Every now and then, I like to look up the news from the homeworld. My reaction is always the same- "I spent 13 of the first 15 years of my life in the middle of nowhere??" Yep, indeed I did.
Walker, MN- at least when I lived there- was a town of just less than 1,000 people about two hours south of the Canadian border. During the winter, the main form of transportation was more often than not a snowmobile (hey, when it's -40F, a snowmobile is about the only thing that will start). It prides itself as the icefishing capitol of the world, and fishing- both summer and winter- is Walker's main industry. Yes, it's in the middle of nowhere, but Walker, in it's own inimitable way- is a hotbed of breaking news. Check out these nuggets from this week's issue of the Walker Pilot:
1) Walker Rotary wins five district awards : AND a Rotarian of the Year Award!!
2) Walker Council denies development project: Nope, we're going to remain the same backwater we've always been, OK?
3) Akeley to host community center open house May 30: Be sure to clear your calendars. Hot dish and jello will be plentiful!!
4) Hackensack approves plats, permits, junk car ordinance: This, unfortuntately, means that my cousin Robert will have to find another place to live.
5) Student-made CD threatens Laporte pupils: Yes, even in the Great White North, evil lurks....
OK, so it's not the New York Times, but then I come from a place where driving a snowmobile across a frozen lake at 70MPH is considered high art. I DO miss those snowmobiles sometimes, but then I remember what the first four letters are: SNOW. No thanks, I'll take my palm trees any day o' the week.
'Til next time, that's all the news from northern Minnesota- where men are men, and sheep keep their distance.