When you read this week’s article, it will be Friday, February 14, otherwise known as Valentine’s Day. Being somewhat of a history buff, I was feeling curious about the origins of the holiday and did a quick Google search. I was torn between using the explanation from the Pioneer Woman and Wikipedia but settled on the more legitimate explanation from www.history.com.

I left you on a cliffhanger last week, and I’m heartbroken to report that my beloved laptop did not survive the spilled glass of water. If you remember, I ended last week’s write detailing how Nick Vorlage, our radio man, tried desperately to help me save my laptop.

I traveled an hour south last weekend to a balmy 11 degrees and some sun. I had to wear my sunglasses because it was so bright I couldn’t see to drive.

On Friday afternoon of last week we learned of the passing of our good friend, Stacey Roy. Stacey worked for us at Simmons as an administrative assistant from January 2019 through November of 2023. In business, many say it’s taboo for owners and managers to get close to employees, but in small towns with small staffs like ours, we tossed that theory out the window a long time ago. How do you distance yourself and not get close to folks? It’s impossible.

A few (or more) years ago, Popeye the Sailor Man was an inspirational cartoon character. When needed, the superhero would quickly swallow some spinach and become strong, able to pack a punch that would defeat any evil villain.

Valentine’s Day, I think, has great timing. The colorful displays of candy, cards and of course, cut flowers provide much-needed color for our eyes. It is the cut flowers that really catch my eye and it’s hard to resist bringing some home. You can do a few things to get the most out of your fresh flower purchase.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned through my 15 or so years of youth sports, it’s to always be prepared mainly with warm clothes, blankets, and copious amounts of snacks. It doesn’t matter if it’s baseball season in mid-July or basketball season in mid-January, layers are key. You’re headed to a baseball game in July and it’s 90 degrees at first pitch? Don’t be fooled into thinking that your tank top and shorts will last until the end. By the time you’re in the 3rd inning of the second game, the sun is setting, and you’re in North Dakota. Time to bust out the sweatshirts and lap blankets. Basketball and volleyball games are no exception. I’ve been in many gyms where I never take my coat off.

When people around me complain about the cold, I usually say to myself, “what do you expect, it’s winter in North Dakota.” Well, this winter something in my brain has snapped, and all I want to do is complain about the cold, the wind and the driving conditions. I apolwhat ogize in advance if you run into me and I start the whining.

Well, my Tuesday morning is going anything BUT smoothly. I woke up with a raging headache, and once I fought that off enough to get into the office, I opened up my laptop to learn that it had crashed. When I got done working for the evening yesterday, I sat it in the nook between my nightstand and bed, as usual. At some point during the night, I spilled a glass of water that was only about a quarter full in the perfect location, inside the vents of the underbelly of my laptop.

So, we both turned 65 last summer, and like many of you, Di and I have become ‘educated’ in navigating all things Medicare. In addition, we had to get our prescription plans set up along with supplemental coverages. Since turning 65, I’ve also noticed a change in dialogue with medical staff. Now the initial conversation typically goes something like this: