Let’s talk about goals…..those targets you aim for in the future. I like goals. They give me something to strive for. They help keep me focused on making progress in my life. They keep my life interesting….and often rewarding…..because they bring about constant change in my life….in my behavior, in my routine, in my knowledge, in my future. They help to keep me “young”. They help keep me pushing ahead, instead of standing still. They add spice to my life. They make my life “taste” better…..and the recipe is constantly changing.

Actually, I didn’t start setting goals for myself until I was well past middle age. And, even now, I am not sure why I started. Maybe it was because I thought I was standing beside the road…..and the rest of the world was passing me by. Maybe it was because I saw retirement looming in the distance, and I wanted to be better prepared for it. Or maybe it was because I simply wanted to become a better person…..to lead a more interesting, satisfying and fulfilling life.

Or maybe it was one of the endless “feel good”, “inspirational”, “motivational” pep talks that I so often had to sit through as an educator. (And, there were plenty of them.) At any rate, as I recall, I decided to set some goals in my life quite suddenly. I made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish…..and I started working to achieve them.

I don’t remember assigning a rating to them…..or ranking them in any particular order of importance. I just made a list of things that I wanted to do….and then I started doing them. I would never claim that I ever became an expert in any of them…..or even overly proficient. But…..I did set out to accomplish them.

Let me make clear now: These are “external” goals…..more or less physical activities or behaviors…..take it or leave it type activities…..things that add to my life….not things that are, or should be, already part of my life. I am not talking about moral goals, or ethical goals, or religious goals. For the most part, I feel that I have already obtained these goals, attitudes, and behaviors. They were instilled in me almost from the time of my birth: love, honesty, trustworthiness, dependability, empathy……

No…..these goals are activities and achievements that present challenges to be met, obstacles to be conquered, targets to aim for.

So…what are these goals? And….have I met them?

OK. I am going to tell you. They are not listed in any particular order, because there is no particular order. Some of them were essentially one-time goals, while others were….and are….continuing goals. But all of them have made my life fuller, richer and more satisfying and complete.

One of my goals…..a one time goal…no, let’s make that a two time goad….was to spend a summer working in a national park. I am not sure there was a logical reason for this goal. It was mostly just curiosity. After traveling many times through places like Yellowstone National Park and wandering through their gift shops, their restaurants…and seeing all the people who worked there…..apparently ordinary people, just like me…..I often thought, “Wow….this would be fun. Getting to live in an exciting, spectacular setting like this.”

So…..I obtained an application form from the company that ran the concessions in Yellowstone National Park. I filled it out and mailed to the personnel office. I was accepted. And, I was soon on my way to northwest Wyoming to spend an exotic summer, working in the midst of geysers, mountains, and grizzly bears. I was assigned to the Photo Shop Store in Canyon Village as a clerk in the photo developing section.

The job was interesting…..but after a while….let’s admit it….it was just a job. A busy and sometimes stressful job, dealing with hundreds of tourists from all over the world. It wasn’t as glamorous as I had thought it would be. It was low paying—minimum wage. But I did have a wonderful opportunity to explore in detail parts of the Park that other people….especially tourists….never see, either because they do not have enough time or because they are not interested.

Like I said…..it turned out to be just a job. On my days off, I explored the Park; I made some lasting friends……..and I liked it well enough that many years later, I accepted a job to manage the general store in Big Bend National Park in Texas. I achieved a goal; I satisfied my curiosity.

I had another short-term goal: and that was to run for a public office sometime in my life. Somehow I had this idea…..probably somewhat delusional….that maybe I could do some good….that I could use my expertise, my experience and my knowledge to bring about some change….to make improvements…..in our society.

The opportunity presented itself during my final year as an educator working in the public schools. Public school employees are prohibited by law from serving on a school board. Somebody decided it was a “conflict of interest”. Although the election took place before I officially retired, I would not take office until I was a retired, unemployed former educator…..drawing my social security and KPERS. At the urging of many of my fellow educators, I drove over to Oskaloosa, paid the filing fee…..and became a candidate for the school board.

