Over the course of a year in Aberdeen, there are lots of things that you know will happen.
Local governments will enact burn bans and load limit restrictions.
Cliff Kuckelburg will bowl two or three perfect games.
Williams and Ree will visit the area several times.
Farmers will stress the need for more culverts.
Subterranean problems will develop on Kline Street.
Northern State University will receive a good ranking from U.S. News and World Report, and women's basketball attendance will lead the nation.
Even during the worst snowstorm, young people will still make it to The Zoo.
Several musicians who grew up here will return to combine vacation with a performance.
People will rush to buy groceries before a blizzard hits.
The smart people will know to buy stagefront tickets for Brown County Fair concerts.
Many rituals occur at specific times of the year.
In February and March, Girl Scouts selling cookies will descend upon us.
Next week, we'll see lots of vans with names soaped on the windows.
People will eat countless Tubby Burgers and pork loin sandwiches at the fair.
In January, many couples escape to Mexico and Arizona.
Parents will buy roses during dance recital season.
Other traditions are year-round.
South Dakotans will get lots of speeding tickets while driving to the Twin Cities.
People will collect a lot of Pump Perks.
Lots of hairdressers will change jobs.
Older folks will gather for coffee at Hardee's, McDonald's and the grocery stores.
In the next year, Aberdonians will sing thousands of karaoke songs, people will buy tons of purified water at Natural Abundance and folks will eat lots of chicken wings. Wings are so popular in Aberdeen, that they named a hockey team after them.
It won't be long until people climb onto their motorcycles.
Around here, there are two seasons: winter and poker run season.
Jeff Bahr is an American News reporter. He writes a blog three times a week at http://my605.com/shootingthebreeze. His email address is jbahr@aberdeennews.com. His phone number is 605-622-2320.
