Psst. Hey Kiehne. . .

What is Paul Strandberg saying to Tom Kiehne about Brian Berglund and Cathy Bakke in this photo by Lorlee Bartos? Bloggers want to know! Email the Trailboss@swpub.com

Wednesday's storm hit Korkowski home, they're ok

Cliff and Bev (Roers) Korkowski with photos of their Andover home that was damaged in Wednesday's tornado.
Bev writes: Here’s what your house looks like after a twister visits! We’re fine but the house is in a bit of disrepair….needs to have all new siding, new roof and new deck but no damage to the interior. We feel very lucky compared to others in the neighborhood.
We were home (in Andover), and we headed for the basement when we heard a strange noise, sort of a rumble. Barely got downstairs when the power went out. We heard a large thump with wind, and then almost immediately an eerie quiet with only the sound of rain. Stopped so quickly.
We thought it was only our gas grill that had tipped over, at least that’s what it sounded like. Had no idea the side of our house was gone.
Our original builder was here this afternoon, will take on the job and says our house will be better than new.
Bev Roers Korkowski

Greg Johnson makes sending card to Van very easy

This is just too easy, folks, but what the hey, it's the age we live in.
Now you can send a card to Van Eastlund by simply clicking on the link below. That will connect you to St. Cloud Hospital. Fill in the information and your greeting. Hospital staff will print it out and deliver it to Van. What could be easier? No stamps, no paper and it's free!
Thanks to Greg Johnson (photo at left) for spotting this innovation.
Try it.

http://www.centracare.com/e_greetings.html


Hey Stan,
I just saw the posting from Greg Johnson, I immediately sent an e-greeting to Van. Thanks to Greg (and you) for getting the info out to all of us. I hope Van gets tons of greetings.
Paula Hanson

Yeah, but can he jump?

This is Gerald and Barbara Kloehn Pyle, now of Redmond, Washington. Gerald was definitely not a member of our class (Barb definitely was) because no member of our class ever came close to attaining his height, not even Lonnie Thornton. Barb's cousin Charles Stark, who served as the diminutive center of the Cardinal basketball team, estimated Gerald's height at 6 foot, 8 inches. Can you imagine the late Coach Tom Connor's reaction to such a gift? Tom stood about 5' 5" in his Friday night cowboy boots. One thing is certain, if Gerald had been in our class, somebody else would have been riding Tom's bench.

(Anybody remember the Friday night game when Connor apparently forgot that he was wearing soft brown oxfords before kicking the wooden team bench so hard he broke his toe? He coached the next night in Detroit Lakes with a cane, a bedroom slipper, and a subdued attitude.)

This just in... Wednesday report on Van from John

Bonita Gilbertson and Diane O'Brien

Stan, Van and I did a pretty good job of communicating Wednesday. His wife was there and, yes, she has gone back to work and is only getting back occasionally. Yes, he is going to be in St. Cloud about another week and then home doing outpatient rehab at Douglas County Hospital. He is dealing with a skin rash thing that kept him out of rehab today and that is the one thing that could slow this time line down.

Yes, he would still love company in St. Cloud and especially when he gets home. Please keep him in your prayers. I'm just glad I was nearby and could help out a little bit. There's lots of you out there that could still help.

Thanks especially to Solveig for sending a card. The thought just occured to me that there are probably a lot of Rolfsrud kids that had to sit through my really awful piano lessons. My appologies to all of you. I should have practiced more.
John

Bonita writes:I'm so grateful to John Herdan for the updates on Van.
John, it is so nice of you to not only go and see him so frequently but to keep us appraised of his condition. When you're hospitalized away from home I'm sure it cuts down on the company you get, so kudos to John, Jim and Don for taking the time to visit him. You guys are GREAT!!
Keep the cards coming 65ers!
Bonita Gilbertson

My card to Van went out last weekend, so he should have received it by now. Let’s hope he gets a ton of cards and well wishes. We’d all like the same if we were in that position!
Bev Roers Korkowski

Didn't know Van. Not in the class of 65. Sent a card anyway. Seemed like the thing to do. Felt good when I did. Thanks for the idea, John.

