Frost remains on the trees from foggy days earlier in the week, but the sun is shining, and it's a beautiful winter day in Vermillion, S.D. Oliver and I returned an hour ago from a walk up to and through the USD campus. With everyone gone for the holidays, it's quiet solitude up there, so Oliver could run free. Not even any squirrels for him to spy and chase!
A marathon day of six college basketball games on ESPN2 just started with Wisconsin stunning #9 Texas in Austin on a 3-pointer with five seconds left. Take that, 'Horns! Then those silly Texans stand there with their "hook 'em, Horns" fingers in the air, singing "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You." Yeah, man, but those Eyes of Texas just saw a loss! I hate Texas. Same with Oklahoma teams. There's reason to cheer for Wisconsin because one of our South Dakota boys, Joe Krabbenhoft from Sioux Falls Roosevelt, is a starter with them. We South Dakotans always cheer for our own once they leave the borders---Mike Miller of the Grizzlies, Adam Vinatieri of the Colts, Chad Greenway and Ben Leber of the Vikings, Matt Martin of Montana, Zach Finley of Princeton, etc. (unless of course they become Green Bay Packers).
It's also a day of three college bowl games, but the big football game is tonight. The world hates the Patriots, but they're my team, even if their personality-free coach Belichick is a cheat. So I hope Tom Brady and the boys make it a perfect 16-0 regular season tonight. Have to get my popcorn and munchies ready to watch all 60 minutes of that one.
Christmas was a fun time up in Pierre with three of the four kids and two of the three grandkids there. Next year hopefully we can get the whole clan together in one spot at least for a day. Holly had to work at Mayo Clinic on Christmas Eve/Day this year, so she and her family couldn't come west to South Dakota.
We learned again it takes adults to help kids open their presents. It's not so much ripping the wrapping paper from the gifts but in getting the gifts removed from their boxes/containers, etc. It takes pliers and wirecutters to get those trucks and dolls and clothes and toys removed! It was also a good thing the garbage man came to Dianna's house the day after Christmas to help clear away the clutter.
As I drove back to Vermillion from Pierre on the day after Christmas, all was smooth sailing until reaching the fog zone at Sioux Falls and beyond. South of there on southbound I-29, traffic became bumper-to-bumper like Los Angeles at rush hour, due to earlier accidents in the fog farther south. We all had to exit the interstate and fend for ourselves, so I headed across country on rural roads to Vermillion. Though the sun was shining, it was still scary daring to cross rural intersections. One couldn't see for sure that oncoming drivers from left or right were going to stop at stop signs if they couldn't see them, so there were a couple of corners where I held my breath while I stepped hard on the accelerator and burst across the cross-highway.
Oliver, who had spent two nights in the kennel, was glad to see me, and for the past three days he has been following my every move around the house. Since Dylan has been gone from here for a week and a half and won't be back until Jan. 4, Oliver will have to get used to our little guy all over again.
Happy new year! Resolutions? Maybe that's a topic for an upcoming blog. I'll ponder it while I absorb all of the basketball and football today. Go, Patriots!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The 2007 Parkie Awards
Before the year rings to a close and we embark upon the eighth year of the 21st century, we feel obligated to "reward" some of the heroes and chumps of 2007 with their well-deserved Parkie Award. Some of you deserving award winners (and losers) will escape getting your just desserts this year. I made a big move this year, went from one job to no job, crossed to the other side of the state and didn't play enough attention to everything that was going on. However, I intend to pay closer attention to all you do and don't do in 2008. A year from now, you will get yours. Rest assured, I am watching you.
And away we go with the 2007 Parkies:
Most Entertaining Sports Moment of the Year Award: To Michigan for losing its football opener at home to Appalachian State.
You Lift Me Up Award: To the glorious music and inspiring messages at the installation service for Rev. David Zellmer as South Dakota's ELCA Lutheran bishop.
What Don't You Understand About 'Open' Award: To the assorted public officials who can't seem to grasp that South Dakota open-meetings law requires the public's business to be conducted in public.
Best Sidewalk Superintendent Moment Award: To the demolition of Pacer's old mica depot in downtown Custer. Sad to see the old barn go but fun to watch it come down, board by board!
The TV Show Which They Axed Too Soon Award: To ABC's "Traveler." Each episode kept me indoors on summer nights, but one season wasn't enough.
S.D. 'A' Basketball Moment of the Year Award: To the Vermillion girls' last-second steal and winning basket in the state "A" semifinals vs. Milbank.
S.D. 'AA' Basketball Moment of the Year Award: To last season's Lady Govs. With O'Gorman leading 50-49 in the final seconds, Polly Gill broke open under the hoop, Loryn Schuetzle spotted her with a laser pass, and Polly put in the winning bucket as Pierre advanced to the state championship game.
You're Stopping Me for What? Award: To the well-meaning Highway Patrol trooper who stopped me on I-90 at 3 a.m. because I was "going too slow."
Count Your Blessings Award: To South Dakota school principals, most of whom don't have the same problems as principals in Rochester, Minn. They had to ban limousines from the parking lots on fifth-grade graduation day.
Mr. Personality Award: It's a tie between home-run slugger Barry Bonds and Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
Best Book Title of the Year Award: To Stephen Colbert's "I Am America and So Can You."
S.D. College Sports Moment of the Year Award: To USF's 90-yard drive in bitter cold in the last two minutes to beat Missouri Valley in the NAIA national semifinal. (But SDSU's stunning win over No. 1 NDSU for the Great West conference title ranks right up there.)
Why Can't I Learn To Love You? Award: To St. Thomas More teams. If you had spent two years in Custer as I did---or anywhere else in the Black Hills---you would know what I mean.
The Streak Goes On Award: To the Pierre Street railroad viaduct for remaining undefeated. Several vehicles tried to take out the bridge in 2007, but the structure stayed strong and true.
Enough Screen Time Award: To actress Eva Longoria, who gets more TV time during Spurs games in which husband Tony Parker plays than she does on "Desperate Housewives."
The Book I Can't Wait To Read Award: To Lynne Spears' temporarily-delayed book on parenting. (She's the mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn.)
Enjoy It While You Can Award: To Nebraska and Notre Dame haters who enjoyed the '07 football season. The Huskers and the Irish will be back!
An Honest Politician! Award: To former Sen. George McGovern, a Democratic presidential candidate in 1972, who admitted he voted for Republican Gerald Ford for President instead of Jimmy Carter.
Humane Society Dog Calendar Award: To dog-fighting entrepreneur Michael Vick to hang in his jail cell.
I've Had It With Celebrity Guests Award: To ESPN's Monday Night Football crew who can't get through a single quarter of a game without some celebrity showing up to be fawned over.
Hockey Moment of the Year Award: To last year's Capitals, who later would go all the way to the state championship game and take it into overtime. But the supreme moment came against perennial powerhouse Brookings, a team Pierre had never ever defeated. Down 2-0 with 8:58 left, the Caps came up with the most thrilling nine minutes in Pierre hockey history to whip the Rangers, 5-2. For good measure the Caps beat 'em again the next day, 5-1.
Multi-Cultural Event of the Year Award: To Riggs High graduate Angie Iverson's wedding where the ceremony was conducted in English, Latin and Spanish and one of the songs was sung in French.
Mismatch Award: To any Class "AA" football or basketball game between a Sioux Falls team and a Rapid City team.
Observation of the Year Award: To the foreign-born Washington, D.C., taxi driver who told NBC's Brian Williams, "You Americans sure know how to say goodbye to your presidents."
Living Up To Their Potential Award: To Custer's state "A" cross-country champs. Second in '06, they were expected to win it this year, and they did it.
Journalist to the Rescue! Award: To Gettysburg editor Molly McRoberts, who in a mall parking lot in Pierre, found a 5-year-old boy huddled between two cars, sobbing, lost, his coat wide open, no mittens on a minus-20 wind chill day. Molly wrote, "Funny we're required to have a license to own a dog, but there are no restrictions placed on who can have children."
Anticipation Award: To USD's senior running back Amos Allen. It was a rise-to-my-feet adventure every time he carried the ball.
Get a Life Award: To all those picket-sign holders who always seem to be available when a celebrity walks in or out of jail. Don't you people have to go to work?
They Do It Without Thinking Award: To common folks, including some from South Dakota, who happened to be nearby when the I-35W bridge collapsed and who, without thinking twice, dived into the water and climbed on to the rubble to save people's lives.
Way to Start the Year! Award: To Boise State's exhilarating miracle-makers for humbling Oklahoma with gutsy clutch plays to win the Fiesta Bowl last Jan. 1.
What Exactly Is Your Talent Award: To so-called celebrities like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears whose only apparent talents are behaving badly, getting into trouble and messing up their lives.
He Says What I Think Award: To MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Too bad he has only one more year to talk about the Bush crowd. On second thought, no, it's not.
