A time for Thanksgiving
by Superintendent Loy Woelber
Greetings from Lake Benton Schools,
I think we all know the feeling in the gut when the officer comes over the hill when you are going 70 miles an hour or when you are three hours from home and are sure you left the stove on. Well folks, take that crappy feeling and have it last for two to six weeks and you’ll realize what our farmers are feeling. It has the ability to eat away at you when you’ve had a couple good years of crops and then wham this could be one of the three longer harvest seasons since 1968. There is so much at stake when you have to make the payments on equipment, chemicals and rent.
Last week a wise man at Kiwanis put much of this in perspective when he said “we have GPS on our tractors, tracks on our combines and agronomists at our beck and call. Yet the amount of corn and beans taken out of a field still depends on what God allows us to take out.” Farming is the reason there is a Lake Benton / Elkton and surrounding towns. We all have our own “lives” to worry about but yet this is one year when I have had many folks and especially our teachers asking me about how it’s going in the field and how my farmer connections are doing. As we enter the month of Thanksgiving in one of the most turbulent years of our kids’ lives let us take time to remember our agricultural community and the businesses that depend on them. Take time to pray, meditate, light a candle, wish on a star, whatever you choose. The kids in our schools deserve to have as good of a childhood as most of us had. These small schools are proud to be a second family to the kids but we need everyone’s help in making it work. Have a dry November!
Loy Woelber
Sara Says....
by Sara KochSpearfish, here I come
I’m sure most of you have heard by now that I am moving. Well, it’s true. By Monday afternoon I should be all packed up and ready to go.
Although I haven’t been writing here for very long, it feels as though I have gotten to know everyone in the community so well. Two and a half years ago when I started working at the legion, I knew nothing about Lake Benton or the people that live here. Well, now that I have lived here and become a little more accustomed to who’s related to who, I’m really going to miss it!
About a week and a half ago, I received and accepted a job offer at the Black Hills Pioneer in Spearfish, SD. For those of you that aren’t familiar with that area, it is about 40 miles west of Rapid City. I have wanted to move out there since I graduated high school, but was always too chicken to go by myself. I decided to stay in Brookings to attend college just so I could stay close to home and not have to worry about meeting all new people.
After graduation, I played with the idea of moving out there again, but this job became available and convenient, so once again, I stuck around. Now, after much deliberation, I have decided I want to try something new.
My sister has been going to school at Black Hills State for the past three years and absolutely loves it. There are times when she misses being here and seeing farmland and livestock instead of the hills and forest area, but I guess that’s what makes it more exciting to come home. Her and her three roomies are kind enough to let me crash at their apartment for the next couple weeks until I can get an apartment figured out (thanks guys!).
I plan to start packing tonight (hopefully). I just moved all of my stuff up all of them stairs and now I have to bring all of it back out. Ugh. I’m not looking forward to it at all! The only good thing about moving is getting rid of a bunch of stuff that I really don’t need. I have a feeling I’m going to dump a considerable amount of it just so I don’t have to bring it all the way out to the hills.
So far, I’m not as nervous as I am excited. I’m ready to try something new and meet new people.
There will be more opportunities for me out there and there is really no better time to go. If I don’t try it, I will never know what I missed out on and I know that I can always come home.
It’s a comfort to know that I will have my sister out there to help me out when I need it and give me encouragement. I’m really going to miss the rest of my family, though, and being able to run home to do my laundry or whatever. I’ve thought about all my friends a lot the last couple of weeks as well. What am I going to do without them?
I’m going to miss the legion and the constant feedback on my articles, seeing familiar faces everywhere I go and the convenience of a small town. I’m going to miss being within walking distance of every business in town, seasonal campers and hunters that come back to the legion every year just to say “hi” and being 17 miles away from my parent’s house. Oh yes, and I’m going to miss you too Big Matt!
I have been trying to make my rounds the last week and a half to get all my “goodbyes” in. Unfortunately, I’m not going to get to everyone I’d like to. However, everyone is welcome to attend my going away party at the legion on Friday night beginning at 7 p.m. I cannot thank Joyce Miller enough for everything she has done for me the past few weeks! Her encouragement and volunteering has made everything so much easier and I’m super stoked about her deviled eggs on Friday! Thanks again.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading some of my articles and/or my company at the legion as much as I have enjoyed being here and meeting all of you. I will be sure to make pit-stops around town whenever I come home and will definitely keep in touch. Thanks for everything and I hope you will all think of me when western South Dakota is getting blanketed with foot after foot of snow!
Don't squish the spiders on October 31
In recognition of the upcoming holiday, I thought it would be somewhat appropriate to fill everyone in on some fun facts about Halloween. The element of surprise makes this holiday fun and unpredictable for both children and adults to enjoy.
Here are some snippets I found on www.halloween-website.com.
Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
Halloween is on October 31, the last day of the Celtic calendar. It was originally a pagan holiday, honoring the dead. Halloween was referred to as All Hallows Eve and dates back to over 2000 years ago.
Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out-turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
Pumpkins also come in white, blue and green.
Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, share ghost stories, sing, dance and tell fortunes.
Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.
The ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. They began wearing masks and costumes to avoid being recognized as human.
Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers being number one.
Halloween is the second most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.
Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the Roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.
Black cats were once believed to be witch’s familiars who protected their powers.
To this day, there are vampire clubs and societies with people claiming to be real vampires.
It is believed by some that if you see a spider on Halloween, it is the spirit of a loved one watching over you.
