We are Ladyslipper Lane news junkies. Prior to moving here, the King went to the store every morning when he was at home and bought two daily newspapers. Reading them, we wiled away more hours than I care to admit, but thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we cut down on time and no longer have stacks of newspapers to dispose of.

Very good, except for one thing! Crossword puzzles. Love ‘em, but not in a special crossword book and not on the computer. I like the daily paper (early in the week when the puzzles are easiest)) and a fine-point pen. Always on the look out, I occasionally manage to scam one at the coffee shop or from one of my co-workers.

Grandpa's weekly indulgence was the Sunday paper, and they sat on the porch devouring it. Dad (second from left) always got the sports, Uncle Don (far right) got the comics. No doubt Grandpa (far left) read it all! Joining them this Sunday were Dad’s two Kunnari cousins, Johnny and Irene Rauma — children of Grandpa’s sister Fina, the only one of his siblings to immigrate to America.

Grandpa wrote for at least one Finnish/American newspaper, Minnesota Uutiset, mostly about politics and religion. Dad said they were always asking him for more articles. Several years back, I took a drive to New York Mills with Mom and Dad, and we stopped at the newspaper office. We told them that Grandpa had written for them, and a gentleman took us over to big books that held original copies of the paper. He turned a few pages, and there before us appeared an article Grandpa wrote in the late 1940's. He tore the page right out of the book and gave it to Dad (unfortunately, now lost).

The Minnesota Uutiset is archived on microfilm at the Minnesota Historical Society. I spent a couple hours there several years ago, and found nothing written by Grandpa, but there were lots of articles asking American Finns to send support to Finland to help them fight the Russians. (If you want to know more about that, an excellent book is A Frozen Hell: The Russo-Finnish War, 1939-1940 by William Trotter). Staring at Finn for hours caused my eyes to swim after awhile. I plan to try again.

Dad tells me I am much like Grandpa. I want to know what he had to say — about everything.

The Preacher sought acceptable words, even to write down rightly words of truth or correct sentiment. Ecclesiastes 12:10