My little village people

I've always wanted a Christmas village, and this year I got it...complete with my own little village people.
The little people have been very happy — or so I thought.
Of all the little buildings I could buy, there was no YMCA!
The little people gathered in the square to do their rendition of, well, what else, YMCA, but they thought, hey, why should we do YMCA when we don't even have a YMCA!!!!
An uprising ensued.
I was merely walking by the Christmas tree where I'd set up said little village and it wasn't pretty! There were angry voices. The little fireman, the one carrying the ladder (what an upstart he is!) climbed up to city hall and raised his little village people voice, "Of all the buildings she could buy," he said, "why didn't she buy a Y? We need to work out! If she didn't want us to work out, why didn't she get a Santa village?"
And then they heard the news. While Doug was watching anything-with-a-ball-in-it on his TV, he turned briefly to CNN. This was a few weeks back when the Occupy movement was starting. Well, it gave Mr. Fireman an idea!
If they could protest against Wall Street and just about anything else that upset the general public, why couldn't the little ceramic village people do the same!
They jumped down off their table stand, grabbed some of Jose's notebook paper, and made signs.
The group gathered again, even that upstart little dog AND the snowman! Always the snowman! With signs in hand, they lined up as if they were going to do YMCA but instead began the chant "Y NO Y".

After a lengthy little protest, the little village people realized they were protesting during the day. Doug was driving bus, the boys were at school and Carol was on the road. The only one home was Mocha the Beagle and she just barked to no avail, raising her voice to their protests.
Disgruntled, they put aside their signs. But they are still not happy.
If you look closely, they look ticked.
I am waiting any day for the signs to go back up. I await their little voices calling out their protests.
If they raise too much ruckus, I may have to return them to their little village people box!

We're going to state! Bring on the Boa!

No one was probably noticing how fashionable I was last night as the Hillcrest Boys Basketball Team won the Section 6A Boys Basketball Championship.
Just so you know, I was wearing a red and white boa curled around my neck once because, hey, that baby is looonnngggg.
But what a fashion statement!
As the boys and Hillcrest students took to the floor after the win, I could be seen bobbing and weaving through the fray, hugging players, fans and parents.
What a win! The last time we were heading to state was in 2001. Our sons, Wayne and JP were on that team. And now its our Andy.
But at Hillcrest, it doesn't matter if you really have a child on the team. We are all family! And that family has been out in droves as this group of talented, spiritual guys have marched towards state!
And my constant companion has been this red and white boa.
Nine years is a long time in boa years. Boa years. Similar to dog years, I think. And for nine years, I have to admit, that boa is looking pretty good!
And so, as we make our plans for the week and plan our packing, the boa is at the top of the list of "must haves."
Because, really, can a girl, especially Mom Stender, NOT be seen without her boa?
I mean, really!

The missing 30 seconds

I saw Coach Brue last Tuesday as I was picking up Jose at Hillcrest last Tuesday.
As Jose was telling me of his homework, I pressed the down button for the car window and called to Charlie, "Hey, good luck on the game tonight. Neither Doug nor I can be there but we'll be listening on the radio."
"Thanks," he said.
The Hillcrest girls had their first tourney game in Belgrade. I had to be home, working on stories for the ag paper as Jose would finish homework and Doug had to work at Take 5. Andy, of course, donned with a strange red headband and interesting red and white conglomeration outfit, would be in attendance cheering on the girls.
Before the game, I got my radio ready, turning it to 1250 on the am dial. The radio was blaring as I sat in front of the TV. My laptop on my, well, of course, lap as I reviewed story notes and the TV tuned, first to "24" and later, a switch to "Damages."
As Jack Bauer made his latest non-bathroom stop hour striving to save the U.S. from harm, the Hillcrest girls were in a close battle with Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. At one point they were ahead by 9 points. But, this seasoned sports-minded mom knows better than to rest on the laurels of an early lead in any sport. The fat lady definitely wasn't even warming her vocal chords and the score was whittling down to what became an ongoing battle over the lead.
Two points ahead here and two points behind there.
The tension was thick.
Then, as Jack was ending his latest hour on "24" and the Damages cast was assembling, the game went into overtime. Hey girls, I've always known you can do it! You are talented. Believe!
A few fouls and good freethrows put us ahead as the clock kept ticking. (Does a scoreboard actually tick? Well, you get the picture.)
And, as we managed to eke ahead, and with 30 seconds left in the game, the airwaves went silent. I mean, really really silent. As in...there was no more game on the radio. Gone was the announcers voice. Gone was the sound of fans chanting their cheers to encourage the players. Gone were even the commercials!
What happened? Did the world come to an end and I was the last to know? Second coming?
Suddenly a song came on the radio but no game highlights. A commercial quickly replaced the song followed by another commercial and yet another.
The station lost its radio feed.
Sheesh.
Of all the times to lose a signal!
I started to text Andy when Doug called from work where he'd also been listening to the game. He said he complained to the radio station where the night worker said they were working to return the signal.
Thanks, lady! By now the game is done. We need the final score!
Doug had also called Andy and learned the girls did indeed win - by six points!
They play against top local ranked Parkers Prarie. A tough match, but, as I said before, girls, just BELIEVE!
I've heard of the missing minutes in the Nixon tapes but the last 30 seconds of the girls basketball game? Hopefully that part of history will not repeat itself tonight.
Go Comets!

