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This weekend is the annual Home, Business and Garden Show and the annual Sports and Outdoor Show, all taking part at the Chisago Lakes Senior High School. The Home Show is located in the school building and the Sports Show is located in the Chisago Lakes Arena, next to the high school. There will be over a hundred exhibitors in the Home Show and the Sports Show promises to be full also. As long as I can remember, going to the Home Show was just something you planned on attending. I hope you and your family take some time this weekend to take in both shows and see what wonderful services and products this community has to offer.

What a great time it is in our area for winter sports. North Branch girls basketball team is headed to the Target Center this Wednesday for the State Tournament. Here in Chisago, the boys basketball team is quickly working its way to the tournament also. It seems every season either Chisago or North Branch is putting a real winner on the field or court. The coaches should be commended for all they do for the area youth.

Every once in a while I am the target of an angry sports parents ire. I know that it comes with the territory and normally I welcome input from the readers. But last week I received two calls from anonymous parents who really laid into me and the Press. The male caller was real tactful, using expletives and yelling the whole time, and never once letting me speak whatsoever. Are we so enamored with our children’s sports that they consume our lives and cause us to lash out at others?

On the other end of the spectrum, I have some good news about our society. Last week, while taking our 3-year-old shopping, my wife lost her wedding ring. After looking everywhere possible, we were resigned that it was lost for good. With one last attempt at hope, she called Target and low and behold someone found it in the parking lot. In this day and age I would have suspected it would have turned up at a pawn shop. But wouldn’t you know, a person who knew the right thing to do, found the ring. Thank you to Mary Lou for being an honest, thoughtful person.

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