'Don't Let the Sound of Your Own Wheels...'

Gerry and I took two days off and spent some quality time with oldest daughter, Dawn and son-in law, Shawn in South Barrington. The automobile parking situation at that house is a bit easier to negotiate since two of the seven grandkids are elsewhere these days. Lindsay is teaching fourth grade in Polo, Illinois and brother, Kyle is attending SIU-Edwardsville. The visit had us hustling the entire time. Sunday, we attended eight year-old, Alexa's football-game-cheerleader activity; on Monday, Nana, Boompa and Dawn followed eighteen-month old, Ashlyn around a 30-acre pumpkin farm for three hours feeding wild animals, watching pig-races, feeding our own faces, shopping and taking turns making quick judgments regarding safe & unsafe 'climbs.'  Boompa attended an evening baseball-pitching lesson with freshman grandson, Connor to wrap up the day. It was a wonderful visit and special times spent with love ones! I did make one mistake a few months ago and still pay the price today. I 'showed-off' my Walt Disney sing-a-long words memory-bank and now little Ashlyn demands song-performances to which she dances. Come now, how many times can one sing the verse, 'bippity-boppity-boo...?'

Today, I am back at the Decatur 'Turkey Tourney' (basketball tournament) 'coordinating duties' as the countdown to the first game tip-off comes on the heels of the election electoral vote countdown! At three o'clock today, Gerry will hop in the shotgun seat and I will once again find myself driving to  yet another grandkid happening. Granite City, senior granddaughter, Loren is on that school's homecoming court and the 'naming-of-the-queen' occurs tonight at the high school where Nana and Boompa will be two of hundreds gawking! This trip will be a quick 'turn-arounder' consisting of approximately eight-hours. I am sure a Tylenol PM will be needed about mid-night to push me towards 'rim-sleep' after the abnormal but delightful pace for an old-fart!

On Friday, October 5, I will travel to Vandalia, Illinois to deliver a message entitled, "Re-Write the Job Description." My audience will be coaches from high schools and middle schools in Effingham, Bond and Fayette counties. This will mark the fifth time to share at this Teachers' Institute.