December 17

There’s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.  ~  Oscar Levant

All generalizations are false, including this one.  ~  Mark Twain

[This photo was adopted for the sole purpose of being the display picture for the Facebook posting . . . ]

December 8

The comedy has had to get so good because the news has got so bad. ~ John Fugelsang

[The Super and I have decided that we’re just to exhausted to shop for and wrap Christmas gifts for each other. So, having already made our disbursements to all our favorite charities, we decided to just make further disbursements to our favorite establishments of fine dining. Wednesdays are half-priced bottles of wine night at the Lure. Ta-da! Guess what we ordered on this night . . . ]

For a single woman, preparing for company means wiping the lipstick off the milk carton. ~ Elayne Boosler

You know you’re getting fat when you step on the dog’s tail and he dies. ~ Elayne Boosler

December 10

I am thankful that all the people in the world who absolutely, positively, know what God wants, usually kill mostly each other. ~ Elayne Boosler

[The annual get-together at Arrowwood for Those Who Stay Behind. The current and past members, with spouses, of the senior men’s golf league at Alexandria Golf Club. Those not in attendance have already fled below the Mason-Dixon Line, usually at the first sighting of a snow flake . . . ]

I’ve always said we got married because there was nothing on TV. ~ Bette Midler

[All photos herein were taken by the Super with her phone camera. I failed miserably in my reporting duties by bringing my snapshot camera for convenience only to find its battery was dead . . . ]

Guys wake up at your place and they expect breakfast. They don’t eat bagels and M&M’s in the morning. They want things like toast. I say, ‘I don’t have these recipes.’ ~ Elayne Boosler

When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It’s a whole different way of thinking. ~ Elayne Boosler

I read books that say if you want to keep sex hot you tell a person what you want. How do you tell ’em you want somebody else? ~ Elayne Boosler

Pigs are smarter than dogs, and both are smarter than Congress. ~ Elayne Boosler

Only two groups of people intimidate me absolutely: salespeople and the French. ~ Bette Midler

Would it be indecent to ask the grandparents to stay at a hotel? ~ Audrey Griswold.

Look, Charlie, let’s face it. We all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket. It’s run by a big eastern syndicate, you know. ~ Lucy Van Pelt

I was Christmas shopping and ran into a guy on the street. I noticed his watch and said that it runs slow. He said, ‘So does the guy I stole it from.’ ~ David Letterman

It’s always consoling to know that today’s Christmas gifts are tomorrow’s garage sales. ~ Milton Berle

We celebrate the birth of one who told us to give everything to the poor by giving each other motorized tie racks. ~ Bill McKibben

[By the end of the evening, my perfectly comfortable Bjorn’s (age unknown) had come to the end of their useful lifespan . . . ]

December 11

Political comedy, when done right, is a delivery system for truth. ~ John Fugelsang

[The next day we repaired to Carlos Creek Winery winery for another afternoon with Elsa Lee and friends . . . ]

[And a wine barrel Christmas tree . . . ]

[The prince and princess of Ashby arrive for the festivities . . . ]

Would be cool to wake up one day and there’s just a huge, new, unexpected bit of incredibly good news. ~ Chris Hayes

Lead me not into temptation; I can find the way myself.  ~  Rita Mae Brown

I want it all – and I would like it delivered. ~ Better Midler

[The divine Ms. Lee . . . ]

I’m working my way toward divinity. ~ Bette Midler

To all those saying that Dolly Parton should have been Time’s “Person of the Year,” count me in! ~ Dan Rather

I was the biggest George Harrison fanatic in the world. He was raised Catholic; my parents are both ex-clergy, so I was raised Catholic, and I admired how he used his faith. ~ John Fugelsang

Men in power always seem to get involved in sex scandals, but women don’t even have a word for ‘male bimbo.’ Except maybe ‘senator. ~ Elayne Boosler

People want sex education out of the schools. They believe sex education causes promiscuity. Hey, I took algebra, but I never do math. ~ Elayne Boosler

This holiday season, no matter what your religion is, please take a moment to reflect on why it’s better than all the other ones. ~ Guy Endore Kaiser

Jesus was a peaceful radical and non-violent revolutionary who hung around with lepers, prostitutes and criminals and was anti-capitalism, anti-wealth, anti-public prayer and anti-death penalty, but who never once was remotely anti-gay. ~ John Fugelsang

We’re kicking off our fun, old-fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select the most important of Christmas symbols. ~ Clark Griswold.

Now I’m an old Christmas tree, the roots of which have died. They just come along and while the little needles fall off me replace them with medallions. ~ Orson Welles

There’s no experience quite like cutting your own live Christmas tree out of your neighbor’s yard. ~ Dan Florence

[Every time Elsa sings Elton John’s “Border Song”, Ruthie rushes to put ‘bread” in her jar . . . ]

I don’t know what I believe. I guess that makes me a Christmas Tree Agnostic. ~ Stephanie Perkins

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.  ~  Mae West

My brother is gay and my parents don’t care, as long as he marries a doctor. ~ Elayne Boosler

Education is my next big thing. When music and art were taken out of the schools, I went berserk! ~ Bette Midler

[Coming and going to the winery, one usually must cross the Darling-Carlos Bridge. On this day, while crossing, looking south one would see an ice covered Lake Darling . . . ]

Some people look like frozen lakes; break the ice, there you will see a lively world! ~ Mehmet Murat Ildan

[Looking north, one would see a Lake Carlos with open water – and full of lots and noisy waterfowl . . . ]

No matter how bad things get, it’s impossible not to love someone who made you toast. Once you’ve been through that crusty surface to the soft underneath and tasted the warm, salty butter you’ll last forever. ~ Nigel Slater

It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.  ~  Gore Vidal

I’ll travel the sub-zero tundra; I’ll brave glaciers and frozen lakes; And that’s just the tip of the iceberg; I’ll do whatever it takes; To change. ~ Owl City

The true business of the philosopher, though not flattering to his vanity, is merely to ascertain, arrange and condense the facts. ~ John Leslie

During the warm season (August 8 and 9), Maine is a true vacation paradise, offering visitors a chance to jump into crystal-clear mountain lakes and see if they can get back out again before their bodily tissue is frozen as solid as a supermarket turkey. ~ Dave Barry

Up Next: Basketball and stuff . . .

(* including Christmas)

December 13

Christmas and the New Year are actually two holidays. So there is a plural, which in the English language, necessitates the use of ‘s.’ I suppose you could say ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘Happy New Year,’ but you probably have sh*t to do. ~ Jon Stewart

I celebrate everyone’s religious holidays. if it’s good enough for the righteous, it’s good enough for the self-righteous, I always say. ~ Bette Midler

On most holidays, you’ll find me in Mexico. Actually, on most holidays you won’t find me. I’m at a beach, and it’s wonderful. ~ Kyrsten Sinema

To all those gathered in celebration today, Merry Christmas. ~ Barack Obama

There is a theme to our Christmas “card” this year. See if you can guess what it is?

