Dateline; Dundee, MN

As moves go, this one was one of the easiest I think I've done. We owe a debt of gratitude to Kathy and John and their daughter Bridgette for helping us load the truck, and another debt of gratitude to all of the people from First Lutheran in Dundee for helping us unload the truck. The only thing that could have made this move simpler would be if someone else had done the driving, that's how easy this move was. Sure, the truck was full, and their were times we were not sure all of our stuff was going to fit into it, but thanks to Kathy's expert box arranging, all of the stuff made it into the truck, and people in Dundee were wondering if we had hired professional movers to load the truck, because everything was so well packed. Way to go, Kathy!

We're settling into life in a small town, and so far we like it pretty well. There is a really nice restaurant down the street called the Dundee Steakhouse where the proprietors are a husband and wife who keep the place really clean, and well decorated. We were treated to supper there by Diane, a woman from the church who lives across the street.

The gas station in town is also run by a member of the church, and along with gas, Brenda's Gas and Grocery also sells fishing licenses and fishing gear, which comes in handy if you want to fish in nearby Lake Talcott. There is also a bar and a mechanic's garage in town, so all of the basic needs of the people who live here are met. In the picture you can see that the dominant business in the town is the grain elevator, and that also makes a handy landmark as you travel down the road on the way to town. This picture is from our driveway looking toward downtown Dundee. You can see Brenda's gas station sign and if you look closely you can see a Grain Belt Beer sign that hangs above the door of the tavern. Down the street is the restaurant and the mechanic, along with the senior center.

This is the church in Dundee; First Lutheran, a partner in Prairie Star Ministries. I will preach here sometimes, along with the other four churches in the parish. It is a beautiful church, with plenty of room, so feel free to come and visit on a Sunday. Worship is at 8:30am, so you'll have plenty of Sunday left to enjoy after worship.



This is our house. It is a lovely little ranch style home with a huge kitchen and expansive living room and dining room. Needless to say I like it. It is the largest space by far that Anna and I have lived in. Funny though, we have enough stuff that it doesn't really feel empty now that we have everything out. It makes me wonder how we were comfortable in the seminary apartment that was about 67% smaller. We are not taking up every square inch of the place and don't intend to, but it really is nice to be able to spread out for a while. There are features that Anna really likes, such as a washer and dryer that we don't have to feed quarters into, and a dishwasher that isn't a human. She really likes that big kitchen.

The cats are slowly settling in, and I'm surprised that they seem skittish in this larger space. I thought they'd really love it, but they act like they have no idea what happened to them. They are coming around, and Rosie seems better adjusted than Jasper, but I think both of them will be loving the place in a few days. We have quite a large number of birds in the area, and both cats enjoy watching them fly around.

We dare not let them go outside however, especially since we saw a large prairie hawk in the field next to town on the way home today. Rosie and Jasper will just have to content themselves with the view out the windows and doors. We wouldn't want them to become someone's lunch!

Anna has been having fun arranging the furniture, or at least directing me where she wants it. We have found a nice place for the old radio in the living room, and the other night I was able to pick up stations from as far away as Cleveland, Ohio! We listened to the Indians game for a while, but it was more fun to listen to the station from Chicago that was broadcasting the White Sox game, because the White Sox were playing the Mariners that night, and it was fun to listen to the old team live.

We have taken time this week to explore the area, and have found a lovely little coffee shop in Windom. We also went to Walnut Grove to visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. It was fun to learn about the settler's life on the prairie, but I think it was more fun to visit the antique store downtown and to have lunch at the bar and grill. People around here seem to really know how to cook! We have had wonderful meals wherever we have eaten. Yes, we have cooked at home as well. After all, we have this big kitchen to play in. All in all we're having fun, so feel free to come around anytime and say hello. We'll have fun showing you around. Blogged by Don