Ed and Arlene Miller didn’t raise any dumb children. They raised four smart children (Keith, Dale, Nancy and Cindy).

On the 15th of December, in the year 1998, Cindy plus others of the immediate Miller family set a record on Beaver Lake for water skiing the latest ever in any year.

At the 2015 annual Thanksgiving Day get-together at Cabin 36 on Beaver Lake, Ed, with Arlene looking down from a heavenly cloud, reminded the children of how much he was impressed with their smartness. He mentioned The Farmer’s Almanac was predicting a late fall/late winter. Based on the prediction, he suggested they watch the weather and try to stay the record holder as he was very proud of them being the latest ever to water ski Beaver Lake in December.

The four smart children watched the weather very closely and decided by December 14th they must have a plan of action to maintain their December 15th record.

Did the children go water skiing to keep their record? Oh no. They are much smarter than that. They put up a sign at the ramp saying, “Extreme danger, Beaver in Rut ‘til Lake Freezes Over.”

Now you know why it can be said Ed and Arlene Miller didn’t raise any dumb children.

In case you’re wondering, Beaver Lake froze over December 24th, 2015, the latest ever. I froze over December 20th in 1998, the former record.

Other unusual occurrences because of the warm weather:

1. Getting out of the car in the parking lot going to church, I saw and picked up a huge night crawler on December 13th. I put the crawler on a crawler harness and went fishing at the channel between Fountain Lake and Albert Lea Lake for a big walleye on Monday, December 14th. My first cast, I got a snag. It came loose, flying back and becoming hopelessly entangled in a branch overhead. The red and white bobber, harness and night crawler are all yours for the taking as I cut the line.

2. My neighbor, Jim S., mowed his lawn the week of December 14th.

3. I picked dandelions on December 22nd.

4. More rain than snow in December.

5. No hard frost with snow on top to kill the allergies.

6. If you wanted to golf in December, no problem to find a course in Minnesota.

7. Santa’s sleigh with rubber tires left tracks on our green, green lawn.

8. A black Christmas is defined with less than one inch of snow on the ground at high noon on December 25th. Thus, a black Christmas in this area.

In summary, what a December!

In case you’re wondering if any of this is fiction, the answer is “YES.”

All this brings up the question: “Could this be due to the full moon on December 25th?”

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. 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. Bob says if you enjoy his column, 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.