alexandriacardinals

[Tuesday night, the re-match with Brainerd-Little Falls.  The Flying Warriors only have two conference wins this year, but one of those was against our Cards, our only conference loss.  I think the team had a goal – or 8 – in mind.  Actually, the shots on goal are more reflective of the tone of the game – more like a 3 – 1 type game – but the Cards had one of those nights when the shots were going in!  🙂 ]

[Editor’s note: The preceding post on Victoria Heights is still under construction.  It’s really hard to arrange undated pictures chronologically.  Plus, “chronologically” has 6 syllables!]

[The band was there, the Super Fans were there . . .]

[Super Fan “Weakie” discussed the finer points of bison burger preparation with hockey mom, Denise Drown.]

[Fox Sports North was there to televise the following boys’ game between our Cardinals and Brainerd, two teams in contention for the conference title.  Nevertheless, we Super Fans gave them no end of grief about why they don’t cover the girls’ games too!!]

So, to the player introductions:

[Ms. Iverson]

[Yay, Shelby!]

[Ms. Illies]

[Yay, Becca!]

[Ms. Carlson]

[Yay, Anna!]

[Ms. Herd]

[Yay, Shanee’!]

[Ms. Niska]

[Yay, Lauren!]

[Ms. Serum]

[Yay, Bailey!]

[Bailey settles in.  LET’S PLAY HOCKEY!]

A video of the opening minutes . . . and the joy of a flukey goal (but they all count!) by Nicole Bartels, who, in my occasionally humble opinion, had her best all-around game.  🙂  With her height, reach, and skating ability, we do expect wonderful things:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6n02k2-nXk

[Madi (12) and Melissa (6 – she of Drown family fame) make a push.]

[Shelby faces-off . . .]

[Then chases after it . . . ]

[Up against the boards.]

[Ms. Bartels (23) and friend come back to protect Bailey.]

[Hanah (11) and Lauren (21) chase after it in our own end . . . and below.]

[Kaila (7), Hanah, and Nicole wheel out of our zone.]

[Taylor (24) wrestles for the face-off.]

[As the supervisor would say, “Aaaaacccckkkk, get it out of there!”]

[Finally, Becca, Anna, and Becca storm the barricade.  Becca says, “Hey, I’m all by myself over here with an open net!”  😉 ]

[I’m still here!]

[Melissa, Taylor, and Madi fight on . . .]

[I think that’s Shelby.  That’s kinda the way I got out of my car a couple winters ago when my foot hit the ice, body parts flew in all different directions.]

[This is the end of the 1st period – either that or we opted for speed over size.  These young ladies are what we call the future.  They are pre-school to 1st grade.  And the varsity had a hoot watching them play.]

[Even the coaches are checking out their talents . . .]

[Thank you, young ladies.  We’ll see you all again in about 10 years!  😉 ]

[So, before we start the 2nd period, it may be easiest just to summarize the whole game right here.  After Nicole’s video goal, Becca also scored in the first period for a 2 – 0 lead.  In the 2nd period, Taylor scored, then McKenzie scored (both on long slap shots), then Taylor scored again.  We led 5 – 0 after 2.  In the 3rd, Shelby scored, then Taylor completed a hat trick (Grandpa Pat proudly fired his hat onto the ice from the top level runway!), and Lauren wrapped up the scoring.  Madi had a playmaker’s hat trick with 3 assists.]

[Period 2 begins.]

[And the teams collide at center ice.]

[Shelby’s looking for an opening.]

[Hanah’s line takes center ice.  We must have scored?]

[Looks like Becca swooping in.]

[GOOOOAAAALLLLLL!  McKenzie’s?  She’s (29) in the group hug.]

[Now skate over to your teammates so they know you scored!  😉 ]

[We did good!]

[End of 2.]

[We’re in the 3rd, and Shelby got her goal.]

[And this completed Taylor’s hat trick!  🙂 ]

[Let’s go tell everybody!]

[And Lauren’s goal to wrap up the scoring.]

[Celebrate, celebrate . . .]

[Dance to the music!]

