Mary Franklin Rohr's 88th Birthday, Thompson Reunion and Edstrom Reunion

My parents, wife, sister and I flew back to Minnesota for my mother's sister, Mary, 88th birthday, a Thompson family reunion and an Edstrom family reunion.

We visited where my parents grew up and the Spring Garden Lutheran Church where many of the Edstrom's are buried that I will have in a separate upcoming blog post so my father can put in his memories and information as well.

Below are some of the highlights.

Above is my mother on the left and my Aunt Mary on the right.  It was a GREAT birthday party!

My sister and I went bass fishing with my cousin Kyle on his mother of all bass boats.  My sister caught a very nice large mouth that our Uncle Luverne enjoyed that night for dinner.

Below is my sister catching the nice bass.


Below is my mother and sister in Cannon Falls at the Fair Grounds area on a beautiful day being towed on a trailer with a couch.

The first day we surprised my aunt on the Bier Stube in Hastings.  My father is out above after the big surprise lunch.

Below is me giving a tour of my Uncle Tat Thompson's Mercury that he absolutely loved.




Below Julie and I sat on one of my cousin Troy's Harley at Tom and Cindy's house for a Thompson Reunion.

Below are the Harley's leaving Tom's.




Tom gave us a tour of his garage above and a tour of Zumbrota in his 1939 Chevy below.

 Above my father met with his five cousins in Hastings during the trip as well.

Above is Mary with her grandchildren at her 88th birthday party.

Below is at Mary and Marvin's place in Hastings.

Above is my godfather, Uncle Luverne, standing is my Uncle Merle and my father is seated next to his brother.

Below is the Red Diamond Saloon in Randolph, MN where the two uncles above and my other uncle Gene (now deceased) took me in 1977 and got me the drunkest I have ever been on my 18th birthday.  Now some of it was my fault :-), I walked in and it was .25 for a beer, so I said, "A quarter a beer, it's my 18th birthday, two beers for everyone in here on me!"  Well, needless to say that made me pretty popular for return beers in Randolph :-)  The population is 447 today and likely below 350 in 1977.  My three uncles thought, quite correctly, that it was hilarious that they got the oldest grandson of Kenny and Dorothy Edstrom and the son of John K. Edstrom absolutely stupid drunk on his 18th birthday.  They busted my chops forever on that day :-)

Below on the flight back, I put my parents in first class as they automatically upgraded me and Julie.  My mother had picked up a stomach bug and was not feeling that great as you can see in the photo.

It was a fun 6 day trip back to Minnesota.