HGE 2014 is underway

It’s time to “Let It Go with Gadgets, Gizmos, and Thing-a-ma-jigs”. This year’s Holiday Gift Exchange (HGE) theme melds the thought processes of Evan and  Angie (by way of Charlie). I won’t venture a guess about what the intentions of these individuals might be, and I encourage the rest of you to keep your thoughts to yourselves.

 I think you'll agree that this gadgety gizmo has wind power capabilities,

making it my choice as the official LIGw/GGT HGE2014 logo.

As the HGE Coordinator for 2014 (henceforth known as the HGEC), I am hereby declaring these to be the official guidelines for this year’s HGE:

1.  “Let It Go!” can be translated as you see fit, and may or may not be guided by the gadget, gizmo, or thing-a-ma-jig you choose; and

2. “Gadgets, Gizmos, and Thing-a-ma-jigs” may or may not include

Whirly-gigs

Do-jiggies

Whizzpoppers

Whatcha-ma-call-its

Do-hickeys

Swatchscollops

or other similar entities.

3. Gifter will choose gift(s) not to exceed a total $37.49 for his or her intended Giftee. Limit is based on past years’ wishes and grumblings.

4. The HGEC will act as intermediary regarding questions Gifters might have regarding Giftees.

5. As in some previous HGE events, Gifters are encouraged to provide a song, poem, interpretive dance, or other creative or non-creative presentation format at the time of the HGE exchange. The purpose may be to clarify how the gift fits the theme, why it was chosen for the Giftee, or perhaps the sole purpose will be to provide a diversion from the events of the evening. 

6. Unless there is an objection, HGE Gifters and Giftees will exchange gifts on December 27, at a time to be determined based on Cousin activities/state of unconsciousness.

7. Gifters will receive the names of Giftees after the HGEC performs a random selection process, perhaps checking first to make sure no Gifter is given the same Giftee name as s/he received for the 2013 HGE.  Names will be sent to Gifters  on or shortly after Monday, December 1.

8. As HGEC, I urge you to report attempts at fraud, deception, or other criminal behavior relating to HGE 2014 to me at jpotts@gac.edu. Larry/Dad/Gpappy has already reported himself for attempted bribery of the HGEC to give his name to two or more Gifters. Fortunately, I was able to thwart his efforts before the criminal act was discovered by the rest of you.

Hop to it and get in touch if you have questions or concerns before I send out the names of the HGE Giftees via your email addresses.

Happy shopping for your Giftee! 

 

Those darn ardillas!

This morning Dad/Larry/Gpa and I chuckled over memories of Grandma Doodie doing friendly battle with the squirrels in her yard, trying every bird feeder design she could find to keep the critters out so birdies could eat safely and not run out of food during one of those infamous Buffalo winters. We have benefited from her extensive experimentation, managing to thwart the squirrels' efforts with one particular type of bird feeder. Until today.

Here is the culprit. Sorry you have to look through the screen, but this little guy would've fled if I'd gone outside.

The squirrel managed to problem-solve successfully because of the placement of the feeder. He could hang off a limb of the magnolia bush and pull the feeder toward him to release birdseed. That darn ardilla! So smart! Dad/Larry/Gpappy said he'd allow the squirrel to finish breakfast before relocating the feeder to a less accessible spot.

The title of this blog entry is a reference to a picture book Hannah and Vivi will recognize.  Those Darn Squirrels!  is known by its Spanglish name -- Those Darn Ardillas! -- to those of us who've read it with H and V. The squirrels in this story are ingenious. They use their understanding of physics to outsmart Old Man Fookwire's squirrel-proof bird feeders. I know a squirrel who must've read this story recently.

While I'm writing about squirrels, I have to mention Scaredy Squirrel. Scaredy has OCD and agoraphobia, but is loveable and cute.

 

And then there is Bushy Tail Squirrel, who could teach Scaredy a thing or two about venturing out into the world. Lots of squirrel facts in this book written by a St. Peter author and friend.

