But first, a little fall clean-up . . .

[Hostas become Halloween decorations . . . ]

[The Super does the final mow . . . ]

[“November”]

[Bethesda Lutheran lefse and bake sale . . . ]

[And November, the month of beautiful sunrises!]

Turkeyfest

[Saturday, November 14, was Basketball Dan’s 40th Annual Turkeyfest in the hallowed halls of his longtime Woodbury domicile. People came from far and wide – 4 from Wichita, Kansas, and one who splits time in Boise, Idaho – I believe 16 in all (though they came and went under do-drop-in policies). I splattered turkey grease on my gray suede shoes lifting the 400-pound bird out of the oven and later spilled gravy on the only pair of pants I brought. Just another day in the life of an old person – speaking of which, the topic of discussion during multiple football games on two TV’s was who had what surgeries in the last year and what surgeries are pending. We couldn’t make it to the end of the Gopher football game (totally wasted by the feast), and then on Sunday morning noticed we missed two amazing performances that we had considered attending – Hannah Brandt scored FIVE goals in the Gopher women’s hockey game that started @ 4:00 against Bemidji State and @ 7:00 the Gopher women’s volleyball team, ranked No. 4 in the country, swept No. 1-ranked Penn State! Arrghhhhh! We coulda seen both!!]

[This is Suzanne (from Boise) and Hans doing the turkey honors . . . ]

[Mary (from Wichita, B’ball Dan’s cousin) whips up the mashed potatoes . . . ]

[Libby, with Sharon and Andy from Wichita . . . ]

[Tom, Lance, Gary, Brian, Wally, and the Super, regulars all.  Only the Super from outside the greater metro area.]

[I subsequently discovered this had been sold out over a month ago – 5,500+ in the Pavilion.  (This and following photo from the Strib.)]

[5-goal Hannah]

Gopher Men’s Basketball

[As long as we were in town, the Gophers were playing the University of Louisiana, Monroe on Sunday at fabled, yet decrepit, Williams Arena.  We spent the night with the Mounds View Oberts where nephew Michael John, who is taking music teaching at Augsberg, maintains a fine display of various instruments . . . it was my first introduction to a dismembered bassoon (that Michael said is worth more than his car) . . . ]

[Before the game, the Super, sister-in-law Karen, and I dined at Whitey’s, where across the street folks were dining outside, on November 15, at The Bulldog Bar.  I was hoping for a Reuben, but it was breakfast only on Sundays.  Because I ordered a beverage before I realized it was breakfast only, I ended up with a Bloody Mary, a chaser, and an ice tea.   I subsequently had to visit the facilities, of course, where I discovered what appears to be a “fist through the wall” hole, possibly a Gopher fan upset with the Iowa football result?    After the dining mishaps of the previous day, I have to report the Super, while attempting to transfer some hash browns from my plate to hers, knocked a dressing soaked strawberry off and onto my pants creating a third stain, and then as I helped her with her French toast I managed to dribble syrup on my shirt and jacket.  I suspect my only recourse for future public dining events is to clothe myself entirely in plastic sheeting.]

[Walking to the game after breakfast, this is November 15th remember, people were playing tennis outdoors in shirts and tee shirts.]

[The site of the previous night’s big upset of a No. 1-ranked team in the country.  I believe the Gophers are now No. 1, and we know the women’s hockey team is really No. 1, because we’re from . . . “where all the women are strong!”]

[Yup, played intramural basketball on that floor 49 years ago.]

[“The Barn”]

[“The Legends,” but when does Willie Burton get up there?]

[A lot of fans came disguised as empty seats . . . a Sunday, not a big name opponent, to be expected.]

Meet the Gophers . . .

[First up, Nate Mason . . . ]

Meet the fans . . .

[These photos are from the Supervisor.  Never noticing an empty seat she didn’t prefer, she and Karen sneaked down a couple of rows to the comfort of seats with backs and then could shoot back at us . . . ]

[The two fans on the right spent much of their carefree, middle-age bachelorhoods roaming the country in search of the perfect basketball game.  Basketball Dan went on to legendary status by seeing a game at every Division 1 college and university in the country establishing a mark I’m sure no one else has done.  Ever the perfectionist, this year he is going back for games at Maine, Coppin State, and I believe somewhere on the West Coast because they have new arenas.  With us, to Dan’s right are Mary and Gus and behind him Sharon and Andy, his old friends from Wichita, who have occasionally joined us over the years on these adventures.  The two women in front are unknowns who the Super thought were merely interlopers in her photo party.]

The game . . . 

[The opening tip . . .]

[Hello, 9-1-1?  I’d like to report an accident under the north basket at Williams Arena.]

[Richard Pitino’s third year as head coach.  Next year, after his 4th, we’ll be able to fully judge his creds as a coach because they will all be players he recruited.  While you can’t judge a team from one game, I believe he has improved the team’s athleticism – I’m just not sure he has improved basketball talent.]

[Joey King (24), one of only two seniors and the least athletic guy on the team, likely will be our leading scorer because of his experience and he’s the best shooter.]

[Kevin Dorsey (4), a highly thought of freshman.]

[At the half . . . ]

[The Super and Karen . . . down in the front row!]

[Halftime entertainment – I don’t know who, acoustics at The Barn are gawdawful.]

[Wave!!]

[Bokari Konate (21), 6’11” sophomore – a work in progress.]

[Gaston Diedhiou (41), 6’9″ sophomore – another work in progress.]

[We did win.  The takeaway, we made 20 of 22 free throws,  not to be under estimated.  Rebounding and scoring from the floor will remain an issue.  We will exceed expectations if we finish in the top half of the Big 10.]

[Turn out the lights, the party’s over.]

In all the woes that curse our race, There is a lady in the case.  ~  W. S. Gilbert

Up next:  The Super is whisking me away to far away places with strange sounding names.

Addendum:

[Lake Geneva, Alexandria, Minnesota, November 15, 2015, photo courtesy of my chiropractor, Marc Godfrey.  This is NOVEMBER, like almost winter, like a month and a half after most people have put their boats away for the season!]

[On a curb in Minneapolis (I don’t think it was me?).  Photo courtesy Al Grundei.]