alexandriacardinals

[Fredericksburg, Texas, some time within the last 10 years.  I’m enjoying a beverage.  There is no other purpose for this photo.]

Hockey

[“Cub reporting” began with hockey.  Thus, this blog is full of hockey.  Thus, there won’t be much here.]

[Uncle Tom and Dad, both were North High Polars.]

[Before it became a high school sport.]

[Annual trips to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, allowed me to dust off the blades.]

Japan

[So, I here you say, what does Japan have to do with “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”?  Well, bear with me.  Here’s a school judo tournament in Okinawa in May 1971.  I was stationed on Okinawa from February 1970 to February 1972 with the US Army.]

[I went home on leave in August 1971.  On return, I had an overnight in a Tokyo hotel.  That was the first time I ever saw nudity on TV.  Is that a sport?  It was back in the era where more than one photographer around the globe would do mass nude shoots at various public venues.  In this instance, hundreds of naked people ran out onto a baseball field.  For some reason, that has stuck with me.]

[A cow on TV wasn’t quite as exciting.  This was in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, one of several we stayed in on a vacation tour in 1982.  They’re terrific!]

[At some ryokans, one dresses for dinner.  The inn sends in staff to help you with the procedure.]

[Now whom amongst us would object to such assistance for appearances sake?  It was a much more pleasant version of the TSA pat down!  😉 ]

Ama, Japanese women pearl divers, an art that goes back 2,000 years.  Women are better “insulated” in the cold water and could hold their breaths longer than men.  Now it is done mostly for the tourists at Mikimoto Pearls.]

[As long as we’re swimming, a beach on Okinawa.  If memory serves, it’s Moon Beach.]

[My car (and my waistline!) – a 1970 Daihatsu, not stateside eligible at the time, but perfect for getting around on an island that was 90 miles long and 6-12 miles wide.]

[Volleyball (a sport, right?) at a company picnic.  I’m on the far side returning a shot.]

[And last, but also first, golf!  Awase Meadows Golf Club.  Lee Trevino played here when he was in the service.  We did not have titanium head clubs then.  Still, the course had several holes in the 300-yard range, and we could drive them!  🙂 ]

[This most important part of the game is still pretty much a mystery.  But, hey, I’m gettin’ a nice tan!]

[Panoramic views – tee it high and let it fly.  This appears to be one of those occasionally driveable par 4’s.]

[This one, too.]

[Another 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon moment.  Gary Mertz, from Olivia, and I were in Territorial Hall at the “U” together.  Then we both ended up on Okinawa.  I have no idea how he found me there?  Yes, I do believe we were at an A & W.]

[If I tried to get that backswing now, I’d be in traction for a month!]

[An interesting hole – converted rice terraces.  I can’t recall how we played it?]

[Ferdinand Suarez – “Frendo.”  He was a staff sergeant – and thus out-ranked and made more money than we “two-and-dones.”  He bought one of the very first Datsun 240-Z’s  – to the envy of all the rest of us.  And he always hired a caddy (good for the local economy) and always the same one – we called her “Hollywood” because of her dark sunglasses.  She knew little English, we knew no Japanese, but somehow we got around together.]

[Sayonara!]

As the title indicates, I got nuthin’!  It’s the time of year when high school sports take a summer vacation, and Minnesota weather is following the climate models by becoming continually wetter . . . every outdoor activity seems to get rained out.  Thus, it’s back to deep archives – readily available deep archives so established for such this purpose.  And maybe if I use them all up now, the next time there is a lull in the action I’ll have to create something new.  Here’s blowing the dust off . . .

Fishing

I don’t do it anymore.  Don’t know why?  As a kid, we growing up in Victoria Heights always fished from the shores of Lakes Victoria and Geneva – lakes we could walk or bike to.  Our weapons of choice were Daredevils, Bassarinos, Johnson Silver Minnows, Hula Poppers – and while monofilament was around then (as I recall it wasn’t very good), we mostly used that black fishing line that could pull an 18-wheeler out of a ditch.  One of my favorite fishing memories is because of that heavyweight (25-pound test?) fishing line.  I was casting off Mrs. Marty’s dock next to the Victoria Heights landing, probably with a large Daredevil.  I launched a cast that must have gone halfway across the lake (OK, a long way).  Almost as soon as the plug hit the water, I felt two sharp tugs and . . . PING, the line was snapped!  25-pound test line?  It must have been a Mako shark!  I’ve always wondered what it could have been?  I can’t remember if the following was related to the previous event, but I remember it was some time around then (I was probably a tweener) when a 28-pound dead (old age?) Northern washed up on the landing.  None of us had ever seen anything that big before!  It stayed there for days while the entire neighborhood passed by to pay homage!  It’s probably a good thing Victoria was never a swimming lake, none of us would have ever gone in the lake again – that thing could have taken an arm or a leg!  Dad noted the game warden always said the biggest Northerns in Douglas County were in Victoria.