Home-state Pride Award: To all of us who think it's really cool when the TV screen reads "Written by Anne Cofell Saunders" at the end of a "Chuck" episode, or Mike Miller scores a double-double in an NBA game, or Tom Brokaw narrates another TV documentary, or Adam Vinatieri kicks a game-winning field goal for the Colts, or Ben Leber or Chad Greenway make a super defensive play for the Vikings, and on an on. South Dakotans, once and always!
Get the Chips Off Your Shoulders Award: To SDSU and/or USD officials. Our two Division I schools should be scheduling each other in football and basketball and doing it now!
There's Something In The Air Award: To whoever allowed a B-52 carrying six nuclear weapons to fly across South Dakota and other states in August.
To Us They're Champs Award: To the Lady Govs volleyball team, which went undefeated until the state "AA" championship match and which gave life to the sport of volleyball in Pierre for the first time.
Can I Call You Back, Dear Award: To presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani who took a cell phone call from his wife in the middle of a speech to the National Rifle Association.
What a Run! Award: To the Rockies' magical September-October run when they came back from the dead, won 21 of 22 games, swept the Phillies, swept the D-backs and made it to the World Series.
Political Correctness Gone Amok Award: To the Australian management company which, in training Santa Clauses, suggested they say "Ha ha ha" instead of "Ho ho ho" because the latter might be offensive to women.
The Horses Are Still in the Stable Award: To Governor track coach Geoff Gross and his stable of stars. They lost some by graduation the last two years, but with two straight state titles under their belts, they can't wait for the snow to melt so they can go after #3, and neither can we. Meet me in Sioux Falls, last weekend in May, and wear green!
Maybe Funny, Maybe Not Award: To presidential candidate John McCain who, in answering a question about sending a message to Iran, used the tune of the Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann" to reply "Bomb bomb bomb; bomb bomb Iran."
Sports Photo of the Year Award: To whoever snapped the photo of first-baseman Todd Helton at the instant the Rockies clinched the pennant with Arizona's comedian, batter Eric Byrnes, lying facedown in the dirt.
I'm Not Smart But I'm Hot Award: To Miss Teen South Carolina for her pathetic, clueless, brain-dead response to a question about why U.S. students can't find Iraq on a map.
Retribution Award: To Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who in January fumbled the snap on a winning field goal in the playoffs but who this fall has led his team into Super Bowl contention.
National Champ Award: To young Pierre athlete Sydney Palmer, national champion in her age division of Punt, Pass & Kick.
Jerk of the Year Award: To Evil Dick, contestant on CBS' "Big Brother 8," who was foul, disgusting and vile enough to win the show.
You're Hard Up for Programming Award: To any network which shows---and anybody who watches---competitive eating competitions.
Dynasty Award: To my Custer boys track team which kept tradition alive with the school's sixth straight Black Hills Conference championship.
Pierre's Not The Same Award: To Ken and Sharon Starks, who spent three decades putting their hearts and souls into Chikadily's restaurant, then had to suddenly close it down last spring. The restaurant is now open under new ownership, and that's good news, but it's difficult to see tradition and history go by the wayside sometimes.
Losers Hang Together Award: To the four geeks, representing other phone companies, who can't compete with handsome Chad on the AllTel commercials.
A Can of Off, Please Award: To Yankee pitcher Joba Chamberlain, who was nearly devoured by gnats during a playoff game in Cleveland. (Even mosquitoes hate the Yankees.)
Cool Cash Award: To William Jefferson, the Louisiana congressman, for hiding $90,000 from shady business deals in his freezer at home.
Your Vote Counts Award: To the Onida city councilman who tied his opponent, then won a coin flip for the office.
Wave Your Flag Award: To tennis stars like Andy Roddick, James Blake and the Bryan brothers who take the time to play for the USA in Davis Cup competition. In case you don't know, we won! The same could be said for the NBA pros playing on Coach K's USA Olympics team in 2008. Those guys don't have to give up all that time (and many of those not playing don't want to!), but these are, and a gold medal awaits!
Not in Our House, You Don't Award: To the Governors football team, which Huron might have expected would be the first team it would beat in 40 games, but the Govs prevailed in a thrilling overtime win, and Huron will have to en its losing streak somewhere else next year.
Thank Heaven for Government Award: To the feds who ruled the kind folks of Bangor, Maine, could no longer welcome home soldiers to U.S. soil with boxes of homemade fudge and other treats because they were not inspected first.
I Can't Give Awards Without Mentioning Duke Award: To former Blue Devil legend Grant Hill, after years of injuries, getting a chance to contribute on an NBA contender like the Suns.
End That Relationship Now Award: To Izzy and George on "Grey's Anatomy." Please! Not a day longer!
Bad Dog Award: To Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon whose dog ate the ball which Papelbon threw on the final pitch of the World Series.
Good Hearts Award: To the folks out at the Frontier Bar in Custer who got a new puppy, Roxy, for youngster Cory Hughes after his previous dog was killed by a car.
Break the Tape Award: To homecoming king Travis Fitzke, who became Pierre's first-ever state cross-country champion.
I Wish I Had Written Those Books Award: To Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling for her unspeakably successful run.
Keep Fighting Award: To U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, back in the Senate a year after a brain hemorrhage.
The TV Show About People Like Us Which Not Enough People Watch Award: To NBC's "Friday Night Lights."
Living in Past Glory Award: To the bald and fat 1972 Miami Dolphins, who remind us, year after year, that they went undefeated. Go, Patriots!
Newsiest Week of the Year Award: To that week in July when Elijah Page was executed, the Alabaugh Fire burned near Hot Springs, Homestake was selected as the National Science Foundation lab site, a South Dakota Green Beret (Sgt. Robb Rolfing) gave his life in Iraq, and Union County was tabbed by Hyperion Oil as a possible refinery site---all in the same week!
Most Honest TV Commercial Award: To Subway for its commercial showing an NFL referee admitting he blew a call and would get even in the second half.
I Feel Your Pain Award: To Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who sat there alone during the NFL rookie draft as one team aftnother passed him by. (You'll get even some day, baby!)
We Raise Good People Here Award: To Marine Brian Murphy, a native of Pierre and graduate of Riggs High, who, having witnessed a two-car collision on a Florida highway bridge, took command of the accident scene, rescuing people and directing traffic till emergency help arrived.
With Friends Like You Award: To the USF soccer goalie who accidentally took out teammate Jacob Shoup, not only from that game but for the rest of the season, with a dislocated toe sustained when they got in each other's way.
Run To First Base, You Jerks Award: To Barry Bonds and Manny Ramirez, who stand motionless at home plate, arms raised into the air, admiring their home-run blasts, instead of running to first base as young ballplayers are taught to do.
It's Not the Same Without You Award: To college basketball announcer Dick Vitale, who after throat surgery can't broadcast again till February.
Speech of the Year Award: To distinguished author and English professor Nikki Giovanni, whose speech at the memorial convocation the day after the April massacre, roused the Virginia Tech family and the nation with hope and determination to move forward: "We will prevail. We are Virginia Tech!"
And away we go with the 2007 Parkies:
Most Entertaining Sports Moment of the Year Award: To Michigan for losing its football opener at home to Appalachian State.
You Lift Me Up Award: To the glorious music and inspiring messages at the installation service for Rev. David Zellmer as South Dakota's ELCA Lutheran bishop.
What Don't You Understand About 'Open' Award: To the assorted public officials who can't seem to grasp that South Dakota open-meetings law requires the public's business to be conducted in public.
Best Sidewalk Superintendent Moment Award: To the demolition of Pacer's old mica depot in downtown Custer. Sad to see the old barn go but fun to watch it come down, board by board!
The TV Show Which They Axed Too Soon Award: To ABC's "Traveler." Each episode kept me indoors on summer nights, but one season wasn't enough.
S.D. 'A' Basketball Moment of the Year Award: To the Vermillion girls' last-second steal and winning basket in the state "A" semifinals vs. Milbank.
S.D. 'AA' Basketball Moment of the Year Award: To last season's Lady Govs. With O'Gorman leading 50-49 in the final seconds, Polly Gill broke open under the hoop, Loryn Schuetzle spotted her with a laser pass, and Polly put in the winning bucket as Pierre advanced to the state championship game.
You're Stopping Me for What? Award: To the well-meaning Highway Patrol trooper who stopped me on I-90 at 3 a.m. because I was "going too slow."
Count Your Blessings Award: To South Dakota school principals, most of whom don't have the same problems as principals in Rochester, Minn. They had to ban limousines from the parking lots on fifth-grade graduation day.
Mr. Personality Award: It's a tie between home-run slugger Barry Bonds and Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
Best Book Title of the Year Award: To Stephen Colbert's "I Am America and So Can You."
