Misc report - disasters and otherwise

June 1st - year 2023 - nice day - sun shining - sprinkler system worked this morning with no problems - 3 dogs in residence today - #1 child working today - wife watching TV and coloring - I'm taking care of business online and other places because it is the 1st of the month.  Note:  today starts Pride Month.  Worthless events highlighted by the press as wonderful.  We move on.

We just returned from a flying trip (in the car) to Lubbock for my #3 and last grandgirl's high school graduation from Frenship High.   Nobody knows why it is spelled Frenship - just cause.  

It was a nice event running 635 or more students across the stage in about an hour.  No speaker other than H.S. Salut and Valdic - they were just fine.  Being somewhat deaf, I'm not sure what they projected for the future.  Both speeches got right to the point and included only a bit of remembering childhood.

We left Friday - attended a grad party of Sat. - grad was at 3 p.m. on Sunday.  Yes, Sunday.  They had it at the United Supermarket Spirit Arena - or whatever it is contractually named.  The Lubbock schools had the arena booked up on Thur/Fri/& Sat.  The place was full of screaming mommas and other relatives.  Since I got out of high school, I don't suppose I have held these Commencement Services in too high of regard.  Mine was important of course.  Theirs?  not so much obviously.

One of my bits is to send Graduation Cards in the mail.  I sent each of grandgirls cards.  The bit is to send more than one.  Each received maybe 10 cards spread out over 3-4 weeks.  Some were serious; most were dumb.

Since I taught 38 years, I attended 38 high school graduations, some better than others.  Some were like attending a circus - I particularly remember Tascosa H.S. in Amarillo as close to riots.  Tascosa had recently (3 or 4 years earlier) gone through a court case in which the name Rebels was removed by the court.  They were no longer the Tascosa Rebels and by court order, the rebel flag could not be flown AND Dixie could not be played as the fight song. Thus, locals who were irritated would bring rebel flags and whistle Dixie - so forth.

Aside: the administration with student help picked a new mascot -  The Rebel Kid.  Drawn as a cowboy with a gun.  So, they were still the Rebels, weren't they?

At graduation one year I was there, someone figured out how to get into the rafters of the Amarillo civic center.  They installed a garage door opener.  At the appropriate time, the opener worked pulling out a large Rebel flag and a tape player blaster out Dixie from the ceiling.   I wonder what that cost. How did they find the electricity up that high.  It was effective to a degree.  The students loved it and the Administration was duly embarrassed.  Tascosa was always a circus.

But, enough of that.  We enjoyed the Lubbock trip while we were there.  The 300 mile drive each way is another story.

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On Tues. before we left, my wife was at the front door watering out inside plants.  She has her little watering can - bends over a bit and sprinkles.  Something went wrong - perhaps a dog running through or ? who knows.  She got top heavy and went down.  Nothing serious.  Nobody even knew it except her.   A few moments later, Christine walked through the room and saw blood all over BJ's white shirt.  My wife was unaware that she was cut.

I was called back inside.  We looked.  There was a cut behind her ear and blood had squirted out.  By the time I arrived, it was not bleeding - surface cut.  

After a bit of dabbing and attempting to clean, the shirt was changed - a call was made to local Baylor Scoot & White clinic (4 p.m. plus) - and a quick trip was made to the doctor's.  No doctors were there at 4 p.m. of course on this Tuesday.  A nurse practitioner or maybe just a nurse gave aid.  I stayed in the waiting room while the 2 girls went to the back.  I don't care to watch blood.

BSW was fantastic.  2 stitches went in and cleaning took place.  It was a good experience considering. $5 Copay.  Of course I may get a bill later for $5 million.   Yesterday, out came the stitches.  Another fine experience, considering.   no copay this time.

Life is full of these little dramas.   We have a theory that she bumped the side of her head slightly against the corner of the piano bench just enough to tear the skin.  

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another event perhaps worth reciting:  while in Lubbock we completed our doctor papers  - the ones where you give someone else the right to decide your medical fate.  A friend of the family came over and did the notary work. Papers have been signed and posted.  Another joy-of-living taken care of...

more later if there be a later,

M3

p.s. not proof reading this.  You correct errors for me.