And that ends our reporting on that hockey game.  But before we can complete this post, we have to now go to . . . another hockey game.  More anon.  But before we leave, this just in from Rog “Travelin’ Man” Tweed, occasional blog contributor and native of and still resident of Arlington, Virginia:

Last Friday while Lynne and I were shopping at the Dollar General in Elizabethtown, PA I let out a loud exclamation when I saw some Pearson’s Salted Nut Rolls on one of the shelves.  Lynne thought I had stepped on something! 

Then this week I saw a display of Pearson’s Salted Nut Rolls at the Harris Teeter on Harrison Street.  They even had Pearson’s Chocolate Nut Rolls on display! 

The secret is out!  ~  Roogggggg

[After the hockey game, I dropped the supervisor off at home – her Hoosiers were on TV – and headed post haste to the high school for the girls’ basketball game against Rocori.  The team had dropped two tough road games, giving up double digit leads in both, and were badly in need of a confidence boost.  As you can see above, they got it!  🙂 ]

[I settled in and got the equipment ready just in time to see Dani shoot an early free throw.  In the upper right corner, in this and several other photos, you will note the staff photographer and his staff.  His works from the game will be displayed at the end of this missive.]

[Karly in her usual position – at the point of the 1-3-1 . . .]

[And then airborne!]

[Do you guys know what the Blizzard of the Week is?]

[Is it peach cobbler?]

[Not lemon meringue?]

[Here I come again!]

[And again!]

[Until you have to foul me.  Ms. Betterman gives a perfect example of shooting with your legs – she begins in a deep crouch and finishes on her tippy-toes.]

[Amanda C gets a 9 .8 for degree of difficulty.]

[Rocori shoots – and the Cards fight for block-out position.  This was the most athletic Spartan team I can recall, and they pretty much beat up on us all night on the boards.]

 [It’s always good to have staff!  😉 ]

[Val and Jack are good about advising Greg as to when his lens cover is still on.]

[It’s fast and furious in the paint . . .]

[Both ways!]

[Oooo, that coulda hurt!]

[The famed 1-3-1 prepares for action!]

[Emily decided that since the locker room hair dryer was on the fritz, this was the next best option.]

[Rush hour traffic.]

[And despite the best efforts of everyone on the court, it got away.]

[Amanda G races for the baseline around a screen from Amanda C.]

[Everybody find your partner!]

[Amanda G gets a freebie.]

[And then it made me wonder:  Why would a bunch of old guys go out on a cold winter’s night to see if a spheroid will drop through a metal ring?]

[“Baby Bruiser” (15) bucks traffic by going cross-town.]

[Let’s try that one again.]

[And Karly’s at the line again.]

[Junior Sam Frederick (41) does a pretty good impression of  Edvard Munch’s, “The Scream.”]

[Amanda C . . .]

[Swish . . .]

[ . . . and swish!  🙂  ]

[Macy’s (11) in.]

[It appears our 8th-graders are earning more playing time.]

[She confidently brings the ball up against pressure.]

[Jess able to swish a 3 off a really nice set play.]

[And then gets ready on defense.]]

[Joined there by Emily.]

[Still working on that hair dryer thing.]

[Kalli has the middle on D.]

[Then breaks out on a turnover.]

[Hmmm, it’s a tweet from Sam and Lauren.  They say the Blizzard of the Week is Boston cream pie.  Oh, and send money!]

[Sarah bolts for the corner . . .]

[Only to find the dastardly oppostion waiting for her there.]

[Jess and Amanda G celebrate a score going back down court.]

[And Kendall (45), our other 8th-grader, makes her appearance with a fancy cross-over step.]

[And then plays defense.]

[It was a hustle and defense victory.]

From the staff photographer:

[When you say, Bud!  Sarah’s dad and my high school classmate.  We exchanged a high-five when Sarah sank a 3.]

[Pre-game drill.]

[And Amanda C makes the lay-up.]

[The hockey team said to meet-up at the DQ.]

[Angela C jumps center.]

[Amanda C shoots a 3.]

[If they throw it to the left, run over there and steal it; if they throw it to the right, run over there and steal it!]

[Jess, up close and personal.]

[Ms. Strater at the stripe.]

[Sarah leading the attack.]

