The state government powers have decided any population center of less than 5,000 people is rural. Thus Ellendale is classified as Rural America.
I would like to add to the rural definition for Ellendale being rural:
Rural is where 2 out of 3 people are related and the 3rd one knows the other 2 real good.
Rural is where the school bus is parked in front of the driver's church prior to the driver's funeral service.
Rural is where the local cafe has a special menu item the morning of the school bus driver's funeral service. (It was pancakes.)
Rural is where the officiants at the school bus driver's service are referred to as: Pastor Randy and Pastor Sandy.
Rural is where the three young lady special music singers known as, “The Joy Trio” are great because of being tutored by the bus driver.
Rural is where at the end of the service many of the Military veterans came to the front of the church with a click of their heels, a snappy salute, an about face with sweat in their eyes as they honored the school bus driver.
Rural is where the funeral bus
driver's attendees go outside to hear the bugler blow Taps along with firing of the military weapons.
Rural is where there is a wide spread sweating of the eyes at the bus drivers funeral service.
Yes, Ellendale, Minnesota, you most certainly meet the state requirements of rural.
Message to a lame duck president: Don't take your classifieds home Joe – leave your classifieds at work Joe.
If you're reading this column February 2 or later, you know what is in store for the rest of this winter. If you don't know the significance of February 2, you know just as much as a non-groundhog believer!!
I hope you got to see the beautiful tree on the west side of I 35 as you're going south from Faribault. The whiteish colored lights made me
think of the Great Christmas Season. Many thanks to Gene and Diane Wangen for letting their horses be the stars of the sleigh and cutter festival held at the Freeborn County Fair
Grounds on Saturday February 4th. I know many of you have heard of “Minnesota Nice.” I was indeed fortunate to be on the receiving end of a young lady practicing “Minnesota Nice.” I refilled a prescription at HyVee in Albert Lea in which the price went from zero to $30.00. This bothered me, so I went back to HyVee. I explained to the employee I thought something was wrong. She checked and told me “The price was right.” She could have told me, “You will have to see your insurance agent” or “You will have to contact your insurance company.” What did she do? She told me, “Have a chair
and I'll call your insurance company.” She came back to me, sat on a chair next to me and said the increase was due to my medication being moved to a higher tier which meant a higher price. Who is this great example of “Minnesota Nice?” Nicole that's who!!
We met at the Timber Lodge Steakhouse in Owatonna on a Saturday noon to celebrate the birthdays of the youngest Turner age 4 and myself age 86 the oldest living of the Hanson clan. Turner's sister Ainsley and Allie plus brother Tanner live by Janesville along with Mom Lindsey and Dad Nate.
Turner looked at his birthday presents, ate his lunch of vanilla ice cream in a huge sundae container and said, “I'm ready to go home for my nap.” (Truly a typical Norwegian – eat first, nap later.)
The staff at Timber Lodge treated us to fine food along with fine serv-
ice!!
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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 New York. 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.