Not 1986: The Evidence (part 1)

If Mom's note on the back is right then the photos were taken in 1986 when Steve turned 40. Both Jo and Jean are ok with that, but I'm still very skeptical. The kids look too old.

I don't want to sound obsessive about this getting the date right, but I've been looking for evidence to corraborate the 1986 theory and the more I look the more I think they were taken later. . .as many as four or five years later in 1990 or 1991. I have nothing conclusive but I'll present the evidence over a number of posts. (We could use more posts!) But first the facts:

1. These are photos found in Mom's stuff. They are not mine.

2. There are 10 photos that appear to be taken near the same time showing two gatherings in the back yard. On the back of one Mom wrote "Steve is 40!"

3. In June of 1986 John died and in August Steve turned 40.

4. Six photos are of a summer party with Carlson's and Steve (see previous post) and it is a party. Notice the water balloons. Also Mom wrote on the back that it was a party when Steve turned 40. Also notice the Carlson's canoe is parked by the house. I'm guessing they're on their way up to or back from The Boundary Waters.

5. Four photos are of a picnic in the backyard with Mark, Lois Ann and kids. Mom's friend Agnes was there too. It looks to me like Mom is serving salmon Mark and Lois Ann probably brought down with them.











5. Why do I say these ten are a batch? First: They were on facing pages of the album book. Second the photo paper is all the same with the same "AGFA" print on the back. Third: Seven of the ten have the identical serial number on the back "1111 N N N+ 1L-1" including photos of Steve's party and Mark and Lois Ann's picnic.

6. What about the other three photos that had a different number on the back? Two were of Heidi Carlson obviously at the same party for Steve. (wearing the same clothes, tossing the same balloons, with the same canoe in the background standing next to the same dad wearing the same T shirt etc.) One was of Heidi Stynsberg obviously at the same salmon feast. (sitting at the same outdoor table with the same table cloth and the same lemon slices on a plate and the same salmon on a tray etc.)

Another Guess-The-Date

I'm getting close to the end of my scanning of old photos, and I've saved the worst for last - the photos where I'm not at all sure what year they were photographed. Here's a batch I'm hoping someone can help me with.


Judging by the ages of the kids I was guessing these photos were taken the summer of 1989 to 1990


But on the back of one of the photos mom wrote "Steve is 40!" That would mean August of 1986.



Here are photos that I am pretty sure are of Heidi and Ryan in 1986. So I'm thinking the photos can't be from 1986 right?

Alone in the Wilderness

By the way, Mt. Redoubt is only 38 miles from the cabin of Richard Proenneke made famous in the book One Man's Wilderness and the PBS show Alone in the Wilderness.

If you don't know what I'm talking about don't feel bad cuz I didn't know either until this summer. Mark and Lois Ann sent us his book as a thanks for lodging at our house. When I read it and liked it and tried to recommend it to others everybody seemed to have heard of it except me.

I thought Steve would enjoy the book, but he casually says, "Oh yeah that's one of my all time favorites." You can read about it here .

Blues

JaNae's (Roseau's) one act play was awarded first place last Saturday at sections in Stephen MN. This means they go to State - they'll be performing at the College of St Catherine in St Paul this coming Friday morning - more specifically, at the O'Shaughnessy.

The play they'll be performing is called Blues. It's an incredibly relevant play dealing with homelessness and poverty. Yeah, it's pretty depressing, but they do depressing well. If any of you would like to join us on Friday, please call or email and we'll give you all the details.

Bigger, Better

JaNae is hoping to fly to Greece in June with 9 classmates from her English class. It's going to cost a few bucks. I'm trying to help her...

Did you hear about that guy a couple years ago who started with one red paper clip and after 14 trades was a proud owner of a house? We'll I'm trying to do something similar. I started with a book...

Now, after just a couple days, I've been able to trade up to a Johan Santana Bobblehead!

Let's see how far we can go with this. Come on over to Plato's Republic and let's see if we can make a deal.

Mount Redoubt Ready to Blow!

According to AOL Mt.Redoubt is getting ready to blow its top. According to Google Earth Mount Redoubt is 53 miles south west of Mark and Lois Ann's house. According to me, I would suggest to Mark and Lois Ann, "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

Twins

Collecting the various school photos sent to us, I was reminded of a photo of Christoffer that I really enjoyed. He seemed to me to be the spitting image of a famous TV character.

Picasa Collage

For some reason I downloaded Picasa and thought it would be fun to make a collage. When I click the "scramble" button it rearranges them so pictures in back might come to the fore.

