Two thousand and three has been an excellent year for me. First, I got to be Parade Marshal and now I am going to be an angel. I realize that you all expected to me to go from Parade Marshal to Mayor to Director of the Library of Congress. I decided, however, to bypass these lowly rungs on the ladder and go straight to the top. The opportunity to be an angel came unto me at choir practice. The St. John Lutheran Church choir is performing the Christmas cantata "Once Upon a Night." As we were feverishly practicing last Wednesday evening, it suddenly occurred to choir director Bill, that we needed someone to speak the angel part. I (and this is no coincidence) happened to be standing closest to the microphone, so the divine responsibility came to rest upon my shoulders. I am rather shy and don’t like to draw attention to myself, so I made a valiant effort to avoid this heavenly calling. I thought I could get out of it by informing Bill that all the angels I knew were male. There’s Gabriel and Michael. Pastor Klatt was there and said, "No, angels are not necessarily male." So I was stuck. Trying to avoid God’s will is not wise. Remember Jonah? He tried to get out of his assignment from God and you know what happened to him, he was swallowed by a giant fish. Sure, he was rescued later, but it’s not my idea of a pleasant holiday season. In the end, I accepted the celestial task of informing the old and decrepit Zechariah and Elizabeth, that they were going to have baby boy. They had to name him John. The baby John’s divine assignment (which he accepted without argument) was to announce the arrival of Jesus. You know the rest of the story. Billy Graham has a rather fascinating book on angels called "Angels: God’s Secret Agents." If you’re interested, it’s available at the library. We also have the new book by Clive Cussler, "Trojan Odyssey." Dirk Pitt discovered, to his shock, that he had two grown children he had never known — 23-year-old fraternal twins born to a woman he thought had died in an underwater earthquake. Both have inherited his love of the sea: his daughter, Summer, is a marine biologist; his son, himself named Dirk, is a marine engineer. And now they are about to help their father in the adventure of a lifetime. There is a brown tide infesting the ocean off the shore of Nicaragua. The twins are working in a NUMA(r) underwater enclosure, trying to determine its origin, when two startling things happen: Summer discovers an artifact, something strange and beautiful and ancient; and the worst storm in years boils up out of the sky, heading straight not only for them but also for a luxurious floating resort hotel square in its path. The peril for everybody concerned is incalculable. Desperately, Pitt and the rest of the NUMA(r) crew rush to the rescue, but what they find in the storm's wake makes the furies of nature pale in comparison. For there is an all-too-human evil at work in that part of the world, and the brown tide is only a by-product of its plan. Soon, its work will be complete-and the world will be a very different place.

Luverne Automobile CompanyThe following appeared in the Rose History printed in 1911:"Within the past few years there have been developed a number of important manufacturing concerns in Luverne, and in every instance none but local capital has been employed. These industrial enterprises have been beneficial agencies in the promotion of the city’s prosperity. The demand for Luverne-made products has extended considerably beyond the local field of distribution.The Luverne automobile, manufactured by the Luverne Automobile Company, is a machine whose merits have attracted the attention of buyers in all parts of the northwest. Luverne is one of the few cities in the middle west that can boast of a completely equipped automobile manufactory. The industry developed from small beginnings. In 1893 F.A. and E.L. Leicher, under the firm name of Leicher Brothers, established a wagon-making business which grew to substantial proportions. The Leichers, in 1903, constructed an automobile in their shop, which on trial proved to be a success. This led them to branch out on a broader scale, and for a few years they turned out machines to supply a local demand. A number of Luverne business men, realizing the importance of developing the enterprise the Leicher Brothers had commenced, in November 1906, incorporated a company with a capital stock of $50,000, and succeeded to the rights of the Luverne Automobile Company, which had previously been established by F.A. Leicher, E.L. Leicher, J.A. Kennicott and A.D. LaDue. These gentlemen, together with E.A. Brown, S.B. Nelson, S.C. Rea, William Jacobsen Jr., C.O. Wright and J.L.W. Gerber, became stockholders in the reorganized company. A year later the present two-story brick factory building was erected and equipped with new and modern machinery. Nearly 20 men are employed and the annual output of the plant averages 75 cars. The factory is under the management of Leicher Brothers." Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156. Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mann made@iw.net.

