It's May!

1978 Morningside College Graduation

May always brings a time of endings and beginnings for me.  When I worked in the schools it meant that the school year was ending with summer vacation soon to begin.  At least for the students!  It is also a time of promotion and commencement for students in educational institutions.  In a few months they will soon be off new adventures.  May is often a time of retirement for school and educational employees.  A well deserved rest after many years of loyal devotion to their calling.  Here's a photo of my grandmother, Bertha Dietrich, and me outside my home in West Bend, Iowa.
I would like to congratulate graduates and retirees with best wishes for the future.  Hats off to Kealy Johnson of West Hancock HS, Mrs. Marcia Tweeten who retires from AEA267, and Mr. Mike Barkley who retires as an elementary principal in the Clear Lake School system.

Nattie

This past week our little Natalie passed away.  She had been very ill with congestive heart failure.  I think our other dog, Cricket, misses her.  I do.  I'm sure the squirrels outside in the trees aren't looking for her!  Now she's chasing squirrels in heaven!

The weather here has been to die for.  It has been in the upper 80's this past two days and will continued that way for the rest of the week.  Of course, we've also had rain, hail and tornadoes here in Kansas.  I'm still waiting on the pool to get opened, but with the rain and bad weather Steve has put that task off until this weekend.

Delano Roundabout

Steve and I recently stopped by the Monarch in Delano for an afternoon drink.  Steve enjoyed a River City brew while I drank iced tea.  Living dangerously, right!?!  Well, the situation did turn somewhat dangerous.  We were sitting outside at a table with an umbrella overhead.  A wind gust came up and knocked the umbrella off the table and right over Steve's shoulder.  He lost his beer.  The waitress brought him a new drink and we moved to another (safer) table.  We didn't have to pay for our drinks either.  Delano started out as a cowboy town back during the cattle drives across Kansas.  It once was larger than Wichita.  There's a roundabout right in the center of Delano and you can see it from the Monarch.  The pillar commemorates the men and their cows.  The plaque reads 1890.

Well, that's enough rambling for today.  Until next time.