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With our Democrat Tribune editor Joelle Doye on vacation for a while I had the chance to cover a few events in Mineral Point recently. Besides a couple of baseball and softball games, I made it to the "Clay in May" and "Hats Off" events. Each one of those stops gave me a chance to run into several people I hadn't seen in a while. It's always good and a lot of fun to keep in touch with as many communities as I can! Above are just a couple of the hats you could've seen at Saturday's event - modeled by Dee Wunderlin, Cobb and Susan Coatney, who runs "Bubble Threds".
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The past few days have been great spring days. I've seen farmers in the fields and people out doing yard and garden work plus it's been better for high school spring sports. The different teams have been able to make up some of the ground they lost with the not so great weather we had throughout April!
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I was running the concession stand for the Dodgeville Knights Home Talent baseball game against the Blanchardville Bullets Sunday. Just as I was cleaning up I received a cell phone (can't say telephone anymore) call from cousin Rose from Madison. Actually it was her friend Linda - someone I met several years ago - calling on her behalf as Rose was driving. They were heading through Dodgeville and decided to eat at Sam & Maddies. I had just gobbled down a brat and a burger at the concession stand, but I said I would join them for awhile, but that I had to restock the stand with a few items first. When I got there they were eating salads. Rose had the pork chops, Linda had a rack of ribs and Ed had tacos (Cinco de Mayo). They all said the food was excellent. Linda and Ed are from Milwaukee and when they asked about dessert the waitress said "figgy obbin". They didn't have a clue, but I stepped in and said they'd like it. They had just two left, so we split them between the four of us. "Very good" was the verdict. They said they would definitely order it again!
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Here's a few events you may not want to miss in the area. Upland Hills Health will hold a "Nurse's Day Community Fun Run" Thursday, May 9 with a kid's run at 5:30 and adult run following. There will be an open house at the Hyde Blacksmith Shop on Saturday, May 11. (Hyde is between Ridgeway and Arena). You can meet former Iowa-Grant graduate and current assistant UW Basketball coach Greg Gard at Tower Junction at the Dodgeville Kiwanis fundraiser to help autistic children on Monday, May 13. The Uplands Garden Club's annual plant sale will be at Harris Park (Ley Pavilion) the Saturday after Mother's Day (May 18) starting at 8 a.m.
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It will be a busy Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting week for Dodgeville next week as Ederer's Dairy Supply and Do-It-Best Hardware will hold a Grand Opening the 16th, 17, 18th with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday (15th) at 5:30 p.m. Wild Weasel (downtown) will have a Grand Opening those same days with a ribbon cutting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. Also, Time & Again Vintage (downtown) will have a ribbon cutting on Friday of that week at 10 a.m. Congratulations to each of these fine businesses!
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I ran into the Chris Crubaugh family at Centennial Park about the time of the home talent game Sunday. My great-nephew Grant Roh was outside with me (I was grilling) and I introduced him to Chris, who said "I know him - he comes into the bakery all the time." Grant also knew he was "the bakery guy"! I said to Grant, "I really thought I taught you better!"