Oh what a raging blizzard it is out there right now. And I’m almost happy. Well it being January 20th and all and this being the first measurable snow of the season, which is a record in my book. Welcome to Minnesota and all that goes with that! I’m excited now to get out snowmobiling in actual powder and drifts and all. Maybe I’ll even make a snow angel, that’s how thrilled I am!
We here at the Piotter family hope this letter reaches you in good company and spirits for this upcoming holiday season. As you have probably eagerly awaited, we shall go on about our family and doings this past year.
Linda finally saw the last of her kids through high school. She has taken up a position with the church finance board. She was the glue that kept everyone together and doing their own things this year as well. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends this past year.
Michael has had quite an interesting year as well. He has worn a few different hats this year in regards to employment. He started out this past year working for Michael Foods in Gaylord as the Safety Intern, where he learned all about keeping a large processing plant safe and poured over oodles of exciting MSDS data. From that job, he found a position with Sibley County Highway Engineering Dept. for the summer, scouring Sibley County and helping survey things for future improvements to infrastructure. A roadway widening project the County had contracted out led to Michaels third job, working as a grade man for Brunz Construction out of Madison Lake. They needed help completing their work in Sibley County and other various housing developments near Mankato.
Michael, continuing his work with the Green Isle CTC, also was excited to see traffic to his genealogy website increase, along with some correspondence from far flung relation here in the US, as well as Canada and Europe.
Lynnea had the joy of spending spring break in Italy with friends from Gustavus. This summer she had the great opportunity to intern at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She also started her final year of nursing at GAC and moved to a posh apartment with some girlfriends. Now she currently sorts through applications for various grad schools sprawled out upon the country, of which she must only choose one.
James graduated high school and was accepted into Alex Tech for the Carpentry program. He is enjoying learning how to build almost everything. He also had what he considered a fun job of milking cows for some friends of the family during the spring and summer. He also got to spend some quality time with his sister this summer while working at a Autism Camp in northern Mn. He has had fun decorating his car with musical accessories and other various doodads.
Hope everything finds you well and in the best of health and spirits this holiday season and wishing you a blessed 2005!
The Piotters ~ Linda, Michael, Lynnea & James
I’ve always wondered who listens to the type of odd music you maybe hear all about for a few weeks in the mainstream media, but after the 15 minutes of glory are burned out, you never hear from again. Is there a cool music listening clic that can afford to listen to everything just a tad out of the mainstream? Checking out Audioscrobbler charts, sure I’ve heard of most of these artists, but I’m not sure I’ve listened to nearly half of these acts.
I may have been brainwashed by the hype that the popular music of the day gets and the way it is drilled a dozen times a day, so that after listening to the same radio station for any constant length of time, you almost need to change stations/formats to avoid the constant monotonous drone of the same old songs.
Sure I listen to some none mainstream artists too, but none ever seem to be as cool as Modest Mouse or Coldplay. But they’re no Catatonia, Lucinda Williams or Kasey Chambers.
Maybe it’s just a personal preference and I personally don’t like everything everyone else does. Blasphemy huh?
Our family’s dog, Buck, was found today, November 14, 2004 dead along Highway 22 south of Gaylord. He was apparently hit by a vehicle as he was trying to cross the road.
We had came to know this dog a few years ago, probably 1999, when we got him from the Turbett family that had some pups to give away. Buck was a male and the quiet one of the bunch, which was the reason we had picked him. (As well as our last few dogs) He was 3/4 Black Lab and 1/4 Saint Bernard. You could hardly tell the difference between him and a true Lab, unless you listened to his low bark or pleading groan.
He was a very smart dog and I had taught him many ‘tricks’ I had not really ever been able to with any of our other dogs. Buck had fully learned to sit, shake with both paws (depending on which side of his body you requested him to) and was in the process of ‘learning to dance’ at his untimely demise. He was an avid ‘highjumper’ and cleared some gates/fences most people would have to take a few minutes to crawl over.
As he was part Lab, Buck was always happy to jump into the water or go out on a hunting excursion. He always had a fascination with squirrels, even though they would be extremely tough to catch, even on the ground, let alone when they took to the trees. On two seperate occasions he had one within inches, but that has when they had found their home trees and Buck was left to stare up into the branches hoping they’d magically drop down.
He also had fun ripping apart numerous raccoons and a few skunks, although he realized skunks have a pretty powerful defense spray.
Once in a while Buck would take off on trips and unfortunately his last trip ended when he had met a vehicle on 22. He was a very good companion and I will sorely miss him.
A personal observation of mine and even a mild pet peeve from time to time is the current SIZING of things in this world. It seems like most everything is standardized for a person of heights between 5’4″- 5’10” and similar frame. So, at 6’3″ and of average build, I’ve occasionally ran into instances where I’ve bumped my noggin or had to accomodate to fit into what is currently in place. It’s always interesting to get into cars and adjust seats so that you’re just about sitting on the road in order to get your head in decent.
On a trip out West a few years ago, I even ran into a distrubing situation at a few hotels that ran under the same name. I could swear there showerheads were placed at about 5 ft. This coupled with the general lackluster cleanliness of the rooms led me to send a letter to the hotel chain. All they said was they were sorry and when I came back they’d offer me some 15% offer for my troubles. Oh yeah, that’s gonna for sure make one feel welcome back.
As for clothes, big & tall sizes convienently cost extra for the only sizes that I can actually fit into. Size XL shirts or 13+ shoes? Sorry, that’ll be extra $$$ for the added material or we don’t carry anything that size. But when it comes to the teeny-weeny sizes or baby sizes, do these same companies charge less for the same type of products that require a fraction of material to make? No, that would be silly. Rent shoes at a bowling alley? Sure they have a few pairs of waterskis available, but they are cracked to hell and in about as good as shape as a junkyard car.
I really don’t think I’m atypical in my sizing. In fact Americans have been reported as benefitting from better health conditions and diets so that they are increasingly taller and fatter ,yep it’s true, than all generations preceding them. So you think with this upward trend, things would be more accomodating for the ‘average man’. Which is funny in itself. I remember attending a Timberwolves game when Stephon Marbury played here and that his height and weight were the same as mine. And he was the shrimp out there and the court. Just imagine what those poor multimillionaire NBA ballers have to put up with. SAD.
