alexandriacardinals

April 18

[The title is our house logo, so I knew it would just be a matter of time before the Supervisor whisked me away again in increasingly successful efforts to make sure we have nothing to leave our heirs.  We met with our crack travel agent, the HQ, who abetted our 15-day river cruise with extended days at the beginning and end creating a 21-day disappearance from hearth and home.  But seriously folks, Skads Travel has always done a bang up job for us, and I’m not saying that just because Kathy and I have been friends for about 63 years.  😉  ]

[Our trip began Sunday morning when we hopped on board the shuttle for the trip to MSP.  Despite all news reports to the contrary, we were unbelievably at our gate within 15 minutes of arrival at the airport.  This will likely lead to several congressional investigations as to how this could possibly happen?  With hours to kill before the flight, I discovered the airport offers up free iPads to help us while away the time.  Now we have all PC stuff at home, but after some trial and error and muttered profanities I was able to send out status reports.  We would be meeting Tom Kiehne and Pam Mathison (Pam kept her name after their marriage, preferring “Pam” to “Tom”) of Austin, Texas, in Budapest, Hungary.  Helen and John Etnier of Ashby would be joining us there the next day.  We were the “A Team,” from Alexandria, Ashby, and Austin!  Our first photo of the trip is of the Super at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, our transfer point for our flight to Budapest.  We have been through Schipol several times now and have always wondered how it’s pronounced.  On the way to the airport for our trip home, we asked our South Asian cab driver how it’s pronounced.  He said, “ski pole.”  Whatever.]

[We had some difficulties getting to our hotel in Budapest – our driver wasn’t there?  We asked other drivers and found a young man who said he worked for the company we were waiting on.  He called and reported our guy would be there shortly.  While waiting for our guy, the first guy asked about the election season in the U.S.  Everybody asked us about it – since we all obviously look American (?), Europeans would go out of their way to come to talk us about the U.S. elections?  Anyway, this was our first photo in Budapest as we approached our hotel – Liberty Statue is holding a palm frond on Gellert Hill above the city on the Buda side.]

[And if you followed our reports from last year (yes, there were a few of you) you may remember this view?  Almost exactly a year ago we were also in this Marriott Hotel on the Danube River where every room has a view of the river and of Buda Castle on the far side.  I never thought when we left last year that I’d ever be in Budapest again.  Life, whatta concept?]

[Well, what do you do when you’re standing in the hall waiting for the elevator?]

[Pastries!  (Not fair putting these in the middle of the hotel lobby.  Why yes, we did partake on the last day – thank you for asking.)]

[Having met up with Tom and Pam, time to go on a walking tour of the city in search of food!]

[Gelato!  Well, not before dinner.]

[Why I love old European cities – pedestrian only streets!]

[Hey, we found a place!  Well, a young man with a restaurant sign found us.  We decided, why not?  So here we are, our first night resolving hunger in Hungary.  FT’s, Hungarian currency, on the left; Euros on the right – we all got the 3-course for about $14.00.  Such a deal!]

[Our host – a character!]

[This is the picture our host took – a bit of an artsy effect?]

[And then dessert – as I recall, it was set on fire!]

[Just like last year, it was Spring Festival time!  Here we are in Vorosmarty Square, just a couple blocks from our hotel, on our walk back from the restaurant.]

[I noticed this last year too.  Took a photo, laughed, and said I’d try it if we ever came back.  Well, I’m baaaccckkk!]

[Party time on the square.]

[And we’re back to the river with the amazing night time view of Buda Castle.]

[Our hotel bar – never stuck around long enough to try it?]

[Back in our room.  Night-night, tomorrow we begin our explorations.]

Globetrotting destroys ethnocentricity, helping us understand and appreciate other cultures. Rather than fear the diversity on this planet, celebrate it. Among your most prized souvenirs will be the strands of different cultures you choose to knit into your own character. The world is a cultural yarn shop, and Back Door travelers are weaving the ultimate tapestry.  ~  Rick Steves

Up Next:  Hey, so far it’s just been one day.  That means still 20 days to go.  And once again I hit upon my average – it seems I take about 100 pictures per day when we’re on a major trip.  I don’t count or ration, it just works out that way.  This time I’m just a tad short of 2,100 photos – that either happens as a result of astrology or . . . coincidence? Now you don’t have to look at them all – please feel free to go watch a ballgame or something instead.

Taxes are done . . .

March 20

[The spring sun is rising over beautiful Lake Darling . . . ]

March 24

[The ice is gone; the full moon has risen . . . ]

So, it’s music time!

March 26

[The Cheese Bots at SAWA . . . ]

The SAWA Wall of Fame . . .

