Our Weekend

We've had a visitor since Thursday night. 

Yes, that's our happy granddog, Shiner, who has been staying with 

Grandma and Grandpa! 

He was trying to get up with Keith this morning, but of course, cannot jump up. 

Lilly is not happy... but Jester was happy to be reunited with his from-puppyhood buddy... however, Shiner no longer wants to run and play.  Jester is bewildered. 

He has spent a lot of time in the hallway, where it is dark and cold, because our temps rose above 100 yesterday, and bulldogs suffer terribly in the heat.  We had the air on, and his personal fan was blowing on him.  Sometime this afternoon, son Jim will come out and pick him up, 

after they have returned home from their Father's Day Weekend camping trip. 

As long as he goes out off and on, he has done great. 

I did sleep in the spare bedroom the last three nights, 

because he was in the hall outside the master bedroom. 

I learned something... that bedroom is QUIET.  Very, very quiet. 

I can't hear the pipes sounding, etc. downstairs... so... 

I'm not moving, but I'll sleep there when I'm dead beat and need the sleep. 

Yesterday morning, we traveled to Lecompton, Kansas, to Territorial Days. 

We beat the crowds... but the heat was so oppressive. 

This is Constitution Hall, where we discovered some not so nice things about our neighbors in Douglas County.  For a very short time, Lecompton was the location of the capitol of Kansas. 

It was also a Pro-Slavery town!  We did not know that! 

More about that in a minute. 

We ate some biscuits and gravy at Aunt Netters

They are also a Cupcake Bakery, but we saw no cupcakes but this cute sign. 

There was no sausage in the gravy... two tiny pieces in each of our bowls, so no, we would not go there again probably. 

This beautiful old building is the community center, but we suspect may have been a school at 

one time... 

This bell tower and bell stands next to it. 

This jail was just behind Constitution Hall. 

It had a bed in it, with a mannequin-prisoner, a tiny 

heating stove, and a chair and stool, with a water bowl on it.  

There was one small window on either side, and surprisingly, it was NOT cool in there, but very warm.  I would not like to have been a prisoner back then. 

Read this carefully. 

VERY interesting.  I had always thought the Democrats were the free-staters. 

In Lawrence, which is not ten miles from here, there are many "Free State" businesses and Free State High School.  They were definitely anti-slavery there and are still "liberal hippies" as Keith says. 

We are going back when it's cooler, as we did not get to see the second museum, which is in a beautiful old school similar to Constitution Hall.  

There were some vendors, but as the celebration had gone on until late Friday night, they were filtering in slowly.  By now, the heat was building and Keith was going down. 

There were many re-enactors, and I don't know how they were standing the heat.  This 

gentleman had on high boots with spurs, on top of it.  

Keith visited with some of them. 

We would love to get some of these guys to come to the Ag Hall... and I grabbed a brochure that tells about them. 

A beautiful old flag was flying. 

I took this as we were making our way to the Methodist church you see in the background for a fried chicken dinner. 

I did not realize it, but Keith was very ill.  We sat down to eat, and I realized he was sick, and I bundled him out of there and drove him home.  His blood pressure had plunged badly and he was disoriented and confused.   

He was better by the end of the day, thank heaven.  He is going to talk to his dialysis nurse about one of his medications. 

Anyway, all was well that ended well, and we stayed home from the T Bones game in the heat. 

Before Keith got sick yesterday, we had had a pleasant discussion about 

how "we" drive so fast from place to place, that we don't really "see" things. 

My average speed is 27, and if I am blocking someone on a gravel road, I pull over, and wave them around.  I do go a little faster on the paved roads if someone is behind me. 

So... here was this red-bellied woodpecker this morning on my way to church, with 

no one around.  I was able to take several pictures of him. 

As I was able here.... look who is back outside!  The mare with the star and snip is able to come out of stall rest now, but is still in a pen.  Her friends are standing behind her.  While her leg is still wrapped, she is bearing weight on it.  The last time I saw her out for a moment, she was still holding it up.  I'm so glad for her, and for her owner, who takes wonderful care of his little place and all of his animals. 

Fields that were flooded are being plowed now... and haying has finally started! 

However, we had a light shower this morning after I got home from church, and 

there is more behind it.  I hope that freshly-cut hay is not going to be soaked. 

Ten miles distance makes all the difference. 

Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there! 

(I was adopted.  This is for those who think adopted kids don't belong to their adopted parents, and yes, they are out there!) 

Off the soapbox now, and out for the afternoon!