S.D. College Sports Moment of the Year Award: To USF's 90-yard drive in bitter cold in the last two minutes to beat Missouri Valley in the NAIA national semifinal. (But SDSU's stunning win over No. 1 NDSU for the Great West conference title ranks right up there.)
Why Can't I Learn To Love You? Award: To St. Thomas More teams. If you had spent two years in Custer as I did---or anywhere else in the Black Hills---you would know what I mean.
The Streak Goes On Award: To the Pierre Street railroad viaduct for remaining undefeated. Several vehicles tried to take out the bridge in 2007, but the structure stayed strong and true.
Enough Screen Time Award: To actress Eva Longoria, who gets more TV time during Spurs games in which husband Tony Parker plays than she does on "Desperate Housewives."
The Book I Can't Wait To Read Award: To Lynne Spears' temporarily-delayed book on parenting. (She's the mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn.)
Enjoy It While You Can Award: To Nebraska and Notre Dame haters who enjoyed the '07 football season. The Huskers and the Irish will be back!
An Honest Politician! Award: To former Sen. George McGovern, a Democratic presidential candidate in 1972, who admitted he voted for Republican Gerald Ford for President instead of Jimmy Carter.
Humane Society Dog Calendar Award: To dog-fighting entrepreneur Michael Vick to hang in his jail cell.
I've Had It With Celebrity Guests Award: To ESPN's Monday Night Football crew who can't get through a single quarter of a game without some celebrity showing up to be fawned over.
Hockey Moment of the Year Award: To last year's Capitals, who later would go all the way to the state championship game and take it into overtime. But the supreme moment came against perennial powerhouse Brookings, a team Pierre had never ever defeated. Down 2-0 with 8:58 left, the Caps came up with the most thrilling nine minutes in Pierre hockey history to whip the Rangers, 5-2. For good measure the Caps beat 'em again the next day, 5-1.
Multi-Cultural Event of the Year Award: To Riggs High graduate Angie Iverson's wedding where the ceremony was conducted in English, Latin and Spanish and one of the songs was sung in French.
Mismatch Award: To any Class "AA" football or basketball game between a Sioux Falls team and a Rapid City team.
Observation of the Year Award: To the foreign-born Washington, D.C., taxi driver who told NBC's Brian Williams, "You Americans sure know how to say goodbye to your presidents."
Living Up To Their Potential Award: To Custer's state "A" cross-country champs. Second in '06, they were expected to win it this year, and they did it.
Journalist to the Rescue! Award: To Gettysburg editor Molly McRoberts, who in a mall parking lot in Pierre, found a 5-year-old boy huddled between two cars, sobbing, lost, his coat wide open, no mittens on a minus-20 wind chill day. Molly wrote, "Funny we're required to have a license to own a dog, but there are no restrictions placed on who can have children."
Anticipation Award: To USD's senior running back Amos Allen. It was a rise-to-my-feet adventure every time he carried the ball.
Get a Life Award: To all those picket-sign holders who always seem to be available when a celebrity walks in or out of jail. Don't you people have to go to work?
They Do It Without Thinking Award: To common folks, including some from South Dakota, who happened to be nearby when the I-35W bridge collapsed and who, without thinking twice, dived into the water and climbed on to the rubble to save people's lives.
Way to Start the Year! Award: To Boise State's exhilarating miracle-makers for humbling Oklahoma with gutsy clutch plays to win the Fiesta Bowl last Jan. 1.
What Exactly Is Your Talent Award: To so-called celebrities like Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears whose only apparent talents are behaving badly, getting into trouble and messing up their lives.
He Says What I Think Award: To MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Too bad he has only one more year to talk about the Bush crowd. On second thought, no, it's not.
Home-state Pride Award: To all of us who think it's really cool when the TV screen reads "Written by Anne Cofell Saunders" at the end of a "Chuck" episode, or Mike Miller scores a double-double in an NBA game, or Tom Brokaw narrates another TV documentary, or Adam Vinatieri kicks a game-winning field goal for the Colts, or Ben Leber or Chad Greenway make a super defensive play for the Vikings, and on an on. South Dakotans, once and always!
Get the Chips Off Your Shoulders Award: To SDSU and/or USD officials. Our two Division I schools should be scheduling each other in football and basketball and doing it now!
There's Something In The Air Award: To whoever allowed a B-52 carrying six nuclear weapons to fly across South Dakota and other states in August.
To Us They're Champs Award: To the Lady Govs volleyball team, which went undefeated until the state "AA" championship match and which gave life to the sport of volleyball in Pierre for the first time.
Can I Call You Back, Dear Award: To presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani who took a cell phone call from his wife in the middle of a speech to the National Rifle Association.
What a Run! Award: To the Rockies' magical September-October run when they came back from the dead, won 21 of 22 games, swept the Phillies, swept the D-backs and made it to the World Series.
Political Correctness Gone Amok Award: To the Australian management company which, in training Santa Clauses, suggested they say "Ha ha ha" instead of "Ho ho ho" because the latter might be offensive to women.
The Horses Are Still in the Stable Award: To Governor track coach Geoff Gross and his stable of stars. They lost some by graduation the last two years, but with two straight state titles under their belts, they can't wait for the snow to melt so they can go after #3, and neither can we. Meet me in Sioux Falls, last weekend in May, and wear green!
Maybe Funny, Maybe Not Award: To presidential candidate John McCain who, in answering a question about sending a message to Iran, used the tune of the Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann" to reply "Bomb bomb bomb; bomb bomb Iran."
Sports Photo of the Year Award: To whoever snapped the photo of first-baseman Todd Helton at the instant the Rockies clinched the pennant with Arizona's comedian, batter Eric Byrnes, lying facedown in the dirt.
I'm Not Smart But I'm Hot Award: To Miss Teen South Carolina for her pathetic, clueless, brain-dead response to a question about why U.S. students can't find Iraq on a map.
Retribution Award: To Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who in January fumbled the snap on a winning field goal in the playoffs but who this fall has led his team into Super Bowl contention.
National Champ Award: To young Pierre athlete Sydney Palmer, national champion in her age division of Punt, Pass & Kick.
Jerk of the Year Award: To Evil Dick, contestant on CBS' "Big Brother 8," who was foul, disgusting and vile enough to win the show.
You're Hard Up for Programming Award: To any network which shows---and anybody who watches---competitive eating competitions.
Dynasty Award: To my Custer boys track team which kept tradition alive with the school's sixth straight Black Hills Conference championship.
Pierre's Not The Same Award: To Ken and Sharon Starks, who spent three decades putting their hearts and souls into Chikadily's restaurant, then had to suddenly close it down last spring. The restaurant is now open under new ownership, and that's good news, but it's difficult to see tradition and history go by the wayside sometimes.
Losers Hang Together Award: To the four geeks, representing other phone companies, who can't compete with handsome Chad on the AllTel commercials.
A Can of Off, Please Award: To Yankee pitcher Joba Chamberlain, who was nearly devoured by gnats during a playoff game in Cleveland. (Even mosquitoes hate the Yankees.)
Cool Cash Award: To William Jefferson, the Louisiana congressman, for hiding $90,000 from shady business deals in his freezer at home.
Your Vote Counts Award: To the Onida city councilman who tied his opponent, then won a coin flip for the office.
Wave Your Flag Award: To tennis stars like Andy Roddick, James Blake and the Bryan brothers who take the time to play for the USA in Davis Cup competition. In case you don't know, we won! The same could be said for the NBA pros playing on Coach K's USA Olympics team in 2008. Those guys don't have to give up all that time (and many of those not playing don't want to!), but these are, and a gold medal awaits!
Not in Our House, You Don't Award: To the Governors football team, which Huron might have expected would be the first team it would beat in 40 games, but the Govs prevailed in a thrilling overtime win, and Huron will have to en its losing streak somewhere else next year.
Thank Heaven for Government Award: To the feds who ruled the kind folks of Bangor, Maine, could no longer welcome home soldiers to U.S. soil with boxes of homemade fudge and other treats because they were not inspected first.
I Can't Give Awards Without Mentioning Duke Award: To former Blue Devil legend Grant Hill, after years of injuries, getting a chance to contribute on an NBA contender like the Suns.
End That Relationship Now Award: To Izzy and George on "Grey's Anatomy." Please! Not a day longer!
Bad Dog Award: To Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon whose dog ate the ball which Papelbon threw on the final pitch of the World Series.
Good Hearts Award: To the folks out at the Frontier Bar in Custer who got a new puppy, Roxy, for youngster Cory Hughes after his previous dog was killed by a car.
Break the Tape Award: To homecoming king Travis Fitzke, who became Pierre's first-ever state cross-country champion.
I Wish I Had Written Those Books Award: To Harry Potter series author J.K. Rowling for her unspeakably successful run.
Keep Fighting Award: To U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, back in the Senate a year after a brain hemorrhage.