The Ouija Board ended up outselling the game of Monopoly in its first full year at Salem. Over two million copies of the Ouija Board were shipped.
Are you deathly afraid of Halloween? This is called Samhainophobia.
Taken from www.butlerwebs.com, here are the top ten signs you are too old to be trick or treating.
1. You get winded from knocking on the door.
2. You have to have another kid chew the candy for you.
3. You ask for high fiber candy only.
4. When someone drops a candy bar in your bag, you lose your balance and fall over.
5. People say, “Great Keith Richards mask!” and you’re not wearing a mask.
6. When the door opens, you yell “Trick or…” and can’t remember the rest.
7. By the end of the night, you have a bag full of restraining orders.
8. You have to carefully choose a costume that won’t dislodge your hairpiece.
9. You’re the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker.
10. You avoid going to houses where your ex-wives live.
All that being said, I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween holiday and has fun being someone else for a day. I will be out and about that night, so I expect to see a wide-variety of costumes!
Here we go Vikings, here we go!
Now that the first couple of inches of snow are on the ground, I’ve been listening for the Christmas music to start playing in the aisles at Wal-Mart and the decorations to start popping up everywhere. I know that the next holiday is only Halloween, but it feels more like Christmas to me.
I think I might just walk to work this winter to spare me the trips up and down my stairs to start my car and brush off all the snow. I think freezing for a couple of blocks might just be easier. I had to scrounge around the other day to find my scraper, because I wasn’t anticipating the fluffy white stuff this early.
However, this winter I won’t have to worry about going up and down that huge scary hill and wondering if I’m going to make it or not.
I found a Halloween costume! It’s going to take help from a couple of my friends, but it is going to be great. I would tell you what it is, but it would spoil the fun. I’ll be sure to get a picture in here after all is said and done. For those of you that plan on trick-or-treating, make sure you bundle up. I’m guessing it’s going to be a chilly one.
It’s been a busy last couple of weeks, with all the local sports madness. The Twins just couldn’t pull it off, but I’m still rootin’ for my 5-0 Vikings! My mother tried to convince me that by the end of the season I will be wearing a Favre jersey, although I think she is sadly mistaken.
I will admit, he is somewhat growing on me, but I still won’t be caught dead wearing any attire with his last name on the back. He is a pretty talented person, but Jared Allen is the man.
Now that the Twins got swept up by the Yankees, hopefully I will be able to get more accomplished. I always try to get things done while watching the games, but usually I get engulfed in them and find myself parked right in front of the TV.
Last Tuesday night’s game against Detroit was something though wasn’t it? My entire family watches them religiously. It just so happened that their biggest game of the year also fell on parents night for volleyball. So, in the 8th inning, my parents left their television and headed to the game to support my sister.
Had it not been for my dedicated younger brother Billy, my parents would have completely missed the last four innings. Luckily, he spent some time running back and forth from the TV to the volleyball game to fill them in.
Well, I guess I just have to worry about one team now, one team that my father is already predicting for Super Bowl 2010. Let’s go Vikings!
Hopefully everyone has a great week and is able to stay warm. Remember to grab those hats and gloves as well because it really isn’t all that warm anymore.
Well hello cold, where did you come from?
Well, so much for not getting sick! I woke up last Friday with a cough and runny nose and it has gradually progressed into the achy, sneezy, congested fat-head feeling that is associated with the common cold.
I guess it didn’t really come as a surprise since fall basically came up and slapped us right in the face. I’ve been crossing my fingers every day for the snow to hold off another month or so the one thing I am completely not ready for. Hobo Days is the weekend of the 23 and 24 (at SDSU in Brookings) and I’m hoping to be able to watch the football game without having to wear 17 different layers of clothes, along with hats, gloves, boots and a blanket. I’m freezing just thinking about it!
Although I believe I have been taking care of myself (for the most part) I guess one can never be too careful. Late nights working at the legion and getting up early to get other things accomplished just don’t go together so well I guess.
An avid Facebook-checker, I see I’m not the only one who has been feeling a little under the weather. It seems as though every other status on the home page is someone “wishing they would feel better.” Hopefully the “sick season” passes soon.
I can’t believe it is already October! I’ve already seen some Halloween decorations up and people getting ready for spooky celebrations. Before we know it, it will be over and Thanksgiving will be on our tail with Christmas following shortly after that. I think I’m finally starting to get used to writing 2009 on my checks and 2010 is already just around the corner.
While I’m somewhat on the subject of Halloween, I still haven’t decided what I want to be. I need a costume to wear at work the Friday night before and I’ve been seriously trying to cook up something good. I will accept any and all suggestions since I have been completely drawing a blank! Last year, Kendra and I got to be Gilligan and the Skipper from Gilligan’s Island. Fat suits are funny, but when you are working, they get to be a little warm.
I went and saw the play on Sunday, and if you haven’t seen it, be sure to check it out! “Delval Divas” is certainly comical and very entertaining. The cast members did such a great job and really know how to put on a show.
As I conclude my column this week, I would like to thank Jolean, who I got to know very well while working here the past couple of years, for all of her help these last few months. She took a lot of pressure off of me with all that she did and was great at giving advice (not to mention all the goodies she brought for me to enjoy!). Congratulations on your new job and I’m really going to miss working with you!
To everyone else, have a great weekend and try to stay away from germs. Those little guys will sneak up and kick you right in the teeth.
