Potpourri

August 28, 2009 — I was sitting here at my computer awhile ago about midnight when all of a sudden there was this bright flash of light followed by a huge clap of thunder. I thought that's strange, I haven't seen or heard that in quite some time. Power went out for about five minutes so I stood in my garage with a flashlight and listened to the rain coming down until I could open the garage door and take a look at the beautiful sight of rain. It is the second time today we have had a rain shower. That has been an unseen occurrence in these parts for some time...raining twice in the same day. We have had 68 days of triple digit temps since mid June and most of those have been consecutive days. It is now the second hottest summer in history in central Texas. Wanda and I have a huge tree in front of our house and one in back. Both of these are over 30-years old and both have been showing signs of stress lately. So this rain is very much welcomed along with the forecast of temps in the mid-nineties.

The passing of Senator Edward Kennedy, while not unexpected, is somewhat of a sad note. I have never agreed with his liberal politics in most cases, but I must admit he was a tenacious legislator and not one of those that sat on his duff. A niece of mine that writes a blog about parenting wrote an excellent commentary about the Senator's passing. Read it here http://unchartedparent.com/. Another niece noted that the media made a bigger to do over the death of Michael Jackson then they are over Ted Kennedy. She wondered just where was the mind/conscience of this country and particularly the media. It is a point well taken. Kennedy has been known as the Lion of the Senate and my niece wrote in her blog that the lion roars no more and we as a country will be poorer for the silence. Yes, we will be poorer for not having this lion around to debate and work hard for what he and others believe in.

I will attend my final substitute teacher orientation today and then I hope some assignments will be coming along. I've been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to do this all summer. I am still not sure what it will bring, but I will face the challenge and know I can do well. There is nothing more important than making a difference in a young person's life through education...it's what really matters!