World Series

A Blast from the Past… Celebrations, Hard Lessons and Great ...

World Series

Upcoming Events:November 7, 2017 "Forensic Psychology and the Making of Murder Book." Northern Lakes Living . Brainerd, Minnesota.  10:30 amNovember 8, 2017 Presenting on Murder Book as part of a True Crime panel.   Hastings Library . 6:30 pmNovember 13, 2017 Murder Book presentation at Northfield Public Library . 7:00 pm I was pleased to see the Houston Astros win their first world series. Although honestly, I don’t think I watched one entire game, as I am just too impatient. I particularly liked the Houston homerun that exploded when it hit the upper deck. (The ball landed directly in a fireworks canister and the impact set off the explosion.) It is difficult to match the excitement of the Twins World Series victories as we won when we weren’t the best team in baseball—which made it more nerve-racking. Maybe it offsets the Vikings not winning at times when they should have. The Minnesota Lynx is the only team that’s given MN sports fans this excitement recently. I still support MN teams, although I often feel like one of the Cubs fans of old.

There are baby pictures of my mother’s older brothers, but my mother, Rosetta (Kapsner) Weber was born in 1931 and was raised during the depression. Subsequently, there are no childhood pictures of her, beyond the picture I featured in last week’s blog of the Barbra Kapsner and her 5 daughters and Frank Kapsner and his 5 sons. Rosetta’s older brother, Leander Kapsner, had bought a Browning Box camera as an adult and these were the first two pictures taken from that camera. Gilbert Kapsner, as an adult, bought the family their first radio. It ran on a battery similar to a car battery. (This was the event that first brought the outside world to their home. It helps you understand why it’s perceived as the ‘good old days.’ Not because the world was better, but because you only had to deal with local news.)

Frank and Barb Kapsner (Rosetta’s parents) were losing their farm during the depression, when Father Roland talked St. John’s University into stepping in and paying the debt. In exchange, their oldest son, Al, went to work for St. John’s until the debt was paid off. Al was drafted into the army, despite difficulty seeing out of one eye, and returned to work at St. John’s after the war ended. Help from the Catholic Church was a huge blessing for the Kapsner family, as loss of the farm would have left Frank and Barb Kapsner, and their 10 children, homeless like so many others.

The Kapsner home was heated by a wood stove on the first floor, with no electricity, so you can imagine how cold it was upstairs when the artic winds arrived in the winter. Rosetta shares how water would freeze in the glasses upstairs. Barb Kapsner would heat water bottles and place them in the children’s beds along with thick quilts so they would be comfortable at night. Frank Kapsner would get up early and get the wood stove and oven started each morning so it would be ready when Barb wanted to make breakfast.  Grandma Barbara Kapsner could sew! For gifts, her daughters would get to pick out a dress from catalog they desired, and Barbara would sew it for them.

I spent Friday, November 4, in the hospital with Rosetta as she was experiencing some chest pain. She is doing okay now. (I did sneak over to the football game—see pictures below.) I have to share a story of rationalization. Mom wanted to have her ears pierced again, but because she is diabetic and on a blood thinner she couldn’t find a place that would do it. As she was telling me this, I pointed out, “Your ears are pierced.” Mom told me, “I asked Scotty where he got his piercings, so I went there. I finally found a place that didn’t call my doctor.” So I guess it obviously was okay.

Pierz football is headed to the state tournament for the 5th year in a row, with a 40-12 victory over New London Spicer in a snowstorm Friday night. It had to be a blast to be out there playing!

Quotes from clients:

My family is accepting. Accepting with an ‘a,’ rather than an ‘ex.’

How far is 40 miles from your office?

She was cute and smart, kind of reminded me of me.

I was in a car accident, but I’m not going to get in any trouble, because when the cops came, the other guy panicked and told them the truth.

My partner and I have been exploring with different types of-- it’s hard for me to even say it—without worrying what you guys might think of me. Okay, here it is-- cooking.

15-year-old boy describing his girlfriend: “Her eyes sparkle in the sun and her hair flowed in the breeze,” totally serious. When asked what she liked about him, he responded, “My hair is like an ocean wave.”

Client: I got this belt buckle that says, “If you try to take my guns you’ll have to pry them from my cold dead hands.”
Therapist: So do you own a gun?
Client: No. It’s against my probation.

From a police interview: He stated in his interview that his last relationship was with you. Is that correct?
Woman: Is stalking a relationship?

Therapist: Do you have a history of setting items on fire?
Client: Do you mean other than my clothes?

I have attempted suicide four times and was actually successful twice.

Thanks for listening,

Frank
Pierz Football Pictures

Barb Zajac and Olivia (Zajac) Weber

Wendy and Reese Kapsner. Folks who read the blog, might question if we are related. My great grandfather, John, and (Reese’s father) Gordy Kapsner’s great great grandfather August, were brothers. So whatever that is… Obviously we’d be proud to be related as they are a great family!