This would be a good time for Yogi Berra to repeat his famous words — "It’s like deja vu all over again." Believe it or not, Saudi Arabia has fears of depleting another natural resource, but this time it’s not oil. It’s sand. According to BBC News and the Arab News newspaper, Saudi Arabia, which has more sand than oil, "has reportedly imposed strict border checks to enforce a ban on the export of sand." In addition, "There are fears that the growing demands of the construction industry could lead to a shortage in the desert kingdom." Bahrain and Iraq, two neighboring countries, would like to import Saudi sand. Bahrain needs the sand to reclaim land from the sea and Iraq will need sand with its reconstruction. The news about the sand ban doesn’t mention the need for sand in our own homeland. We need sand for children’s sand boxes, sand traps on golf courses, and we need sand for sandbags, which divert floodwaters and save countless lives and homes every spring. In addition, we shouldn’t forget our national need for sand for two-minute egg timers, hour glasses and, of course, sandpaper. Without a free flow of sand from Saudi Arabia, we could easily become a nation of unsanded edges and painful wooden splinters in millions of fingers. We should not overlook our need for sand in those free-standing receptacles for cigarette butts outside every designated non-smoking office building and business in our country. And how about those inflated clown toys we used to punch in the faces when we were kids and the smiling clowns wouldn’t stay down because they had sand-weighted bottoms? The list of important uses for sand is endless. Although we once faced a similar oil shortage before and the idea of drilling in the Alaskan wilderness area didn’t work out as some people had hoped, we must persevere in our quest for sand. We will have to gather sand from our other coastlines. Our largest supplies of sand could easily be exploited from the beaches of Florida, Texas, Hawaii and California. Of course, there would be a general outcry from environmentalists, sunbathers, vacationers and tourism people. Eventually those protesters might be convinced that our country’s increasing needs for sandpaper, two-minute egg timers and golf sand traps far outweigh the importance of their nearly extinct species of sand crabs, bronzed skin and souvenir T-shirts. Based on the need for sand, not only in the Mideast but in other parts of the world, Saudi Arabia and its sand-rich neighbors might decide to form a powerful coalition. Based on the concepts of the powerful Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, they could easily create OSEC, also known as the Organization of the Sand Exporting Countries. Sand and international politics will become as synonymous as oil and international politics. In light of the sand ban in Saudi Arabia and our own limited supply of beach sand, it might be wise for us to develop sand alternatives. We will need to test materials that are granular, such as coffee grounds, sawdust and ground glass. We will also need some very creative sandologists.

I cried deeper over the death of Babe Ruth than when my own father died. Now, the "Babe" died six years before I was born — I never met the man. But when historic footage of Babe Ruth's 1948 funeral aired on my PBS channel, I cried heartily. And when my Siamese cat, Ginseng, succumbed to illness 10 years ago, I was inconsolable. But when my father died in 1994, I was merely sad and did not cry me a river.So what is wrong with me?! Quick — to the therapist, please!The above events are true and I have spent hours analyzing them. Get a life, you say? Well, that's just what I'm trying to do. Despite my own very eclectic and eventful existence, questions linger as to why memories of my past are more potent than significant experiences of the present. My long-time therapist has fancy terms for this condition, but she hasn't shared them with me yet. She wisely allows me to grope in the dark for answers.One answer I stumbled upon recently reveals that Dad's death represented the end of 82 years of volcanic literary production; the end of a full life.Entertained his grandchildren. Had old age knee surgery. Grayed beyond his temples. He lived a long and superlative existence. By contrast, the memory of the unconditional love of Ginseng or the reminder that my childhood baseball hero is long dead, stirs any repressed desires to be a child again, when life was simpler, safer, surer. When I saw the Babe on TV lying in state, I was moved to recall my youth and how it hurt less than adulthood. But there is no urgency to feel equal pain for a father's long life well lived.Well, that's my take on it. I don't have to feel guilty about whose death deserves more tears. There is more to that iceberg, of course, and it is my life's work to grope in the dark for answers.My reality at this moment is that I am trying to write a column here that will persuade a newspaper editor to take me. I've been a columnist my entire life, but only now feel I've groped in the dark long enough to make my words meaningful. (I did write a column for a weekly paper 25 years ago when the iceberg was so-o-o much smaller and less distinguishable!) But it has taken me six months from when I first decided to pursue column writing again to actually sit down and write one! And it was the fear of failure that delayed me. Fear of the paper rejecting me. Fear that you wouldn't appreciate my musings. Fear that the one activity I enjoy and have succeeded at will fail me — and whatever I choose next will not be as rewarding. And there is a startling fear that if I succeed and enjoy it, I will one day upon retirement miss these good old days. (Hey, I told you I needed a therapist!)The precise moment I finally decided to write this column was prompted by the realization that writing is my therapy; that a life of writing columns could provide a lifetime of healthy emotional exercise. That is how I came to accept displaying more emotion to a video tape of Babe Ruth's funeral than to the sight of my father's wooden casket in the dark ground — I started writing this column and the normality of my emotions was realized. Writing this is how I came to learn that it is normal to not always appear "normal."Now, if you will excuse me, my therapist in California is expecting a call for my monthly iceberg expedition.

