Blogs List
 Meg Alexander |
Kya's Cookie CacheThu, June 24, 2010 @ 5:32PM I have a good dog. Heck, I have a great dog. But there are some temptations in life she cannot resist, namely, butter. Three sticks of butter she has stolen off the counter since our family first adopted her a year ago. How do I know this? I found each one in our bed. You see, my dog is part greyhound, and greyhounds have a penchant for hiding beloved possessions, which in Kya's case does not include toys and socks and such things, but food. Dog treats she delicately hides beneath couch cushions, buries in the backyard and places under bedroom pillows. And butter ... yup, that scrumptious delicacy, is not devoured in an instant, but smooshed, still in its wrapper, between our sheets. Yesterday I came home to discover peanut butter is apparently irresistable as well, especially sandwiched in cookies. Strewn across the kitchen floor were the cookies, pulled from the package where my stepdaughter apparently left them on the counter.
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 Jennifer Brookens |
Iowa school district dating game?Tue, July 27, 2010 @ 11:41PM As I sat through yet another school board meeting for one of my Iowa districts, I started realizing how the school boards of North Sentral Kossuth and Armstrong-Ringsted are almost playing "the dating game" as they try to determine their futures. They've grown up side by side, seen the same struggles that have hit their neighborhoods, have "flirted" with each other by sharing some teachers, talked about "what if we..." But nothing has ever come of it. Then last year, Armstrong-Ringsted declares its intentions. North Kossuth says they're in a commitiment with Sentral and appears uninterested. Disappointed, A-R tries to move on, even scoping out the big dog district in Emmet County, Estherville Lincoln Central. But A-R hasn't completely given up on NK and Sentral. (Unlike the socially-accepted dating game, it is possible to have more than two districts enter into a "relationship.
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 Sarah Day |
Moving to Alaska. Also...Snicker salad.Fri, July 23, 2010 @ 2:07PM Well, this is it. This is my last day with the Sentinel. As some of you know, I’ve accepted a job in Juneau, Alaska. I decided it was time for a major change in my life in many ways. This definitely qualifies. On Aug. 3 I leave Minnesota — the only state I’ve ever lived in — and I’ll drive to Bellingham, Wash., get on a ferry on the 6th and arrive in Juneau on the 9th. So farewell Minnesota. I’m sure I’ll be back sometime. Thanks to all who have shared their stories with me. There are a lot of wonderful people here in southern Minnesota. If you’re curious about my adventure to and in Alaska, I’ve created a blog that will share those experiences. I plan on it being predominantly a photo blog, but we’ll see. It’s at www.alaskasotan.wordpress.com. Bookmark it and don’t look at it for at least a wee.
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 Kylie Saari |
Drugging the little ones ... to get a good night's sleep?Thu, July 22, 2010 @ 11:33AM A good friend of mine from childhood often recounts her parents giving her and her brother and sister grasshoppers as a bedtime snack on special evenings. I am not talking about the hopping insects, no, they were given alcoholic beverages on a somewhat regular basis because it would put them right to sleep, allowing their parents to have some alone time. My friend, now a successful pharmacist with no lingering problems from the booze, finds the story amusing, as did her friends. A couple years ago, my son began suffering trouble getting to sleep, and when he did, regular night terrors kept his father and I in a constant state of alarm. His doctor advised us to give him Benedryl every night before bed to help him sleep. Today, the blogosphere is all atwitter about a report linking giving non-prescription drugs to children to help them sleep is abusive.
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 Lee Smith |
What stands out about Fairmont?Wed, July 28, 2010 @ 10:50PM I recently was on vacation and away from the Fairmont area. Driving home from Wisconsin, I was trying to think what distinguishing characteristics Fairmont has, as compared to the other towns I was passing through. First and foremost, Fairmont is an I-90 town, now more than ever. That's to its advantage. Major highways make towns these days like the railroads did 100+ years ago. Fairmont should do all it can to utilize I-90. The stream of travelers going through here are a constant business opportunity. Fairmont has lakes and other recreational amenities, but these are hidden from most travelers, I suppose. Entering Fairmont from the interstate, the town has a definite blue-collar, industrial feel. This can come across as a "poorer" look. I should note, though, that recent additions like Dulcimer clinic and the new liquor store make a difference in one's perception. Agriculture definitely stands out in this area.
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