Next Monday I am out of here. That leaves me with one week to get everything here in order. (you can wish me good luck now!) So let’s see. . . where do I begin. .

First I was going to start out with an analogy of suddenly feeling like I’m in 1939 Poland. Then I thought better of it. Of course I went and did it anyway. I have been, . . “Annexed”. (maybe I should have said Austria) No kidding. Only it didn’t happen with Messerschmitts and tanks but with a big yellow envelope that said, “welcome to our community.”. You see I live in a little township outside of the city of Baraboo. However, the guys in suits decided to annex part of our township in the name of “Baraboo”. The envelope carried the new rules for the occupied territory, complete with charts and maps. “NOW YOU WILL HAVE YOUR GARBAGE PACKED ACCORDINGLY!!!”. “YOUR FIRES SHALL BE NO MORE THAN 3 FEET HIGH!” Ok, Ok, whatever. I can make a joke of it, but in the end the annexation could mean our property taxes will almost double. It’s not as painless and it might seem. All hail the new emperor. . . or mayor as the case may be. We’ll just ignore the bit about the last mayor and why there is suddenly a new interim mayor. . . (a tiny voice screams “save me, help, save me!!!”)

Of course the township is not all that great where services are concerned. Imagine trying to get an absentee ballot from a guy who seems to never answer his phone. Nothing wrong with rural living but sometimes you do need action. . .

Meanwhile I’ve been working with Kayak superman Kelly Blades. We’ve got everything working, but the hosting company is a bit daft. so I take that back, everything is NOT working. Bloody Hell!  Ok, just another battle on the technological eastern front.

However, I did get to paddle this weekend and assist with a pumpkin murder. “Vengeance is mine”, saith the pumpkin lord, but of course we took the law into our own hands. Down with vegetable tyranny!!! “Down with Pumpkin Cesar!” In a dark dining room we hacked the pumpkin emperor and gutted him. . his last words were, “Et Tu Brute?!” The guilt sets in for Gryphon Junius Brutus. . senator and pumpkin carver. . . and cheeky seven year old.

Meanwhile PeterO makes a major correction on Paddlewise. . “Correction that should be one finger corresponding to two degrees.”. I couldn’t have said it better myself. The clouds have parted.  At the last minute I was  saved from paddling into Lebanon.

Between now and next Monday I have about 5 major jobs to complete. Not surprisingly all the reminders in the world does not entice folks to get their stuff together. I fear some major jobs will suffer a major delay. .

On the other side of things I have paddles and gear sorted. Well, in my mind at least. That’s the hard part. I’ve noted a simple class outline for the symposium. Nothing too drastic, but it reminds me when to be serious and when to play. . Imagine one big white sheet of paper saying. . “Play NOW!”.

There was something else. . . oh, what was it. . . well, later. . later. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!!!

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