I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up – they have no holidays. ~ Henny Youngman

So, this is indeed the ‘New Norm.’ The only way we world travelers left home this year was by ZOOM. Our longest physical movement away from hearth and home was to St. Cloud – one-hour to the southeast. That’s where we got the first two of three COVID vaccinations. We got the booster and flu shot locally. We still had Senior College, but by ZOOM. We had book club outside (for the most part). Our annual week in Camp Brosius, Wisconsin, was cancelled again, but we were able to enjoy the 100th Resorters Golf Tournament at home. We got new kitchen and bathroom floors, a hot water heater, and two new toilets. We went to school board meetings (to show the flag). A school board election was the biggest election of the year. Our only out-of-town visitors for the year were Jami and Danny twice, Cam & Rog, and Cam with Uncle Tom, Aunt Mary Kay (from Arizona) and Cousin Beth. That was it.

[And we continue with family, Danny and Jami . . . ]

[Gretchen, Ruthie’s sister-in-law . . . ]

[Mohamed, our brother-in-law . . . ]

[Chris, Tom’s brother . . . ]

[Cam, Tom’s other brother . . . ]

[Karen, our sister-in-law, on the right . . . ]

I’m Muslim the way many of my Jewish friends are Jewish: I avoid pork, and I take the big holidays off. ~ Aasif Mandvi

White folks were so strange. ~ Maya Angelou (“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”)

[Two reasons for not having one this year: Guinie and Laddie . . . ]

[Jessi, our niece . . . ]

[A school teacher in Virginia (the state) in her GMU hoodie . . . ]

[Kadie, our niece . . . ]

[A school teacher in Virginia (the state), front row center . . . ]

[Sophie, our niece, gives COVID vaccinations in Atlanta . . . ]

Always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise they won’t come to yours. ~ Yogi Berra

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. ~ Douglas Adams

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no use being a damn fool about it. ~ W.C. Fields

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don’t know the answer. ~ Douglas Adams

Happy New Year to all, including to my many enemies and those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do. ~ Donald Trump

I’m sorry, if you were right, I’d agree with you. ~ Robin Williams

[Barb, our cousin, with her mom, Shirley . . . ]

[Herb, our cousin . . . ]

Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it. ~  E. B. White

A woman is like a teabag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house. ~ George Carlin

The great joy of doing ‘The Daily Show’ for me is that I get to sit on the fence between cultures. I am commenting on the absurdity of both sides as an outsider and insider. Sometimes I’m playing the brown guy, and sometimes I’m not, but the best stuff I do always goes back to being a brown kid in a white world. ~ Aasif Mandvi

[We still had Community Education movies, but with proper protocols . . . ]

[And the post-movie discussions (OK, this one was pre-pandemic).]

26 COPs, they have had decades of blah, blah, blah – and where has that got us? ~ Greta

[The class reunion boys still had our lunches . . . ]

If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? ~ George Carlin

Accept who you are unless you’re a serial killer. ~ Ellen DeGeneres

[The boys (and girls) were there for Merill’s 99th birthday last November . . . ]

One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books. ~ Professor Dumbledore

A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money. ~ W.C. Fields

You can’t have everything. Where would you put it? ~ Steven Wright

[And for his 100th birthday this November . . . ]

Folks, I don’t trust children. They’re here to replace us. ~ Stephen Colbert

Our kids are not Jewish, and they’re not Catholic. They’re not Episcopalian. They’re not Buddhist. They’re not anything. We do all the holidays to keep the traditions and the culture going, but I truly don’t have a great feeling about any particular organized religion, and I don’t think it’s right to impose one on my kids. ~ Rhea Perlman

Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility. ~ James Thurber

[Though we never traveled far from home the entire year, Senator Sanders was ubiquitous.]

Christmas is a baby shower that went totally overboard. ~ Andy Borowitz

Marry an orphan: you’ll never have to spend boring holidays with the in-laws. ~ George Carlin

The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This drunkenness culminates on New Year’s Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you’re married to. ~ P. J. O’Rourke

Do you remember they were trying to take ‘Christmas’ out of Christmas? Do you remember? They didn’t want to let you say ‘Merry Christmas. ~ Donald Trump

[Well, actually we’re still living Groundhog Day . . . ]

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing. ~ Emo Philips

To err is human, but to really foul things up you need a computer. ~ Paul R. Ehrlich

[We were still able to enjoy music in the great outdoors . . . ]

‘The Christmas Song,’ by Nat King Cole, is not only a masterful performance; to me it just sounds like the holidays. I’ve never sung it, because Nat’s version is so perfect. I gotta leave it alone. ~ Harry Connick, Jr

Christmas sweaters are only acceptable as a cry for help. ~ Andy Borowitz

If sex is such a natural phenomenon, how come there are so many books on how to do it? ~ Bette Midler

For many years I enjoyed the pleasure of cruising on my yacht all summer long and these were my best holidays. In mid-May, we’d start in St Tropez. I’d collect my bikinis from my home there and then we’d go up to Cannes for the Film Festival, on to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix and then to Italy. ~ Ivana Trump

I’ve come to view Jesus much the way I view Elvis. I love the guy but the fan clubs really freak me out. ~ John Fugelsang

As Elsa (above) learned: A woman is only a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke. ~ Rudyard Kipling

[We dined outside whenever possible . . . ]

We are delivering millions of doses of a safe and effective vaccine that will soon end this terrible pandemic and save millions and millions of lives. ~ Donald Trump

[New friende were made . . . ]

[OK, I admit it. It was a concern . . . ]

[All max vaccinated and masked coming and going from the table . . . ]

I think we have enough separation . . .

Never eat more than you can lift. ~ Miss Piggy

Lisa, just because I don’t care, doesn’t mean I don’t understand. ~ Homer Simpson

I figure if people don’t want to make the distinction between a Muslim and a terrorist, then why should I make a distinction between good scared white people and racists? ~ Aasif Mandvi

A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold. ~ Ogden Nash

One thing I learned from drinking is that if you ever go Christmas caroling, you should go with a group of people. And also go in mid-December. ~ Louis C.K.

[We offer our profound thanks to Gerry, Sandra, Brian, and Jack who entertained us through the year of the lock down. Watching 12 seasons, 120 episodes, of “New Tricks”, twice!]

[Brother Cam’s feet. I have no further explanation other than he’s a Gamecock . . . ]

I wouldn’t say I invented tacky, but I definitely brought it to its present high popularity. ~ Bette Midler

[The Super thought the babies would enjoy this ornament hung in their new high rise condo. They found her “disarming” . . . ]

[And through it all, the Fat Boys kept walking . . . ]

Merry Christmas, nearly everybody! ~ Ogden Nash

Christmas: it’s the only religious holiday that’s also a federal holiday. That way, Christians can go to their services, and everyone else can sit at home and reflect on the true meaning of the separation of church and state. ~ Samantha Bee

Up Next: The actual holiday?

