Black Hills Bagels Blog

I stole that word from Jill Swank. She works at Noah’s Ark Vet Clinic on Mt. Rushmore Road. Jill is a long time actress. She and her husband were the execs at the Black Hills Playhouse for many years. Anyway, Jill is also a comic writer. At least her emails always make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud. Oh, she is also the Secretary for the Mount Rushmore Road Group so we converse through the internet often. Anyway, today was the day for taking down the Wilson Park Christmas Lights. I know, I know…but this was the day we got around to it. Jill calls it the delighting. She, Rose Stewart, Mary Roth and Sue Knutson were all on the committee. Hope you thought Wilson Park looked grand this year. First ever lighting. The committee promises even bigger things next year. Somehow it’s always a lot more fun to put up the lights than take them down. Thank goodness for six wonderful people today. We got them down in an hour and they are safely stored away thanks to Lisa Modrick’s garage. But as I’m thinking about todays delighting I am thinking next year we need to take them down in january (on a nice day ofcourse) and make it a really fun time – perhaps some hot chocolate, maybe a skating party. If you have any ideas let me know and I willl pass them on to the committee. Because quite frankly none of us enjoyed taking the lights down – but we had a ball putting them up.
debra

I wonder if I am the only one who does not like Daylight Savings Time. Yes, ofcourse it’s great in the summer when it’s still light outside at 9 oclock. But these first several weeks – till about May are torture for those of us who have to be to work at 4 or 5 a.m. It means we’re getting up IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! Right now it’s 6:45 am and pitch black – no sign of sunrise. Fortunately for me I have the day off to adjust. Larry, our baker who is even more reliable than the postman (remember through rain, sleet, snow or dark of night?) is always there early. He doesn’t mind the change in time. What a great guy! He is underpaid. Somebody needs to give him a raise.
debra

I have not watched the Oscars in several years…however, Jack and I were invited (actually we invited ourselves ) to Greg and Pam Hansen’s house. They have a huge HD tv! We dont! Anyway we had a fabulous meal and watched and commented on the outfits, the hair, and ofcourse the acceptance speeches. I discovered I am not as out of touch as I thought. I know and enjoy Sandra Bullock movies and have always liked Jeff Bridges. I like him even more after seeing him in “Crazy Heart”. Any musician who has been on the road can relate to that movie. As Jack and I watched the movie we smiled to ourselves and glanced at one another during the movie. You see Jack is a musician, has travelled with bands and by himself since he was 15. In the 60’s and 70’s teenage bands could play in bars. You know that song, “Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys” should be changed to musicians! It’s a tough life on the road whether you travel in a 1978 broken down pickup truck or a Prevost motorhome.
Fortunately for me and for Jack he completely turned his life around a year before he met me. And most of his musician friends that are still alive did the same – Jack still travels but instead of reaching for “A little help from his friends” he reaches for a higher power. And a caffeine free diet coke!
“Crazy Heart” focuses on the life of a musician but really it’s about Agony and Ecstacy and inner struggle. Too many of us succumb but Jeff Bridges character and Jack have overcome.
Go see the movie and tell me what you think?
Debra