When I was growing-up, one of my favorite Christmases was the year my parents sent me to Minnesota to spend the holidays with my grandparents. I was so psyched for the trip. They told me I was going to Minnesota on my own and that I’d be spending time with my relatives. I thought that the holiday break would never come!
My aunt Elaine met me at the airport and it was so cool getting to Minnesota. Really cool. Cold, in fact! I was from Miami, and a kid. Stepping out of the Minneapolis Airport was an experience.
Luckily, my aunt had a coat for me that was a bit more appropriate than the jacket I had left Miami in. We headed off to get my cousins that were over with some of their friends. We found them in the back yard on a home-made ice rink. “Come-On!” They egged me on. “Join Us!” It would have been better had they told me where they were. To me it looked like a patio or something. Ice was what you put in a drink, not what you play around on in the back yard. It was the first time I had ever fallen over backward… it was not to be the last time I was to take a spill on the ice.
The other memories I have of that trip were less painful and more fun. I remember sledding down the crusher hills with my cousins from Waite Park (and having them make fun of me because I had trouble climbing an ice-covered fence in snow boots and a snow suit that were too large for me.
Then there was all the wonderful time I spent with my grandparents. Granddad was driving the gas truck by then and I got to go along with him on his route once or twice. (More about that tomorrow.)
My big adventure of the trip, however, was the day I decided that I wanted to go to the farm and I decided to walk out to it. Had I known how dangerous waking to the farm was I probably would not have done it… (Well, yeah, I probably would have.)
I learned that a couple things on that trip, Minnesota is DAMN cold in the winter, and my family has a great time when we are together. But then, that is what the holidays are all about.
Wherever you are today, I hope your holidays are progressing well.
Don Bergquist – December 27, 2008 – Lakewood, Colorado, USA
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