 

I feel like I'm putting together a book set to use for a methods class. Sorry, but I can't help it sometimes. Time to go check on our friendly squirrel. He's probably emptied the feeder by now. That darn ardilla! 

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Within a few minutes of posting this entry, my friend Mary O. sent me an email-- and here it is!

Here's a poem to add to your squirrel entry:

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Hold a nut between your toes,
Wrinkle up your funny nose.
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail!

Another good piece of literature....
Squirrels by Brian Wildsmith

Love this book as along with the antics it shows our bushy tailed friends exhibiting, it provides "hard evidence" (something we seem to like), of the reasons behind those behaviors.  

Another November birthday!

Nobody loves puppies as much as this boy!

Happy #7 to Miles!!

A funny little story

Now here's a funny little story...

When Larry/Dad/Gpappy and I were in Rochester for his appointments on Wednesday, we ran into some acquaintances from St. Peter who were there because one of them had a check-up. These are people we've known over the years because one of their daughters and Elisabeth were high school friends, so it was nice to see them and chat for a few minutes. I knew they were at the Clinic because Kathy said so on Facebook, and I'd read it about a half an hour before. But that's not the funny little story.

Here it is, but first I need to go back in time...

On a visit to the Mayo Clinic a couple of months ago, Dad/Gpappy/Larry saw and chatted with Garrison Keillor while both were waiting to be called for blood draws. Yesterday, Garry wasn't there, but Larry had another coincidental meeting, this time with the phlebotomist who drew his (Larry's, not Garry's) blood.

Why is that coincidental, you ask? Isn't a phlebotomist the person who SHOULD take his blood? Yes, indeed. Larry and Rhonda, the aforementioned phlebotomist, were chatting while she looked for a vein that would work well. Larry asked her where she was from (originally Spring Valley), which opened up the conversation about my family living there at one time, too. When she found out my pre-Potts name, Rhonda revealed that she had my mom for her 6th grade teacher, and my dad as a math teacher in high school. It's not terribly unusual to meet someone from Spring Valley who had one of my parents as a teacher, but the funny part of the story is that she remembered taking baton lessons from me when she was a kid and I was in high school. A twirler from Spring Valley. Imagine that! She came out into the waiting area with Larry, and we reminisced--quickly, so she wouldn't lose her job.

I don't have a photo of Rhonda as a baton twirler or as a phebotomist, so this one from the time period will have to do. 

Mary Jo, age 10 (part of a group of girls her age who took baton lessons from my predecessor); Mark, age 14 (drummer in junior high band); me, age 16 (first summer as a majorette with the h.s. band, and a few months before I taught baton lessons to Rhonda and other little twerps). Twirling a baton was much more fun than marching while playing a squeaky clarinet.

I have no idea why my dad, the likely photographer, took this photo of the sky and three of his children in this particular ratio of sky-to-people. That will remain a mystery. It may have had something to do with being a math teacher. I do know that I was hot from marching in the Memorial Day parade, and therefore I was quite irritated to have to line up by height (also a math teacher thing to do) with my siblings to have my picture taken. Looking back, I'm glad we have this photo. It's the only one taken of the three of us in parade dress at the same time!

(Mark and Mary Jo, if you read this, we are standing on the upper sidewalk in front of our Hillcrest house. Dad is at the bottom of the steps on the lower sidewalk. Was he being artsy, or did he just take the picture in a hurry so we wouldn't get away? Mike, you were only 4, and weren't a member of any band at the time!)
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Fast forward 24 hours. Here are responses to an email I sent my siblings asking what they remember about the photo.

Mark says: 
I remember it as being taken by the high school, in that open field that is now a parking lot, we were in 7th and 9th or 8th and 10th grades and Mary Jo in 4th or 3rd.  I remember my uniform didn't fit and that you and Mary looked fancy.  That's about it

.....I have that same picture on my computer and it pops up every day as I have my computer set to run through all my pics, somebody asked if those were my grandkids.
  
