The Lt. Adam Gustafson Memorial Fund has been giving away $305 meat packages, along with smokers, grills, and cooktops to local first responders for five months now. Adam loved to cook and his badge number was 305. It’s been fun making deliveries to area departments in Adam’s honor, but even more so when there’s
Read MoreGod puts people in your life long before you know you’ll need them. Our last season of hockey as a family of five brought new and closer friendships. One man was a delight to get to know and Adam and I enjoyed talking to him. He was wheelchair bound, which isn’t easy in a northern climate. Snow, ice, dicey roads and tons of travel for hockey, but...
Read MoreSummer is here. That means it is grilling season. Smoking meat. Blackstone breakfasts. Time to cook outside. Adam loved cooking meat. Inviting people over to eat his smoked ribs, meatloaf, pulled pork, or burgers. He enjoyed buying in bulk and cooking for the masses. After losing Adam, we created the Lt. Adam Gustafson Memorial Fund (LAGMF) as a...
Read MoreI decided if I must own 150+ bottles of whiskey, they may as well be pretty. Last year’s basement remodel by The Home Authority did just that. What a beautiful space to showcase Adam’s collection. He would have loved looking at these shelves, though it may have fueled his drive to keep hunting for rare and coveted
Read MoreI recently shared about fun times at Victual in the small town of Crosby, Minnesota. It wasn’t my first time there. I took my kids for our first Memorial Day weekend trip in 2022 as a family of four. We survived the first anniversary of my husband’s sudden death and then I packed up my kids and headed to Crosby, determined to enjoy the long...
Read MoreThere is so much sadness these days. Good people facing difficult circumstances. When tragedy strikes it can feel like some are looking at me to see how I got through. “Through” implies there’s another side. An end.
Read MoreHockey has taken me to Crosby, Minnesota three times this season. It holds a special place in my heart. It was the first solo trip I took the kids on by myself over Memorial Day the year after Adam died. I’ll tell you about that trip later. Today, I’m talking Victual. The smallest liquor store in
Read MoreThe recent passing of Toby Keith had me reminiscing. I love his music - so many good singing songs. His patriotism. Adam loved country music and he loved America. Toby came over to Baghdad, Iraq when Adam and I were serving there in 2005. We waited patiently for him to fly in on a helicopter and put on a show in the middle of the
Read MoreOn my last radio appearance, we talked new years, new goals. Not quite “resolutions” because the word itself seems to imply lofty aspirations and certain failure. I shared the monthly goal list I work from and how breaking the year down into 12 smaller goals makes it easier for me to find
Read MoreI’m grateful for this space to process my grief. I am still surprised when someone stops me to say they read my blog or sends me an email about a specific post that meant something to them. Blogs can feel like you’re writing to everyone and no one at all. I’ve been writing my whole life and never put it
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