Memory Map

I grew up in a small farming community in central Minnesota.  My brother and I didn’t spend much time in Lake Park, except to go to school or swim in the pool in the summer (but usually we swam at one of the lakes).  However, we did occasionally spend time with one of our town friends, or we went to the bank with my Dad, or the grocery store with my Mom.  We also went to the Lutheran Church on the North side of town every Sunday, and Bible School for a week in the summer.  Occasionally I went to the Catholic Church with my friend Suzy, but we didn’t belong to that church. 

Sometimes after school, when I got to go to Jeanine’s or Karen and Kathy’s house (they were always referred to as “Karen and Kathy” because they were twins) and we’d get to walk around town, as long as we were back by the time the six o’clock whistle blew.  We’d walk downtown and go by the tiny blue house where Johnny lived.  Johnny sold 5 gallon buckets to make money and he handed out half sticks of gum to all the kids that went by.  It was always Wrigley’s spearmint gum.  Johnny was hurt when he saved his brother when a car fell on him and he was “never the same since”.  So the town of Lake Park gave him the little blue house and he lived there forever.

After that, we’d walk over to the Lefse factory, and if it was the right time of day, we could get the lefse that didn’t turn out right for free. Lefse is similar to a tortilla, but instead of flour, it was made from potatoes.  It was really good.

Mostly, though, my time was spent on the farm playing in the orchard or in the spruce trees I helped my dad plant.  Or we’d go down to our lake and have picnics, even when it was only 20 degrees outside, then we’d sled down the bluffs on inner tubes or sleds.  It was fun. 

To see my MemoryImage\VanessaMap.jpg Map click here.