Mom Is Gone

I can't say much more than that right now. I just wanted you all to know.

Obituary Notice
Mabel A. (Friesen) Fischer



Mabel Ann Fischer, 92, of Kenyon, died Sunday, May 29, 2011, at District One Hospital, Faribault.

Mabel was born January 2, 1919, in the Twin Lakes area of rural Faribault, Minnesota the daughter of Jacob and Anna Friesen. There she was raised and attended St. Lawrence School in Faribault. Mabel was united in marriage to Edward Fischer on January 10, 1939, at St. Lawrence Church, Faribault. In 1944, they built their home in Kenyon what followed was a sixty-six year love affair with her home. Mabel loved her house and lived there until her death.

Mabel worked side by side with her husband at Fischer Tire Service in Kenyon and later in their picture framing business. Mabel also worked seasonally at the Kenyon Canning Company and Faribault Seed and Nursery for many years.

She enjoyed collecting antiques and selling picture frames and collectibles at area craft shows. She enjoyed gardening and canning, cooking, trying new recipes, and talking with friends and family. She read cookbooks for entertainment and stayed up to date on current events by reading newspapers daily. Mabel was a founding member of St. Michael's Catholic Church and her church family continued to be important in her life.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward, her parents, seven brothers and sisters, Ed, Leo, George, Al, Loretta, Marie and Adele.

She is survived by three children, Jim (and Monica) Fischer of Leesburg, FL; Richard (and Anita) Fischer of Austin, MN; Janice Fischer (and Mike Enter) currently of Elysian, MN; nine grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

Visitation will be at Michaelson Funeral Home, Kenyon on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM with Rosary at 7:30 PM and one hour prior to the service in the church. Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 10:30 AM at St. Michael's Catholic Church with Father Erik Lundgren officiating. Interment will be in the St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery in Kenyon. Memorials are preferred to St. Michael’s Catholic Church.



Michaelson Funeral Home
514 Third St.,
Kenyon, MN 55946
(507) 451-7943

It's For The Birds...

Last Sunday, I get a call at 6 am that I was needed at mom's house. It seems that she had "hit the button" after a fall and the paramedics had come as called. After a short exam, mom was able to walk and so she sent them away... BUT, she was still very shook up so (this is where the small town story kicks in) the paramedic calls his mom who happens to be my brother's ex-wife's sister-in-law, Heidi, and she calls my niece in Minneapolis who calls her dad, my brother, in Florida who calls me and when I get to Kenyon less than 45 minutes later, Heidi is putting on her makeup and getting ready for church while mom rests. All seems well.

A few minutes after I got there, I helped mom into the bathroom and she and I both realized that all was not well; she was in excruciating pain whenever she tried to step on her right foot. Fast forward three hours and mom's MRI is complete and her hip is broken...

It wasn't until Monday morning when the surgeon talked to us that we found out it was a fracture in the top part of the hip and that surgery would not be necessary - eventually it will heal on its own. We were told that in a younger person, they would consider surgery to stabilize it further but he definitely did not recommend that for mom. Good news since mom, and all of us, were concerned about her surviving a long surgery.

We were also told that recovery would take at least a couple of months and that mom would require continuous care. Monday afternoon found Rich and I getting a tour of a nursing home in Faribault and by Tuesday at 1 pm, mom was a resident of Pleasant Manor. I could go on and on at this point... but I won't. Suffice it to say that the transition has been tough, but change is tough for lots of people a lot younger than 92. And then there is the pain; Mike says if you haven't experienced continuous pain, you can't imagine it. All I know is that it is hard for me to see and not be able to "Fix" - you know I am a fixer!

So, much of this past week has been "for the birds". When I took time at home to relax this week, I took a few pictures of the birds that hang around our place.

Prayers for mom are appreciated. Till later...

All Settled In

We have settled in to our new summer home in Elysian. We have neighbors closer than we are used to having but those we have met seem very friendly so I think it will be just fine.

A new outdoor carpet and the awning addition, along with my plants and our bird feeders make for a comfortable living space... at least till the mosquitoes come!

