New Things: Week One

Last week (I know, I know, a week has gone by.  And I haven't even been that busy.  Just without words.) I wrote about doing new things.  And I have been doing new things, or learning new things, or enjoying new things.

Let's start with today's fun "new thing".  I discovered the Retro Cocktail Hour:

Retro Cocktail Hour

Actually, I catch this radio show occasionally on Sunday nights, but today I pulled up the show online, and that was what I listened to during yoga.  And office work.  And lots of laundry.  And cooking the meal for the Emergency Shelter.  And then coming home to cook the Armstrong meal.  Retro Cocktail hour is music that sounds like it is straight from I Dream of Jeannie.  Or Batman. 

I am in a Retro Cocktail Hour trance.  I am loving it.

What other new or innovative things have I done this week?

I hiked the Konza Prairie.

I walked the streets of Manhattan (Little Apple), in the 'hoods of the students.  I wanted to look at the architecture of the older part of this university town.  Read: The GOOD architecture.  I intend to familiarize myself with these cool houses, and take photos of things I like - things from back a half-century and more...things that the new builders have no clue of, in terms of art and craftsmanship and scale. And LIMESTONE!  Omigoodness, what pretty houses we have thrown out to the college boys and girls.  Such a pity, a pity.

The wind here in rural Kansas has been prohibitive to any outdoors activity, save hanging laundry. And that in itself is a first (also today), because the freezing temperatures have also been prohibitive.  But I put some laundry out on the line, in 48 mph wind gusts (yep, that's what NOAA was calling it.) and I assumed (rightly so, by the way) that the drying would be done in an hour. 

I wonder why so many people here in rural Kansas are against wind energy? Really? 

OK, so back to the wind:  I am back to the Rec. The Recreation Center, that is, at K-State.  A new season, a new venue.  It's been too cold/snowy/icy/windy to get out and exercise in my neck of the woods, and so I returned to the Rec and have been run/walking indoors with the college crowd.  I love them.  this week: 3 miles. 

Another "new" this week:  I have been venturing down to our creek area.  I am knocking weeds and brush down, and I have planted wild flower seeds.  I have no idea what will come of this.  If I do not participate daily in this venture, I suspect the poison ivy will overtake my windbreak and Adirondack chairs.  But, hope springs...

OK, one more "new" in my week, and this one has been really irritating to me.  I have been trying to follow Kansas politics.  Within Kansas, and at the national level.  I have always tried to "follow" politics, but now, I am trying to dot-to-dot the Kansas politics and why our governor and senators and representatives are voting the way they do.

Enough said.  For the time being.

Here's a happy note!  Next week that Spouse o' Mine and I are once again housing collegiate cyclists who will be in town to compete in the Wildcat Grand Prix (K-State Cycling).  We always LOVE that weekend. 

Collegiate athletes (at least, cyclists and track folks, that's all we raised here in rural Kansas) are awesome.  Try to find a way to support YOUR collegiate athletes who are not football or basketball players!