[Karly going where no one has dared to go before!]

[Attempting a lay-up against the interior trees . . .]

[And getting fouled.  There’s that pre-shot flex.]

[Amanda G attempts a shot in traffic.  The athletic director, in the background, attempts to eat his popcorn.  In fact, he was working the concession stand when I got mine!  😉 ]

[Karly gets another deflection.]

[Dani chases one down.  Bud and I agree, as probably the least heralded of the starters, she should look for her shot more.]

[Amanda G also demonstrates good shooting flex.]

[Karly, rarely seen when not in full flight!]

[The future]

[None of them could dunk yet.]

[If you’re meeting the hockey team at DQ, go easy on the chili dogs!]

[Amanda C’s dad and the internationally-known PA announcer.]

[Macy displays her point guard abilities.]

[The guy in the background appears to be totally bewildered as to what happened to the person who was previously wearing the jacket he’s holding.]

[Kalli enjoys the fruits of running the floor.]

[Bonus coverage from the staff photographer:  Jess, Kalli, and Dani with, I would guess, team managers Missy Schroeder and Klarissa Eisenbraun.]

Wednesday night’s are usually a time for catch up on one’s sleep . . . but then Louie and Kevin decided to get together for a little “King Louie Acoustic Show” at Interlachen.  Sorry, the videos are in “mood” lighting, but you get the idea.  We give you King Louie Moreno, of ’57 Chevy fame, and Kevin Klimek, of Enterprise fame, performing “Apache” and “All Shook Up,” respectively:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTJEt_h0jSo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKX3xXGGDu4

Based on the apparent age of youngest brother Cam (held by Mom on the right), this would be the summer of 1955.  Victoria Heights was just developing as Alex’s first “suburb” – we were two miles out of town!  That made us the first group of young’uns to go through the school system as neither townies or farm kids.   We were in the Twilight Zone?  The empty lots across the street all were “housed” within just a couple more years.  We’re looking toward the NW here from our front yard, toward the Runestone Park at the top of the hill, photo center.  And probably because of our “isolation,” and all the kids being the same age after-war babies, everybody knew everybody else, including the parents, the kids, and the family dogs.

[Our house, likely the winter of 1950-51.  We were the 3rd house built in the Heights (as I recall).  So you can see why Mom, who was a Minneapolis girl, thought she had moved to the moon!]

[The same house, subsequently completed, and not in the winter.  There appear to be munchkins gamboling in the front yard!  This was everyone’s standard rambler – living room, kitchen, 3-bedrooms, one bathroom, one-car garage, a well, a septic tank, and a partridge in the pear tree.  And every family had at least 4 kids – how did we do it?  OK, OK, I know peers who didn’t have running water or electricity in the early 50’s.]

[In 1962, the folks added a 2nd floor with 4 more bedrooms and another bathroom!  The life of luxury.  You will note the tree of the left forms a “Y” – I would place kick field goals from the top of the steps through that “Y.”  We moved East in 1966 – Larry and Laura McCoy have lived in the house since then.]

[And with our 1954 Buick Century, the yellow rocket!]

[The stairway to the new 2nd floor.]

[Mom & Dad, before children invaded their lives.]

[I was first, with Grandma and Grandpa Obert.  We weren’t in Alex yet.]

[Pre-Gretchen]

[But she was on the way!  😉 ]

[We were in Alex (Gretch was born here), but not yet in the Heights.]

[Ditto, though 1st-runner up, Douglas County family-of-the-year.]

[Ditto.  I’m guessing the basement of Moen’s on Hawthorne.]

[Christmas 1950, still living downtown.]

[Ditto.  Mom never much cared for shoes.]

[Still just the two of us, but we’re in the Heights now.  I have no recollection of cowboy boots?]

[We still have that Santa, though some the worse for wear!]

[It was always idyllic between my sister and me.  It was my firetruck and I wanted it back!]

[Happy again!]

[Award winner!]

[Mom behind the screen door, and, if memory serves, that’s Seim’s cocker spaniel, Katy.]

[I won that minnow bucket from a Cowing-Robards fishing contest for my monster sunny!  That’s some bad hat, Tom!]

