Rainy Day in Iowa
So, I made several entries in my LJ and decided I just HAD TO get a paid account again--which I did. Then I fell outta sight for almost a month. Part of it was that summer school started, and I got super-busy with that.
(Over the years I've discovered that one of the "adult benefits" of my ADHD--which no one talked about, or apparently knew much about when I was a "headstrong," "undisciplined," and "excitable" kid back in the 40s and 50s--is that when necessary I can focus so narrowly on something involving me I get a kind of tunnel vision). Thus, in such states, when I'm not negotiating the mundane processes of daily living, my whole self is centered on whatever seems to be occupying me. I can sit and work for hours without awareness of time passing; I kinda forget about outside stimuli; I can become irritated when some one / thing draws me out of my grotto and demands my attention. It's a weird, timeless world. Guess that's where I've been since school started. And I surely haven't thought much about LJ until this morning.
Summer school is more than half over. Three weeks under our belt and only two left to go. 20 kids in my class--big for summer session. World Lit !!: The Enlightenment to the Contemporary Era; lotsa territory in short time. Reminds me of a "See-Europe-in-Five-Days" Tour. I finished first batches of tests and papers this past week and turned them back. With some pressure lessened, then, my thoughts turned to LJ, my paid account, and getting my money's worth. Voila! It's himself.
You may have heard that my part of the country is seriously threatened by an ongoing flood emergency. Both western Iowa where I live and Omaha / eastern Nebraska right across the river have watched the Missouri rise to record-flood-stage levels, and levees have broken both upstream and downstream from my fair city. So far things are cool around here. But Council Bluffs is currently in level 1 of a 3-level emergency plan and everybody's as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. It's eerie to drive across the interstate bridge to work every morning and see that the river has inched a little higher along the sandbagged banks and levees. Last major flood event here was in 1952; supposedly, we've already surpassed those levels.
Personally, I live in the "Bluffs" part of "Council Bluffs"--ancient loess hills formed by windblown topsoil over the centuries and what demarcates the original river-bottom land from rolling prairies to the east. So I'm in no danger. But my daughter Larissa and partner Andrew live in the flatlands just about 8 blocks east of the levees and we're all concerned about her.
City officials and Corps of Engineers keep reassuring everyone that we're in good shape, but it seems as if it's the Corps itself who mismanaged release of waters from dam-drainage system throughout the Missouri River watershed. So it's hard to have confidence right now in their capability and foresight. More to come with this.
My Nephew Mark and his wife Olga (originally from Peru) visited last weekend. First time I've seen them in several years, so it was a nice change--in several ways. I hardly ever have company or invite people over (that's a separate long entry I may get into some day). But after a couple days of feverish cleaning, the house was as presentable as it was going to get. Apparently, they enjoyed their stay. And I certainly enjoyed entertaining them. Not sure, however, that I'll make a regular habit out of holding open house. They were in town for a business conference in Omaha; afterwards they passed a few days in Sioux City visiting Mark's mom's side of the family, then spent the weekend with me.
As I was mowing Thursday, my lawn tractor (purchased used for $400 two years ago) broke down again--about 4th time in 2 years. Seems like I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. Have been trying to avoid that since I will probably remain on the acreage--"Robert's Folly"--only for another 3-4 years at most, when all kiddles will be out of college and I'll retire. I'll have to downsize then and hoped I could limp by until then by investing in used rather than new major outside machines. But I'm getting tired of having to stop in the middle of something and spend a whole bunch of time playing Bob the mechanic. I'm already scouting local stores for a replacement--either new or used (If I can find one that looks like it'll last for awhile).
Thunderstorms erupted in the middle of the night waking me, and it's been coming gently down ever since. One of those cool, misty, summer days marked by the constant whisper of rain that for some reason fill me with great peace and contentment.
Hope you're all well. Love to ya.
(Over the years I've discovered that one of the "adult benefits" of my ADHD--which no one talked about, or apparently knew much about when I was a "headstrong," "undisciplined," and "excitable" kid back in the 40s and 50s--is that when necessary I can focus so narrowly on something involving me I get a kind of tunnel vision). Thus, in such states, when I'm not negotiating the mundane processes of daily living, my whole self is centered on whatever seems to be occupying me. I can sit and work for hours without awareness of time passing; I kinda forget about outside stimuli; I can become irritated when some one / thing draws me out of my grotto and demands my attention. It's a weird, timeless world. Guess that's where I've been since school started. And I surely haven't thought much about LJ until this morning.
Summer school is more than half over. Three weeks under our belt and only two left to go. 20 kids in my class--big for summer session. World Lit !!: The Enlightenment to the Contemporary Era; lotsa territory in short time. Reminds me of a "See-Europe-in-Five-Days" Tour. I finished first batches of tests and papers this past week and turned them back. With some pressure lessened, then, my thoughts turned to LJ, my paid account, and getting my money's worth. Voila! It's himself.
You may have heard that my part of the country is seriously threatened by an ongoing flood emergency. Both western Iowa where I live and Omaha / eastern Nebraska right across the river have watched the Missouri rise to record-flood-stage levels, and levees have broken both upstream and downstream from my fair city. So far things are cool around here. But Council Bluffs is currently in level 1 of a 3-level emergency plan and everybody's as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. It's eerie to drive across the interstate bridge to work every morning and see that the river has inched a little higher along the sandbagged banks and levees. Last major flood event here was in 1952; supposedly, we've already surpassed those levels.
Personally, I live in the "Bluffs" part of "Council Bluffs"--ancient loess hills formed by windblown topsoil over the centuries and what demarcates the original river-bottom land from rolling prairies to the east. So I'm in no danger. But my daughter Larissa and partner Andrew live in the flatlands just about 8 blocks east of the levees and we're all concerned about her.
City officials and Corps of Engineers keep reassuring everyone that we're in good shape, but it seems as if it's the Corps itself who mismanaged release of waters from dam-drainage system throughout the Missouri River watershed. So it's hard to have confidence right now in their capability and foresight. More to come with this.
My Nephew Mark and his wife Olga (originally from Peru) visited last weekend. First time I've seen them in several years, so it was a nice change--in several ways. I hardly ever have company or invite people over (that's a separate long entry I may get into some day). But after a couple days of feverish cleaning, the house was as presentable as it was going to get. Apparently, they enjoyed their stay. And I certainly enjoyed entertaining them. Not sure, however, that I'll make a regular habit out of holding open house. They were in town for a business conference in Omaha; afterwards they passed a few days in Sioux City visiting Mark's mom's side of the family, then spent the weekend with me.
As I was mowing Thursday, my lawn tractor (purchased used for $400 two years ago) broke down again--about 4th time in 2 years. Seems like I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. Have been trying to avoid that since I will probably remain on the acreage--"Robert's Folly"--only for another 3-4 years at most, when all kiddles will be out of college and I'll retire. I'll have to downsize then and hoped I could limp by until then by investing in used rather than new major outside machines. But I'm getting tired of having to stop in the middle of something and spend a whole bunch of time playing Bob the mechanic. I'm already scouting local stores for a replacement--either new or used (If I can find one that looks like it'll last for awhile).
Thunderstorms erupted in the middle of the night waking me, and it's been coming gently down ever since. One of those cool, misty, summer days marked by the constant whisper of rain that for some reason fill me with great peace and contentment.
Hope you're all well. Love to ya.