On Turning 65

I guess I’m a senior citizen -
Now that I’ve turned 65.
Perhaps it’s soon time to jettison
The bonds of decorum that thrive.
I’ll say what I think-
I’ll do what I want;
I’ll dress all in pink
Or in purple.
I must make the best
Of the next 20 years -
Traveling from mountains to coast.
I’ll read all those books
And write all those poems;
I’ll play all the songs that I like the most.
And maybe I’ll even dance until dawn,
Or maybe I’ll stand on my head.
I’ll laugh and I’ll love, enjoying the time,
I’ll eat what I want every day,
Ice cream and chocolate, butter on corn,
All I must do while still in my prime.
For time is so fleeting, it flies by so fast.
Only a moment, a lifetime is past.
Kay Carlsen

August at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center

by Kay Carlsen
The summer is flying by. Can it really be August already? Yes, it is, and it will be an exciting month at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center.
This year’s summer theater production, The Matchmaker, is scheduled from August 18-22. Performances on Wednesday through Saturday are at 7:00 p.m. with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Aug. 22. Tickets are available at Generations (435-1676) beginning Wednesday, August 4. They will also be available at the door, assuming there are any left by that time.
Cast members are Mitch Berntson as Cornelius Hackl, Dawson Ehlke as Barnaby Tucker, Lezli Ehlke as Mrs. Dolly Levi, Abby Faldet as Irene Molloy, Leah Carlson as Minnie Fay, Phil Ehlke as Horace Vandergelder, Ray Miller as Malachi Stack, Mikayla Borud as Ermengarde, Tyler Christensen as Ambrose, Kemper, Beth Balstad as Miss Flora Van Huysen, Jamie Nesvold as Joe Scanlon/Cabman, Joyce White as Gertrude, Carol Larson as the Cook, Luke Juve as Rudolph, and Christian Landsverk as August. It should be great fun.
But, wait, there’s more. There are a number of other events coming up as well.
The summer reading program Splash Down Pool Party will be held Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the Fosston Civic Center. This year’s alternative to water ballooning the librarians will provide the opportunity for everyone to get wet, including, I presume, the library staff in attendance.
The teen summer reading program finale will be a concert featuring Attics to Eden, a Christian indie/alternative rock band led by Michael Fredrickson. Door prizes will be given away after the concert. Watch for more info on this one, as the date and time has yet to be determined.
On Tuesday, Aug. 24, local author J.L. Nesvold will be at the Fosston Library to sell and sign copies of his new book, The Greatest Food Fight of All Time. I’m sure you’ve heard him on the radio, where he goes by Jamie rather than J.L. Here’s your chance to pick up an autographed copy of a first edition.
Summer reading logs will be accepted through the end of the month. There are weekly prize drawings as well as some very nice grand prizes at the end of the summer.
There are a couple of other events tentatively scheduled for this month. On Wednesday, Aug. 25, at 4 p.m., storyteller/dancer Karla Nweje will be appearing at the library, and a documentary film based on Minnesota’s Greatest Generation will be shown at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28. Watch for more information on these two events.