December 11

There’s just something beautiful about walking on snow that nobody else has walked on. It makes you believe you’re special. ~ Carol Rifka Brunt

It’s basketball season. Time for reports on my first attended games of the season for the girls’ and boys’ teams.

Regarding the girls: “’We lost 100% of everything,’ Alexandria head coach Wendy Kohler said about the turnover from last season. The Cardinals had to replace the top eight leading scorers from last year’s team, as seven of them were seniors and the one returning player, Morgan Jones, suffered a season-ending injury.” (StarTribune, November 30.)

December 7

[Photo contributed by a 1965 Alexandria alumnus at the Hopkins gym where the young Cards lost a close game to Hill-Murray in the Breakdown Tipoff Classic . . . ]

[As the JV game was coming to an end, the varsity was getting ready to take the court. Senior Tessa McGrane, far left, appears to recognize my camera from the far side of the court . . . ]

The very fact of snow is such an amazement. ~ Roger Ebert.

[The Cards would lose on this night to a Willmar team that started five seniors. Age matters. Our young team was in foul trouble throughout but made it a close game . . . ]

[Julie and Wendy, a combination that has worked at least for this entire century . . . ]

Shooting is just like toenails. They may fall off occasionally, but you know they’ll always come back. ~ Charles Johnson

[Introductions beginning with freshman Hadley Thul (11) . . . ]

[Our leading scorer in the season so far with a future entirely ahead of her (as Yogi Berra might say) . . . ]

[Her foul trouble, however, kept her out of half this game . . . ]

[Another freshman starter, Chloe Scholl (15) . . . ]

Not only is there more to life than basketball, there’s a lot more to basketball than basketball. ~ Phil Jackson

[The aforementioned Morgan Jones, out for the season in civvies, greets the starters . . . ]

[The Three Freshman starters, as Allie Haabala (33) joins the group. Chloe was the star frosh in this game . . . ]

[Senior Lily Thul (35) . . . ]

[And aforementioned senior Tessa McGrane (5) rounds out the starting five . . . ]

Culver’s for burgers and malts after the game?

Tip-off Rules. The jumpers must wait until the ball reaches its highest point before it is touched. The jumpers cannot grab the ball; they must tip it. All other players must remain outside the center circle. All other players must remain still until the ball is tipped. (This was on the internets [sic] so it must be true.)

[Hadley is listed as 6’1″. She appears even taller than that. It seems quite likely she will not lose many tips this year for she has the hops of a good volleyball player as well . . . ]

When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team. ~ George Raveling

This year we plan to run and shoot. Next season we hope to run and score. ~ Billy Tubbs

Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study. ~ Red Auerbach

The trouble with officials is they just don’t care who wins. ~ Tommy Canterbury

I keep both eyes on my man. The basket hasn’t moved on me yet. ~ Julius Erving

If you are going to take it to the bank, then you better cash it in. ~ Shannon Fish

Believe that the loose ball that you are chasing has your name written on it. ~ Mike Krzyzewski

To win, you’ve got to put the ball in the macramé. ~ Terry McGuire

[At the half . . . ]

[This team will keep getting better all year. They will be fun to watch . . . ]

December 9

I don’t discuss basketball. I dictate basketball. I’m not interested in philosophy classes. ~ Al McGuire

The boys were runners-up in the state tournament last season. And just the opposite of the girls’ team, four of the five starters from that team return and will be joined by players from last year’s undefeated JV team. They are quite aware that expectations are high . . .

Play the game with a smile. ~ Earl “The Pearl” Monroe

[Jerry-rigged roster because I forgot my program at the game . . . ]

0		Carter SteffensmeierSr. • 6′ 0″ • 180 lbs
2		Turner Haar5′ 8″ • 137 lbs
3		Will HeydtSr. • 5′ 11″
4		Jaxon SchoenrockJr. • 6′ 2″ • 165 lbs
11		Myles SanstedSr. • 6′ 1″
12		Peter SanstedSr. • 6′ 1″
13		Wyatt OdlandSr. • 5′ 11″ • 205 lbs
14		Bralyn SteffensmeierSo. • 5′ 1″ • 105 lbs
21		Kristen HoskinsSr. • 5′ 9″ • 155 lbs
22		Erik HedstromSr. • 6′ 6″ • 205 lbs
25		Trevin HoepnerJr. 5’10”
32		Zach Gundberg6′ 2″ • 185 lbs
33		Grayson GroveSo. • 6′ 8″ • 185 lbs
35		Dawson RoderickSo. • 6′ 1″ • 120 lbs
41		Chase ThompsonFr. • 6′ 4″ • 185 lbs
42		Elijah Vanderveer Sr. 6’5″
44		Jacob BalcomeJr. • 6′ 5″

[At the half of the JV game – the future is looking good . . . ]

[Senior Elijah Vanderveer (42) greets the starters beginning with senior Myles Sansted (11) . . . ]

[Senior Carter Steffensmeier (0), also the football quarterback . . . ]

[Senior Kristen Hoskins (21), going to play football for the Gophers . . . ]

[Senior Erik Hedstrom (22) . . . ]

[Sophomore Grayson Grove (33) . . . ]

Culver’s for burgers and malts – I heard the girls will be there?

[Grayson, at 6’8″ and growing, seems likely, à la Hadley, to win most of his tip-offs . . . ]

Basketball is basketball. ~ Oscar Robertson

The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot. ~ Bill Russell

When it’s played the way is supposed to be played, basketball happens in the air; flying, floating, elevated above the floor, levitating the way oppressed peoples of this earth imagine themselves in their dreams. ~ John Edgar Wideman

Life is an endless series of bounces, some as predictable as the rebound of a basketball, others as unpredictable as the rebound of a football. ~ Evan Esar

Old basketball players never die. They just sit in front of you at the movies. ~ David Young

You can’t play football alone, can’t play baseball alone, but you could take a basketball and find a hoop anywhere. ~ Bernard King

Basketball demands from each player the widest range of skills of any of the team sports. ~ Mike Huff

Friends can come and go, but banners hang forever. ~  Kobe Bryant

I never thought I’d lead the NBA in rebounding, but I got a lot of help from my team-mates – they did a lot of missing. ~ Moses Malone

We planted seeds for a harvest and it’s not out of the question that harvest could come this year. ~  Sam Hinkie 

[Erik Hedstrom led the team in scoring . . . ]

You can’t teach the beast. It’s either in you or it isn’t. You can’t just go to the store and buy a six-pack of beast. ~ Kevin Garnett

Dee-fense! Dee-fense! Dee-fense!!

