Category: Glimpses of Life

As I sit here in Minnesota (after many days of negative degree weather) waiting for the polar vortex to pass, I look at my phone and see that I’ve gotten a picture of relatives relaxing on the beach in Puerto Rico.

I could consider this cruel, but instead, I know that they really really wish we were there with them.

It looks so relaxing, doesn’t it?

Wish I was there with you familia!

If you’re interested in cuddling up with a good humorous midwest storybook, the book This Water Goes North, is the one for you.

I met the author, Dennis Weidemann, back in September 2012 when we went to a local fair in Afton, Minnesota. At that time, I purchased his book fully intending to read it “soon.” But, life happens and I didn’t get around to reading it right away. Then, after I read it, I purchased one for a friend then made a mental note to post a blog about it. A few months later — here’s the review.

The book is about four Iowa boys who, in the summer of 1979, venture out on a 1400 mile canoe trip to the old York Factory trading post at the mouth of the Hayes River in Canada. The author writes in the first person of the adventures, the people and the history of the locations they visit.

I’d like to share a few snippets of the book with you — things that I personally found amusing, interesting or profound. I highly recommend this book. It’s not religious in nature and the “uncut” tales are from the perspective of inexperienced young men. It has an honesty about their lives — something that a lot of people don’t talk about.

The young men set out on this journey from Fergus Falls, Minnesota on May 8, 1979 when the lake should be ice free.

So — here are just a few snippets (and sometimes a few of my comments) …

From Chapter 1 when the young men were planning what to take along on their trip –

• “we concluded that the proper number of socks is seven; two will be dirty, two wet, two on the feet, and one lost.” The young men had a sense of humor on this adventure and a sense of reality. One lost? Indeed.
• “Our lack of experience was more troubling to others than it was to us. Youthful optimism is often a by-product of ignorance, and in that we were experts.” Quite a truthful statement. When we’re young and inexperienced, we just do things because we want to do them — not because we are informed of what we are doing.

Chapter 2

• “Our budget came to about $900 per person, with the majority earmarked for airplanes and food. That left little for gear. We couldn’t afford new tents, canoes, or sleeping bags.”  These young men could have lost their lives on this trip — foolishness or an education in life?

Chapter 3 — a canoe flips over but all survive –

• “Lacking heavy clothing, we futilely layered on T-shirts and sweatshirts, and even donned the coonskin hats that friends gave to us as a send-off. Goofy looking they were, but pride is for warm people.” They learned a lesson early on in their adventure. There are just certain things we have to do to survive — pride aside.
• “Finally starting to warm up, I made a feeble attempt to make light of the situation, thinking to myself that the words “wet,” “naked,” and “forty degrees” should never be used in the same sentence.”

Chapter 4 – The Red River and Fargo

• “The morning after the crash, we stepped out of the tents to find a thin blanket of snow covering everything. For a moment there was dejected silence, then one by one, we started laughing uncontrollably, especially at Hanks “drying” lures that were now caked with white. What else could go wrong?”
• “A short celebration of paddle waving honored our arrival on the Red River, and the rest of the day transpired in glorious sunshine. How different life is when painted by the sun’s pastel brush.”  Tell that to all the people living in the Seattle area — the suicide capital of the U.S. – who live in misty clouds for many months out of the year.

Chapter 5 – Grand Forks, Oslo, Minnesota

• “At one point, Gene sighed, “I thought about doing something like that once, but never did.” In the brief silence that followed, it was clear he was searching to understand why he never went. This wasn’t the first time we saw this struggle, nor would it be the last.” There are many people who don’t follow their hearts leading into adventure. The What If’s in life can take a toll on a heart.
• “Rounding a bend one day, we came upon a dark shadow looming about fifteen feet up in a tree, wedged between two large limbs. It was much too big to be a squirrel. The trees were only just beginning to leaf out, so it wasn’t an abnormally dense layer of leaves. Getting closer, the shape became familiar. It was a cow!”

