Outside the Lines

Well, we are halfway through the longest and dreariest month of the year, and we got a break from that freezing weather with some thawing temperatures at the end of last week. It is funny what a few degrees above normal can do for a person’s mood and outlook on life. 
I won’t try to fool anyone into thinking that winter is over, but even a few days or a week of above normal temps will undoubtedly shorten the bad days still to come.
A good week in sports
The week in sports had more moments of great interest. I am now convinced that the Blossoms girls are either better than we thought, or some of the teams they are playing have rather inflated records. BP began the week with a stifling defense against rival NRHEG to forge an easy win. They closed the week with a victory over Tri-City United, this time with a second half shutdown of a Titan team that managed just 13 points.  
What I found interesting about the week was that the Panthers’ Wagner twins scored 13 points between them against the Blossoms, but then turned around to score 41 points the next game against Kenyon-Wanamingo. With the Saturday game, it demonstrated great defense by the locals, and they get another tip of the hat this week, as they continue rolling along with just one loss. This week will be a test.
The Blossoms boys got a big win Saturday at Montgomery, when they pulled out a win in overtime over the Titans. BP had lost by a big margin to a very good NRHEG team earlier in the week, so the win over Tri-City gave the team a much-needed lift.  The team has to travel this week to Waterville for a conference tilt against WEM.  Good luck to the team as it tries to avenge an earlier loss to the Bucs 
Thrills galore
A group of Blooming Prairie ladies received the thrill of a lifetime last week, compliments of a chance meeting with song star Mariah Carey.  Becky Johnson, Kristin Romeo, Stacey Johnson and Tammy Johnson were on a vacation trip to Las Vegas, when an aide to Carey chatted the five up. When the group indicated what great fans they were of Carey’s singing, they were invited up to a suite in the hotel.
A short time later a maid entered the room, only to discover that it was Carey herself in a maid’s costume. At that point our BP ladies did a whole lot of screaming and jumping around while they greeted the famous singer. They were given tickets to “Ellen”, the show on which Carey made a guest appearance that day.
Although the visit was a brief one, and Carey went to greet some other fans, the experience proved to be one of local residents will not soon forget, if ever. All I can add is what a great occasion and you were certainly in the right place at the right time. You go, ladies! 
BP MOURNS DEATH
I have mentioned the passing of several celebrities, but this week I am saddened to report the death of Bud Miller. Miller was a pillar in the community; very active in the two service organizations and the local Masonic Lodge. He served in several capacities at First Lutheran Church and was an important cog in the area telephone industry. A lifetime member of the local Chamber of Commerce, Bud will be sorely missed by his many friends and BP residents.
 B & G CLUB GALA
The annual gala is now just two weeks away, and the club members are busily working on skits for the occasion, directors are scurrying around finding donations for the silent and live auctions and the club staff is working on final arrangements for the big event. 
 Just a reminder again that some great items are on tap for both the silent and live auctions, including processed pork, golf packages, a Master’s golf package, hotel and motel stays and several other desirable items.
A reminder also that there is no admission this year, and food can be ordered off the regular Foxhole menu. Bidding numbers are $5 each, and raffle tickets are now being sold by board directors and at the club. The silent auction begins when the doors open at 4:30, a short program by club members will be at 7 p.m. and the live auction will begin at 7 p.m. as one member said the other day, “Be there or be square!”
FIGHTING CANCER
Congratulations are in order this week for two area groups which have contributed large sums to the cancer telethon at KTTC TV. The BP cancer group and the Geneva area fund-raisers have worked throughout the year to promote donations for cancer research, and both have held giant auctions to raise the majority of funds they donated.
I don’t have figures for either group’s efforts this year, but I do know that it is a very significant amount. Two big tips of the hat to those two area groups who lead the fight against cancer.  It is a great community project and one that deserves much praise.
Time and space dictate I close my computer and sign off for another week., but we’ll talk again.