In the election, I won easily. And, I spent the next four years on the board of education. I found out that nobody was interested in my expertise, my experience or my knowledge. But…..I did my best. I voted in what I thought to be he best interests of our students, teachers and taxpayers. One term was enough for me. But, I had achieved a goal.

Another goal….and it turned out to be a long-term goal….was to create stained glass art. Back in the 1970’s and 80’s, before I had foreign exchange students…and even while I had them…..my summer vacation destination was always the Oregon Coast. Each year as I meandered through the streets of the quaint ocean towns, exploring the little gift and souvenir shops, I would admire the stained glass art on display. Oh….if only I could learn to do that. And….one day I will learn to do that.

I found my golden opportunity in a class taught by Judy Swisher. Judy was…..and is….a versatile and multi-talented artist and teacher. She showed me the basics of cutting glass, grinding it, fitting it together, taping it, and finally soldering it together. After she showed me…..she said, “OK. Go ahead and make something.”

“What should I make?”

“Anything you want to make.”

For her, the sky was the limit. For her, it was none of this start out small and work up to something grander and bigger. She used the Nike slogan: “Just do it!” So…..I did. She was always around to help me, if I needed it. And, in the beginning, believe me….I needed it. But, as I became more and more experienced, she would basically simply leave me alone and let me do my own thing. Many time, she would simply leave the outside door to the art room unlocked, and I would come, work, and leave.

Over a period of probably a dozen years, I turned out well over 50 pieces of stained glass. About half of these are on display in my house. And I gave about half of them away. I stopped when Judy retired; I no longer had a place to work. But….I was ready to phase out the stained glass era of my life. I literally had no more space in my house to hang the stained glass art that I made.

At one point in my younger life, I was in pretty good shape…..probably up through and including the years I spent in the Army. Back in those days, I was skinny! I was so thin that I was often afraid my jeans would simply fall off. But…..somewhere around the age of 35 or so, things began to change. When I “things” began to change…..I mean, specifically, my waist began to expand! I no longer worried about my jeans falling off. I began to buy bigger and bigger clothing. I remember the first time I had to buy size XL. I was shocked. I was also embarrassed. I was getting fat!

It was somewhere in this era that I made it a goal to become more physically fit….and to control my weight……and to get into shape again. Over the years that followed, I found that I could combine this goal with my desire to learn some lifetime sports and recreation.

Therefore, the question became: Which lifetime sports or activities should I choose? I ruled out basketball. I was too old….and too untalented. I ruled out horse racing…..I didn’t have a race horse. Also stock car racing…..for he same reason: No stock car. Anyway, neither of those sports offered very much aerobic movement or exercise.

When I was younger I always liked to run….and I was fairly good at it. This was a viable possibility. It had excellent aerobic value; it would burn a lot of calories; it required no special equipment….except for a pair of running shoes; I could do it almost anywhere and at any time. So….choice number 1 was settled upon.

Weight lifting? Why not. I had access to weights both in our school weight room and at the YMCA. Again, it was an inexpensive sport; it would build my muscles; it would burn calories. Not only could I do this alone….although using free weighs alone is somewhat questionable……but I could also to it with other people, if I wanted. Ah, ha…..choice number 2 decided.

OK. What else? I wanted a game of sorts…..not a team sport, but still something where I could play with and against other people. A sport that I had easy access to…..and one that was not overly expensive. And, exactly how hard could it be?

Every time I went to the YMCA, I would see people playing racket ball. It looked like fun. And it looked like it would be good exercise. And, all I needed was a racket and some racket balls. An achievable investment.

The final sports choice came fairly easily. For years, I had been driving past a golf course near by house. And for years I had wished I knew how to play….to hit that little ball down a neatly manicured fairway…..to raise my golf club into the air as a sign of triumph when I made a hole-in-one. OK…that never happened, but I did decide to learn to play golf.

