Dreams and more...

     Three brothers lived in close proximity.  My father, Albert, the oldest lived on the original homestead, where I grew up. Immediately across the road, U.S. Highway 81, lived Henry, with his wife Inga. A half mile south lived Sam, with his wife Josie. Inga and Josie were sisters.  Henry's place is underwater now, the buildings gone but some trees remain.
      Sam and Josie, along with their son Leslie and his family, moved to Washington state in the early 50s. That left brothers Albert and Henry as the remaining neighbors.
     Henry and Inga had no children. With them childless and living just across the road I spent much time with them. There were things to do for them like mowing their lawn and other chores. With her sister Josie gone, and eventually settled in southern California, Inga spent much time there. In October 1967, while Inga was in California, Henry died.  Inga then sold the farm and moved to California. She died in 1988 and they are both buried in "Joanne's" cemetery.
    A nice 1.7" inch rain two nights ago left fields too wet for much activity. This morning's project was cutting back the sod around Henry's and Inga's grave. Of course that is memory time. Inga was a fastidious housekeeper. She'd say that she "cleaned house and scooped out the dirt."  We'd laugh because there was never any dirt to be found in her house. Lutefisk, that wonderful Norwegian delicacy, she always called "lutefish."  Fisk is the Norwegian word for fish but she changed from Norwegian to English mid-word.
     Extended stay in The Little House is giving me opportunity to do these care taking tasks. There are two family plots in that cemetery remaining for me to fix.  Projects such as these fill my days.

    Joanne often appears in my dreams. These appearances are never dramatic but we are doing normal things. Last night we were out for coffee. The venue isn't recognizable but our interchange amuses me. Raised to take my cap/hat off indoors, which was reinforced by the Marines, I'm not comfortable wearing a cap inside. In the dream we're sitting with our coffee and I ask "do you want me to put my cap on?" She looks at my shaved head and says "yes."  Now I know what Joanne thinks of my new hair style,😀

Takk for alt,

Al