March 28

[Dock in – the earliest date ever in the absence of winter.  The lake is down about a foot and a half.  We need rain!]

[The Super and Lucky catching rays . . . in March?  In Minnesota?]

March 31

[The Salty Dogs reunion at SAWA.  Erik and Kathy had fled the area for 3 months, joining others mockingly referred to in these parts as snowbirds.  It was nice to have them home again.]

[The Grand Poobahs of Maple Syrup]

[The Super’s delight – if we’re up for it?]

April 1

[A doubleheader in the finest traditions.  We began the evening with the Mel Lamar Combo w/ Mary Lou Thunselle at Interlachen . . . ]

[On the way to the next gig . . . ]

[Components at SAWA.]

April 7

[A political convention . . . there was music in the air!]

March 8

[Lisa was at SAWA (with refugees from Indiana) . . . ]

[And with the presidents of her fan club.]

March 9

[What?  Another doubleheader?  Yup, beginning with a beautiful morning (though the temperature was a not so balmy 10) and Anthony at the winery in the afternoon . . . ]

[Others similarly afflicted by “who’s playing where this weekend?” . . . ]

[And another “6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon” moment . . . ]

[She eventually made off with one of John’s socks (well, you had to be there . . . ]

[Anthony displayed professional aplomb as the wedding party continued their quests . . . ]

[And then it was off to SAWA for an evening with Paul Drinkwine.]

So, we’ll see you when we get back!  I’ll be the guy wearing the lederhosen.

To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.  ~ Aldous Huxley

Up next:  Graduation season?

Well, the high school winter sports season is over, so . . .

Hi, do you know who we are?  If not, see answer at the bottom (photo on loan from FB).

March 14

[It’s pizza night at The Depot.  BTW, that fatigue jacket is older than Marco Rubio. And it spent two years at USASTRATCOM, Long Lines Battalion, Fort Buckner, Sukiran, Okinawa . . . and 3 months after it left there, the U.S. turned Okinawa over to Japan. Coincidence?  I think not!  For history buffs, Okinawa didn’t care for that either – they wanted total independence. Okinawans are not Japanese – they are Ryukyuans, as Okinawa is the largest of the Ryukyu Islands.  Just thought you may want to know.]

[Giggle!]

[Giggle!  Giggle!]

[Well, it was National ‘pi’ Day!]

March 16

[Well, it was National “work on  your taxes” Day!]

March 17

[At SAWA with Enterprise, with Jim, a recent escapee from Arizona, and Kevin.]

March 19 – The Last Day of Winter

March 20 – The First Day of Spring

[And later that day . . . woo! woo!  Gopher women’s hockey team brings pride to the Minnesota sports scene with yet another national title (Strib photo).]

March 22 – Jami’s Birthday and Empty Bowls

[But she began the day with Mom and Dad helping out at Brad’s, “some assembly” was required.]

[Then on to “Empty Bowls” at the high school, an annual fund raiser with the goal to feed 100 people.  And at the new high school, it comes with entertainment – here Josie Nelson.]

[Then The Carolers, with Josie taking up her spot on the far right.]

[And we assume belly dancing, because of increased interest, will be offered as a course option beginning at the kindergarten level.]

[I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK!]

[Yes, the Super, once again, scored in a silent auction.]

[Back home, a birthday salute to Jami!  We dusted off a bottle of Carlos Creek port that I’m sure we’d had on hand for over 10 years.]

[Though the cork totally crumbled upon opening, we pronounced the product to be quite tasty!]

[We’re port drinking lumberjacks and we’re OK!]

[How ’bout them empty bowls?  The students make these and purchase is your ticket to entry.  Thanks to Abby Pohlen and Mikayla for these two (as signed on the bottom).]

March 23

[Taking full advantage of half-price bottle night at SAWA, the Super revels in a $59.00 bottle of Rombauer zinfandel!]

[While we enjoyed the music stylings of Erik Schultz, just returned from running away from winter to Arizona for three months, and Tom Mulder.]

[Despite a lonely three months apart, they opined performing together again was just like riding a bike.]

[“Woman II” by David Weatherly of Elbow Lake – part of the art display at SAWA.  I immediately pronounced “her” to be my sister-in-law, Karen.]

[And, yes, several others agreed!]

March 24

[ICE OUT on beautiful Lake Darling, about a month ahead of “normal.”]

[That night with Finestra at SAWA, with Jay (hiding behind the speaker), Arlen, and Wally.]

[Not to be outdone by Karen, a similarity between these two?  “Old Man in Hat,” also by David Weatherly.]

