Editorial: Big family shoes to fill in Hudson

It was at just 2 years old that I decided I would refer to my grandpa the same way everyone else did – as “Bob.” 

As her first child, my mom had tried to get me to catch onto using “dido,” pronounced “dee doe,” when addressing her dad. 

Dido is Ukrainian for grandfather. Since my Bob’s family was Ukrainian, it was complementary to the way I address my grandmother, Ruth. Amma, pronounced “Uh-ma,” is Icelandic for grandma, where her family roots stem from. This has been the generational way of addressing grandmothers on my maternal grandma’s side of the family. 

My Amma and my Bob, to most known as Ruth and Bob, lived in Hudson for the first 20 years of my life. A significant part of my childhood was shaped by Hudson.

Sitting on lawn chairs on Second Street while the Booster Days parade makes its way by.

My brother and I asking to go to the “castle park” at Grandview Park. 

Bob taking us to Barkers for burgers and then Knoke’s for ice cream. 

Working behind the counter to wrap handmade art at Seasons on St. Croix Art Gallery with Amma. 

Getting takeout from Sapporo. 

Going sledding at the hill on Vine Street after it had snowed. 

Visiting Hudson was always like a mini vacation. 

For the last year, I’ve gone on a mini vacation nearly every day as the community news reporter for the Star-Observer. 

Returning to Hudson and relearning the community as an adult has been nostalgic.

I’ve begun to learn the language, like what “on the hill,” means and what is off of which exit. 

I’ve also begun to build relationships with the movers and shakers, families and creatives that make Hudson so unique. 

Bob and Ruth Misenko are known names around Hudson, as longtime local business owners. When they sold what is now Seasons Gallery, they moved to Red Wing, Minnesota, to be closer to my family and begin enjoying retirement. 

Essentially, we swapped.

I came to Hudson from Red Wing, and they went to Red Wing from Hudson. 

As the recently appointed community news editor for the Star-Observer, I look forward to continuing to shape and grow the future of our local newspaper. It’s with great hope that I can fill my family’s shoes in Hudson.