The TV Show About People Like Us Which Not Enough People Watch Award: To NBC's "Friday Night Lights."
Living in Past Glory Award: To the bald and fat 1972 Miami Dolphins, who remind us, year after year, that they went undefeated. Go, Patriots!
Newsiest Week of the Year Award: To that week in July when Elijah Page was executed, the Alabaugh Fire burned near Hot Springs, Homestake was selected as the National Science Foundation lab site, a South Dakota Green Beret (Sgt. Robb Rolfing) gave his life in Iraq, and Union County was tabbed by Hyperion Oil as a possible refinery site---all in the same week!
Most Honest TV Commercial Award: To Subway for its commercial showing an NFL referee admitting he blew a call and would get even in the second half.
I Feel Your Pain Award: To Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, who sat there alone during the NFL rookie draft as one team aftnother passed him by. (You'll get even some day, baby!)
We Raise Good People Here Award: To Marine Brian Murphy, a native of Pierre and graduate of Riggs High, who, having witnessed a two-car collision on a Florida highway bridge, took command of the accident scene, rescuing people and directing traffic till emergency help arrived.
With Friends Like You Award: To the USF soccer goalie who accidentally took out teammate Jacob Shoup, not only from that game but for the rest of the season, with a dislocated toe sustained when they got in each other's way.
Run To First Base, You Jerks Award: To Barry Bonds and Manny Ramirez, who stand motionless at home plate, arms raised into the air, admiring their home-run blasts, instead of running to first base as young ballplayers are taught to do.
It's Not the Same Without You Award: To college basketball announcer Dick Vitale, who after throat surgery can't broadcast again till February.
Speech of the Year Award: To distinguished author and English professor Nikki Giovanni, whose speech at the memorial convocation the day after the April massacre, roused the Virginia Tech family and the nation with hope and determination to move forward: "We will prevail. We are Virginia Tech!"
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Good night from Oliver and me
It's 11:27 p.m. as I write this under the inspiration of the last frenetic hour of finishing Sonny Brewer's "Cormac," his book about his dog. If you're a "dog person," get hold of that book now. I guarantee that, for at least the last half of the book, as Sonny tells his first-person tale of his search for his lost dog, you will be flipping pages forward at a record pace, reading like the wind, as you hurry from page to page, anxious to see if the next page is the one on which he is reunited with Cormac, his red retriever.
My daughter and grandson have been away since yesterday morning, having fled the coop in favor of Rochester to visit my daughter's twin sister and her husband and two girls for a few days leading up to Christmas Eve. So it's been Oliver as my only company here at home in Vermillion, S.D. Oliver is a German shepherd, but he is white with big, beautiful brown eyes. As I compose this post at the computer in the kitchen, he is up on the living room couch, snoozing but ever alert in case he hears the slightest noise which would indicate I am changing rooms.
Oliver is too big to be a lap dog, but he considers himself to be one. He is mild-mannered, coming up with a bonafide bark only when something greatly perturbs him such as the sense that a dog to be reckoned with is passing by the house out on the front sidewalk along Main Street. Oliver lets Dylan, age 3 years, 3 months, use him as a horse. He chases balls and snowballs with equal enthusiasm. He is a dear dog who deserves a little space on this blogsite, not only right after I read a "dog book" but all of the time.
Oliver's presence restricts my activities somewhat. I guess he saves me money in the long run because of the travels I do not take because of him. I can't take him along to any of the relatives' places, and I can't be gone out of town for very many hours because of Oliver. It's too cold this time of year to tie him up outside, and if he's inside for very long, even restricted to the basement, he'll need to relieve himself down there or will decide it's time to chew something. On rare occasion, such as from Christmas Eve morning to the afternoon of Dec. 26, Oliver will have to reside at the kennel at the local veterinary clinic. He'll get good care there because Oliver is one of their favorite boarders, but because of Oliver, I won't be gone longer than 48 hours, even if it does cost something like only $13 per night for him to stay at the kennel.
I'd like to hear about your dog, present or past. Good night from Oliver and me.
My daughter and grandson have been away since yesterday morning, having fled the coop in favor of Rochester to visit my daughter's twin sister and her husband and two girls for a few days leading up to Christmas Eve. So it's been Oliver as my only company here at home in Vermillion, S.D. Oliver is a German shepherd, but he is white with big, beautiful brown eyes. As I compose this post at the computer in the kitchen, he is up on the living room couch, snoozing but ever alert in case he hears the slightest noise which would indicate I am changing rooms.
Oliver is too big to be a lap dog, but he considers himself to be one. He is mild-mannered, coming up with a bonafide bark only when something greatly perturbs him such as the sense that a dog to be reckoned with is passing by the house out on the front sidewalk along Main Street. Oliver lets Dylan, age 3 years, 3 months, use him as a horse. He chases balls and snowballs with equal enthusiasm. He is a dear dog who deserves a little space on this blogsite, not only right after I read a "dog book" but all of the time.
Oliver's presence restricts my activities somewhat. I guess he saves me money in the long run because of the travels I do not take because of him. I can't take him along to any of the relatives' places, and I can't be gone out of town for very many hours because of Oliver. It's too cold this time of year to tie him up outside, and if he's inside for very long, even restricted to the basement, he'll need to relieve himself down there or will decide it's time to chew something. On rare occasion, such as from Christmas Eve morning to the afternoon of Dec. 26, Oliver will have to reside at the kennel at the local veterinary clinic. He'll get good care there because Oliver is one of their favorite boarders, but because of Oliver, I won't be gone longer than 48 hours, even if it does cost something like only $13 per night for him to stay at the kennel.
I'd like to hear about your dog, present or past. Good night from Oliver and me.
Friday, December 14, 2007
I've been a slacker
I guess it matters not that I haven't added a post to this blogsite in more than three weeks because nobody except me has checked it out anyway.
When I wrote in November, we had learned we had to move from this rental house. It has turned out that we do not have to move after all. Therefore, when I spent Thanksgiving weekend doing a voluminous amount of Christmas shopping in Pierre and when I did my Christmas cards and letter shortly thereafter, I found myself with most traditional December chores (pleasures?) done and still quite a lot of time remaining in the month. So I should have had time to write in this blog, but I haven't.
It's a cold Friday in Vermillion, S.D., but we have had power all month, much unlike so many thousands in places to the south and east. I will take a foot or two of snow any day just so long as the electricity remains on! Daughter Heather and grandson Dylan have gone up to Sioux Falls to shop today, so I'm home because Oliver the dog is here, and I don't dare leave him in the house alone for several hours.
A week from today Heather and Dylan and her mother will be on the road to Rochester to Phase I of our family Christmas. Then on Christmas Eve day they will make the trek back to Pierre, and I will go up there from here, and son Jason and his fiancee will come east from Rapid City and son Ryan will fly in from Minneapolis. Unfortunately daughter Holly and family from Rochester can't come to South Dakota because she has the overnight shift at Mayo Clinic both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But we probably will get over there in January to celebrate Audrey's first birthday, about a week before I have my 69th. SIXTY-NINTH? No big deal except that next year (Feb. 3, 2009) it will be #70. Now that does indeed sound old. More on that in a January blog.
Time to wrap a couple more presents that arrived today by mail. I have gifts divided sort of like they do it in the post office---a box or two headed to Rochester, another box or two headed to Pierre. And Christmas is only a week and a half away.
Merry Christmas to you, whoever you are, wherever you are.
When I wrote in November, we had learned we had to move from this rental house. It has turned out that we do not have to move after all. Therefore, when I spent Thanksgiving weekend doing a voluminous amount of Christmas shopping in Pierre and when I did my Christmas cards and letter shortly thereafter, I found myself with most traditional December chores (pleasures?) done and still quite a lot of time remaining in the month. So I should have had time to write in this blog, but I haven't.
It's a cold Friday in Vermillion, S.D., but we have had power all month, much unlike so many thousands in places to the south and east. I will take a foot or two of snow any day just so long as the electricity remains on! Daughter Heather and grandson Dylan have gone up to Sioux Falls to shop today, so I'm home because Oliver the dog is here, and I don't dare leave him in the house alone for several hours.
A week from today Heather and Dylan and her mother will be on the road to Rochester to Phase I of our family Christmas. Then on Christmas Eve day they will make the trek back to Pierre, and I will go up there from here, and son Jason and his fiancee will come east from Rapid City and son Ryan will fly in from Minneapolis. Unfortunately daughter Holly and family from Rochester can't come to South Dakota because she has the overnight shift at Mayo Clinic both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But we probably will get over there in January to celebrate Audrey's first birthday, about a week before I have my 69th. SIXTY-NINTH? No big deal except that next year (Feb. 3, 2009) it will be #70. Now that does indeed sound old. More on that in a January blog.