10 years ago (1993)"The Luverne City Council approved pay for themselves, pay for city employees and approved the levy for 1994 at their meeting Monday.While city employees will see a small increase, the mayor and Council members took a 20 percent cut in their pay. According to the Council memo, ‘This is done in recognition of the tight budget year for 1994, particularly as related to the area economy following the 1993 flooding.’"25 years ago (1978)"Neither the Magnolia School nor the Ellsworth School will be in existence as separate entities within three years if they do not pair (merge but retain individual identity).That view was expressed by Jay Heath, superintendent of both schools, at a meeting of residents of the Magnolia District Monday evening.… The report indicated that the Magnolia District has had an enrollment decline of 41 percent in the last eight years."50 years ago (1953)"If the present trend continues, there is a possibility that the Luverne post office will have handled more Christmas mail this year than they did a year ago.Up to Monday night, total cancellations since December 10 had amounted 117,361, reaching a peak Monday of 19,173, according to Postmaster Martin E. Jensen."75 years ago (1928)"Among the Rock County people who have followed the career of President-elect Herbert Hoover, none has been more deeply interested than Wm. E. Marshall, of Clinton Township. Mr. Marshall spent his boyhood in the West Branch, Iowa, community at about the same time that Herbert Hoover was one of the town’s juveniles, and Mrs. Jennie Scellars, present owner of Herbert Hoover’s childhood home, is a sister of Mr. Marshall.Mr. Marshall knew Mr. Hoover as a boy of ten or twelve years prior to his leaving for the west to live with an uncle and recalls him as a serious-minded lad."100 years ago (1903)"T.I. Aaker, of Beaver Creek Township, was a caller at the Herald office Wednesday, and he reported that a few days before he had delivered to Ed Baker, E.A. Brown’s buyer at Garretson, a load of barley containing 104 bushels, with a net weight of 5,200 pounds, for which he received 29 cents a bushel."

Ellie Sandager attended the Sioux Valley Hospital volunteer luncheon at The Oaks in Sioux Falls last Wednesday. Karen Soehl and Alice Kolsrud motored to Sioux Falls and picked up Carol Kolsrud, then went to the home of Olive Kolsrud to help her celebrate her 95th birthday which was Dec. 1. Cliff and Vi VanWyhe attended the Augustana Christmas Vespers Sunday evening at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. The title of the performance was "Fear Not."Wendell and Kathryn Erickson spent from last week Monday until Friday at the home of Hans and Susan Erickson in Eagan getting acquainted with their new grandson, Maxwell Raymond. They also had a visit with Wendell’s brother, Charles, in the area. Charles and Rheta DeBoer attended the performance of "The Messiah" at First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls on Sunday afternoon.The family of Joanne Goehle enjoyed their Thanksgiving at the home of Vivian Holst in Luverne.Cliff and Vi Van Wyhe attended the annual Christmas program at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, Sunday night. Ashley DeWit, their granddaughter, participated in the program. Marvin Albers and Cheryl and Rich Pavel, drove to Rochester where they are spending a couple of days while Marv is visiting his brother. Rheta DeBoer and her sister, Judy Steen, Sibley, Iowa, went to Orange City, Iowa, Thursday to help Mina Pals celebrate her 90th birthday. They were neighbors in Hull, Iowa, in the earlier years. Joanne Goehle went to Lake Benton last Tuesday night to watch Katie Hadler play basketball. Several members of the Sandager families and friends stopped in to wish Victor Sandager a happy birthday on Saturday.