[All night long, the Storm must have felt like the meat in a ham sandwich . . . ]

Men play basketball in in their underwear, which seems just right to me. ~ Anna Quinden

Our ceiling is through the roof. ~ Josh Smith

[The Cards put on a blistering display of defense, particularly in the 2nd half when they held the Storm to 15 points. And three of the Storm starters did not score at all in the game . . . ]

These are my new shoes. They’re good shoes. They won’t make you rich like me; they won’t make you rebound like me; they definitely won’t make you handsome like me. They’ll only make you have shoes like me. That’s it. ~ Charles Barkley

I knew it was time to retire when I was driving down the lane and got called for a three-second violation. ~ Johnny Kerr

Up Next: Likely involves eating and drinking . . .

December 4

Well, that’s your opinion, isn’t it? And I’m not about to waste my time trying to change it. ~ Lady Gaga

Under direct orders from the Supervisor to get cracking on the Christmas card blog, it’s time to clear the files. So, this was yesterday . . .

Love is like a brick. You can build a house, or you can sink a dead body. ~ Lady Gaga

[The drive down Broadway after the symphony. Photo by the Super with her phone camera . . . ]

[But earlier in the day I was at the Runestone Community Center for some high school girls hockey . . . ]

[No, these are not high school hockey players. They are U-8’s (meaning under age 8) who performed later between periods of the big girls game and were carbing up accordingly . . . ]

[The varsity coaching staff of McKenzie Revering, Head Coach Molly Arola, and Jeff Doherty. Julia Doherty (No. 7, freshman) is also on the bench – she was hurt two games ago and I’m not sure of her status. She is a Doherty, has a brother and sister who were previous stars for the Cardinals, so her presence on the ice is missed . . . ]

[And also missing for the Cards was Makenna Aure, certainly the Cards most dynamic player . . . ]

[And we have faceoff. I guess because of availability, the Cards JV started the day with a thrashing of Hutchinson’s JV, but we were playing Buffalo in the varsity game . . . ]

[The Cardinal youth at play here with sophomore Sophia Korynta (No. 22) and freshmen Cadence and Kennedy Ellison (Nos. 14 and 3, respectively) . . . ]

[Looks like an almost goal . . . ]

[The Cards got off the a slow start but began to take control. Even more so in the 2nd period, after which the shots on goal were 24 to 8 (I believe) and the Cards scored two goals . . . ]

[The aforementioned U-8’s took to the ice . . . ]

[Following the Cards 1st goal . . . . ]

[And the 2nd goal. The Cards may have come out in the 3rd period thinking the game was under control. Buffalo had other ideas and turned the momentum. The game ended in a 2 – 2 tie in overtime. The Cards let one get away . . . ]

[In the evening it was time for something completey different . . . ]

If you dont have any shadows you’re not in the light. ~ Lady Gaga

And now, I’m just trying to change the world, one sequin at a time. ~ Lady Gaga

[All in their places with bright shiny faces . . . ]

[Go back up to the program to read about Betsy Husby and what she was to accomplish in performing the Prokofiev piece. That’s Brad Lambrecht, also on stage, who gives Maestro notes prior to each symphony concert . . . ]

I’m obsessively opposed to the typical. ~ Lady Gaga

[This was the full orchestra’s first appearance in the Performing Arts Center since the pandemic began . . . ]

Once you kill a cow, you gotta make a burger. ~ Lady Gaga

[And then heading home in a snow storm. The CLSO’s executive director Sandy Susag noted in program introductions that their concerts have a tendency to take place during inclement weather. That, and the pandemic, had a deleterious effect on the crowd size . . . ]

[These are also photos taken by the Super as we drove home through downtown . . . ]

I want you to walk out of here tonight not loving me more, but loving yourselves more. ~ Lady Gaga

I’m a little bit naked, but that’s okay. ~ Lady Gaga

For being different, it’s easy. But to be unique, it’s a complicated thing. ~ Lady Gaga

Up Next: Christmas or maybe some preceding stuff . . .

November 20

It takes a long time to grow young. ~ Pablo Picasso

As previously noted, Elsa Lee has had an every other weekend run at Carlos Creek Winery. We don’t mind. In fact, we are grateful. Nay, thanksgiving?

Women deserve to have more than twelve years between the ages of twenty eight and forty. ~ James Thurber

[Before the winery, we dropped by Cherry Street Books for a book signing by Jamie Stoudt, an author from Stillwater, MN . . . ]

[Specifically, to pick up Don’t Get Caught, the venue for which is Alexandria, Minnesota. Legal thriller readers will find ‘Don’t Get Caught’ a powerful story made all the more intriguing by its roots in a real crime that occurred in the Midwest. Jamie Stoudt loosely bases this story on these events, fictionalizing the narrative for added dramatic impact (Midwest Book Review).

[And then on to the winery with Elsa. Yup, it was time to move the action indoors . . . ]

I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious. ~ Steve Carrell

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society. ~ Mark Twain

[Elsa was delighted to see that the teenyboppers in the crowd . . . ]

[Knew to flick their “Bics” and sway to Hallelujah . . . ]

Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow internet to see who they really are. ~ Will Ferrell

Breaking up is like knocking over a Coke machine. You can’t do it in one push; you got to rock it back and forth a few times, and then it goes over. ~ Jerry Seinfeld

I walk around like everything’s fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is sliding off. ~ Anonymous

There’s nothing wrong with you that an expensive operation can’t prolong. ~ Graham Chapman

Someone asked me, if I were stranded on a desert island what book would I bring: ‘How to Build a Boat.’ ~ Steven Wright

There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it. ~ Mindy Kaling

[As Elsa sang “Happy Birthday,” Ann discovered it was for the lady in red at the back table. Ann dropped by their table, out of nosiness, I suppose (homage to Townes Van Zandt), to get the poop. The whole table was from Thunder Bay (the border is open). Appreciative of her interest they sent her back to our table with a piece of birthday cheesecake . . . ]

Few women admit their age. Few men act theirs. ~ Anonymous

I believe in loyalty. When a woman reaches an age she likes, she should stick with it. ~ Eva Gabor

Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest. ~ Larry Lorenzoni

[So, Ruthie and Ann returned to the Thunder Bay table to thank them for the cheesecake . . . ]

Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life. ~ Kitty Collins

The first sign of maturity is the discovery that the volume knob also turns to the left. ~ Jerry M. Wright

Growing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you have not committed. ~ Anthony Powell

Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with a seat missing, but it hurts. ~ Leslie Nielsen

There are only three ages for women in Hollywood: babe, district attorney and ‘Driving Miss Daisy.’ ~ Goldie Hawn

Up Next: Wanna go to the dentist and chiropractor with me?

November 11

In school one learns to ask stupid questions of life. ~ Marty Rubin

As the fall sports programs wrap up their state championships, the winter sports seasons begin. First up, girls hockey with our Cardinals coming off last year’s state tournament appearance. A home game at the RCC against the St. Cloud Crush (a combination team of Tech and Apollo). The Cards lost some key seniors but introduced a new group of freshmen and sophomores . . .

Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It’s like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won’t fatten the dog. ~ Mark Twain

St. Cloud – 5, Alexandria – 3

[First up, the JV team (in home white) looking good in their opening game . . . ]

[Another new addition this year is assistant coach McKenzie Revering (center), a former Cardinal all-stater and last year’s captain of the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Huskies . . . ]

[As the JV game winds down, the varsity is anxious to hit the ice . . . ]

A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. ~ Theodore Roosevelt.

In 300 BC Euclid invented geometry, and the grade F. ~ Unknown

[Post-game handshakes, a 1 – 0 win, with 46 shots-on-goal vs. 13?]

The science fair has long been a favorite educational tool in the American school system, and for a good reason: Your teachers hate you. ~ Dave Barry

[The varsity warms up . . . ]

[Returnees from last year, Ella Westlund (19), junior forward, and Jordan O’Kane (1), senior goalie, and Youth Hockey Hub Goalie of the Year for the 2020-2021 season . . . ]

Are you looking forward to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, too?

[McKenzie Revering, Jeff Doherty, and Head Coach Molly Arola . . . ]

Every class is drama class when you’re in high school. ~ Timothy Bird

[Alexandria won the toss and elected to take the wind in the 3rd period . . . ]

[Ron Rebrovich at the PA mic, with daughter Lauren on the team and also a member of the state champion girls golf team . . . ]

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught. ~ Oscar Wilde

I had a terrible education. I attended a school for emotionally disturbed teachers. ~ Woody Allen.

[Hanley Block (28), senior, takes the opening face-off with Peyton Boesl (6), senior, and Kennedy Ellingson (3), freshman . . . ]

It’s easier to floss with barbed wire than admit you like someone in middle school. ~ Laurie Halse Anderson.

[Game 1 of the season was a learning process. We were way to sloppy in our own end leading to easy goals for the Crush . . . ]

November 19

Mound Westonka – 4, Alexandria – 2

[The JV had another stellar performance. Here Cadence Ellingson (14), freshman, rushes by . . . ]

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. ~ Will Durant

[Aubrie Porter (23), junior . . . ]

Education costs money, but then so does ignorance. ~ Claus Moser

[An oncoming rush by the Cards . . . ]

[Led to a goal . . . ]

School is a building which has four walls with tomorrow inside. ~ Lon Watters

[Coach Revering advises the team on the best taco salad and queso place in town . . . ]

If you think your teachers are tough, wait ‘til you get a boss. ~ Bill Gates

I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework. ~ Lily Tomlin

[Great game by the JV . . . ]

. . . if you want to know what society’s going to be like in 20 years, ask a kindergarten teacher. ~ Clifford Stoll

[The varsity game captains meet at center ice to find out where exactly is Mound Westonka?]

[Roger Riley reprises his longtime role singing the National Anthem at girls hockey games . . . ]

There are three things to remember when teaching: know your stuff; know whom you are stuffing; and then stuff them elegantly. ~ Lola May

All for one and one for all . . .

[And away we go . . . ]

A teacher’s job is to take a bunch of live wires and see that they are well-grounded. ~ Darwin D. Martin

November 23

Alexandria – 2, Moorhead – 1

[DMac (left) on the air for KXRA radio . . . ]

[The Amazing Mark Ripley back at his post as the official Cardinal photographer . . . ]

[The pre-game captains’ meeting but everybody already knew the way to Moorhead . . . ]

[The long white line . . . ]

[It was get a photo with your parents night. Here Makenna Aure (17), senior, with Hunter Sellnow (31), freshman, on deck . . . ]

[Ron, Lauren (15), senior, and Jana Rebrovich . . . ]

[The Anthem line up, played on this evening by the high school band . . . ]

Sunday is a teacher’s day of rest: the rest of the laundry, the rest of the housework, and grade the rest of the papers. ~ Heidi McDonald

As long as teachers give tests, there will always be prayer in schools. ~ Anonymous

In the school I went to, they asked a kid to prove the law of gravity and he threw the teacher out of the window. ~ Rodney Dangerfield

Teaching is the greatest act of optimism. ~ Colleen Wilcox

[The Cub Reporter, on the job (photo taken by the Amazing Mr. Ripley) . . . ]

[GOOOAAAALLLL! I believe this was the 2nd of the game for the Cards . . . ]

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils. ~ Hector Berlioz

[The view from the Cub Reporter seat. Kaci Trosvig (25), senior, is back after missing all of last year with an injury . . . ]

[Makenna Aure (17), senior, was one of 28 players in Minnesota’s CCM High Performance program . . . ]

Teachers are the only professionals who have to respond to bells every forty-five minutes and come out fighting. ~ Frank McCourt

I never did very well in math—I could never seem to persuade the teacher that I hadn’t meant my answers literally. ~  Calvin Trillin

[Coach Arola gave advice to inspire . . . ]

[At first glance, a goal by Ella Westlund (19) . . . ]

[But the refs didn’t think so . . . ]

[We (the fans) didn’t receive an explanation . . . ]

[The Cards had questions . . . ]

[Ms. Trosvig all by herself . . . ]

[A Spud break out . . . ]

Clean-up on Aisle 3 . . .

[Kennedy Ellingson (3) is a blur . . . ]

Smartness runs in my family. When I went to school I was so smart my teacher was in my class for five years. ~  Gracie Allen

She used to be a teacher but she has no class now. ~ Fred Allen

There are three good reasons to be a teacher – June, July and August. ~ Unknown

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers. ~ Edgar W. Howe

[And we’re in the win column . . . ]

[Something to do with events of today . . . ]

No school without spectacular eccentrics and crazy hearts is worth attending. ~ Saul Bellow

School means work and work means death. Let’s all go take a nap. ~ Emma Shannon

Up Next: Stuff(ing?) . . .

November 17

A boy’s life playing ball . . .

When we played softball, I’d steal second base, feel guilty and go back. ~ Woody Allen

If softball was any easier, they’d call it baseball. ~ Jennie Finch

Regarding the title, there is obviously nothing of current demeanor requiring immediate blog reportage. So, what better time to bring up the Mavericks. A slow pitch softball team generally manned by federal employees of the Employment Standards Administration within the Department of Labor. I played on this team beginning in the mid-70’s to the mid-90’s. The team management and core players remained consistent for most of that era. And we developed into a rather successful group at it. Here we were hosted by the then Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, who was the Department’s head honcho from 1992 – 1996, meaning this photo was taken some time in that four-year span. The scorecard (without which one cannot tell the players): l-r: Orlando (Tito), Hampton (mostly hidden), Harry, Tim, Terry (the forever team manager), James, Joe, Eddie G, Richard, me, Jim, Vicente, and the Secretary in front.

