YCGL - Monday, June 26, 2023 - Back on the Farm with the Family

Sunday was the day to visit family and friends.  When I was done scattering Sally's ashes at the farm on Saturday, I called and left a message for Romelle Wojahn.  Romelle is Sally's sister's husband's oldest brother's wife, Sally to Sandy to Wilbur to Melvin to Romelle.   I said I was sorry to have missed her, but I would see her on Sunday morning at church.  She was pretty surprised (and happy) when I sat down next to her Sunday morning.  We sat and had coffee after church ( I even drank half a cup!) and had a good conversation.  

Later, I saw Wilbur's next younger brother, Orville.  His wife Jan was visiting a friend up north so I missed her.  They moved a couple of years ago from their farm back to the original Wojahn family farmstead.  The old house was gone and they built a new one.  

I vaguely remembered they had moved, but didn't remember the details.  When I pulled in to their old farm, a six to eight year old boy informed me that they didn't live there anymore and they lived "three forests" to the south.  There were two "forests" or farmsteads on the east side of the road and they were the first forest on the west side.  As I slowed down to turn into the driveway, I saw Orv walking into his garage.  He didn't have  his hearing aids in and couldn't have heard either his phone (which was wrong anyway) or his doorbell.  We sat and talked almost two hours.  

Remember I stopped at a bison ranch just south of Scottsbluff about two weeks ago?  I bought a bison ribeye steak and decided tonight was the night.  I smoked it for about thirty minutes and then Soux Vide'ed it while I was at Orville's.  When I got back, I kicked up the smoker to 450 and seared the steak for about three minutes per side.  Meanwhile, I fixed some instant potatoes and a salad, and had a meal fit for a king! 

When I contacted Ray and Darlene about going to the Windom reunion, they informed me that they were having the reunion in Austin, MN.  That was why I tried so hard to get there, especially after the engine problems in North Platte.  Unfortunately, that didn't leave a chance to see Ray's twin brother, Ralph and his wife Wilma.  So the next stop was to the twin's farms in Hayfield where they live across the road from each other.  

I had told Wilma I would be there between 3:00 and 4:00.  As I was getting ready to leave Windom, one of the classmates stopped by and we had a chance to visit.  Mike had lost his wife last year also.  Patty had been in the class before, but her family kept their horses on the Solien farm and Patty's mom had been Sally's dance teacher.  Patty had been in the school choir when Sally was the accompanist and they had been good friends.  Mike and I talked for a while, and after he left, I remembered I had a repair I had to do on the slide awning on the trailer.  So by the time I left, I was almost two hours late.  

I called Wilma while I was on the road and told her the GPS  said I would be about 5:00 and she said that was no problem.  I got here a few minutes early and was able to set the trailer up almost level and easy to drive out in the morning.  Ray and Darlene came over once I arrived and finally Ralph's oldest daughter Kathy and her husband Randy got here and we had dinner soon after. While we were waiting, Ray's daughter Debbie called and asked if I would take a picture of Ray and Ralph together.  She said she always takes one of the twins when she visits, but didn't have a chance to this year because the reunion was not on the farm.  So, it was a good excuse to take some pictures!...

 

Ralph and Ray Kyllo

 

Wilma and Ralph Kyllo, Ray and Darlene Kyllo

Ralph was born first, so Ray claims it was because
he was crowded and kicked Ralph out!

 

Randy and Kathy Demmers and Wilma and Ralph

Kathy is Ralph and Wilma's first "child".  (Sorry, Kathy, I thought that sounded better than "oldest".) 

It has been so fun to see everyone!