Tis the season of sickness
I don’t know about anyone else, but I think I may be the last person around who hasn’t had some sort of virus in the last few weeks.
I spent a few days out in the hills a couple of weeks ago visiting my sister. I was very excited that I could crash with her and her 3 roomies without having to pay any hotel fees. It was a good time and they were all very accommodating toward my friend Katie and me.
However, I think I found out why they were so generous. While we were out there, Lisa made a couple of comments about how she wasn’t feeling the greatest and was somewhat achy, but I really just thought it was a little virus not a big deal. After I made it home, however, she called to inform me that after her doctor’s appointment that morning, she had Mononucleosis (Mono) a battle that my brother Tommy had been fighting for the past two weeks.
Mononucleosis is defined as “a viral infection causing fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands, especially in the neck. Mono may begin slowly with fatigue, a general ill feeling, headache, and sore throat. The sore throat slowly gets worse. Your tonsils become swollen and develop a whitish-yellow covering. The lymph nodes in the neck are frequently swollen and painful.”
What’s going on with these people? They live six hours apart and both have Mono at the same time. Bed-ridden and migraine-filled, my brother still isn’t feeling quite up to par. Great, I just spent some time checking out his new house breathing in the same air as him. (Luckily, Mono is mostly passed on through saliva, so Tommy’s brave girlfriend Lexy might not be so lucky).
I do remember taking a small swig of Lisa’s soda when I was out there, but as long as I get my rest and don’t worry about it so much, I should be alright.
Anyways, back to the reason her roomies were so nice. Lisa decided that it would probably be a good idea to “omit” the small fact that a week before we were there, two of her roommates had the same thing. Had I known this, I probably would have foot the bill for a hotel room (or even slept in my car since that’s what we did last time we were out there anyway).
The minute I told Katie about the plague we had just stayed with, she was on her way to Brookings looking for antibiotics and a whole lot of Vitamin C. She even got a small supply for me, although I have yet to see it.
After talking with Tommy and Lisa, I knew Mono wasn’t something I wanted to get. I was lucky enough to inherit my dad’s migraines already, and I wasn’t prepared to have one that lasted for two weeks.
The day after Lisa called me, my mother texted me to inform me that my youngest sister Molly had stayed home from school sick that day. REALLY?! What now?
Molly’s virus only lasted a day, and she is pretty sure it was just the flu. Well, whether my parents house had been infected with Mono or the flu (or both), I decided it would probably be a good idea to stay away for a couple of days.
I remember our family being known for someone always being sick. If one of us came down with something and missed a day or two of school, it wouldn’t be long for the rest of us to catch it and stay home as well (this is probably why I’m a little worried). However, there were also times where we knew we could get away with the excuse of being sick just to stay home.
I still wonder about Molly and Billy every now and then when I stop at home for a visit. There are days when they stay home sick, but feel fine enough to jam out with Guitar Hero and drink six cans of soda. Hmmm...
Well, it has been a good week since my whole family was infected, and so far, so good. Katie was a little worried about a sore throat in the beginning, but I think we might just be paranoid.
So, as you can see, it is the season of sickness. This is without even making mention of the recent H1N1 scare that has been the cause for so many recent cancellations. School is back in session and germs are everywhere. Make sure you wash your hands and get plenty of sleep. Oh yes, and you should probably stay away from some of my family members as well (just in case).
Homecoming week
It is homecoming week for Elkton-Lake Benton students and everyone is taking part in the festivities.
Coronation was held Monday night (congrats to Cody and Kayla) and it was also a night filled with skits and competitions that really entertained the audience.
Competitions included the pudding eating contest. Each class had four eaters and four holders. Whichever team cleaned all of their plates first (with approval from the judges of course) won.
Another competition was the “Class Feud.” Each class was asked a trivia question and they had to hold up whichever letter they thought was the correct answer. Did you know that at least three of the teachers in the Elkton School have swallowed a goldfish?
Anyway, it was fun to sit back and reminisce about high school and participating in homecoming week. I can’t believe it has already been 5 years since I stood on that stage.
The elementary students even get to take part in the activities. This week students will be allowed to dress up each day. Monday was pajama day, Tuesday was color wars, Wednesday is crazy hair day, Thursday is mis-match day and Friday is Olympic-spirit day.
For the high school students, Monday was cowboy day, Tuesday was Bling Day, Wednesday is mismatch-whacky hair day, Thursday is color day and of course Friday is blue and white day. (Look for pictures of these in next week’s paper).
I also remembered decorating the hallways each year and trying to come up with the most creative theme to win the contest. This year, the Junior class won the hallway competition but the final Trophy went to the Senior class. Congratulations Seniors!
Other homecoming week activities include: Elkton-Lake Benton cross-country at Dell Rapids Public at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Elkton-Lake Benton volleyball vs. Deubrook at Lake Benton on Thursday. Everyone is encouraged to come to the school for their first game and show the girls your support.
There will be a parade and pep rally at 2 p.m. on Main Street of Elkton on Friday along with an FCCLA burger feed beginning at 5 p.m. The football game begins at 7 p.m. against Dell Rapids St. Mary.
High school students are also encouraged to attend the homecoming dance at the Elkton school from 9:30 p.m to midnight.
Good luck Elkton-Lake Benton Elks and have a fun and safe homecoming week!
