50 thoughts on “Down Memory Lane”

  1. Ooh, I remember when instead of just a casual, random post, I started realizing it was fun to look in daily on what was then the Trial Balloon – maybe a month into it…

    Will think more – gotta run, be back tonight.

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  2. I was listening to a Seth Godin seminar a couple days ago and they were celebrating the fact that he had 7000 blog posts and commenting on what a phenomenal featthat was

    I was impressed and at the same time wondered how many blog posts we have had and God bless VS for keeping track of that sort of thing

    Anna was the one who introduced me to South Goldman through the BBC and that is another great aspect of the trail

    The late great morning show was an amazing thing

    I guess Garrison started it would you mad but I never knew it that I only know up with Dale and jim out and it was a wonderful thing to behold
    it’s a little surprising to me that no one has tried to do something like it but I guess maybe that’s what the beauty of the morning show was if that’s not possible to simply wave a magic wand and duplicate

    The people here on the trail all get that it was a phenomenal group and we are all descendants of that group with a few people who have come in since the inception just because they fit and we are such a welcoming home

    I do have favorite memories like LJB’s introduction to the trail With the story of her suitcase full of money and attempted escape via the bus

    Some of the social gatherings like the memorial for Jim Ed Steve’s bon voyage party, vs christmas shindig

    but the trail is the glue…
    everyday…
    A nice place to visit and I do live here

    I miss Dale I miss gym add I miss Hannah to stick your head in occasionally but has other things going on but I enjoy the memories of discussions and topics and food and music and books and movies haiku and limericks

    there once was a trail baboon
    and even though Steve sings out of tune
    we all get together
    Even in inclement weather
    In months ending in r and in June

    we are kind of a disjointed bunch
    but we make an incredible lunch
    when meetings assemble
    this group does resemble
    a corner of heaven, that’s my hunch

    so 6000 have come and have gone
    we contribute as time marches on
    we pass on our thought and our views
    regarding daily world news
    without getting personal about our chief moron

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      1. i am a bad typist but the art of giving dictation is one lost on my iphone
        sorry for not doing a better job of proof reading. i was talking thismorning in the car on my way to the warehouse before picking up my mechanic for car repair. i fixed this but i am not good at tweaking the misspellings and wrong words on the little iphone screen while i am driving. its a pain in the butt. but if i dont do it then i dont get to it til now.

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  3. Kind of hard to narrow down memories:
    1. First time I commented – couple of months in (comment about the operetta Hansel & Gretel)
    2. When I met my first fellow blogger in person (Steve – I went over to his house to pick up a copy of his book Wolf)
    3. First Blevins Book Club in Minnehaha Park.
    4. The day I got my baboon nickname (Joanne bestowed it on me – it was a Saturday that Dale had asked us to write something “Shakespearean”.
    5. The day several baboons met at PJ’s to help with her gardening after her accident
    6. Chainsaw party at Steve’s (I was sure that day was going to end with tim in the hospital).
    7. Collecting up songs for Mike Pengra’s memorial show.
    8. The day Clyde mentioned Death by Rhubarb. Just a funny funny day on the trail.

    I’d better stop now…

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  4. My TB memories are a bit tangential but still special. I was thrilled and overwhelmed that Verily Sherrilee and tim drove all the way to Owatonna last year to help me celebrate the launch of my novel, Castle Danger. To drive all that way simply because of an acquaintance that grew into online camaraderie and friendship illustrates the positive power of the internet.

    RIght up there is Plain Jane’s unwavering support for my writing and her willingness to be a beta reader for Castle Danger. Beta reading takes time and dedication (and the pay sucks!), so for PJ to want to help me in that way just because of our connection through TB is equally special.

    I’ll always feel like a bit of an outsider because I don’t live in the Twin Cities and therefore miss out on most of the get-togethers the core group of Baboons holds, but I’m proud to be one of the original Baboons and feel like I’m friends with each and every one of you who have stayed with this quirky little experiment for decades. I say decades because I include TLGMS years. We were all friends back then, we just didn’t know each other yet.