[We recently lost James (in the middle in the photo above), which is what provoked this trip down memory lane. The photo below (and the photo at the end) are from the funeral home website. It is so James – his gesture after a good play. The team became championship caliber when he joined the team. He was only 65 . . . ]

[Tito, Hampton, Todd, Tim, Harry, Terry, James Joe, Eddie, Richard, Jim, me, Vicente, and the Secretary in front . . . ]

[James, Eddie G, me, the Secretary, and Hamp . . . ]

[Where we all worked. It was a brand new building when I started work here in 1975. I’ve seen reports the Department wants a new building . . . ]

[We played along the Potomac River, here on the Tidal Basin Ellipse (Potomac River and 14th Street Bridge in the background). This first batch of photos are from 1979 (though I took many such photos over the years that were never translated to digital) – Craig is at bat, Bill on deck. These fields subsequently succumbed to the FDR Memorial . . . ]

Softball, it’s more than just a game! ~ Coach Dave (Bill at bat, John on deck.)

I have no idea why it’s called “softball,” that thing hurts! ~ Jim Stewart (Bob on 2nd, Craig on 1st, Jim coaching.)

Hit the ball, head right, take three lefts and you’re home. ~ Mike O’Halloran

Softball is what old men play to try to feel young again. ~ Wallace Patrick (Bob at bat, the other Bob coaching 3rd.)

Everyone thinks softball is a girl’s game. But you only think that until you get hit with it on a line drive. ~ Jerry Smith (Arlen at bat, Bob and Vic coaching 3rd.)

I never taught my girls to play golf; they all played softball. ~ Nancy Lopez (Craig on deck, Bob at bat, Vic coaching 3rd.)

Sometimes the only thing fair in life is a ball hit between first and third. ~ Unknown (Bill on deck, Craig at bat, Vic coaching 3rd.)

What I love about the game is that the game doesn’t know who is supposed to win. ~ Sue Enquist (Craig on 1st, Jim coaching.)

If winning isn’t everything, why do they keep score? ~ Vince Lombardi (Bill at bat.)

He’s 20 years old. That’s what stands out. Most people are 21 at that age. ~ Harold Reynolds (Bob on 1st, Jim coaching.)

My favorite machine at the gym is the vending machine. ~ Caroline Rhea

[Beer after the game was SOP (a different teammate brought a cooler for each game). It was not a lawful activity on these government properties. The Park Police were aware of such activities but generally left the league alone as long as we otherwise behaved . . . ]

Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. ~ Charles Shulz (Chris pitching.)

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. ~ Dale Carnegie (Batting practice, Terry leaving, Craig entering.)

Education is learning what you didn’t even know you didn’t know. ~ Daniel J. Boorstin (Vic batting.)

All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal or fattening. ~ Alexander Woollcott

Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died. ~ Erma Bombeck (Bill batting.)

The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us. ~ Bill Waterson (Jim coaching.)

Whoever said money can’t buy happiness didn’t know where to shop. ~ Gertrude Stein (Terry coaching.)

All men are equal before fish. ~ Herbert Hoover

When you go into court you are putting your fate into the hands of twelve people who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty. ~ Norm Crosby

I am only human, although I regret it. ~ Mark Twain (Chris batting.)

What the world needs is more geniuses with humility; there are so few of us left. ~ Oscar Levant (Dennis batting.)

When a man opens a car door for his wife, it’s either a new car or a new wife. ~ Prince Philip (Tom batting.)

I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (Gary batting.)

I know that there are people who do not love their fellow man, and I hate people like that! ~ Tom Lehrer (Terry pitching, Chris shortstop, Tom leftfield.)

A rich man is nothing but a poor man with money. ~ W. C. Fields

Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children. ~ Sam Levenson (Arlen batting.)

He knows nothing; he thinks he knows everything – that clearly points to a political career. ~ George Bernard Shaw (Vic again, otherwise also known as being in the opening scene of the 1979 move The Seduction of Joe Tynan. The movie opens with a distant shot of the Washington Memorial, then a sole jogger crosses the screen. Sitting in the theater, I immediately recognized it was Vic . . . ]

Everything is funny, as long as it’s happening to somebody else. ~ Will Rogers (Dennis outfield, Bill 2nd base.)

It is a scientific fact that your body will not absorb cholesterol if you take it from another person’s plate. ~ Dave Barry (Terry pitching, Tom leftfield.)

Everyone has a purpose in life. Perhaps yours is watching television. ~ David Letterman

If you think you have it tough, read history books. ~ Bill Maher (Bill batting.)

I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific. ~ Lily Tomlin (Chris batting.)

Every time something pops in my head, I think twice about it and I do it anyway. ~ Gilbert Gottfried

Let Canada have hockey. If they beat us in obesity, then I’ll start to worry. ~ Jimmy Kimmel

Anyone can be confident with a full head of hair. But a confident bald man – there’s your diamond in the rough. ~ Larry David (Dennis batting.)

Confidence is 10% work and 90% delusion. ~ Tina Fey (Bill scores.)

I’m not for everyone. I’m barely for me. ~ Marc Maron (Tom on bases.)

A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. ~ Steve Martin (Tom scores.)

When you’re in love it’s the most glorious two and a half days of your life. ~ Richard Lewis (Gary batting.)

I didn’t give you the finger, you earned it. ~ Bill Murray (Dennis & Bill.)

I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying. ~ Woody Allen (Arlen & Gary.)

Sports are the reason I am out of shape. I watch them all on TV. ~ Thomas Sowell (Craig catching.)

If your parents never had children, chances are… neither will you. ~ Dick Cavett (Bill & Vic)

A bargain is something you don’t need at a price you can’t resist. ~ Franklin Jones (Terry, Tom & Chris.)

Love conquers all things except poverty and toothache. ~ Mae West

[This was pretty much the end of the purple and yellow uniforms era . . . ]

[About half of this group moved on to the next stage . . . ]

[This was in era when playground tennis was at its peak. These courts were right next to our softball fields, so we occasionally participated here after a game. I seem to recall that monolith in the distant background . . . ]

All right everyone, line up alphabetically according to your height. ~ Casey Stengel

I did not climb to the top of the food chain to eat carrots. ~ Ron White

[The “new” uniforms for the pre-1985 Champs . . . ]

[And then the 1985 Champs. It was becoming a regularity . . . ]

I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact. ~ Elon Musk

[Scorecard: front, l-r: Lowell, Eddie G, Tito, Penny, Jim, Fitz; back, l-r: Uncle Dick (sitting), Craig, James, Ed Kaz (league commissioner), Hamp, Bob, Don, Terry, Tom, me, Bill . . . ]

[1986 Champs]

[Jim and Ruth Anne]

[Uncle Dick]

[A cheerleader]

[Alex and Brigette]

[Bill – and in our respective retirements have joined our respective “supervisors” on tours of the world . . . ]

[Lowell]

[1988 Champs]

[1992 Champs, still with access to the Ellipse fields . . . ]

A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt (Lowell in the outfield.)

