Dear Bank Manager

Humor is always the best medicine. Lisa reminded me of Young Ones this week, and when I went to youtube to see more, this perfect antidote popped right up. My dearest friend Bethany and I had a regular date in front of our TV in our groovy college apartment every Sunday night to watch Young Ones. Good times. Little did I know that almost 25 years later I'd be as poor as Neil, Rick, Vyvyan, and Mike.

The legend of The Hog House

I grew up in Decorah, Iowa. NE Iowa is an amazingly beautiful place. It was not flattened by glaciers as was the rest of Iowa, but instead was carved into spectacular valleys and gorges by glacial melt. Evidently it reminded early Norwegian settlers of home. Amongst these woods the founding folks of Decorah were wise enough to carve out some magical parks. One of these was Twin Springs - a shady green valley filled with springs, streams, hidden picnic spots, and winding hiking trails. And THE HOG HOUSE.

The Hog House (pictured above, courtesy of Decorah Park and Rec) was teenage heaven. A large, open, unoccupied building with ample room for parking, a huge open fireplace, picnic tables, and a steep heavily wooded hill just behind for escape should the police choose to break up the kegger.

A discussion was brewing among Facebook friends as to whether it was the HOG house or the HAAG house. So I emailed the authorities to settle the matter.

According to 1956 city records:

" this shelter house is historic, In the long, long ago it was part of one of the numerous grist mills run with plentiful water power in and about Decorah. In the early 1880's the Gaston Platform Scales were manufactured in a structure nearby. The power for the mill and for the scales factory came from the Twin Springs thru a race that crossed the road.

The building fell into decay, but years later J.C. Beard used it for a milk house, piping water from the spring to cool the milk. Still later the building was used as a hog house. After the Decorah Parks Commission acquired the property, W.P.A. labor pointed up the walls, repaired the roof, put in a big fireplace, and cemented the floor. The W.P.A. also put a foot bridge across the brook"

Sadly, the hog house was torn down short years ago. I'm certain the city's insurance company demanded that they rid themselves of the most spectacular underage drinking establishment ever known. I'll bet the police department had to budget thousands of dollars just to manage hog house activities. The legal term "attractive nuisance" probably started there. I'm glad I was able to experience just a little of it's mystique as the legend lives on in memory.

I am pleased to announce

that the majority of you have voted in my extremely scientific poll that the GOP will be falling down a crevice. And not a minute too soon, I say! No more whining about taxes on corporations, taxes on the rich. No more shifty shipping of jobs overseas. Clean air, clean water, solar-powered cars. Butterflies and peace signs all around! But I hope we keep the NFL and MLB, I kind of like those, except without all the steriod abuse/domestic violence stuff. My poll has a margin of error of 1-2 liberals.

Sheesh! I hope they all fit!

Minneapolis Snow Emergency

Our friend Missy doesn't like this commercial but I love it. Perfect mockery of those stupid big wheel and tractor shows at the MetroDome.

KOJAK!

It started here. Then it spread to here. Then it showed up here. And now the virus is on MY blog! Where will it show up next? Good thing we have the right guy on the case.

Nothing like taking a day off with drugs

Endoscopy went fine. No permanent damage. Did you know that with the few tissue samples they take, they can determine if you have food allergies? Amazing.

I enjoyed my little vacation on anesthesia. A bit pathetic that the best break I've had in a long time involved an IV. I was loopy and weaving out to the parking lot. I vaguely remember Hubby steering me around a white van that I walked into. I swear I couldn't help it! I'd make a great junkie.

Slept all day and now I just feel lazy and useless. I'll make up for it tomorrow with plenty of housework and a good supper.

An additional blog

Hey folks, I've started an additional blog. Visit me at The Endurance Diva - Helping you Thrive while you Survive! Here I'm going to preach the gospel of endurance, of setting your claws and hanging on, of having a great life even while busted, broke, or down and out. My many crisis in recent years have provided me great insight and just given me the wherewithal to endure, in other words I'm finally good at something that can benefit mankind.

There I'll post advice, ideas, recipes etc. I'm going to set up an email soon so I can get your ideas to share.

Happy To Be From Iowa isn't going anywhere - I'll still be here blogging about politics, parenting, relatives, and bizarre medical events.