39 Comments
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Lillian R Crook's avatar

Was that you I saw at the Louise Erdrich event earlier this week at NDSU or a doppelganger?

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

That was me. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Katrina's avatar

I love Rambler! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Judy Johnson's avatar

A Real Thanksgiving Story! Thank you!

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

You're welcome, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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MOLLY BLASKO's avatar

You made my day!

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Well, that makes my day!

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MOLLY BLASKO's avatar

You are a great writer, humorist, spouse, teacher, veteran and candidate. We need more people like you serving in our Congress.

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Sue c's avatar

So…

Thankful for your much needed humor AND gratitude… pretty much needed it’s seems at this juncture in our nations history

Blessings to you and your family .. two legged and four… from Denver

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

And to yours! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Catherine Logsdon's avatar

My cat, Tort, looks exactly like Dakota in her body. The tip if her tail looks as if she dipped it in white paint and her paws seem to have stepped in the wet paint. She is now almost 14 and has become even more finicky. She now only likes chicken that comes from Cracker Barrel or bacon and cheese (preferably warm but not melted).

My sister, who lives in Spearfish SD only has garage cats with no names. She cannot conceive of a cat eating on the counter. I'm guessing the eat mice or go hungry.

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Dakota is in real trouble if she gets that finicky. The nearest Cracker Barrel is over two hours away. Also, Dakota came from a litter of kittens from a feral mama at the old lumberyard my parents owned.

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Mary SP's avatar

What a fun, jouful post! Happy Thanksgiving to your family from another farm girl. 😊

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Katherine Sogolow's avatar

Awesome story!

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Thank you, Katherine! Hope you've had a great Thanksgiving.

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Reta Rutledge's avatar

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I'm from Indpls. Your reason for appreciating porta potties is powerful.

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Thanks, Reta. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

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Karen Nelson's avatar

Excellent start to my morning! Keep on writing!!

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Thanks, Karen. I will keep writing here and elsewhere. Turning my avocation into my vocation.

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Ellie Hampton's avatar

Thank you for sharing your memories and your experiences in the service and with your cats. We take too much for granted...as your essay clearly reminds us.

I'm grateful for many things, but I'm especially thankful for you and your clear, unspoiled outlook on life. We need these reminders. Keep bringing it on. (Also, I think you should submit this one as an op/ed piece in every newspaper in North Dakota.)

Stay warm!

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Hi, Ellie. I'm thankful for your feedback. You stay warm too.

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Karin Tanaka's avatar

You're such a gifted writer, and I so enjoy reading your work! This piece really hit the spot, with its focus on what in our immediate lives we can be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving - with gratitude.

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Thank you, Karin, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Brenda Yocom's avatar

My parents were Depression Era babies. If you had some beans in your belly, clothes on your back, and you weren't sleeping outside, you were fortunate. My Dad was the first in his family to go to college on the GI Bill, and " we" made our way to the middle class. I was the first in our family to get a Master's degree. Then, opportunities started to dry up in the next generation and the one after that. Reagan began the eventual decline of the middle class. He really should have received an Oscar for his role as President.

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Brenda Yocom's avatar

Your essay was wonderful, Mr Hammer, and good for the soul. I grew up in Plainfield, IN. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Enjoy Indy.

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Thanks, Brenda. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. There is a lot of misplaced blame out there for the drying up of opportunity you alluded to in your other comment. It has been a forty-year project based on a frequently disproved economic theory.

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Brenda Yocom's avatar

IMHO, two disproved economic theories, at least: supply side and trickle down definitely disproved. Thanks for your reply.

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James Rapp's avatar

Happy Thanksgiving !!

From an older American who grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Do us proud in DC !

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Happy Thanksgiving, James!

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Signe Snortland's avatar

While I’m convinced you’d be a wonderful Congressman, your gift of storytelling is unsurpassed.

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Trygve Hammer's avatar

Thank you. I enjoy writing, and this Substack is part of making a career of it.

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