VBS and VGF

In case you think I am now talking in "texting terms", I am not. The title just popped into my head when I sat down to write tonight. VBS is Vacation Bible School and VGF stands for Very Good Friends. And that is what comes to mind when I reflect on the first 10 days of August.

VBS this year found Mike driving on a fieldtrip to an area farm one night and helping in the kitchen another day. The ladies loved him and told me I had trained him well...

The kids were many; I understand that one night there were 64 students in attendance - a new record. This is the third year that I have helped with VBS and I enjoy the time. How can you not enjoy it, just look at these attentive kids.

With Pastor Shelly in the lead (that's her on the right) how can the kids not enjoy themselves and be attentive! We are fortunate at Our Savior's to have such a dynamic leader.

The topic for the week was the Parable of the Sower... you remember, the one about the seed being scattered and some lands on rocky soil and some is choked out by weeds and some lands in good soil. Anyway, it connected with reduce, reuse, recycle and I had the chance to talk with the kids about sowers (farmers, gardeners and such) and suppliers (all those who get the product to our tables). It was fun for me to prepare (I really did love teaching) and in doing so I became much more aware of where some of the cans on my shelves came from. I found canned frosting that came from Uruguay and way too much "stuff" from china. Anyway, it was a good learning experience... just as teaching always is! Too soon, our two days were complete. Next year I hope to be involved for the whole week

On to Very Good Friends. I have mentioned before the group that gets together for a "spirited" Lutheran Hour on Thursday nights, well, I finally snapped a couple of pictures this last week. I don't think Mel is sleeping in the first picture, although it does look like it. You can see that Mike and Charlie at the end of the table are having a good laugh.

I love the intense look on Corky's face and get a load of all those arms laying on the table - cool huh - what you don't see with the eye, the camera catches.

Going with us to dinner on Thursday was Bonnie and Barry from Tucson and Larry from Nevada who came to spend a few days with us at the campground. While they were in town, we traveled "along the side roads" of southern Minnesota and showed off some of the highlights. (I will bore you with lots of pics and historical stuff in another entry.) We enjoyed treats at the bakery while in Northfield learning about the Jesse James Gang and the bank robbery.

Mike paused on the bridge over the Cannon River

and Larry relaxed in the lobby of the Archer House where we had lunch. After lunch we stopped in a kitchen store and I am sad to admit that we all learned that Minnesotans are not always Minnesota Nice. We had a crazy encounter with a large fellow who thought I was in his way and wasn't going to put up with it - suffice it to say that he was loud and even followed us to the street but Mike put the run on him.

The guys went fishing on Lake Jefferson one day but only came home with stories. While the guys bonded on the lake, Bonnie and I enjoyed lunch at a Mexican place in St. Peter with Adrienne and Corky. After church on Sunday the guys went fishing (from shore since our boat is in the shop) and Larry caught a Northern Pike that weighed at least 8 pounds and was over 34 inches long. Mike caught the smaller one. Barry wasn't as lucky; all he got was teased and teased some more and he took it all in stride.


Another day found us in New Ulm learning about the Dakota War of 1862, touring Schell's Brewery AND enjoying German food at the Kaiserhoff. When we got home that night Mike fried up the fish in bite size pieces while Barry assisted and Larry admired; he was pretty proud of his catch and really enjoyed his first northern.

Granny's pot was pressed into service. Barry gave us this cast iron skillet a few years back and it is ideal for frying fish.

And today, we took a trip to THE SPAM MUSEUM in Austin. For those of you who haven't been there, GO! The museum is free and has everything you could imagine having to do with Spam. Each of us came away with many cans of this food from our childhood; we all shared stories about how we used to enjoy it as kids. My brother, Rich, joined us for lunch at The Old Mill and shared with us stories about Hormel and Austin. When we got home, I fried up some Spam and we had it plain on toothpicks while enjoying a drink and talking smart. Then we enjoyed our third night of homemade ice cream thanks to Larry. It seems that Good Friends and Good Food always go hand in hand.

Tomorrow, Bonnie and Barry head to Mystic Lake for a month and we will join up with them in September to venture east. Larry will relax tomorrow and head out on Thursday; we won't see him until January in Quartszite. It has been a delight having them here and sharing food, fun and frivolity.