Dear Shirley,
There's kind of a pre-back-to-school lull hanging over the Forks this week. Summer stuff is winding down. School stuff is calling. And I am pleased to tell you there are Shirleys coming out of the woodwork.
I have had calls from several who say they will join in on lunch next Thursday, Aug. 22, at 12:30 p.m. at the Green Mill. This will be the Red River Valley gathering of Shirleys. And anyone named Marilyn is encouraged to show up. There are a lot of them floating around out there in reader land.
We may have a couple dozen. Who knows? They had more than 50 Shirleys gathered for the convention in St. Louis in July. Ours will be a Dutch treat lunch where Shirleys and Marilyns can sit around the table and talk. It should be easy to remember the names. We can eat our sandwiches and salads and talk about the pros and cons of being named Shirley. Or Marilyn.
Remember when we were growing up? Josephine and Virginia were our neighbor friends. We called them Jo and Dinny.
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Kids around here will be learning new names when school starts. I sort of think your name is what you make of it. That is, how you act and how you treat other people.
These days I am thinking the best people are those who sign up to teach Sunday school or lead boy or girl scout troops. The call is out. The need is there.
People and things are getting organized. They had an open house this week for Debbie Storrs, the new dean of the UND College of Arts & Sciences, and Bob Hill, new dean of the College of Education & Human Development.
On the home front, I am excited because granddaughter Carrie Sandstrom is back in town. I don't see her much, Shirley, because she is pretty busy. She will be editor of the Dakota Student at UND this year.
We have a mutual interest in journalism, and we like to eat oatmeal.
Love from your sister Marilyn enjoying the last dregs of summer on the west bank of the Red River of the North.
Reach Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or (701) 772-1055.
