This 'N That

My neighbor and good friend is a lawyer. He uses a typewriter to fill in legal documents. After twenty years it went kaput so he starting searching typewriter repair facilities in the Columbus, Ohio area(pop.1,500,000). You can imagine this isn't like living in Stanhope, Iowa looking for the same. Why, if you lived in Stanhope you'd have to drive all the way to Des Moines, Iowa to get the job done. That'd be a round trip of 110 miles. Well, it's raining today and my buddy had some legal responsibilities so I offered to take the typewriter to the repair shop. This is a sign of the times but I had to drive to Lancaster, Ohio; a round trip drive of 110 miles.
On the drive down I listened to news reports out of Zanesville, Ohio. It seems a guy committed suicide but before he did he released from his yard 56 exotic animals. He doesn't run a zoo. It's not against the law to have animals for public display so I guess you might say he was an IDIOT!. Of these animals most were Bengal tigers, grizzly bears, cheetahs, monkeys. timber wolves and, oh yes, mountain lions. Since Zanesville is approximately fifty miles from my front door I took interest in the story. The normal reaction would be to get these animals before they parked themselves at a school bus stop. As of right now, forty-eight of the animals have been shot dead. Three are unaccounted for, a grizzly, a monkey and one mountain lion (--news reports say now state six of the animals survived and were transported to the Columbus Zoo). Actually, since we've moved here I've learned there are a number of these places around the state. Ohioans can be weird. My big question is, How do they afford to feed these animals? It's not like putting out a can of tuna for Felix the Cat.

What goes around comes around. I was sort of excited to hear that social security benefits would be going up 3.6%. My excitement was tempered when I found out Medicare Part B goes up next week.

Lizzie and I discovered a new route from Kansas City to Columbus thus avoiding the dreaded I-70 through St. Louis. The new and improved highway is a four laner all the way and with minimal traffic from north central Missouri then east to Hannibal, Missouri to Champaign, Illinois. On the way we traveled past Springfield, Illinois. It's the final resting stop for Abe Lincoln and we decided to visit his home where he and the family lived prior to his living in the White House. Lincoln is my very favorite president. His life was filled with disappointments that would have destroyed most men. He had political failures, a nut case for a wife and lost three of his four beloved sons to illness. The home is as I remembered the last time I visited in 1956. It made an indelible impression on me then and I remembered nearly every aspect of the tour. In addition, we toured the Lincoln Museum. It's a new facility. If you've never been there please go. Standing and reading, looking and feeling greatness sends chills down my spine. I wouldn't feel this way about William McKinley or US Grant. Why, I wouldn't even feel this way about Bill Clinton. One thing I emphasized in my classroom teaching to my students was the aging process of Lincoln from 1860 to his death. All presidents age while in office. Even 'The Emperor' has shown this in what seems like his five hundred year term in office. Also, I realize that Lincoln suffered from what was probably Marfan's Syndrome(look it up. I can't do everything for you.) which would most likely sped up the aging process. I did your legwork and included two photos of Lincoln; one from 1860 and the other taken in 1864. Aren't they dramatic?
We didn't have the time to visit Lincolns' library but it would be worth our while to visit again and if you haven't been there then go. Besides, you might learn something about your country and our greatest president(in my opinion).