Elementary moments
Everyone has ‘blonde’ moments, and I’m assuming when I say ‘blonde’ moments, everyone knows what I’m talking about. These are not to be confused with ‘senior’ moments. Although somewhat similar, ‘senior moments’ are more for people that have ‘brain farts’ or moments of brief memory loss. ‘Blonde’ moments are just moments of confusion, mix-ups and not thinking before you speak.
Although I have had quite of few of these, I have got some good laughs at a few of my friends as well. Let me enlighten you with a few examples.
A certain unnamed brown-haired friend of mine once walked around Wal-Mart for an hour looking for “blinker-fluid” for her car. Right before she was to approach a clerk, her dad corrected her and told her that there was no such thing. This same brown-haired friend also once asked my 15-year-old sister who Uncle Sam was (on the Fourth of July). I don’t think Molly will ever let that one go!
In another shining moment, she asked a friend of mine where the basement was in his camper (cuz, you know, all campers have retractable basements!).
I was driving with another friend of mine once and we spotted a pickup hauling a boat in the middle of winter. Someone asked, “Why would you need a boat in the middle of winter?” Without thinking of course, my friend replied “Duh, for ice fishing!” This was also the friend that asked how the deer know to cross the road only where the “watch for deer” signs are.
You have to be careful about some of these statements though. I was telling a story once when I accidentally used the word ‘syphilis’ instead of ‘psoriasis’. Whoops. I realized what I had said half-way through, but was too embarrassed to correct myself. So, I gave it a couple of days and then told everyone what I meant so the mockery had somewhat died down. I’m sure some of you probably remember my tator-tot hotdish fiasco as well. That was a great day.
Regardless of what color your hair is, you have these moments. For me, especially on a busy night at the legion, I find myself forgetting what I was doing, giving someone else’s change to another person on the opposite side of the bar. These moments, however, could probably be considered a mixture of blonde moments and senior moments (or maybe I’m just in need of a nap).
One of the best blonde moments I have ever seen was when one of my REALLY blonde friends thought that the marks on the sides of the road were so blind people could drive without going off the road. When I explained what they actually were for, she didn’t even think what she had said was stupid. Really?
It amazes me how often a comment about the color of your hair comes up when you do something stupid. “Are you sure you’re not a blonde?” or “Geez, you must dye your hair.” Actually, I heard a remark working at the legion this weekend. I overheard one of my friends talking to a customer and saying “You know she’s actually blonde, right?” I don’t know if I was having a ‘moment’ or if he was stating it for informational purposes, but I really am originally blonde.
Up until my senior year of high school, I was a sandy-blonde. I wasn’t the platinum blonde or Barbie blonde, just kind-of ‘blah’. I used to get a lot of blonde remarks, but I don’t think things have changed a whole lot. I still get the comments and I have friends that do not have blonde hair that get called ‘blonde’ more than I or any of my other blonde friends do.
After thinking about this for a long time, I think I’m going to start referring to them as ‘elementary moments.’ Let’s do away with the terms ‘senior’ and ‘blonde’ and fill in ‘elementary’. When little kids start getting curious and asking questions, sometimes you can’t help but to laugh at the things they say. It’s worse when you are 20 years older and still asking those questions, but they are somewhat similar to ‘blonde moments.’
I was watching America’s Funniest Home videos the other night and a clip came on of a young boy reading a calendar. He suddenly got excited and a surprised expression came across his face. “I was born on my birthday!” he shouted. A little chuckle was heard from behind the camera and the child was asked to repeat what he had said. “I was born on my birthday!” he yelled again. It was comical.
Everyone has moments like this so I’m sure you can all relate. It’s great to get a kick out of them every once in a while. So please, the next time you see me make a stupid mistake at the legion, or anywhere else, instead of making a remark about the color of my hair, just politely ask “Are you having an elementary moment?”
Have a good week.
An exciting and relaxing Labor Day weekend
Well, what a weekend. As usual, the area was bursting with exciting things to do.
Friday night, I managed to make it to Elkton for their first high school football game of the year.
It was a nice night for it and there were quite a few people there to watch the Elks take on Castlewood. Although they were defeated 26-6, it was still exciting to watch the kids get back on the field.
I also got to catch the end of the Vikings game—sheesh. Apparently, I didn’t need to watch the beginning of the game anyways (even though the beginning looked a little more in their favor).
On Saturday I worked at the legion and it was probably the longest night of work, ever. Patty clocked out a 7:30 because it was pointless having two people work when there was nobody in there.
By the end of the night I realized that the reasons people weren’t stopping in were endless. There were two bachelor/bachelorette parties that night, Arco had a street dance, it was Boxcar Days in Tracy, there was a wedding in Marshall, among a few other things. So, although the hands on the clock barely moved, I sat there until 2 a.m. visiting with only the most loyal customers there are. You know who you are, thanks guys!
Every Sunday before Labor Day (and Memorial Day) a friend of mine hosts a kickball tournament in a lot behind his house. The rules are a little different than regular kickball, but the activity has grown to quite a big deal over the past few years. This year, there were 30 people or so that showed up for the event, all prepared for crazy new rules and possible injuries. There was even talk about skipping to first, running backwards to second, bunny-hopping to third and crab-walking home, although I never saw this being carried out.
After a long day of kickball, the majority of the crew packed up and headed to the Knotty Pine to sing (or try to sing) some karaoke. I saw one of the most interesting versions of Bohemian Rhapsody ever performed that night and I still have it on video.
Monday was my day of recovery. No, not a recovery from a certain self-induced binge, just a day to relax and unwind from the busy weekend.
