. . . so lots was happenin’

December 11

[We had our annual Those Who Stay Behind dinner at Arrowwood for the senior golf league.  I forgot to take pictures.  It happens.  If you’re interested, you can look back at previous year’s soirees – they’re always the second week in December.  But thanks again to Richie for setting it up and to Diann and Al for their annual gift of homemade wine.]

December 12

[The next day we were at the winery . . . because it’s there, as were the Salty Dogs.  I noted that the young lady, 7 1/2 months old and whose parents are both concert violinists, had an unnatural attraction to the guitar player.]

December 17

[A beautiful almost winter morning, with a pileated woodpecker . . . ]

[And the Salty Dogs were at SAWA that evening.   Greg was joined by Lesley (the parents of the 7 1/2 month old) for some good old-fashioned violin Christmas music . . .  ]

December 18

[Another beautiful almost winter morning with “icicles”on the trees, and later in the afternoon we were joined by two eagles and a crow (spying on them)      ]

[That evening the girls took on Rogers in hockey.  The JV did fine, winning 5 – 2, with the photos featuring, I believe, Meghan Moore (23), Calley Richardson (7), and Kaia Illies (13), all sophomores.]

[The varsity, however, had one of those games where nothing went right.  We lost Kristin Trosvig (15) to a practice injury and McKenna Ellingson (24) got hurt in the first period and never returned.  That’s two key forwards missing – but as a team we were just flat the whole game.  The first period score of 0 – 3 was . . . well, not good.]

[We played better in the 2nd period.  Amy Jost (33) got her first varsity to close the gap to 3 – 1.]

[But we knew it was a night not to be when Mari Wosepka (18) got a break away.  She’s been killing those all year, but . . . this one hit the crossbar (you can see it in the photo)!  That would have made the score 3 – 2 with half a game to go.  Who knows?  And later in the period, Mari had another potential break away but over-skated the puck.  It happens, at all levels.]

[We’ll do better next time!]

[We hied from the RCC after the game to Interlachen.  We hadn’t seen Matt and Julie Velline for a long time – their 9:00 starts are too late for we old folks – but after a hockey game we’re still wired.]

December 19

[The joint production between the AAAA Theatre and Lakes Area Radio Theatre of “It’s A Wonderful Life” was terrific show in which 20 on-stage actors played 42 roles.]

December 20

[The high school’s annual combined orchestra-choir Christmas show, as always the blockbuster event of the year.]

The Alexandria high school carolers in 1965 . . . and today

And wrapping up with the family’s 1964 Christmas letter

It is assumed that the woman must wait, motionless, until she is wooed.  That is how the spider waits for the fly.  ~ George Bernard Shaw

Up next:  Back to Hawaii.  It sounds like a blizzard outside now, but we’re still above normal temperatures.  The lakes finally froze over late last week, and we may get more snow by Christmas.