Note to Mark: The junior band wore old high school band uniforms. We'd just gotten some snappy black, white, and red uniforms with the white and red majorette version. I think the red one you were working has a doorman look about it.

Mary Jo says:
I do remember this picture. It was taken in the front yard on the hill by the front door of the house. I must have been about 10 or so. We were all going to a parade for Memorial Day or 4th of July? You were head majorette, Mark played drums in the band, and I twirled baton. I guess Mike took the picture? Ha ha ha.....I loved that outfit I wore. I remember it well! It was satin with the fringe thing going on! Let me know how accurate I am!  Love ,  Mary Jo 

Note to Mary Jo: The outfit you wore was a kid version of the outfits the senior band majorettes wore a few years before I was involved. I think Mom made it, or at least sewed on the fringe. I remember bringing a bag of that fringe home for the outfit. I don't think I was head majorette yet-- not until the summer before my senior year. I couldn't keep in step, so I was terrified to do that important job! The only reason I was chosen is because of my height. All the rest of the majorettes were short and the drummers couldn't see them.

Mike says:
I remember it well! It was the year the Music Man came to SV! No? Is that Mort Mortrud in the middle?

The one thing think I do know is where it was taken. I’ll guess in the front yard, you guys are standing on the upper sidewalk and the photo was taken from the lower sidewalk in front of the planter that used to be there.

We’ve got trouble right here in River City!!

Note to readers:  Vern "Mort" Mortrud was our band director. His band director uniform fit about as well as Mark's fit in this picture.

Time for a November birthday!

Happy Birthday to Angie!

This is one of my favorite Angie pictures-- with her low-tech turtle!

Best photo of the weekend

I admit I wasn't on top of things this weekend, especially on Saturday when there were numerous photo ops involving clever and cute little kids. You'll just have to believe me, since I don't have the pictures to prove it.

We were entertained by the four MN cousins on Saturday in person (they arrived in pairs), and by the two NC cousins on Sunday via Skype. For those of you who've attended Christmas in Christ Chapel, I will share that Hannah demonstrated her musical talents by playing a herald trumpet that would be a funky addition to the "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" prelude. It's green and made of plastic. I'll leave the sound it makes to your imagination.

Thanks to Annie, there is one perfect photo from the weekend, and it most definitely takes the prize. Gpappy told me he and Westy were sharing a moment that involved the Fisher-Price barn and some little tractors. You know how amusing THAT can be! I love it.

Getting ready for snow

Everything that reminds us of spring, summer, and fall is tucked away, safe from the first blanket of white, predicted to appear tomorrow. 

Thanks to CP and APP for moving the motorcycle to the shed, getting out the snowblower, and hauling summer chairs and lonely golf clubs down to the basement. EP and OP raked leaves off the patio steps and assisted with the leaf blower, then got out the combine and processed the rows of corn stalks and cinnamon bread in the backyard. Don't ask. 

We appreciate all the assistance/assistants. After our helpers left to go to swimming lessons, Dad/Larry/Gpappy and I finished taking rakes and buckets and leaf containers to the shed and getting the garage in order so both cars can fit inside for the next several months. 

I'm choosing not to accept that we're starting the long winter wonderland that consumes nearly half of the year here in the Upper Midwest. I read somewhere that it is my right as a citizen of Minnesota to live in a fantasy world if I so choose. Okay, I didn't really read it, I just made it up to make myself feel better about the recent loss of the breathtaking fall colors we were lucky to enjoy for so many weeks during September and October. Gorgeous memories of mid-October...

 

For fun, here are the boy cousins, all of whom showered or bathed here within the last few days. Owen and Ethan, looking wild and wooly after showers.

 

And here are the Gwimmius boys (as Westy referred to himself and Miles yesterday), washing their hair in the tub.