One summer I enrolled in a golf class at Washburn University. I ended up getting an F in the course….not because I didn’t learn to play golf…..but because I had to leave to go on vacation….to the Oregon Coast, of course…..and couldn’t be there for the final test. Mostly, I learned to play by joining a class taught by a former golf pro. He was excellent. He knew what he was talking about…..and he was able to communicate his skills through both demonstration and explanation.

Racket ball? A friend of mine taught me how to play it. And, after a lot of trial and error, and after getting beat a lot…..I finally began to improve.

But, my goals were not all fun and games. I vowed that I was not going to simply let my mind wither away once I had retired. I set a goal of keeping my mind active, and that I would continue to learn and expand my educational and cultural horizons. To accomplish this goal, I enrolled in adult education classes sponsored by the University of Kansas…..classes they offer in three sessions throughout the year.

These classes are taught by professors from K. U. and Washburn…..along with other experts in various fields. There is no preparation, no homework, no textbooks, no tests. You just pay your money, show up, listen….and learn. These are my kind of classes. Through these classes, I keep on learning.

I also set goals to continue traveling as much as I could afford. I set a goal to continue inviting foreign travelers and visitors into my home…..although my days of hosting foreign exchange students had come to an end. I am no longer willing to get up at 5:30 a.m., wake up a sleepy teenager, drive them into school…..and then make sure I was waiting for them at the stoke of 3:30. Instead, I opted for adult travelers, who could take care of themselves, and didn’t make as many demands on my time. But, I still had a great opportunity to meet fascinating and fun people…..to continue learning about different cultures and lifestyles……and also, hopefully, to share with them some of my unique lifestyle…..and our American….our Midwestern…..was of living.

Another of my goals was to volunteer my time and talents to help others. I dabbled in this briefly….found it to be interesting and worthwhile. But, mostly because of health reasons, I found that it was simply not something I felt that I could commit myself to.

Wow…..looking back, it seems that I aimed toward a lot of goals.  Did I set too many goals?  Was I able to achieve them and master them to my own high standards and satisfaction? The answer is No….I didn’t set too many goals…..and Yes….I am happy to know in my own mind that I have accomplished all of them. And, I am pleased and contented that today none of them are my goals any longer. They are an important part of my everyday life, They are things that today I take for granted. No….I don’t do all these things each and every day. But… I know if I wanted to….I can.

I have asked myself why I have been so successful in achieving my goals and accomplishing the things I set my mind to do…..and why I didn’t give up. First of all….I set the goals voluntarily and consciously. Nobody forced me to do any of them. Second: I chose goals which let me to do things that I really wanted to do. They not only had physical or health or social or cultural value: They were fun. They were not a burden….but a blessing.

I also tried to keep the goals realistic. Over the years, I have pretty well learned what I am capable of doing…..and what I have absolutely no talent or aptitude for. I mean….I wasn’t going to become a bull rider, because I doubt if I have either the physical or intellectual talent or aptitude to pull it off…..only the aptitude to be throw off the bull!

Fourth: I set goals that were readily achievable because the resources to accomplish them were readily available. The stained glass teacher was only a short drive away; the YMCA is in Topeka; the golf course is only a few miles away; Washburn and K. U. are within easy driving distance. And…..I could run….and now walk…. almost anywhere.

I like to meet other people….especially people from foreign countries; as a former educator, I like to help people. In other words, they were all within the realm of the (very) possible.

They were all accomplished rather inexpensively. None of them required any unrealistic capital outlay. They all presented definite challenges in their own unique way…..a large enough challenge to make each activity interesting and satisfying….but not so difficult that I had no chance of achieving the goal.

