Destination Imagination - Globals

So Jack and his team (Senor Pantalones) attended the DI Global Competition May 23-26 in beautiful Knoxville, Tennessee. Kathy attended the festivities. Jack's team took 13th out of about 50 teams, and was the youngest 9th grade team to place that high in the senior division. His team scored extremely high on the "Instant Challenge" part of the competition. The other team from Maple Grove Junior High placed 3rd in its division. A good time was had by all, and we salute Jack and his mental manueverings, his cognitive calisthenics, his thinking theatrics, his ideational idiosyncrasies, and his bombastic braininess. Sorry.

Remembering

Memorial Day is about more than gravesites. I don’t know how many Stenzels have memories of Mom’s dad, so I thought I would share a few today. The original “Papa”, Paul J. Perrizo was a man of contrasts. I remember the hoarse, harsh, “Quiet down now!” that he would shout from the back of the Roxy as the lights went out and the movie began to light the big screen. I also remember the ineffable dignity of this man – proud and gentle, stern and loving, cautious but playfully generous.

I did a lot of traveling with Papa. We’d make trips to pick up reels of film, and we’d always stop and have lunch in the fanciest restaurant in St. Peter. He was a great kidder, but his greatest gift to me was a lesson about relationships with children. He never seemed to treat me as just a child. He saw me and my brothers and sisters as people. Don’t get me wrong. There was never a shred of doubt who was in charge when spending time with Papa, but he genuinely enjoyed me for who I was and who I was becoming.

He remains one of my all-time favorite people. I miss him, but I continue to love him dearly.

Biffware!

 
At least one of us is going to be stylish!

Mr. Somekindapumpkins

Manly!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Birthday, Andrew (Belated)