Thanks all for encouragement before I set out on the trip, it was much needed and appreciated. I am home, exhausted. It turned out to be 4000 miles in 12 days, 90% by rail. Glad I made the effort, got to see many family members I needed to see, and some great western scenery on the way. The wedding was a good one, though the kindergarten graduation was probably more fun to witness.

Lots of to-dos to start in on around here; my windshield suddenly has a crack, the tankhouse is done and I have to help design the interior arrangements, urge the well contractor to come out and rework the top of the well, get some groceries and a wheelbarrow asap, yada yada for two pages.

On the plus side, two kind neighbors called the power company, which I called last November about a leaning rotted pole, because the leaning got worse after a recent storm. They had sent a fellow out back then, he said they would get to it as soon as possible, never happened. They are so difficult to reach I failed to do follow up calls.

This week's fellow came out, put his hand against it and pronounced it 'fine for now'. Dear neighbor went off on him and threatened a personal lawsuit. They were just leaving it until it crashed in my yard taking out power and possibly starting a fire. Suddenly the supervisor was called in and they suddenly had the one hour to spend replacing the pole. And lo, it snapped off just below ground where it had rotted completely through. So now I can add 'enforcer' to my neighbor's list of skills.