Our fall has been quite acceptable, n'est-ce pas? Are you old enough to remember the "Halloween blizzard?" It's hard to rule anything out in Minnesota, weather-wise. We had a snowless winter last time around. Totally defies expectations. A very wet spring and summer, no "burning out" of our lawns. More law-mowing needed of course.
Now the mowers are put away, and will we need snow blowers? Would I end up cussing if I made the plunge and bought a snow blower this year? The upcoming days will have me planting grass seed where the tree guy removed some trees. I'll name-drop: Craig Beyer. Does super work. I wanted the sun to reach the ground more on my property. I'm trying to re-establish grass in places.
I told my neighbor that "my father got carried away planting trees." She responded: "I think we all did."
We live semi-rural. That does bring some challenges like having to live with the wild world.
My father had a wooden snow fence put up once. Problem in our neighborhood is that we can really be assaulted by the wind. Just a couple intense storms did a number on the fence. My father was well-intentioned with the project just as he was with tree planting. But over time these things can become rather a curse.
Speaking of a curse we have the political campaign still going on. Election is one of several things on my calendar for the nest week or so. Can I take care of my voting business at the armory in a routine way, exchanging pleasantries with the election volunteers who I presume to be doing their duty without partisan passion? The big risk of course is if they'd be Trump-oriented. And what else would you expect here in the windswept "East Dakota."
Our congressperson Michelle Fischbach voted against certifying the 2020 election results. Do you frown when I bring that up again? Why? Don't you think your own lives and your own financial security might be endangered by a full-on insurrection? Even Tom Emmer voted to certify the results. What was Fischbach thinking? Looking favorably on a violent overthrow of the U.S. government? Aren't you aware of just what a tinderbox that would become?
In the old days of the "Big 3" TV networks, the news coverage would have been much more responsible as it would have worked from the assumption that the violent MAGA effort on the day was unacceptable. There were not going to be "two sides" on that. No Laura Ingraham who'd show outright sympathy for it.
In this fall of 2024, it defies belief that the two candidates appear basically even, although I think many of the polls are tilted by their methodology to favor Trump. And will "Trump people" be hovering over people like me at the polling place on Tuesday? Will someone spot me and instantly think I'm inclined to vote Democrat?
I always consider Republicans. I can turn on the political left when I think it lacks responsibility for dealing with government largesse w/ $. I'll turn toward the GOP in a heartbeat. And when the public employee unions like teachers (especially teacher unions) act like they're feeling their oats too much, I'll turn to the Republicans to rescue us.
But to vote for Trump? Well I just can't. Right now Kamala Harris is the one who can rescue us, maybe rescue us as a nation literally, to keep us together as the USA. The situation is that stark.
Am I hopeful? Not terribly. But if I do not feel harassed or threatened at the armory on Tuesday, I plan to cast my vote for Harris. My feelings on this are so strong, I'll probably vote straight Democrat. That's this year.
The top DJT supporters have gone beyond pathetic with their loyalty. You can try to argue with them and it's probably laudable to at least try. But I am dumbfounded that people who I have always felt were intelligent have become zombie-like and non-amenable.
The late Truman Carlson frustrated me, as I have written before. He commanded so much respect in his life. But he would just smile if you tried to point out areas of concern with Trump. A smile that says: "You fool, why are you talking like that?"
I couldn't even talk him out of supporting Roy Moore in Alabama. I'm sure he'd support the puppy-killer governor of South Dakota. I'll repeat: We're "East Dakota" here on the prairie.
On the med side
So the election is Tuesday. On the day before, I will have a doctor appointment which I only accepted "under protest." Two phone calls from a nurse made it clear I'd better come in. I'll have one of the new doctors, as my previous one went "happy trails." I was greatly displeased by my previous doctor and would be happy to elucidate with anyone on that, but this little missive isn't the place.
My grievances are not even debatable.
Let me just say re. SCMC that I have unbounded admiration for Dr. Sam, Dr. Barnstuble and the doctor whose last name is pronounced "Robby." Hats off to them. My thoughts are not so charitable outside of that.
I could have died two years ago. The three doctors I just mentioned converged on me when I was in the emergency room and it was the most amazing experience of my life. It was Dr. Robby who diagnosed my diabetes, and "diagnosed" should be in quotes because he could tell just by looking at me! "You have diabetes" he abruptly said. I'll never forget how he wished me a robust "good luck!" as I was being taken away in a wheelchair for surgery.
Dr. Barnstuble had been my mother's doctor. He arrived at the emergency room with a young intern-seeming person.
Dr. Sam? My, he gave four hours of his life to do surgery pronto into the evening hours.
Prior to all this, it was Dr. Unger in Willmar, now retired, who diagnosed my hernia. He just felt of me and said robustly "that's a hernia!" But later he said "do you think you can live with it?" Well the answer should have been "no." He relayed this info to my regular doctor but there was no follow-up.
Finally there was follow-up in the form of pretty drastic emergency surgery after the hernia had become "incarcerated." A bowel obstruction. I came down with stomach flu-like symptoms. But the problem was much more serious. Dr. Sam saved my life and I became aware of the diabetes issue.
Now I'll see a new doc on Monday. I am feeling happy and healthy at present. I felt "coerced" into accepting this appointment. It was a female nurse on the phone, and women can intimidate me.
Change your clocks
Tomorrow is Sunday and fortunately I'm aware of the switch from DST. Don't want to be embarrassed by showing up for church at the wrong time. My calendar also shows that our church's fall supper is coming up Wednesday, First Lutheran Church. That's the church where Truman Carlson attended until he decided we were too "liberal."
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| The UMM HFA (my photo) |
UMM music struggles with numbers these days. We're hardly alone as far as colleges are concerned. We're fighting for the survival of UMM music. If it dies, our family fund would still have a constructive purpose within the U. There are contingencies. The Twin Cities campus would be fine, as my late father got his undergraduate and master's degrees there.
My father Ralph grew up in rural Glenwood but he later became a "big city" kind of guy. I have an old scrapbook that readily confirms that. I look at the items sometimes and I wonder "is this really my father?" So flamboyant. So "cool." He got pretty staid in later years. I often have the thought that a part of him never left the 1930s.
People who were alive in the Great Depression picked up qualities that they never shook off. This is often noted in cultural histories.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