[A dog and his boy!  Sounds kinda Jack London-y.  Well, he was Buck.  And we’re in the Heights.]

[Lake Victoria was notoriously not a swimming lake – so we all ran through the sprinklers to cool off in the summer.  Still has to be 1955, so I’m kinda surprised to see Brandenberg’s house was there behind us at the time.]

[I was an early proponent of not exposing one’s navel in public.  Of course, that gets worse as you age.]

[Cam appears to have something devilish in mind.  Hide your valuables!  Chris models an early Speedo.]]

[The next year in Reading, Massachusetts.  Dad had a one-year Harvard fellowship.  We returned to Alex and the Heights the following year, 1957.]

[“Our” house in Reading, taken on a return trip 30-some years later.  The residents came over and challenged me as to why I was photographing their house.  I explained I used to live there, which I guess made it OK.  We went back later and TP’ed the house!  😉 ]

[Somebody’s 5?  Is it the HQ?]

[Sister Gretch, Buck, and me.  Could be a book title?  I think the going rate for a tooth in those days was a nickel.]

[Gretch in her gypsy phase.]

Left the house this morning.  First time since Thursday morning.  Had to, we were running low on some staples . . . potato chips and doughnuts, and I had to get the newspaper.  But it’s cold now – really cold!  Wind chills approaching minus 30.  Our driveway is a sheet of ice.  When I went out for the “staples” I fishtailed all the way down the driveway and was delighted I didn’t end up somewhere in the front yard.  Then we had a split household this afternoon – a Hoosier v. a Gopher.  At least the Gophers came back to make it a good game.

So, we’re still not going anywhere.  The supervisor reported dangerous cold when she walked out for the mail.  “Dangerous” Dan actually went into to town to see the hockey tournament in the County Market parking lot – he said it was incredibly cold and windy, so he didn’t stay.  Ergo, how ’bout some nice music?

The lead photo of the supervisor with Dennis Murphy was taken at the winery some time in the previous decade.  Dennis was among the first, if not THE first, local musician we enjoyed following.  The video is Dennis performing Volcano and Mercury Blues at the winery, c. 2006.  The cinematographer was “Weakie”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BicqR45kr4&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

And not far behind Dennis came Skilly & Duff.   And we’ve always loved Mikko’s ballad From Clare to Here.  So we’ll give two videos of it!  🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW4ZZE1umNQ&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbW_Mog9X6A&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

[Two people who can bring a smile to your face from blocks away!  🙂 ]

[I’ve been limiting the photos to those I have re-discovered on 4 “old” flash drives.  So, to introduce the next video by Kevin Klimek, in the absence of a photo of him, is the supervisor receiving yet another award from some Air Force general in the Pentagon.  I often told her that’s all they do at the Pentagon is hand out awards!  😉  Without further adieu, we bring you the supervisor’s favorite song by Kevin – and he always plays it just for her.]

Kevin Klimek’s Perfidia:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UWrz9OdiYc&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

[This is not Djangleville.  But the following is, with Tom singing the supervisor’s favorite song by them.]

Tom Mulder’s What’ll I Do?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DcYL1tnLm0&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

[This not Dan Mahar.]

[Nor is this.]

[These guys?  Fuhgeddaboudit!]

[Nope!]

[But she taught us!]

All above were class of 65ers, or taught them, and thus were big Eric Clapton fans, ergo here’s Dan Mahar singing two Clapton classics:

Dan Mahar’s Layla:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADOTIIQjNKQ&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

Dan Mahar’s Tears In Heaven:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr8KbR2-eB8&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

[At least two more noted class of 65ers.]

[Ditto]

That concludes tonight’s musical presentations.  But we have more videos!  🙂 

[Department of Labor employees at Hershey Park, c. 1999, thought you might enjoy “Weakie’s” 10-minute video of our 2008 state hockey championship!]

Alex Cardinals Minnesota Class A Girls’ Hockey Champions 2008 (by “Weakie”):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqOTjCFRgIk&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

[The kids at Battle Lake, 2006, (do you remember now?) would like to introduce the video of the girls’ basketball team’s first round game in the state tournament, 2011.]