Chapter 6 – Crossing Into Canada

• “During one of our more interesting outings, to a natural history museum, we learned about the wildlife further north. Countless displays painted a picture of what lay ahead. Rounding a corner, I saw the others intently staring at an exhibit. “Weee doggies.” “That is one big mama.” “Ho-ly cow.” Curious, I peeked in their direction. When I caught sight of the display, my spine turned to liquid. It was a stuffed polar bear. Looking at the giant, I understood what it felt like to be somewhere below the top of the food chain. It was humbling, but edifying. Staring into the bear’s dark eyes, I felt foolishly arrogant and hopeful that those who see arrogance are less the fools of it.”

Hopefully that gives you a little flavor of the book. I’m not a history buff by any stretch of the imagination but enjoyed the snippets of history the book gave of different towns/areas where they traversed.

It’s simply a good read — at least for me it was. And, at one point I even thought to myself “Hmmm, could I take this canoe trip myself?” I wonder what husband would say about that!  (laughing)  

Or perhaps, in the new year, you’ll want to take your own adventure.

The author has a website also — This Water Goes North

Glancing outside the window, I noticed the mailman’s truck stopped at the mailbox. It was a warm day for Minnesota (not -5, hahahaha) so I put on my sleeveless down jacket, clogs, a hat and a sweater to bundle up against any winds that might be heading our way from the north. Walking down the long driveway with my head bowed to the ground to check for ice spots, I quickly made it to the mailbox. Brrr … no north wind but it was still a tad chilly for a sleeveless jacket.

Opening the door to the mailbox, I grabbed the mail and started heading back to the house. As I quickly thumbed through the mail, I was happy. Most of it was personal Christmas cards and not junk mail or Christmas catalogues. My eye quickly caught a look at a card that was not in an envelope. Oh.  My mind conjectured that this card must be from our mailman since it was not in an envelope. Once inside the house, I took off my jacket, sweater, shoes, scarf and hat and lay them on the bench inside the door. With the mail in hand, I opened all of the personal mail and read the sentiments in each card. I don’t know if anyone is like me, but I read the inside of the cards before I purchase them to make sure that the sentiment is one that my heart “feels.” I imagine that others do the same thing and take each card’s writings (whether imprinted or written) to heart. I was down to the last card — the one that came without an envelope. I didn’t think that the mailman would take too much thought in his Christmas card sentiments so I wasn’t expecting much — although it was nice to get a card from him.

Upon opening the card, I read the salutation — “Dear Norma …”  Huh. I guess the mailman did personalize his cards. (Our mailman’s name is Bob, by the way.)  Reading through the rest of the printed card, it didn’t take long for me to get to the bottom. Uh — what? “Love to you, Sue Brannam”  What? I re-read the card as if I had somehow missed something. This card was not from the mailman but from a dear friend. I reached into the pile of mail that I had just gone through to look for the envelope. It’s not possible, I told myself. There is no envelope. How could I have received this card?

Wondering if I had lost my mind, I went through the pile of mail again looking for the envelope to this card. Nothing. This card did not come in an envelope and yet here it was in front of me — delivered. I’ll bet you’re wondering why this is so unusual, aren’t you? You’re probably thinking my friend just dropped it off and put it in my mailbox forgetting to put it in an envelope. Well, that would be logical, but, not probable.

You see, my friend lives in Seattle and has onset dementia. This card somehow arrived in my mailbox — somehow, but how? It is not possible, it’s just not possible. I wondered if perhaps, just perhaps, this was a “sign” that I should call my friend Sue, so I did.

When she picked up, her sweet voice sounded just like it always did. “Hi Norma. It’s so good to hear from you. Where are you?” After I told her I was still in Minnesota she said “I’m still here in Seattle.” Then she said “Where are you?” Because of her early onset dementia, she frequently repeats herself. I told her I had received her card and asked her if she had mailed it in an envelope. What a stupid question, right? “Yes, I did,” she replied. I explained to her how I received the card but it was not in an envelope. She did not seem to grasp what I was saying. Well, hey, I wasn’t grasping what I was saying so how could I expect her to understand?

Since she told me she was at lunch with someone, I told her I had to go and she simply did not want to hang up. However, before she relented, her dear sweet words rang in my ear “I love you” she said. She always tells me she loves me before hanging up.

I am still quite puzzled how this card made it to my mailbox. It is simply a miracle — simply a miracle. There is no other explanation for it.

miracle – an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause