June 30th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
Garrison was at Fisher’s in Avon this week. He still looks good, even close up. George “Showboat” Fisher was a major league player from 1922 until 1932. He played for the Washington Senators and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was 33 years old when he opened Fisher’s Club on the north shore of Middle Spunk Lake in Avon. The dance floor was added in 1937 and they started serving their legendary Fisher’s Famous Walleye. The secret recipe is still used today.
George Junior and his wife Sally took over in 1959. Fisher’s is a seasonal bottle club and restaurant next to a city owned swimming beach. Garrison and some other locals purchased Fisher’s in 2005 and they added Bee-Bop-A-Ree-Bop Rhubarb pie to the menu. They are open from Thursday until Sunday for supper. Be sure to call for reservations, 320-356-7372. Online at www.fishersclub.com The walleye is still wonderful. Remember, bring your own bottle. Setups are served along with wine and beer.
The APHC show this week is a live broadcast from the Koussevitzky Music Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. Special guests include veteran troubadour and storyteller, Arlo Guthrie, close harmonizing siblings, The DiGiallonardo Sisters and vocalist Heather Masse, plus the Royal Academy of Radio Actors. Enjoy the show.
Have a safe 4th of July celebration.
“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to leave alone.” Henry David Thoreau
June 22nd, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
Weather wise, on a scale of 1 to 10, today would have to be a 10. Due to my restricted work schedule, the garden in St. Joe looks great. I can’t use the tiller, so I take the weeds out one at a time with a hoe that I paid $5 for at an auction in 1965. It was old and bent then. Oak tool handles will last a long time. I even planted some green peppers for Barby. I don’t like onions or peppers, but she does. I do have potato bugs on a couple of plants, but I pick them off. The dust that I purchased does not seem to work.
Health note: This has been an awful week for exhaustion and nausea, so I am going for a second opinion. Of course I can’t get in to see anyone until July 19th. With the help of my co-workers, I have been able to keep up with the renewals, but new business is suffering greatly. No news on the new hire. If you know of anyone that would like to work on the third floor of Wimmer Hall on the campus of St. John’s University, have them call me on my cell phone. The new hire gets the corner office with a view. Remember, using the computer is not one of my strengths right now. I excel at meeting for coffee at The Local Blend and talking on my cell phone.
The APHC show this week is live from the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, Illinois. Special guests include mischievous country chanteuse Suzy Bogguss, Dean of the Diatonic Harmonica, Howard Levy and author storyteller Jack Zimmerman.
Tonight is the kick off of the “Sunset Stages at Saint Ben’s” sponsored by Dr. Gustavo Pena and D.J. Bitzan Jewelers. Tonight the performers are Monroe Crossing beginning at 7:30. Look for the Darnall Amphitheater on campus of the College of Saint Benedict.
“Always do your best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment. It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstances, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.” The fourth agreement of The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
June 22nd, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
I am still on a part time basis. I did not look at a computer screen from last Wednesday noon until this Tuesday morning. I hope to get back full time soon. We are going to hire another account executive and this time we will make it work. Last time the down turn in the economy had a huge impact on our expansion plans. The territory is quite large, including Sioux Falls and Sun Valley, Idaho. As to my health issue, I have no doubt that this too shall pass and I will be back hitting home runs soon.
Barby and I had a wonderful time in New Haven and Hartford. Meghan and Andrew were married in Saint Mary’s Church on what Charles Dickens referred to as “the most beautiful street in America”, Hillhouse Avenue in the center of Yale University. The reception was held outdoors at a botanical garden. The bugs stayed away until almost 9 PM.
On Sunday we drove to Hartford to tour Mark Twain’s house. It is a wonderful home that was built in 1874. Sadly, Samuel Clemens lost three of his four children. He invested heavily in a printing machine and lost a small fortune. On Monday we visited Comstock-Ferre, a two hundred old seed house and nursery in Wethersfield, CT. Last year I planted their cucumber seeds and they were wonderful. I hope that this year we have the same results.
The APHC show this week is a live broadcast from Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Oregon. Special guests include howling bluesman Elvin Bishop, bluegrass heavyweight Sam Bush and the feisty instrumentalists of the Portland Cello Project, plus the Royal Academy of Radio Actors.
“Whenever one door closes, another one opens, if not, simply kick the door in.” L.M.O.
June 22nd, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good afternoon from Collegeville,
Thank you for all of your responses to “my status” email that I sent out this morning. I am sure that someone will come forward that will do a wonderful job of helping us to grow the business. Just so you know, this is a wonderful place to work and the job comes with the additional perk of a couple of great co-workers.
The APHC show this week will be live from the Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary, North Carolina. Special guests include old-time string band Big Medicine, flatpicker Adam Granger and fiddler Anni Spring plus good friends Robin and Linda Williams and transcendent vocalists Aoife O’Donovan and Heather Masse. Enjoy the show.
“It always works out in the end and if it has not yet worked out, then it must not be the end.” A line from the movie “The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel.
May 25th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
Monday we will celebrate Memorial Day. This national holiday commemorates the men and women who have died in military service to their country. The first “Decoration Day” was celebrated in 1865 by liberated slaves at the historic race track in Charleston, West Virginia. The official birthplace of Decoration Day is Waterloo, New York where they honored those who had died in the Civil War on May 5, 1866. The alternative name of “Memorial Day” was first used in 1882, but did not become common until after WW II. (source: Wikipedia”)
When I was a youngun in Upsala, we always had a Memorial Day service at the school and a parade down Main Street. Sometime after I left town in 1961, the practice died out. Then in the eighties, Lorna Koehn, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, brought back the Memorial Day celebration in Upsala. I can still picture her marching in front of a group of children holding bunches of lilacs. One of the local civic clubs added the offering of a picnic lunch at City Park where they serve grilled hamburgers and rhubarb pie with ice cream. The children still wait in eager anticipation for the chance to collect the spent brass shells after the 21 gun salute. They make good whistles.
One of the more stressful ceremonies at the school took place the year that they invited Father Tony Kroll to be the speaker. Sometime years before, Father Tony had been jailed for climbing over the fence at Honeywell in Minneapolis to protest their involvement in making war instruments. Tony is still doing his thing. On some Saturdays he can be seen on the side of Division Street next to Barnes and Nobel with anti-war signs. Memorial Day is not anti or pro war. It is about the men and women who served their country.
Be sure to take the time to honor those in your life who have passed on. If you happen to meet a service member, simply say “Thank you for serving”. They deserve our respect no matter what your position is on war.
The show this week is live from the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Special guests include slow-burning singer and songwriter Shawn Colvin, wearer of many hats Sara Watkins and former yurt dweller Heather Masse. The usual cast of characters will help Garrison to mark Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy the show.
“Don’t make assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.” The third agreement of The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz
May 4th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
My Dad served in the Pacific during the war. His brother-in-law, my Uncle El, served there also. One of the photos that I had restored is a shot of Dad and Uncle El smoking cigars on an island after V-J Day. You can tell by the look on his face that the canteens did not have water in them.
Later on Dad enlisted in the Army and we ended up in Vienna, Austria. One of the items that Ma brought back was a very old statue, a warrior with a breast plate and a sword on his hip. She had her neighbor Harold convert it into a lamp. It ended up broken and in three pieces in a box in the basement of The Parsonage in Upsala. Ickler Company in St. Cloud soldered it and through my connections at The Paramount Art Trust, I found a “bronzer” in Howard Lake, INNOCAST Execuline, to finish it. It turned out that the tip of the shaft and the feather were gold leaf. I have attached a picture. Check out www.ickler.com
The nausea is back with a vengeance, so I will be out for at least a week, maybe more. I thank all of you who expressed your concern and I hope to be back soon.
The show this week is live from the State Theater in Minneapolis. Special guests include singing idol Pop Wagner, Minnesota folkie, Charlie Maguire and bluesman Tony Glover along with harmonica legend Howard Levy, flat picker Dean Magraw and singer Andra Suchy. Enjoy the show, better yet go to the show.
“Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What other say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinion and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.” The second agreement from “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz
April 27th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
I am back. On leap day, we had a heavy snow storm here in central Minnesota. My parking lot at the loft was plowed, so I headed in to work. The campus was closed due to the storm, but I was able to get help from a SJU worker with a Bob Cat and together we got the car unstuck and into a safe spot. In the afternoon I headed for my car carrying my briefcase in my left hand and a shoe bag in my right hand. I hit an icy spot and I really think that my head was the first to hit the pavement. I saw stars and headed to the drug store to purchase some Tylenol.
