MARILYN HAGERTY: Dog park goes to the dogs (and cats) Sunday

• Marilyn Hagerty

Marilyn Hagerty

Talk about it

Dogs will have their day. Cats, too, this Sunday. That’s when the third annual All 4 Fun Dog Festival is planned by Circle of Friends Humane Society.

There will be a demonstration of how dogs should behave by the Grand Forks Kennel Club. Then, just for fun, there will be doggy games and contests.

Doggy games will test the ability of dogs in skills such as musical sit-stay, doggy dash, obedience baseball and doggy bowling. There will be a prize for the longest sit/stay.

The Manvel Fire Department will be grilling food. The whole event takes place at the Circle of Friends Dog Park, 4375 N. Washington St. Dogs will all have to be leashed. None of this running around on the loose.

Ice breaker

The weekend arrives with another opportunity for tailgating before the UND football game with Montana Western Saturday afternoon. . . The Ice Breaker Hockey Tournament is on at the Ralph. . . Sioux fans will be gathering for lunch today at the Alerus to hear the inside story of the weekend sporting events. There will be mild humor by Lowell Schroeder, president of Sioux Boosters, and music by the 42nd Street Symphony conducted by Ken Hallgrimson. . .

People who like the good old hymns can hear them at 2 p.m. Sunday at Calvary Lutheran Church … And move on to a concert at the Chester Fritz at 4 p.m. featuring Grand Cities Children’s Choir, Central High School Choir, UND Concert Choir, Allegro and Varsity Bards and the Grand Harmony Chorus. Gifts will help establish the Mark Solberg Memorial Endowment at UND. . . There’s a Fall Bridal Premiere coming up Sunday afternoon in the Alerus Center Ballrooms. . . Waiting in the wings is “Time Stands Still” next week in the UND Burtness Lab Theatre. . .

Ask Marilyn

Q. Have you seen any interesting vanity license plates around here lately?

A. Just this week I noticed SMPLCTY on our city streets. When I was approaching Bismarck on the Interstate 94 recently a car with license plate PAHLEEZ passed me. My extra pair of eyes noticed PONY XP (Pony Express) on a Mustang and FSHWALI (Fish Walleye). Those sharp eyes have also noticed I AM DUN, PEBBLES, MAUISUN and TRSTGOD. One plate read THNKFUL. The funniest one was LVBEER2.

Q. How are people around here saving money in these tough economic times?

A. I have been asking friends, and they have many ways. Sometimes small ways, but they all add up. One friend replaces light bulbs with the new fluorescent bulbs – even in her lamps. She also finds it economical to buy frozen vegetables because you can use as much you want and not have leftovers of cans. And people have been finding that store brands are more economical than name brands and sometimes better.

Q. What is the best news you heard all week?

A. Northern States Power is saying there may be a decrease in the cost of gas.

Q. Do you fill up your gas tank in the car when it is half full?

A. Yep. I read the more gas you have in your tank the less air is occupying empty space. Gasoline evaporates quickly and filling up minimizes evaporation.

Andy and Evelyn

Cheerful people of the week: Andy Schneider, Evelyn McGiffin.

Reach Marilyn Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or at 701-772-1055)

Tags: circle of friends humane society, gf and egf, ice breaker tournament, north dakota, marilyn hagerty, updates, columns, und, pets, life