Raymo’s Ramblings

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

The other night while watching a TV show, a young man got on his knee and asked his girlfriend to marry him and of course she was surprised and put her hands over her face and blurted out a YES over her tears of joy. They of course then had a long embrace and more tears.  And that got me thinking, I started to feel bad because I feel like I cheated my wife out of experiencing what I just witnessed on television. I never got on my knee and did an official proposal, nor did I do any big planning on asking her to marry me.

So I asked my wife this question to start the discussion. “If you could do it all over again, and I asked you to marry me, would you?  Thankfully she said yes. And that was the correct answer after 40 years of marriage.

Anyways, I apologized to her for not giving her an official proposal, and cheating her of that life moment experience, and she thought that was sweet of me, I think. We were high school sweet hearts and went off to different colleges after high school and just hated being separated all week.  So one weekend while driving around in the car we decided to get married so we could be together all the time. That was the extent of it.

After discussing this topic with a number of friends, it was surprising to me to find out I’m not alone in this. One couple was just having pizza in the student union in college and said lets get married, another friend was just like me, they were driving in a car and decided to get married.

I think social media has played a big part in the insurgence of official proposals. Everyone can see them now, so it’s kind of cool to watch or see pictures of the guy on his knee asking the question. But it can be over the top to, like renting an airplane pulling a banner, or going on the jumbotron at a major league ballpark. Some can be very creative as well.

Another part of a proposal is for the guy to ask the father of the bride for his daughter’s hand in marriage. And I think that is really a cool thing to do. I admire and respect a gentleman that does that. And visiting with some people about this, they have been hearing more of that being done lately as well.

I like marriage proposals, big or small. I will be honest, I would give anything to have that moment in time back, because I would definitely do an official proposal and put much thought into it. And I think my wife is really nervous that I’m planning a big proposal even after 40 years of marriage. I would love to take her to PK’s in Canby and drop a ring in her PK’s favorite pizza, or write on the pizza pan WILL YOU MARRY ME under the pizza, or call her on the phone from the radio station and propose over the phone, while it’s being broadcast over the air and she doesn’t know that!! That would be so cool. I know she wouldn’t care for any of those very public proposals, so I better keep it a private moment! That’s the way she would like it.

CANDY, CANDY, AND MORE CANDY!

Who doesn’t like candy? I have my favorites and I’m sure you do too. From Junior Mints, to Gummy Bears, Skittles, Milk Duds, the list of candy is endless. When I was just a tad pole living in New Ulm in the mid 60’s I would usually spend all my allowance on candy, I would run down the block to the local ma and pa place, or go with my mom to Ben Franklin or Woolworth’s on main street New Ulm and I would head to the candy aisle.

The choices were endless, I remember well the wax lips, it was like a mouth guard but you could eat it and I loved those things, plus Smarties were cheap. If I wanted to looked grown up I would buy a box of candy cigarettes and act like I was smoking just like my dad! Candy cigarettes, they would come in a box just like regular cigarettes. I usually ended up chewing on them, more then acting like I was smoking. Thinking back on that, candy cigarettes were huge in the 1960’s. Can you imagine that happening today? Times have changed that’s for sure. Sugar Babies, Tootsie Pops, I would always bite the Tootsie Pop to get to the center of it right away, Slo Pokes, Charleston Chew, Bit O Honey, Lemonheads, Hot Tamales and sometimes I would brave an Atomic Fireball, all candy I remember when a child.

When I was a teenager living in Madison, there was a candy stand at the swimming pool park. I would like to know how much money I dropped at that place. Also how much money I spent at the Ben Franklin store on main street Madison. I ate way too many Twizzlers when I was a teenager!

 Here goes a list of some of my favorite candy, not necessarily in any order.  Twizzlers, Nibs, Salted Nut Roll, Snickers, Rolo Caramels, Peanut M&M’s, Tootsie Rolls.

And drum roll please…..my favorite candy of all time. Milk Duds!!!!! I love Milk Duds, it’s a mixture of caramel and chocolate. Nothing better than that. For instance, when going to the movie theater I usually get popcorn, popcorn and a movie go together right? But sometimes I will pass on the popcorn and buy the big box Milk Duds! And usually after the movie is over I have a stomach ache.

Candy I don’t care for, Mike and Ikes, my wife loves those things. I’ll pass on the Mike and Ikes.  And Dots, flavors are terrible!  Or anything with dark chocolate in it, gross.