We have been busy this last week. Last Thursday we joined 12 friends for "The Lutheran Hour" - actually, it is a group of fun loving people who used to meet each Thursday year around for tacos and frivolity at the local municipal liquor shop. Since that fine dining establishment is no longer operating, the group meets in various places around Cleveland. The participants vary depending on schedules, but the talk is always lively and "spirited". It is a good fellowship!

On Friday, we went out with Corky, Whitey and Jeanie for ribs at the Little Dandy over on highway 99. And on Saturday, we headed for Courtland for a birthday party for Mike's cousin, Wayne. There we connected with lots of relatives and ended up going to a surprise party for Joy in Nicollet. But in between we joined Gary for a couple of cocktails at the local watering hole.

Sunday was Mother's Day and when I asked mom what she wanted, she said we should just come over... so I made mom's favorite meal - turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, gravy and corn and cranberries.

There was plenty left over for a couple more meals. It was a relaxing and enjoyable day. I am so very lucky to have my mom! And when we got back to the motor home, there was a hanging petunia plant and a card that was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes; thanks Janet and Terry.

Monday was moving day and on Tuesday I met Adrienne for a long lunch at Mazatlan's in Mankato - very good Mexican food. Today we had Bible study and then when it finally quit raining, we went over to check out the wild flowers at Bray Park. "Jack In The Pulpit" is now blooming and is still plentiful in this park.

You have to think of some of the old old churches with the covered pulpits off to the side of the altar, to figure out where this plant got its name.

Some of the small beauties made it into a bouquet and were pressed in a book later. Someday, they will become a craft project... who knows what or when...

The woods are slowly greening. It hasn't been below freezing for a couple of weeks. The humidity is increasing. It must be Spring!

Spring in Minnesota

It is May 2nd and there is SNOW in the forecast - OK, so not inches but flurries are bad enough. If the weathermen are correct, the high will only be in the 40's and with windchill it will be in the 30's. Yikes, that is the coldest weather we have experienced in years! Enough about the weather, I am starting to sound like a Minnesotan!

Our welcome to Minnesota has been warm. We joined Amariah at Gymnastics. It is really hard to photograph a 3 year old at a gymnastics class so most of my photos were deleted. I love this one; you can tell she was delighted to see her "Opa". And near the end of class, the kids all get to jump in the foam - Am looks like she is just taking a break from it all - for a minute anyway.


Later at dinner, Mike got the opportunity to meet his newest great grandbaby, Aiden.

I didn't waste any time in getting a four-generation picture.
I do love to photograph the grands and great grands!

On Friday, we needed to be in the metro for an appt. so we stopped by the resort at which we had planned to work for the summer. Notice that is past tense. After a rather sleepless night, we decided it really was not a place in which we could stay, let alone work. Falling down buildings, a general state of disrepair and a weekend tenting party crew is not what we look for in a campground. So, for a couple of days, we were "parkless".

Yesterday, after church where we reconnected with many friends, we headed out to visit a couple of campgrounds people had told us about. We found one that will serve very well as our summer park. It is Silver's Resort and is located in the town of Elysian. The majority of the campers are seasonal with only a couple overnight spots. It won't be as spacious as we had the last few years, but it is a block from Lake Elysian and only a block off "the road to mom's". We will move there next week.

In the meantime, we stayed at Minneopa State Park in Mankato for a few days and then moved to Bray Park on Madison Lake. Of course, I have been out locating signs of spring.

The falls is really flowing from the extensive snow melt.

The still bare trees are reflected in the temporary spring ponds within Minneopa.

The Minneopa Cemetary is an old cemetary that I have never visited, so I did a drive through one gloomy day. It offered a fine view of the Minnesota River Valley and gravestones dating back to the mid 1800's.
This stone is one of the most unique I have seen. It is in amazingly good shape considering Elizabeth died in 1869.






At Bray Park, I found some spring wildflowers in bloom. I wonder why the earliest flowers of spring are white...




I have heard these called Angel's Wings but I think the name is "Dutchman's Britches". They are a beautiful delicate flower that proved very difficult to photograph. You find them very early in the spring and many flowers are strung out on a stem like pantaloons on a clothesline.



I can't remember the name of these early bloomers.




The weather may be cold and dreary, but it is still good to be close to family and friends. We are looking forward to fishing and fellowship and all that summer in Minnesota has to offer.