O Brother Where Art Thou?

I'm getting a little tired of Kate Rusby. Anybody wants to change to play something you like feel free to do so, or check with me on how to do it. It's not that hard. But in the meantime I'm swithching to something I am surprised to find out. . .that Peter and Jonathan love the movie O Brother Where Art Thou including the music. I am surprised because they are almost certain to hate anything I like. Enjoy.

Christmas Day

I've been holding off publishing these pictures - it only seemed right that Christmas Eve pictures should be published first. I can wait no longer. Here are the pictures from Christmas Day.




Jenna and Rhiannyn.



Kurt and Jose




JaNae was the first president. Steve was the first scum. It's too bad about Steve's hand.



Two scum hard at work.

Paul apparently had a little too much to drink...

Cousins.

Jo eventually became president.

In the end, the tables had turned. Steve was the president - JaNae, the scum.

We stopped in Alexandria on the way home to return Al and Dorothy's car.

The whole family was there.

Somebody Missing Something?

I said before, I'm scanning old photos. In a box of Mom and Dad's old photos I came across what appears to be brother Mark's Social Security Card. So I was wondering if Mark noticed anything missing? According to the card, your current address is 1711 East 5th. The directions on the card say this is to be placed in a safe deposit with all your other valuables. It looks to me like there is the card you're supposed to keep on your person at all times and there is this card that is to be carefully secured. Hmmmmm I wonder where my card is?

Any PREDICTIONS for the New Year???

Here is one from the Wall Street Journal front page. It is for 2010. The following is copied from the beginning of the article, with a link at the end to read the whole news item:

MOSCOW -- For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument -- that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S. -- very seriously. Now he's found an eager audience: Russian state media.

Igor Panarin

In recent weeks, he's been interviewed as much as twice a day about his predictions. "It's a record," says Prof. Panarin. "But I think the attention is going to grow even stronger."

Prof. Panarin, 50 years old, is not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry's academy for future diplomats. He is invited to Kremlin receptions, lectures students, publishes books, and appears in the media as an expert on U.S.-Russia relations.

But it's his bleak forecast for the U.S. that is music to the ears of the Kremlin, which in recent years has blamed Washington for everything from instability in the Middle East to the global financial crisis. Mr. Panarin's views also fit neatly with the Kremlin's narrative that Russia is returning to its rightful place on the world stage after the weakness of the 1990s, when many feared that the country would go economically and politically bankrupt and break into separate territories.

A polite and cheerful man with a buzz cut, Mr. Panarin insists he does not dislike Americans. But he warns that the outlook for them is dire.

"There's a 55-45% chance right now that disintegration will occur," he says.....

To see more of the article click here. Anyway i thought this might inspire some comments.
My own personal prediction that i borrowed is: The next 20 years will be different than the last 20 years.

Christmas Letter 2008

Christmas Eve

You may have your own plans for Christmas Eve and given how certain clans are expanding and getting more complex that would be understandable, but for those who are willing and free consider yourself invited to Christmas Eve at the Lindstrom's. The only requirement is to think of something to bring to eat. More info to come.

First Trip to Alaska

The tired travelers arrive at Anchorages' Ted Stevens Airport. They came up for about a week during Thanksgiving.Emery's first time in the snow.Christoffer with his puppy Chompers, and Heidi holding Emery.

Babies change a lot, even in a few days Emery has gotten bigger and stronger it seems.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. We'll be missing the extended family this year. We did not hear from you Stephen. We will be having Ericka and the girls and Heidi and Josh tomorrow. Sunday we will celebrate with all our children and maybe some people from church. We had hoped to see Dean, Kurt and Jose but they will be busy slaughtering their pigs and I suppose wrapping them for sale on Sunday.
Have a great day. We have much to thankful for, especially our great God and all the blessings He bestows.

Kate Rusby

I think we've had enough of Sufjan's Christmas. I'm replacing it with some more of Kate Rusby. Enjoy!

Guess the Date

As I said, I am sorting and scanning old photos and am currently doing the years between Peter's birth and Jonathan's birth. Back then few pictures had the date they were developed stamped on the photo.

Here are some photos that I have reason to believe were taken between 1988 and 1991 but I'm not certain.

It's definitely summertime. We're gathered in our sunroom. Mark and Lois Ann are visiting. When were these photos taken?

Tyler's Recommendations

Tyler suggested some artists similar to Sufjan. Here are two UTube posts with Rosie Thomas and Denison Witmer performing.

What should we clap for???