Lana Dartt:  

I moved to the frozen tundra of Rochester, Minnesota 14 years ago. Aftr many back surgeries,8, I was dropped off a stretcher causing permanent nerve root damage to my lower back. I came to Rochester in '92 to get a finl diagnosis on my back at the Mayo Clinic. During my week stay, I met Del Laudon, a funny , kind and loving man. I spent the next 5 years taking many trains, planes and automobiles the 600 miles to visit 2 weeks at a time every 3 months or so. When my son, Rory, turned 21 and moved to Florida with a buddy, I was then able to move to Rochester, at long last. Del and I have been together 17 years. I am permanently disabled and my abilities are somewhat limited now. I enjoy reading, writing and networking on the computer, where I have been able to reconnect with old friends and classmates on this site and on facebook.. I also enjoy playing cribbage at home, with friends and in tournaments. It is very popular up north, and one of the few card games that can be played with 2 people. I am hoping my back will be strong enough to take up golf lessons next year so I can spend more time with Del during the summer, since he plays a lot. We also fish on our boat in Lake Pepin, also the Misisippi river (the water is almost clear up here VS the muddy miss. that runs in St. Louis!) for yummy Walleye, and trout fish in the many streams around this area. I also volunteer with our church, and belong to Friend Maker, where we visit members who are shut-ins and elderly and in poor health to let them know they are not forgotten by the church or by God... Just seeing the smiles on thier faces when we visit is more than enough reward for this service. We have beautiful cats MiniMe,10, an American Shorthair that weighs 27 pounds! and S...Expand for more