My wife Roxie starts her 33rd year of working with preschool children on Monday. That means the summer is over for us. I think I say this every year, but where did the summer go?

Seems like just yesterday I was at Pebble Creek Golf Course covering the state golf meet in Becker. That was the first part of June and here it is the middle of August. As many of you know, summer is not my favorite season. Mostly, because of the weather. I deplore hot weather, actually anything over 80 degrees is too warm for me. I also don’t like fighting mosquitoes and flies and I run when I see a bee or wasp. You don’t have to worry about that in the winter. I can think of other reasons for not liking summer, but I’ll leave that for another blog. We did have some good times this summer. I was looking back on what we did and how much we did and how fast it went.

Summer starts for me when I get to go to Canby for Food Wagon Fridays in the parking lot of Jim’s Market. I know I am working, but I enjoy broadcasting with Manager Brian McKeen and the many non profit groups that are there working the food wagon. Jim’s Market gives all the proceeds to whatever group is working that Friday. I have met so many wonderful people from the Canby area since I started doing this. Brian and his crew do a great job preparing the food and Brian is the grill master! So, I know it’s summer when I make the drive over to Canby on Fridays.

Heritage Days outside of Montevideo is the kick-off to summer as well. Again I am working, but I look at my job as not a job and I have so much fun “working.” Summer is suppose to be the fun season and enjoying the outdoors. At Heritage Days I look forward to interviewing people who are so passionate about restoring old farm equipment and love to talk about the old days of farming.

My granddaughter Gretta was a princess for Fiesta Days this past year and it was her last parade in Montevideo. She really enjoyed her time as princess and representing Montevideo. It was fun watching her on the float. Golfing is a big part of my summer as well. Our annual Raymo Cup was held at Lake Okoboji in Iowa in July. It was our 20th year of the Raymo guys getting together during the summer and hanging out and having lots of fun. I also golf in a number of tournaments with my coworker Kris, representing the radio station. We always have so much fun, even though it has been 90 to 100 degrees golfing some tournaments this summer.

We took a family vacation this year with our kids and grandkids. We went to the Black Hills the first week of July. We rented a large VRBO and had the best family time! Hats off to my daughter Brianna and son-in-law Seth for organizing everything. All I had to do was show up! I love spending time with my family. Making memories with my grandkids is very important to me. I want them to remember grandpa when he is gone. I have great memories with my Grandpa Raymo that I cherish very much. After we left the Black Hills, Roxie and I had a few days together enjoying our vacation. We took a different way home and took our time exploring some of the smaller towns in South Dakota.

My summer is winding down covering a number of county fairs. I really have so much fun representing KLQP radio at these fairs. I am a people person and enjoy visiting with everyone at the county fairs. I don’t mind the fair food either. I am looking forward to Swift County in Appleton this week and Lac qui Parle in September.

It was a summer of heartache. The number of severe storms we had this summer was astonishing. So much wind damage and extreme dangerous temperatures. Also for me, the unexpected deaths of people I knew well was heart breaking. I was hoping we’d be able to move past Covid but had several friends and family still test positive this summer.

That is my summer in a nutshell. It went so fast. So bring on Fall and Winter!! My favorite seasons.