Category: Family
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Last grandgoobers soccer game
I was able to watch the last two grandgoobers soccer games today in the brisk fall weather. Son-in-law is the coach and does a nice job. The kids seem to enjoy themselves and are looking forward to playing more. Now we are sitting in them living room watching everyone get their Halloween costume on for…
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Early airport trip
My wife is heading to Vegas with three others to watch the Professional Bull Riders Team Championship. Alarms went off at 2:30am. The dog said hell no and went back to bed. I got back from dropping them off about 45 minutes ago and the dog didn’t even come out to greet me. But I…
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Dog in the Sun in the Fall
I was working in the yard yesterday and Luna was helping in the best way.
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I bled today
I bled today…on purpose. The Red Cross makes…
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Camping
Camping in northern Minnesota.
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Sleeping Dog
Yes, this is a (short) video.
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How are you doing?
I get that question a lot. Friends. Family. Coworkers. Every visitor and phone call. Every text and email. When people started using it after my heart attack last week, it seemed like the social lubricant “Hi, how are you?” we all say to start conversation. Except it isn’t. Normally, we use it to start conversation,…
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I almost died the other day
Seriously. Heart attack while shoveling snow. The surgeon told my wife that if we hadn’t called 911, I wouldn’t have made it. I had the widowmaker heart attack. Named in the days when they didn’t think women had heart attacks, this occurs when the artery feeding the left ventricle (the big blood pump) gets clogged.…
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A Short Piano Journey
My son played piano when he was a kid. Unfortunately, I pushed too hard on the practicing and he left it behind when our piano teacher moved away. But he had skills…maybe someday he will choose to play again.
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Saving lives is in their blood: Three generations donate blood
Back in 2012, I was travelling with one of my daughters to Oregon to see my dad. As I have mentioned elsewhere, my dad has long been a blood donor. Kelsey was interested in starting, so this happened. Story from TV station KVAL in Eugene. John Bredesen, his son John Jr. and granddaughter Kelsey, all…
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My Dad’s 85th Birthday
As I sit down to write this little note for my dad’s 85th birthday, it is hard to wrap my head around all the ways he has influenced me. The fabric of his personality is such a part of me; it is difficult to extract the specific threads. So I’ll pick two of them for…
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Phoenix Residence: My sister is now on the Board of Directors!
My younger sister lives in a group home operated by Phoenix Residences. The staff do an awesome job in a challenging financial situation. My older sister** was recently elected to the Phoenix Board of Directors. I think her analytic and communication skills, along with her compassion, will be a great addition. Congrats Sis! ** Special…
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The Christmas Model Train
The Christmas tree train went up today. Like every year. I remember having a model train when I was a kid. The old 3-rail O scale. It had a diesel engine and some really cool cars. Ok, John, stop with the description and search the internet for it…bingo — found it on my first search…
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Thankfulness
Today is Thanksgiving, a time to be thankful. I am very thankful for my health. Knock on wood, I have dodged severe health issues. I am very thankful for my family. The household I grew up in had love and books, both of which, through zero effort on my part, set me on a good…
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Rainier: Remembering a great dog
In 1999, our family moved back from Seattle, WA to St. Paul, MN. Shortly after arriving, we got a dog. A black lab/springer spaniel mix that we named Rainier. In 2012, Rainier passed away. He was a great dog. I wrote a short piece when he died. https://johnbredesen.com/2014/10/07/rainier-the-perfect-gentleman/ A quick note about the photo. The…
