Email From Our Friend Chris

Friends/Colleagues/Family -

Most of you probably know by now that I got in a terrible accident on Wednesday AM on the way to work. I am in a good amount of pain right now, but it pales in comparison to what could have happened to me.

I wanted to send you all these pictures to give you a visual example of what can happen when you take your eyes off the road for 2 seconds. In my case I was sending an email out. I'll warn you - my car is a twisted hunk of metal so if that may bother you than don't open these. I am extremely lucky to be walking and talking right now.

Please let my mistake be a lesson for everyone. Every time you get in your car I beg of you to please:

1 - put on your seatbelt - even if you are just running to the store around the corner
2 - there is no email or text message that cannot wait until you are not driving. Nothing is that important.

Feel free to send this to your wives, husbands, friends, anyone - to show them the end result of not paying 100% attention to the road when you are driving.

You all know that I'm always joking around, but I cannot be more serious about this. I would hate to lose any of you to a situation like this that can easily be avoided.

Buckle Up Please - it saved my life.

Take care

Chris

Cowboy Quote

We are all travelers in this world...
From the Sweet Grass, to the Packing house.
From Birth to Death. Traveling between Eternities...
Now take your Canteen and Tin of Crackers, and 'Git.

-- Robert Duvall as Print Ritter in Broken Trail (adapted)

Here, Learn Something

I felt like adding something to the blog, but since I am in limbo between Summer Wedding #2 and #3 (of 5), I have no interesting events to recap. In lieu of a story, I have chosen to post something potentially useful:

How to Fold a Fitted Sheet
(you know you want to know how to do this)

1. Spread out the sheet with the elastic facing up and all edges folded in.
2. Fold the sheet in half (bottom to top) and place the two bottom corners inside the two top corners. Then smooth out the sheet so that it resembles a semicircle.
3. Fold the sheet in half horizontally, turning it over so the elastic corners are on the bottom.
4. Fold the sheet into thirds, horizontally. Then fold it in thirds lengthwise. Voila -- You should have a perfect square!

-- Courtesy of Springmaid Home Fashions

How About Some Random Pictures?

I just had a chance to upload some new pictures. There is really no rhyme, reason, or story here. Just good clean photo fun. Enjoy!

Shannon's graduation ceremony on May 12, 2006.

Jon and Kona

Jon, Shannon, Louriann, and Mac in Hawaii.

My cousin Jamie's wedding and her new husband, Brian.

Spend Your Money Here

Last year, my sister and brother-in-law took a chance on a dream and purchased a gift shop (with much more than just gifts inside!) in a town called Emily, MN. If you can't tell already, this blog entry is shaping into a shameless plug for their store - the Rustic River Trading Company. The risk they took in opening the store paid off in more ways than one. Not only has the business thrived by bringing amazing North Woods inspired furniture, artwork, clothing, and artwork to the Brainerd Lakes Area, it completely changed their formerly urban lifestyle. They became an important part of Minnesota community that relies on quality businesses like the Rustic River Trading Company to attract tourism (and keep all those fishermen's and hunters' wives and daughters happy).

Here's the shameless plug part: go there and spend money! Come on all you Minnesotans that read this blog from time to time, get up there and send that Minnesota hoodie to your college roommate freezing his butt off on the East Coast. Ladies, ditch your guys on the lake and stop in for some gourmet coffee and some handmade jewelry. Support my sister and brother-in-law and have some fun doing it. They work really hard to make customers happy because they know how they want to be treated as consumers. The best part - no mosquitoes inside the store!

Visit their brand new website with pictures, maps, and contact information! http://www.rusticrivertradingcompany.com/