YCGL - Minnesota - Day 14 - Saturday , April 30 - Windom - 0 miles

 

Today was a quiet day.  My stomach has been off a little for a couple of days and sleeping in and reading and doing some computer work this morning made a lot of sense.  Also, it was raining off and on as it did all afternoon.  I love the sound of rain in the motorhome, for some reason, it makes it seem more cozy, especially at night.  Herm had already eaten lunch when I called him a little after noon, so I picked up a sandwich and went over to the cemetery about 2:00.  I thought it would be a quick trip but it wasn't.  

The first stop at Lakeview Cemetery is always at Sally's parents graves, Sigvald and Betty Sykora Solien.  The plot was actually Betty's parent's plot, so they are right there also.  Over the years, I've figured out which tree they are under, so I can walk to theirs pretty quickly. 

  

John and Lizzie were Sally's maternal grandparents and that was the farm on which she grew up.  But I've never found Sig's parents, Sam and Kirsti Moen Solien.  Or Kirsti's younger sister, Anna, who drowned in the Des Moines River which flows through Windom in about 1912.    I know they are buried there.  We've been to both of their farms in Norway, so I was looking for a little closure there.

There are no published maps or lists of the cemetery like there are over in some of the cemeteries in eastern MN, though there has to be some somewhere.  I walked about 80% of the cemetery, every third row.  I walked in the rain and drizzle until 5:30 and never found them.  I did find Julius and Anna Wojahn, Wilbur's (and Carolyn's) parents.  

I came home, cold after the search and took a shower and put on some sweats.  Warmed up a sous vided pork chop from home and some mashed potatoes.  Finally, at 9:40, it struck me.  Popcorn.  But as I searched through the motorhome, I found the popper, but not the corn or the butter.  So, quick decision.  Its 9:44.  HyVee grocery store is open til 10:00 and its four minutes away.  I can make it.  I got there at 9:50, got the supplies and was out of there with three minutes to spare.  Yes!  And as I drove back, I decided to drive passed the house.  But it was too late for a picture.  

The popcorn and butter tasted good, along with the coke.  Always together.  Always.  And Wilbur liked popcorn also.