Thanks to Mother Nature kicking up a wicked blizzard last week, the kids had one full snow day and a half snow day. During the full snow day, it was virtual learning for the students. Ella spent her day in Teams classes, while the rest of us watched TV on mute and tried to stay out of the camera frame, although I’m pretty sure Mitty the kitty made it on camera during science class. The first five minutes of every class were spent trying to get everyone connected on Teams. I would hear the teacher go through roll call, and without fail, there were always students the teacher either couldn’t see or couldn’t hear. It made me think of the classic movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” where the dry as bones teacher keeps asking in a monotone voice, “Bueller?”, “Bueller?”, “Bueller?” when Ferris skips class.

By Bob Simmons, CEO, Simmons Multimedia As you read this week’s column, Christmas has come and gone, and the New Year is upon us. My folks were BIG partiers, and then I came along. As Mum-z used to say, once I was born, someone (meaning her) had to become a responsible adult, so she quit smoking and with the exception of very special occasions, gave up imbibing on all things alcohol. For many years, Dad and Mum-z would host family and friends for a huge New Year’s Eve bash in our home’s bar, which took up half of our basement. Thinking about this, my folks must have spent a fortune on that space. The room was finished in knotty pine, which was a big thing in the 50s and 60s. The room had a Baldwin spinet piano; both of my parents played. On one wall, there was a huge built-in glass gun case with no lock on the doors. It was a different time.

Throughout Advent, I have concentrated on the tradition of lighting the Advent wreath during the four weeks that lead up to Christmas. Four candles decorate the outer edges of the wreath, and one white candle sits in the middle. Traditionally, one candle is lit each week reminding us of the attributes of God... hope, peace, joy and love. The order in which we celebrate these virtues varies. The important thing is not the order but that we take time to reflect on the importance of these tributes for ourselves and for the world.

I’ve been on the Langdon Area School District Foundation (LASDF) for almost seven years now, serving as president for the past four or five. I find that many people are either not aware that the LASDF exists or they are not exactly sure what the LASDF does. Let me give you a little background.

Well, as the tide turns, we roll right into basketball season, and honestly, there is nothing better in the winter than a good ol’ fashion Class B basketball game. Now, keep in mind, I’m not an expert, far from it, but basketball has changed so much in the past 20 years that I am slow to adopt the high post, positionless, fast-pace play instead of the low post, inside play, where physicality still was the most dominant role.

Weather in North Dakota this week….cold or warm? Yes. How on earth is a person supposed to keep track of what coat to wear when we go from -45 wind chill to air temp of 40 in less than a week? Socks or no socks? Gloves or mittens? Warm up the car or don’t? The confusion continues as I write, with some freaky forecasts coming up.

I sincerely appreciate the teachers that took the time to participate in submitting their classes’ Santa letters to The Borderland Press. We will certainly ensure their safekeeping on their way to the North Pole! I know teachers are super busy this time of year with the semester wrapping up and holiday plans galore, so I simply request that they scan their letters in so they don’t have to waste their time transcribing them.

I woke up Monday morning with two thoughts. One - there are only two and a half weeks until Christmas, and two - I won’t be getting tickets to Nashville for a present. What happens at a Bison playoff stays at a Bison playoff, so no, I don’t want to talk about it. I want to cry into my pillow for a few weeks, and then I’ll be over it. It doesn’t even make me feel better to gloat about UND losing their playoff game, too, except when Ella’s UND obsessed boyfriend comes over. Then I will gloat about the number of national championships that NDSU has won which shuts down the conversation pretty quickly.

By Bob Simmons, CEO, Simmons Multimedia This week we visit with Langdon City Commissioner Lawrence Henry who manages the city street portfolio. BS- Hello, Lawrence, and welcome to my column.

As I sit in my office writing, I’m watching the snow come down sideways, and I’m reminded that winter has indeed arrived. Someone was nice enough at work to sweep off the four-plus inches that had accumulated on my car that day, and I’m sincerely grateful to whoever that was.