So……what’s next? Are there any more goals that I want to achieve? Any more challenges that I want to tackle? You bet! Next I want to learn to play drums…..not just one drum…..but an entire set of them. I want to learn to jam out with the best of them. And, I am also eagerly looking forward to taking up metal art….yard art….junk art….or whatever you want to call it. First of all, however, I have to learn to weld. Impossible? I think not. Drive past my house some day in the future…..and I am almost sure that it will be covered with weird metal art……..and from inside my house, you will hear me jamming out on my drums!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tt is rather strange how I got caught up in this desire to travel.  Back in the “old days”, I really didn’t go anywhere.  I had no desire to.  Then….one day I got a letter from my local selective service board inviting me to become a part of the U.S. Army.  To say that I did not want to go to the Army is vastly understating the situation.  But….this was one of those “command performance” sort of deals.  So….I went.  And….I liked it!

While I was stationed at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, I had a very desirable job.  I was administrative assistant to the commander.  I was happy there….and my boss was happy……and I was also good at my job.

Then one day, I got another invitation…..an invitation to give up my desirable job and go to South Vietnam.  I wanted to decline the “invitation”, but Uncle Sam insisted that I honor the invitation.  So…..I went to South Vietnam.  And…..again…..I liked it.  Again I had a very desirable job.  I was secretary to the Adjutant General of the U. S. Army in Vietnam.  A very good job.  I liked my job…..my boss liked me….and I did a very good job.

While I was in South Vietnam, I was given the opportunity to take several short trips in

Southeast Asia…..Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok…..while some of our airplanes were receiving maintenance.  These places were exciting and fascinating….a world that I had never known before.  And, I liked it.

When I left the Army, I had a wonderful opportunity to return to South Vietnam with an organization called the International Voluntary Services.  After a year of teaching English in a provincial capital called Phan Rang…..I was promoted to the position of Chief of Education.  In this position, I had as many as 72 teachers working under me.  Part of my job was to visit them in their local town and give them support.

I spent three years in this position….and during this three years, I was able to travel to many of the countries in Southeast Asia….Hong Kong, Philippines, Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Taiwan.  There may have been others, but those are the ones that come to mind.

 

It was these experiences that hooked me on travel.  For several years, I limited my travel to places in the U.S.A……mostly the Oregon Coast…..and points in-between.  In fact, I have been to every state west of the Mississippi River……and several to the east, too.

 

 

The next major event in my life was hosting my first foreign exchange student…..a student from Germany.  I made my first trip to Europe in 1995….and I have returned there….mostly to Germany….almost every year since then.  Sometimes more than one time a year.

My first “grand tour” of Europe was in 1995…..in the summer time.  Although I have made return visits to Europe three or four times in the summer, I quickly discovered that traveling in the “off season” is much cheaper.  And for a not-too-well-paid school teacher, that was very important.  For the next several years, most of my trips were made during whatever vacation time we had in the school year…..mostly of the time during cold months with a few summer trips thrown in now and then.  After I retired, I discovered that the month of April is the most ideal month for me to travel.

After a rather long string of rather unsatisfactory “house sitters”……I had a dog….and I also burned wood, at the time…..I almost became reluctant to leave home.  My last wonderful dog, Abby, died in 2004.  And while it was a wrenching experience for me….it left me free to travel almost any time I wanted.  By April, it was warm enough to simply lock the house and take off.

I spent the summer of 1989 working in Yellowstone National Park…..and the summer of 2006 working in Big Bend National Park.  Both of these jobs were interesting and rewarding experiences…..although in vastly different ways.

During my travels, I have seen sites, experienced things and met people that I never even dreamed of before I served in the U.S. Army.  It is one of those blessings in disguise that people talk about, I suppose.  You never know what you are missing until you try it….and I am glad that I tried it.  It is a lot better to be hooked on travel than a lot of other things that I can think of.

An extra added benefit of my travel experiences has been the decision to host a wide variety of foreign travelers, that I met through a couple international hospitality organizations.  Some stay for a couple days…..some for a couple months. I have hosted a strange and exotic bunch of people:  Europeans, Asians, Africans, Americans.  Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims.  And also a couple of communists from China….who laugh at the thought of China ever engaging militarily with the U.S.A.  Not only are they interesting people from whom I have learn much….although I rarely agree with them….but hopefully,they have learned equally as much from me……but I have made some life long friends…..and now I also have a place to stay (for free) in my future travels.

