Time to go

It's funny how things happen.

Nora and I are packing and getting ready to leave early tomorrow morning. Like dawn patrol early. She has her talent bit worked out (it's a pip) and is putting together multiple wardrobes. The girl is jittery beyond belief, and stunned that this whole escapade has gone this far. Right now she's still in first place with a lead of 129 votes. Words fail me in my attempt to express my gratitude to all of you for being such a swell bunch of cheerleaders for our little gorehound. I'd especially like to give a shout out to Dr. Zaius for providing us with the most recent pictures you see displayed on the right.

Tomorrow is the birthday of our youngest daughter Hannah. She's a beautiful and complex girl with an old soul. I offered to bring her with, but she couldn't allow herself the time away from school. That's her cake you see. My mom came over and we had an early birthday celebration tonight.

Yesterday Amanda got word from her cousin that her grandmother was not doing well, and was getting rapidly weaker. Amanda spent the better part of today getting ready for a quick drive to Iowa to see her grandmother. Tonight, as I was dropping my mom off after dinner, Amanda got the call that her grandmother had died in her sleep. She was 98 years old, and died surrounded by her three sons and a bunch of extended family. Now, while we're in Los Angeles, she'll be waiting to find out what arrangements are being made for a memorial service.

Amanda (MizBubs') grandparents were cool people. If I recall correctly, they were Republicans and switched to the Democratic party somewhere between civil rights and Vietnam. They counseled conscientious objectors at Drake University in Des Moines during the war. Gladys stayed active with her church and was a voracious reader, and I didn't really see her slow down until a couple years ago. Frank, who died in 1991, was a lifelong newspaper man, and author of "The Country Parson" one panel cartoons that were featured in more than 200 newspapers. I feel lucky that I was able to know them.

So. Life goes on, doesn't it? It's impressive to consider the amount of change, loss and upheaval that we, all of us, are able to absorb, adapt to and overcome in the course of our daily lives.

And now it's time to finish packing, get to bed and prepare for the next adventure.