So the other day the Betster strolled by Alice's Champagne Palace. Yeah, it's still closed, so if you working drones had thoughts of catching some rays on the back porch after a hard day's labor and drinking some old man beer, forget about it. Anyway, the B. noticed that old Brad Hughes painting on the front seemed to be re-emerging from behind the Alice's sign.

Remember the Club Bar Incident? Betsteroids alive in 1977 may recall the mother of all sturms and drangs when on New Year's Day a painting of nekkid persons appeared on the rebuilt Club Bar — the previous incarnation of Alice's.

Holy Venus de Milo, did that ever create a fuss. Someone tacked a board over the painting's naughty parts, someone else ripped the boards off and then someone threw paint at it. Then a wacko nut job cranked out a missive so over-the-top it shocked even crusty old fishermen. Everyone took a deep breath and said, Well, OK, let's back off a little, eh?

Which is kinda what breakup is all about, doncha think? Stuff emerges from the mud we forgot about. Artifacts of old histories resurface. Then we roll up our sleeves, resolve our differences, and figure out how to move ahead as a community. After that, well, of course, it's Best Bets Time:

BEST ROUND UP THE MINIVANS BET: Hey, you don't have to be Soccer 'Rent to enjoy soccer. What better way to enjoy this awesome weather? Head up to Homer High this afternoon and watch the Mariners take on Ketchikan. The girls play at 3 p.m. and the boys at 5 p.m. Games continue against Kenai at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Friday.

BEST BAG IT BET: Alaska has weird weather. Every snowfall, trash mysteriously falls from the sky. How else to explain all that junk along side the road? This Saturday, grab some bags at the Homer Chamber of Commerce, hit the ditches and get this town looking spanky for the tourists. Turn in bags and enter to win cool prizes.

BEST MIGHTY STRINGS BET: Sure, big cities have youth symphonies, but who'd think little ol' Homer would have a string orchestra? Well, of course we do here in this way-talented little arts town. The Homer Youth String Orchestra shows us their stuff at 3 p.m. Sunday in a concert at the Bunnell Street Gallery.