A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. ~ Emo Philips (Hamp, Richard, and James visit with a member of the loyal opposition.)

Friends are people who know you really well and like you anyway. ~ Greg Tamblyn (Game over, time to par-tay.)

[1994 Champions]

I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical. ~ Arthur C. Clarke

[Front, l-r: Lowell, Tito, Eddie G, Todd, me, Hamp, Vicente; back, l-r: Edgar, Jerry, Tim, Terry, James.]

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. ~ Isaac Asimov (My Brother’s Place was across the street from the Department – occasional socializing took place there.)

[Beginning coverage by the Cub Reporter . . . ]

[Or about the Cub Reporter in the early years . . . ]

[And the somewhat later college yearrs . . . ]

[Hitting the Big Time, on Sunday, August 27, 1995, the Mavericks made the front page (not the sports page) of the Washington Post . . . ]

[After one wraps up their athletic careers in softball and golf, one . . . ]

[See the group above . . . ]

RIP James, it was a pleasure to have known you . . .

Ah, the Princeton-Harvard game. Today’s winner earns the right to create disastrous foreign policy. ~ @OldHossRadbourn

The Kentucky Derby is coming up. This year, the horses may be subjected to a surprise drug test. Isn’t everything a surprise to a horse, though? ~ David Letterman

You forgive people. We built Nixon a library. ~ Doc Rivers

I’d like to apologize Jazz fans that were offended by my tweets. If I knew you guys had internet in Utah I would’ve never made those tweets. ~ Vernon Maxwell

Up Next: Winter sports . . .

November 6

I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say it’s such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her. ~ Ellen DeGeneres

Deer season opened. For the time being, I would not recommend long, slow walks in the woods. Hunting season produces hunting widows. They can be seen around and about at such venues as Carlos Creek Winery. We forgot all about that as we arrived to a large crowd of folks on the premises on Saturday – we were there for our second consecutive weekend as audience for Elsa Lee . . .

Marriage is a hunting permit that entitles you to only one dear at a time. ~ Vikrant Parsai

[But first, our football Cardinals beat Bemidji, 43 – 35, on Friday night to win the section title and a trip to the state tournement . . . ]

[And Ruthie’s “Missing U at . . . ” FB photo of Elsa on Saturday . . . ]

[And the Super’s usual “tip” for playing Elton John’s “Border Song” . . . ]

Men should think twice before making widow hood woman’s only path to power. ~ Gloria Steinem

Vegetarian – that’s an old Indian word meaning ‘lousy hunter’. ~ Andy Rooney

[As you may recall, we were here the previous weekend with a whole bunch of folks, most Class of ’65ers. We thought that would be the last weekend for outdoor music – we left after 2 hours of Elsa’s 3-hour session. She moved inside for her last hour. (Photo looking at the grape vines on the other side of Co. Rd. 34.)

[Well, this weekend was even lovelier. The temperature was in the low 60’s, people were out and about in short sleeves, and we stayed with Elsa outside for the full 3 hours . . . ]

[Grapes looking to get a head start on next season?]

[The leaves are mostly gone but the grass is still green . . . ]

[Just a beautiful autumn afternoon . . . ]

Since I’ve got on the internet, it’s opened a whole world of wasted time for me. My wife says she’s an internet widow. ~ Mick Ralphs

A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle. ~ Gloria Steinem

Cinderella never asked for a prince, she asked for a night off and a dress. ~ Kiera Cass

[Because it was Hunting Widows weekend, there were several drawings for door pizes . . . ]

[I won a door, proof of which is at the bottom of this missive . . . ]

We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters. That is what civilization is all about – farming replacing hunting. ~ Jacques Yves Cousteau

Making fun of born-again Christians is like hunting dairy cows with a high powered rifle and scope. ~ P. J. O’Rourke

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. ~ Beyonce

[We were subsequently joined by friends from the previous weekend. We had advised then that John (in photo) and Helen were both Class of ’65ers from other schools – John was Minnetonka, and Helen was Class of ’66 from Golden Valley High School, which in a 1980 merger became Hopkins. Lest you were keeping score at home . . . ]

Behind every great man, there is a surprised woman. ~ Maryon Pearson

The way humans hunt for parking and the way animals hunt for food are not as different as you might think. ~ Tom Vanderbilt

The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off. ~ Gloria Steinem

Go girl, seek happy nights to happy days. ~ William Shakespeare

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bi**h. You’ve got to go out and kick ass. ~ Mae West

Parting is such sweet sorrow. ~ Shakespeare

[I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a line of trees . . . ]

[The long Minnesota good-bye . . . ]

[Oh yeah, about that door prize . . . ]

[Thank you, CCW!]

Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale. ~ Lauren DeStefano

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Up Next: The aforementioned girls hockey game?

November 4

At the time we’re stuck in it, like hostages locked in a Turkish bath, high school seems the most serious business in the world to just about all of us. It’s not until the second or third class reunion that we start realizing how absurd the whole thing was. ~ Stephen King

[This was the second week of Merill’s 100th birthday celebration. Here the Boys of ’65, with spouses, went to lunch in what was obviously a lovely late October day in Minnesota. (Photo by Tom’s (far right) wife Pam at Lure Lakebar.)]

This dress exacerbates the genetic betrayal that is my legacy. ~ Janeane Garofalo

October 30

[OK, let’s let everyone in on the picture, with Mayo & Linda, Bradley, me & Ruthie, Merill & Tom (also by Pam) . . . ]

[Waiting for food at Lure Lakebar . . . ]

There is no such thing as fun for the whole family. ~ Jerry Steinfeld

[Why yes, we all did a big kick out of Mayo’s big weenie . . . ]

[Looking good at 100! (Well his birthday was actually a couple days later on November 2.)]

Without a reunion, the Eagles are forever young, like James Dean. ~ Glenn Frey

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. ~ Kurt Vonnegut

[Pam gets to be in the photo . . . ]

People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day. ~ A. A. Milne

Stand firm in your refusal to remain conscious during algebra. In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra. ~ Fran Lebowitz

[And then the tour group moved on to Carlos Creek Winery . . . ]

[We were there for a little outdoor music with Elsa Lee. I told everyone to dress for a football game. Although the temperature was actually in the low 50’s, it grew cloudy with a stiff wind out of the northwest . . . ]

[Nevertheless, smiles were coaxed . . . ]

[With the aforementioned Elsa Lee, Ruthie always puts bread in her jar when she sings Elton John’s “Border Song”. We were joined in the foreground by fellow music aficionado Deb . . .]

