This will be another “running of the words” column. Some will be fact, some will be fiction—you decide.
Our property tax on the same house in Albert Lea increased 9% from 2016 to 2017. The same property tax increased 14.3% from 2017 to 2018. Our income for the same two years did not increase (in fact, it went down). Genie and I have reached the same conclusion about city government in Albert Lea: the city is operating on a champagne budget, while we are trying to live on a beer budget.
Because of property tax increases, our age, and other factors, Genie and I are looking at different housing in Minnesota. We contacted a realty company for help. This is what we were told, “Your driveway must face south. Washer and dryer must be on the first floor. You live in a town with a river, you will look at a flood. You live in a town with no river, you will not look at a flood.”
In case you are wondering, the name of the realtor is “Oh So Good Realty.” The name of the agent is Iwana Pleaze.
Once again, Steve’s Meat Market in Ellendale, with Mom, Donovan, and daughter, Rachael, swept the Minnesota Association of Meat Processors awards at the 2018 annual convention. Rumor has it they are looking to add on to their facility in Ellendale to make room for this year’s awards.
When you get a phone call from (304) 409-2010, beware—they claim to be IRS (I got two in the same day, same telephone number. Both spoke with an accent. One was a male, the second a female. Their occupation is “scammer.”
Judy Hellie asked me if I was a creature of habit—one who arose every morning at about 3 a.m. for a few minutes and back to bed for about four hours. My reply, “Yes.”
BOGO (buy one get one) has really become popular. A certain local dentist is doing this only on Fridays. Pay your bill as you leave and you will have the same amount as an offset on your next bill. Thus, BOGO. To the best of my knowledge, Becky is the only one doing this so far.
Reader’s Theater in Albert Lea is where a group of young-at-heart old timers reads and acts out a story to kindergarten-third grade students at all the schools in Albert Lea (Genie and I are two of the young-at-heart). The old-timers were yakking about where we had been this winter—Hawaii, North Carolina, Washington D. C., the Outer Banks—and Mrs. Frank Gjersvik proudly announces that they had been to Manchester. I reply, “Manchester, England?” Her answer, “No, Minnesota.”
Just after midnight on Friday, April 13, we heard a funny noise outside our window. It sounded like an animal with a funny cough. About 3:30 a.m. the house shook while the entire room filled with a bright light. It happened twice. I got up, found the salt shaker, threw some salt over my left shoulder and went back to bed.
The salt is a solution to a Friday the 13th problem. All this was followed by a gentle rain. Conclusion: that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
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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.