Lisa just beat breast cancer

My wife, Lisa, just beat breast cancer. After a successful surgery and many visits to Owatonna, she is cancer free. Thanks to a fantastic surgeon, caring nurses, and smiling receptionists, she’s once again healthy. I’ve had a wonderful last couple of weeks: time for a full week at the Tetonka cabin and a fishing trip with family.

At our cabin, it’s BLT and sweet corn season. Upon our arrival there was a knock at the door and there was our neighbor Roger with 4 plump, ripe, tomatoes. Thank you Roger! We stuffed our tummies with BLTs for the next couple of evenings and enjoyed the smell of cooking bacon; the aroma filled our cabin with my favorite smell, bacon! I picked up a half dozen sweet corn ears from Mason’s sweet corn stand and it was on to a meal of sweet corn. Mason always fills your bag with a couple of extra ears of corn. We ate all of the 8 ears of corn in one sit-down meal. Thank you Mason for your wonderful produce.

My neighbor Bob, a realtor in Mankato, is a great neighbor. He and his wife Emily are avid Wisconsin sports fans: I enjoy talking to him after another Gopher border war game has taken place. Bob’s secretary's daughter and a group of friends enjoyed Bob’s cabin for the weekend. They appreciated the lake with pontoon rides, swimming, and late night bonfires. As all young people do at the lake, they drank favorite beverages, grilled out, played their music, and partied late into the night. 

The group was packing to leave on Sunday and there was a knock at our cabin door. There stood Kaylee, the secretary’s daughter, looking a bit nervous and unsettled. She had stopped by to apologize for being a bit loud and rowdy into the late Saturday night. I replied by saying, “That’s how young people should enjoy a vacation at the lake!” I told her I was glad they had a wonderful time. I also mentioned that they hadn’t bothered us at all. In fact, in my younger years I would have joined them. Kaylee is a wonderful, considerate, young lady.

Lisa decided it was time to celebrate and entertain at the cabin. She invited one of her social groups, the Olivettes, to come for a get together. I believe they get their name from putting olives in their beverages; the group consists of retired Waseca Public School employees. I spent the morning cleaning the deck, cabin, and toilet, then setting up chairs. According to the weather people at channel 12 news, the rain and drizzle were supposed to clear off at 2 p.m. Nice report weather people, eight Olivettes arrived at 4 p.m. carrying their goodies into the cabin in rain and drizzle. They came bearing beverages, salad, dips, crackers, chips, Chex-mix, tater tots, and rum cake. Lisa prepared ham and cheese sliders. Our cabin area is rather small, so the group quickly reorganized things to suit the current need. They had wonderful food and drink, laughter, and great conversation. I even got to participate, maybe a bit too much at times. 

Lisa, Steph, Lou, and Carol have all beat breast cancer. They are all alive and well, not to mention being a wonderful group of ladies. 

My son Marc, his father-in-law Gary, and three of my grannies (grandchildren, that is), Evan, Ryan, and Nathan, recently went on a fishing trip to Big Stone Lake. It was three generations of family fishing together. The weather was great, our fish fries yummy, and everyone caught a trophy Bluegill over 10 inches. My youngest grannie Nathan has the habit of using the phrase “thank you.” I took personal notice, pulled him aside, and told him how magical and wonderful that special pair of words is. We should all use it more often. Nathan is a wonderful grandson. 

We live on  Fourth Street Northeast, across from the swimming pool and park. Every morning at 6:30 a.m. when I take Sammy for her wake-up walk, I encounter personal fitness walkers and joggers, as well as many others out with their dogs. Frequently I run into my neighbor Twyla V. not only walking her dog, but also carrying a plastic bag picking up litter. Occasionally I observe an elderly man walking around the baseball diamond. He parks his car in the parking lot and takes his dog for a walk later in the day. On a 90-degree day, I saw him taking his baby steps, periodically holding onto the fence to take a rest in the shade. I had to meet him. Both of his knees are very bad, but he still does his workout to the best of his ability. David Opalinski came from Crosby, Minnesota, to Waseca to be close to his daughter. Even though he’s had several knee surgeries, he is still in pain. He said it takes about 35 minutes to do his journey with his dog. David is a true inspiration to me. With all the uplifting stories, I need to end with some sad news. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and complications from repeated pokes to the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies and Cap’n Crunch.

Doughboy is survived by his wife, Play Dough; two children, John and Jane Dough; plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about twenty minutes.