Long Trip to IOWA

  On Saturday we left at 6:10 for Iowa and arrived there at 1 EST. We went to the Coral Ridge Mall for an hour as it is CST in Iowa and we couldn't get into our room at the Country Suite yet. We headed for Solon where the recital dinner and pictures after getting into our rooms and arrived after 2:30. It was a sunny day with the temperature near 50. The family took pictures as well as the wedding party and I inquired about my cost for the dinner which we agreed to pay for. The cost came to $737, much more than I had anticipated but the meal was good and the 3 boys were served 2 meals as we paid for 25 adult dinners and a couple of guests were not present. We declined to go to their church for hymn singing as we were tired and Simon had to find an AA meeting. Simon did his PBT the next 2 mornings at the Coralville Police Station and we had very good continental breakfasts at the Inn. At 12:30 Sunday we went to the church in North Liberty for the service which began early with hymn singing droning on continuously until the service started at 1:15, as snow flurries began to fall with the temperatures outside. The wedding was a service and preaching dragged on by the deacon from Valparaiso and then Sharon's dad. It was mostly a reiteration of their church's beliefs, I would guess for the benefit of us visitors. The actual wedding was only about 5 minutes, involving exchanging of vows while they held hands. There was no rings or kiss and then they started another hymn and they exited after the first verses were completed. Did I describe her gold dress with the black veil that looked like mule ears? The 3 bridesmaids wore red dresses and my 3 boys had black suits, very funereal. Most of us were disturbed by the service so much that we headed back to the Inn with the possibility of not attending the reception. We got to Solon about 3:00 and they were waiting for us to begin the receiving line. Jane and I spent the next hour greeting at the end of the line all of the attendees and then ate and after another song bid farewell to Jon and Sharon and by 5:30 we ready to leave. Did I mention the boys were expected to serve drinks at the reception as part of the discount they got for their buffet style food. We left Iowa at 9:20 EST with the temperature near zero and made great time with our second stop at the Michigan welcome rest stop at 1:30. But the lake effect took over as we headed up the shoreline and met whiteouts from St. Joseph to Kalamazoo and then an hour crawl to Battle Creek to get us home at 4:55 safe but exhausted. The 3 days away felt like a month and culturally years as Iowa is on our list of do not return to places. What more can I say, "Toto there's no place like home".  2012 was the warmest year on record for the contiguous U.S. according to the National Climatic Data Center surpassing 1998 with an average of 55.3 degrees. Every state had a warmer than average year with 362 all-time highs and zero all time low temperatures across the nation. Today is the 35th anniversary of the Blizzard of 1978 when we were dumped on with 19" of snow and I was working midnights. I was stranded at the Olds parking lot taking up residence with some guys from the block floor in a motor home. Finally at 9:00 in the morning we walked to that guy's house by Ingham Medical until after 3 and then dug out his motor home and headed down Main St. taking one guy home over by Gier Park and then about 6 they dropped me off at Willow and Waverly.

Seasons Greetings

     I was able to read 2 Jim Harrison books during proctoring at Cooley this term. I read Farmer and A Good Day To Die and enjoyed both with their similarity to Hemingway. I worked every day until break and now am taking advantage of the 2 weeks off. We had Christmas Eve dinner here with Jane making tostadas and plenty of deserts. We got 2 inches of snow slowing Jon and Sharon's drive from Indiana but they were present along with the Ybarras and Mark for a peaceful evening. We stayed home for New Years and MSU won their bowl game over TCU 17-16. Lukas worked 3 days a week at MSU and Phillip studied for and took his GRE exam. We didn't go over the fiscal cliff because of the last minute deal by our congress of the rich and for the tax less union posturing. Who knows what the new year holds for us but paying more for our health care and taxes certainly are a reality we'll have to adjust to.  Christmas can be everyday if only in the hearts and good deeds of people who love like Christ taught us to.

Right to Work Agenda

    This week the lame duck Republican legislature of Michigan has pushed its regressive right to work agenda through both branches to wait the governor's signature. President Obama was reelected so the tea party Nazis are fighting socialism by turning back the progressive clocks to the days of serfdom. Jon is getting married and we have met his intended and her family who are from Iowa. We met them at a restaurant in New Buffalo with Elder Joe, wife Connie, and Sharon who dress conservatively in the Apostolic tradition. This has given Jane much anxiety and need to adjust to a different value system and lifestyle. I've been working everyday and being busy helps to deal with all the tension around from varying sources. It has been a mild fall with only 2 snow flurry episodes to date as the USA will likely record its warmest year ever. Grampa is out of Tendercare West and recovering well from his bout with pneumonia and trying to catch up slowly with his health and Gramma's. I've added Siriusxm Internet radio and can listen in the house to Deep Tracks and the 60's Survey comfortably anytime. The world is still a scary place that challenges and makes us see how fragile life and integrity is when left to man's reason. Thanksgiving was celebrated here and went well with plenty of food and blessings to be grateful for.  Thank you God for you are good and we are weak being lost without looking to you for the path to true salvation that this world is only an obstacle to reach.  Cleanse us in peace and tranquility above our limited minds.

