Monday

This flooding along the Missouri River is getting a little out of hand.  4 took a day trip up to South Dakota to check out the dam situation (so to speak!) over the weekend.  Lots of water out there.  And they say that the water could stay in the flooded areas for weeks.  I don't get it.

Then there're the wild fires in Arizona.. Al was correct.  Global warming.

Speaking of the College World Series...Ameritrade Park doesn't have the same ring to it as Rosenblatt Stadium.  I'd be curious to get some input from 4 on what the local sentiment has been with the move to the new ballpark.  I haven't heard/read any bad news about the new digs.  I mean, it is in Omaha.  To a college ball player, they want to go to Omaha.  In prior years, they never said that they wanted to go to Rosenblatt.

I made the observation on my Charleston trip that the public is pretty adaptable.  Rules and costs change, and people evaluate the lay of the land, and they make choices.  For most of my years in business, you "carried-on" your bag because you were afraid of it getting lost in the system.  Today, carry-on has become much more prevalent as most airlines have elected to separately charge for checked baggage.  And folks don't like paying that extra fee.  I know I don't.

Since Delta gave me plenty of time to watch terminal activity on Monday, I was able to see first-hand the increased predominance of passengers pulling the smaller bags that fit in the overhead bins.  It seemed like even the sophisticated, first-class type of passengers were waddling through the concourses with that little hitch in their giddy-up caused by that bag-in-tow.

So people now may pack a little lighter.  The extra pair of shoes may stay home.  Same thing for that extra sweater or jacket.  You make the trip with less.

There's a political lesson in there, but it's too late to figure it out tonight.  Maybe another time.

My faith in contractors remains below water.  The guy who I had do the mulch last week ignored my request to use some garden soil that I had in the garage for the two yew plants that I had him replace in my front yard.  The one plant in particular failed to previously make it because it was originally planted in pure clay.  Which is still the same soil in that spot.  Alas, it was too difficult of a request.  It required him opening a door, pushing a button to raise the garage door, and carrying the bag to the front of the house.

I have said now since we built our office building 22 years ago, that a contractor will earnestly listen to your requests/directions, and nod/say the affirmative response to carry out that request.  And then once you have left the site, he does exactly what he wants to do without the least regard to your expressed desires.  For the contractor, it ain't lie'in, it's just bid'ness.

Thanks for reading.

BCOT