I will pause here and Blog about Claude for a minute. He is involved in lots of things and they keep him moving all over Kentucky. In the midst of all of this, his 50th year Class Reunion was happening. Claude plotted travel to this so he would have some time to visit with his mother.
He left Tuesday, August 1st, and returned Monday, August 7th. This would be a very nice trip for my Big Guy. He had a rental car to pick up at the Salt Lake City airport. He asked for a mid-size. This is what he got!! He said it was like driving a truck. HUGE. But it was nice. And he even said he like driving my Buick Envision better. So, I have that going for me.
Wednesday, August 2nd, I received this little video clip. Bonnie has a window in her TV room that she had built into a little green house kind of place. She has started adding these little critters in it. When they have the sun shining on them they are in constant motion. Claude's text said something like, "They just keep moving all...the...time!!" Me thinks he protests a bit.
The reunion committee always has an auction to help raise funds for the next reunion and remembrances for the family when one of their classmates passes, etc. If you could have seen the care with which Claude took making a basket to auction it would have truly impressed you. He decided this time he would fill a basket with things from Kentucky. He collected everything from a bourbon scented candle from Buffalo Trace Distillery to mixes for Weisenberger Mills and ended with his recipe for Burgoo. As he collected things they were kept on the dining room table in our home. Then he found a basket in the shape of a horse that he was sure would be perfect for all these Kentucky treasures to be put in. He ordered this basket. When it arrived it was very clear he had more items than that basket was going to hold. But he still pressed on. When he left, he carefully packed it all in his suitcase. The glass container items he wrapped in bubble wrap which prompted the scanners in the luggage area to have the bags opened to be checked. But they made it through okay. He sent me this picture after they had the basket all put together before he headed to the reunion. I asked him how many hands it took to get it all together. Fortunately our niece, Kalli, is good at this kind of thing and she came to Bonnie's home and with six hands they got it all in and packaged in cellophane wrap. Goodness. I sent Claude a text after he sent me this picture and assured him he should carry the basket by the bottom. I could just see him picking it up by the top and it popping open and Kentucky treasures spreading everywhere.
Claude had a good time at this 50th Class Reunion of Bear River High School. They are getting fewer in number. But they had a great visit together and that is what is supposed to happen. Claude spent as much as they made on his basket. But he was happy with his effort. He purchased a quilted square of some kind. It turns out he brought it to the last Reunion 5 years ago to be auctioned off. He forgot he had donated it. Then he bought it back. How funny is that? The things we do for a good cause. He gave his sister the quilted item.
Here are a few reunion pictures:
During this trip, I accomplished something I have been wanting to do and not gotten accomplished. I had 10+ notebooks full of pictures I have saved to use when teaching lessons at Church. I was able to spread them all over the living room, I mean all over. And then toss and rearrange to where I only have 5 notebooks now. Yeah me!!
We have a Retirement Fund crisis in Kentucky. It is very bad. With Claude being President of Kentucky League of Cities, he has been able to participate in some meetings held around the state to address the CERS fund. This fund is in good shape and I believe they are trying to keep it separated from the others rather than combining funds to help failing funds. That is at least partially correct. I truly stand on the periphery of a lot of these technical things Claude does. So don't quote me on that explanation. So, Claude has been driving to these CERS meetings through the state. The first few were close enough he could drive there and return home in the evening. The last three were in western Kentucky and that takes a bit longer and they are also on Central Standard Time where we are on Eastern Standard Time so one must factor that into travel as well. Claude was in Paducah on August 29th, Owensboro on August 30th and Florence on August 31st. The man does get around a bit.
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