Entries by dickbernard

A Thank You Note

Yesterday morning, Jan. 10), I was at my usual “work” station at “my” Caribou Coffee, and three young girls went to work on the blackboard…they were just being kids, and they were fun to watch.  By the time I decided their work would be a neat photo, two of they were elsewhere, but one came […]

Andrena

POSTNOTE Jan.19, 2026: I dedicated my Jan. 19 MLK post to Andrena.  You can read it here.  Martin Luther King Jr was 34 years old when he wrote the famous public Letter from the Birmingham Jail to eight clergy leaders in Birmingham.  It is easy to forget that he was a very young man.  He […]

ICE in Minnesota

UPDATE Jan. 11, 2026: In my personal normal life in Minnesota, all is okay in my own “sphere”.  But all is not okay for this state where I’ve lived for all but one of the last 63 years.  Here’s an update on the last 72 or so hours.  Take the time…. UPDATE: Jan. 12: I […]

Five Years Ago Jan. 6, 2021

Today is the 5th anniversary of the riot at the Capitol of the United States of America. Today the Minnesota Star Tribune indicates that Minnesota is likely to be the reprise of what previously has happened in places like Chicago – federal ICE agents arriving in force. Yesterday I learned that a plaque memorializing January […]

Venezuela

UPDATE January 4, 2026:  Numerous comments today.  Within the week, I plan to revisit a powerful week in December 2003 in Haiti.  This will be a separate post.  It seems particularly relevant to today, and is my own first person retrospective – my own opinion.  In times like this, the movers of agendas do not […]

…in with the new….

My understanding is that the 250th birthday of the United States of America is July 4, 2026, in recognition of the signing of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776.  The move toward independence began earlier.  More can be read here. On July 4, 2025 – our 249th birthday, we began our 250th year as […]

Out with the old…

December 31, 2025 We now have 345 days experience with the regime, which “we, the people” elected Nov. 5, 2024. Here, again, is the total vote in November, 2024. You know where your single vote appears above. When you had the opportunity to select your representatives, for the most part the candidate you voted for, […]

“Make do”

December 20 I went in for my haircut, still a regular event in my life, albeit thinner.  Just a haircut and beard trim, once every four weeks. This particular day I said to Pamela, “I suppose you’ve been pretty busy”.   Pam, who’s also the manager, said they were pretty busy for the holiday, but […]

“Silent Night….”

Banner at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church, Minnetonka MN. Thank you to Nancy who took the photo, and Kathy who forwarded it on. from Nancy: I don’t know the author. It’s a banner on the wall of our church. I think it’s pretty public. from Kathy: “Christmas will always be,,as long as we stand heart to […]

The Certificate of Life

All best wishes at Christmas, and for a good New Year.  Following is a family story which, in one way or another, likely applies to all of us. Dec. 14, my brother, John, sent an e-mail with a most intriguing document: the death certificate for our grandfather Henry Bernard, died May 23, 1957 in Fargo […]