    Chris in Owatonna

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  5. The surprise birthday party was a delight, and yet what I’ll always treasure is memories of the gang that chainsawed the monster tree limb in my backyard and the gang (with some of the same people) who came over and over to help me sell my house. Both acts represented generosity on a scale I’ve never experienced anywhere else.

    And we had a good time in the process 🙂

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  8. OT – Just saw on Facebook that Anna had to put down Barney, their beloved old Basset hound. So sorry, Anna. So many of us know the heaviness of your heart today.

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  9. OT: Things have gotten sad here today. I’d like to change that. This week is the anniversary of Trump’s election, a year I know has been difficult for many of us. But I’ve just spent the happiest week of that year, and my joy was mostly due to something amazing. Maybe some of you will find your hopes for the future uplifted by meeting this young musician.

    Here she is:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kURlp17F1wo

    You will surely be impressed by this girl of 12, Alma Deutscher, who plays piano like a goddess. She is equally accomplished on violin. But what moved and astonished me is the fact she composed this music (along with all the orchestration). Alma has been composing since she was six.

    The best way I know to get to know her–and that has been exhilarating for me–is to go to Youtube and then entering “Alma Deutscher”: in the search box. You might want to stick around for an hour or two enjoying her playing, her compositions and her interviews. My mood and hopes for the future have been drastically changed this week. Maybe she can do the same for you.

    I tried all week to turn this into a blog topic for a day. I wasn’t able to. So I offer her name here hoping she can lift heavy hearts. For me, and maybe for you, the world seems a nicer place because she is in it.

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    1. There’s nothing wrong with dwelling in the sadness for now, Steve. Sadness and grief are not emotions that should be ignored or brushed aside.

      I know that’s not your intention, but somehow it feels awkward to me that you express an immediate need to redirect out emotions.

      For now, I feel Anna’s and Cb’s sadness; tomorrow I’ll rejoice in all that lifts my spirits.

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    2. saw her on 60 minutes last week
      the interviewer asked if she liked being compared to mozart. she said she admired mozart and would certainly liked to have been one of his students but instead of being a second mozart she would much prefer being known as a first alma.
      great line

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    2. What a remarkable talent Alma Deutscher is, thanks for introducing her to me Steve. I look forward to discovering her work in the days to come.

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  11. I have enjoyed interacting with baboons in various capacities over the years. I have relished the social gatherings I’ve been to, and I especially enjoyed the “garden party” at my house after my fall. I’ve enjoyed some of the “field trips” and exchanging “goods” with baboons. Passing on my record collection to tim, my old dining table to Barb, concerts and dinners with Linda, and I especially appreciate the good care Bill and Robin gave to our beloved Daisy when we were gone. This is a precious network of friends. I have no doubt that each and every baboon would reach out to help if I needed it, and I hope that they all know that I’d reciprocate if I could.

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    1. yes that is the most remarkable aspect of this group. the commaradeire even with ben renee chris clyde and donna when they were with us.
      i sure miss clyde hope he and sandy are doing ok

      so sorry anna about barney.
      i saw cbs heartbreaker last night and i cant imagine anything worse than losing a wonderful new little kitten you were falling in love with unless its having to say good bye to a wonderful old friend.
      peace

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  13. Rise and Shine Baboons,

    I have many favorite memories of the Trail and Baboonishness. Mostly, though, I appreciate a community to log on and log into most days. That is a wonderful thing, especially in hard times, but in easier times, too. Hard times are upon me now with my co-worker’s daughter being so ill. This has been an emotional marathon. It is a comfort to have the Trail be here.

    My sincere thanks go to Renae and Sherilee for keeping this up. I do not understand how you keep up the daily discipline of doing this. It is something I cannot do. Thank you. Thank you to both of you and all the Baboons.