Solveig Shearer

The latest on Van Eastlund from John Herdan

John writes:
I stopped to see Van Eastlund today(Tuesday). The words were coming a little better and I understood some of them clearly but communicating is still tough. I think his wife has gone home for a little bit.
We sure could use some of the St. Cloud contingent to stop in and see him. I think he'll be here for at least another week although I couldn't understand where he will go next and he was getting frustrated trying to tell me so I backed off.
I'll try to call those people I can locate and hope they can stop in. He is still in room 683. Take the D entrance elevator, take two lefts, and he's in the third room on the left.
John Herdan
(See other details and photo of Van Eastlund below. John says our classmates, St. Cloud area residents Jim McPhee and Don Wilke, are going to see Van. Marilyn McPhee is sending a card. Anyone else?)
Bev Roers Korkowski writes: My card to Van went out last weekend, so he should have received it by now. Let’s hope he gets a ton of cards and well wishes. We’d all like the same if we were in that position!

What would you say if I sang out of tune?. . . . . . . . Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends. . .

From Paul Strandberg comes an idea for saving money and getting your kids started on a career after college. Paul went to Korea in May to visit Mark, his oldest son, who is teaching English there.
"For those who have kids (or grandkids) graduating from college with no clue as to future plans, this is a great deal. Free transportation and room, decent money and a lot of same-minded recent grads to enjoy night life and great food. It fits those of that age since they work from about 3 or 4 in the afternoon to 8:00 or 9:00, then eat and party until they want to go home and sleep 'til mid-afternoon."
Hmm. Sounds like a hint of jealousy there.
Paul had surgery on his hand this spring so it really cut into his golfing. Along with taking care of a family member this summer, he hasn't been or had much fun. With the hand healing and the family member placed in a care facility, maybe there's still time left for a round at Keller in St. Paul.
Photo by Lorlee

Lynda Malmgren and Brian Berglund

Photo by Lorlee

Our first summer vacation photo! Where's yours?

Stan: Here's a picture from our annual week at Agate Lake, which is a very small lake next to Gull Lake in the Nisswa area. We've been going now for over 30 years, with just a couple of years off once we left Alexandria, but we missed it too much, so we've been back at it now, without kids!!!, for about 10 years. We've always gone with Gary and Colleen Boesen and their kids in the 'good ole days', now it's the two couples, plus this year we added a third since we were 'promoted' to a new three bedroom cabin. Cliff and I left for our week up there the day after our reunion. Left to right: Gary and Colleen (Kelly; class of '64) Boesen; Cliff and me; and Cliff's sister Faye and her husband Ron Magnuson (class of '64 from Osakis). Lots of Bloody Marys and laughs later, we look forward to next year! -

Bev Roers Korkowski

(Please send us your summer vacation snapshot. Either mail it to Stan at 2355 Abbey Point, Shakopee, MN 55379 or email it to trailboss@swpub.com)

Friday update on Van Eastlund; prognosis good

Jefferson Class of 65er Van Eastlund, rural Nelson, is in a St. Cloud Hospital after a stroke and possible heart attack. Van attended the reunion August 6. He's pictured above with Judy Herdan at the Aug. 6 reunion. Coincidentally, Judy used to work in the ICU unit Van used at the hospital.

Photo by Lorlee

The latest. . . .

John Herdan checked up on Van Thursday night. He writes: I went to see Van again today. I talked to him and his wife Jeannie. It all started when Van was having surgery for a herniated disc in Alexandria. When they inserted the tubes in his throat before the surgery he ended up having two strokes. There was no heart involvement. They kept him for two days before transfering him to St. Cloud.

He is suffering from general overall weakness and is still pretty much unable to talk because of swelling in his throat caused by cranial pressure from the stroke. He was, however, able to get out two names, Rick and Bonita.

Rick Floding from Detroit Lakes is Van's cousin and he has called a few times. Bonita Gilbertson sent a card that I saw. Van is very grateful!!!!!!

Van starts physical therapy today (Friday) and the prognosis appears good. Nothing a lot of prayer couldn't help with. I'll keep you updated. As a side note, Van and Jeannie went to kindergarten together in Nelson before she moved to California. When she returned to Minnesota a few years ago, she and Van reconnected when she started working with him at Fingerhut and the rest, as they say, is history.

