Brandy Strange with her puppy Bella: “We just got back from school because it’s an early out day. I was just taking Bella for a walk because it’s a really nice day out. She’s three months-ish. We just got her when she was a newborn. I’m in ninth grade. I switched to Vermilion Country Charter School. It’s the Tower school. I transferred there in January. I really like it. It’s the last week of school so yesterday we went to Adventure Zone in Duluth. It was really fun. We played a lot of laser tag. And like we played a lot of arcade games. It’s the last week of school so we have a lot of field trips. Today we did roadside cleanup and basically cleaned up the school. Tomorrow we’re going to go to paintball and go to bowling for everyone who doesn’t want to go to paintball. Friday is graduation. My older brother is graduating this year. I have a younger brother and he’s in eighth grade. He’s got a ways to go.” (I met you the first time when you were walking your cat in the stroller a few years ago.) “Carmel. Yes I remember that. We still do that quite often. Just not in the wintertime because it’s slippery. He likes the outdoors. He doesn’t like the leash because he likes to eat the grass. He doesn’t like to walk. So we just put him in the stroller. I’m gonna meet up with some friends and continue walking Bella. And I am probably going to go home and figure out something to do for the rest of the day. We have friends over right now. We have my stepdad’s two brothers and our cousin over. His brothers are staying are staying for probably for two or three days. His brothers and his brother’s wife. It’s the whole tree. (Family tree. Do you want to say something to the world while you have the chance?). “Be kind and pick up your trash.”Sue Anderson and Margaret Egan: Margaret: “I’m just doing some visiting out here on the Chapman sidewalk. We live in what was one time the Bauman house and before that the Anderson house. People will know Bauman and Anderson. Bauman was a teacher and their porch got hit in the blowdown of ‘99 and the side of their roof got taken down. This was a bad block that year. He was a teacher here. And before him the Andersons lived here for about 40 years. They were the original builders of the home. We live here now. I absolutely love it. Never had better neighbors. It’s a great place. My husband is Greg Seraphine and his great -grandparents on both sides came to Ely over a hundred years ago. He is connected to the Baribeaus. They were both miners who came to Ely. I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri and my connection is through my husband and his family. I like just about everything about Ely, especially the weather today.” Sue: “I guess I am one of the good neighbors from across the street. I was just out doing some yard work and saw Margaret and came over to visit.” Margaret: “It’s almost like living in Mayberry.” Sue: “Yeah it is. I’ve lived in Ely kind of off and on. I was not born here but I’ve lived here off and on most of my life. I work for the State of Minnesota for the Department of Revenue.” Margaret: “You are a high school graduate from Ely.” Sue: “Yeah. Ely High School graduate of ‘84.” Margaret: “For a quick aside Greg’s grandfather Jack Seraphine worked for the Ely Miner for 50 years. I enjoy everything about Ely. It’s a great place to live. Neighborly. Everything is right here that you want to do. We have it all. And Sue is a volunteer with the Food Shelf.” Sue: “Yes I volunteer at the Food Shelf.” (Ely has one of the best around!) Sue: “We have a good group of people there. I keep busy.” Margaret: “I’m going to finish my yard work. I was in the back turning the soil over and planting some pots and getting the garden ready for seeds and plants maybe next week. I do a lot of volunteering and then I also do a lot of biking. Just kind of keep busy. Any time I can be outdoors, I’m outside. Ask Sue. I am outside at night banging around.” Sue: “She’s outside all the time doing something. Her entire yard is full. She did everything here. She brought the stones in and put them down. There’s gardens in back and people stop and look. It’s amazing how many people stop.” Margaret: “And this year we’ve added hummingbird feeders. They’re buzzing around. They’re very busy. Sue and I exchange plants. Cross pollenate across the street.”Mike and and Caden Fitzgerald: Caden: “Just biking to the library. It was good. We got one book. “Squire and Night.” We just ran sunglasses to mom.” Mike: “Yes. We just dropped off sunglasses at mom’s (Sara) office.” Caden: “She works at Klun’s Law Firm. I’m in third grade. I like getting to see and meet new friends and talk and learn.” Mike: “I’m not at school anymore. I have my own small business and marketing company and I am also a property manager for KK and PI. They have a bunch of Airbnbs and I help out at the law firm and the Dairy Queen for maintenance. Upkeep. We’ve lived in Ely since 2008 but we’ve just moved in to town. We’ve lived out of town and bought a house in February. So we’re enjoying wonderful things that town has to offer, like biking to the library.” Caden: “I like biking to school.” (I’ve seen the bike racks out there. Not many schools you could do that and come back an still have a bike.). Mike: “Yeah. And not have a single lock on them.” Caden: “I don’ know what I’m going to do but play and probably read my book.” Mike: “I’m probably going to be playing with him and reading the book with him. Tomorrow is the last day of school and then he’ll be a fourth grader. Good grief!”
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