The first day of summer – Father’s Day.  The Super and I lost our dads three decades ago.  I am not a dad.  Nevertheless, I received Father’s Day gifts today?  A quarter of a century ago the Super and I got together and I “inherited” her two young adult children.  They think I’m weird, I think they’re a hoot, and things seem to be going OK.  But now that they’re in their mid-40’s, any attempts at disciplinary actions on my part are simply met with scoffs. I’ve been dad to two cats, am currently foster granddad to two cats, and am not aware of any other parental responsibilities.  The point is, what were we to do on Father’s Day when the rest of the world is tied up with DAD activities?  You got it . . . road trip!

We received the following Facebook message yesterday:

If you are blessed enough to be heading up to the Bowlus area to ride on the Soo Line bike trail and enjoy a fantastic brunch in the garden at Jordie’s Trail Side Cafe Sunday, you may see this (hair shorter now!) – I’ll be playing in the gorgeous and really special garden 12-3.  Miracles happen here….I’d stop by if I were you. ~  Lisa

Well, we’re in our Explore Minnesota mode and had never been to Bowlus.  So why not? We hadn’t seen Lisa Lynn for a long time since she moved out of geographically desirable range for performing in Alex.  So off we went, from Sauk Centre to Bowlus was new country for us as we meandered through the farmlands of Central Minnesota.

[Through the new metropolises to us – Bowlus weighs in at about 290 inhabitants.]

[Hello, we’re here!]

[The Super was the first to shoot Lisa.  It was good to see her again.]

[Still on top of her game and having fun!  🙂  ]

[Jordie’s is a neat little place with a lovely garden.  The garden has a story, but you have to go there.  Lisa introduced us to Jordie, and I asked if she knew Duane Bobick (remember him?)?  She said very well, that he was 65 now and living in a VA facility – all those years of boxing took its toll.  Lisa has moved to Sartell now, so we hope to see her soon on the Alex music scene again.]

Remembering Dad . . .

I was a goody-goody growing up here.  I mean a gag-me-with-a-spoon goody-goody. And I know, even if just subconsciously, it was out of love and respect for Dad.  I did not want to do anything that would embarrass him as the editor of the city newspaper.  We were never a religious family, but we always took more than a little pride in knowing that some of the local clergy thought of Dad as the most moral man they knew.  It seems like we were always entertaining gentlemen of the cloth at our house as they just liked to stop in for a chat – the coffee pot, as they say, was always on.  Thanks, Dad, as I like to think we’ve all maintained those family values you taught us.

OK, I sired this blog, and it remains a dependent to this day.  ~  Cub Reporter

Up next:  How to support the arts even if you reply to, “Would you like fois gras?” with . . . “Whaaaa . . . ?”