This month will always be pegged as the month the Packers won the Superbowl and Mark won the big case in Madison. Both were exciting and intense occasions, with Wisconsin’s very snowy, cold February as the setting. Early in the month, the winter-starved turkeys were coming right to the front door looking for shelter and food, leaving neat tracks.
Our 39th anniversary was almost unnoticed, except for a visit from Heidi, as we packed and prepared for moving to Madison for a couple of weeks tria
l. We arrived at the hotel in time for me to watch and enjoy the Packers winning Superbowl XLV. Mark only saw parts as he prepared for the jury selection and opening day of trial. The ‘stray voltage’ case was one where a farmer who had lectured and been interviewed about his successful grazing operation decided he was not successful enough and that it ‘must’ be stray voltage, going back nearly 30 years. Mark’s opponent asked, in his opening statement, for $15 million dollars to just ‘bring them up to even’!!!! While the trial had some humorous moments, like the day Mark and his opponent were scribbling alternate equations for the poor jury, the high stakes made things pretty tense. In cases like this if the jury agrees there is “willful, wanton and deliberate” damages, the award is trebled! In closing arguments, the plaintiff’s attorney told the jury to ‘listen to the cows’ while Mark asked them to make a responsible decision on evidence and facts, not emotions. What a great result when they awarded not a penny!.During the first week of trial, the temperatures plummeted, making walking to restaurants and meetings very painful. Hilde enjoyed meeting Evie for lunch one day and was introduced to anise-flavored, red cabbage cole slaw at a great little cafe. Hilde also attended the governor’s conference on economic development for two days, spent several hours on phone conferences and ‘attended’ a library board meeting by phone to supply a quorum. Time at the State Historical Library and the Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library led to information on the Peterson ancestry. People at both places were very willing to help. Hilde also had lunch with niece Alana, trying the wonderful buffet lunch at the Indian place just across the street.
We got home just before an
other BIG dump of snow. Here in Rudolph we got a foot of snow in two days and could barely see for it blowing around.. It took quite a bit of digging out by tractor, snowblower and regular shoveling. At least we know it won’t be lasting for three months…the sun is definitely warmer now, when we see it!None of the above kept us from frequently skyping Jim and Kayme to see our little Rhia.
This was a favorite picture.
