You know that you might be a little crazy when you are happy to see rain outside. Thus is the case with me. After the disgusting heat/humidity combination of last weekend and with the impending doom of a repeat of this weather for the coming weekend, I am not upset at all to see a "normal" rainy day. At least the temperatures are decent, right?
So you've possibly all been waiting for my update on this past weekend and Bonanza Valley Days. Or not. Whatever. I have been a bit lax in updates due to the fact that my summer semester is gearing up to conclude. Last night I gave my super exciting presentation of a comparison between the Statistics Canada website and the U.S. government's Data.gov website. Thrilling, I tell you.
Now that the pressure is off for the public speaking component of the class, I can focus on the final two written assignments. If you have learned anything from reading my blog thus far, you know that this is not something that I really stress over. A five page paper? Smeh! Bring it on!
With the formalities out of the way, I shall move on to the main event. I have been a bit troubled at how best to summarize Bonanza Valley Days 2011. I don't really feel that a daily play-by-play is necessary or interesting. I shall try to cover the top salient points and hope that you will be able to get the general sense for what I experienced.
To set the scene, you must imagine a constant feeling of sweat, heat and humidity. At times, to the point that even breathing presents a problem. OK? Now throw in a 2 mile walk/run with two dogs, but with my cousins finishing first and third in their group (go Ben and Joe!). Add in numerous trips to the Red Onion drive-in. Some bakery runs. A failed attempt to have root beer floats. Some amazing grilled chicken and out-of-this-world salsas and guacamole made by a gal from Arizona. Buying beer with my 11 year old cousin (Note: Not for him, just with him.) Watching the bizarre people that the nightly street dances attract gather and preen in downtown Brooten.
Last but not least, there is the phenomenon known as Grandpa Geno. How to explain? I really can't, at least not in one entry. Maybe in a multi-volume work? Essentially, he spent the weekend baiting me over the fact that I dared to ridicule his honey supply. His nearly-empty plastic honey bear with dried honey encrusted to the side. Which he claims to use in his morning coffee. And by "morning coffee" I mean the crystallized substance his sister, my great-aunt "Lena," left for him after her last visit in a small glass jar with a masking tape label displaying "INSTANT."
In addition to continually asking if I wanted honey on any and all things I ate, he also proceeded to explain his "rationale" surrounding his decision to purchase and then not use his medication. I am not talking big stuff. Not prescription - although he has been known to ignore these as well. No, he essentially has someone pick up allergy meds, reads the package and then decides that he doesn't "believe in them." Don't even try to follow the logic. Just know that this is what consumed a lot of my conversations last weekend.
So what are my big plans for this weekend? Ummm.... back to Brooten? You see, my youngest uncle is turning 50, and there is a party. Complete with a cake that will hopefully read "Oh My Gosh, You're Old!" At least that is what my cousin Joe suggested we use. While I am certainly excited to return to good old Brooten again, I am even MORE excited that my brother is coming home for the event. Of course this is because I enjoy seeing him, but it is also because is yet another witness to attest to the convoluted logic of my grandfather and who can share my sincere hope that such eccentricities are not hereditary.
No comments:
Post a Comment