Just My Opinion - by Mary Kilen
Summer Arrives With Intensity
I know that most of you probably remember me asking for some warm weather. I promise that when I asked for it, I was not asking for the inability to touch the steering wheel in your car. It shouldn’t surprise me; after all, the State Fair starts on Friday. It’s not a day at the fair if you’re not looking for someplace to cool down and sucking down water and lemonade like your life depends on it. Some days, it just might.
I spent most of Saturday in the house, although I did come to the office and water the flowers. I was afraid that lack of doing so would mean their demise, at least for some of the newer ones that are in the planters on the new deck/back stairs we put on the building. They’re still babies compared to the others and they need attention while they develop their roots.
I was almost wishing I had gloves with me because my car’s steering wheel was so hot. That’s what happens when you leave your black car sitting in the driveway with the windows rolled up. I made sure to leave the windows at least cracked open a little bit for the rest of the day.
Dale and I spent most of the day building a new Lego set in the comfort of our air conditioned dining room. We hadn’t built in quite a while, but then we decided to pull out a set we had barely started about a year ago and finished it. Saturday we started on a lighted and motorized lighthouse. We made significant progress with our lack of desire to leave the house.
We went to Minot on Sunday and met Amanda to bring Joz home for her week. After lunch, Amanda headed back to Bismarck while Dale and I took Joz for some shopping before we came home.
After supper from Dairy Queen, Joz and I decided to go to the pool for a while. I forgot that American Lutheran Church is sponsoring free swimming on Sundays in July so that was a pleasant and most welcome surprise for us. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get in the pool, but I had my swimsuit on just in case.
Joz was barely in the door before she took off for the diving board and started enjoying her evening. I sat for a little while, and then decided I should at least go put my feet in for a while. I sat on the side of the pool visiting with a friend and then went back to my book. It was so hot, that I decided maybe I should get in the water.
I wandered to the side of the pool, sat beside the ladder and started dropping into the water. I thought it was a five foot area. To my surprise, it was six and I was quickly under water. I hadn’t planned on getting my hair wet, but whatever. Joz and I spent some time in the pool and then I got out for awhile.
We swam together again for awhile and about 8:30 we headed for home.
Stanley is blessed with the new swimming pool. The water is not freezing. There are plenty of ways for kids to have fun with the slides and the rock climbing wall. Families can take advantage of some of the tables and umbrellas, or you can enjoy a deck chair. Little ones love the areas that are designed with them in mind. The splash pad is also a welcome addition. The park district has left that open in the past after the pool has closed for the season. That’s awesome on hot days.
As I write my column on Monday, Joz and I are planning to go to the park for the Lions Burgers in the Park. It might end up being pretty hot, but it is a great way to have supper without having to cook and heat up the house. There may or may not be more swimming planned for the evening.
On Tuesday, Joz and I will head over to Tioga for her to get a haircut. Her favorite stylist, KyAnn Sorenson, used to be in Bismarck, but now she’s working in Tioga after moving back home. She was able to get Joz in and I’m not sure which of them will be happier to see each other.
I’ve got City Council on Tuesday and School Board on Wednesday, so Joz and Dale will get some quality time in the evenings. Chances are they might even work on the Legos while I’m gone.
Thursday afternoon, we’re going to check out the Bakken Rocks Cookfest in Powers Lake. I haven’t been to one of those in a long time. It should be fun to check out all of the cooks and the activities for kids and families.
With the fair opening on Friday, I’ll give you three guesses what my plans are and the first two don’t count. Everyone will get their first shot of fair food for the season. There will likely be some rides in my future as well. I’m pretty sure we’ll head back on Saturday; I’m just not sure what time. We’ve been debating whether Amanda will come pick her up on Saturday or Sunday. I’m betting on Sunday because then Joz gets her full week.
Either way, it’s a busy week around our house. You may have noticed that we are not running the full 4-H Achievement Days article and pictures until the July 29 issue. When Heather reached out to me and asked if she could have an extra week to deal with the pictures and article, I might have been tempted to kiss her. I wasn’t sure when I was going to find the time this week to work on those hundreds of photos and article. The extra week will work out best for both of us.
Just For A Giggle
I know that a lot of my friends follow The Bismarck Bubble on Facebook. The creator of the page does a great job keeping people updated on weather forecasts and events with a lot of humor thrown in. While my lawn is still doing a great job of holding its own with the frequent rains we received, as well as the amount of watering Dale has been doing coaxing new grass to grow, they have not been as lucky.
On Monday, the creator was offering an obituary for their “beloved lawn” which had dates of March 20 through July 12, cherished by children, dogs and dads with New Balance sneakers.
The obituary reads, “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Our Beloved Lawn, which departed this life on July 13, 2026 following a brief but courageous battle with consecutive days of triple digit temperatures.
Born on the first day of spring, Our Beloved Lawn brought joy to our children, comfort to bare feet, and the unmistakable smell of freshly cut grass. It proudly lived to celebrate America’s 250th birthday before succumbing to the Great Heat Wave of 2026. During its short life, it also endured decades’ worth of neighborhood dog deposits in just four short months.
It is survived by several stubborn dandelions, one suspiciously green patch beneath the downspout, a family of ants that somehow made it through, and a sprinkler system that gave it everything it had.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests one inch of widespread rainfall.”