Time to wrap a couple more presents that arrived today by mail. I have gifts divided sort of like they do it in the post office---a box or two headed to Rochester, another box or two headed to Pierre. And Christmas is only a week and a half away.
Merry Christmas to you, whoever you are, wherever you are.
Monday, November 19, 2007
I count my blessings
REFLECTIONS AT THANKSGIVING TIME
"I am thankful for small mercies. I compared notes with one of my friends who expects everything of the universe and is disappointed when anything is less than the best, and I found that I begin at the other extreme, expecting nothing, and am always full of thanks for moderate goods." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
The year since last Thanksgiving that has zipped by so quickly has brought new experiences, new adventures, new friends, a new place to call home, and a few minor bumps in the road. Hopefully that is true for you. But it has likewise been one of the best years of my life. Hopefully that is also true for you. For what they're worth, these are some of the things that make me smile and for which I am grateful at Thanksgiving time and throughout the year:
Olivia, Dylan and Audrey, the treasures of my life, the grandkids who make every day worth getting up for . . . distant train whistles . . . the words "winter storm watch" on the weather forecast . . . peanut butter-and-currant jelly sandwiches . . . the music of "Fiddler on the Roof" and the memories it revives . . . downtown Rochester with its shops, restaurants and skyscraper hospitals . . . the doughnuts with maple frosting at Wall Drug, worth a momentary detour off I-90 . . . Garrison Keillor and "Prairie Home Companion," on the radio or live at the Fitzgerald . . . a green light on Cherry Street when USD kids aren't trying to cross the highway . . . our white German shepherd, Oliver, one of God's dearest creatures . . . restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings where five different games are playing on the TV screens . . . the bells, whip cracks and horse whinnies of "Sleigh Ride" . . . book stores . . . summer band concerts in the park . . . Duke basketball . . . the first cup of coffee in the morning . . . the next cup of coffee---after Oliver's first walk of the day . . . watching the semis whiz by on I-29 with Dylan from the Junction City rest area . . . Coyotes football in the DakotaDome . . . deviled eggs . . . the Cubs . . . winning a 50-50 prize at a baseball game---one of life's rarest occurrences . . . Wrigley Field . . . the scent of rain in the air . . . wind chimes . . . the Vikings---when they're playing well . . . thick Sunday newspapers . . . family Christmas letters (take a hint!---but e-mails will do) . . . the hot cinnamon mini-doughnuts they sell at the hockey arena in Sioux City . . . the sun streaming through stained-glass windows of a church.
Warm memories of my two years in Custer, especially the people I didn't know at all three years ago at this time but who now I can't imagine being part of my life . . . Wildcat football's picturesque setting . . . The Purple Pie Place and its rhubarb pie . . . the outdoors view from the pews at LYF . . . the folks who said "Yes!" whenever I begged them to be part of "Question of the Week" for the Chronicle . . . supper before the All-State Chorus concert with the Custer singers and their parents . . . the view down the hill coming into town from the north with the "Custer" sign aglow above downtown . . . folks from the Pierre years coming into the Chronicle office to say hello . . . the holiday lights parade . . . the painted life-sized Custer Stampede buffalo all around town . . . the boys cheering en masse for the girls basketball team . . . the homemade soup at the senior center on soup-and-pie day . . . the cordial ladies at Carson Drug . . . Blossom, my canine friend, who ran to meet me every Wednesday at the bookstore . . . the veranda at Crazy Horse with big flakes of snow fluttering down . . . the grade school kids who pointed at me and my camera bag and said something like "You're the camera guy!" . . . the athletes who are college freshmen now but who were lowly sophomores when I arrived . . . the Black Hills Playhouse . . . the sun still illuminating the top of Harney Peak even though it's already dark down below . . . the school's Veterans Day program . . . a cross-country race at the golf course . . . the chatter between June and Pam eminating from the back room while they stuffed inserts on Tuesdays . . . Barb calling me by name as she takes my order at Subway . . . finding unique must-have treasures for my grandkids at Surroundings . . . cheery greetings from the folks in the school offices and the administration building . . . the Destination ImagiNation teams . . . the new high school . . . the Chronicle gang . . . Larry Legend and the basketball memories hanging on his office wall . . . the view of the Harney range from the road south of town . . . the folks at the post office . . . the courtroom at the old courthouse museum---a scene straight out of a 1950s Western . . . conversations with Dorothea Edgington, a Custer institution . . . all of the people at the schools---the best anywhere . . . cheers back and forth across the basketball court between the students and the parents . . . a Black Hills Conference track meet . . . conversations about Pierre events and people with the other former Pierre-ites who dominate the Custer landscape . . . the ladies at Lynn's checkout lanes . . . singing with the Community Church choir at Christmas and Easter . . . the constant search for a cellular phone signal hot spot . . . the courthouse people . . . the views while driving to Hot Springs and Newcastle . . . Marguerite, Mary and Janice at the library . . . 50-cent popcorn at the armory . . . the enthusiasm of the folks at the chamber (don't they EVER have a bad day?) . . . Cozy, my first friend from Custer . . . getting coffee from Larry down on the corner . . . sports talk with Bill Young . . . beating Paul and Jason in our football picks . . . Gold Discovery Days.
Hot apple cider . . . the old Carol Burnett variety shows . . . board games with the kids at holiday time . . . a checkbook error in my favor . . . campfires on a beach . . . the first glimpse of the campanile at SDSU . . . fudge . . . the endless sunset seen from the central South Dakota prairie . . . Handel's "Messiah" . . . Charlie Coyote . . . a new John Sparks book . . . sports talk radio . . . remembering Robert Disburg every time I spy a coin on the ground . . . scurrying outside with Dylan each time we hear the LifeFlight helicopter coming toward the Vermillion hospital . . . college students home for the holidays . . . a phone call from one of the kids to report they got there safely . . . Joe Mauer's sideburns . . . a high school choir in formal dress, eyes riveted on their director . . . sweet potatoes smothered in marshmallows . . . the Walker family on "Brothers & Sisters" . . . church pipe organs . . . the wave of a finger from a passing driver . . . my daily 10-minute imaginary trip to somewhere by means of Google Earth . . . hot dogs from the grill . . . semifinal night at a state basketball tournament . . . the exhilaration trumpet introduction to Charles Osgood's "Sunday Morning" show . . . a surprise e-mail from someone with whom I've been out of touch for awhile . . . a summer night at the ballpark . . . holiday decorations on the lightpoles . . . the newest Michael Buble CD . . . "SportsCenter" . . . the UPS driver pulling to a stop in our driveway . . . weddings of kids I watched grow up . . . the College World Series.
Golden memories of all those years in Pierre---the Kiwanis Singers ("Smile . . . and the world smiles with you . . . sing a song!") . . . the indoor marching band concerts . . . the Governor football team coming down the hill toward Hollister Field . . . the peninsula into Capitol Lake . . . the steeple of Ss. Peter & Paul . . . state Legion baseball at Hyde Stadium . . . a Farm Island stroll in the fall . . . the Capital City Children's Chorus . . . the railroad underpass on Pierre Street . . . Zesto in the spring, Zesto in the fall, Zesto at any time at all . . . the flags flying in the breeze in Hilger's Gulch . . . the Over Forte Orchestra . . . the view from the Verendrye Monument . . . carols broadcast from the tower at Faith Lutheran . . . the lighted cross atop First Methodist . . . the Green Wave at a state tournament . . . Riggs band trips . . . the lights of the city from 15 miles out . . . outdoor graduations . . . the Flaming Fountain . . . participating in music at our church and others . . . Pierre Players shows . . . the Cultural Heritage Center . . . Christmastime in the Rotunda . . . the bike path along the riverfront . . . community choir concerts . . . Capitals hockey . . . Steamboat Park on the night of the Fourth . . . South Madison Street Blues and Surprise Package . . . the jazz festival . . . Fort Pierre rodeos . . . the view of the river from the windows at Cattleman's . . . still hearing the voices of radio legends Del Fisher and Fred Smith, and for that matter, Dean Sorenson and "Mrs. Pierre" Ida McNeil . . . the sledding hill along Church Street . . . cruising on the Capital City Queen . . . the Fighting Stallions . . . the memory of the start of the press run each afternoon at 2 during the old Capital Journal days . . . the sunset from a deck overlooking the river . . . a train rumbling across the 100-year-old bridge.
