The Glorious Fourth!

Aunt Phyllis, Mom’s sister, explained to us that the 4th of July celebration in Park River is “bigger than Christmas,” and we saw for ourselves on Saturday just what a big deal it is.

I do remember how exciting the events of the Fourth of July were for me as a kid—the parade, the picnic, the carnival that sometimes occurred at the same time, and the fireworks—but I was surprised to learn that my memories reflected the true magnitude of this holiday in Park River to this day.

We—David, Mom, and I—arrived at the bleachers next to the City Hall in Park River an hour or so before the start of the parade. A free pancake breakfast was going on in the City Hall basement, but we’d already eaten at our motel, so we didn't go--although it looked like fun, with people crammed together in the large room, talking, laughing, and eating.

Jim Moon had arrived early to reserve bleacher seats for Susan, Phyllis, and us so that we could sit and watch the parade go by. Besides the bleachers, folding chairs lined both sides of Briggs Avenue—Park River’s main street—for four or five blocks, and many of the chairs were already claimed.

Soon, Susan and Aunt Phyllis joined us on the bleachers. The parade began shortly after 11:00 a.m. with the wail of a fire engine's siren, and it went on for two hours, ending with the wail of siren.

One of the first units of the parade was a group of flag bearers carrying the U.S. flag, and the parade watchers all stood up and most put their hands on their hearts as it passed by.

The highlights of the parade for me were the Park River High School Band, two bagpipe groups (one from Canada), the Matt Hodek "Dakota Dutchmen" oom-pah band, and a group of Polish-American kids folk-dancing behind their "Polish and Proud" float.

For David, the highlights were the bagpipers and the sight of Emil Shoveltusky—a bewhiskered codger with gold-tipped boots sitting on the back of the Class of 1963 float, waving to onlookers, and seeming to be enjoying himself immensely. David recalls getting in fights with Emil long ago when he was in—the fourth grade?

After the parade, we went to Aunt Phyllis’ house. As we parked along the side of the apartment building, we saw Terry Orstad*, our first cousin, and David Lindberg**, our second cousin, sitting with Jim and Jerry, the husband of our first cousin Cindy* (nee Orstad), at tables set out in the shade of the back yard. After greetings and introductions, some of the men hoisted Mom in her wheelchair up the steps of the house. Meanwhile, Joanne Lindberg, our second cousin, arrived. She’d been in the parade on the Class of 1963 float.

Aunt Phyllis’ dining room table was decorated with a stars-and-stripes tablecloth and napkins. Food was already being placed on the table, including freshly made lefse that Aunt Shirley, out of the kindness of her heart, bought and brought from Grand Forks. Uff da! It was so good.

It was a great get-together with lots of tasty food--fried chicken, pasta salad, Jell-O fruit salad, lefse, and I forget what all--and lots of reminiscing about the old days and the last times we'd been together. For dessert, we had birthday cake to celebrate Aunt Phyllis' birthday (July 10) prematurely.



We--David, Mom, and I--left Aunt Phyllis' for our Grafton motel in the late afternoon. I fully intended to return to Park River to watch the fireworks, but I ended up going to bed instead. For one thing, the fireworks weren't scheduled until 10 or 10:30 that night because it doesn't get dark in Park River until that late in July, and by 10 p.m., I was too tired to go back. And for another reason, it rained that evening in Grafton, so I assumed it was raining 16 miles away in Park River. However, I found out the next day that it hadn't rained in Park River, and the fireworks show went on without a hitch.

* Terry Orstad and his sister Cindy are Uncle Elroy and Aunt Shirley's offspring. Uncle Elroy is Mom's elder brother who died on January 1, 2006.

** Joanne Lindberg and her brother David are the offspring of Marvel Orstad and Vernon Lindberg. Marvel and Mom were double cousins because Marvel's father, Melvin Orstad, was the brother of my mom's father, Elmer Orstad--and Marvel's mother, Hattie Thompson, was the sister of my mom's mother, Lucille Thompson. In short, two brothers married two sisters--and this happened in my immediate family: my brother Kevin and my sister Katie married two Alsup siblings, Gary and Jennifer.

July 3: Park River

We all slept until 9 this morning and then took our time getting ready to drive the 17 miles to Park River from Grafton on Highway 17. It was 11:30 when we got on the road. David drove and took us on a tour of the houses we used to live in: The three-story Kotaska house next to what used to be called St. Ansgar's Hospital is gone, as is the Episcopal parsonage although the church is still there. The house in Dillonville, however, is very much intact and well cared for.

We also visited the Little Park and made a short foray down the hill from what used to be Gene and Milly Kelners' house to see the Big Park along the banks of the river where we used to go swimming. I remember getting a leech between my toes when I was a girl.

We also went by "Grandma's" creamery (now the Bowling Cafe) where Grandma used to work. She and Grandpa lived in the house next door, and we kids used to play in the coulee that ran between the creamery and the house.
NOTE: Gayle emailed me to let me know that "The creamery was not where the bowling alley stands but on the vacnat lot right next to it. Also, your grandparents didn't live in the first house to the north--they were in the second house to the north. Picky, huh?" Thanks for setting us straight, Gayle.

After our little tour, we drove to Aunt Phyllis', who lives in an apartment just south of the old Park River Elementary School. Aunt Shirley and Susan (Aunt Phyllis' daughter) and her husband Jim Moon were there as well. We immediately set to visiting and reminiscing and trying to remember the name of this person and that. We ate, of course: Aunt Shirley had brought fresh lefse she'd bought in Grand Forks hot off the griddle, and Aunt Phyllis had made a lemon jello vegetable salad--Mom's recipe originally--and we had wonderful buns from the local bakery with deli ham and chicken. There were angel food cupcakes decorated for the 4th of July, too.

Before we left, Charles and Shirley (nee MacPherson) Lindell stopped by to pick up Shirley for the Park River High School Reunion. They live in Mesa, AZ, now.

July 2, en route...

Our plane landed in Minneapolis at 10:30 a.m. MDT (11:30 CDT), a little early. We got our luggage and then found an airport restaurant, Houlihan's, where we ate lunch before renting a car and getting on the road.

Traffic was s-l-o-w for the first 45 miles out of the city, but then we were able to go at highway speeds.

The countryside here is so green and full of trees. And, of course, small and large lakes dot the Minnesota landcape.

I thought Mom would sleep much of the way to Grafton because she was really tired in the morning on the plane, but she stayed awake the whole time.

We finally got to Grafton shortly before 9 p.m.--a lot later than I expected. Our motel room was much too small for three people, but we made do.

Eve of Departure

We take off tomorrow at 8:20 a.m. via Northwest Airlines for Minneapolis, arriving there shortly before noon if all goes as scheduled. From there, we'll rent a car and head for Grafton, ND--a trip of about 304 miles.

We should arrive at the AmericInn around 6 p.m., depending on how much stopping we do along the way--or on the weather. I hear that thunderstorms are expected in the Minneapolis area tomorrow, but I don't know about the rest of the state.

David has an iPhone, so we may be able to post some blog entries along the way. I'm also hoping we can post a few pictures on the blog on Sunday when we visit Gayle's farm near Adams, ND. She has high-speed internet, and not only that, she tells me she has a block of lutefisk that she plans to prepare for my mom!