Hello again

Yeah, I know it’s been a while.  Let’s just agree it’s my fault and move on, okay? I hope things are well with you.  Much has happened that you may not be aware of.  Let’s start with where we left off.  

As you may remember I tried again for political office.  It was close, but I came in second in a field of two.  Oh well, since I’m not in charge of these things they have to be accepted.  I don’t want you to think I have been dwelling on this for the past year.  I haven’t. It’s only been ten months. 

But much can happen in five-sixths of a year (some fractions for you math fans). I’m not sure if you heard or not, but it seems I am going to be a grandfather sometime in January-February (of next year I think).  Good grief. When did I get old enough for that?  

 

I like the idea just fine if you must know, but babies still make me uncomfortable. Other than to give their head a good whiff (I like the way that end of the baby smells), I never really know what to do with them.

If you don’t hold them just right they’re easily dropped, and nobody likes that.  So unless there’s a couch nearby I prefer to stand back and watch. But even when I am surrounded by a lot of upholstered cushions babies move around sometimes, which can lead to crying. Then I start looking for a qualified person (a female over the age of twelve) to hand them off to, and the quicker the better. 

So I’ll keep you posted on all that stuff. On a sadder note my older brother, Dan, passed away in June. He had lived in Iowa for most of the last forty years so distance separated us. Letters and phone calls don’t make up for a personal visit and there wasn’t enough of that. But now I find that I would gladly accept any correspondence with him, even a post on Facebook that I disagree with.   

Dan had several hundred record albums that he had started buying in the late 60’s. His son offered them to me a few weeks after the funeral so I raced down to Iowa with great anticipation of acquiring Old Dan’s records. Unfortunately time and cats had badly damaged the jackets so I left Iowa unhappy one more time. I’m working on cleaning the vinyl to keep my memory of Dan with me even if it’s only at 33 1/3 (more fractions).

It’s hot today, especially for September – almost 90. I have a phone that tells me the current weather for my location.  Depending upon what room I am in the house I can pretend I live in one of five different addresses as the phone has me in Carver, Chaska, Jordan, Prior Lake or Shakopee. The house has more empty rooms for me to wonder around in as both kids are out on their own now. 

My wife, Rhonda, thinks it may be a good idea to do extend my wondering beyond the house and see some of the country with her as we pull a travel trailer behind us. I like traveling, but I hate camping; I don’t care where I go, I care where I stay. But I won’t go so far as to lose touch with you.  I’ll write soon – promise.