Midwest Trip 131005

Huge thunderstorm last night! Excellent!

We always liked them, and now our fiberglass craft does not have a large metal protrusion above us.

During the evening we used an app to watch the storm's approach, then as dark fell we saw distant lightning in the clouds. As we were retiring for the night, the lightning, thunder, and rain arrived, and I had to furl the awning and close the windows. Pretty entertaining.

As you can see from my pictures (Picasa), we are seeing insects unlike those we have found in the PNW. Of course, some of those are of the "singing" sort--something else that we miss. We both like to go to sleep to the sounds of insects, so much so that we have recordings that we play on occasion.

This is my first visit back here in quite a number of years. We have found that there are lots of new businesses--new business districts, in fact--but although there are cars in their parking lots, it is not clear how those cars got there; traffic is quite light by comparison to virtually anyplace we are accustomed to going in the NW.

This week, Evalyn & Dick L. will host a party of Cindy's former colleagues from her days as music teacher in nearby Blue Springs. We plan to see if they want to go camping somewhere; we have been reminded of a pleasant park not far from here <http://mostateparks.com/park/watkins-mill-state-park>.

Cindy has the unenviable job of considering how to help her parents--who are not yet convinced that any help is needed. It is not likely to be easy.

More later.

Mark_
R/V _Arcadia_
Independence, MO