Showing posts with label Nordic Fest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nordic Fest. Show all posts

Saturday, December 22, 2018

2018

Dear Mark, Junel and Roslyn,

With some music on the FM for background and the sun shining in the window at 4333 Pine Ridge Trail I will try to remember some of the highlights of the year for Verla and me.

She usually writes this letter and is so good at it that I feel that my attempt to take her place will end in total failure so if you will bear with me I will try to utter a few thoughts.

Last Christmas we spent in San Antonio, TX with Dawn and her family, and Heather and Andrew with their families. Except both of us being ill on Dec. 24, 25, and 26 the time spent there was most enjoyable. Heather and Andrew had two young boys that kept things lively. Their weather in Dec. and Jan. is usually a bit more tolerable that what we are used to in Iowa.

In July, Mark and Roslyn came to Decorah to see and participate in the annual Nordic Fest at the end of the month. Roslyn and Verla marched in the Parade of Flags that opened the Fest. Sharon, Verla's sister, and Verla each modeled a bunad, (folk costume) that she had acquired when she was in Norway years ago, to be in the Bunad Show in Decorah. Roslyn modeled a child's costume with Grandma and Sharon and of course they were all stunning to behold. Arik and Stacie and their three girls, Kaelyn, Amaya, and Lauren also decided to attend Nordic Fest this year. This was their 1st time at Nordic Fest and they said they had a blast and want to do it again next year. All that Norse food and music and dancing in the streets were really fun for them. They even danced a turn or two with Grandpa Vince on the street to a polka. They also explored all the haunts that Arik was used to when he was a kid growing up there.

Then in Sept. Vince celebrated his 85th birthday, so Arik, Dawn and Bob, and John and Jene all were so kind as to come for a long weekend and help him realize that he is now considered one of the older old. A term we learned at a Senior College Course on "Mild Cognitive Decline and Dementia" which we just finished a week ago. If you are up there in age you need to know what they are talking about when they refer to you in a specific category. Before that I thought I was just getting older. So now Verla and I are at the peak of oldness. Verla continues her love of quilting with her Wed. group at Zion Luth. and I still play bass guitar in the praise band at Our Redeemer Luth. which give us much fun and camaraderie.

In closing, Verla and I wish to give thanks to our gracious God and Savior for the many years that He has given us together and we wish all of you a Very Blessed Christmas and A Happy New Year.

Blessings,

V & V

Verla and Vince

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

2017

Dear Mark, Junel and Roslyn,

It doesn't seem possible that it is time to send Christmas cards again. My, how time flies (when you're having fun). We have had many enjoyable weeks or weekends throughout the year.

We keep track of the days we are in Decorah, and it has been 40 some this year. So if there are 3 days in a weekend, that means about 12 weekends in Decorah. Most of them are just hanging out, eating at various restaurants, etc. In July, however, we spent the Nordic Fest weekend there. Mark and Roslyn had come to visit so they were with us, and Roslyn and I were in the Opening Festivities in front of the Court House and the parade of bunads (festive costumes) from the Scandinavian countries. I found in the cedar chest a child's bunad similar to mine which fit Roslyn. We also were in the Bunad Show on Saturday afternoon which is held in the Steyer Opera House.

Arik and Stacie and their three girls (Kaelyn, Amaya, Lauren) visited us a week in August, and Dawn and Bob came to visit the first week in September. We enjoyed each of those visits.

So for other activities: I take part in quilting every Wednesday at Zion putting quilts together–top, filler & back–and then they are tied and bound; the finished quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief. I also make quilt tops at home from material given to me which has been donated to the church.

Hancher Auditorium Events and Orchestra Iowa Concerts;
University of Iowa Dental College dinners;
Vince's Dental Class (1957) 60th Homecoming Weekend;
Vince plays with the Praise Band at church usually a couple of times a month;
Visited with brother Gordon from Denver when he was back to Minnesota for his annual family visits;
And so the year goes by!

Now we look forward to spending Christmas and New Year's with Dawn and Bob and family in San Antonio. We will meet great grandson Abraham (parents–Andrew and Samantha) whose first birthday was in October, and will reacquaint ourselves with great grandson Grayson (parents–Heather and Xav) who is about 9 months.

Merry Christmas! For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!