Alex Cardinals Minnesota Class AAA Girls’ Basketball 2011 First Round:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sh-1iYKRYo&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ&index=84

[And at the Minnewaska overlook, 2006, to introduce a volleyball game v. Brainerd on senior night, 2009, featuring Sam Trumm as the middle blocker.]

Alex Cardinals Volleyball v. Brainerd:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXQV2tQ6mQc&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team v. Alexandria Blizzard, 2009:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4gLLqJs740&list=UUK-k-D4lV7DWBiHTrlFvnsQ

Hang in there.  Can’t be more than a couple more?

We’re momentarily out of girl hockey players.  But we believe “the grape” to be a credible alternative lead-off hitter.  As you may recall, the supervisor has been on a crusade to get rid household “old” stuff.  That makes me a little nervous, wondering whether I’m on that list?  We have downloaded the two oldest bottles of wine from the cellar – the one shown above was next on the list, though it was undated.  We weren’t sure where or how we got this, but because of its Cote du Rhone label we have probably been saving it for some time.  Upon closer inspection, the label appears to be “homemade.”  When I popped the cork, I had to laugh.  The cork was labeled “Charles Shaw” – we had opened a bottle of “3-buck Chuck” with a phony label!  Hahahaha!  We like 3-buck Chuck and the wine was just fine.

We’re still housebound.  Outside, the wind is howling and the temperature is plummeting.  The supervisor will not permit me to go out for the paper until daylight.  She wants the EMT’s to be able to find me if I go down!  A winter weather advisory is in effect until noon.  Hey, at least there’s a hint of winter!  Wind chills to minus 25 – bitterly cold for the next 3 days.  That should put an end to the ugly melting that’s been going on!  So, let’s see what else has been gathering dust in the archives.

[“Crazy” Dave has earned honorary Super Fan status.  Although he and Mary find it necessary to escape to Sarasota every winter, he follows the blog with an undying interest in our Cardinals.  Now, if only he could overcome his love of the Buckeyes!  This was his annual pontoon ride around beautiful Lake Darling, 2005.]

[Our son Woody moved with us from D.C.  He lived to be 19, but in his last few years, he was blind and prone to epileptic-like fits.  But whatta trooper.  This was 2006.]

[Jean Alberg Bey, Margi Movold, Russ Bey (fellow class of 65er and Victoria Heights alum), and a guy in some bad hat cruising beautiful Lake Darling, 2005.]

Babes on a Boat:

[Megan and Margi Movold, cruising Lake Minnetonka, 2005.]

[The supervisor and Megan, same boat, same day.  And yes, eventually a waterways constable came by and told the ladies they couldn’t sit “on the edge.”]

[Our Minnetonka hosts, Will and Kathy (the HQ) Skadsberg.]

[Will loved his passengers.  😉 ]

[So long, and thanks, Will and Kath!  (Oh, so you noticed a change of outfits?  Yes, this was from another Minnetonka tour.  🙂  )]

[The HQ’s form of water transportation in Alexandria.  With Robin Movold Neidenfeuer, a fellow class of 65er.]

[The Biddies and the grandson on the Moby Obie for the 2006 boat parade.]

[Let there be parties!]

[Are we having fun yet?]

[Hooray for the red, white, and blue . . .]

[To the best of our knowledge, Tom was never emotionally scarred by this event.]

[Would you buy a used pontoon from this man?]

[Flagged (pun intended) for a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration.]

[Neighbors Jo and Arnie Lee, and adult kids, positioning for the fireworks on beautiful Lake Darling.]

[The Biddies, top and bottom, float “The Amazon,” the channel between Lakes Cowdry and Darling.]

[September 30, 2006, Janella’s last boat ride, with all 3 daughters.  It wasn’t that cold, but . . . And she was determined to do it.  We had to have the Lees drive her down and around to the lake in their golf cart – then somehow we manuveured her onto the pontoon from the Lee’s dock. It made it all worthwhile because we didn’t think she’d be able to do it!  🙂 ] 

[If you let her drive, they’ll never be any questions as to whether you chose the correct parking spot!]

Thus endth Babes on a Boat.