Of Clocks and Clockmakers

Our pendulum clock died shortly before Christmas. Its mechanical heartbeat ceased. Its chimes that resounded at the top and bottom of the hour were silenced.

The absence of a clock ticking in the house was unsettling. Not to mention that my husband, who can become minutely focused on any project at hand, would lose all track of time.

We knew we wanted another pendulum clock, preferably old and preferably oak. A search of Duluth antique stores turned up nothing. An effort to find "the Clock Man," a dealer who used to have a nice collection of clocks at Father Time, failed.

In our effort, we found Al Hazebroek, who has cleaned and repaired clocks for more than 30 years. He and his wife are downsizing. He invited us to his home to look at some clocks with which he was willing to part.

We liked several, but chose this old schoolhouse clock. It was made by a Duluth man named Wittala or Wuotala, according to Al. I googled Duluth clockmakers by those names and got a hit for a John Leonard Wuotila. His obituary said he inspected arriving foreign ships as a plant protection and quarantine worker for the USDA. And, among many other things, he enjoyed making clocks.

It has taken us a while to get used to our new clock's tick and chime. It's of much better quality than the one it replaced. And I really like the fact that it's locally made.

New Rebel Forces

Tom and I accompanied this motley crew and others to Star Wars: The Force Awakens up at Lakes Cinema last night. I'm not so sure I'd want to meet up with these guys on Mos Eisley.

Paying It Forward

Six years ago during holiday break, my son started learning to ski. In the photo at top he is being helped by a Chester Bowl ski cadet.

In the image at bottom, he now wears the green jacket. On Saturday, Sam began his official duties as a ski cadet, helping others learn how to ski at Chester Bowl's week-long ski camp.

I'm incredibly proud that he has chosen to be a ski cadet. As such he needs to log 50+ hours on the hill. Already, he teaches non-skiers how to side-step up the cordoned-off bunny hill, catches them at the bottom, and helps them get back up if they fall. He accompanies beginner and intermediate skiers on the chair lift then skis down the hill with them, slowly following or leading, if necessary, or skiing alongside at their speed. Later on in lessons, he and other cadets will guide lines of new skiers in snake formations down the hill.

Outside of ski camp and Thursday night ski lessons, he will help other skiers on the slope -- retrieving runaway skis or dropped ski poles, assisting someone who's taken a tumble, going for aid if someone is hurt.

There are some perks. On days he's on duty, he receives free meals at the hill. And he gets to ski for a lot longer time than in previous years. But the best perks are mine and Tom's. We get to watch our son take on more responsibilities and make a contribution of his own to the world.

Fighting for the Not-So-Little Things

I discovered this week that our Health Reimbursement Account and I both paid the same medical bill. The HRA payment was made on July 7. My personal check was cashed by the Essentia Health system on July 23. I telephoned the business office of Essentia Health early this morning, seeking reimbursement of my $95.55 over-payment.

The woman on the line told me she couldn’t return the money until a medical bill from a service I received on Nov. 23 is fully paid. I haven’t yet received that bill from Essentia Health. But I shared with the woman what I know about its payment from my insurance account details online: My insurer already has sent payment for what’s covered and the portion that’s to be paid from our HRA “is pending.”

I reminded her that Essentia Health, aka, the Duluth Clinic, aka St. Mary’s Medical System, was founded on Benedictine values. I also explained that my husband teaches ethics at the College of St. Scholastica, which is run by the same Benedictine nuns who founded St. Mary’s. I told her that it didn’t seem very ethical to keep $95.55 of my money for five months without letting me know an over-payment had been made. And it was even less ethical to continue keeping it once I requested it be returned.

She, of course, would have to speak to her supervisor about this. I asked her to let me speak to her supervisor. “I will try...” she said. On hold for a fair amount of time, I anticipated I would hear the standard spiel about her supervisor not being available and I would need to call back. Surprisingly, the woman came back on the line saying she would process my refund.

It makes me very sad that I’m surprised when someone actually does the right thing, or almost the right thing.

Happy Hanukkah

One of my favorite holiday moments is of Sam and his friends lighting hanukiyot together.