A Minnesota Christmas in 6.5 days

Tis’ that time of year again. I’m back in good ol’ Scandia, Minnesota for ‘early Christmas’. I can’t remember the last time I’ve celebrated Christmas on its actual day. While in the TV News business, I rarely had Christmas off. Now that I am in a ‘commercial break’ from the business, I have all the time in the world. But my girlfriend doesn’t. So while we’re both lucky to get back home to Minnesota for a break, it’s not falling on the actual week of Christmas. Oh well, we’re used to it.

A Minnesota Christmas

Monday. I got to the MSP airport about 1:50pm. Met up with my parents for lunch and shot down to Spring Valley, Minnesota to see my first boss and News Director Gary Peterson and his wife Gladys. It’s an annual stop for me. We had a great time talking about our organization FindJodi.com and about life, winter, cameras and TV News. Gary taught me a great trick about shooting in low light. Something I’ve been failing at forever with my camera. He also gave me his light meter he bought in the 1960s. It’s been to Scotland, the Virgin Islands and other places in the world during his time as a host for travelogues. What a great gift. I now have to learn how to use it.

Tuesday. Up early and headed back to Scandia after my visit to Spring Valley. The temps aren’t too bad. And there’s snow! That’s the good news. And it’s not horrifically cold (yet). We caught a heat wave. Today got to 29-degrees I think. It’s a far cry from the hell that was my Christmas vacation from years ago. My flight was diverted to Grand Forks and, well, you can read the epic fail here. No, it’s much better this year. I will be adding some more details to this post as the week goes on, but this is a good start. Tara arrives tomorrow and our ‘official’ family Christmas is slated for Friday. So more to come. Time to get some zzz’s in some flannel sheets. That’s right. Flannel sheets.

Wednesday. Met up with my business partner and buddy, Chris Tardiff at a great new place in Stillwater, Tin Bins. It’s a restaurant built in an old grain elevator. Great spot for coffee and to chill and stay warm while you stare at the snow outside.

Tin Bins is inside this neat grain elevator. (Photo: TwinCities.com)
Tin Bins is inside this neat grain elevator. (Photo: TwinCities.com)

Tara made it in from Miami without issue after a brief stop in Detroit. She hadn’t slept much and traveled all day so she was pooped. Quick turnaround at home before it was off to dinner. We hung out in downtown Stillwater (one of my favorite cities) for a bit, then home to bed. Late, of course. There’s going to be some serious sleeping in tomorrow.

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Josh Benson

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