Surreptitious Saturday

Road Trips + Smelly Pencils + Hostage Frog

I just received an email message from Southwest Airlines, informing me that Lois' flight from St. Louis to Omaha on MON 8/6 is overdue. No, I'm not kidding. *
* Lois was coming back from our niece's wedding in North Carolina.

Road Trip Update

• I'm headed to Lincoln this THU 8/16 for a Gamblers Assistance Program commissioners mtg. We now have to chip in for lunch. Bummer.
• The last week of AUG includes 2 road trips. On WED 8/29 I head to Grand Island for the Nebraska State Fair. I am a volunteer at the Lutheran Laymen's League/Lutheran Hour Ministries booth on THU 8/30, so I'll have some time to browse & feast on deep-fried delicacies. *
• On FRI 8/31 we'll head to Eagan, MN, for our annual Labor Day weekend trek to visit Nathan, Laura, & Calvin. Nathan face-timed us this morning, which included this exchange between Nathan & our grandson. NATHAN:  Calvin, get down off there. CALVIN:  I'm a monkey.
• I'll head to Concordia, MO on THU 9/6 for the 45th anniversary of the St. Paul College Class of '73. To the best of my knowledge, this is our first ever reunion. I'm hoping to lose 35 lbs between now & then.
• SEP 14 & 15 I'll be at the Lutheran Women's Missionary League Convention in picturesque & historic Kearney, NE [Google "Kearney Archway."], representing Orphan Grain Train.
• On THU 10/18 we fly to Texas for our niece Katie's wedding; returning on MON 10/22.
• We just found out that our late brother-in-law Paul Farmer's memorial service will be at Arlington National Cemetery on FRI 12/7, so we will fly to Washington DC on THU 12/6 & return on SUN 12/9.

* I acknowledge that our State Fair can't compete with the Iowania State fair in this particular category.

The Eyes Have It

On TUE 8/21, I'm having cataract surgery on my left eye. On TUE 9/18, I'm having cataract surgery on my right eye. My eyes have really gotten bad over the past few months. I have a lot of trouble reading, & I have to wear clip-on sunglasses when I drive in order to handle the glare. * I'm looking forward to having my eyes done.

* I don't need to wear sunglasses at night, in case you were worried, although the glare from oncoming vehicles is troublesome.

Back-to-School News

Lois begins her 40th+ year of teaching when school starts at Christ Lutheran on THU 8/16. She still has work to do to get her classroom organized & ready for an Open House on MON evening, but she's already finished 13 of 14 visits w/parents. Woo Hoo!

From Norfolk Daily News (8/9):  "Retailers raise game on back-to-school supplies. Bacon-and pickle-scented pencils top list. WHEN I was headed back to school, our pencils smelled like, well, wood.

Criminal Minds

From Omaha World Herald (8/7):  "Man with rifle chases off naked man with sword." THIS, among other reasons, is why I support the NRA.

OWH (8/10):  "Man stunned with Taser after holding frog hostage, threatening deputy . . . The man picked up a frog & offered it to the deputy But then he changed his mind, pulled it back & shouted that he was holding the animal hostage. He also yelled threats at the deputy . . . The frog was freed, & the man was taken to Great Plains Health (in North Platte, NE). Drugs & possibly alcohol are suspected to have been factors in the incident . . . " YOU think?

Political Potpourri:  Diversity, Part I

From "Does Diversity Really Unite Us?, by Edward Erler in Imprimis--A Publication of Hillsdale College, July/Aug 2018:  " . . . where is the compassion for the thousands of American children who are separated from their parents every year as a result of arrests & convictions for non-violent crimes? Many of those arrested are single mothers whose infants become wards of the government until their mothers complete their sentences. No hysteria or effusive compassion is elicited by these separations, confirming that the object of the hysteria surrounding illegal border crossers is to force open borders on the nation under the guide of compassion for children."