My husband is a hooligan. He has taken up a new hobby now that the streets are paved and he has a smooth surface to ride on.

Mayday! Mayday! I need a few things to slow down a bit, so I can truly enjoy the entrance of this beautiful season, fall. Every time I turn around there’s a pumpkin spice latte calling my name, a pumpkin or goblin reaching out to my credit card, a fluffy orange sweater waiting for me to try on.

As people saw I was writing again, they became just a bit more friendly and asked me not to write about them…it backfired. As the season comes to an end, we should take time to point out some of the characters that grace the closest lake community in our area. We have been out there for about three years and are learning more each visit. Here is what I can tell you about the ladies of Mt. Carmel that make it pretty fun.

Well, it happened…I actually heard someone say, “Did you read Sara Goodman’s column about Munich? It was pretty good.” I was shocked, not that just someone finished her column but that it was talked about. So shocked I thought I’d come out of retirement and give Bob some time off, as I think we could all use a break there. Speaking of Bob, have you been to Sip Happens? Surprising and awesome all wrapped up into a corner store. A group of us Munichers went over there, and I ordered my favorite sipping drink, Old Fashion, and out from behind the bar, Bob came out and made it in front of us. He was mixing and talking, and the anticipation was killing me, as he knew he had something I wanted. He was going to make me wait for it. Finally, he receded away leaving me with one heck of a good drink. Kudos, Bob.

Two years ago at NDSU move-in day for Gage, Catelyn turned to me as we drove off campus and said, “can you just leave me here, too?” Last Saturday, her wish finally came true, and I left her on the NDSU campus after move-in day. The move-in process was fast, streamlined and easy, other than waiting a few minutes in line for the elevator. Normally, it’s the stairs for me but not when I’m going to the sixth floor pulling a cart loaded with college dorm room essentials. We also had the whole NDSU football team getting volunteer hours and waiting to carry our boxes and bags, so it was easy peasy. Sidenote, because why not - as we drove through Grand Forks on our way to Fargo, the exit to UND’s campus had about a two-mile long line of cars on the interstate that wasn’t moving at all. Catelyn heard from classmates moving into UND that they waited forever to get into their dorms. Maybe UND should take notes from NDSU for move-in day. Sorry, but I just can’t give up an opportunity to get a dig on UND.

I got a good start on my spring cleaning last weekend, yes, I said spring. Maybe even spring of 2024.

Last week my column didn’t quite squeeze into the paper. Bob, Diane and Sara had plenty to talk about and photos to share, so I figured I’d sit the week out.

By Bob Simmons, CEO, Simmons Multimedia This week we finish the long-awaited interview with my dear friend, Mike Alan, who, in addition to his many talents as a broadcaster and columnist, is also a beekeeper in the Grafton area. Part one of this interview appeared in the July 25 issue of this paper.

And they’re off! The students - in their new clothes, carrying new backpacks with new haircuts, ready to start a new year in their education process. No matter the age, it feels like another milestone in getting these kids raised and on their way into adulthood.

Every family has a main trip planner, event organizer and general activities manager. In our house, this may come as a shock, but that person is me. Sometimes I’ll ask for input or suggestions and get very little to none, so I usually just work out details that make the most sense to me, whether it’s flight times or driving routes. The girls might suggest a few things like a fun restaurant to check out or an excursion they saw on TikTok, but Gage always wants everything to be a surprise. In other words, he really doesn’t care if he’s sleeping in a tent on a cot or in a hotel suite with a jacuzzi.