January 5, 2009 - Monday

Todays Gazette is brought to you from the home of "Frosty" the Snowman.
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The current temperature is -24 degrees
The "feels like" temperature is -24
Yesterdays H/L temperature was -2/-25
Normal H/L temp for this date is 15/-4
It was 42 degrees on this date in 1984
It is presently 36 degrees colder outside than temperature in our
freezer.
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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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The latest snowfall event in the area raised the snowcat dust level
within an inch or two of the rear flap of a large pair of long johns.
Even though the last snowfall was the most significant. Grafton's GMU
crews had our community streets open and useable before the early Sunday
afternoon coffee clutch.
Personally, I find it difficult to enjoy the additional snow and cold
weather. On the other hand, our visiting Ohio Fur Farmers seem to thrive
on it. It sounds as though. One of the perceived "deadeye" members of
the Buckeye State Fur Farmers group reportedly nailed his target at 800
yards. That just may be why the Ohio State Motto is, "With God (and a
rifle) all things are possible."
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Many area residents are anxiously waiting for this Wednesday to
celebrate the life of Father George Lommel at his funeral service. I'm
not sure why, but for some reason it appears as though the Norman
Funeral Home in Grand Forks has also become involved with Fr. Lommels
funeral service.
Of the many notes and comments regarding Father Lommel so far, for me
at least, the following note from Gloria Charlton gives the broadest
insight to the man so many admire for so long. Gloria wrote: >>>>
Gary,
If I could add another note on Fr. Lommel I would like to..... When
Ray and I decided to get married back in 1992, Fr. Lommel was in Drayton
and because he married Ray's parents Ray and Lucille Charlton and he
married my parents Mat and Jennie Jansen we were hoping he would marry
us to... he was happy to talk to us and then we told him we would like
him to marry us in Las Vegas... well he cleared his calendar and we flew
him to LV to marry us.. He so nicely booked the cathedral with his
friend Fr. White, got an organist to play wedding music for us and a
soloist to sing for us... He made our wedding so special and
beautiful.... Oh yes on the plane we were to refer to him as George the
garbage man... He was so full of humor... He has always been a
special person in our lives....
Gloria & Ray Charlton <<<<
Thanks a million for caring and sharing Gloria. Apparently Fr. Lommel
was a man of many professions. I remember Father telling me once, that
on one particular visit to an Early American Monetary Distribution
Center he told a lady sitting next to him that he was a retired rest
room attendant.
Aren't memories wonderful?
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"To overlook the little things in life is to miss the biggest part of
life itself."
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As I have stated so often before, I've never really been a very astute
student of the world of sports. I have trouble remembering how many
periods in a baseball game or why they call one shot a "free throw" when
they don't charge for any of the rest of them anyway.
Anyhow. Judging by some of the comments I'm hearing when consuming my
daily ration of caffeine. I am lead to believe that there is a faction
of folks out there that do not believe a college in a state with less
people than most suburbs have, should be participating in what is
referred to as, division 1 sports.
I'll be darned if I know the best answer to that. Except to say, from
my prospective, the UND (University of North Dakota) probably has to go
to division 1 simply to keep abreast with "our" Spoilers hockey program.
After all, if "our" grade school hockey players can travel several
thousand miles a year just to play grade school hockey. Obviously, then
it must make sense for a whole bunch of collegiate hockey players who
are getting their college education paid for by scholarships to travel
all over the United States just to skate in states most of us have never
even been to.
Or so it seems to me.
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Two thirds of our nation now live in or near big cities. The other
third is on the freeway looking for the exit.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those who mind don't
matter.... and those who matter don't mind."
Or so it seems to me


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