Hitch and I went to Lincoln today for the Governor’s Arts Awards.
It was a great, inspirational luncheon.
I sat with three Nebraska senators and a few really wonderful ladies….Secretary of State John Gale‘s wife and another senator’s wife and the director of the Willa Cather Home.

Awards were given to several outstanding artists, supporters, and volunteers.
Those who won were truly deserving, humble and thankful for the recognition.

For me, it was yet another reminder that I have a job to do here in Blair.
I need to form a Blair Arts Council and most likely help with the formation of the Blair Community Theater group again.
They’ve been asked to do some dinner theater performances at the New Blair Eagles building this summer.

I have a very soft place in my heart for the Blair Community Theater.
When I moved to Blair on May 1, 1984, I didn’t know a soul. My mom suggested that I try out for the local community theater because those people are usually fun.

So I did.

And they are.

I got a small part in the play Peter Pan. I had one of the best summers of my life! Most of those people are still my friends, including my cute hubby, Dan.
We need to re-form.
~ ~ ~ sigh~ ~ ~
I’m not sure it’s ME that can do this.
But I have the idea.

Well lookie who’s in town!
Mick and the Boys played in Omaha tonight.

Feeling older tonight!
The older and wiser couple!
We went over to a friend’s house for dinner……Dan is his boss!
They were nervous. (I was too!)
They used their good china….we were the first to eat on it!
They had wine….but are still learning what they like.
We talked laughed…and had a glass of delicious merlot wine….and ate delicious pork loin, twice-baked potatoes and green beans and rolls and cake with cherries for dessert….
and
it
was
great!

Mike and Kelly, you are US just a handful of years ago.
Or, was it a lifetime ago?
How long ago was it that we were excited about babies and first houses and new jobs?
How long ago was it that we had the boss over for dinner?

How long ago indeed!

This is my garbage can.
Matt snapped this photo from our FRONT PORCH.

The garbage can is supposed to live on the patio in our BACK YARD.

It went down a walkway between our garages and around a corner into our driveway and across the street.

It is almost always windy around here.

But my garbage cans have never mistaken themselves for kites before!

I’ve just returned from a 4 day whirlwind trip to Portland, Oregon.
It was like being in another country!

We were with our business partners, Hitch and Sharon. No last names are needed. Hitch and Sharon have done it all.
Done
It
All.

I’m trying to think of things to ask them if they’ve done so I can stump them.
Not successful yet.
More on them another day.

Dan had been in Vegas at the Inter-Tel Meeting and met me in Denver at the airport and we flew together to Portland.
We are working on a business venture with Hitch and Sharon, and our development team
13ten, Anvil Media and Maxwell PR.
We had lots of meetings. All were sooo interesting.

But I can tell I don’t work in an office. I work at home, so I move alot.
We sat alot and had to concentrate. I’m out of concentrating shape!!!

Hitch and Sharon took great care of us and we went to the most fun places. I ALMOST got to eat and Caprial’s Cafe, but it was closed. We did eat at several great restaurants, including one that was Portland’s Poor Farm a hundred years ago. This place is really developed, into a restaurant, hotel, bar and they have summer events, like art shows, etc.

We met so many of their old friends.
Friends who are successful actors and directors and interesting and exciting.
Like Mary Macdonald-Lewis ,the voice of On-Star and her cute husband David;  Buff–an outstanding Art teacher, John Logue-an award winning animation director, and more.

We flew Frontier Airlines, which isn’t half bad.
For airline travel.
They have TEEVEE on the plane! You can watch TEEVEE for 5 bucks.
And the Portland airport is really fun. Shopping and eating and computer plug ins and internet in the air…
I like Midwest Airlines the best…..cookies.

But travel is hard. You have to be herded. And wait.
And eat in a rush.
And schlep….(although we don’t schlep. We check our crap.)
I do not enjoy crowds…especially crowds of stoopid people.
People who leave their litter around.
People who abruptly stop in the stream of walking.
People who talk real loud and are rude and put their seats back.
People who carry lots of crap with them.
Travel is hard.

And I’m lucky I get to travel.
Portland is one of my new favorite places. Hopefully, I’ll be back!!!