Best January ever

This is the last day of January, year 2006. It is the best January I've had weather-wise since
I've lived here 36 years! We had above average temps most every day, no snow storms and
no periods of below zero temps. Great! The first January I was here was brutal...we had 3 weeks of below zero temps... and I was inside most of the time. One day Bob asked me to go down to the Dept. of Vehichles to get our yearly tag, in those days everyone did it the same time frame in January. I had to park 2 blocks away, at the downtown location, and that's when I realized just HOW cold below zero temps were...no cold temps like this in PA!! Then I had to
stand in a line that went outside and down the street. What a time! I'm so thankful they changed the process a few years later to everyone having a certain month to renew their car
registrations! Also, that month I found out about Duluth's one way streets. I went up a down
avenue and was stopped by a policeman. Thankfully I was driving my 68 ford mustang with PA license tabs, so no ticket. The streets here were confusing until I got used to them...now they
seem so "logical" ... !! Well, I am out of time this morning...as I need to finish getting ready to
head for a another day at the job! Let's hope February in Duluth is as good as January was!!!
-- Linda
PS...after my jaunt downtown that day in Jan. of'70... after that cold experience, I
never wanted to go outside again!

In Duluth 36 years now!

I can't believe that it's been 36 years since Bob brought me here from PA ... December, 1969 I would never have believed I would make it here for 36 years. I think as a dreamy bride, I was sure that after were were married I would be be able to talk him into moving back to PA! Boy, was I wrong there! I didn't know it then, but I've heard it been said that boys who grow up in Duluth never leave, and if they do they spend the rest of they life try to get back. So... I guess after spending 3 years in the army Bob was determined to "get back".

It was a real adjustment for me and we were married almost 20 years before I realized that,
gee, I guess I AM happy to be in Duluth, MN! I always said when I was growing up that I didn't want to marry a farmer. Years later, I kind of regretted saying that, because if I had married a farmer, I could have made my married home closer to my family. Well, Mother told me in
the first year of my marriage when I was crying about missing everyone, that after I had "roots
in Duluth...my own family" that I would be happy. She gave me no sympathy that first year,
because she knew if she did, I'd be on the first plane back to East Berlin. She was a smart
woman. If not for her advice, and she and Dad coming out to Duluth almost every other year,
I know I would not have made it. Oh, I must also say, I had a wonderful, sympathic Mother
in Law and "Auntie in laws" (3) that gave me lots of support too. And, Mother in law, Dolly,
over the years seemed to take my view and side quite a lot....over her son's... not all Mother
in laws do that...but I know she knew how much I missed PA.

This blog would have been much more interesting if you were reading it in 1969 and the early
70's... but... thought I would like to but some thoughts from a rural, southeastern PA girl on living in Duluth. I will invite my PA family and friends to check it out for posts. Don't know if I can post everyday, but I will try. My life isn't as hectic as when we were raising our three children (all grown now)...but seems I don't have the energy I used to have, so don't seem to get as much accomplished as I want to every day (even every week!).

Let me finish this entry by saying that The Lord has truly blessed me with a wonderful husband, 3 wonderful children, great son in law (and maybe daughter in law to be?) two really neat grandchildren ...so being in Duluth for 36 years hasn't been all that bad after all!

Next post I think I'll tell you what the city of Duluth was like in 1969, compared to 2006.

Linda