Until now, I have visited twenty-one different countries…..and I hope that I can visit at least that many more in the future.  In my way of looking at things….travel is never time spent unwisely….and is a good investment for the money spent.

Fayez  Alruwaili and I spent a great four days together during Thanksgiving week.  We ate a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner…..experienced the thrill of Black Friday….and the agony of seeing K.U. suffer its first defeat in basketball.

Thanksgiving Week started on Tuesday this year.  And….it started off with two good events.  First of all….I got a new Internet provider, and the guy came that afternoon and got everything set up.  This was almost a time for celebration…..after going for four long days without any Internet.  It was indeed an event to be thankful for!  Second:  Fayez, my friend from Saudi Arabia, arrived on Tuesday afternoon….a little earlier than I had expected…..and hour and a half early, in fact.  I was sitting in my office enjoying my new Internet connection, when I heard somebody tapping on the window.  Since the installation guy had just finished up and left, I assumed that it was he….and that he had forgotten something.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to see Fayez standing at the door.  Another great way to start my Thanksgiving celebration.

That evening, Fayez prepared some delicious Saudi Arabian food….using some of his mysterious Saudi Arabian spices.  Whatever they were….I didn’t care, because the food was delicious.  All I know is that the main ingredients were lamb and rice.  And….the other good thing was that when he finished, there were only one pan to wash.  We used paper plates…..like we almost always do at my house.

Wednesday, after we got up, ate a bit of breakfast….some humus and sliced turkey sandwiches….and drank a cup of coffee, we went down to Paradise Point so Fayez could run….and I could do some walking.  He ran about three and half miles…..and I walked about three and a half feet.  Not really….a little further than that.  We had wanted to go to the YMCA.  But there no way that could happen.  My back was hurting pretty badly.  It hurt when I moved…..and even more if I stood still.  Sort of a Catch 22 for me.  But, Fayez was pleased with his run….and felt much better after he finished.  So…..it worked out pretty well.

In the afternoon, we went to Topeka to check out the Black Friday sales….to get some advance intelligence before facing the mobs of people.  We went to Office Depot, because Fayez had seen a computer he wanted advertised online.  All I was interested in was a tablet…one that could be used as a hot-spot when the Internet goes down again….and it will, you can count on it!  Anyways, the man at Office Depot was less than helpful….and not very forthcoming with the information we wanted….and needed.  We made the mistake of asking if we could buy the stuff online….something we should not have done.

Fayez turned 19 on Monday….so we ate a belated birthday dinner at Golden Corral after we finished our less than successful visit to Office Depot.  We finished off the day by visiting one of my favorite bars….Terry’s Bar and Grill….before coming back home….with Fayez driving, of course.

After we got home, we checked out some Internet sites to see what kind of computers were available…..and how much they cost.  Our search was successful.  After comparing several computers, Fayez found a computer that met all of his needs and specifications….and for a price he was happy with.  He ordered it on the spot.  So much for Black Friday at Office Depot!  Most times things work out for the best.  If the salesman at Office Depot had been more friendly and helpful…..who knows?  Maybe Fayez would have been suckered into something that he really didn’t want.  Fayez ended up with the computer that he wanted…..and the guy at Office Depot lost a sale.

Unfortunately, I was not so lucky in finding a tablet that I wanted….mostly because I didn’t have adequate information to go ahead and buy one.  But, here again, maybe this was a lucky coincidence:  I think Fayez convinced me that I should buy an iPhone….or something similar.  The only time I would have used the tablet would be as a hot spot.  The rest of the time, it would just be sitting on a desk, not being used.,  But, I would still be paying a monthly fee….whether I was using it or not.  Maybe not a very wise investment.  But….if I buy an iPhone (or something similar), I can use it as a telephone, as a hot spot, as a mobile Internet source (but that would be rare!), and as a camera.

