And the winner is ...

Actually is wasn’t a formal contest but I was intrigued by Ronda Graf’s appetite for Fair Booth pie. I think that I sampled four different varieties of “homemade” pie at the Methodist Fair Booth. Due to family (Grannie Annie) constraints I never made it over to the Catholic Food Booth for a piece but I did send a grand son-in-law to check out the Catholic’s offering. “Cherry with a nice rich flaky crust” was the report and a buck cheaper than the Methodist’s offering. Also noted was that the Catholic offering was smaller in size also. So I judged the pie contest a tie! (Chickened out!) I did get my longed-for smoked turkey leg to feast on.

No matter how pricey the items from the food booths at our Fair one is grateful that the money raised is for a good cause. For our Methodist Congregation the makings of the goods sold plus the labor involved are all donated and the proceeds all go to support our youth activities. Those activities are available to all youth in the area no matter what church their parents attend.

This old grandpa has to brag a bit. Grannie and I have been nibbling on some purple ribbon cookies from the General Class. Granddaughter Monique is quite the cook and one batch of what she regularly makes for our grands earned the vaunted purple. Papa is proud to share!

Our son and granddaughter are currently visiting from California. Son Don has a job where he can work virtually no matter where he is so only needs access to a computer. Granddaughter Kat attended school here several years ago as her California classroom was closed for the Covid Pandemic. Kat decided that our Red Willow County Fair was the perfect place to see the friends that she had made here in school and so it turned out to be. Fifteen years of age and in love with the Lord. We grandparents are blessed!

Grannie Annie and this old guy are loving watching the Olympics taking place in Paris. Her favorite is Lady Gymnastics and our U.S. team is doing well. It is amazing what they can make their bodies do! Can you imagine the hours of practice that us required, the dedication of the coaches and the expense that their parents have had to shell out for their daughter to preform on the world stage? The same goes for all the Olympic events that we are privileged to watch.

Grannie and I enjoyed the Olympic Opening Ceremony with the different countries’ athletes riding down the River Seine on unique tour boats. They all waved and cheered for the cameras regardless of the rain that was falling. The iconic Eiffel Tower was a centerpiece. We didn’t think much of the influence touting the lifestyles of homosexuals and especially their display of a queer Last Supper but then again it all showed a side of France and the morals that are current today. Sad.

Watching the events going on in Paris triggered “ancient” memories for this old SAC pilot crewmember. Yes I too have toured the Seine in one of those special tour boats. It is amazing how they can thread themselves through all those narrow, and not very high. bridge tunnels. And yes our tour guide narrated the scenes in English. For me the Eiffel Tower is more special because the day that I climbed it, actually mostly it was an elevator ride. Making it to the top visitor’s platform one has a splendid view of the City. The morning that I stood there I was a bit surprised to see a U.S. Air Force CH-3B helicopter fly by. I then realized that it was flown by our next-door neighbor from Otis AFB on Cape Cod. The pilot was Capt. Bill Scott and it was the first helicopter to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. It is a small world!

Obviously if one watches any television they know that it is election season for the USofA. Being of a conservative persuasion your old columnist is a fan of President Trump. I was excited to have Trump run against the diminished Joe Biden as I thought Trump would win by a huge margin. Now that Biden is out of the race and his Vice President Harris the chosen replacement things have gotten more frustrating.

Trump has good accomplishments to brag on. VP Harris is more of a politician that knows how to tweak what makes her look good. Unfortunately in my eyes she is also in love with a socialist way of government and lusts for the power of being in charge. I do fear for the future of our beloved United States if she is chosen to be our next president.

All we can do is pay attention and vote wisely when the time comes.

That is the way I saw it.

Dick Trail