Mostly local news

          

All I had to do today was play cards with the Methodists. The front door rang sleigh bells when I opened it. A pleasant surprise. And, because I have no post in mind to use them, the rest of the fall pictures are interspersed in the rest of my post.

One card player was returned from a three week jaunt to visit children and grandchildren. One son lives in Seattle. Much of what he said I’m reading about in Slate, among other publications. They stayed in a nice AirB&B that had been a garage, and now was rented to visitors to the city.

He had been worried about transportation in the city, and his son said “Chill, Dad.” Public transportation buses are plentiful; Uber is a phone call away. Cars are available at the curb; with the phone app you unlock the car, authorize the ride, drive, leave it at a curb and find the charge on your credit card. Then there are hundreds of bicycles available, with the tap of an app.

The homeless population was disconcerting. The shortage of affordable housing is acute. Finally, the phenomena in yesterday's post; houses are built on forty foot lots, to maximize housing available. Housing is fairly affordable here in Ohio. The new homes at Salt Creek start around $225,000. More than I ever paid for a house, but it’s the current cost. I doubt homes are that inexpensive in Seattle and surrounds.

The opportunity for Laura to spend next year abroad, on a scholarship, has come up. Actually, we are late to the game and scrambling to catch up. In one day’s time Laura has completed and submitted the preliminary paperwork. Which is to say, she’s motivated.

My job tomorrow, when I have nothing to do and all day to do it, will be printing and completing all the doctor and dentist and whatnot releases, talking to school counselors, etcetcetc. I talked to Ann, who spent her high school and college years in Switzerland. Ann said students entered the first day, proud of their honors French background, and floundered the first semester, trying to grasp system, language, life in a Swiss village.

Then, a talk with the counselor, or the unit principal, if necessary, to see that Hudson is familiar with exchange programs and Laura won’t be five years in high school. Let’s all guess the first question from Laura when she comes in from school tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see how Laura narrows her choice. Everything in the northern hemisphere seems available, except countries with English as the first language. I had the list read aloud to me yesterday, and remember nixing Turkey and India. I’ll print it out tomorrow and start with my fine tooth comb. She will need a mighty fine argument to get to a couple of global spots.