I laid around watching television and doing little household chores for the majority of the day until the other Sara showed up. We managed to go for a walk and I even had enough ambition to make spaghetti and cheese bread for supper (better than the turkey sandwiches I had been living off of for the last couple weeks!).
Sara left and I fell asleep watching TV around 7 p.m. At 10, I woke up and managed to move into my room where it probably didn’t even take 10 minutes for me to fall back asleep. I didn’t wake up until Tuesday morning before work. It was great.
So, all in all it was a good weekend. I had some fun, and got to relax at the same time. Hopefully everyone else’s was somewhat similar. Have a great week!
Football season is finally here!
When I first started watching football, I was very young. I didn’t really enjoy watching it, but I tried to act like I knew all about it to impress other people.
I remember watching my dad jump up and down and scream at the TV and I wondered what could possibly be so exciting that it would make a person do that. Before I realized it, I wasn’t just pretending anymore, I was actually understanding the game and getting into it, just like my dad.
I can’t get enough of it now. Like most Minnesotans, I grew up a Vikings fan. No matter how disappointed they seem to make me, I stick with them. I do, however, have other teams that I don’t mind watching, and teams that I absolutely despise.
Don’t worry, I will try not to go on and on about the whole Brett Favre thing, even though I am thoroughly disappointed in the whole situation. I mean, how many times can one person come back?
Never, ever, have I liked Favre. I have always disliked the Packers and can’t stand the sight of their notorious quarterback.
I know that there are plenty of Vikings fans that are the complete opposite of me and are thrilled to actually start the season with a good quarterback. Tavaris Jackson was nothing special, but I really don’t think Childress needed to go to the extreme of hiring a man that played quarterback for the Vikings biggest rival for 16 years.
Yes, he’s a great football player. And who knows, he may do wonders for this superbowl-less team. But, it’s just not right. Honestly, if Favre does take the Vikings all the way, that will just give all those Greenbay fans (and probably everyone else) an excuse to say, “Well, you know the only reason the Vikes were able to do that is because they had Favre as their quarterback.”
In my opinion, I hope he falls flat on his face right away and the rest of the team can pick it up and go with it. And if he’s such a great teacher, he shouldn’t be strutting in and taking over. Let the younger players get the hands-on experience they need to learn the game.
Like I said, I don’t want to go on and on about it, so I will just leave it at that.
In the past couple years I have also started liking the San Diego Chargers. Don’t ask me why, I just have. LaDainian Tomlinson is one of my favorite players of any team and the all-pro running back isn’t too bad to look at either. Regardless of his playing time this year, the Chargers still have Darren Sproles. I’m not worried.
Although I would probably marry any NFL player in a heartbeat (except for Brett Favre) it’s not all about watching their athletic bodies bending over and beads of sweat running down their faces throughout the duration of every game. I get just as much joy out of watching the game itself and following each team throughout the season.
I have also started up a collection. I am trying to get at least one jersey from every NFL team. I am up to approximately five right now (with a bunch more to go). My last one was a Pittsburg Steelers jersey that I got as a gift from a man in Alaska. I talked to him for a long time about football and a couple hours after he had left, he returned to give me his old jersey. It was pretty neat.
I haven’t really gotten into college ball at all. I have been to a couple of the games at SDSU when I lived in Brookings, and I enjoyed them, but I just never could get a grasp on ALL the college teams. I would like to be on a Fantasy Football league, but I’m afraid that would take up way too much of the time I can’t afford to give up anyway.
Another good thing about getting into the games is actually understanding what all my guy friends are talking about. Now, instead of getting annoyed with them, I try to jump in on conversations about the sport here and there. Although I’m not completely infatuated with it and I don’t bleed football, I know enough to get me by.
Earlier this summer, I started telling people that I was giving the Vikings one more year and I was switching to the Chargers. Well, I have never bandwagoned over to any other team, but I think I have the right to switch once. I guess we will see what happens.
When half of the people that actually pay attention switched over to the New England Patriots after they started winning Superbowls (and much of my FAMILY), I got really annoyed and told myself I would never be a bandwagoner. I also had a friend tell me that I couldn’t like more than one team—that it was somewhat like bandwagonning and you have to actually stick with one team, not several. So, I like the Vikings, first and foremost, and the Chargers are a close second. I’ll just stick with that.
Oh yes, and Joyce, no matter how much you try to make me, I will not put on a Minnesota jersey with “FAVRE” written on the back. I will wear several other Vike’s jerseys before that will ever happen. Sorry to burst your bubble.
While I am writing about this, I would like to invite everyone to the legion on Monday night’s to watch the games and maybe have a cocktail or two. I’m really looking forward to the season and will probably be there watching as well. Have a good week!
.
The pros and cons of being the oldest child
As I was trying to think of something to write about in my column this week, I began to reminisce of childhood stories and fighting with my brothers and sisters. I wanted to find a way to group all of these little stories together in order to give you a glimpse of what I had to endure growing up.
I have four siblings (two brothers and two sisters) all younger than me. Tommy is 22, Lisa is 20, Molly is soon-to-be 15, and Billy will be 13. For those of you who are in the same boat as I am, I feel your pain. We, as the oldest, are the ‘guinea pigs’. We are the experiments that our parents use to make the younger children better. They learn from their mistakes and begin to weed out the minor glitches that affected the previous children.