John

Send Van a note at:
St. Cloud Hospital, Van Eastlund, 1406 6th Avenue North, St.Cloud, MN 56303

Bonita Olson Gilbertson writes: I felt so bad when I read about Van this morning. He is such a NICE guy. I became reacquainted with him and his cousin Rick Vendel at the reunion and we had so much fun talking about when we were classmates in 6th grade.
I didn't know until then that he was a Viet Nam vet who had been wounded.
I just wrote out a get well card and had a thought, wouldn't it be great if ALL of us Class of 65ers sent him a card? He's such a shy, unassuming guy I think he would be overwhelmed (hopefully in a good way). Patty and Rick, please keep me posted at my email site. The address is pdswmec@rea-alp.com.
Later..
Bonita Gilbertson

The President and the First Lady -- Paul, give us a note.
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"The Bridges of Douglas County" hound Sara

Sara Smith Sevey, Kathy Schultz Hagemeister, Lynne Spellman Lommen
Photo by Lorlee

Sara writes: Hi -- I found my fourth "Made in Alexandria" steel bridge here in California. This time on a new golf course in San Jose called "The Ranch," which is truly sadistic - the golf course, not the bridge.
Also, last night I went down to Walgreen's and saw a Minnesota car parked by the front door and the license plate frame said "Alexandria." I waited for the driver, who turned out to be from Minneapolis, but her godson had gone to school in Alex and is now overseas working, so she inherited the car.
Geez, between the bridges, the Carlos Creek Winery logo in the gold rush area out here and now the car, I feel like I'm being hounded.
I liked Bonita's suggestion for everyone to send a card to Van Eastlund and I hope people will do that.
Sara

Not me, says Mike Perrreten. Buddy Holly maybe.

That's Greg Johnson, Tom Kiehne and Tom Obert, of course, but who is adjusting his mortarboard? A bottle of Cameron Hughes 2001 Petite Sirah rides on the correct answer. At first, Stan thought it was Brad Anderson. But then Sandi, Lorlee and Diane guessed Mike Perreten and Bev guessed Mike Schultz. So now Stan doesn't know what to think. The tassel on his mortarboard is a regular blue one, not gold like the ones sported about by the likes of Kiehne and Obert. Stan thinks Perreten was in the top ten percent, not in the bottom 90 with Johnson and Rolfsrud and everyone else. Since Perreten does check into the blog once in a while, it would sure help if he would do so now.

Later today. . .

Stan,

My guess is that it is Brad Anderson.

I did have Buddy Holly glasses at the time, but I don’t think it’s me.

I hope you had a good reunion. I’d forgotten all about it till a couple of days ago. I’ve only gone to the 15 year reunion in 1980 and Karl Tegland showed me some video tape of the 25 year one in 1990.

Mike Perreten

Gary Ekdahl and Del Fladwood

Photo by Lorlee

Gladys Isn't Gratis Anymore

Orrin Foslien Jr., of the Alexandria class of 1960 with Cub Reporter Tom Obert at the Carlos Winery Grape stomp. Fred is a local entertainer, celebrated by some for his rendition of "Gladys Isn't Gratis Anymore" and is also notorious as a nephew of "Friendly Fred" Foslien, the creator of Alexandria's famous Victoria Heights.

(Photo by Ruthie Obert, who loves 'Gladys')

St. Dominic Savio Club board of directors

Beverly Roers Korkowski sent this photo, which was apparently taken the same day as the big one, below. Bev wasn't sure why the four students were pulled aside. Since the group includes Jim Clifford, speculators assumed that it must involve some form of corporal punishment. Lorlee Bartos nipped that in the bud: "I am the one holding the statue," she writes, "and that statue would be St. Dominic Savio. I forget who he might be or why he is a saint, but as I recall, we had the St. Dominic Savio Club and I think I was the President. Who knows what the club was supposed to do--- probably pray and emulate the life of Dominic."
And here is the link for those of you who would like to study the life of St. Dominic further:
http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/SAVIO.htm

Comment from Sara Smith Sevey:
Hi,
I almost fell off my chair laughing at those angelic faces in both pictures. Good job, Bev!!!
Sara

Check our work. Here's the IDs for St. Mary's El

Double click photo for a larger image.
Row 1: Jim Clifford and Mike Geiser
Row 2: Willie Monroe?, Tom Byrne, Mike Gillespie, Neil Anderson, Harland Hoffland
Row 3: Peter Forster, Gaylord Beck, Jim McPhee, Gregory Schmidt, John Kraemer, Patrick Miller, Darwin Beuning, Butch Krebs, Bernie Revering, Robert Noyes, Jerry Deleski
Stairs, Row 1: Jeanne Patzwald, Patty Ziebarth, Bev Roers, Claudia Johnson?, Mary Ann Hibbard, Mary Jane Arendt, Janet Schwegler, Mary Hanson?
Row 2: (??), Kathy Patrick, Judy Blanchard, Bev Hartung, (???), Sister Rosalyn, Lorlee Bartos, Judy McCarthy.
(Photo submitted by Harland Hoffland, IDs by Bev Roers Korkowski. Not bad, Bev -- now help her fill in the blanks.)