Our weather continues to be very unpredictable. We have several days with temperatures warm enough you hardly need a sweater! However, don’t trust it as the very next day the temperatures reach a new low and of course the wind has to blow. Rain has been predicted several times but it usually turns into freezing drizzle which makes everything slippery and then we have several inches of snow. It certainly makes life interesting as one never knows if it is going to be a nice late fall day or a cold stormy day with rain, or snow and the usual wind that blows. I think fall does not want to give up her role to winter, who is anxiously awaiting his turn to be in charge of the weather. I used to think the weatherman was a male. I have changed my mind for a short time. Now I thought the weatherman was a woman, as you know how easily we change our minds. However, I have changed my mind again. I think it is controlled by two spoiled children who want to have their own way. Regardless who is in charge, we know who is going to win as winter arrives on Dec. 22 regardless if we are ready for his appearance or not, so be prepared!Steen Senior Citizens had their December meeting on Monday, Dec. 1. Their December meeting is always a Christmas party. This year it was at Luverne Pizza Ranch where they enjoyed dinner together and spent the afternoon playing games and cards. Needless to say they enjoyed a delicious dinner and a good time was had by all!Our deepest sympathy goes out to Pastor Dan and Karen Ramaker on the death of Karen’s mother on Saturday. Funeral services were Tuesday morning at Chandler Reformed Church in Chandler where she made her home at one time.Winnie Scholten and Mildred Paulsen joined the Frontier Bank Freedom Club in Rock Rapids to travel to Pipestone Friday evening to attend the Al Opland Singers Christmas Concert, "The Four Faces of Christmas," which was at the Performing Arts Center in Pipestone. They enjoyed dinner at the Glass House in Ihlen prior to the concert. Jo and Joyce Aykens, Vince and Laurie Kurtz and Makenzie, Aplington, Iowa, and Susan and Jadeyn Veldkamp, Orange City, Iowa, were Sunday dinner guests in the Paul and Carole Aykens home in Orange City. Following the meal they attended a Christmas concert at Northwestern College in Orange City. Funeral services for Gertie Martens were at Steen Reformed Church on Friday following a brief illness. Burial was in East Side Cemetery. Our deepest sympathy goes out to her family. The Hills-Beaver Creek elementary students will present their winter concert titled "Presents without Packages" at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11. Orrin and Bernice Aukes attended the Sunday School Christmas Program for their granddaughter, Taylor Telford, at Wesley United Methodist Church in Sioux Falls Sunday evening. The pastor of that church is the daughter of Duane Gage, Lester, Iowa. Dries and Laura May Bosch attended the lighting ceremony for Falls Park in Sioux Falls Sunday evening. The mayor of Sioux Falls, Mayor Munson, threw the switch for the lighting of the lights for the ceremony. Melvin and JoAnn Paulsen were Sunday dinner guests in the home of their son, Glen and Marla Paulsen, in Sioux Falls. They celebrated four birthdays from Marla’s family. Two were nieces from Sibley, Iowa, and two were from Marla’s family. Dries and Laura May Bosch attended their granddaughters, Emma and Isabel Bosch, daughters of Tom and Amy Bosch, Sunday School program at Community Reformed Church in Sioux Falls on Sunday afternoon. Emma, who is eight years old, accompanied some of the singing. Congratulations to Kathy and Randy Fick on the birth of a baby girl, Kenadie Jo, on Dec. 3.The Steen Reformed Church Christmas Program will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. So, keep you schedule open. Leonard Bajema will celebrate his 85th birthday on Dec. 11. Birthday wishes can be sent to him at 605 South Josephine, Hills, MN 56138. Happy birthday to him!December has arrived! All of the stores are filled with beautiful gifts for those you love. The Sunday Schools are practicing for their Christmas programs and our homes are being decorated for the Advent season. A popular decoration is the Christmas tree. Almost everyone has one. They are usually evergreens. God made evergreens. From the seedlings in the palm of the ground to mature trees, they are the Christmas tree. They can be decorated in their natural state, with strung popcorn and cranberries, and slices of orange to feed the winter birds. They also provide shelter for some of God’s other little creatures. The Christmas tree is a symbol of joy. Its appearance during December, marks the advent of a season of gladness that is unmatched by any other time of the year. For the devout, the evergreen Christmas tree signifies the promise of eternal life. For the children, it means not only the fun of planning surprises for loved ones, exchanging packages with friends and receiving gifts too wonderful to hope for. It is the time of reliving and helping to celebrate again that birthday of long ago when a brilliant star guided travelers to Bethlehem. I hope this will help us remember the reason for the season as we prepare for the Christmas holiday.