Still-warm pumpkin pie with Cool Whip . . . the grand march at a high school prom . . . the twin spires of St. Anthony's rising out of the prairie at Hoven . . . the courageous young people who volunteer to serve overseas in dangerous places . . . the music of "Les Miserables" . . . a wave of a finger from a passing driver . . . sharing a TCBY ice cream cone with Oliver . . . dancing to big-band music . . . a hot Tom & Jerry on a frosty holiday morning . . . a baseball player stealing home . . . icicle lights hanging from the eaves . . . the hometown paper arriving in the mail . . . Coffee Hi at the Vermillion UCC church . . . the magic of Santa in "The Polar Express" . . . caramel rolls fresh from the oven . . . the Rockies (the baseball team as well as the mountains) . . . Marley (the dog, not the bah-humbug guy in "A Christmas Carol") . . . a steaming bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese . . . the spectacle of the state track meet . . . discovering the flowers have bloomed . . . the Twins game on the radio . . . razzleberry pie from the frozen foods case . . . the lights of Rapid City from the top of the Wasta hill after a long cross-state drive . . . the performers at the Miss South Dakota pageant . . . Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Patriots . . . the Acoustic Christmas troupe . . . the downtown trolley in Sioux Falls . . . seeing what excellent mothers my daughters are and what loving uncles their brothers are . . . a choir's carols reverberating through the Capitol . . . a college campus in the fall . . . the lyrics of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and the memories of long-past Christmases in Onida they invoke . . . running into somebody you know at an interstate rest area (only in South Dakota!) . . . Hamburger Helper . . . downtown Chicago---the Michigan Avenue stores, the old water tower, the bridges opening to let boats down the river, Navy Pier, the Field Museum, the skyline . . . filling in one's brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament . . . Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up."
The downstream view of the Missouri from atop Oahe Dam . . . the spirit and camaraderie of smalltown folks, all dressed in the same colors, who follow their team hundreds of miles from home . . . people-watching at an airport or Mount Rushmore or a shopping mall . . . stepping along with the USD band as they march down the street toward a game in the Dome . . . the smell of bread baking in the oven . . . the soaring voices of the men of Il Divo . . . brownies . . . graduation receptions . . . drivers who yield . . . the choir processing down the aisle during the opening hymn . . . homecoming parades . . . seeing my kids and their cousins enjoying each other's company when they all get together . . . a fly-over by one of Ellsworth's bombers . . . "Remember the Titans" . . . the rush of seeing a car with a license plate from home . . . meatloaf simmering in the crockpot all day . . . unpacking the last cardboard box after moving---across town or across the state . . . Friday noon programs at the Shrine to Music Museum . . . a pan of frosted cookies from Granny Franny . . . the view up Main Street toward the courthouse on the hill in my hometown . . . old yearbooks . . . "Good Will Hunting" . . . ambrosia salad . . . "Mike & Mike in the Morning" on ESPN Radio . . . a football Saturday at Nebraska . . . music memories from three years at First Methodist in Rapid City . . . hearing one's governor or congressman or legislator call you by name (only in South Dakota!) . . . Storybook Island at Christmas time . . . loose change in the bottom of the washer or beneath the driver's seat . . . a first-ever school photo from my granddaughter . . . neighbors like the Wards across the street and the Russells next door . . . the view of the Nebraska river bluffs three miles away . . . pumpkin bread from the Hy-Vee store . . . high school and college reunions . . . "Touch 'em all, Justin Morneau!" . . . a nighttime story down on E-pa's couch before Dylan heads upstairs to bed . . . the down-home folks at the country church I visit once a month. And that's just a start . . . but most of all, my kids and my grandkids, my extended families, good times, great memories, good health, dear friends, and a life in which every day is a good time.
As you count your own blessings, one by one, this week, here's a toast to a blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours!
"I am thankful for small mercies. I compared notes with one of my friends who expects everything of the universe and is disappointed when anything is less than the best, and I found that I begin at the other extreme, expecting nothing, and am always full of thanks for moderate goods." --- Ralph Waldo Emerson.
The year since last Thanksgiving that has zipped by so quickly has brought new experiences, new adventures, new friends, a new place to call home, and a few minor bumps in the road. Hopefully that is true for you. But it has likewise been one of the best years of my life. Hopefully that is also true for you. For what they're worth, these are some of the things that make me smile and for which I am grateful at Thanksgiving time and throughout the year:
Olivia, Dylan and Audrey, the treasures of my life, the grandkids who make every day worth getting up for . . . distant train whistles . . . the words "winter storm watch" on the weather forecast . . . peanut butter-and-currant jelly sandwiches . . . the music of "Fiddler on the Roof" and the memories it revives . . . downtown Rochester with its shops, restaurants and skyscraper hospitals . . . the doughnuts with maple frosting at Wall Drug, worth a momentary detour off I-90 . . . Garrison Keillor and "Prairie Home Companion," on the radio or live at the Fitzgerald . . . a green light on Cherry Street when USD kids aren't trying to cross the highway . . . our white German shepherd, Oliver, one of God's dearest creatures . . . restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings where five different games are playing on the TV screens . . . the bells, whip cracks and horse whinnies of "Sleigh Ride" . . . book stores . . . summer band concerts in the park . . . Duke basketball . . . the first cup of coffee in the morning . . . the next cup of coffee---after Oliver's first walk of the day . . . watching the semis whiz by on I-29 with Dylan from the Junction City rest area . . . Coyotes football in the DakotaDome . . . deviled eggs . . . the Cubs . . . winning a 50-50 prize at a baseball game---one of life's rarest occurrences . . . Wrigley Field . . . the scent of rain in the air . . . wind chimes . . . the Vikings---when they're playing well . . . thick Sunday newspapers . . . family Christmas letters (take a hint!---but e-mails will do) . . . the hot cinnamon mini-doughnuts they sell at the hockey arena in Sioux City . . . the sun streaming through stained-glass windows of a church.
Warm memories of my two years in Custer, especially the people I didn't know at all three years ago at this time but who now I can't imagine being part of my life . . . Wildcat football's picturesque setting . . . The Purple Pie Place and its rhubarb pie . . . the outdoors view from the pews at LYF . . . the folks who said "Yes!" whenever I begged them to be part of "Question of the Week" for the Chronicle . . . supper before the All-State Chorus concert with the Custer singers and their parents . . . the view down the hill coming into town from the north with the "Custer" sign aglow above downtown . . . folks from the Pierre years coming into the Chronicle office to say hello . . . the holiday lights parade . . . the painted life-sized Custer Stampede buffalo all around town . . . the boys cheering en masse for the girls basketball team . . . the homemade soup at the senior center on soup-and-pie day . . . the cordial ladies at Carson Drug . . . Blossom, my canine friend, who ran to meet me every Wednesday at the bookstore . . . the veranda at Crazy Horse with big flakes of snow fluttering down . . . the grade school kids who pointed at me and my camera bag and said something like "You're the camera guy!" . . . the athletes who are college freshmen now but who were lowly sophomores when I arrived . . . the Black Hills Playhouse . . . the sun still illuminating the top of Harney Peak even though it's already dark down below . . . the school's Veterans Day program . . . a cross-country race at the golf course . . . the chatter between June and Pam eminating from the back room while they stuffed inserts on Tuesdays . . . Barb calling me by name as she takes my order at Subway . . . finding unique must-have treasures for my grandkids at Surroundings . . . cheery greetings from the folks in the school offices and the administration building . . . the Destination ImagiNation teams . . . the new high school . . . the Chronicle gang . . . Larry Legend and the basketball memories hanging on his office wall . . . the view of the Harney range from the road south of town . . . the folks at the post office . . . the courtroom at the old courthouse museum---a scene straight out of a 1950s Western . . . conversations with Dorothea Edgington, a Custer institution . . . all of the people at the schools---the best anywhere . . . cheers back and forth across the basketball court between the students and the parents . . . a Black Hills Conference track meet . . . conversations about Pierre events and people with the other former Pierre-ites who dominate the Custer landscape . . . the ladies at Lynn's checkout lanes . . . singing with the Community Church choir at Christmas and Easter . . . the constant search for a cellular phone signal hot spot . . . the courthouse people . . . the views while driving to Hot Springs and Newcastle . . . Marguerite, Mary and Janice at the library . . . 50-cent popcorn at the armory . . . the enthusiasm of the folks at the chamber (don't they EVER have a bad day?) . . . Cozy, my first friend from Custer . . . getting coffee from Larry down on the corner . . . sports talk with Bill Young . . . beating Paul and Jason in our football picks . . . Gold Discovery Days.