Comment from Sara Sevey:
Hi,
I almost fell off my chair laughing at those angelic faces in both pictures. Good job, Bev!!!
Sara

John Herdan, Stan Rolfsrud, Jerry Deleski, Judy Blanchard
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Rock 'n roller John Herdan reports on son's band

John Herdan filed this report from the Minnesota State Fair where his son and the B Team All Stars competed Saturday. "After a 45 minute delay for heavy rain and lots of lightning, the show went on with the B Team All-stars coming in 3rd in the teen category. They missed the main grandstand competition by one place. However, when you figure they came in third out of over 400 acts that started this process a couple of months ago, that's pretty darn good. We're very proud of the boys. I'll let you know when the CD comes out."

Dead cats and an autumn moonlight fantasy

(Many of you remember my sister Solveig -- Sam was your nickname for her, Sosie is ours. She graduated a year after we did at Jefferson. She's now a technical writer for Oracle in Silicon Valley where she lives with her husband, Bill and dog, JD. Their son, Zachary, abandoned the nest a few years ago, but continues to live nearby. Sometimes Solveig gets bored writing technical stuff and delights her family and others with written observations of life around her. I thought bloggers might enjoy reading the email she broadcast to a bunch of us the other day. It's a lot about us and the decisions we're all making these days. She just tells it better. So, pour a cup of coffee and have a laugh with us.)

My sister Becky started it. She was sad when her grand piano was taken away with its legs up in the air like a dead cat. She made me think about my Sohmer, a walnut upright grand that we bought in August, 1972, for $1,346.80. Think about it, what did you pay that much for in 1972? We lived in Baltimore then, and bought the piano in Washington DC. 1972 was the 100th anniversary of the Sohmer piano company, and when you get deep inside the piano, there is an insignia stating this and many of the metal parts are in commemorative gold. A piano restorer might appreciate this, but the piano player can't see it.

Your children will thank you
The Sohmer came with a pamphlet that read "Your children will thank you all their lives if you let them learn to play the piano while they're at The Learning Age." As a Montessori directress, I knew all about the Sensitive Periods that children have for learning, the tactile periods, the language acquiring periods, the aural vs visual times. Ahhhhh. I would have that thankful child, and I'd even provide the Suzuki method to counteract the genetic shortcomings in the "play by ear" category. Little did I imagine I'd have a child with a singular sentiment, "I hate the piano. I just hate it."

At this spectacularly special time in our lives when we are considering what to do with all the stuff we've accumulated, I've wondered what I'd do with my piano. Dispose of it like a dead cat? Or, have some wonderful last days with it? Ahhhhh, the seeds of fantasy blossomed quickly and I imagined wheeling my lovely piano out on the deck and having an autumn moonlit dinner accompanied by sweet, live music, provided by none other than the best pianist our family has ever produced. But alas, the 2005 calendar of Nephew Steve and Aunt Solveig did not jibe, so music will not jive. No Plein Air Music this month.

Consequential to realizing this fantasy, I had contacted several people to find a good piano tuner. Our itinerant piano tuner Marvin, recommended by my Ukranian piano teacher 29 years ago, used to come annually from northern California in his RV. And annually, he'd tune and tell of his current money-making idea, from home dry-cleaning to selling currency on the global clock to managing retirement homes for only the wealthiest of the elderly. Marvin never actually realized any of these business plans, but every year he had a new one to reveal over the dinner I'd prepare, since somehow he was only able to schedule us at meal time.

Eventually Marvin disappeared and piano playing was replaced by gardening and travel.