This would be a good time for Yogi Berra to repeat his famous words — "It’s like deja vu all over again." Believe it or not, Saudi Arabia has fears of depleting another natural resource, but this time it’s not oil. It’s sand. According to BBC News and the Arab News newspaper, Saudi Arabia, which has more sand than oil, "has reportedly imposed strict border checks to enforce a ban on the export of sand." In addition, "There are fears that the growing demands of the construction industry could lead to a shortage in the desert kingdom." Bahrain and Iraq, two neighboring countries, would like to import Saudi sand. Bahrain needs the sand to reclaim land from the sea and Iraq will need sand with its reconstruction. The news about the sand ban doesn’t mention the need for sand in our own homeland. We need sand for children’s sand boxes, sand traps on golf courses, and we need sand for sandbags, which divert floodwaters and save countless lives and homes every spring. In addition, we shouldn’t forget our national need for sand for two-minute egg timers, hour glasses and, of course, sandpaper. Without a free flow of sand from Saudi Arabia, we could easily become a nation of unsanded edges and painful wooden splinters in millions of fingers. We should not overlook our need for sand in those free-standing receptacles for cigarette butts outside every designated non-smoking office building and business in our country. And how about those inflated clown toys we used to punch in the faces when we were kids and the smiling clowns wouldn’t stay down because they had sand-weighted bottoms? The list of important uses for sand is endless. Although we once faced a similar oil shortage before and the idea of drilling in the Alaskan wilderness area didn’t work out as some people had hoped, we must persevere in our quest for sand. We will have to gather sand from our other coastlines. Our largest supplies of sand could easily be exploited from the beaches of Florida, Texas, Hawaii and California. Of course, there would be a general outcry from environmentalists, sunbathers, vacationers and tourism people. Eventually those protesters might be convinced that our country’s increasing needs for sandpaper, two-minute egg timers and golf sand traps far outweigh the importance of their nearly extinct species of sand crabs, bronzed skin and souvenir T-shirts. Based on the need for sand, not only in the Mideast but in other parts of the world, Saudi Arabia and its sand-rich neighbors might decide to form a powerful coalition. Based on the concepts of the powerful Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, they could easily create OSEC, also known as the Organization of the Sand Exporting Countries. Sand and international politics will become as synonymous as oil and international politics. In light of the sand ban in Saudi Arabia and our own limited supply of beach sand, it might be wise for us to develop sand alternatives. We will need to test materials that are granular, such as coffee grounds, sawdust and ground glass. We will also need some very creative sandologists.

The Village has taken on a new look for Christmas decorations have been placed. Our tree is so high it reaches the ceiling. Stan and Ed put it up but Villagers placed the decorations. With lights outside and snow on the ground it does look a lot like Christmas.The 10th annual Tree of Lights program came to the Village. Some 55 people sang the familiar carols accompanied by Stan Nelson, Lois Nelson and Al Berdahl, and listened as names were read in memoriam. The Rev. J.R. Henderson of New Life Church spoke and a very entertaining program resolved. At the close the big tree at the Tuff Home with thousands of lights was turned on. The lights will burn for the rest of the season. Lunch was served. The Tree of Lights is sponsored by the Hospice of the Luverne Community Hospital in Hills, Adrian, Ellsworth, Luverne and Edgerton.Carolyn has returned from Arizona boasting of warm weather. She did what she likes best, shopped; went to the church she and Howard always attended seeing people she knew and she went to a Cardinal ballgame. Even brought back a cap for Bud. She?s glad to be home. Would like to live in Arizona if she could take the Village friends with her.We express our sympathy to the family of Gertie Martens. Gertie was known by many who worked hard at church functions and made quilts for the family who loved ?em. In her memory a three foot tree was placed in the entry. They also shared a platter of cake, more than they could use. We thank them for it.Birthdays seem to come in abundance, not one at a time. This week we had Vic S., Arnold T. and Alta Olson. Fran served red velvet cake and you remember the chocolate cake we made and put in red food coloring? Then with frosting it was delicious. He had lots of visitors. Alta had lots of family members to eat with her in the dining room with beautiful flowers as centerpieces and cake for everyone and then more cake in celebration of Arnold T. I received an interesting letter from Carol Nelson Krause. She enclosed a letter from a 3rd grade grandson with the help of his teacher on the thoughts of a report card. Did we ever think the report card is a snapshot of ourselves? We want to see a well-groomed person, a smart, no blemish child better than others the same age. You push the child to do better sometimes with unrealistic goals. The teacher knows the child as one person we as another, blending both together makes the real "Me."My wheelchair has been a handicap this week. I ran into a bird in my entry and wrecked him and then I was struggling down the hall with Erma trying to help and I?ve discovered we had the brakes on. Not good for a Monday morning.I?ll keep you posted.