This coming weekend, the John Millar Arena is the place to be as the 2013 Southern Aroostook Trade Show opens its doors for two full days of exhibits. For those who have never been, the trade show is an excellent opportunity to see all the latest recreational vehicles, ATVs, lawn mowing equipment and much more up close and personal.
With spring officially here, and temperatures rising this past weekend to the upper 50s and low 60s in some places, the itch for spring cleaning surely came to many southern Aroostook County folks.
It was 1962 and I was 6. Even then, little girls were fashionistas; especially on Easter Sunday. From the top of my head to the tip of my toes, I was adorned in my all-time favorite color: blue. I was quite fond of dresses, but this ensemble was the complete package!
There I was at the Caribou Performing Arts Center totally immersed in the program before me; nearly forgetting to breathe as each competitor performed for the title of “Northern Star.” Beside me sat a newspaper reporter snapping photo after photo; her enthusiasm infectious. I found myself lost somewhere between budding stardom and genius rendition as I toyed with the notion of leaping to my feet; announcing to the universe that northern Maine and our dear Canadian neighbors were overflowing with unearthed talent of the very highest caliber. It would be a nearly impossible task to choose one performer over the other.
When it comes to home construction projects, I am far better at taking things apart than I am putting them back together. Such was the case this past weekend as I decided the time had finally come to start a bathroom remodeling project that I had been putting off for several months.
I have made a million mistakes during my lifetime. Some of them have been serious, life-altering errors that have left me wounded and wiser. My mother used to say, “Everybody makes mistakes, Belinda. This is why pencils have erasers.” What a simple truth that is! Unfortunately, not all mistakes can be erased.
Today, I am tired of winter. The snow is breathtaking in December and January but when February nears closure and March considers becoming either a lion or a lamb, I am ready to bid adieu to intricately designed snowflakes, snowbanks, snowplows, and icy walkways.
It was an historic tournament week for basketball fans this past week as local boys and girls basketball teams participated in the final tournament games held at the Bangor Auditorium. The Houlton boys and girls, Hodgdon boys and girls and Katahdin boys each had an opportunity to play on the floor of the Auditorium one last time.
I am rapidly knocking on wood as I write these words, “I have never been in a car accident of any magnitude and I pray to God I never am.” These powerful machines have become an absolute necessity in our lives. We polish them. License them. Change the oil. Register and re-register them. Insure them. Eat in them. Wax them. Sleep in them. Argue in them. Laugh in them. Cry in them. And sometimes, we live in them.
Lately, I have been searching for dimes. Sometimes, when we get a temporary melt, items that were inadvertently dropped in the midst of a snowstorm lay abandoned on the ground; saved from evaporation and available for the picking. I am always anticipating a dime or two among the ruins.
