Thursday, January 30, 2020

Friends and Friendships

A package arrived in the Post this week, a complete surprise; a wonderful gift.  From David, a dear friendship of almost 15 years, another true prize springing from the sharing of our motorcycling pastime.

Thank you David, appreciated more than you know.



I've been very blessed.

Friends and our friendships....you know who you are, thanks to you all.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

January Saturday Sunday

Some motorcycle content first since that's how the day started.  Another early drive up to Minneapolis for coffee at Diamonds, then down to Scooterville for 2020's Cabin Fever.


SYM.....I admired their scooters and I admire this Wolf CR 300i.  At this point I do not own one.


There were some very fine prices on used machines....



Apparently there's Off Season demand for scooters!


Haven't owned a Vespa yet......


Speaking about Vespa....there's an event coming this summer to Minneapolis!




Back to Red Wing and up the hill to see mom.  Relatives of ours have put together some incredible history of their/our family....a DVD, a book, a VERY complete 2" three ring binder of genealogy charts, stories, information, etc. so we spent some time looking through everything and discussing a branch of the family I knew very little of, at least that's the way it was.  I've been busy updating one of the ancestry sites online and this information, at least some of it will find its way there.

Mild weather and a change of plans found me out for a late afternoon stroll in town.  A fine loop down to the river and back again; slushy sidewalks the only challenge, otherwise a lovely walk-a-bout.

Original entry for the Historic St. James Hotel....back when the river boats and trains were the main transportation options.



Red Wing AMTRAK and Red Wing Arts at The Depot


Red Wing's Japanese Sister City's display.....









Red Wing Marine Museum... Red Wing Motor Company, former producer of Thorobred Marine engines, a FREE museum showing off restored power units.



Must have been a hot day on the river....



Red Wing's Boat House harbor....



A nice hike and I'll be doing more of these.

Sunday, went back to the house to do some laundry and while that was churning, spent some time in the shop.  New clutch dogs required, luckily I had some on the shelf, originally purchased for the Helix. Rollers required, a belt and those were on the shelf, originally for the Helix as well.


A potential Mouse House and they'd found this one.


Finally, some more wildlife....the March of the Turkeys.



Saturday, January 25, 2020

Urbanites

We've done it now....moved to the big city!!  The big city of Red Wing, Minnesota, population 16,412 at last count.  The sights, the sounds, the motion and oh the excitement!!  My growing up on the edge of St. Paul, suburban-raised and schooled, numerous apartments and even our first home in St. Paul proper....we've never been the Downtowners that we currently, temporarily are for now.

Our rural home is being transformed from the one that Peg and I built over the course of a few years back in the mid-90's into something a bit more polished (finished!).  We made it as far as being livable, something that in our minds we've done in spades these 25 years though we never really Finished it.  Peg has been more patient than she had any justifiable reason to be but it's finally time so the remodeling has commenced.  The plan is and we hope it materializes to be back in our little home in a couple of months, comfortably ahead of Riding Season.  Finding room for the bikes nearby may be more complicated than I'd ever be able to deal with.  Heck, I'm already losing track of where our 3 vehicles are in the public parking ramp.



A recently remodeled 2nd story apartment above a coffee/sandwich shop is where we're calling home; it's cozy, comfortable and affordable.  There were some other two-month options, I'm glad that we are where we are.  Peg was a bit nervous about my being satisfied, even tolerant of space this close.  She may not completely appreciate how much I enjoy my 1 and 2 man tents...I would and could spend a lot more time in those environments than has been recently allotted.

I mentioned the coffee shop downstairs.  Across the street and very easily seen from my living space chair through the window, another coffee/sandwich shop across the street that my grandmother was bringing goodies home from when I was summer farming back in the 60's.  It was a good place for heated dough then and now, only very recently voted Best Doughnuts In Minnesota.  I need to remind lest you forget, a couple of Thanksgiving weekends ago, I enjoyed a Bacon Maple doughnut during the Holiday Stroll Festival from the very same establishment.  This morning after my Sausage Breakfast Sandwich, I came very close to adding another of those bacon-topped delights to my order of two takeout Paczki's but stopped short.  My little box was already filled with plenty of goodness to share with my bride across the street; a bacon doughnut would have been a bit much.



I've walked to the Post Office, to another breakfast, a lunch sandwich, potentially a fish fry.  In a couple of weeks I'll walk to the Sheldon Theater to once again listen to Mr. Leo Kottke.  When there's a few less inches of slush, I'll be strolling down along the edges of the Mighty Mississippi to watch some ice flows ease past.

The contractors started demolition work on our house Monday morning and in our eyes, have been making excellent and encouraging progress.  I was there before dawn on Thursday morning to plow snow.









Where the kitchen wall was cut away above.....this endcap was our record of Cooper Progress...dates and height measurements of that Progress.  Cat's tails, cat's heads, the same dog related parts for a Corgi as well as a Chocolate Lab.  Our youngest daughter's details were next up the scale, her siblings, up past Peg, an inch more for me and finally topping out the whole works, our young son.  It's all there, dates and "stand talls......"

I took a video, expecting that we'd lose it.  The contractor knew better without even being asked.


Our pet did NOT join us in town, instead stayed to keep the guys company.


Friday, January 3, 2020

March 6, 2005 - A Lovely Spring Day

Those were the days....

More sorting, more discoveries of things that we WILL get sorted in our dotage.  Some images only recently collected and edited into a video.