Stan's Bar and Grill hosts mini-reunion

Eight members of the Jefferson High Class of 1965 gathered in Stan's basement in Shakopee Saturday for a buffet and b.s. session. Plenty of laughter and memories and moving pictures of past class member events. No funds from the class treasury were appropriated, although money was fronted on a reservation for a 2010 JHS Class of 1965 45-year reunion. Time and date to be announced by the new chairman. Stay tuned for details. The excitment builds.

(Of course you recognize everyone in the photo, but in case you don't, from left, Paul Strandberg, Stan Rolfsrud, Karl Tegland, Sue Tegland, Mike Bolin, Karen Benson, Ron Olson and Mark Benson. Karl and Sue flew in from Washington State, Mark and Karen drove from Wisconsin. The remaining gentlemen motored in from St. Paul. Out-of-staters were over-nighters.)

Dream cabin nears finish

Betty (Larson '65) and Perry Butcher are closing in on completion of their dream cabin on Little Darling. Betty's son has managed the project from his home in Arkansas. Betty and Perry usually spend their summers in the refurbished Larson family home on Elm Street in Alexandria. But soon they'll hear the lap, lap, lap of Little Darling as they awaken in the new master bedroom just feet from the shores of the storied lake.

No, there's no piano scheduled for the big room with the lake view, Betty laughs, but there will definitely be an open bar to welcome visitors.

Thinking about dates

When should the 2010 Class Reunion be held? That question was passed around the table Monday at the monthly Wallweeds lunch, this time at the Sunshine Factory in New Hope. Does July 31, 2010 make sense? Look at your calendars. The Resorters Golf Tournament is always held the first week in August. Local experts say that local resorts book accommodations from Saturday night to the following Saturday morning. This would give out-of-towners an opportunity to hit the reunion and take in the Resorters during the same week. Is this a good idea?
Speak now, as they say. . .
Rolfsrud@gmail.com

"If I Were a Rich Man," . . .

Stan,
Just wanted to let classmates and friends know that I will be appearing in the Northern Light Opera Production of "Fiddler On The Roof" as Tevye, The Dairyman. The production will be staged at the Park Rapids Area High School Auditorium, July 31, Aug 1, 2 and Aug 6, 7, 8.
More details and ticket information are available at http://www.northernlightopera.org/

It would be great to see some of my classmates there!
Thanks,
David Overly
=====

(Photo at right, Overly as the scarecrow in the 1965 JHS Class Play)

Cash Car has Alexandria home

A car built for Johnny Cash is now owned by '65 Alexandria grad Bobby Watson and is parked by his summer home on Lake Darling.

Inspired by the lyrics to Cash's "One Piece at a Time" ballad, builders assembled a car from a variety of parts: '53 Ford, '54 Chev, 'Edsel wheels, etc., etc. and threw in a rumble seat for good measure.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cash died before he was able to drive the Cash Car. Watson saw it at a car show and just had to add it to his collection of vintage vehicles. Thursday night he proudly fired up the Cash Car for the trailboss and for these photographs. Car sounded great. Don't remember your classmate Bobby Watson? Maybe the license plate on his every day car will jog your memory. It reads "Local Hood Does Good."

Here's a link to Johnny Cash singing "One Piece at a Time" on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDU8Gku7q-w

These are the words to the song:

Well, I left Kentucky back in '49

An' went to Detroit workin' on a 'sembly line

The first year they had me puttin' wheels on cadillacs

Every day I'd watch them beauties roll by

And sometimes I'd hang my head and cry'

Cause I always wanted me one that was long and black.

One day I devised myself a plan

That should be the envy of most any man

I'd sneak it out of there in a lunchbox in my hand

Now gettin' caught meant gettin' fired

But I figured I'd have it all by the time I retired

I'd have me a car worth at least a hundred grand.

I'd get it one piece at a time
And it wouldn't cost me a dime

You'll know it's me when I come through your town

I'm gonna ride around in style

I'm gonna drive everybody wild

'Cause I'll have the only one there is a round.

So the very next day when I punched in

With my big lunchbox and with help from my friends

I left that day with a lunch box full of gears

Now, I never considered myself a thief

GM wouldn't miss just one little piece

Especially if I strung it out over several years.

The first day I got me a fuel pump

And the next day I got me an engine and a trunk

Then I got me a transmission and all of the chrome

The little things I could get in my big lunchbox

Like nuts, an' bolts, and all four shocks

But the big stuff we snuck out in my buddy's mobile home.

Now, up to now my plan went all right

'Til we tried to put it all together one night

And that's when we noticed that something was definitely wrong.

The transmission was a '53

And the motor turned out to be a '73

And when we tried to put in the bolts all the holes were gone.

So we drilled it out so that it would fit

And with a little bit of help with an A-daptor kit

We had that engine runnin' just like a song

Now the headlight' was another sight

We had two on the left and one on the right

But when we pulled out the switch all three of 'em come on.

The back end looked kinda funny too

But we put it together and when we got thru

Well, that's when we noticed that we only had one tail-fin

About that time my wife walked out

And I could see in her eyes that she had her doubts

But she opened the door and said "Honey, take me for a spin."

So we drove up town just to get the tags

And I headed her right on down main drag

I could hear everybody laughin' for blocks around

But up there at the court house they didn't laugh

'Cause to type it up it took the whole staff

And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.

I got it one piece at a time

And it didn't cost me a dime

You'll know it's me when I come through your town

I'm gonna ride around in style

I'm gonna drive everybody wild

'Cause I'll have the only one there is around.

And the grandkids go marching on. . .

Proud grandparents, Carolyn and Harland Hoffland, send this along:
Attached are pictures of our grandsons from Sauk Rapids, Minn. The Sauk Rapids-Rice band competed in the Vikingland Marching Band Competition on June 28th in Alexandria. Josh (below, right), our grandson, plays the tuba and Taylor our other grandson (left) carried the Sauk Rapids-Rice school banner (part of the Honor Guard).

We are such PROUD GRANDPARENTS of all their accomplishments this year in band. They have done such a great job, practiced endless hours and put their "best" foot forward.
Just wanted to share this "happy note" and pictures with you. After band is over for the summer, they are heading for Albuquerque to have some R & R with us here. Our daughter Missy also writes a caption to describe their victory!

Mom….here are the pics of the boys from yesterday! It was an amazing day! Sauk Rapids was able to retire the class champion flag for AAA, as this was the third year in a row that we have won our class. We also won best drumline, best winds, and best color guard…..with a raving score of 86.75(which was a school record high for SR)! The boys are still glowing today….but a little tired!
Missy
Love, Carolyn & Harland