Column: Pat Mulso, Preserving the Past

Arnie and I attended my annual sibling reunion hosted this year by my youngest sister, Deb. She had a family trivia game that brought back memories, and we all had some good laughs as we reminisced over past family events.

It was interesting to hear how different siblings remember events differently. There is 12 years between the five of us, so that of course was a factor in how we remembered. When was the last time you got together with all of your siblings just for the fun of gathering together? Not for a funeral, wedding, graduation or other special event, but just because you’re family? If you can’t remember, it’s time. Maybe you are the one who should initiate the gathering.

I remember that when times were rough growing up my mom always told us God never gives you more than you can handle. She always seemed to be able to find some good in every situation and the strength to get her through the tough times. I know her strong faith was a comfort to her and she always seemed to know what to say or do to help us through difficult times. She also taught us valuable lessons in not judging others or making hasty conclusions. She would point out that there are always at least two sides to a situation and said unless you walked in someone’s shoes, you don’t know what they are feeling or what they may be dealing with. I sure miss my mother, but her memory is with me always.

You may have heard already, before we left on our trip, Arnie had a close call with a tumble over our retaining walls with the mower. He is bruised and skinned up, but had X-rays of his shoulder, ribs, wrist, knees and feet, and we are happy to say there were no broken bones. It’s a miracle, and we feel blessed. I told him that was quite extreme to try to get out of going to my reunion! Just joking about the reunion, but thankful he was not hurt more than he was. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring, so what better reason to make the most of today!

The museum will host a four-hour defensive driving refresher class from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 9. The cost is $19, and you must pre-register for the class. You will need your driver’s license when you register. We will offer another class from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 6. The four-hour refresher class is needed every three years after the initial eight-hour class, to continue receiving a discount on your auto insurance.

The museum and village will be open extended hours during the fair. The gate by the village church will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 5. Once you have been admitted to the fair you may enter the museum at no additional cost.

We continue to work on our photo scanning project, and if you are looking for a program for an organization or group, we have several different PowerPoint presentations we can share with you of Freeborn County photos from the past.

Be sure to keep an eye on the progress of our building expansion project and consider making a donation to help us reach our goal so we can complete the project in a timely manner as we continue to build the future by preserving the past.

 

Pat Mulso is the executive director of the Freeborn County Historical Museum in Albert Lea.