Columns Three Rivers Commercial-News, Penny Saver, & Sturgis Sentinel

“Out and About” State debate, Good Friday dinner, and beating around the bush

Texans are very proud of their state. Before Alaska became a state, Texans would brag about how Texas was the biggest. Texans have a lot to be proud of and usually aren’t shy about sharing that pride. We Michiganders should also be proud when talking about “Pure Michigan”. The next time you get involved in a bragging bout with a Texan, here are some facts you might use to win the debate:

  • All of the other four Great Lakes, plus three more the size of Lake Erie, would fit inside Lake Superior.
  • Lake Superior is actually not a lake, but an inland sea.
  • Isle Royale is a massive island surrounded by Lake Superior. Within this island are several smaller lakes, which means that these are lakes on a lake.
  • There is enough water in Lake Superior to submerge all of North and South America in one foot of water.
    If you are depressed, you are living in the past.
    If you are anxious, you are living in the future.
    If you are at peace, you are living in the present.
    There are several restaurants in the Three Rivers area where one can get a very nice meal. Unfortunately, if you take the family out for dinner, you’re going to pay more than you did ten or fifteen years ago. The price of everything has gone up, because wages have gone up along with the price of gasoline and overhead. Cooks and waitstaff are not going to work for FREE and it’s difficult to get people to work for minimum wage. There is a great place to go for a Friday evening meal. I’m referring to the American Legion on South Main, in Three Rivers.
    The American Legion is a non-profit organization without a payroll. Everyone working at the Legion is a volunteer. This includes the one cook, one hostess, one server and the one bartender. The building is maintained by volunteers. Every Friday evening, from 5 to 7 p.m., a dinner is available. You may eat in, or you may order take-out. On Friday, April 7, the Legion will offer a Good Friday Dinner Special. The special includes ham, au gratin potatoes, green beans, coleslaw and dessert. All of this for $10. If you have COA tickets, you may use these. Regular dinners are also available. A menu is available at the door. Because volunteers are sometimes difficult to come by, it might take a few extra minutes before you have your meal. Your patience is always greatly appreciated.
    There are many phrases we use every day and we use them without knowing where they originated. The phrase “beat around the bush” refers to someone avoiding the point of what they are trying to say, but centuries ago the phrase referred to stirring animals from their hiding place during a hunt. It seems there were people employed as beaters by hunters. Their job was to disturb the brush on the hunting grounds with large sticks as a way of flushing out game. To avoid provoking dangerous animals like wild boar and thus being attacked, beaters would often just hit the areas around the bushes instead of beating the bushes directly. By doing this, they found it a better alternative than being hurt.
    It’s best for one who hits the bottle, to let another use the throttle. – BURMA SHAVE
    See you Out and About!
    Norm Stutesman lives in Three Rivers. He receives mail at P.O. Box 103 in Three Rivers.

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