kerc
Park Point Cabin, revisited
While out hiking with The Big E and our daughter this weekend he reminded us both there used to be cabins on Park Point. Does anyone know when they were torn down?
Eclipse viewing in Duluth
Any events happening in Duluth for the eclipse later this month? We have extended family who will be in town that day and are looking for a good viewing spot/party/whatever.
Power to the Peeps
Selfless promotion: my family and friends created this art while I was working. Check it out, on display at Hannah Johnson Fabrics in Lakeside. (more…)
Bike Parking in Downtown Duluth
On Saturday’s march through the Skywalk my husband noticed the bike parking signs near the new DTA Transit Center. I went down there yesterday to get the 411.
“Bike parking is sold on a monthly basis. The cost per month or any part thereof is $10. There is also a required deposit of $5 for the FOB needed for entry into the secure bicycle parking area. This deposit is returned when the FOB is returned to the DTA. Payments are due by the 25th of the month for the next month’s rental.” (more…)
Somebody in Duluth is doin’ it right
Have you seen this thing circling the internets? How to give your kid a 1970s summer.
From their suggestions:
3. Make them play outside. Like all day. All. Damn. Day.
Well someone out on the upper reaches of the Sucker River is letting their kids do just that. I was out for a bike ride on Friday and came across these two bikes and heard a great deal of 10-yr old (guessing) laughing coming from the river.
Well done Duluth, well done.
(Although it is funny to note: bikes were locked to the bridge. You know, since some jerk might come along and steal them).
Looking for a specialist in preserving antique needlework
We inherited an old piece of needlework. It is probably about 50 years old, maybe older. It could be as much as 100 years old. We have it, but in a move the glass broke and we need it to be re-framed/matted — whatever you do to keep a piece like this looking good. Who do I call, where do I go to begin tracking down this?
Grocery Shopping
For some time I’ve been saying my grocery costs are high and seem to keep going higher. We’ve got two bottomless pits growing school-aged girls and two adults to feed. Recently I decided to comparison shop for prices. So hey, if you saw me wandering around the grocery store this week with my pad of paper, writing down prices, I really wasn’t crazy. I was on a mission. I blogged about it and I’m sharing because I thought you too might be intrigued at the results.
Also raising a question for you: are the prices at all of the Super One stores the same? I claim yes, my neighbor claims no and thinks that the Lakeside one is more $$ than others.
Looking for a school for your preschooler this fall?
The folks at Lakeside Presbyterian Nursery School wanted you to know that there are still openings in their classes. The school is 50+ years old and remains a solid preschool of the sort I attended as a child. That is to say play, painting at an easel, listening to stories, singing songs, sharing a snack, etc.
Note that the play is first. No worksheets here. My kids are alumni and one kid managed to read before kindergarten, the other waited until about a week into the summer before first grade. Both rocked kindergarten. And now car rides are heavenly (but I digress).
This is a school that is affordable, caring, small, and focused on getting your kids ready to have a successful start to school.
Website
Call them for more information. 218-525-1967
Location is at 45th avenue east and McCulloch street. Right by Marshall’s hardware (and that little shopping district).
FYI: Lakeside Presbyterian Preschool
The Big E and I sent our kids to Lakeside Presbyterian Preschool and we think its a pretty neat place. Our kids are alumni, but one of the teachers there asked me to post this flyer in a nutshell:
Open House Thursday, March 1 5:30-7pm. Preschool for 3-5 year olds.
That’s all the info I’ve got. Call them for more.
Duluth Care Package
Let’s say you were sending a care package to someone. You want it to reflect Duluth. The female recipient is in college out of state and isn’t from Duluth (although her parents are recent transplants). What would you send?
Typewritter Repair?
Our 8 year old has a manual typewriter. The budding writer needs her typewriter oiled. Although her parents did type in college it was on two Macintosh computers and they have no idea how to do it. Any local shops/repair services you recommend?
Science Night
Next Friday is Science Night at UWS. Bring your kids, it is always a good time. Mine (age 5 and 8 ) have been asking when the next science night is since about this time last year.
Friday April 8, 2011 from 6-9pm
Wessman Arena on UWS’s campus (this is a new location since our science building is under renovation). Hosted by the UWS Students of Science Club.
Admission is FREE! Come see demonstrations, look at displays, enjoy yourself and learn a little!
Duluth Pharmacy Recommendations
My pharmacy is closing and I need recommendations for a new one. I live in Lakeside and will not use Walgreens. I would prefer to go to the ER before having another prescription filled by them.
The whole story:
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Duluth Public Schools Website — A joke!
Anyone else find the Duluth Public Schools website absolutely abominable?
I had reason to call three elementary schools, one of which I needed the address for. Sure I could use my handy-dandy phone book — oh, wait, this is 2010 I don’t have a phone book! Not to mention I’m sitting at my desk, with my high-speed world wide web right here.
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Global Work Day … a kid-friendly option
A friend is organizing a global work party.
Sunday, 10.10.10 (10am-noon)
Bring your children so we can teach them to care for the Earth! Please bring own garbage bags. We’ll meet at the Tot Lot, disseminate (perhaps farther down the beach), and then meet back for a photo. Hope to see you there!
Do you need a bag for that?
My dog happens to be the least alpha dog there is. He barks rarely. In fact when I got him from Animal Allies I wondered if he had been de-barked because he didn’t bark for 3 days. This morning he barked at something out the front door window.
I went over to look, thinking it could be a delivery person or something. Turns out it is someone who let their dog poop in my front yard and then was walking away from it, not picking it up. I turned on my Minnesota, passive aggressive self, “Excuse me do you need a bag or shovel to help pick that up? I’ve got a trash can right here you can put it in.” (point to trowel and trashcan literally feet from where she is).
Reminder dog owners: pick it up. If you happen to come by my house, feel free to use the doggie trash can perched in the front yard. That’s what it is there for.
Memorial Day, the real deal.
I spent the holiday getting my tires/tie rods/alignment replaced/done. If that doesn’t say holiday, I don’t know what does. It was hours upon hours at the service center, me without my laptop and not much to do.
Guy comes in with a combat wounded plate. Service shop is finishing up his transaction and employee says, “Thanks for your service, were you in Nam?”
Turns out he was. Turns out the customer service guy was as well. They talk about locations/dates and it turns out that it is highly possible the guy selling tires once upon a time flew the customer in a helicopter someplace over the jungle in Vietnam. Wow, they can’t make this up. Pair of them tell a few stories, shake hands. Thank each other for their service.
A 20-something woman waiting in line behind the Vietnam vet is waiting less than patiently. Vet leaves. Woman says something like, “What’s all the fuss?”
Just another day at the auto repair shop.
Where can I buy a blender part locally?
We need a new rubber seal for the blender – you know the “o” that goes between the jar and the blade.
The original one got caught in the blade and was destroyed. Shortly after that happened, Big E did a little surgery on something purchased at Marshall Hardware and managed to cobble together something that works semi-decent. The rubber has gotten hard and it no longer seals well, I’d like to get a bona fide blender part.
I can order online for 4 bucks for the part + at least that much in shipping. I’m in search of a local place to buy one of those o-ring rubber seals for a blender.
One more reason why I love Duluth, or the berries are ripe!
Saturday evening, a fabulous time to head over to Brighton Beach. A few other families thought so as well. We get out of the car and basically have to navigate our way over a few raspberry bushes to get to the beach. This being Duluth, they were still full of berries. They are no longer, so no need to consult there in your berry quest.