If at first you don’t succeed then skydiving definitely isn’t for you. ~ Steven Wright

[Mayo was perfectly positioned to be asked to shoot group photos . . . ]

[So, I may as well shoot them . . . ]

I had a terrible education. I attended a school for emotionally disturbed teachers. ~ Woody Allen

[Then the coven arrived . . . ]

[I believe they had already tapped into a watch’s brew . . . ]

[And Mayo was once again called in to perform photographic duties . . . ]

The trouble with class reunions is that old flames have become even older. ~ Doug Larson

If you’re too open-minded; your brains will fall out. ~ Lawrence Ferlinghetti

[“How would you like to buy this 1954 low-mileage Studebaker from me?”]

[And upclose with Elsa . . . ]

[The “bandstand” had heaters and windbreaks which a piano player appreciates . . . ]

Many people have asked me why there are three pedals in these grand pianos. Well the pedal in the middle is there to separate the two other pedals. ~  Victor Borge

Over the piano was printed a notice: ‘Please do not shoot the pianist. He is doing his best’. ~  Oscar Wilde

[More people have joined the party; Ruthie positions them accordingly . . . ]

Musical compositions, it should be remembered, do not inhabit certain countries, certain museums, like paintings and statues. The Mozart Quintet is not shut up in Salzburg: I have it in my pocket. ~  Henri Rabaud

The piano ain’t got no wrong notes. ~  Thelonious Monk

I always make sure that the lid over the keyboard is open before I start to play. ~  Artur Schnabel

[No, really, 50 degrees can be quite chilly . . . ]

Education can get you the only thing that really matters in today’s world – an assigned parking space. ~ Gene Perret

Ruthie was also having a full day behind the camera. The next series is hers . . .

Some students drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle. ~ E.C. McKenzie

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. ~ Will Durant

The four most beautiful words in our common language: I told you so. ~ Gore Vidal

[Dave and Karin were also Class of ’65ers, but not in Alex. Dave was in Alex from 7th – 9th grades, and remembers a guy named Deleski . . . ]

[Flush with cash from the sale of the Studebaker, they were ready to par-tay . . . ]

[Joined by two more Class of 65ers, John & Helen on the left (like Karin, Twin Cities grads), and Paul & Deb . . . ]

Figures tell us there are already more people on earth than we need to move even the heaviest piano. ~ Woody Allen

When you play, never mind who listens to you. ~ Robert Schumann

The music is not in the notes, but in the silence in between. ~ Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing. ~ Bill Shankly

Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. ~ Robert Benchley

Playing the trumpet and piano took practice. I thought that was a waste of time. I’d go out on the street corner and be funny. In a minute. ~ George Carlin

OK, I’ll finish up with Elsa . . .

Maybe one day I can have a reunion with myself. ~ Sebastian Bach

Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny. ~ Stephen Hawking

I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this and steer clear of me at parties. Often, as a sign of their great respect, they don’t even invite me. ~ Dave Barry

Up Next: Elsa’s at the winery again this weekend . . .

October 23

Aging can be fun if you lay back and enjoy it. ~ Clint Eastwood, age 91

Wrinkles only show where smiles have been. ~ Mark Twain, ageless

Merill is the one remaining parental unit of the four guys who hung out together during our Alexandria school years. His life story is told herein by his family. Through the years we have had a lot of fun with him – the four of us usually get together with him on his continuing run of birthdays. His next goal is 110 . . .

Get the damn vaccine! ~ Me, age 74

[As a result of a misunderstanding occasioned regularly by our forgetfulness of detail, we appeared an hour early for the birthday party. We were told to just go take a ride. So, Ruthie, Bradley, and I hied out to Theatre L’Homme Dieu to check on the goings-on there. In less than 2 weeks many trees (many dead or dying) have been felled to make way for the future . . . ]

[Then we drove north on Co. Rd. 11, which was absolutely flush with color. The narrow tree lined road made stopping for photos difficult. We continued on to Co. Rd. 5, turned west to Co. Rd. 34 where we headed south toward town, past the winery where an Oktobest Festival was in full swing, and then as we approached the Lakes Darling and Carlos bridge, we came across the red maple driveway we’ve been waiting to burst out . . . ]

Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize. ~ George Eliot

The story of Merill . . .

[At Big Daddy’s party venue, classmate Brad is on the left, while Ruthie visits with Merill and his oldest son, Jerry (Alex class of ’63) . . . ]

[Classmate Tom (Merill’s younger son), with his sons Thomas, on the left, and Steven . . . ]

The Boys of the Class of ’65 then . . .

And now (well, 6 years ago) . . .

[Meanwhile, back at the party site guests are beginning to file in . . . ]

[The buffet table – the posters on the wall appear toward the bottom of this missive . . . ]

[Class of ’65er Mayo arrives and shakes hands with Tom’s son Steven . . . ]

Ruthie, you moved . . .

That’s better!

[Well, if I temporarily have to give up my throne, I will do it for Merill . . . ]

The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes. ~ Frank Lloyd Wright, ageless

[The King for a Century on his throne . . . ]

[Long live the king!]

[Son Tom reads a congratulatory letter to Merill from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz . . . ]

[Eldest son Jerry reads a proclamation from Alexandria Mayor Bobbie Osterberg naming November 2 officially Merill Kiehne Day . . . ]

Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life. ~ Kitty O’Neill Collins, age 121(?)

What has happened in Merill’s lifetime (compiled by spouses Pam and Tom) . . .

Pizza is going to support a whole generation of cardiologists! ~ Dr. Leila Denmark, age 114

I try not to make a big fuss over things. I always said, ‘This too shall pass.’ ~ Barbara Brody, age102

You have to be lucky, but I made the best of things when bad things happened. I also ate prunes every single day. ~ Morris Lensky, age 101

If it can be fixed, fix it! ~ Anne Lomedico, age 104

Sleep well and have a Bailey’s Irish Cream before bed if you have a cold. ~ Helen Mulligan, age 101

It is very important to have a widespread curiosity about life. ~ Irving Kahn, 106

Do not grow old no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born. ~ Albert Einstein, ageless

One of the few advantages to not being beautiful is that one usually gets better-looking as one gets older. I am, in fact, at this very moment gaining my looks. ~ Nora Ephron, ageless

How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? ~ Satchel Paige, ageless

You show me anyone who’s lived to over seventy and you show me a fighter—someone who’s got the will to live. ~ Agatha Christie, ageless (Editor’s note: But in my case, I can only blame pure dumb luck.)

The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully. ~ Eric Hoffer, ageless

One, you gotta have good genes; two, you gotta be god damned lucky for 100 years. And three: Try not to eat anything that’s healthy. It’s true. I eat whatever I want. The secret to longevity is ice cream. ~ Paul Marcus, age 103

Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been. ~ David Bowie, age 74

WTF? ~ Me, age, same as Bowie

Up Next: The Boys of ’65 and attendant coterie will party up next weekend . . .