Okay, okay, maybe not completely. But it kind-of seems like it sometimes. When I was younger, I disliked being the oldest child, for the most part, because it seemed like I had the most responsibilities on caring for the youngest ones. I know now that I didn’t have to do all that much, I had it easier then, but at the time, I thought I had it rough.
One of the perks to being the oldest child is being able to trick your younger brothers and sisters into thinking you’re a genius. I remember picking up a book and “reading” it to Lisa. I was probably four or five years old and had no idea how to read yet, but I could definitely pretend and make up the story along the way. I might have also told Tommy and Lisa they would die if they didn’t wash their fruits and vegetables off before they ate them. Of course I was just kidding, but they believed me and listened to me.
I cared for my siblings and tried to help out quite a bit, and I think it first started to hit me when my brother started school and I was in first grade. Tommy used to get sick on the bus ride to school. I wanted to look out for him, and I didn’t want the bus driver to have to continually clean up after him. So, I took it upon myself to help him out everyday on the bus. I was then designated full bus puke-cleaner-upper (this is probably also what made me immune to it now when it happens at the legion on occasion).
Lisa was a go-getter from the start-absolutely fearless. She climbed everything and wasn’t afraid to try new things. I, on the other hand, was shy and scared of everything. As I stated in a previous column, she would pick up daddy-longlegs, put them in jars and chase me around the house with them, knowing how much they freaked me out. She liked to be mom’s little ‘sweetie-pie’ and wasn’t afraid to tattle when we did something wrong.
I was somewhat obnoxious to my siblings though, possibly because I was jealous. We have a home video of Lisa and I coloring and my aunt telling Lisa how pretty of a job she was doing asking me to acknowledge it. Instead, I recognized that Lisa was getting more attention than I was, and I was not afraid to blurt out “Lisa doesn’t color pretty, she scribbles and goes outside of the lines.”
Although we fought like all siblings do and tried to place the blame on anyone but ourselves, we were involved in our share of group scheming and organized mischief as well. Although usually one of us thought of the idea, the rest of us didn’t hesitate to carry out the plans. I will be the first to admit, much of these ideas that we carried out were mine and my siblings were just the lucky ones that I got to take down with me. For example, one of us decided it would be fun to bust out the windows on all of my dad’s tractor cabs that were sitting in the trees one day. We all had a blast watching those windows shatter, but dad, however, wasn’t very happy.
We were told not to take the four-wheeler out when my parents were gone one day. I guess it was just too tempting though, and after they left, the first thing we did was get the four-wheeler out and hook a sled to the back of it. Apparently we didn’t think they would notice the endless amount of tire tracks in the snow that covered our yard. As if that wasn’t evidence enough, we ended up getting it completely stuck right in front of the house. We tried and tried to get it out before they arrived home, but it was a lost cause. We ran in the house and hid from what we all knew was coming. Mom and dad weren’t happy campers.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved growing up in a big family. I was always happy to have someone to play with at home and we always found things to occupy our time outside. We had our share of forts, tree houses, bike and four-wheeler routes and a variety of activities and games that never ceased to get old. It amazes me now how much kids now are glued to their video games the second they get home from school. Instead of running around outside and being creative, they are focusing on getting to the next level of Halo or getting a perfect score on Guitar Hero.
I used to blame my parents for the fact that I was the least athletic child as well. I thought the reason I was overweight is because my parents would force me to clean my plate and Lisa and the rest of the gang didn’t have to (maybe it was one of those glitches I mentioned earlier). I realize that this probably isn’t the most accurate theory and that my un-coordination and lack of motivation is probably the reason I am not like the rest of my siblings.
I was eight and ten-years old when Molly and Billy were born, so I got acquainted with babysitting and caring for them when my parents were working or doing errands. Since there was quite a gap in our ages, I felt more like care-takers to them than playmates. I can’t believe how grown up they are already and the things they have accomplished thus far.
All of us get along great now. I look forward to spending time with each of them, and we can always find something to talk about. I know now that being the oldest child isn’t such a bad thing. I guess it made me who I am today and it definitely made me stronger.
While I am on this subject, I would like to apologize to Lisa for chopping all her bangs off and slamming her fingers in the door when we were younger, running Tommy over with the three-wheeler and chucking a small Tonka truck down the stairs and hitting him in the head. (On a side note, I would like everyone to know that not all of these were intentional). Plus, I think they got me back by shoving me through the kitchen window and getting me grounded for sneaking a can of pop from the fridge. Thanks a lot guys—I love you all.
Also, Happy Birthday to Molly and Billy on the 21st!
What a weekend...
What a weekend! Boy, am I exhausted.
I found out last Wednesday that I could catch a ride out to Sturgis Thursday afternoon and come home Sunday. I thought this was a great idea since a lot of my friends were going to be out there anyway and we could just stay with them.
Another reason I was excited to go was to see my sister. She didn’t get to make it to our family reunion this year, and lives in Spearfish, so I figured I would surprise her and just show up.
So, Wednesday night I packed up all my clothes, bedding and camping equipment so I could leave after work on Thursday.
I arrived in Sioux Falls at about 6 p.m. and hopped in with my friend Bobbi Jo. Off to Sturgis we went.
We didn’t get to Sturgis until about 11:30 (their time) and really had no ambition to set up our tent. I suggested we sleep in the car, just for one night, and she agreed it was a good idea.
On Friday, we rode through Spearfish Canyon, stopping at Cheyenne Crossing (a little gift shop and eating joint) to surprise my sister. She was working, and was pretty surprised. You don’t realize how much you actually miss your siblings until you see a reaction like that!