Political Bombardment

   It has been a busy season for substituting with nice pretty mild weather. All of the flowers in the planters are still alive and thriving though they usually are faded or dead by now.  George McGovern died Oct.21 at the age of 90. In 1972 he was the Democratic candidate for president and I campaigned and voted for him but he was too liberal for America and lost by a landslide though in reality he spoke the truth about the Vietnam War.  Each month continues to bring record temperatures as September rated the warmest ever for the USA.  The Tigers won the American league pennant but were swept by San Francisco in the World Series.  One more week until the presidential election so hearing and seeing politics fills all the gaps that money can buy.  Jon announced to us yesterday he is engaged to be married.  Grampa has been in the hospital since last Wednesday with pneumonia. We are in the process of painting the family room and ceiling as well as replacing the fan and shower door.  The winds of change blow and yet so much stays the same.

Labor Day 2012

   The week before Jane and I went to Pier View at Grand Haven I proctored at Cooley and read The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.  Tom Wolfe's book about Ken Kesey and LSD trips in the 60;s in California took most of the week to read. Jane and I spent the week alone except for Joan Lopez  coming on Sunday afternoon. We went to breweries, museums, parks and shopping with good weather and quality time together. We went to Brian Trudell's wedding and reception and had a good time despite Aunt Peg's complaining remenences.The boys are back in school though Lukas is only taking 1 class as he is reevaluating his education plans. Simon if he successfully completes sobriety court for a year, will lose any felony charges after his court date. He has moved in with April and hopefully this will help him to stay on the straight and narrow. Jon has bought a house in Hebron Indiana and will be moving in soon.  Hurricane Issac caused its problems in New Orleans last week and bringing plenty of rain in its path. The political season is beginning its blustery occupation heading to the election day drama.  Summer is over though it is still hot and labor union workers now in Michigan are only 17.5% as opposed to 26% in 1989. Time will tell the future of labor but with less unionization there will only be a bigger gap between the classes with a minimizing of the middle class that is the foundation of this nation. 

Waiting

   Waiting. Waiting to write, to think, to create, to fill a void or to avoid. All the feral cats are gone but Rusty and Chocolatte, as they went to the Capital Area Human Society to be euthanized.The cat farm is under control as July stayed hot and the days dragged on. Just sit by the air conditioner and exist to minimalist living. Waiting for some rain to refresh and cool but only the electric bill doubles. Life floats by guided by
humid winds and scorching sun with late relief to revive us. Helping the in-laws with their bills and insurance makes me of some use. Another Alvarado family reunion divides further the unanswered questions that beg to be resolved. I went to Francis Park to see Mr. Paul from the bakery on his 90th birthday and share memories of our wedding cake and his baking dedication. Waiting for school to start so as to ritualize purpose and meaning. With new glasses I can proceed with a new outlook of challenge and direction. Waiting for conclusion to bring justification for this inspiration beyond Bob Dylan. One certainty is we will always be waiting. Finally confirmation from NOAA that July was the hottest ever according to the U.S. Climate Extreme Index dating back to 1900. This factors temperatures, precipitation and storms to calculate extremes beating the old record of 1934. Scientists say July was the hottest ever in the lower 48 states with a 77.6 average beating 1936 by 0.2 degrees on records dating to 1995. This has also been the warmest 12 months on record thanks to the temperatures so far in 2012.

Hottest Day Ever

 July 6, Friday, 103 degrees at 3:53, was the hottest day ever in all the years since 1863 for temperature in Lansing. The temperature has been 90 and higher for a week and we've had little rain for weeks. Last Saturday Simon called from the Lansing Jail for his 3rd DUI and Sunday after his arraignment we bailed him at 2:00 with his $500. He faces 2 felonies and will pay $10,000 to Mike Nichols to defend him. He has to go each morning for his PBT tests and is going daily to AA meetings. Again this is a step backward but if it finally changes his life it could be the blessing, we could not impress on him. We have also been taking feral cats to the Capital Area Humane Society to satisfy Mike and Eddie Chahine and to end their nuisance problem.  We have rented 2 traps to expedite the battle as well as the battle Eddie created by yelling at Jane and slamming the door in her face when she went to explain to them about what we were doing and he claiming our lying  about getting rid of the cats in 2 weeks. We were in Jackson for Todd Longs daughter's grad on June 10th after first going to Brandon's here at Granger Park. We did not get lost, thanks Mapquest, and though it was in the 90's the food was good and we had a nice visit with the Medranos. Jane and I have been to a couple of concerts for LCC and the City Parks but hope to have some of the stress to ease up soon and enjoy some more. The grass is like hay but we've kept the flowers growing and doing quite well. With God's help so to should go the garden of our lives.