August 5, 2008 - Tuesday

Todays Gazette is being brought to you by the efforts and sacrifices of
the men and women of the USA armed services.
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The current temperature is 72 degrees.
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 80/52
Normal H/L temp for this date is 83/57
It was 98 degrees on this date in 1960.
Someone told me this morning at coffee that Hoople, St.Thomas and
Drayton really received a gully washer yesterday.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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Although, technically speaking, I can't actually say I was "born" and
raised in the flower business. In some way shape or form, however, I
have been exposed to the industry since I shed my three cornered pants
and started terrorizing the neighborhood on my tricycle.
I do remember, very well, the very first funeral arrangement I ever
made. I was in the first grade and mom let me make it in what was then
called a number 18 paper vase. I remember how patient she was, watching
me stuff a bunch of gladiolus and pompoms into that vase. She even let
me make the bow, although I had to let her make out the card because I
couldn't write very well then, the fact is I still can't.
Anyway, after I thought it was done, mom "helped me" redo it,
(including the bow) and then even dad told me how nice it was. As I
remember it, my bouquet (with moms help) matched the casket spray dad
had just finished making and then dad said I could go with Jerome to
deliver them to the funeral home. I remember feeling very sad that day,
even though I didn't know the person the flowers were for.
Over the years I suspect I made, and, or delivered hundreds if not
thousands of funeral arrangements to every funeral home in northern
North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.
I'll admit, for me, it was always a little bit easier to makeup and or
deliver the funeral arrangements for very old folks than it was for the
younger ones. Just as I have always found it "a bit easier" to attend
the funerals of older folks.
Funerals, from my prospective, have always been to celebrate the life
of our dearly departed. A time for us to exchange the values of the
loved ones we've lost. Funerals are a time to express our sorrows and
grief, to be sure, and, a time to remember the happy and pleasant things
we all hold so dear.
As I attended uncle Danny's funeral yesterday, I found myself
experiencing, once again, the same sadness and sorrows of the end of a
life and the happy, more pleasant, exchanges that go hand in hand in the
celebration of ones life.
I prepared myself, as I was sitting in the church waiting for the
services to begin. I knew it would be difficult seeing aunt Alice walk
in behind the casket. I was expecting the lump in my throat as the
family followed in behind.
However, there was something I hadn't planned that pulled hard on my
emotions. Even before Danny or Alice and the family entered the church.
A group, ten to be exact, of uncle Danny's fellow veterans were ushered
into the church and over to their pews.
I couldn't help thinking, where would this country be had those
veterans not been in the service. I couldn't help thinking about the
10's of thousands of veterans that gave up so much so we could be free.
As I sat there behind them, I couldn't help wondering, how, or what
could we do to thank them for all they have done.
Then,..... I remembered, just as they brought uncle Danny into the
church. The beautiful American flag that was placed on his casket. Those
Veterans, and all those before them, gave everything they could possible
give for that flag and the country it represents. Veterans not only
bought the land the flag and the freedom it represents. They paid for it
with the most valuable commodity God ever created. Their heart, their
lives and even their soul.
And so,... it's time, for all that call this land their home. "Thank
God for our Veterans and thank the Veterans for saving our home."
Gods speed Uncle Danny and Gods speed too, to all the men and women in
uniform.
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The next few additions of the Gazette will be written in invisible ink
and mailed to you from Arnesen's Rock Harbor Lodge.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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"The exchange of thought soon will give way to a better idea."
Or so it seems to me


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late.