A Busy Week

A Busy Week

Fun times shopping at Bemidji Woolen Mills! After making our purchases, we all tried on some crazy hats before heading off for more shopping elsewhere.

By Allan Olson

Well, 2014 is drawing to a close, and as busy as this last week was, this current one will be even busier, and the coming weeks and remaining days of the year are just going to fly by!

This last week started off with the Middle School Band/Choir Concert and Art Show. My parents attended to watch their grandson in his first band performance, and with school and work the next morning for the kids, wife and I, everyone got up bright and early, and they departed for home when we took off.

This last week, the roles were reversed in the house a little. Normally, I’m the one with late night games, meetings, etc., and leave my wife home alone to deal with the hooligans we call our children. Nearly every night except the first two last week, my wife had a date with several “fancy dresses,” and I was left to attend to the kids. It was a very different role for me. While it doesn’t bother me to deal with the kids for a night or even two solo, it’s a little different when I have to prepare their evening meal, make sure they brush their teeth and all those other little things (like taking a shower). Thankfully, the rest of the schedule worked out pretty well for us, because it was my slow week, and anything I had to cover I was able to take the kids along, and somehow we all survived.

We made waffles on Wednesday. Abigail has wanted waffles for a long time, and we kept putting her off, since making waffles for a bunch of hungry kids is a slow process. Of course, I cheated and bought a box where it was nearly idiot proof to mix the ingredients together and pour it onto the waffle griddle. The only thing I underestimated was the quantity, but in the end it turned out we had just enough, although I think a couple of us wouldn’t have minded another waffle or two.

On Thursday, it was leftovers and/or sandwiches, using ham and whatever else they wanted. A couple of the kids even dined on some leftover French Toast. Once again, no one starved. However, by the end of the day, I was exhausted and was asleep before 9 p.m. (of course, I was smart enough to send the kids to bed before I crashed!).

Friday was another “hurry up, eat and go meal.” I made barbeques for the kids – again, nothing special, but better than an instant meal. We devoured our food and left a little for another day. Since we started on the meal as soon as we got home, we had nearly an hour after eating before heading to town for the CL-B vs. Red Lake basketball game. The kids all attended the game with me and helped root for the home team – at least when they weren’t busy tattling on each other, or asking to get a drink, or asking to use the bathroom, or any number of other things. In all, it went pretty well, and we made it home about 10:30 p.m. I told the kids “I don’t care where you sleep, but no TV or computer before 7 a.m., and don’t bug me before 8.” 

I should have given my wife that memo. She arrived home around 2:30 a.m. Before I had crashed for the evening she had texted me to set the alarm for 6:30 a.m. When it went off, she asked me to go get her van from the garage. Being the nice husband that I am, of course I complied, and that was the end of any really good sleep for me. Although I vaguely recall snoozing a bit after she left, it wasn’t much. 

Later that morning I decided to run to Cass Lake to the Craft/Bake Sale hosted by the Legion Auxiliary, and I thought it was time to get a chain for my chainsaw. I stopped by B&B Repair and they soon had me back in operation, with a new chain and different bar on my saw – since we had plans to get a Christmas tree that afternoon, I figured I might need it. The three younger hooligans and I walked around the sale, I scored a jar of honey, and headed home. I had arrived in town with $21 in my pocket and left with $1, but hey, at least I wasn’t completely broke – bonus!

Unfortunately our plans to get a Christmas tree on Saturday got tabled, as my wife ended up at work longer than anticipated. That evening I made us breakfast pizza on flatout bread. I must admit it was good – almost as good as my wife’s!

We headed into Bemidji to do some Christmas shopping on Sunday. Our first stop was an annual favorite – Bemidji Woolen Mills – where we browsed the selection and found a few items for relatives, and tried on some “Mental Hats” with owner Bill Batchelder and another friend before heading off to some other stores. We picked up a few groceries, and then on the way back home, we stopped at a Christmas Tree Farm less than 10 miles from our house. We selected a tree, and each of the kids took a little time to help cut it down, and we tied it on top of the van and headed home. My wife cooked venison steak for supper – it was great! – the food always tastes better when she cooks.

After supper we got the tree set up, and we planned to decorate it after school on Monday.

This week, we will be part of the entourage heading with the CL-B third graders on their field trip. The rest of the week will be busy, too, with a geocaching event in Cass Lake, followed by a college basketball game at the high school. Fun times ahead!

Please be safe while enjoying your favorite outdoor recreational activity, and on the lakes, and remember to take pictures to preserve a lifetime of memories. Remember to drive safely, and watch out for those buses carrying our children. Thanks for reading, and have a great week! For more of my columns visit: http://allan-crazykids.blogspot.com.