[Yup, won a minnow bucket from Cowing-Robards for my monster sunny!  Sister Gretch really enjoyed holding her fish.]

Looking back, it’s probably amazing that all the people who lived on the lake didn’t mind (or weren’t aware) that we kids fished off their docks.  We would move from one to the other, looking for the daily hot spots.  2 & 3-pound bass ruled the day for plug casters.  We also built a tree house (without the necessary county permits) on the Geneva side of the Victoria-Geneva channel.  We would wade-fish in the clear water, sandy bottom east side of the channel.  You could see the bass hit the plugs.  Probably had something to do with wanting to retire back to Alex.

Speaking of Dad (OK, that was back up the page a bit):

[Dad with his secretary, Sandy Butler, at the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.  Sandy once took Dad and me to see a friend of hers sing “in the backyard” of a small Georgetown bookstore.  Sandy predicted her friend would be a big star some day.  Her friend was Roberta Flack.  This was the mid-60’s.  But I digress . . .]

Dad loved to fish but never had the time to do it much.  We never owned a boat.  But maybe once a summer,  he would rent a boat from Broken Arrow Resort and take the four kids fishing.  Bless his heart!  Ha!  When we found a spot, he would use about a 12-pound sucker minnow for bait, thus using a bobber that would have floated the Titanic.  He would cast it out as far from the boat as he could.  Remember the game warden’s claim of Victoria’s big Northerns?  Then he would proceed to bait up the kids.  Since we were constantly catching sunnies, he was constantly unhooking fish and rebaiting hooks – with an occasional glance at the humongous bobber.  All this with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

If that ginormous bobber ever started to move, all other activity on the boat ceased!  Dad gave us all the hush, told us to get our lines out of the water, and stood up in the boat with a steely stare at his bobber.  When the bobber went under, Dad would give a tremendous jerk to set the hook, occasionally lifting large appliances off the lake bottom.  I will always remember his setting “setting-the-hook” procedures – I just have no recollections of his ever actually catching the “big one.”  But it was family bonding.  I guess, to me now, that is the number one purpose for fishing.

[Dad, probably at Lake Roosevelt, c. 1930.]

[Dad’s wrestling career was short-lived.  OK, it’s not fishing, but I didn’t know where else to stick them?]

Then I grew up (at least physically) and moved away from home.  All my fishing during my allegedly adult life took place at the ocean.  Semi-annual trips to North Carolina’s Outer Banks for surf fishing.  And it probably ruined forever my desire for freshwater fishing.  Though it never happened, the possibility of catching something really huge, even from shore, fueled those trips.

[Me and my biggest bluefish.]

[Friend Alex (above) probably gave us our biggest thrill over all those years fishing here.  Surf fishing rods are 9 – 12′ in length, they have huge reels with hundreds of yards of line, you bait the hooks with cut fish, put 4 – 6 ounces of lead sinker on, wade into the water, and cast out as far as you can.  Then you walk back up the beach, place the rod in a sand spike, sit in a lawn chair, get a beer from the cooler, and relax and hope nothing bothers you.  But one time Alex got something.  He stood and attempted to reel it in.  Nothing doing.  Now Alex is a big, strong guy, but he could do nothing against whatever was on the other end of the line.  It was like the sound you on sport fishing boats when a big tuna or marlin starts running out the line.  Alex’s “fish” just kept going out – beads of sweat were breaking out on his forehead – but the line just kept going out . . . going and going until there was no more . . . then PING, all gone.  The consensus among the attentive audience was that he had either hooked a large shark . . . or a submarine!]

The following have nothing to do with fishing – but they are outdoors.  The dunes are southeast side of Lake Michigan.  And this was actually a field trip by my University of Minnesota urban geography class, c. 1973.  The other is self-explanatory.

 [A bucket list item is to go to Tower some day when the temperature is that cold.]

Golf

[OK, not really golf – more like golf’s odds & ends, and mostly odds!  Some of my favorites over the centuries.]

[Warren Gibson – still my hero.  Was delighted that he deigned to play with the old guys again last week!  🙂 ]

[This was June 2nd – last year!  At least we were able to play!]

[The supervisor with Crazy Dave and Mary Owen, June 5, 2009.  Are you starting to notice a pattern here?]

[Steph Sahli, that same day.  One of the first things we noticed when we moved back here 11 years ago is that high school girls go barefoot year round!]

[Despite the club ban on “Buckeye” caps!]

[Maggie Leland, last August, displaying a swing the senior guys seem to think they may have had at one time?]

