Good afternoon from Menomonie,

I am a little over 72 hours back from my summer journeys. There is a certain "augury of loneliness" that has taken over. While it is so nice to be back among the cornfields, the amazing green, and the familiar smells, I miss people that I had the good fortune of meeting while out in the foothills. As I have noted before, what is it that gives a person a "sense of place"? I talked to my cousin, Diane, who I was able who have lunch with one day. She admonished me, my in her mother’s June-Cleaver-way to move on and not try to take care. There is a lot of truth in her concern.

As everyone has heard of the incident, the collapse of the bridge over the Mississippi in Minneapolis has made me think about some things. When I was a seminary student in St. Paul, Susan, my first wife, worked in downtown Minneapolis that the road was a common thoroughfare in our daily travels. How strange!!

I have been finishing grading most of the day and that will probably take me most of the night. I want to have grades in by noon tomorrow. Then there are a couple other major school related items on the agenda over the weekend. That is common and there is always something to do.

I have appreciated some of your comments on the blog as well as your reading and sending emails. It has been fun to write and I think  I will continue to do so.

Best to each of you.