Good morning and welcome to another edition of the Wanaskan Almanac. Today is Saturday, July 28th, aka, the LAST Saturday in July.
We've made it through Week 9 of Summer Vacation at our house. Just when I thought there couldn't possibly be anymore adventures to be had for the summer, well, we had a few more!
This week a dear friend from my college days came up for a spur-of-the-moment visit. It's been awhile since we've had out-of-town guests, so the first order of business was to clear out the clutter and extra clothes from the guest bedroom/my office because that's what guests are really for. Not for the company and companionship, but the cattle prod in the tush to clean up those otherwise neglected areas of one's home. (Tells you how much I've been using my home office this summer.)
She arrived on Tuesday, which was also the BIG DAY in our little hockey town by the big lake. TJ Oshie brought the Stanley Cup to Warroad! (Note: My favorite line in this Grand Forks Herald article about the event is, "And for this town, the only person working in Washington, D.C., who can bring this kind of fanfare is Oshie.")
The excitement for his arrival was palpable as people lined up as early as 6:00 a.m. for a good seat in the Gardens Arena when the doors would open at 7:30 a.m. Folks lined the streets on the lookout for Oshie's private jets to fly in, which they did at 9:45 a.m.
In full disclosure, I didn't attend the anticipated celebration. I was torn. I knew this would be a once in a lifetime experience and I'm someone who's always up for a party! But after being on vacation for a week, I knew I had to get some work done. Instead, a compromise: I drove around the arena, gawking at the gawkers, enjoying their enthusiasm. I listened to Oshie's heartfelt tribute to his Warroad friends and family on the local radio station in my car outside the public library while simultaneously watching a Facebook LIVE video of the happenings inside the arena. While I worked, I refreshed my Facebook news feed every few minutes so I could live vicariously through the photos and footage of my friends.
Oshie was back on his jet and flying to the Twin Cities by early afternoon while my friend was somewhere near Grand Rapids on her way north. I flurried through the afternoon, finishing final preparations and dinner. The fact I actually made dinner (homemade pizza - including a crust from scratch!) was enough to make the kids marvel. None of us could remember the last time I made homemade pizza sans short cuts.
With new eyes on our northerly milieu, we set out to show her some of the sights on Wednesday. First stop: Zippel Bay. Regular readers know this to be one of our favorite beach stops. I learned 2 things on this excursion.
#1) Check the forecast before you go. Our summer weather has been bliss - not too hot or too cold - I didn't think to look at the forecast until we were already out there. "A high of 65 with a 20% chance of rain" - as we watched the clouds roll in and the rain fall to the north, across the lake.
#2) There's not as much beach in the morning. We have only ever been out to the park in the afternoon or evening. The tide makes a big difference in the beach experience. In the morning, there was significantly less strand to explore than what we were used to. But it was still beautiful.
Wednesday afternoon, I took her west to Roseau (her first time!) to drop off another kid for his premiere Laketrails experience. (I'm telling you, people, sign your favorite kids up in 2019!) We enjoyed some perusing and shopping on Main Street. She was so happy to find a pair of jeans long enough for her at Twice the Charm. Woohoo!
Wednesday evening we went to the opening night of Warroad Summer Theatre's Seussical the Musical. The set is cheerful and brightly painted. It comes with the most adorable Thing 1 and Thing 2 who pop up, supplying additional props as needed. The costumes are clever and ring as true as truly Seussical things can do. The music is energetic and bouncy, you can't help but tap your toes. (Oh boy, I can feel myself getting sucked into a vortex of rhyme!) The singing is all rhyme so for the hearing challenged, you can better follow the lines! It is absolutely DELIGHTFUL. That's the best, most specific word I can think of to describe the viewing experience. I cannot say enough good things about it. Oh! I can!
My oldest son is one of the Wickersham brothers and as my Women of Today friends who came along said, "You can totally tell he's your son." The show is playing tonight and tomorrow, then has one more run, August 1 - 5. RSVP online or call (218) 386-3435 ASAP for this fun, family-friendly show!
