Out and About – Week of April 14th

Today, April 15th, is tax day. You have until midnight tonight to get your tax return to the post office. Congratulations to those who filed early, and have already deposited their returns in the bank.

For Christians, this is a very special week. Next Friday is Good Friday, and next Sunday we celebrate Easter. In celebration of this special season, the First United Methodist Church of Three Rivers will once again host their Annual Lenten Breakfast this Thursday, April 17, at 10 AM. Special music will be provided by Ms. Carolyn Cook, and the speaker will be Ken Nelson. To make your reservations, please phone 269-244-0755 or 269-279-5515.

In last week’s column, I gave a hint about the upcoming “Save The Frogs!” activities that are coming up starting this month. Last year was the first year we were made aware of the importance of preserving these cute little creatures. Because of the way this activity and cause was received, it looks as though this will continue to be an annual event.

I’m all for the preservation of all living things. Well, maybe not mosquitoes or flies, as they can really live up to their reputation of being pests. Frogs help to curtail the population of these little annoyances, so I’m all for frogs, toads, and bats. Maybe not so much the bats.

Anyway, “Two hundred species of frogs have become extinct in the wild in the past thirty years,”my buddy Vic reports, “and this is a very unnatural occurrence that demands our attention.”

Coming up in May, the “Save The Frogs!” committee will have a booth at Lawless Park, over in Cass County. The park is located on Monkey Run Street, in Vandalia. The event, which takes place on Mother’s Day, is a concert and tribute to Mother Earth. Everyone is invited to stop by for information and activities for the kids. This all begins at 2 PM. For more information, visit their website at www.earthdaypark.webs.com.

This month, I am happy to celebrate eight years of doing this column. It doesn’t seem that long at all. The column has changed a little over the years, but my love of doing it hasn’t changed. It seems that there is always something happening and worth writing about right here in Three Rivers.

I’d like to thank Elena and her staff at the Commercial-News for publishing my thoughts and happenings, my editing wife, who makes sure that the commas are in the proper places, and most of all, I’d like to thank you readers. Your words of encouragement help keep my imagination and love of writing active. I appreciate each and every one of you.

The summer travel season will soon be upon us. If you’re planning to leave “Pure Michigan” for destinations unknown, and are thinking of flying, you should be aware of the fact that Consolidators buy tickets from airlines in bulk and resell them at prices generally way below published fares. These tickets are for regular flights on major airlines. It might be advisable to check a Sunday newspaper’s travel section. You might be surprised as to what you’ll find.

Another thing worth thinking about would be group airfares. If you put together at least ten travelers, you may save on the bigger airlines. You’d want to check with tour operators and various cruise lines about group deals. If you have too much money, just forget about this idea.

I’d like to end this week’s column on a lighter note. Here are three things you might not know:

It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but, not downstairs.

Pearls dissolve in vinegar. (I wonder if Glenn Miller knew this)

Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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