CHRISTMAS SHOPPING LIST

 A great Christmas gift for friends, neighbors, even relatives (yes, spouses) who don't know beans about amateur radio is Issue #6 of 105 Meadowlark Reader. The 'landmarks' issue includes "Hams and Eggs", the story of radio pioneers Marshall Ensor and Loretta Ensor and their farm south of Olathe. If amateur radio hams are to provide critical emergency communications "WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS", the public needs to know what ham radio is all about. 105Meadowlark Reader available at Kansas book stores and meadowlarkbookstore.com

TAKE THE ELEVATOR

         Are you hungry? I advise you to try the Elevator. In Valley Falls, in the northern part of Jefferson County. The Elevator Bar and Grill is on the eastern side of Valley Falls. When a large group needed another table added several of the customers walked an empty table around a couple of occupied tables. The waitresses never slowed down, every step was almost a trot. One of the two pool tables at the end of the room was occupied when we entered. If you aren't into pool, there are several television screens with different shows. The menu is not long, but every bite we had was delicious. Besides Smash Burgers, there is a daily special. The elevator is open 11 am to midnight. https://www.theelevatorbarandgrill.com .  Worth the drive.

DID THE TRASH CAN WALK ACROSS THE STREET?

         I watched the beginning unfold, but I never saw the end. I can only imagine, but that has given me a lot of fun.

        We recently visited family in Wichita. Overnight, we stayed in a vacant rental house owned by cousins. In the morning I opened a shade and pulled a chair up to a window. A board fence around the back yard obscured most of the view, but I could see the upper parts of the trash trucks.

        I was a bit astonished to observe the arm of a trash truck pick up a can, and lift it high in the air to dump the contents into the bed of the truck. With the arm still uplifted, the truck began to move. The driver made a U-turn and was headed in the opposite direction before setting the trash can at the curb on the other side of the street.

        It was time for us to leave. I couldn't stick around long enough to watch a befuddled homemaker appear at the curb and discover the trash can had walked across the street. More interesting this way. Not knowing what happened left me open to imagine a dozen different amusing scenarios.

Prepared for Disaster?

         For years, decades, I have kept a go-bag in the closet near the front door. Our house is a quarter-mile from the train tracks. My worst fear has been a train crash with railroad cars carrying hazardous materials, but there are many more reasons for having a go-bag readily available.

        I don't call it a go-bag, I call it my tucker-bag, although semantically speaking a tucker-bag is an Australian designation for a bag in which food is carried. And, yes, there is food in my bag. The contents are: folding eyeglasses, notebook, extra cloth backpack, two bladder pads, pair mesh shoes, black sharpie, two face masks, large terry towel, black leggings, denim jeans, heavy gloves, two underpants, sports bra, small fanny belt, socklets, neck purse, blue long sleeve shirt, black long sleeve shirt, neosporin, box bandaids, one-a-day vitamins, Combos, M&M's.

        My tucker-bag does require maintenance. From time to time I check the food items, some of which have expiration dates. For gosh sakes, I wouldn't want to be caught in an emergency with stale M&Ms.