So if you ever are looking to get me something, Milk Duds will work.

And on my bucket list is to visit the worlds largest candy store right here in Minnesota, some of my friends say it is an amazing place. 

Now I know it sounds like that’s all I do is eat candy, I don’t.

If I did I would have nasty looking teeth. If you see me around and about I would love to hear what candy you like.

Proud Marine

I’ve never served in the military, but I have a lot of respect for those that have and are. Over the years I’ve had many relatives and friends serve our country in all the different branches of the United States military. My son Jeremy, my brother Jim, my daughter in law Jennifer, father in law, uncles, cousins, nephews and the list is long of friends of mine that have put on the uniform to serve and protect our country.

But my dad’s military service stands out to me. He talked about his time in the military often. It was the early 1950’s when he joined the Marine Corp and was shipped off to San Diego California for boot camp, then later served in Korea, during the Korean War. I’m thankful for all the pictures he took while in the military and Korea. Dad was a mechanic and worked on airplanes. Being in Korea had a big impact on his life. When he talked about his military career, he was always proud of the fact that he served and how it taught him life lessons

What strikes me more than anything is how dad took what he learned in the military and carried those lessons in life. Dad did things military style at home and at work, all in a good way. He even kept his military haircut which he kind of was teased about for the rest of his life. He was so proud of his military service. I remember at his funeral when taps were played in the cemetery at his graveside and the Legion presented the American flag to my mother, how I cried and how proud I was of him at that moment. He served his country well. 

Fast forward about 10 years from my dad’s funeral, my son Jeremy joined the Army after 9/11. One of the proudest moments of my life was dropping him off at the Army recruiting station in Willmar to begin basic training and saying goodbye. It was a sad day because we wouldn’t be seeing him very often anymore for the next 4 years, but i remember being so proud of him and his decision to serve his country. Then a few years later, we were at Fort Hood Texas to see him off to Iraq, lots of emotions that day for sure, I cried then to, not because I was sad, or scared for him going into a very bad war zone, i cried because i was so very proud of him. He was going to put his life on the line for us. They all do when they sign up for military service. And some don’t come back home.

So on this Memorial Day we recognize those that gave the ultimate sacrifice, there life! So we can live in this great country.

Grill that Meat!

Memorial weekend is usually when the grilling season kicks off, and I really enjoy grilling. Almost too much, If you know me I love to eat.  Nothing fancy, I don’t have a fancy grill nor do I want one, it’s a simple gas grill, or do I have a large patio to put my grill on and my food choice to grill is simple, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, steak and chicken.

My time to relax at home is to go outside on our small patio, and throw some steaks on the grill and sit around our patio furniture and listen to my music on my cell phone. That’s my down time and how I get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

 My son Jeremy who is an excellent griller, taught me to put the flame as low as possible and cook the meat as slow as you can, my brother in law Larry suggested not turning your meat that is on the grill till the very end. Two suggestions I use today and has made a big difference in the finished product. My dream is to be like those Hibachi guys that grill your food in those restaurants, or the Mongolian grill guys, they are pretty fun to watch. Master grillers, fun when they chop up the food in front of you and throw it in your mouth, I should try that on my patio while grilling. 

My favorite thing to grill is a good steak, doesn’t matter what kind, I like my steak well done, with lots of lemon pepper on it. I use lemon pepper on just about all the meat that I grill. Lemon pepper on a chicken breast is amazing. And a close second favorite is a good bratwurst with lots and lots of sauerkraut! Ketchup on everything, I do not use steak sauce on my steak very often, I prefer ketchup. Ketchup and mustard on hot dogs and brats. Ranch dressing on grilled chicken breasts and I have my daughter Brianna to thank for that ranch dressing thing.

I find it funny how different people are in how they want their meat done on the grill, especially steak, for instance my son Brandon likes his prime rib very rare, blood red rare, I think I heard it moo once, gross! My mother in law loved her hamburger on the grill to be almost burnt to a crisp, charcoal black, gross! I just find it interesting people like it rare and some people like meat very well done.

Grilling has become a huge business in the last few years, with many different kinds of grills being sold, and the development of large outdoor patio’s being built at homes as well. I have friends that have certain kinds of grills and they all say they have the best grill ever. But I stand by my small gas grill, it gets the job done.

So this Memorial weekend, I will be grilling a number of times, as a matter of fact I’m thinking Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Let the grilling season begin!