We talked a bit and got to spend a little time together, so it was a good time.
We then headed to Deadwood (a group of us) to do a little shopping and relaxing. We had been there for about an hour or so when it started raining, then hailing (see picture below). The hail kept getting bigger and bigger and people were scrambling off of the streets trying to get inside. Bikers watched their motorcycles getting pelted with hail and couldn’t do anything about it.
After a few minutes, it stopped hailing and just rained for a while. On our way back to Sturgis, though, it looked like it had snowed from all the hail on the ground.
At the Full Throttle Saloon, not far from our campground, it was reported that they had up to baseball size hail and there were several windshields broken out of cars and damage to many of the bikes. I guess we were probably lucky we were in Deadwood at the time!
It rained Friday night into Saturday morning as well. So, once again, we didn’t set up our tent and just slept in the car. It really didn’t seem all that uncomfortable and we didn’t have to move all of our things around the next morning.
Saturday we shopped and visited more friends in Sturgis. I think the best part of the day was filling out a 5 minute survey for State Farm and getting a free ten-minute massage and a sit at the oxygen bar. By that time, it was much needed.
After we had our fix of shopping, half-naked girls and traffic, we headed back to the campground to sit around and do some relaxing. Wouldn’t you know it? It started raining…again.
This time, it poured. Canopies went flying and people were coming from everywhere to stand in the entertainment building and beer garden. I was about sick of the rain. Ugh.
When it finally stopped raining, people slowly left the building to go check out what kind of damage had been done to their camping areas. Our group’s canopy had been wrecked, along with several damaged tents. Many people were bringing their bedding from inside their tents to the dryers provided on the campground, and I even had friends poking holes in their tent to drain all of the water out. Once again, Bobbi Jo and I were thankful we hadn’t set up our tent. We decided to spend our last night in Sturgis sleeping in the car again, since the temperature was less than appealing and everything was already soaked.
On the way home yesterday, all tired and worn out from the trip, Bobbi Jo and I decided that we are probably just going to forget the tent next year and continue to sleep in the car. All we had to do was wake up, turn the key on, and take off. No packing or unpacking, no wet belongings or bedding.
All in all, it was an awesome time and I am so thankful I got to see my sister. Hopefully, by next year I will have my own bike to ride out there! Bobbi Jo will just have to drive the car out there so we still have some place to sleep.
Summer, where did it go?
by Sara Koch
Maybe this doesn’t go for everyone, but when I was in Elementary school I couldn’t wait to start school, and I also couldn’t wait for it to be over. I was excited to get the new school supplies and the new clothes, see all my friends again and observe any changes.
However, after about the first week or two, I really didn’t want to go anymore. I was sick of homework and teachers, and I wished it was summer all over again.
At the end of the school year, it was such a relief to make it through field-day and jump off the bus at home on the last day of school.
Yes, there were many times, even in high school and college, where summer seemed to go by so fast. Now that I’m older, though, it doesn’t just go by fast, it seems like I almost miss it. Every year it feels like it gets shorter and shorter.
I have had conversations about this with people older than me as well, and I always find that I get the same response, “You think it’s bad now, that’s nothing. Wait til you’re my age.” Great.
I love summer time. I never miss the cold or snow, defrosting the windows on my car, trying to stay off of icy roads and getting stuck on non-plowed roads. Honestly, kudos to the people who love the winter.
Fall is a good season as well, not too hot and not too cold. I can still get away with wearing sweatshirts and flip-flops (no parkas, winter boots, hats or gloves).
Then the winter hits with what seems like seven or eight months of mystery conditions and making plans around the next big snow storm.
So, allow me to indulge you with my new hypothesis about where summer goes. Weather conditions in the winter often make for cancelled events, more stay-ins and less travel (obviously). Then, when summer hits, everyone tries to squeeze in all the parties and trips at once, not stopping to even take a breath. I have been invited to and/or attended nine weddings (May through September), went on three bachelorette parties and was invited to four others, hit three bridal showers, attended a couple baby showers, went on three poker runs, managed to make it to Okoboji, my family reunion, Harvest Festival, Saddlehorse Days, attend a couple of concerts and will be heading to a Twins game in the middle of August. All of that condensed into four or five months (and those are mainly just the weekend events).
There you have it. Winter is why summer goes by too fast.
It gets worse as you get older because when you were younger you didn’t notice all of the hustle and bustle of an adults life. A person didn’t have to worry about running to Brookings to pick up a bridal shower gift at the last minute or taking time off of work to go to the dentist. Your parents worried about that.
I used to base when my summers began and ended on when the next semester started and the last one ended. There were no “real” seasons. There was “back-to-school” season and summer vacation. Period. So, now that I’ve made it past all that schooling into the “real world”, the seasons are starting to blend in a little better than they did before.
Hopefully, since this summer has been especially cool and brief, winter won’t hit for another few months. Sorry to those of you who are looking forward to it, but I wouldn’t complain if it didn’t come until January.
Well, now that I think I’ve figured out the mystery of where summer goes, I hope everyone had a great one and that there is still plenty of it left to squeeze in all the rest of your parties and activities.
Parents: school will be starting August 26 so just hold out for a couple more weeks.
Wasps, Bees and all kinds of things
by Sara Koch
So, in the past couple of months that I have lived in Lake Benton, I have come to believe I am under attack. Maybe it’s not just because of the city, but I have never encountered more bugs in one summer than I have this year.
