---

If you have a young child with a summer birthday coming up, I have got the answer for you. Last Sunday my family attended my niece’s birthday at a Twins game. For $18 per person, everyone in your party gets a ticket to the game, a voucher for a hot dog, soda, and a huge tub of popcorn. Also, each member receives a Twins hat, a pennant, trading cards, their name on the jumbotron, and the best part––a photo with TC the Twins mascot. If my kids are any indication, your children will have the time of their life. Your tickets are in the family section of the dome, so there are other children around without the threat of that drunk loud guy that somehow always seems to be seated by me. My kids were still excited the day after, asking when are we going to another game.

I failed to mention last week that last Sunday the Press put out its yearly Home, Lawn and Garden tab. Normally we do a pull-out section in the Search with an extended tab. This year we put out a beautiful 16 page flyer that was inserted in last week’s Search. If you happened to miss that edition of the Search, we have copies that you can take home. Inside the tab you will find helpful tips and valuable businesses that are here to help with your home improvement needs.

While attending the Twins game Sunday, I almost crashed our car into a light post. No I didn’t spend time in the beer garden at the dome, rather I was so awestruck by the new Guthrie Theater that we almost crashed. If you have not traveled into the big city of late, let me try to explain the new Guthrie to you. Let me think.....um.....oh I know...ugly. Here on the beautiful banks of the Mississippi in the heart of Minneapolis sits this enormous blue tin can looking building. They are going to need to post a big sign at the entrance that says “No this is NOT IKEA.” The total cost of the building is right around $125 million, with around $35 million being funded by the government, and another $30 million paid for by the city of Minneapolis.

I am absolutely for positive change in all cities in Minnesota, but not when the change makes you grab a Rolaids and turn the other way.

This Sunday is in my mind one of the most important days of the year. Mother’s Day is not just another day to dread going to the malls and picking up some more smelly things. No, this day is for celebrating probably the most important, influential person in your life. Whether you acknowledge it or not, your mother has done more to mold and influence the way you act and feel than you could ever believe. Take it from a person who took his mother for granted, please let your mother know how much she means to you. You never know what could happen tomorrow.

Keeping on the Mother’s Day topic, I would be remiss if I forgot to mention Happy Mother’s Day to my mother-in-law, Linda. You are a wonderful mother and I am blessed to have you in my life.

---