Hello From Rockville fplatzer@mywdo.com

My week-end was wonderful. I was able to take an extended week-end vacation thanks to Harold & Lucille, Beryl & Carolyn (cousin) and Denese. Thursday I was picked up at my door by a beautiful motor home driven by Beryl, Harold and Lucille (sister) had joined them earlier and we headed NW toward North Dakota, destination Grand Forks. Beryl and Carolyn stayed in Grand Forks and we headed to Warren MN where we had reservations for three nights. Beryl let us use their car which they tow behind their motor home. We had several things to do for the week-end. Our first side trip on Friday took us to Edinburg ND to visit Dan and Bonnie we had a great time and wonderful food. We were taken on a tour of their area and fed well. We enjoyed a concert by Dan and Beryl and saw several old vehicles Dan had restored. With all of the above we did a lot of reminiscing as Dan is Lucille's and my cousin and a second cousin or so to Beryl, Friday was wonderful day.

The reason for our trip was a family reunion of my Mom's family. When my Grandfather and his brother came over from Sweden his brother Per settled in NW Minnesota near Oslo and my Grandfather Lewis, settled in southern Minnesota in the Kingston area, the families were known as the North Hedlunds and the South Headlunds. We met many, many new relatives, there were six that came over from Sweden. There were stories to exchange pictures to look at and food to eat even freshly caught Walleye. We were given a lot of information (too much to possibly remember) and many pictures were taken. The farm where this all took place is in the Red River Valley where the flooding takes place, their home is protected by a grass covered earthen dike that surrounds all the buildings and when everything floods the farm looks like an island from the air. Many of the farm homes in the area are protected this way. The story is told that if you pour a glass of water on the ground it does not run any where it just spreads out. They had had a lot of rain before we got there (and more while we were there) this just sat in mini ponds all over.

Denese was here to spend time with Harlan and take him places, out to eat and to church. I'm so glad she was able to do this, with out her help I could not have gone. Some of the days I was gone went well for him and others not so well, right now he has a nasty cough and a fever (not high but just not right) and tomorrow this will be checked out with an x-ray and maybe some antibiotics. My routine will be back to normal and I'll spend time with him...........Fran