- a pudgy, 4 year old yellow lab - terrier cross that spends every minute possible with the columnist.

Big Kids - Travis, Heidi and Erin, columnist's oldest kids, grown up and moved out of the nest.

Blue Star - Where the Publisher spends his afternoons melting pieces of steel together. More commonly called Polaris, this company builds toys. Guy's toys. 4-wheelers of divers sorts and snowmobiles. 

Crusty old Norsk - Orlin Ostby, Norwegian, who works at the Blue Star. You never know quite what he is saying because much of his speech is in the old country tongue. He took his huge ox Pum and a Red River oxcart to Pembina, ND, then down much of the old Pembina Trail in the summer of '08. What started out as Walking the Trail ended up being Trailering the Trail when the incompatibilities of an ox traveling at 2 mph and retired suburbanites aiming massive RV's down the road at 70+mph overcame the mission of the expedition. He made it past Little Falls, exhibited the ox and cart at several big functions, trailered to the St. Paul and walked the last several blocks into the '08 State Fair, then was a participant in the Fair Parade and called it a success, which it was.

De Kapten - One of the Blue Star founders, David Johnson, who built the first snowmobile sold by the Blue Star. Waiting until partner Edgar Hetteen was away on a trip, he crafted the machine and the rest, as they say, is history. For this feat, he is defined as the capatian of the industry, and in good Scandahovian tradition, has earned the Swedish name for the Captain. De Kapten yearly takes the Publisher and  Trapper on a memorable snowmobile trips to his log cabin on the Angle.

Dick's Buick - An early '90's Park Avenue that Trapper's buddy Dick had in the shed. Pawned it off on the columnist for the extravagant sum of $300. Came with a 5/50 Warranty - 5 seconds or 50 ft, whichever comes first. Two years later, the venerable 3.8 is still hitting on all six at 248,000 miles.

Hard Driving Editor - The former editor at the Warroad Pioneer. Had a Pontiac GTO, thus the hard driving moniker.

The Horseman - Clayton Skoien, who regularly farms and logs with his Percheron Draft horses. Never knows how many horses he hs since the number chsnges frequently with new additions, usually "gifts" from other local breeders who have to get rid of extra horses. The oly fellow I know who will watch movie with Penelope Cruz and Selma Hayak riding along and comment on the type of tack the horse is wearing. His latest big job was building a custom semi trailer to haul around the Pecherons. There are many who would like the title of horseman, but only one so far in the Southwest Angle that wears it...    

The Marksman - Layton Oslund, a Wannaska area deer hunter who bagged a Taurus with 2 shots one year.

Little Girls - Alyssa, Katelyn and Valeri, the three youngest of the columnist's family.

Management - No explanation necessary

Missus - the woman that more or less keeps Trapper in line, pretty much a full time job.

Ms Toyota - Trapper's oldest daughter. Also a trapper, she has become a rabid Toyota afficianado even though she was raised to be a devoted Chevy lover. She is well on her way to destroying her second Toyota pickup.

 Old Rocket - Chuck Lindner, Warroad entrepreneur, named the Old Rocket for his high placing in the 2007 Yellow rose 5-K run. Also does winter ultra-marathons on his bike.

 Pronunciations: There are some unique names in Roseau county. This bit of verse will help you remember the pronunciations of a couple of them.

         After moving up the rung in Malung,

        I had to lay low in Salol, to avoid the fallen women of Falun. 

Rolling Playhouse - RP for short, it is the old, rusty Econoline conversion van the little girls used for a playhouse before Management totaled two vehicles, pressed into use as the primary vehicle for the family.. Now retired, replaced by the Aerostar, its components to be used for one of the columnist's endelss projects.

SOTY - Slob of the Year, one entry this year is the individual that cut down the "Hanging Tree" near Bemis Hill. Another is whoever cut the top out of  a spruce tree at the Point.

Southwest Angle - Imaginary location off the southwest corner of the Lake of the Woods. Lots of things happen here, mostly in the mind of the columnist.

 Trapper - Tough as nails Landlord/Philosopher. He farms, traps and holds court at the breakfast table at Roseen's Corner for whoever stops in for morning coffee. Normally pretty clear thinking except that he adores Chevrolets. His most regular customer is the free-loading newspaper columnist.

Yellow Rose - where Management works. Company makes windows; on the company logo is a big yellow rose.