Thanksgiving Day dawned with clear blue skies….a beautiful day.  For Thanksgiving lunch, we went to a friend of mine….an old friends with whom I worked in South Vietnam back in the mid and late sixties.  We didn’t have turkey…..but we did have free range chicken.  And, I suppose if the Pilgrims and Indians had chickens…..they must have been free range chickens.  Anyways, the food was super delicious….and we left the table full and satisfied.

After we left my friend’s house, we went in search of a sports bar where we could watch the K.U – Wake Forest basketball game.  It seems that almost every store in Topeka was open, hoping for the Black Friday mobs.  But, apparently, Black Friday didn’t apply to the sports bars.  Not a single bar in Topeka seemed to be open.  We had to be content to finished listening to the game on the car radio.  Finding no sports bars open, Fayez suggested that we go to Appleby’s.  We knew they were open, because we had driven past it earlier.  That seemed to be a satisfactory solution.  When we first walked in and sat down at the bar, I was not sure whether we were being served by a male or female.  It turned out to be a male…..although if I had been blindfolded and had heard his voice…..it would have been difficult to determine.

About 7:30 P.M., we left so we could go to the Black Friday sale at Dick’s Sporting Goods…which is just around the corner.  This was my first experience with Black Friday.  I had read about it…..and seen the unruly mob scenes of TV…..but I had never been to one.  I had never been to one because I did not want to be any part of the uncontrolled animal madness that seems to take over/

But this year we decided to go.  Fayez wanted to buy some clothing at Dick’s Sporting Goods…..stuff on which the price was seriously reduced.  Because my back was still hurting a lot, I decided to wait inside the car and let Fayez fight his way through the crowds alone.  The doors to the store opened at 8:00 P.M.  When Fayez got in the line, it extended for probably a fourth of a city block…..more people than I had actually expected to see.  But, upon reflection, I suppose sporting goods are very sought after items.

Anyway, I stayed in the car.  I alternately listened to the radio, watched the people as they came and left.  I periodically started the car to warm up a bit….because it was cold outside.  I even slept for fifteen or twenty minutes.  Somewhere around 9:00 P.M., I started to become a little bit concerned.  Fayez had not returned yet….and I was picturing all the bad things that could have happened…..things that I will not even begin to explain in this blog.  Of course, when you sit and look at the clock, time seems to slow down drastically.  I told myself that I would wait until 9:15, and if he had not returned by then, I would go looking for him.  Nine fifteen came and went…..still no sight of Fayez.  So, I struggled to get myself out of the car…..and walked into the store.

After checking out the people at the cash registers,  I decided to go looking for him.  The most logical place to begin was to follow the line of people waiting to be checked out.  I started at the end of the line…..and the line wrapped completely around the perimeter of the store…..and Dick’s Sporting Goods is a fairly large store.  I slowly made my way along the line of patient people…..all holding their newly acquired treasures.  I found Fayez about three-fourth the way through the line.  I stood for a couple minutes just looking at him….wondering if he would see me standing there.  He finally saw me….but there was little I could do to help him.  It appeared to me that he would be standing in the line for another thirty minutes.  So…..I waved good bye to him….and went back to the car.  At least, I knew he was safe…..and would be joining me sometime.  After about fifteen minutes, here he came…..with all his shopping bargains.  He was excited….and a really happy camper.  He had picked up some running shoes and several items of clothing……and he had saved maybe fifty percent off the regular purchase price.  And….since he was happy….so was I.  The experience had been worth the effort.  But, I can imagine that he had more fun and excitement than I did.  Our Black Friday adventure had been successful…..but I am almost sure I will never do it again.

