GaryOsberg.com

Good morning from Collegeville,

 In October of 1956, Ma was 36 years old. Two months earlier she had given birth to her sixth child, a boy.  Our family of eight lived in a small house at 1620 Colorado Avenue in St. Louis Park.  Dad had just smashed up his third car in as many years.  Ma’s mother Grandma Ramlo, drove her 1952 Chevy down from Upsala, placed Dad in the backseat and drove him to the Chemical Dependency department at VA Hospital in Minneapolis.  She said, “He is your problem now!”. Then she packed us all up and we moved into the apartment above the Ramlo Grocery in Upsala, Minnesota. 

 The one bright spot for me was that I would not have to serve the 20 hours of detention that I had racked up in eighth grade at St. Louis Park Junior High.  Today is the homecoming game in Upsala and I plan to be there cheering the new paired team, “USA Patriots”  (Upsala and Swanville football has merged), on to victory.  The team is ranked in the State polls. 

 The show this week is the beginning of the new season with a live broadcast from The Fitzgerald Theater.  Special guests are the Old Crow Medicine Show, Maria Jette and an enhanced All-Star Shoe Band.  Immediately following the show will be the annual Street Dance and Meatloaf Supper on Exchange Street.  It will be clear and cool so why not go?   You will have a great time.

 “If you are going to expect, you have to inspect”  Grandma Ramlo