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Steve and I have been strong advocates of getting away from the farm since before the time of Steve and Kerry Hoffman having children.
Earlier this week, we did just that. We were able to attend the annual meeting of Associated Milk Producers in Bloomington, Minn., for two days.
So, and Steve suggested this, we took a day before the meeting started and went to the Minnesota Gophers' National Invitational Tournament (NIT) game.
It was the first Gophers' game I have been too, and the elderly gentleman next to me was also there for the first time. I had to keep apologizing to him because I kept bumping him with my leg every time an important play needed to happen. My dad picks on me when I do that.
This gentleman and I laughed a bit when the entire area around us stood up and cheered while we remained seated.
"Well, we are the only two who decided to stay in the Gopher hole," I said.
Get it. Gopher hole. We were down lower than all the rest because we remained seated. Still makes me chuckle.
The actual annual meeting started Monday afternoon. I really like attending this function as they usually tend to bring in some great speakers and entertainment. Oh, and I get all the ice cream I want.
Of course, I don't stick around when all the business information is being explained. I would rather sleep in a bed than in a stackable chair while learning about profit and loss, balance sheets and inventory numbers. Watching mold grow is more exciting than that.
On the first evening of the meeting, we were fed a delicious meal. Every year, Steve and I try to sit with someone we don't know. This year was no disappointment.
Halfway through the dinner, a gentleman near Steve pulled out an egg-shaped piece of wood and handed it over to another person at our table. She looked through it and swore she could see Steve nude.
Well, then of course, everyone at the table started grabbing at the egg, except for me. I have already seen Steve naked.
They were quite disappointed to see it was just a kaleidoscope and not a valuable piece of spy paraphernalia. Actually, we all thought it was amazing. This guy, Dick Wortmann, a dairy farmer from Crofton, Neb., actually built this amazing toy from scratch. It's his hobby.
I so wanted to pocket that darn thing so I could show Joey and Russell.
We got to talking to Mr. Wortmann and it turns out he also makes pens from wood. The one he showed me was made to look like a rifle and actually worked by flipping the little lever like you were loading ammunition.
It was so cool I wanted to start playing miniature cops and robbers.
I didn't have any pockets in my dress. I had to give it back to Mr. Wortmann.
I did tell him the following day that I would be getting in touch with him and ordering a few items. They would make for great gifts.
Attending the annual meeting and getting to hang around with 350 dairy farmers always turns out to be interesting and fun.
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