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    1. i am sorry to hear about your partners kid
      it is certainly an amazing thing the at once upon your arrival at an existing company the situation changes and the company would fall apart if you dont take the reigns and steer the ship.
      maybe there ought to be an additional ditty written into the agreement. are you still watching the house of cards at the old place to see if that holds up under new leadership?

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      1. Yeah, I kind of have a reputation for showing up in a timely way. Some times my psychic streak just kicks in. There is an additional ditty–I was named the Clinical Director there. The old practice is on an erratic course. They don’t know what they don’t know. Right now they are holding their own, but there are some things due in May that they should be working on now, and they don’t know it. I don’t answer their questions about such things anymore.

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  14. i remember my fist guest blog. dale suggested i do a friday the 13th post but i had no interest. the next time up dale mentioned i like dogs and hats and suggested i do a post on something i liked so i did on dogs with hats. i love this place. my business world looks at me and has a different assessment of my quirks. i am necessarily a self guided ship. its good to have an audience in mind and in heart as you go forward. the trail is my people

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  15. I too remember the first time Dale was going to be away on vacation, and asked for guest blog posts that he could put up to cover his absence. I couldn’t imagine what I would possibly write about that would be interest to anyone. Then I wrote something, and it went fine.

    Dale encouraged us to engage in writing haiku, other poetry (often parodies)… some baboons were already writers, but others of us gained confidence through Dales encouragement (and vacations).

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  16. HI Kids–

    I have so many fond memories of TLGMS; from when I first started listening as I drove home from Kelly’s apartment in the morning to all the skits and characters they did. And the requests they played!
    Remember ‘Mon-Back Brothers Moving’? ” ‘Mon back, ‘mon back, [crunch] That’s good.” I do that every time I have students pushing something around in the shop.
    Or the crew that cleared your ice dams with explosives? “Clear!” [boom] Clear!” [Boom] …. [Boom] (with crackly voice) “cleeaarr…”

    And this blog has led to so many connections. Yeah, the chainsaw party at Steve’s was the only one I have attended so far, but it’s led to friendships, kitten pick-ups, bread exchanges, and straw, and manure exchanges.

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    1. And one day, Dale was teasing JimEd that he had a “10′ circle of exasperation” around him and he needed a T-shirt with that printed on it to warn people. I made up a sign and I tape it to my back every now and then.

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  17. To go back to the post about hackers; My mom calls one day. Mom is 92 but going strong and is pretty good on the computer. At least when it works. One day a spam message showed up. She called the number from her home phone. But was smart enough not to just do what he says, she called me from her cell phone. She puts the home phone (with the scammer) against the mouth piece of her cell phone and she’s also listening and talking along.
    I’m telling her “Just hang up on him!” Pretty arrogant he didn’t hang up as soon as she got spooked. Course, she can’t really hear me over him talking and the other phone in the way. “MOM- JUST HANG UP!”
    Of course she hung up both of us. 🙂

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  18. It’s so helpful to be temporarily lifted out of the unexpected darkness in my life by this amazing girl’s story!!! Thank you.

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  19. One of many fond memories is the day (recently) when I posted a little blog about museums. I worried nobody would respond. We ended up with 90 responses, I think, and it was a rollicking good conversation that just rolled along with interesting stories. You folks are my best friends.

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  20. Lots of great memories – playing charades online with PJ, road trips with BiR, Rock Bend with Krista and assorted music-loving Baboons, a Twins game with tim and Donna, invitations to Steve’s and Donna’s cabins, passing around the raven at Sherrilee’s Solstice parties, friendship bread starter, outings to the Guthrie and the Swedish Institute, Ben’s hens producing green and brown eggs especially for me, listening to David Sedaris read, benefiting from Bill’s book restoration expertise, just to name a few highlights.

    I echo Jacque’s thank-you to Renee and Sherrilee for keeping things going. I can’t count the times a blog post or a comment has made me smile or laugh out loud, or just nod in recognition when someone expresses a sentiment that I share… and I realize again what kindred spirits we are.

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