It was time, once again, for the annual blockbuster event of the year . . .
[If you arrive early, you get the seats that would be given to the President of the United States if such person ever deigned to attend . . . ]
[The regular crowd shuffles in. The stage was set to make visions of sugar plums dance in our heads. The mid-December temperature was in the low 40’s (really!) and though a statewide team known as the Vikings were on TV, the first of back-to-back performances drew near a full house . . . ]
[The house lights dims; anticipation rises . . . ]
[Every year the kids amaze me. And every year I’m still amazed that I’m amazed . . .]
[Two Alex Class of ’65 classmates (one who has for some reason lived in Texas for the past 25 years or so) witnessed the event for the first time and were equally impressed . . . ]
[So, again, kudos must go to Steve Dietz and Brad Lambrecht as the masters of ceremony for the choir and orchestra, respectively. And the annual narrations by Bob Hines. They have the program running like a well oiled machine . . . ]
[And look at the student participation rates. We’re going to have to build a bigger stage!]
[And a little apres-concert ensemble music to go with beverages and cookies!]
[The 2018 Alexandria Area High School Carolers: SOPRANO: Ki Blaser, Sydney Christenson, Ari Janssen, Olivia Maday; ALTO: Nicole Brittin, Madeline Dudley, Emily Elliott, Lauren Russell; TENOR: Matthew Adolphsen, Valon Deising, Gabe Moore, Andy Tollin; BASS: Colin Barten, Beau Granning, Sam Maier, Nick Nelson (photo on loan from voiceofalexandria.com).]
It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself. ~ Johann Sebastion Bach
Up Next: It’s the holiday season; I have no idea . . .
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me! This is the follow-up to the original, “alexandriacardinals.wordpress.com,” which overwhelmed the system’s ability to handle it any more. Thus, this is “Part 2.” As the original was initially described:
10-26-07-4
“It all began in a 5,000 watt radio station in Fresno, California” . . . wait a minute, that was Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show! Let’s see . . . oh yeah, it all began in 2003 when retirees, i.e., old people, in Alexandria, Minnesota, who had no desire to become snow birds, went looking for mid-winter entertainment here in the frozen tundra of West Central Minnesota. We discovered girls’ high school hockey, fell in love immediately, and it remains our favorite spectator sport to this day. Initially, and for several years, reports on these games were e-mailed to those who were actually snowbirds but wanted to keep abreast of things “back home.” It was ultimately decided a blog would be more efficient, and it evolved into a personal diary of many things that attracts tens of readers on occasion. It remains a source of personal mental therapy and has yet to elicit any lawsuits.
~ The Editor, May 9, 2014
p.s. The photo border around the blog is the Cardinal girls’ hockey team after just beating Breck for the state championship in 2008. It’s of the all-tournament team. The visible Breck player on the left is Milica McMillen, then an 8th-grader – she is now an All-American for the Gophers. The Roseau player in the stocking cap I believe is Mary Loken, who went on to play for UND; and the Cardinal player on the right, No. 3, is Abby Williams, the player we blame most for making us girls’ hockey fans who went on to play for Bemidji State.
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Photos contained herein are available for personal use. All you have to do is double click on any of the photos and they will become full screen size. You can then save them into your personal “My Pictures” file. They make lovely parting or hostess gifts, or holiday gifts for such as Uncle Ernie who wants to see how his grand niece is doing on the hockey team. If any are sold for personal profit, however, to, for example, the Audubon Society, National Geographic, Sven’s Home Workshop Monthly, Curling By The Numbers, or the World Wrestling Federation, I only request that you make a donation to the charitable organization of your choice. You have two hours and fifteen minutes. Pencils ready? Begin!
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