Revisiting America

Welcome to Ely, Minnesota!
As always leaving one place for another is painful.  I had said my good-byes late Saturday because I planned to be on the road again by 6:00 a.m., and only missed that by 20 minutes. According to Map Quest the trip would be 1,736.83 miles and take 35 hours and 17 minutes, don't quote me, I had it written down but can't find it. 
The trip was long, but uneventful, thank you Lord.  Friday night I stayed in Fredonia, New York, Saturday night in Racine, Wisconsin( I still question Onstar on that little jag in the road), and arrived in Ely, Minnesota around 5:30p.m. Sunday afternoon, safe and sound, but a little weary. 
Found a motel room at Budget-host, and that would be my home for the next two nights also.  Seemed strange not having secured a place, that had been our pattern, but there were so many possibilities with lodges, resorts, etc:, I wanted to have a look first, because I preferred to be in town.  I had already called the Chamber of Commerce and got a listing of realtors, and one lady and I talked, and e-mailed and I ended up calling her.  She invited me over to her house, a block off main street, and even offered me her home, which has four bedrooms, office, everything I would need, and she would be gone during the day and I would have the run of the house, so to speak.
Long story short, Angela (my angel in this town) and I walked around, saw several houses for sale, she knew the agent, called her, I looked, she called the owners, and I am now living in a wonderful arts and crafts, 1920's home, two blocks off main street, three bedrooms (only one furnished because the owners own another lake home and are gradually moving to that place), great kitchen, large living-dining space, an office, full basement with washer-dryer, corner lot with white picket fence.  Does the Lord provide or not?
Ely, is a town of 4,000, around 7,000 counting the surrounding countryside with all the resorts, lodges, lake area, etc:.  A typical town, with main street running a good mile, shops and businesses several blocks off main with all kinds of stores-shops, well-kept, a block-park right in the middle of town, schools two blocks off main, hospital, nursing home, and according to a Chamber of commerce brochure, "unique shops, good places to eat, friendly people, Tuesday night live music, Dorothy Molter Museum, International Wolf Center, North American Bear Center, Boundry Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, fishing, clean lakes, canoeing ( according to some you're not a true Elyite unless you have a canoe strapped on top of your car, I'm not so sure how far I'll go with that), walking many of the area trails, festival of all kinds ( I just missed the Blueberry Festival), carry-out at the grocery store, loved that, woods and woods, peace and quiet and much, much more.  I'll tell you more about these places as I visit them.  You can tell I'm pleased and quite at home already.
Kuralt bought the radio station here that was on the edge of financial ruin, because he said, "a town need a voice".  Here Kuralt is better known for his love of fishing, canoeing, and too, saving the "town voice".  I've already met Mike Hillman, a special friend of Kuralt, and I'll have a lot more to say about Mike another time.  Ventured into the gallery of internationally known photographer, Jim Brandenburg,( I hope to interview him also), best known for his work in National Geographic magazine.  Really, there are famous people everywhere.
I've already been interviewed by the weekly newspaper, "The Ely Echo", so I'm looking forward to that.  The picture better make me look good. Ha!
Talked with sister, Janie, yesterday and she is better, with theraphy and the proper medication but will not plan to resume the trip at any time, so you are stuck with me for the remainder of the trip.  Please stick it out with me till the end. It has been so good to have you as my readers and supporters and everything has been so good about the trip and I don't doubt that it will even get better.  Posting before anything happens to this part.