I have seen the coming and going of mayflies in this town the past couple of summers just by working at the legion, but come on, it’s like they are taking over.
There have been piles upon giant piles of dead mayflies lying under the street lights in front of all the local businesses. Aren’t they supposed to be water bugs?
I would come to work in the mornings, and the windows would be covered with them (a special thanks to the postmaster for actually sweeping them off for us!). I heard the crackling of the insects as vehicles waded down the streets toward their destinations and tried to dodge them while entering or leaving the legion.
Now, these bugs really don’t scare me too much, they are pretty harmless. However, as with any bug, if I find them in my hair or they unexpectedly land on my neck I will probably freak out.
Mayflies are only one of the many things that have been in my constant presence this summer.
I returned to my apartment one afternoon to find a bee infestation covering my kitchen windows (on the inside). I am not allergic to these bugs, but I try to avoid them anyways. By the next day, though, they were all dead. I haven’t seen one in there since.
It was a relief to get rid of the bees with out a retaliation on their part, but I have now killed probably close to 40 wasps—the big black ones. My dad thinks they are yellow jackets, but either way, they are scary-looking.
I only find a couple of them a day, always on my kitchen windows or close by, and I don’t even flinch when I see them anymore. Raid works like a charm. LOVE IT. Spray a little on them and they are dead in seconds.
Raid also works on oversized centipedes. Actually, I didn’t even know it was a centipede at first, it looked like a spider with 18 more legs—and I absolutely HATE spiders. I googled the insect the next day at work, and sure enough it was just a giant centipede. The bug was directly over my bed one night and I knew I wouldn’t rest until it was dead.
After I sprayed it the first time, it fell onto my bed (you can ask Kendra how bad I was screaming when it almost landed on me). But, when I finally got it on the floor and saw that it was dead, I felt better. I wadded up a bunch of paper towels to pick it up and I threw it away. Oofta.
Back to the spiders. The fact that I have a complete phobia of them can probably be attributed to my wonderful sister Lisa. I distinctly remember her catching spiders in jars and chasing me around the house with them.
I have only seen one spider in my apartment and I’m pretty sure everyone that was enjoying lunch at Carl’s that afternoon knew it. Once again, I was screaming and stomping around and actually had a couple people come to see if everything was alright. “Yep, sorry, just a spider…haha.”
My mom always said that spiders always found me because they knew I didn’t like them. I’m really starting to believe that theory (with any bug). Or maybe I’m just more of a chicken than most people.
Luckily, through all of this, I have only been stung once this summer. It wasn’t even at my apartment, it was at the lake. Hopefully I won’t have many more run-ins with the little creatures throughout the rest of the summer. I guess we will just have to wait and see though.
I suppose I could start up an insect collection.
Poker 'fun' runs
by Sara Koch
I can honestly say that, up until a few years ago, I had no idea what a poker run was. I had no desire to really learn either, lacking any knowledge or skill in the game of Poker. I thought it was just a bunch of people hopping around from bar to bar playing in an all-day poker tournament. Little did I know, I would come to love this memorial celebration.
Poker runs (also known as poker derbies) are organized occasions where people use some sort of transportation to cover a designated route with certain stopping points along the way. Once you return to your starting point, cards are drawn to see who gets the best poker hand. Prizes are then awarded to high hands (and sometimes even the low hands).
In a smaller community like Lake Benton, the majority of the poker runs are in memory of a lost loved one or friend. They also raise money for charities, scholarships and other organizations.
After I had the privilege of attending a couple of these ‘fun runs’, I was hooked. There is nothing like the feeling of a bunch of motorcycles all riding together honoring a specific cause. They are fun social events, remembrances, get-togethers and good reasons to get outside.
My two most recent poker runs were out of the Elkton-Lake Benton area. The first was hosted by the Knotty Pine Supper Club in memory of Vernon Fehrman. Starvy’s Disco helped celebrate the end of the evening with entertainment after the run ended. (Oh yes, and since I forgot to say it last week, Jon Fehrman, you are awesome!).
Last weekend was the Fourth Annual Emmett Fest Celebration in Elkton. Emmett Fest is an event honoring the life of Tom ‘Emmett’ Kuehl who lost his life while fulfilling his job as a volunteer fire fighter. Friends and family all gathered in town for the weekend.
Every year, money and prizes are collected from local businesses in the surrounding communities to sponsor the event. Prizes are raffled off throughout the day, raising money for weekend activities and scholarships for Elkton-Lake Benton High School students.
This year, the Emmett Fest poker run covered 150 miles hitting numerous establishments. There were over 200 people attending the run, over half of them on motorcycles.
For those who did not wish to ride motorcycle, a bus was provided—a very sticky bus by the end of the day I’m sure!
When we returned back to Elkton, a meal was provided for all who attended and the raffling began. All sorts of donated prizes were given out including a $500 Harley Davidson jacket (I still can’t believe you got that Chad!).
The evening ended with a band performing outside.
Sunday afternoon was full of many different activities. There was a fireman’s water war, softball tournament, bean bag tournament, jousting, whopper feed, among a variety of other events.
So, all in all, it was a good weekend—a very long weekend, but a good time was had by all.
I want to also say thank you to all the businesses and establishments that donated money toward Emmett Fest weekend and helped make the event possible. Remember that a majority of the money raised during this celebration goes toward scholarships for soon-to-be graduates and other students.
