I've heard it said that a family is like a country. If that's the case, you might say mine is struggling with border issues. Yours, mine and ours - where does one begin and the other end?
Many of our squabbles center on a key area of the house: the bathroom.
The bathroom is an essential space often fraught with conflict-laden matters. Whose job is it to put the lid down? Who owns the responsibility for flushing? Who gets to shower first in the morning? Should the toilet paper roll from the top down or bottom up? It's all important stuff. Sunday, September 05, 2010
When most people think of impaired driving, they think of a person who has been drinking alcohol and driving, however; there are many other causes of impaired driving, such as: being under the influence of legal or illegal drugs, being too sleepy to drive, or driving distracted, all of which can have an impact on one's ability to drive. Saturday, September 04, 2010
A National Institutes of Health website defines post-polio syndrome (PPS) as a condition affecting "polio survivors years after recovery from an initial acute attack of the poliomyelitis virus." People with PPS can have new weakening in affected and non-affected muscles, fatigue, joint degeneration pain, and muscle atrophy. The United States has more than 400,000 polio survivors and perhaps 50 percent have PPS.
Regina Butts developed polio in 1948, not long before the first polio vaccine became available. "I got polio at 18 months," said 62-year-old Butts in a telephone interview. "My mother's story is that she handed me the baby bottle in the crib and I wouldn't reach for it with my hand Saturday, September 04, 2010
Our family has lived in the Kimball area for almost 20 years. Our two children will have both graduated from Kimball after this school year. I have been a volunteer as a coach and served on the Kimball Sports Booster Club for many years. Kim has been on staff at Kimball Elementary for the past 17 years.
What you may not know about our family is our background. We both grew up on small dairy farms in west-central Minnesota. We both graduated from the same high school before pursuing our college degrees. Our backgrounds are similar to many who live in the Kimball area. Friday, September 03, 2010
"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
-Dr. Seuss
I came in from the garden the other day to find my house in a state of disorderly conduct. I wasn't surprised; the phenomenon gradually unfolds about this time every year. If the neatness patrol or everything-in-its-place police showed up at my front door they'd never get beyond the entryway. The clutter makes it a physical impossibility. Everything around me is disrupted and disorganized. In a word: unraveled. Sunday, August 29, 2010
This weekend, my high school graduating class celebrated its fourth reunion. (No, we're not still in our early 20s, although some of us still feel that way.) This was only the fourth time since we graduated that we've officially gotten together.
It took awhile to find everyone. It's been 15 years since the last reunion. Thank goodness there is the Internet to help. Between Facebook, Google, and Anywho.com, I was able to find quite a few of our classmates ... and teachers.
Twenty-five of our classmates showed up at Triple R Saturday evening. Some of us hadn't seen each other since our graduation ceremony. Five of us have died since then. Friday, August 27, 2010
I have heard some people say that parents who open-enroll their kids should not be helping on the "Because Our Kids Matter" levy committee or be promoting the levy. I really have trouble understanding why this is.
There are currently 92 students open-enrolled at Kimball in grades K-12. That is more than one-tenth of the student population. These kids are bringing with them about $6,000 worth of funding per student, per year from the state, that would otherwise go to their own district. So, since we who open-enroll supposedly should not support/promote the levy, then should we leave? Should we also stop spending money in Kimball? Wednesday, August 25, 2010
As a former Kimball graduate I would like to share a few of my thoughts on the upcoming operating levy that will be facing the Kimball Area School District. I am no longer a resident of the district as my current job has moved me out of state, but I hope to someday move back to the area and send my children to the school that opened many doors for me. Throughout my days in Kimball, I always tried to be active and took advantage of the academics and extracurricular activities Kimball had to offer. These programs were huge in developing myself as a person and also set me up for success after graduation. Sunday, August 22, 2010
Well, another successful Kimball Days was held this past weekend. I heard many wonderful comments regarding the events that were held, especially having the children's events at St. Anne's.
Now I want to take this opportunity to express my desire for those in our community to support the Levy for "our kids" this coming November. It was the voice of community members that had an influence on keeping the parade on Sundays. We need that same commitment to support the continuation of our school presence within our community. It is the "tradition" of Kimball to have a school just like it is "tradition" to have our parade on Sunday afternoon. Friday, August 20, 2010
People have searched for the fountain of youth since the beginning of time Ð or at least since their middle ages.
I am ready to announce here, today, the source of the fountain. I wish I could claim credit for the discovery, but it was my sister's find. In her opinion, youth isn't so much about wrinkles, gray hair, sagging skin or broken hips. It's about being hip.