Splish, Splash, they were taking a (very fun) bath!

It was clearly bathtime at Wayne and Nancy's house last night as I entered their home. Giggles were erupting from the bathroom as Breiden and Kian splashed water at each other. Nancy stood in the doorway.
"It's just water, right?" she said.
She was doing a good job holding back from admonishing the boys from all the water spraying happening in the tub.
Me? Now in my gramma mode, I wasn't helping. I was wearing a grin at the boys' antics.
"Yep," I said. "It's just water."
Hey, Nancy, I understand your feelings. I remember, in a time frame that I like to think wasn't all that long ago (Okay, so it was. But time flies in the blink of an eye!) Well, I remember when the older two boys were knee high to grasshoppers, as they say, and they did their own share of splashing. I tried to keep the splashing to a minimum. I softly admonished. I had a towel ready to wipe up the spills on the floor and the splashes that would run down the walls.
It's a kid thing.
As we all age like fine wine (with a few wrinkles), we recall that exuberance of youth fondly, missing the days of wrapping the kids, fresh from a bath, in a soft towel and how sweet they smell. They look so different fresh from a bath, don't they?
Gone are the dirt smudges. Missing is the smear of peanut butter on their cheeks along with the kool aid mustache.
Ahhhhh. Those were the days... the days I now get to relive with the little ones.

Of other birth events

You can't merely have a birth without some drama - as if the birth isn't enough drama for anyone! The excitement...the anticipation...
Julie was concerned about JP driving home. He was a tired papa. It had been a looonnnggg day for the two of them and it was now about 10;30 or so and he was getting ready to head home. Julie asked if we could caravan back to Fergus FAlls. JP now had Aaleigha who'd stayed with Julie's parents, Terry and Tracy. She was a little fireplug through the whole evening and now was ready to crash.
JP went out to start both of our vehicles and dusted off the light snow, I got to hold Aaveah one more time and then JP and I were out the door. As he was getting Aaleigha strapped in, I discovered my explorer doors were locked...with the keys in the ignition...and the vehicle was running!

Oh dear!

I told JP and said I had to get a locksmith. Afterall, Doug certainly wouldn't entertain driving all the way to Alex after working a whole shift to bring me any keys! He'd be pooped and he had a busy day the next day of bus driving!
A call to the police department garnered me the names of two towing companies. Towing? I asked. Yes, the dispatcher said. The police don't do unlocks anymore and towing companies are cheaper than locksmiths.

So $35 later, I'm on the road following JP back to Fergus after calling Doug and letting him know. I still have no hearing on my left ear after he yel...after he shou....after he expressed his displeasure.

So we're basking in the delight of grandchild No. 4. That's two boys and two girls all born within four years.
I am taking time off to be with Julie when she arrives home. I'll be with her and girls while JP is at work. It will be a good time for Julie just to recuperate for a few days and gives me some special grandma time!
Ahhhh. can life be any sweeter?

Welcome, Aaveah Marie Stender!

