Summer 2015 July 10 Friday

71 degrees this morning, no walk yet, will walk later this morning.  

Lindsborg, Kansas, 

Let’s just say Lindsborg is a very pretty town and they obviously go to a lot of effort to make it nice.  

However, I feel like I am in a wasteland, since there is no ATT service here.  No phone calls, no texting (outside of other Apple users if you have wi fi).  I didn’t realize there was such a place anymore.  I expect there are areas where there is service and we will find them!

My granddaughter is in cultural shock, since she probably didn’t realize such a place even existed before.  

At least the hotel seems to have strong wi fi, as do many of the restaurants (depending on where you sit).

I decided to reverse my usual order and walk later (although there appears to be rain coming in, so I may regret that decision).  The town is so pretty and so well maintained (there is what  appears to be wonderful walking/biking trail) I wanted to be able to see it while I walked.

A horrible mix-up at check-in.  I’ll hold my opinions on the hotel right now.   The words would be blazing with fire and brimstone right now, so better left until later, since words can’t be taken back and my opinion may change.  I doubt it, but that is best. 

I would say “call me” if you want my opinion, but right now there doesn’t appear to be phone service for ATT.  I’m going to buy my granddaughter and I some “throwaway” prepaid phones that work in this area if I need too.

While I am on vacation, I still try to acknowledge phone calls and e-mails with the explanation that I will call them next week.  Too much of a City Manager in me I guess.  I hate it when someone doesn’t return my phone calls, so I hate to be the type of person who doesn’t return phone calls.  

I guess I should just change my voice mail and e-mail message, but I like to respond personally.  

Met my sister and her family, very enjoyable visit and supper at the Swedish Crown Inn. Super service and food, although we were the only ones in the restaurant.  

Pleasant drive up, very little rain, which was nice.  

Driving up through Kansas always brings back memories, both of when I was a child and when I went to graduate school at Wichita.

I always liked some of the street names in Wichita, especially “Hydraulic Avenue”, and probably the only street named “Harry Street” I have ever seen.

I really liked Wichita when I lived there, even though the daily paper was rather unimpressive.  For awhile in Wichita I had a job with the “Polk Directory” where I went around and confirmed names and addresses.  I enjoyed it and learned a lot about Wichita in the process.  

As we came to Lindsborg, I saw the “Smokey Hill River” and I can remember the “Smokey Hill River” from when I was a child.  Probably near Dorrance, Kansas, although I don’t recall for sure, it may have been Waldo, Kansas.

I really see time pass when I return to Kansas. It has been a year since I was here (the last family reunion), although of course I still see it through the eyes of someone who hasn’t really been here for at least 25 years. Unfortunately, the political climate has changed for moderately progressive conservative to, let’s be polite, and say I’m just glad I “not in Kansas anymore” as a resident, based strictly on what  little I know of the Governor and state politics. 

I always think it is strange how little you know about the adjacent state.  When I first went to Oklahoma it was in the middle of the County Commissioner scandal (almost every County had at least one Commissioner got to jail for bribes and corruption) and I hadn’t heard a thing about it in Kansas.  I was in complete shock about the obvious corruption, made me ashamed to be in government.

I’ll keep you advised as the weekend proceeds.  I may even issue a few “updates” to keep this from getting too long.  Time for my walk.  Looks like the rain may be south of Lindsborg.  Maybe I will learn how to spell “Lindsborg” and “Swedish” while I am here.

That’s it for now, Friday, July 10, 2015.