Reach out and Hug Someone?

I am not sure if it is because I miss the interaction with people or what, I talk to people standing in line at WalMart.  I deliberately look for lines with small children and love to talk to them and their parents.  Most of them reflect the smile I have right back and talk to me as much or more than I do to them.  My niece, Becky, wrote in her blog that met a lady that had a button that said I survived cancer and gave her a hug.  I'm not sure I'm in to hugs, but I will try to smile and meet as many people as I can. With that said, I have seen the site called People of WalMart.  There are just some times that my motto just kicks in.  "Don't sweat the Petty Things and don't Pet the Sweaty things."  


I a week or so, I am going to start the renovation at our rental house in earnest.  I will start with the bathroom and perhaps a good coat of paint.  I am going to hire Austen to give him some summer work and help me out with some slave labor.  I think back to the days as a young teenager when I worked at a collection of odd jobs to earn money for strange things.  I mowed a lot of yards and cleaned a lot of windows.  We'll see how things work out.  I have hopes that he will have a good time as well as earn a little extra pocket cash.  I haven't decided on a wage yet.  I'll see what he's worth and put it somewhere between $5 and $7.50 and hour.  I will also provide transportation for him and feed him lunch.  


This weekend, we will go to KC to visit our grand cousins, one of which, Owen, graduated from Washington University in St Louis this past weekend.  He is stepping out into the real world of work and I am looking forward to hearing great things about his success.  His brother, Joe, is still attending classes there and I'll bet he attends Law School or some post secondary school.  He has politician written all over his face as he meets and greets people as easily as I do.   Both of the guys would make any parent proud.


Better get running.  Lots to do and time to do it if I get moving.


PS  Here are a couple of pictures I took last night as I took out the trash cans.

The only thing prettier than a sunset in Kansas is

The sunset reflecting off thunder boomers to the east of us.

MUD