"You stay young by being trendy," she said. "You've got to know what's going on." Sunday, August 15, 2010
The hassled, red-faced man cruising the neighborhood Saturday morning in the pickup truck is good ol' Bert, of course. It's a Saturday in summer, which means only one thing in our part of the country Ð yard sales. That's why the charming lady riding next to him, his wife, Maizie, was wearing a big grin.
"There's one Bert," she said. "On the right. Pull over and park."
It took Maizie almost 20 minutes to work her way up the driveway. There were three boxes of paperback books to go through first, then a shelf full of various knobs.
"I'll ask them what these knobs are for," Maizie said. Saturday, August 14, 2010
You may or may not know that 96 students are currently open-enrolled in the Kimball School District. This means that the parents of those children choose to go to the Kimball School District for their education instead of the school district they live in. My husband and I made this decision for our children because we wanted a school with a safe and healthy learning environment, enough textbooks and materials for every student, and a chance to be the best they can be in sports. Friday, August 13, 2010
"It's just not the same," said Steve. "I don't care what you want to call it, it just isn't the same thing any more."
"But it does make sense," said Doc. "I personally think catch-and-release fishing is a good thing. Hey, how many fish can a guy eat, anyway? This way, we have all the fun of catching them, and then we turn them loose and catch 'em again later, if they're stupid enough to fall for the same bait."
We sucked down some more coffee and got refilled. Doc put his hand over his cup when Loretta came by. He's trying to cut back on the caffeine. He's not a kid anymore, of course Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Some might consider bullheads (as in the fish) an odd choice of pet. I prefer the term creative.
Besides, we didn't choose our bullheads; we rescued them. They were adopted into our family at a tender age Ð scooped from the shallows of the lake and saved from an almost guaranteed death in the jaws of larger fish. Lake life can be a killer, especially if you are a baby bullhead.
They spent their first weeks with us in an ice cream bucket. We set up their habitat and provided new lake water every few days. It wasn't a permanent situation because they weren't permanent pets. Sunday, August 08, 2010
I am getting ready to start my 41st and probably my final school year working in the Kimball School system. I am looking forward to a happy and peaceful retirement in Kimball where I have lived since I was in first grade. This is home. I want this to remain my home. I am proud of our schools, our kids, and our community. That is why I feel it is important for me to share some thoughts with you regarding the need to pass the upcoming levy on Nov. 2, 2010. The way I see it, we can either pay less now or pay more later. Believe me, I want to keep my taxes as low as possible. Believe me, passing this levy is one of the best ways to do it. Saturday, August 07, 2010
My husband hardly ever gets sick, which is good, because he pretty much stinks at it. I guess you could say being ill ticks him off, and I mean that literally. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Like my husband, many people see illness as an irritating interruption. Sometimes, though, one creeps up and demands your attention. Lyme disease is one such creeper.
You can tell Lyme disease is a serious condition because it starts with a capital letter. They reserve proper nouns for significant diseases; often a scientist in a white lab coat donates his or her name to the cause just so a disease can have a suitable name. In this case, Lyme takes its moniker from a small town in Connecticut. Saturday, July 31, 2010
To the people of Kimball and surrounding communities:
Many people have suffered damage to their homes due to the last storm and with that damage we have had storm chasers follow. Many of these storm chasers even offer to "deal directly with your insurance company" as if that is a benefit to you. The truth is that they are willing to "deal directly with your insurance company" because it is a huge benefit to them. Friday, July 30, 2010
It's easy to get complacent, accepting things as they are and as they have been for ages. Sometimes it's refreshing to learn how someone "new" views us.
I had the opportunity to get three views from the "outside" last week, and it was enlightening.
First, on Wednesday afternoon, a very friendly man walked into the newspaper office. He seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite place him. He seemed to know me, and the newspaper. Then he introduced himself: Daniel Vance, a writer whose columns on disability are run in the Tri-County News from time to time. Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Every once in awhile, my youngest tadpole swims up to the plate and writes this column. He doesn't actually type the words, but he provides the material Ð one tidbit at a time. I started writing down his gems because I didn't want to forget these little nuggets of youthful wisdom.
Someday they may work well as blackmail material. Until then, they are good for a smile. Some of his latest observations on life:
When his pants didn't fit:
I think I'm taller. I must have had a growing sprout.
When talking about the backboard of our basketball hoop:
We shouldn't use it in the winter. In the winter the flexiglass will be frozen and it could shatter.
When caught red-handed eating candy right before lunch:
I figured Skittles didn't qualify as real food. Sunday, July 25, 2010
Most days in the news or on the street, you can read or hear stories about events, meetings or greetings that positively changed lives. Some of these stories might qualify for Ripley's Believe it Or Not. Other stories are casual tales about experiencing the latest and greatest, celebrating accomplishments, or seeing other people. Sunday, July 25, 2010
