

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. This is the Hanson’s 36th summer at Beaver Lake. They leave the lake in mid-October to go south — to Albert Lea — and return in April. Bob says if you enjoy his article, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of Wisdom: There is always room for God.