Hot apple cider . . . the old Carol Burnett variety shows . . . board games with the kids at holiday time . . . a checkbook error in my favor . . . campfires on a beach . . . the first glimpse of the campanile at SDSU . . . fudge . . . the endless sunset seen from the central South Dakota prairie . . . Handel's "Messiah" . . . Charlie Coyote . . . a new John Sparks book . . . sports talk radio . . . remembering Robert Disburg every time I spy a coin on the ground . . . scurrying outside with Dylan each time we hear the LifeFlight helicopter coming toward the Vermillion hospital . . . college students home for the holidays . . . a phone call from one of the kids to report they got there safely . . . Joe Mauer's sideburns . . . a high school choir in formal dress, eyes riveted on their director . . . sweet potatoes smothered in marshmallows . . . the Walker family on "Brothers & Sisters" . . . church pipe organs . . . the wave of a finger from a passing driver . . . my daily 10-minute imaginary trip to somewhere by means of Google Earth . . . hot dogs from the grill . . . semifinal night at a state basketball tournament . . . the exhilaration trumpet introduction to Charles Osgood's "Sunday Morning" show . . . a surprise e-mail from someone with whom I've been out of touch for awhile . . . a summer night at the ballpark . . . holiday decorations on the lightpoles . . . the newest Michael Buble CD . . . "SportsCenter" . . . the UPS driver pulling to a stop in our driveway . . . weddings of kids I watched grow up . . . the College World Series.
Golden memories of all those years in Pierre---the Kiwanis Singers ("Smile . . . and the world smiles with you . . . sing a song!") . . . the indoor marching band concerts . . . the Governor football team coming down the hill toward Hollister Field . . . the peninsula into Capitol Lake . . . the steeple of Ss. Peter & Paul . . . state Legion baseball at Hyde Stadium . . . a Farm Island stroll in the fall . . . the Capital City Children's Chorus . . . the railroad underpass on Pierre Street . . . Zesto in the spring, Zesto in the fall, Zesto at any time at all . . . the flags flying in the breeze in Hilger's Gulch . . . the Over Forte Orchestra . . . the view from the Verendrye Monument . . . carols broadcast from the tower at Faith Lutheran . . . the lighted cross atop First Methodist . . . the Green Wave at a state tournament . . . Riggs band trips . . . the lights of the city from 15 miles out . . . outdoor graduations . . . the Flaming Fountain . . . participating in music at our church and others . . . Pierre Players shows . . . the Cultural Heritage Center . . . Christmastime in the Rotunda . . . the bike path along the riverfront . . . community choir concerts . . . Capitals hockey . . . Steamboat Park on the night of the Fourth . . . South Madison Street Blues and Surprise Package . . . the jazz festival . . . Fort Pierre rodeos . . . the view of the river from the windows at Cattleman's . . . still hearing the voices of radio legends Del Fisher and Fred Smith, and for that matter, Dean Sorenson and "Mrs. Pierre" Ida McNeil . . . the sledding hill along Church Street . . . cruising on the Capital City Queen . . . the Fighting Stallions . . . the memory of the start of the press run each afternoon at 2 during the old Capital Journal days . . . the sunset from a deck overlooking the river . . . a train rumbling across the 100-year-old bridge.
Still-warm pumpkin pie with Cool Whip . . . the grand march at a high school prom . . . the twin spires of St. Anthony's rising out of the prairie at Hoven . . . the courageous young people who volunteer to serve overseas in dangerous places . . . the music of "Les Miserables" . . . a wave of a finger from a passing driver . . . sharing a TCBY ice cream cone with Oliver . . . dancing to big-band music . . . a hot Tom & Jerry on a frosty holiday morning . . . a baseball player stealing home . . . icicle lights hanging from the eaves . . . the hometown paper arriving in the mail . . . Coffee Hi at the Vermillion UCC church . . . the magic of Santa in "The Polar Express" . . . caramel rolls fresh from the oven . . . the Rockies (the baseball team as well as the mountains) . . . Marley (the dog, not the bah-humbug guy in "A Christmas Carol") . . . a steaming bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese . . . the spectacle of the state track meet . . . discovering the flowers have bloomed . . . the Twins game on the radio . . . razzleberry pie from the frozen foods case . . . the lights of Rapid City from the top of the Wasta hill after a long cross-state drive . . . the performers at the Miss South Dakota pageant . . . Tom Brady, Randy Moss and the Patriots . . . the Acoustic Christmas troupe . . . the downtown trolley in Sioux Falls . . . seeing what excellent mothers my daughters are and what loving uncles their brothers are . . . a choir's carols reverberating through the Capitol . . . a college campus in the fall . . . the lyrics of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and the memories of long-past Christmases in Onida they invoke . . . running into somebody you know at an interstate rest area (only in South Dakota!) . . . Hamburger Helper . . . downtown Chicago---the Michigan Avenue stores, the old water tower, the bridges opening to let boats down the river, Navy Pier, the Field Museum, the skyline . . . filling in one's brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament . . . Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up."
The downstream view of the Missouri from atop Oahe Dam . . . the spirit and camaraderie of smalltown folks, all dressed in the same colors, who follow their team hundreds of miles from home . . . people-watching at an airport or Mount Rushmore or a shopping mall . . . stepping along with the USD band as they march down the street toward a game in the Dome . . . the smell of bread baking in the oven . . . the soaring voices of the men of Il Divo . . . brownies . . . graduation receptions . . . drivers who yield . . . the choir processing down the aisle during the opening hymn . . . homecoming parades . . . seeing my kids and their cousins enjoying each other's company when they all get together . . . a fly-over by one of Ellsworth's bombers . . . "Remember the Titans" . . . the rush of seeing a car with a license plate from home . . . meatloaf simmering in the crockpot all day . . . unpacking the last cardboard box after moving---across town or across the state . . . Friday noon programs at the Shrine to Music Museum . . . a pan of frosted cookies from Granny Franny . . . the view up Main Street toward the courthouse on the hill in my hometown . . . old yearbooks . . . "Good Will Hunting" . . . ambrosia salad . . . "Mike & Mike in the Morning" on ESPN Radio . . . a football Saturday at Nebraska . . . music memories from three years at First Methodist in Rapid City . . . hearing one's governor or congressman or legislator call you by name (only in South Dakota!) . . . Storybook Island at Christmas time . . . loose change in the bottom of the washer or beneath the driver's seat . . . a first-ever school photo from my granddaughter . . . neighbors like the Wards across the street and the Russells next door . . . the view of the Nebraska river bluffs three miles away . . . pumpkin bread from the Hy-Vee store . . . high school and college reunions . . . "Touch 'em all, Justin Morneau!" . . . a nighttime story down on E-pa's couch before Dylan heads upstairs to bed . . . the down-home folks at the country church I visit once a month. And that's just a start . . . but most of all, my kids and my grandkids, my extended families, good times, great memories, good health, dear friends, and a life in which every day is a good time.
As you count your own blessings, one by one, this week, here's a toast to a blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Halfway through November
The wind has finally died down. Correction: It has quit all together. So it is a mild mid-November day in southeastern South Dakota. So at 12:30 p.m., what am I doing? Sitting at my computer, watching the score of a state tournament volleyball match change before my very eyes. There were days when the only way to get the result of a state tournament volleyball match was to get a phone call from somebody who was there or wait until the TV sportscast in the evening. Now with the modern technologies that are available, one clicks on S.D. Public Broadcasting (you guys do great work!), and the score changes, the statistics are available, and one knows in Vermillion instantly what is going on in Sioux Falls.
Of course the Lady Govs are playing. The #1-ranked, unbeaten Lady Govs, who until the last couple of years never ever had a winning volleyball team. I can only imagine what the Arena is like in Sioux Falls at this moment. As usual, the folks from Pierre---you strangers don't know that I was there for many, many years---are on hand in record numbers, standing at their seats in a wave of green, supporting the girls. That's the way Pierre does things for its teams---basketball, football, hockey, soccer, track, volleyball, wrestling, etc. I was intending to drive up I-29 today to see this opening match, but I needed to take Oliver to the vet clinic. Unfortunately the vet is gone today, so I can't get him in until Friday morning. He has been scratching himself silly for the past week. Now he has opened a couple of sores on his back where he has been scratching too vigorously. I'm going to try to keep him moving enough outside today so that he doesn't have time to lie down and scratch.
All right, baby! Good news! #8-seed Huron gave Pierre a good game, but the Lady Govs prevailed, 25-21, in the first of the best-of-five match. So all is well so far. Hopefully Pierre will reach the finals, and then I can watch the whole championship match live on television Saturday night.
Other things on my to-do list today---write to a couple of folks, both happen to be in the Twin Cities; pick up some items at the grocery store (right now I'm gorging myself on pumpkin bread from the Vermillion Hy-Vee store . . . it is to die for, especially when heated in the microwave with butter generously applied afterward), catch up on a couple TV series I watch religiously (isn't this neat these days how we can click on the network's website and watch the episodes we have missed?!), and get started on next week's Midweek Update.
The latter, for you who are strangers to me, is an e-mail newsletter keeping present and former Pierre folks informed as to what present and former Pierre folks are doing and where they are doing it. I write it here at home (this is the ninth year!), send it to a computer firm in Pierre, and they send it to everybody on the mailing list. Next week's Thanksgiving issue is traditionally a list of a ton of things for which I'm thankful. It's fun to write, therapeutically for sure. In addition to sending it out via Midweek Update means, I'll post it here next week, too, for readers around the world (yeah, right, as if to think people anywhere are going to be reading this blog!) to ponder.