Thursday, my friend and I had breakfast with another local friend of mine who I haven't visited with properly since last September. I knew the two would hit it off. (I don't remember the last time I ate breakfast out, so that's a new thing, too.)
Then my dear college friend, before she bid us adieu,
when asked if she wanted a Marvin plant tour, happily answered, "I do!"
So off we went to tour the plant.
It was much better than I had thant.
If you've never been, I can recommend.
You'll learn about casements and roundtops,
Double hung and clad.
You'll become a window expert
And for this you'll be glad.
On that horribly, terrible tone deaf note, I better get off this rhyming bus before I get a flat.
(Too late!)
2005 - IRA Army Council Announces End to Armed Campaign
The Provisional Irish Republican Army, also known as IRA, announced an end to its armed campaign in the group's effort to free Northern Ireland from United Kingdom's rule.
1958 - National Aeronautics and Space Act is passed by the US Congress
The act established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
1928 - IX Summer Olympics open
The IX Summer Olympics opened in Amsterdam
1821 - Peru declares independence
The Peruvian War of Independence against Spain began in 1811 and ended with a declaration of independence under the leadership of José de San Martín.
1954 - Hugo Chávez, Venezuelan military officer, politician, President of Venezuela
1938 - Alberto Fujimori, Peruvian politician
1929 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, American book editor, 37th First Lady of the United States
1902 - Karl Popper, Austrian/English philosopher
July is almost over. Make the most of it and make it a great Saturday!
Kim
We've made it through Week 9 of Summer Vacation at our house. Just when I thought there couldn't possibly be anymore adventures to be had for the summer, well, we had a few more!
This week a dear friend from my college days came up for a spur-of-the-moment visit. It's been awhile since we've had out-of-town guests, so the first order of business was to clear out the clutter and extra clothes from the guest bedroom/my office because that's what guests are really for. Not for the company and companionship, but the cattle prod in the tush to clean up those otherwise neglected areas of one's home. (Tells you how much I've been using my home office this summer.)
She arrived on Tuesday, which was also the BIG DAY in our little hockey town by the big lake. TJ Oshie brought the Stanley Cup to Warroad! (Note: My favorite line in this Grand Forks Herald article about the event is, "And for this town, the only person working in Washington, D.C., who can bring this kind of fanfare is Oshie.")
The excitement for his arrival was palpable as people lined up as early as 6:00 a.m. for a good seat in the Gardens Arena when the doors would open at 7:30 a.m. Folks lined the streets on the lookout for Oshie's private jets to fly in, which they did at 9:45 a.m.
In full disclosure, I didn't attend the anticipated celebration. I was torn. I knew this would be a once in a lifetime experience and I'm someone who's always up for a party! But after being on vacation for a week, I knew I had to get some work done. Instead, a compromise: I drove around the arena, gawking at the gawkers, enjoying their enthusiasm. I listened to Oshie's heartfelt tribute to his Warroad friends and family on the local radio station in my car outside the public library while simultaneously watching a Facebook LIVE video of the happenings inside the arena. While I worked, I refreshed my Facebook news feed every few minutes so I could live vicariously through the photos and footage of my friends.
Oshie was back on his jet and flying to the Twin Cities by early afternoon while my friend was somewhere near Grand Rapids on her way north. I flurried through the afternoon, finishing final preparations and dinner. The fact I actually made dinner (homemade pizza - including a crust from scratch!) was enough to make the kids marvel. None of us could remember the last time I made homemade pizza sans short cuts.
With new eyes on our northerly milieu, we set out to show her some of the sights on Wednesday. First stop: Zippel Bay. Regular readers know this to be one of our favorite beach stops. I learned 2 things on this excursion.
#1) Check the forecast before you go. Our summer weather has been bliss - not too hot or too cold - I didn't think to look at the forecast until we were already out there. "A high of 65 with a 20% chance of rain" - as we watched the clouds roll in and the rain fall to the north, across the lake.
#2) There's not as much beach in the morning. We have only ever been out to the park in the afternoon or evening. The tide makes a big difference in the beach experience. In the morning, there was significantly less strand to explore than what we were used to. But it was still beautiful.