The highly recommended David Ablarada arrived today and it was anything but the piano tuning I expected. I'd arranged to work at home, the dog was unusually well behaved, and David spewed forth for four hours with more information than I could put in a 100-page manual. First he stripped the piano of all its beautiful walnut skirts and tops to do his evaluation. He apprised me of what should be done after lo these 34 years: A cleaning, a pitch raising, a tuning, and, in another visit, a regulation. In rapid-fire delivery, he reviewed the business evolution of piano manufacturers, from the Chicago-New York centric piano world to the current Asian center, describing the downward-spiraling Sohmer empire with an emphasis on the Sohmer gent he met, not the Robert Sohmer who signed my Guarantee. Alas, the piano I purchased can no longer be got. He showed me all the parts and how current manufacturing takes shortcuts to produce a facsimile of my piano.

Unlike the violin and red wine
Now remember, like a car, a piano's value deteriorates with each minute of life, unlike the violin and red wines. The 8-hour Regulation is somewhat like a facelift, attempting to bring the piano back to its youth. Given the pricetag of The Regulation, I asked David, errrrr, given that I wasn't so sure my son would have any sentimental appreciation of this hated instrument, ahhhhhh, just what finanacial value does it have? What value am I trying to protect with $825 of maintenance? David replied that well, actually, I'd never get my money out of the piano (yes, he's right, I'd die or dement before I'd sell it), but if I were to buy a new piano today in this category, it would only be $6,000. So I said go ahead with the first $225 of work and we'd talk about the rest later.

David said he'd need to take The Action (all the hammer action, wooden parts and felt pads) out on the deck to blow it out. "After 30 years, there will be a lot of dust in this." I plugged in his Oreck outdoors and then stood back. "If you want to watch, you'll have to stand back farther. Really, I do this all the time and 30 years of dust gets nasty." He blew and it didn't look like much. He blew a second and third time and still not much. "Hmmm, well, hmmm. I guess you keep a really clean house." Put that in my obituary.

Regulate to the fullest
Then he raised pitch and tuned with an electronic device that replaces the old tuning fork while I sent enough emails back to my employers at Oracle to convince them I was being productive. The piano sounded progressively better. Finally, he was finished, -- except for the key that he'd take back to the shop to repair. I requested more information about The Regulation and he demonstrated the difference that would be made by repairing one of the felt pads. "OK, OK, come back and regulate to the fullest." David said actually the piano was in much better condition than he'd expected for 34 years and he reduced his price. "But I will still spend a full 8 hours on it." I agreed and said I'd make us lunch the scheduled day.

"Now that I've tuned it and I hear what you have, I will tell you that for this sound, which will be even better after my next visit, you'd have to pay $15,000 for a grand today to equal it. So if you sell it, hold out for the person who can appreciate this sound." (You got that Zach? If I dement, do not sell on E-bay.)

As for My Fantasy, David advised that I would need to get piano movers to move the Sohmer to the deck and then back indoors and how they should negotiate the step, and then schedule the tuning for just before the performance. "I see why you'd want to have such a party. It would be wonderful out here. But you might consider hiring a keyboardist who would bring their own electronic keyboard. It would be so much simpler." He gave me details as to the weight of the piano and the spindly nature of the legs and decorative wheels only intended to move the piano an inch or two. I understand the general physics of this and give thanks to the gods that allowed us all the stupid (unprofessional) moves to date, including several recent relocations within our house.

David will return in a couple weeks with the repaired key and will then Regulate the piano for a day. Kind of a Spa Day for the piano, a rejunvenation. So dear Nephew Steve, can you bring your Keyboard sometime for an outdoor party? Or can you come at Christmas for some caroling around a rejuvanated piano standing EXACTLY in place? I think I might get out my old piano music. Who cares if I'm not great, if I'm happy? As Bill says so kindly to me, if you're enjoying yourself, what else matters?

Louisiana

Betty Larson with a kindly street musician in the City of New Orleans. He played "You Look Wonderful Tonight" on his trumpet as Betty and her husband strolled downtown. Then he lent his instrument, allowing Betty to play her own version. Many of us have magical memories from this city that has given so much music and happiness. Can't help wondering where he is today. Is he safe? Does he still have his trumpet? Pray for him and for so many others like him.

Corraled in Golden Valley

Lynn Dietz couldn't make it to the reunion, but the posse, Ruth Ryding Yamaguchi and Kathy Sherry Skadsberg, knew where she lives and rounded her up in Golden Valley. Here they are talking, among other things, about Lynn's four daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren.

(Photo submitted by K. Skadsberg)