Dear Shirley,
We had kind of a mini blizzard blow through here the past few days. And I noticed there were a couple of ads in the Herald for houses for sale in Arizona. The temptation to head south is strong at times like this. But those of us who hang around the Red River Valley all winter tell ourselves we are braver and stronger for it.
What else can we say?
Maybe we could just say, "Gung hay fat choy." That is how the Chinese greet one another now as they are now into their 12-day celebration of the New Year.
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Around Grand Forks, there are events marking the opening of the somber season of Lent this week. I notice they are holding their annual Fish Fry Friday evening at St. Michael's Catholic Church. And at United Lutheran, they are featuring Bluegrass music on Sunday-which is Valentine's Day, you know.
I remember with pain how we used to have big boxes for valentines in our McKinley grade school down in our hometown of Pierre, S.D. The most popular kids would get a whole pile of valentines, and the rest of us would clutch the few we got and hope for more. Well, Shirley, times changed and equality was the rule when my three went to school. I think if they are even allowed to take valentines to school now, they have to bring one for everyone in the class.
I know you have great basketball teams at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Shirley. And the hoops teams are brightening the winter for fans around Grand Forks. Since I'm still homebound, I sit with my radio and keep track of the games in my notebook, Shirley. I was reminded of the happy hoops days in the old Hyslop Sports Center when the UND men's team beat league-leading Weber State here Saturday.
Members of the UND football team turned out and acted like a bunch of Fighting Hawks. And what I like about Bubba Schweigert, the football coach, is that he shows up at hoops games.
This week, Mia Loyd will be leading the way as the women play Eastern Washington at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center Thursday evening. And they will welcome players from Idaho at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
My favorite player this year is Lexi Klabo from Fargo. She's only a freshman, but already she is making herself known. Her whole family is into basketball. Her stepmom, Mary Perrizo Klabo, played at UND. Along with her love of hoops, Lexi has a goal of becoming a nurse.
Some of Lexi's relatives might be around at lunchtime today in Fargo when the UND Champions Club holds a luncheon meeting at the Ramada on 42nd Street. Val Sussex of UND, the associate director, organizes these events for fans who live in the Fargo-Moorhead area. The lunch, for $13, will be creamy broccoli salad, chicken piccata, linguine, green beans and dessert.
Love from your sister Marilyn watching February unfold from the west bank of the frozen solid Red River of the North.
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P.S. Have you ever had piccata? My Foodspell guide says it is lemon and caper sauce. And caper is the green flower bud of a Mediterranean bush, pickled and used as a seasoning.