I was somewhat surprised….pleasantly surprised…..with the Black Friday experience, though.  After watching all the horrors on TV, I was expecting the worst.  But, there were no people knocked down and trampled as the doors opened; there were no fights that broke out; there was a minimum of pushing and shoving.  I read in the newspaper that somewhere in the U.S.A..  a woman actually pulled a stun gun out of her purse and started using it!  Wow!  But in the short time I was actually in the store, people regularly said “Excuse me” when they brushed against me or walked in front of me.  Fayez said that even while the people were waiting in line, they were generally cheerful and in a good mood.  And I overheard one of the managers commenting to one of the employees how smoothly and trouble free the night was going.

Friday was a little bit anti-climatic, after all the excitement of Thursday.  Sometime in the late morning, I took Fayez down to Paradise Point so he could run.  To make it more interesting for me….and to help the time go by faster…..I stopped at various spots along the way and took pictures of him.  He ran about four miles again….with an improved time.  We stayed at home in the afternoon…..but it was a useful afternoon.  At least, for me.  Fayez showed me how to set my blog…..this blog, as a mater of fact.  It was not as difficult as I had imagined it to be.

It was a beautiful day, so we went outside and took some pictures and messed around for a while.  We spent part of that time discussing where I will put the new fire ring that I will buy soon.  That is a problem we will tackle with Fayez comes back in December.

For the most part, though, we were just hanging out….. waiting for my niece and her husband to arrive.  They called around 2:20 and said they were about to leave their home in Hutchinson.  It is about a three or three and a half hour drive from their home to mine.  About five o’clock, they called and said they were very near.  They were coming to pick up some bags of wood pellets in their 2013 Cadillac…..not exactly engineered as a cargo carrier.  But, they were able to take a few bags….leaving the rest to another time.  They are buying my pellet stove.

Immediately after they left…..so did we.  We headed toward Topeka and the Hu Hot Mongolian Grill.  If you have never been there….it is an interesting dining experience.  First of all, you fill a bowl….your bowl….with raw meat and vegetables…..and there are a bunch of them.  Next you add five or six spoonfuls of sauce….and again, there is a wide variety to choose from.  Then you take your bowl to the grill and hand it to one of the  “chefs”.  They dump it on a sizzling grill and toss and turn it until it is ready to eat.  Finally, you take your food….and enjoy it.  And….it is good, too….if you like that kind of food.

When Fayez and I were in Hutchinson earlier this year attending the Kansas State Fair, we had a rather unpleasant experience.  We both mistook the wasabi sauce for guacamole sauce.  Both of us got an unexpected rude surprise when we took our first bites!   It was HOT!  And almost un-eatable hot.  In fact, Fayez didn’t eat his.  The waitress told him he could get another bowl and start over…..but he didn’t.  (Although I would have.)  She also told us that a rather elderly woman had made the same mistake….with rather disastrous results.  They had to call 9-1-1 for medical help.  The waitress told us that they were going to  put up a sign, identifying each individual sauce.  After all it is very easy to make such a mistake……both of them are green. It was just a little bit late, though.  We were there on the final Saturday….and the State Fair ended the next day.  Oh well….    One of those lessons learned the hard way.  And another story to tell the grandchildren.

K. U. was playing in a basketball tournament in the Bahamas.  The game started at 8:30.  So we quickly left the restaurant and drove to Wellers Bar and Grill…..right next to my fitness center.  But…..we may as well have taken our time.  Or we may as well have driven back home.  Or we may as well have done almost anything else.  K.U. played terribly.   I mean really bad. It was apparent from the beginning that they were not going to win.  Villanova simply out-played them.  And, the K. U. players were simply not focused on the game…..throwing up a constant series of wild shots, turning the ball over…..Fayez kept reassuring me, saying. “I have a feeling that K. U. is going to win.”  He was trying to make me feel better…..but it didn’t change the final score.  Oh well…. K. U. got what they deserved.  And….there will be other games.

For all practical purpose….that was the end of our Thanksgiving vacation.  It was great.  And…it was definitely four days to be thankful for.

 

 

 

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