[A full moon over the newly ice free beautiful Lake Darling.  The 2nd photo is an enhancement of the 1st.]

Answer:  Rachel Banham, Gopher star, with Kendall Kohler and Macy Hatlestad, the Cardinals starting backcourt.

May you sell everything and retire to Florida just as global warming makes it uninhabitable.  ~ Jewish curse

Up next:  May be Europe?

March 12

Hallelujah, what a beautiful morning!

This is a story.  The names have not been changed because nobody is innocent.  I think it is a good story . . . otherwise I wouldn’t be writing it (not that that has ever stopped me before).

A long time ago (2006) in a place far, far away (Fergus Falls), the Super and I went to see Al Franken campaigning on behalf of DFL candidates in our “neighborhood” (this was before he decided to run for the U.S. Senate).  While there we heard a local singer/songwriter who we thoroughly enjoyed.

[Note to Professor Miltich:  This apparently is the only photo I took at the event?]

Jump forward many, many years (many, many equals a large number), and we find ourselves in a friend’s home for a house concert by the Josh Harty Trio.  No, it wasn’t Josh Harty who we saw in Fergus Falls lo those many years ago, though he is a fine musician in his own right (or write, since he is also a songwriter).  But present in the audience, as a friend of Josh’s, was that gentleman from that other time and place.  His name is Dave Stoddard, and though we had subsequently seen him perform a few times since then, we had never introduced ourselves.  Upon doing so we noted that we would be seeing a friend of his perform the next day at Carlos Creek Winery, a fellow Fergus Faller by the name of Anthony Miltich.

[Dave Stoddard]

Professor Miltich is, of course, a name well known to followers of the Super’s FB site and my blog.  We have become friends over the years as he has performed at many venues in Alex.  So, at CCW the next day, we told Anthony we had just met Dave the previous night in Alex.  Anthony and Dave compose a mutual admiration society who have performed together on occasion.  We told Anthony of the time we first saw Dave perform, at the Al Franken shindig 10 years ago.  Anthony was taken aback.  He said he was there also (we didn’t know him at the time), and that was where he first introduced himself to Dave.  Well, knock us over with a feather!

[A favorite Stoddard ditty . . . ]

March 11

[Yes, going back in time one day for our evening with the Josh Harty Trio.  Photos contributed by Jami Gaither, a burgeoning photojournalist in her own right (there’s that phrase again?).]

March 9

[Well, as long as we’re featuring Jami, back two more days for her coverage of our presentation to the League of Women Voters on Education.]

[Where Jami works.]

Meanwhile, back at our regularly scheduled program . . .

March 12

[As promised to Mr. Stoddard, we were at the winery the next afternoon to see Professor Miltich.]

[And this is the photo she took.]

[New backdrop in the performing area . . . ]

[It was a beautiful day – 68 degrees on the car temperature gauge on our way out.  We assumed Anthony would be playing outside. But it was early in the season, and they weren’t sure if the weather goes going to hold up enough for people to sit outside.  It did . . . and they did. Recognize any famous Alexandrians in the photo?]

[We returned home briefly; the Super for a nap, me to watch Fergus Falls play De La Salle for the boys’ class AAA state basketball championship.  De La Salle won their 5th straight championship, but I thought Fergus acquitted themselves nicely.  I can’t complain, two of the four class champions were Minneapolis North and De La Salle – Dad attended De La Salle (apparently for as long as it was family affordable) and graduated from North!  A hint about the above photo, the Cardinal girl’s basketball team lost the section championship by two points, in overtime, to Thief River Falls.  Everybody is back for next year – it will be a team on a mission.]

[Meanwhile, back to the program.  We had to take a brief break (read: nap) before going to the winery after a 2-hour Citizens Climate Lobby meeting that morning.  After awaking from our second daily break, it was off to SAWA for Paul Drinkwine.]

[The photos the Super took above.]

[And the forever popular dash to the tip jar when, “. . . and put bread in my jar,” comes around during Piano Man.]

March 13

[See?  I told you you should have come!]

[After a nice stretch of warm, sunny weather, it was a rainy Sunday (apparently for the next week as well as spring continues to come a month early).  We had tickets for the last performance of  “Over the River and Through the Woods” at the AAAA.  Everyone who had been to earlier performances advised it was a fabulous production; several thought it was the best they’d ever seen at the theatre.  We can concur!  Unfortunately, it fell victim to the March time slot – meaning attendance could have been better.]

[Oh, and Dave Stoddard again?  Yup, he gets AAAA billboard notoriety right up there with Leon Redbone and Leo Kottke.]

All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff.  ~  Frank Zappa

Up next:  It’s blowin’ in the wind?