December 6, 2007 - Thursday

= Only 19 shoping days til Christmas =
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Todays Gazette is being brought to you, in part, by Joe Birkeland and
former Grafton Parade Band majorettes.
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The current temperature is -2 degrees.
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 3/-18
Normal H/L temp for this date is 23/7
It'll feel like -22 degrees if your naked.
We're being told it's time to gas up our snowblowers again for today.
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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I drove all over town yesterday afternoon and I couldn't find anyone
running around without a shirt on. And,... there isn't a skeeter-bug
anywhere in Shivercity.
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It's hard to believe that it's already 50 years ago (according to the
WCR) that the Grafton Parade Band participated in the Orange Bowl parade
in Miami Florida.
Suellen Ringsak, drum majorette lead the band. Other majorettes
included Kay Kieley, Sharon DeSautel, Sharon Jorandby, Doris Misialek,
Jean Moe, Betty Lunde, Mary Ellen Nelson, and Patti Anderson.
Band Director Joe Birkeland lead the Grafton Parade Band down several
"Bowl parades".
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When I "questioned" whether or not folks in Florida or California would
help their neighbors blow snow. I was also expecting some rebuttal.
Marjie shared the following story from Florida. >>>>
LOL Gary. While someone plowing my drive would certainly be unlikely
in FL the spirit is the same.
After my town was hit by Hurricane Charliein 2004 my husband, as
Pres and GM of the electric utility spent days, even weeks at work
supervising the restoration of power to the city. I was left alone to
clean up our own mess.
Temperatures those next August days were in the 90's with high
humidity. After doing some cutting of branches and raking I was on the
verge of heat exhaustion so Istopped for a break. We had no
electricity for cooling and our ice in the freezer was melting. I
happened to look out and saw my neighbors, three different families,
raking and cleaning my front yard. I was extremely grateful.
One neighbor who owns a lawn care business went around the whole cul
de sac with a lawn blower cleaning the sidewalks and driveways.
Good neighbors are a blessing.
Marjie<<<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Marjie. I have
always said. "All small towns are made up of wonderful people willing to
help those in need." On the other hand. "Large towns are made up of a
whole bunch of small towns,... full of wonderful people willing to help
those in need."
Or so it seems to me. :)
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Have I mentioned that we have already received more snow than we can
shake a stick at? If the current snowfall pattern continues for the rest
of the winter. There is little doubt we will have a flood.
The question then would be. Has Grafton done anything in the past two
years to protect it's citizens? The answer, I think, is absolutely no.
I was told, by a very reliable source, that when it comes to flood
control "the people of Grafton chose their own destiny." The vote (I was
told) for the Diversion Project two years ago was a resounding "No"; a
message that the people did not want flood protection for our
community."
Now I ask you. Who on Gods green earth could possibly believe that the
entire population of a town would want their community to be flooded?
It would be a serious stretch of anyones imagination to believe that
anyone who voted for the "flood plan" two years ago, actually,
factually, knew what they were voting for. It is doubtful that the
entire membership of the city council fully understood the plan, even
after numerous meetings about it. Yet, it was expected that people who
knew absolutely nothing about the plan would cast an intelligent vote.
In the past two years, the only visible activity relative to flooding
is that three members of the city council (during the time the plan was
voted on) sold their houses and moved further away from the river. Two
of them sold their homes to a federal buyout program and those lots now
stand empty.
Calling for a truckload of sand and a carload of sandbags when the
water starts rising, isn't flood protection. At best, it's a back
breaking practice in futility.
Or so it seems to me.
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Speaking of snow, and water. I thought it quite a coincidence that Dean
sent the following note just this morning. He wrote. >>> Gary
Count yourself lucky, as of last night we were just short of 14
inches of rain in our rain gage.This of course is the amount of rain
collected from Sunday through Tuesday night. All of this is on top of
the 2 feet of snow that no longer exists. We are now floating away in
the Northwest making way for waterfront property somewhere around
Spokane.Keep up the good work.
Dean Sevigny,
Naval Science Instructor <<<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing
Dean. I'd be happy to lend you my boat, if you can get it over the
mountains.
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The mention of warmer days of the past in yesterdays Gazette gave Marie
reason to share the following. She wrote. >>>
Gary,
When I read that in 1939 it was in the 50's, it reminded me of when we
moved to Fargo from Grafton, which, was in 1990, on Dec. 4th, I don't
recall the temperature, but, our movers were in short sleeves with a
vest on.... beautiful day.... it did not snow for a week to 10 days
after we were here... what a difference this year, right? We got lots
of snow in Fargo, too... it's also very very cold..... Marie Bellerud
<<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Marie. It's not unusual for
us to have what's known as (the new politically correct term) "Early
American summer" this time of year. Although, I suspect, before long,
that too will be blamed on global warming.
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#### HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE ####
Today Julie (Demester) Watkins celebrates the anniversary of her
birth.
You're a fantastic person and Your aunt Patti and I love you very much.
We hope you have a wonderful birthday.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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If you're suppose to be getting the Gazette, and you aren't. How can I
know that? If you would like to share something and not use your name.
We can do that.
If you would just like to tell me "where to go", that's okay too.
Although I can't guarantee that I will go there right away.


Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they are,
before it's too late.