AUGUST 15 OR JUNE 15?

My great niece, Brittany, and yes, I'm old enough to have six of them, plus three great nephews, but hey, it's not my fault. I was just born at an early age.

Anyway(s), BQ will start her senior year at MTVTHS on August 15. Are you serious? Who is that Superintendent now? Oh, yeah, Terry Milt, a friend of mine. So I can't blame him. I know it's that mean school board with other friends on it like Greg Backes and Dan Hoffman. No, I can't blame them. I know it's the State Board of Education (what the heck do they do anyway(s)?) and the chicago governor baloneygavitch.

Now I think I'm getting somewhere. I know one thing. Actually two. School should not be year around and it shouldn't start that early.

Summer is too vital for having jobs, and having fun, and being with family, It should be treasured. Relished. Re-lived by others when they're old enough to have great nephews and nieces.

School in the East and West ends in the middle of June. I don't like that either, but it makes more sense since not all classrooms are air conditioned, and it's a whole lot cooler in June than August.

Let somebody know that Labor Day to Memorial Day is long enough. Who cares about number of days? If you want a vacation at Spring Break, take it. You don't need a Fall one, and you don't need snow days (Remember the Act of God days that you don't have to make up--go for it). If you're taking off a day for every minority, then just lump them all together. And put them in October--a beautiful time of year. October 15 will be Lincoln, Washington, King, Chavez, Geronimo, Pulaski, etc. Day. You celebrate whom you want and you get a day off.

It's simply not rocket science, as they say. But whatever happens, keep the politicians and agencies and departments out of it. It's simply too easy for them to figure out.

ON THE RAILS

The Amtrak Coaster runs often from LA to San Diego. Last Saturday, Courtney was traveling on the train which generally takes about an hour. She was scheduled to arrive at 2:00. She arrived at 6:00.

It was only 116 degrees in LA. A pipe of some kind froze on the train causing a one-hour delay. Next, some car hit the tail end of the train as it was moving. Another delay.

Yet another delay occurred when the pipe refroze.

Then comes the announcement, "Do any of the passengers happen to be carrying some duct tape?" After snickers and muffled laughter, a voice said, "I do."

Patched up with duct tape, the Coaster headed south again. Another stop. More duct tape. Yet one more stop was needed for repairs. Duct tape was the answer again.

Whether one recurring problem or three separate ones, our daughter didn't know. But she did know she was thankful for duct tape.

AURORA OR NOT?

"In my dream there wasn't this much traffic, And we didn't take a wrong turn." These words were spoken matter-of-factly by Grant, my 5-year old grandson on our way to Disneyland on Tuesday.

Recalling a dream or actuality from my own childhood, I thought about the aurora borealis. Mt. Vernon, Illinois, may have been in the North in Civil War times, but for the most part, it's much more of a southern tradition with front porch swings and know-your-neighbor ambiance. But I have this recollection of seeing the aurora borealis when I was about 9 years old.

In fact, I can still picture it red and bright on my next door neighbor's house. I can't figure out why that image sticks with me but it does. I mean, why wouldn't we have gone outside to witness one of the great phenomenons in nature?

Did the lights come all the way south to southern Illinois, or did my active Grant-like mind conjure them up? I really don't know, but I hope I saw them.

SEAT CUSHION NIGHT AT BUSCH

What a celebration after a Cardinal come from behind victory. And while it makes me wonder had I been there if I would have thrown my seat cushion onto the field, I think I'm too frugal for that.

I would think of the value in an SGA (Stadium Give Away). I would relish the fact that many threw their's, thus the value would increase. Plus, if the Cardinals were angered by the actions, then maybe, just maybe they would sponsor no more seat cushion nights and my value would increase exponentially. (I told you I was frugal.)

And the tradition of throwing back an opponent's home run ball. Are you kidding me? Never.

There was one game that I attended that I wanted to throw something onto the field. It was in the Big Mac Era. The Cardinals were out of it in September and he got tossed from the game in the first inning. It didn't seem warranted. I was angered. We left the game after that and went shopping.

Had I had a plastic bottle I would have hurled it from Row 6. Not at a umpire, but as a protest, onto the field. Fortunately I couldn't find one. Most of the time, I think they're right. Not then. McGwire would really have had to show me up to get the heave, and he didn't appear to. Oh well, I probably got some bargains. Yeah, right.

HELP ME...I"M TRAPPED

How could somebody/anybody trap a little guy like this? A good friend of mine, who will remain nameless, periodically has trouble with raccoons stealing cat food, bathing, and dirtying water at his residence.

Being the great guy he is, he can't harm a little guy like this, or a big one either. His solution is to get a trap. I think he has to go to a conservation office or something. Anyway(s), he sets his trap and waits. He checks during different times at night. The last ones he caught were at 3:30 AM. Then he drives them down by some water and releases them.

In his last bout with them he caught 7 including a few babies. The mother was furious, naturally. And he could never catch her. At least long enough to get her to the water. She uses her little hands to work the latch and free her babies and is devilishly smart not to get caught. At least not to my bud's knowledge.

When all were gone to the water, she left him alone. But she'll be back. I know she's just biding her time. Or maybe looking for the little critter that got transported.

HOW MANY TIMES

Do we miss the big picture by focusing on the wrong thing? How many times have we passed on a great chance to communicate when we concentrated on the wrong thing?

I have been so guilty of dismissing an important thing that one of my family members was trying to get across to me, trying to reach out to me, trying to reveal something important to me. How have I missed it? By focusing on a ballgame or even a tv show.

Oh, I acted interested. And that's all it was, an act. Whether it was concentrating on Richie Allen in 1970, Todd Worrell facing HoJo Johnson in 1985, or Chris Carpenter this season, I've let a ton of opportunities pass me by. I've grown from a newlywed to a grandfather and haven't learned a thing. Except, "my bad," a term I just helped my wife explain to our grandson Grant.

So if any blog reader thought for a second that the Carlyle quote will bring an epiphany to me, no way. I don't say that boldly, proudly, defiantly, or ashamedly. I just know I won't change.

Ok, I'll try.