Sunny Florida?

The idea that "going to the south of Iowa for the winter" will not get a lot of positive reaction. This winter has been brutal. Uncharacteristically, Alabama, Georgia, and even Florida have been ravaged by winter storms and the upcoming week looks to be even more brutal - something like 18 to 24 inches of snow total accumulation by Tuesday.

Wow.

As of right now, the kids are getting out of school on Friday, June 6, 2014, which also happens to be the start of the annual Sigwarth Campout in Elkader. There is now talk of pulling the kids out of school a day early, but just to go to Elkader for a family campout doesn't seem to be having our priorities in line - perhaps my opinion will be changed for me when the date comes closer.

Incidentally, the drumline camp that was cancelled last year due to the flood is going to be starting the Sunday of the Sigwarth campout, which is kind of ironic because the last two years, it was scheduled for starting on Father's Day. We groaned about how that was a terrible weekend for it to start and guess what? They change the date and we are still groaning. The world just doesn't seem to adhere to our schedule.

I don't know what I would do if I had left, with Karen of course, to go south for the winter and had the kind of issues Lou and Jean have had. First, the Chevy Impala Louis has had for many years (2001)  broke down at a truck stop next to a gentleman's club called the "Boobie Bungalow" and had to be towed. The car was fixed and Louie paid $1500 to do so. Then they got caught up in the snowstorm and had to not travel. Then they finally got further and stopped at a rest area to go to the bathroom and the car had the same exact issue. They had to be towed yet again. This time, though, Louie traded in the car.

You would think that there couldn't be any drama about trading a car that was not worth investing additional money into, but there is. You see, for many years, Louie and Megan have talked about when Louie was going to trade in his Impala for a new car, he would sell it to Megan. That has been the talk between them for years. Now, though, that can't happen (obviously) and as a result, Louie feels bad about it. I think, on some level, Megan feels like she was going to have a part of Louie with her every time she drove his former vehicle, much like how I felt I would always have a part of my grandma with me when I drove the Oldsmobile Achieva that I bought from her for $5 when she was no longer going to drive. There is no remedy for the parties involved for feeling the way they do and yes, it's disappointing. There is nothing that can be done to remedy the situation, though. That's not insensitivity - it's reality.