Wednesday afternoon, I took her west to Roseau (her first time!) to drop off another kid for his premiere Laketrails experience. (I'm telling you, people, sign your favorite kids up in 2019!) We enjoyed some perusing and shopping on Main Street. She was so happy to find a pair of jeans long enough for her at Twice the Charm. Woohoo!
Wednesday evening we went to the opening night of Warroad Summer Theatre's Seussical the Musical. The set is cheerful and brightly painted. It comes with the most adorable Thing 1 and Thing 2 who pop up, supplying additional props as needed. The costumes are clever and ring as true as truly Seussical things can do. The music is energetic and bouncy, you can't help but tap your toes. (Oh boy, I can feel myself getting sucked into a vortex of rhyme!) The singing is all rhyme so for the hearing challenged, you can better follow the lines! It is absolutely DELIGHTFUL. That's the best, most specific word I can think of to describe the viewing experience. I cannot say enough good things about it. Oh! I can!
My oldest son is one of the Wickersham brothers and as my Women of Today friends who came along said, "You can totally tell he's your son." The show is playing tonight and tomorrow, then has one more run, August 1 - 5. RSVP online or call (218) 386-3435 ASAP for this fun, family-friendly show!
Thursday, my friend and I had breakfast with another local friend of mine who I haven't visited with properly since last September. I knew the two would hit it off. (I don't remember the last time I ate breakfast out, so that's a new thing, too.)
Then my dear college friend, before she bid us adieu,
when asked if she wanted a Marvin plant tour, happily answered, "I do!"
So off we went to tour the plant.
It was much better than I had thant.
If you've never been, I can recommend.
You'll learn about casements and roundtops,
Double hung and clad.
You'll become a window expert
And for this you'll be glad.
On that horribly, terrible tone deaf note, I better get off this rhyming bus before I get a flat.
(Too late!)
Fun Facts from the Kids
The new American way to say Czech Republic is Czechia.
The oldest domestic cat to ever live was 30 years old in human years.
With the polar ice caps melting, it's been discovered that anthrax bacteria aren't actually dead but dormant, causing scientists to wonder if diseases like smallpox have really been eradicated. (Here's an interesting article on the subject.)
On This Day
Historic Highlights (credits)2005 - IRA Army Council Announces End to Armed Campaign
The Provisional Irish Republican Army, also known as IRA, announced an end to its armed campaign in the group's effort to free Northern Ireland from United Kingdom's rule.
1958 - National Aeronautics and Space Act is passed by the US Congress
The act established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
1928 - IX Summer Olympics open
The IX Summer Olympics opened in Amsterdam
1821 - Peru declares independence
The Peruvian War of Independence against Spain began in 1811 and ended with a declaration of independence under the leadership of José de San Martín.
Happy Birthday to You!🎶
1990 - Soulja Boy, American rapper, producer, actor1954 - Hugo Chávez, Venezuelan military officer, politician, President of Venezuela
1938 - Alberto Fujimori, Peruvian politician
1929 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, American book editor, 37th First Lady of the United States
1902 - Karl Popper, Austrian/English philosopher
July is almost over. Make the most of it and make it a great Saturday!
Kim
Happy, Happy, Weekend to all at the Hruba/Hruby household. I have a question for the "kid" who wrote briefly in this post: What is the ratio of cat years to human years -- similar to 1 human year = 7 dog years? Inquiring minds want to know - David. BTW, I look forward to the tidbits you write - would like to see more from you.
ReplyDeleteSounds like hub-hrub at your house with time for friends and gadding about. People from our past are soooo important to connect with; I can say this because I just returned from my 50th (ugh!) high school class reunion. Stories to tell.
As for the hockey hub-bub, I must admit that I heard the Stanley was coming, didn't believe it, and went on about my business. Frankly, I wouldn't have participated even if I had found the info credulous. I'm just a Forest denizen; what can I say? JPSavage
David says he has no idea what the ratio is, but let's go with dog years, i.e. 1:7. :)
ReplyDeleteAdmittedly I'm not much of a hockey follower either, but what I do love is community and it was a lot of fun seeing people get excited and celebrate an accomplishment they feel is something that is a part of them as well.