Out and About – Week of January 20th

The Three Rivers area Snowman Making Contest is back. If I remember correctly, this contest was cancelled last year due to lack of snow. It seems that we won’t have that problem this year.

The contest will be held this Saturday, January 25, from noon until 2 PM. The site is the west side parking lot, located on the west side of Main Street, on Railroad Drive. Check-in time is 11:30 AM, with the competition beginning at high noon. They are looking for teams of at least five members to compete against teams from Douglas, Zeeland, Saline, and St. Clair. There is a $10 team fee. Applications and contest rules are available at various merchants in downtown Three Rivers, and are also available at the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce office, 57 North Main Street. Immediately following the competition, a fashion show decorating contest will be held for the “Snow People”. Entrants are reminded to take home all non-biodegradable items after the show. Carrots, berries, etc., are welcome to stay. For warmth, campfires will be available from noon until 3 PM, hosted by local Boy Scouts. A final note: the judges are looking for quantity, not quality. The last winning town made 400 snowpeople. Kudos to the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority for hosting this family event.

As I look out my office window, and see the snow building up on the already accumulated drifts, I remind myself that spring is just around the corner. Evidence of this is the notice that Little League sign-ups are happening tomorrow, Wednesday, January 22, and Saturday, January 25, at The Cage, located on North Main Street, just off Enterprise Drive. The sign-up hours for tomorrow, are from 6 to 8 PM, and the hours for signing-up on Saturday, are from 8 to 11 AM. These are for both softball and baseball. The cost for tee-ball is $50, and for all other divisions, the cost is $60. It would be a great idea for all parents to accompany their future Hall of Famers, in case there are any questions. It’s time to get ready to “PLAY BALL”.

If there is such a thing as reincarnation, I would really like to return as an indoor cat. Our cat has it made. Dixie sleeps most of the day, has plenty to eat and drink, and has no responsibility whatsoever. One of her favorite places to relax is my chair. When I come home, she reluctantly gives up her spot and seeks out my wife for sympathy. Seems to work every time.

Cats are extremely independent. Dogs not independent at all. There are pros and cons as far as having a dog or cat, but that’s a column in itself.

There’s a lot we can learn from dogs. A dog-friend of mine, named Mr. Canine, is a teacher, and he gave me a list of things we, as humans, should learn and remember, if we want to get along better with other humans, and enjoy life in a better way. There are sixteen things altogether, so for the next four weeks, I’ll share four of them with you each week. Here are the first four:

Always run to greet loved ones when they come home.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Recognize the ecstasy of fresh air and wind in your face.

Take naps.

Four more next week.

All of you bargain hunters might want to check out the “dollar” stores that are abundant in just about every community. They can make shopping fun, especially if you like bargains that really help you save a buck or two. They sell very basic items like toiletries, greeting cards, household goods, and even clothes at very low prices. I don’t know of anyone who wouldn’t rather have more money in their pocket rather than in the larger stores.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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