On Thursday, November 1st, Genie and I headed north on our Annual Fall Sabbatical. Staying at The Place Hotel in Cass Lake, Minnesota for the entire season of socializing (deer hunting).
We arrived Monday, November 19, back to Albert Lea (325 miles). As usual Genie and I expected all the employees to be just great. This was the first time we experienced a rude, wouldn’t talk, employee. He hung around a door in the hallway leading to the dining room, wouldn’t smile or even say “Hi” when we greeted him. This went on the first 2 days in November and suddenly he was gone. I asked a supervisor what happened to him. The answer was, we took him down until Halloween next year. We figured that was her way of saying as a supervisor, the rude employee got fired. Thank goodness we didn’t experience anymore problem employees.
The entire deer season was colder than normal by 10-20 degrees every day. (Even people ice fishing the last week instead of deer hunting.) I did get one shot at a Buck running wide open after a Doe, but missed. (My license was for bucks only.) Did you know one out of ten Minnesotans hunt deer? In the area that I hunt the success was way down compared to last year.
An employee at Shingober, a very nice, good food, sports bar on Leech Lake, bragged how she shot a deer 580 yards away. I bit my lip as I reminded Angie her shot would have been almost 6 football fields away. Her reply was, ”That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
As every deer season, Fritz, the little mouse, entertained me as I put seeds out for him. In mouse years, I figured he is Fritz the XXXIII!
Sorry, LeRoy and Carol Stockwell, as once again I didn’t get a deer for you. Shame on me, skunked 5 years in a row. Paul, a snack bar employee at The White Oaks believes in “whatever the customer wants the customer gets.” They make great homemade soup. I asked him to be heavy on the crackers with my order of Potato Soup. I counted “38” crackers as he gave me a big smile of mischief with the soup and crackers.
I got to be the speaker at the Veterans Day brunch, thanking the Palace Casino and the employees for honoring the Veterans and a guest with a complementary breakfast. The applause was loud and long. (Once again, thanks for the breakfast.) Genie and I attended the Veterans Day dinner at the American Legion n Cass Lake. The program included a Pow-Mia Ceremony – This old Veteran was teary-eyed.
On the socializing side of our Sabbatical: we drove to Baudette on Lake of the Woods to meet Carol Edstrom at the Holiday Craft and Vendor Extravaganza at the North Lake Café in Baudette. Genie took the Lefse making class at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cass Lake under the tutorship of O.J. Genie was impressed with the results. (I was impressed with the sweet potato flavor.) We attended church service at the Trinity Lutheran Church Hwy. 2 just west of Cass Lake the 3 Sundays of deer hunting. One Sunday was a 2 donut Sunday if one so desired versus the usual one donut Sunday. Genie was the reader the Sunday the ladies did the service. An interesting observation was made during the deer season: the only men in church either had gutted a deer or didn’t hunt deer.
As usual Trinity Church members made us feel right at home. Once again thanks for the great Hospitality given to us by the Palace employees.
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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.