I had lunch with my mom, Audre Wigley (maiden name, Audre Marie Johnson… and note that she spells her name ‘Audre’ not ‘Audrey’) last week. She turned 83 and despite a few aches and pains, is in good health.

(We ate at Panera Bread in Eagan, one of my favorite places to eat and work when I’m in the Cities becaues of their tasty, healthy food choices, free wi-fi, and a real commitment to community involvement. Their Eagan location employs people with a variety of handicaps, evidently part of their partnership with PACER.)

Since my dad died in 2000, mom’s been living in the Gramercy Park Cooperative of Eagan on Yankee Doodle Road, about a mile from where our family home was on Skyline Road for 50+ years.

She taught 5th grade at St. Peter’s Catholic School (K-8) in Mendota for many years when I was growing up and still hears from many of her students. St. Peter’s Church closed the school back in the 70s but has recently teamed up with two other parishes and opened an elementary school called Faithful Shepherd Catholic School in Eagan.