Your Mom and I made an infrequent trip to the “real tundra” last weekend to visit Grasshopper No.5. She was a gracious host as always. Grasshopper No.3 can now rest comfortably knowing that I gave his youngest sister a hug on his behalf. Her response was “awwwwww”.
I always stop along Highway 29 to fill up with gas. Premium gas was $4.30 per gallon. Whoaa. What happened to gentle increases. It seems like the last $.25 per gallon increase came overnight. I guess that is called sticker shock. The good news is our motorcar (that is what Enterprise Motors calls our car) got better than 30 miles per gallon.
The second sticker shock was at a mall near downtown Minneapolis in the suburb of Uptown. We parked in a “ramp” next to the mall. Upon leaving the mall, I suggested to No.5 that I would pay the toll. We were there less than 2 hours. I pulled out $3 and had it ready for the attendant. No.5 said I needed more. I pulled out a total of $7. No.5 said I needed more. The attendant looked in the window and said $9. Jesus! I didn’t want to “buy” the ramp. Another sticker shock.
Grasshopper No.5 was “stoked” because she completing the programming for her new shared photo website with 28 special photo experts. Hey, I didn’t get an invite. I have a box camera that takes good black and white pictures. I checked her website today and I see she succeeded. Maybe the “28 elite” will become rich and famous.
Rumor has it that Grasshopper No.4 is beginning work on a Master degree at Lakeland. I did that after 15 years of marriage. I think it paid off. I remember thinking that “education was a personal thing that no one could ever take away from me”. It lasts forever. I received lots of satisfaction from accomplishments at work but they never approached how good I felt as I completed each course. My original goal was not to necessarily finish the requirements for the degree. Constant learning made me feel good. Wait a minute! Isn’t that the definition of happiness?
Mothers Day is Sunday. Give her a big hug. Mothers never stop nuturing. They can’t help it. Think about it! You are what you are because of one very special Mom.
I hate saying this in early May: “stay warm”.
Love,
Dad