The next morning I felt nauseated and I had a stiff neck. For six weeks, I could not read a newspaper or use a computer without getting sick to my stomach. This week I started back part time, but I still have to go for physical therapy once a week. They are working on my “traumatized Vagus nerve”. Wear a helmet.
The show this week is another live show from “The Mother Church”, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Special guests include Suzy Bogguss, guitar player Steve Wariner, Chuck Mead and His Grassy Knoll Boys plus Robin and Linda Williams. Enjoy the show.
There is a new Italian restaurant open under my loft at the corner of College Avenue and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Joseph. Bello Cucina serves lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday. They offer a full bar and the Butternut Squash Ravioli is wonderful. There is patio seating along with a fire pit. Call for seating status.
363-4534. They also have restaurants in Morris and Fergus Falls. www.bellocucina.com
“Be impeccable with your word. Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love” Don Miguel Ruiz from “The Four Agreements” www.100mustreads.com
April 27th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
On Leap Day, I fell in the parking lot and hit my head on the pavement. I have a “mild concussion” and so reading and using the computer makes me nauseated. I hope to be back at 100% soon.
The show this week is a compilation of a couple of shows from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Special guests include Emmylou Harris and Sara Watkins in an episode of Lives of the Cowboys plus Grammy-award winning Civil Wars singing “Barton Hallow” and The Dave Rawlings Machine. Enjoy the show
“If you can do more, you should.” Robert Redford
February 24th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
It still may be called the “winter that wasn’t”. For the first time, I did not zip the liner into my leather jacket. The flu bug has not been as serious, however, I do have a sore throat today. Daylight savings time starts two weeks from Sunday. Spring can’t be far behind.
If you are looking for something to do tomorrow, you may want to venture out to Saint John’s to take in the “Living in the Avon Hills” conference. The Great Hall will be full of a variety of booths and there are many sessions to choose from.
Space is limited, so you will want to check their website, www.csbsju.edu/arboretum
On Sunday, the Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota will present a concert with the St. Cloud State University Concert Choir at St. Francis Xavier Church at 4 PM. Details at www.youthchorale.org
The show this week is live from the DECC Auditorium in Duluth. Special guests include rocking acoustic pickers Trampled by Turtles and the magnificent Grand Rapids High School Jazz Ensemble. Tickets may still be available Their website is www.decc.org
“Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen
February 17th, 2012 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
I heard the first cardinal call from afar here on campus this morning. It seems to be right on schedule. No Bishop calls yet.
This week I attended a Waite Park Chamber event hosted by MinnWest Bank. The speaker was Jill with Express Employment Professionals. Her opening statement concluded that, on average, we will have three careers and 27 jobs in our lifetime. At first, it sounded a bit much, but then I started counting.
My first job was working at Ramlo Grocery in Upsala, (my grandparents owed the store) for fifty cents an hour. I worked for my step-grandfather, Francis Johnson, as a house painter in Little Falls the summer after high school graduation. In 1962 I broke into the drafting field thanks to my sisters boy friend, Barry Larson. I worked my way up to being the last General Manager of the very first computerized drafting service bureau in the US. After the founders were let go, the two guys that worked for me in production went on strike until the new President, Ron Crew, agreed to hire me back as the sales rep. One of the two guys was Eckart “Butch” Herter, who took me aside to tell me that my hand shake sucked and that I had to read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. He was right.
I joined General Office Products in 1971 and moved from the Office Furniture Industry to the Energy Management industry in 1979. That lasted 3 years and I lost a small fortune. Back to the Office Furniture Industry in 1982 and then on to the Office Equipment industry with Cyberstar in St. Cloud selling Canon and then Albinson selling Xerox. In 1999 Albinson decided they did not want to be in the small Xerox copier business, so I got laid off. It took me seven interviews and two months to get this job with MPR and they will have to drag me out of here feet first.
In summary, I had four careers and 26 jobs, very close to the national average. Shucks, I always thought I was above average.
The show this week is the last broadcast from The Fitzgerald Theater for this season. Special guests include, flat picker of fiddle tunes and alumnus of the Powdermilk Biscuit Band, Adam Granger and vocalist Heather Masse. Enjoy the show and remember we are still rebroadcasting twice on Sunday on the news network. First from 11 am to 1 pm and then again from 6 pm until 8 pm. Enjoy the show.
Check out the ice fishing contest in Brainerd on www.theoutdoorreport.com
“Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient evidence.” Samuel Butler
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