[From the “3 Gals and a Guy” tournament in 2008 (this year’s was rained out, today!).  I began the day with a brand new black shirt.  By the time we reached the 7th hole, it was coming apart like a cheap . . .  golf shirt?  I was playing with my usual group of Mary Owen, Ruth McElwain, and Beryl Waldeland.  I accused them of “undressing” me with their eyes!  Anyway, Mary and Crazy Dave just live a wedge shot from the 7th tee, so we called Dave to bring a shirt before I got arrested for exposure.  The manufacturer (I forgot) ultimately replaced the shirt.]

[1932]

[The brothers Obert, the one and only time we golfed together.  It seems one of us has always lived at least a 2-day drive away from the others – and Chris (middle – Cam, left) never golfed much.  This is a course in the state of Virginia whose name I’ve forgotten.]

[Sam Joy, June 9th, last year.  Sam seldom plays without a down vest anyway – on this day, he thought it appropriate to have a snow shovel at hand!  :-0 ]

[I think that’s Warren on the right?]

It appears I should move on to Ballgame V.

Just what we needed as a pick-me-up!  🙂  This team had a 70-something and 14 record and a state tournament appearance over the last three years!  The supervisor and I had had a week reminding us we are in the doldrums of our lives.  OK, maybe not as bad as all that, but . . .  I was scheduled to play in the Cap Paciotti Memorial Alexandria Cardinal Athletic Foundation Golf Tournament yesterday – but I couldn’t because the tournament name wouldn’t fit on my cap!  😉  I pulled a muscle in my right cheek, the lower one, golfing on Tuesday.  I’m on the injured reserve for as long as it takes it to heal.  When I drove home that day, I found the supervisor dead-heading her flower beds.  It was her last resort.  The lawn mower had crapped out (again), the Tupperware tool shed (put Tab A in Slot B) had totally come apart again (and it takes about 6 sets of hands to reassemble it), the weed whacker decided not work, the timer knob has broken off the dryer, and the kitchen sink developed the dreaded “occasional” (?) leak.  We were fit to be tied as we’ve pretty much decided we have reached that stage in life (“the doldrums”) where a big house on an acre lake lot is just taking too much time and effort to maintain.  It severely restricts our ability to just have fun!!  The supervisor has decided we should take a pontoon ride this morning on Fathers’ Day – it will be our first time out this year (I think it was put in at the end of April), something to do with 76 steps just to get down there. 

[You may have noticed this sign at basketball games this year.]

[I forgot I was going to tell Ms. Wood and her folks the Don Shelby story – but then I’m not surprised that I did (forgetfulness is now a full-time avocation (see “doldrums”)).  You may have heard it anyway.  Shelby had a stroke – 4 -5 years ago (?) – and the medical community was concerned that the stroke would leave him paralyzed on one side and with an inability to speak.  But neither happened.  In attempting to diagnose this “miracle” a doctor asked him if he had ever been a basketball player.  When Shelby replied he had, the doctor asked him what position he played.  Shelby replied, “Point guard.”  The doctor said, “Aha!”  (Shelby played high school basketball for a small town in Indiana, and continues to play to this day.  He chronicled all this in his book The Season Never Ends.  I am Shelby’s age so the stories had a real familiarity – all except the part about being a star basketball player.)  The doctor said a point guard develops many alternative brain connections as a result of continually having to keep track off 10 moving players on a basketball court.  So, Cara, here’s to your continued good health!  🙂  ]

But the day began with a 3:00 am wake-up call.  We had to drive son-in-law Danny to Minneapolis to catch the 7:00 Megabus to Chicago, where Jami would meet him and they would be off to a local . . . graduation party!

And then since I was restricted by disability, there was no need to rush home for the golf tournament.  So, we stopped at Brother Cam and Karen’s place in Mounds View.  Cam and I have totally different genetic make-ups – he loves yard work (though he is ready to stop loving it as an avocation).  His yard is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.  But now, as a victim of the economy four years ago, he has taken on new employment as a golf course gardener, in line with his pursuit of a landscaping degree.  It was a short visit as they had a 9:00 am appointment for . . . a graduation party!

Then home we had to go.  Feeling a tint of guilt for having to abandoned my team (and for later forgetting to bring the ex-president a dessert), I stopped by the golf club to buy the boys a beverage of their choice.

[The ex-president ordered something with gold flakes in it.]

[“Robo” launches a shot to the 1st green.  He was able to do this despite ordering a . . . Gatorade?] 

[The ex-prez follows suit cheered on by Dave Dittberner.]

[Maybe it’s just me, but Dave has never looked better!]

[Oh, there he is!]

[Did you get that one?]

[Best 3-some on the course!]

Absent an ability to play, the winery seemed an appropriate option.  I went to see Matt Veline, later joined by Julie.  The place was packed, but other than the Veline family, I didn’t see any familiar faces in an hour and half.  Then it was back to the house to get the supervisor and go to the . . . graduation party (top)!  We decided we had to go early and leave early to make it back to the golf club for the golf tournament’s program.  Already sated from the graduation party, we had some small rib portions and dessert.