It's always a good weekend when we see and/or talk to all six cousins. This afternoon we Skyped with Hannah and Vivi, who shared lots of information with us about the Bouncing Bulldogs, piano lessons, and a birthday party while they enjoyed lemon Italian ice. I took a shot of the screen instead of taking a screen shot (there's a difference), so pardon my finger at the top. Granmarge was visiting for the weekend, so we were happy to see her in Skype-person, too.

Back to the arrival of winter. Here's what the Weather Channel shows for us for tomorrow and Tuesday. Winter storm Astro?? Really??

FYI:  According to the Weather Channel, winter storms that affect at least 2 million people and cover at least 400 thousand square kilometers of territory are given names, and names are assigned in alphabetical order (like hurricanes). There is more potentially interesting trivia about all of this here.

Astro. Perfect name. Here's what I thought of immediately-- Astro, the Jetson's dog.

I'm done now. Time to dig out boots and warm socks and mittens.

Boys with jack-o-lantern smiles

Today was Doughnut Sunday on Bunker Lane. The Otown cousins were in St. Peter for the weekend, reason enough for Miles to help me choose goodies from the nearly empty doughnut trays at the local FFresh store. It must have been Doughnut Sunday all over town, judging from the line-up of customers in the bakery area.

Miles was walking Holly the puppy with Uncle Will and Auntie Anne when I went to pick him up for the doughnut run. He has good dog-walking skills, and was able to convince Holly to smile for the camera. 

Before they took off to play outside and catch salamanders from the window well, the boys posed to show off their toothlessness. Owen lost his second bottom tooth on Thursday, and Miles lost his first top tooth yesterday. He changed his name to Mileth.

Completing the toothless trio is Ethan, who is pointing out the two empty spaces he's had for quite a while. And there's Tanner, dropping a ph-bomb.

Meanwhile, Westy's lips were sealed. No loose teeth yet in this guy's mouth!

The NC cousins had a busy weekend, too, although I don't know if doughnuts or missing teeth played a part. Thanks, Elisabeth, for these sweet photos.

Being "Frozen" princess Anna adds a magical touch to Hannah's piano lesson.

Vivi adds her own touch--several of them-- to getting ready for the day!

 

Happy first day of no daylight savings time to all the cousins. 

Smooches all around.

Halloween, part 2

Halloween is over and November is here. It happens like this every year, from what I remember.

Because of the circumstances, Gpappy and I put out a cauldron of goodies (biggest bag Sam's Club had in its stockpile) for trick-or-treaters to choose from on the honor system. It may not be obvious, but the container is loaded with candy.

A couple of hours later, and what must have been a parade of 75 to 100 costumed kids, here are the remains. Looks like Starbursts were passed up in favor of better tasting treats.

This morning I talked to our neighbor, who decorates his yard with spooky stuff that kids both love and fear. I told Mark about the nearly empty cauldron, suggesting that there must have been a lot of kids in our neighborhood last night. He said they had 23. Ha! Hardly the 75 to 100 I imagined based on the leftovers!

 

Meanwhile, the Cousins gathered a bounty of treats in their respective neighborhoods dressed as Elsas (2), superheroes (2), cowboys (1), and football players (1). 

Elsa One and Elsa Two, showing off their gorgeous rings

 

Spidey casting his net, and a happy hybrid college/pro football player

 Cowboy Slim and Sidekick Superhero, ready to collect goodies

I joined E & O and family for supper before they went out trick-or-treating. Fun to see Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dar, and to eat delicious chicken chili, Cannon Falls style. If you don't know what that is, chili is accompanied by frosted cinnamon rolls in CFalls.  Darla says it's a tradition started by the school lunch ladies, who made sweet rolls to serve with chili. Don't knock it until you've tried it. If you're skeptical, start with cinnamon bread first, and work your way up to frosted cinnamon rolls. You'll never go back.

Next Halloween, Gpappy hopes to be out with the kids collecting candy again!