2025, animals, Family, Health, Travel, Uncategorized

Where In The World is Jacque?

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Today’s post comes from Jacque.

Recently, I have decided to begin traveling again.  I have husband’s care plan in place, as well as reliable people to carry it out, so I feel ready to plan travel experiences for myself.  This last week I had an opportunity to take a road trip overnight as a preliminary test of my travel plans.  My son stayed overnight with husband, and husband’s PCA (Personal Care Attendant) was scheduled for a long day so his regular activities were in place. After checking weather, which was looking unpredictable and snowy, I decided I could drive to my destinations between cold fronts.  I was out the door 1pm on Sunday.  Where did I go?

Hints:

There was an invitation from another state far away.

During my visits I encountered a dog and two cats, but one cat I did not see.

As I reached the state line Sunday evening, it snowed hard.

My group of childhood friends were there.

A Baboon was there.

Delicious treats were involved, as well as a scrumptious lunch of baked salmon.

On my way home it snowed again Monday evening about 6pm, starting in Belle Plaine, MN

In one destination the famous falls were entirely frozen and snow covered.  In the other destination the music is wonderful.

When I arrived home everyone was happy.  Puppy McGee was delighted to have   me back home.  Husband and PCA attended a fun Christmas party, and son had his usual workday here.  But he had to take a Lyft home due to the snow.

I will travel far away in April for 5 days given the success of the care plan this time.  I cannot wait!

Where in the world was I? When was the last time you got together with old friends? What was the occasion?

52 thoughts on “Where In The World is Jacque?”

  2. We attended a music concert yesterday at the Senior Center. There was a variety of adult perfoming groups. There were about 200 people there, and I recognized seversl faces as former classmates but couldn’t be sure. I try to imagine their faces with 50 years taken off.

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    1. Agreed. More than sad. Tragic. Harry Met Sally is a favorite movie of mine. I know you love Princess Bride. Even sadder with the news that a troubled adult child is the suspect.

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  4. I ran I to a VERY old friend on Friday. We stopped in at the county historical museum to checkout the gift shop, and were met by Betty, the 95 year old curator. She is a retired teacher who taught with my mother and I have known her since I was a child. She is the one who donated her 5000+ nutcrackers to the museum.

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  5. In September I had a long lunch with 7 classmates who had grown up in our very small town of Isanti – “The Isanti Girls”. We were missing three who were not able to attend. All but one of us attended Isanti Elementary and all but 1 graduated from Cambridge HS. We had not all been together since the end of 9th grade, which is when one moved to LaCrosse. There was no special occasion. At the All School Reunion in August two of the classmates decided it was high time we had our own reunion. It was a blast sharing memories from that long ago time (we graduated in 1970). I think we may try this again in the Spring after the snowbirds return to MN.

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  6. Not long, lost friends, but I am having my bimonthly Reuben lunch with the in-town members of my book club. All four of us have a different version of a Reuben that comes to the table. I always think that someday one of us will order something different, but it hasn’t happened yet in five years.

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      1. Every other month. Apologies if I used bi-monthly incorrectly. We go to Pub 42 up in Robbinsdale. It’s a great place, they have great Reubens and it’s a perfect spot for all of us. Two of us are right here in Minneapolis one in Saint Paul one in Rogers so it’s right in the middle of our triangle.

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        2. No, you didn’t use it incorrectly, but since the term can be used to indicate either of the two options, I thought I’d ask. My guess was right, that you don’t get together for Reubens every other week.

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        3. Yes, it’s on 42nd. But it may be right over the line in New Hope instead of Robbinsdale. I just always think of everything on 42nd north as Robbinsdale .

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  8. I got together with old friends just a couple of days ago. They are former coworkers from a rather unique workplace. I’ve known them since the 1980s. Two of them are also friends that I went to Ireland with in 2024. It wasn’t a special occasion – we get together every few months, and we continue to be good friends.

    I’ve also been friends with Gary since the 1980s. He lives in what we call “the stone house” in Faribault. That house has a lot of history and memories of old friends for me and many others. I’m going to the stone house today to visit Gary and his puppy Josie. I’m bringing Maggie along to meet Josie, and they can romp around and be puppies. Again, it’s not a special occasion. I see Gary every week or two.

    OT: Maggie has been very destructive in the past few days. I know it’s been boring for her to be alone with me at home over the weekend when it was so cold. She has been ripping at the edges of my carpet with her teeth and trying to eat the carpet fibers. She has torn small holes in the carpeting doing this, and I have had to remove carpet fibers from her mouth several times already today. I’ve tried spraying the areas with a mix of lemon juice and white vinegar but it barely phases her. I’m considering adding a little Tabasco sauce to the mixture. She has plenty of toys which she seems to like. I’d like to get outside and walk with her more, but it’s been pretty cold. We’ve been out twice already today. Any suggestions?

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    1. That is all pretty ordinary puppy behavior. McGee has been chewing the soft pads in the kitchen floor in a similar way. I say a sharp no sometimes I’ll tap his nose with my finger. If he won’t stop, then he goes into his kennel area until he can calm down a little bit. I also have to have the correct chewy’s that he likes which at this point are marketed as “cattle tendons” in the pet store. When he has those the chewing seems to keep him calm.

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      1. I was avoiding chewy things but I did buy her a couple of chewy toys. She has a fish with durable fabric outside, which is one of her favorites. I also got her a toy that is just for chewing. It’s not her favorite. This morning I gave her a large jingle bell, which fascinates her. I might try a chewy bone-type thing and see how that goes.

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      2. I bought her a pack of four Kong tennis balls yesterday. She played with one of them and I noticed her tearing at the covering. Maybe that will help. I need to find some meaty kind of chewy thing that’s safe for her. I’m a little wary of those because they can splinter and choke dogs, or be swallowed in an indigestible lump.

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  10. So “another state far away” – Sioux Falls, SD maybe?

    Last may my college group “reuned” in Trempealeau, WI, right across the river from here – I think there were 10 of us. I was able to go over and be with them a couple of times each day, and brought them to Winona one day to experience the Blue Heron Cafe, Garvin Heights lookout, etc. It’s been 55 years since we graduate (!), but now we try to get together somewhere every couple of years.

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  11. No, the invitation did not come from South Dakota. Carol lived in Georgia which is where the invitation came from. She came to Sioux Falls to visit her sister who lives there.

    Late last night I received a phone call saying that Carol died in her home in Georgia yesterday morning. Her health had been very fragile for a number of years. We are all wondering if the trip stressed her body more than it could take. This has been quite a shock so soon after we got together. I am very glad I made the trip to see her.

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    5. It’s also possible that Carol knew she was close to death, and chose to make one last ditch effort to see old friends who were important to her. A gift to each of you from her, and to her from each of you. So glad you had that last meet-up.

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      1. I suspect that too. She had fallen two months ago after fainting and was hospitalized. It sounded ominous to me and we discussed it.

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  14. Jacque, I’m so glad it all went well and that you’ll be able to travel some in the future.

    You said this: “In one destination the famous falls were entirely frozen and snow covered. In the other destination the music is wonderful.” We figured out the Sioux Falls part…what was the other destination, with the wonderful music?

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