Excitement has reigned at our home!
We have a new granddaughter! Aaveah Marie.
And what an interesting entrance she made...
Julie and JP arrived early at the hospital in Alexandria..at 6 a.m. which meant they had to get up around 4 to leave at 5 to be at the hospital at 6. What a morning!
By 7 they had her hooked up for the IV drip that would start things..hopefully!
And while they were getting ready, Grandpa had to drive bus and Grandma had to leave early, around 6, to go to the Peanut Butter and Milk festival in Litchfield. People from Litchfield made a connection with people from Alabama and in February they send a group to Litchfield and in November a group from Litchfield goes there.
Monday was their farm visit so they visited two dairy farms and First District Co-op.
On my way to the first farm visit, I tried calling home to make sure Andy and Jose were up. Both had their cell phones turned off. So called the landline and kept hitting redial as no one was answering. I finally got Jose at 7:50 and he was getting dressed and Andy had just jumped in the shower.
I'd warned the boys that I would be leaving early and they both said, yah, yah. Jose said he didn't need to set his phone because he always wakes up on time.
Guess again, my son! Is this a learning moment?!
I got to the first farm on time, visited a second with the group all the while traveling on gravel roads that are, in one word, dangerous thanks to the ice storm from a couple of weeks ago.
But while at First District Cooperative, my cell phone buzzed (I always have it on vibrate during interviews or workshops. There's nothing more irritating than hearing tunes from the hit parade because some bozo (no offense to the clown) can't put their phone on silence or turn it off!)
Well, the first call was from work. I hadn't turned in my time card. Hadn't turned in my time card?! Blasted! Yes, it WAS due Monday!
Guess Ive had a few things on my mind from new baby to travels! Yikes!
so I made arrangements to have that in later. And then there was a call from Doug.
New baby? Nope. Get this...he's texting me the rescheduled game schedule for the game that WAS to be played Tuesday but had to be moved because of political caucus meetings Tuesday night! Sheesh.Didn't grandpa realize I am Grandma hear me roar?? I'm on baby watch, buster!
After visiting with the group fromAlabama, I got the road to head home, in very snowy and drifty conditions, I might add.
Got back to Fergus and in late afternoon, headed out with Wayne, his two boys to go to Alex for the birth which the doctor said should happen around 5. By the time we left around 6 it hadn't.
As we attempted to enjoy coffee and muffins at Caribou coffee, it still hadn't.
When we moved to the Burger King playland since Caribou Coffee didn't offer enough stimulation for the two little ones, there was STILL no word. Finally Nancy, who'd been with Julie since 9 a.m., text messaged Wayne to say we should come...baby should be born at any moment.
So, with the Hein family, we waited until finally we got word Aaveah Marie had arrived. And what a great pair of lungs she has, too!
I don't think she liked all the flashes of camera!
Dad looked proud and mom tired...well, both of them were tired but Julie perhaps a bit more physically exhausted. Her cousin, Sarah, arrived that afternoon, was also there for the birth and planned to stay the night. What a neat lady she is! And Nancy kept everyone informed. Like a play-by-play announcer, she wrote about the pending birth on facebook.
Poor grandpa, who had to work at Take 5 that night, kept up to date on everything via facebook. At the announcement, he quickly sent messages to Andy and Jose.
Andy was very excited and wondered when he could see his new niece. I said probably Tuesday night after Basketball practice. But that's lost night, he said. Sheesh. Young men and their shows!
As it turned out Grandpa, Andy and Jose took off late Tuesday morning to make a visit. They only got 15 minutes because a nurse was in with Julie, but they each got to hold the new little one.
Aaleigha is a big sister! At this point she's undaunted by the fact she has a sibling. That will change. The bain of any older sibling, the younger one, has arrived for this little one.
And JP and Julie get to enjoy the ride!

Keeping the riff-raff out

Today, on a Saturday, as I was driving to Dassel to take pictures for work (Yessss on a SATURDAY!!!) I was listening to MPR's "Wait Wait Don't tell me!", one of my favorite radio gameshows. Okay, so radio isn't known for its game shows but the wit and stories told on this one often has me in stitches.

Anyway, one of the contestants they phoned to play a game with the panel of celebrity guests was from Minneapolis. When she was asked how things were going, the contestant said it was cold but it keeps the riff raff out. One of the celebrity judges said she wasn't in Minnesota because of the cold and the contestant said something like exactly...making her point that the riff raff was out.

Great come back.

But as I was driving to Steve Dille's farm to take the pictures...driving on a gravel road, iced over from last weekend's storm, putting the explorer in four-wheel drive...I kept thinking of that riff raff.

How many people would venture out in our sub-zero cold much less the icy roads? Not many. Not many Minnesotans for that matter.

We are a tough lot! We are from good Viking stock!

But I still could've done without the ice.