On our way home from Central Freeborn Church Rural Albert Lea on Sunday, March 12, 2023, Genie and I saw an all white hawk flying low to the ground for about three minutes. We assumed it was hunting for food as it would flutter its wings and then glide close to the ground. (We are sure it was not an albino crow. Genie thinks what we saw was due to the time change as we lost an hour of sleep.)
Surprisingly all the Central Church attendees arrived on time for church – usually somebody blows the time change. (Genie and I have!)
We have coffee hour after church at Central on Sundays. The hour is a time well worth attending in regards to the main issues of the current times.
(1) One current issue is the City of Albert Lea logo. The attendees were all in agreement: “If it ain’t broke – don’t fix it.”
(2) Another issue was the changing of the clocks in the spring forward and then back in the fall with each time being one hour. The Hensche clan of Clark’s Grove presented a great idea to settle with a compromise to the current clock changing: “Move the clock back ½ hour this November and then we have no more changing!! (most of the attendees liked the idea.)
The subject then switched to the Minnesota Twins baseball team. Many of the attendees liked the speeding up of the game new regulations. Some were concerned when going to a game the score was lopsided the wrong way. Reverend Matt Griggs replied, “Let me know what game you plan on attending; I’ll talk to #1 Minnesota Twins Fan Brad Bjerke and we will let you know the score of the game before it starts. Then you can decide if you want to attend the game.”
The lights went on and off signaling the coffee hour was over until next Sunday.
P.s.: I should point out that the City of Albert Lea political powers’ final decision was a new logo. In considering the repainting of the new logo on all the water towers, the city maintenance vehicles, other city signs, chamber related items plus others, I wonder how many hundred thousand dollars would be passed on to the City of Albert Lea taxpayer?
It is time for some short shorts:
1. The “Guess When All the Snow on the West Side of the Parking Lot at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church Will Be Gone” Contest guessing ended March 19, 2023. There is snow in the parking lot as I’m finishing writing this column, so no winner of the $20 cash yet.
2. Son Dan’s birthday is April 3. He has seen many birthdays of no snow and many with snow. One (in Chapeau Heights, Albert Lea) we went sledding on his birthday.
3. Easter Sunday is April 9, 2023. A reminder of that old Easter weather forecast, “If it rains on Good Friday, it will rain the next 7 Fridays in a row.”
4. Worlds of experience: “When buying a new car, be sure the gas cap is on the passenger side. When buying a used car, the dented driver’s door will tell you which side the gas cap is on!!
5. The COVID pandemic in the U.S.A. has created many changes. For example:
A. Many people are working from home. (Our son, Dan, as a paralegal, is an example.)
B. Less freeway traffic due to working from home.
C. People are moving to lesser populated cities and towns as they have more time at home to enjoy the time at home. This has also increased the demand for lake and woods recreation homes and an in increase in price in those homes.
D. North Carolina followed by Maine were the two most moved-to states in 2022. This has caused some of the lesser-populated places to pass growth moratorium ordinances.
P.p.s.: It was so cold the Irish had to cancel their local St. Patrick’s Day parade. They are talking to the local Norwegians about joining their local parade in May. It would be advertised as The First Ecumenical UFFDA Parade.
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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.