Before we leave you, the sunrise over beautiful Lake Darling on the 15th.

And some of the handiwork Danny did in putting some “finishing” touches on their UpNorth pole barn.

[Neighbors stopped by to check his progress.]

[The bedroom]

[The drive out.]

[I can’t do this!  Echo Press photo.]

Why, yes, as a matter of fact it has also been graduation time locally!  🙂  And so we take this opportunity, on behalf of Super Fans everywhere, to thank all the graduating seniors who have entertained us over the years both musically and athletically.  We wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors.  (We’re not done yet – June is not over.  Look for supplements to this post at some unforeseen future time.)

And from Lake Carlos to Lake Mary . . .

And after the graduations, and a tour of the ecohouses, there’s always our musical interludes at the winery to take a load off (Annie?).

[Where’s Annie?]

[Presenting, with additional adieu, The Salty Dogs.]

[Annie and Bruce battle gale force winds, typical of the season.]

Iko Iko by The Salty Dogs (Carlos Creek Winery, June 9, 2012).  Of significance at this time because The Dixie Cups made this song a hit in 1965, the high school graduation year for all 65-year olds:

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

Runnin’ Scared by The Salty Dogs (another one just for fun):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIy1-ev-9D4

As long as I have the floor, please allow me to also put in a plug for the Adult Education matinee movies (they are not adult movies . . . OK, maybe a little bit adult).  It’s tough for the kids to provide full-time Super Fan entertainment all by themselves, so once a month we have matinee movies at the theatre in Grand Arbor.  What fun!  It’s in the afternoon, so we generally can stay awake.  And we have popcorn – and ended the season with a potluck and “beverages” of our own choice.  It will start again in September – and has been the first Monday of each month.

And now a final send-off to the spring sports season.  The girls’ golf and track teams both won sections and advanced to state.  I don’t know how many times the golf team has gone to state now – but they placed 7th this year with a very young team.  Good for them!  The track team amazingly took 2nd place in state for the 3rd year in a row.  As with golf, the future continues to look bright there as well.  And the softball team had a great season – until the playoffs.  But, again, a very young team with almost everyone back and support from a 9th-grade team that went undefeated this year.  Congratulations to all of them!

 
 

 

[Amanda Bigger and Shelby Iverson will both be back next year.  And Shelby will be a key player in what should be a very good hockey team next winter.  Echo Press photos.]

[Taylor Ellingson will be back to pitch for the softball team.  And help Shelby lead the hockey team.  Echo Press photo.]

[Congrats to Jamie Piepenburg on her stellar career.  She has the section records for both the 1,600 and 3,200.  She placed 2nd in state in the 1,600 and 3rd in the 3,200.  Next year she will be a Gopher.  Echo Press photos.]

Section 8AA Girls 3,200 Finals.  Jamie Piepenburg set a new conference record in this race – but you hardly see her.  The video was shot by the Bemidji coach, so he concentrated on the race for 2nd place, a group that included his daughter.  Alex 8th-graders Megan Hasz and Bethany Hasz finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively.  All three then went on to state:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07MX9R08HKo

Secton 8AA Girls 4×800 Relay Final.  Julia Sieling, the Hasz, and Karly Betterman, all under classmen, won and went on to state.  Karly was the anchor, lost the lead going into the final turn, back came back to win it!  🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vwBfbL0_Ek&feature=relmfu

[Echo Press photo of Karly in that race.  She will also be a force on the basketball team this winter.]

[Wunderkind 8th-grader Wensia Johnson came in 2nd in 100, 1st in the 200, and was lead-off for the 3rd place 4 x 100 team in state.  What a future!  And she has a 6th-grade sister who will joining her soon on the varsity track team.  Echo Press photo.]

[Madi Urman anchored the 3rd place 4 x 100 team.  And everybody is back next year:  Wensia, Gabby Koel, Briquelle Bowden, and Madi.  Echo Press photo.] 

[The other wunderkind 8th-graders, Bethany (above) and Megan Hasz, made state in the 1,600, the 3,200, and the 4 x 800 relay.  As they say, their future is all ahead of them.  😉  Echo Press photo.]

[The senior captains, now (above), and then (below, by the staff photographer, 2007)]

Iko Iko by the Dixie Cups (1965):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6rDdWPYdgg&feature=em-share_video_user

[The Dixie Cups of more recent vintage.  While doing deep research on the song, I learned it was recorded by accident.  The mikes just happened to be on when the group was singing and the drummers were playing on table tops and ashtrays!  I also discovered that some fuddy-duddy had it on his list of all-time worst songs.  Boo!]

[And may you all just have a great summer (stolen from Brother Cam’s over-the-top answering machine)!  Echo Press photo.]