Now to get on with the day. But first one question . . . who are you? Another question . . . where are you? . . . Yet another question, how did you end up here? Post your comments. I'd enjoy reading what you're thinking today.
And how did it get to be the middle of November already? A week from right now some of us in the family will be gathering to enjoy a meal together on Thanksgiving Day with a keen eye to the TV set. Can anybody remember a Thanksgiving Day when a Detroit Lions game was a meaningful one? Wow, this year it's Detroit vs. Green Bay, a battle for first place in their division.
Of course the Lady Govs are playing. The #1-ranked, unbeaten Lady Govs, who until the last couple of years never ever had a winning volleyball team. I can only imagine what the Arena is like in Sioux Falls at this moment. As usual, the folks from Pierre---you strangers don't know that I was there for many, many years---are on hand in record numbers, standing at their seats in a wave of green, supporting the girls. That's the way Pierre does things for its teams---basketball, football, hockey, soccer, track, volleyball, wrestling, etc. I was intending to drive up I-29 today to see this opening match, but I needed to take Oliver to the vet clinic. Unfortunately the vet is gone today, so I can't get him in until Friday morning. He has been scratching himself silly for the past week. Now he has opened a couple of sores on his back where he has been scratching too vigorously. I'm going to try to keep him moving enough outside today so that he doesn't have time to lie down and scratch.
All right, baby! Good news! #8-seed Huron gave Pierre a good game, but the Lady Govs prevailed, 25-21, in the first of the best-of-five match. So all is well so far. Hopefully Pierre will reach the finals, and then I can watch the whole championship match live on television Saturday night.
Other things on my to-do list today---write to a couple of folks, both happen to be in the Twin Cities; pick up some items at the grocery store (right now I'm gorging myself on pumpkin bread from the Vermillion Hy-Vee store . . . it is to die for, especially when heated in the microwave with butter generously applied afterward), catch up on a couple TV series I watch religiously (isn't this neat these days how we can click on the network's website and watch the episodes we have missed?!), and get started on next week's Midweek Update.
The latter, for you who are strangers to me, is an e-mail newsletter keeping present and former Pierre folks informed as to what present and former Pierre folks are doing and where they are doing it. I write it here at home (this is the ninth year!), send it to a computer firm in Pierre, and they send it to everybody on the mailing list. Next week's Thanksgiving issue is traditionally a list of a ton of things for which I'm thankful. It's fun to write, therapeutically for sure. In addition to sending it out via Midweek Update means, I'll post it here next week, too, for readers around the world (yeah, right, as if to think people anywhere are going to be reading this blog!) to ponder.
Now to get on with the day. But first one question . . . who are you? Another question . . . where are you? . . . Yet another question, how did you end up here? Post your comments. I'd enjoy reading what you're thinking today.
And how did it get to be the middle of November already? A week from right now some of us in the family will be gathering to enjoy a meal together on Thanksgiving Day with a keen eye to the TV set. Can anybody remember a Thanksgiving Day when a Detroit Lions game was a meaningful one? Wow, this year it's Detroit vs. Green Bay, a battle for first place in their division.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Here we go again!
The blog is only three days old, and already I'm finding one does not take the time to write daily even if he has the time to do so.
Dylan lasted till halftime of Saturday's game. By far the highlight for him was a huge hug from Charlie Coyote, the USD mascot, outside the Dome before the game. After that the whole experience was downhill.
Folks who have read my ramblings over the years know how I detest moving---the thinking about it, the packing, the moving, the arrangements, the throwing-away, the whole deal. Guess what! Heather (daughter), Dylan (grandson) and I learned last week that we have to vacate this house in which we had anticipated remaining until she graduates from law school in May 2009. The owner wants to come back to Vermillion.
So we are looking at new options.
Our move last May from Rapid City involved several cross-state trips, several U-Haul rentals, some long nights and days and one unbearable but survivable week. This move won't be nearly so traumatic because it will be simply a matter of going from this house to another one somewhere in the same town. With any luck at all I will get rid of a bit more "stuff" that I haven't looked at in the six months in this house.
Those who haven't read my newspaper columns won't know that my worst-ever moving experience occurred on a long hill on I-90 heading up from Wasta, S.D., out of the Cheyenne River valley to the top of the windswept plains of Pennington County, 45 minutes east of Rapid City out in the middle of what some people would call nowhere. It was the first of April in 2004 just after I retired from the paper in Pierre and was moving west to Rapid City where three of my four kids were living at the time. Driving a pickup-load of furniture, I had just reached the top of the long westbound hill when I reached the wind. It whipped a mattress right out of the pickup and lay it down flat in the middle of I-90. Fortunately no vehicles were following me at the time.
I managed to drag it against the force of the northwest gale (much like we have blowing across South Dakota today, in fact!) to the side of the road. But have you ever tried to move a mattress by yourself? The darn things are unwieldy, to say the least. I had to take a couple big living room chairs out of the pickup (by myself) in order to get the mattress back in, then reload the chairs and tie the stuff up so it wouldn't blow out again. During the hour or so I was there, not a soul stopped to help even though it was a bright, sunny (though windy) day. But I retrieved everything and reached Rapid City with it all.
At that time I swore never to move again. But three years later---this past May---it happened again. Now in November-December it's happening again. No doubt the upcoming move will be fodder for future blogs, so bear with me.
Dylan lasted till halftime of Saturday's game. By far the highlight for him was a huge hug from Charlie Coyote, the USD mascot, outside the Dome before the game. After that the whole experience was downhill.
Folks who have read my ramblings over the years know how I detest moving---the thinking about it, the packing, the moving, the arrangements, the throwing-away, the whole deal. Guess what! Heather (daughter), Dylan (grandson) and I learned last week that we have to vacate this house in which we had anticipated remaining until she graduates from law school in May 2009. The owner wants to come back to Vermillion.
So we are looking at new options.
Our move last May from Rapid City involved several cross-state trips, several U-Haul rentals, some long nights and days and one unbearable but survivable week. This move won't be nearly so traumatic because it will be simply a matter of going from this house to another one somewhere in the same town. With any luck at all I will get rid of a bit more "stuff" that I haven't looked at in the six months in this house.
Those who haven't read my newspaper columns won't know that my worst-ever moving experience occurred on a long hill on I-90 heading up from Wasta, S.D., out of the Cheyenne River valley to the top of the windswept plains of Pennington County, 45 minutes east of Rapid City out in the middle of what some people would call nowhere. It was the first of April in 2004 just after I retired from the paper in Pierre and was moving west to Rapid City where three of my four kids were living at the time. Driving a pickup-load of furniture, I had just reached the top of the long westbound hill when I reached the wind. It whipped a mattress right out of the pickup and lay it down flat in the middle of I-90. Fortunately no vehicles were following me at the time.
I managed to drag it against the force of the northwest gale (much like we have blowing across South Dakota today, in fact!) to the side of the road. But have you ever tried to move a mattress by yourself? The darn things are unwieldy, to say the least. I had to take a couple big living room chairs out of the pickup (by myself) in order to get the mattress back in, then reload the chairs and tie the stuff up so it wouldn't blow out again. During the hour or so I was there, not a soul stopped to help even though it was a bright, sunny (though windy) day. But I retrieved everything and reached Rapid City with it all.
At that time I swore never to move again. But three years later---this past May---it happened again. Now in November-December it's happening again. No doubt the upcoming move will be fodder for future blogs, so bear with me.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Let's get started
Hello! I'm pretty much computer-illiterate, but one of my college-age friends initiated his blogsite recently. I clicked this and clicked that, and here I am---attempting to start my own. Why? I don't know, but with no newspaper column to write on a regular basis, I need some outlet for my rantings and ravings.
It's chilly and breezy, looking like fall (which it is!), in southeastern South Dakota this noon. My grandson and I are about to head to the USD football game---one of the great joys of living in a college town. We have to be out on Dakota Street in time to watch the marching band leave the fine arts department and march to the DakotaDome; today Dylan (age 3) and I intend to sit on the band's side of the field (he dearly loves "those silly tubas"), and we will be just above the Coyotes sideline. It's the last game of the season, so we intend to enjoy it to the fullest.
More to follow. Have a good day!
It's chilly and breezy, looking like fall (which it is!), in southeastern South Dakota this noon. My grandson and I are about to head to the USD football game---one of the great joys of living in a college town. We have to be out on Dakota Street in time to watch the marching band leave the fine arts department and march to the DakotaDome; today Dylan (age 3) and I intend to sit on the band's side of the field (he dearly loves "those silly tubas"), and we will be just above the Coyotes sideline. It's the last game of the season, so we intend to enjoy it to the fullest.
More to follow. Have a good day!
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