We have all talked about the weather so I am not going to spend your time and mine carping about the misery of snow shoveling. Bouncing a snow blower off large solid frozen chunks that are hiding under a foot of new snow isn’t worth writing about and hardly worth reading either. Add to that the fact that we all have suffered through this and there is no reason to expound on ice dams on snow-covered roofs and such. There is no joy in mentioning the number of mornings that we’ve grabbed a shovel and cleared the sidewalk and thought about how it all will melt in a few weeks. I also won’t mention the thoughts a few of us have had about high water and what we’ll need to do if these piles of snow and ice all melt in the space of a warm week or two. I feel better knowing that we won’t have to write about any of that and instead we can all take a break and think about things that are a bit more fun. It’s good to know we won’t have to think about any of that.
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14 years in a row. Not much of anything ever happens with that sort of regularity.
Jim Kaat won the Gold Glove award for the best fielding pitcher in the American league 14 years in a row from 1962 to 1975 (He also won the award two other years.) Off the top, I can’t think of anything that matches that except one thing: That exception, of course, is the YME Silhouette Dance Team. Their one-two finish at the Dance team sections this week sends them, once again, back to the state dance tournament next weekend at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
To put this in perspective, the senior girls on this dance team weren’t even in kindergarten when this state tournament appearance streak started back in 1997.
They’ve had great coaching through the years that has built on an incredible tradition. They worked hard and they learned well. Good for them and good for the whole YME community.
They deserve our very public congratulations and best wishes for all their hard work and dedication. They’ll represent us well at state.
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The cabin fever that I didn’t want to write about is something that only a bit of diversion can cure. A little variety and some fun can relieve the mid-winter blahs and a few Ole and Lena events is enough to make sure you feel better about putting up with the winter that I am not going to mention.
After 29 years, it is probably safe to say that the few moments of relief provided by Ole and Lena Days is well worth the work and effort. Whether you were at the Hometown Variety Show, the Community Dance, the beer tasting, the Buck tournament, the Fireman’s Dance or the craft show and auction, it was nice to get out and see folks and do something.
There were plenty of people who took in things over the past few days and they all seemed to be having fun. The YME Community Education department under Dave Brokke came up with the idea of a winter carnival all those years ago as a way to add a little spice to this long stretch of winter. Community Ed. has sponsored the Winter Carnival each year since it started. We all need a bit of a break from that winter weather that we don’t want to talk about.
Thanks to Tim Knapper and Jean Feldman for lining it all up and pulling it all together. Thanks also to the volunteers who pitch in to make things heppen when it would be easier to stay home and let cabin fever take over.
But we’re not going to talk about that, are we?
