Warm front last night bringing rain. This morning, when it stopped, we walked to the library, only to get drenched— with Pax a soggy doggy by the time he got home.

Back to the Aquatic Center (more water) in the afternoon, having been absent since April. Nice to see significant upgrades—new carpet, new and brighter lighting, and new equipment in the workout area, including five new ellipticals! Furthermore, since we have Silver Sneakers, there is no cost—and, so, therefore, no more excuses.

Below, a bit of drizzle, or is that drivel?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr. Penland’s Curse

He looked and spoke like Hamlet,
Here in small-town Illinois.
We, callow high school students,
Were enchanted by his voice.

Last term, last year,
With decisions to be made,
He bade us read and talk and think,
and try to explicate.

Oh, instant intellects we became,
heirs to culture, and the arts—
research and exposition—
all literature was ours.

Thinking deeply, writing sure,
We saw a future large
Of knowledge without measure—
And all the world a stage.

So on to higher learning,
The groves of academe—
Beowulf and Chaucer
And Shakespeare’s famous scenes.

But while I’m reading Rasselas,
Someone else is writing code,
Unwinding DNA to genomes,
Or walking on the moon.

Two roads diverged. And I chose
What seemed impossible to resist.
If it weren’t for Mr. Penland,
I’d have been a scientist.
—JBN