Posting from my second home

This old hometown of mine has changed some. There are now several (a handful at least) restaurants downtown now. Used to be there was one burger joint that was open for lunch. One of the new places is called Ponca Townsite Company, giving a nod toward our history during the Cherokee Strip Land Run where people staked their claim and then recorded it at the township office.

I eat here a lot. Tonight I ordered a personal size bacon, lettuce and tomato pizza and I'm sitting here with my laptop, talking to you and listening to Josh Groban. Life is good! (So is the pizza. I just took a bite; wish I could offer you one through the screen!)

I'm settling into a comfortable routine, coming here after work. Usually I go by my apartment first, just to see what kind of excitement is going on. Today the building was red-tagged for trash violations. People are very sloppy about the very few and very small trash cans for the two buildings that share them. And people are very very bad about dumping old furniture out there too. It is just a little toooo Sanford and Son-ish for my likes. To tell you the truth, I would have talked to the city guys who regulate such things myself, but looks like they caught it on a drive-by, or the sanitation truck called it in themselves. I may call my buddy Billy about the bats since he's the building inspector.

Anyway, enough griping about nonsense. I had gotten into the habit of walking over here, but since I caught on to the wireless part of the place, I've been hauling butt and laptop over here in the car. I have a large, heavy laptop and would prefer not to be mugged for it some night at closing.

This is a great help with my austerity movement. I'm not having to pay for an internet connection, plus I have my people here to feed me and clean up after me and remind me when it is time to go home and go to bed. AND they have the best ice cream EVAH here. I think I'll try the Red Velvet tonight if I have room after the pizza.

I had to cover a special meeting of the city commissioners today -- a work session. It was about a new plan to save the city lots of money with a fancy system to replace the water meters and the electric meters and put in a new system that is centrally monitored. It'll cost a bundle but save the city even more, Professor Higgins said in his presentation.

We shall see. I see wonderful things happening here, after decades of status quo. There is a new senior citizens apartment complex in the works, a new YMCA rec center, lots and lots of fancy things. Unfortunately, part of this progress means the demise of one of the very few drive-in theaters left in the state. The Airline will take its final bow, probably, this summer.

Lots is going on in preparation for the Centennial activities. The City Commission announced this afternoon that the city's centennial float will be displayed on the city plaza Monday night before the commission's regular meeting. I'll take photos!

I haven't had much time for photo-taking, which makes me sad, but my friends are getting married June 29 and I will more than make up for it at that illustrious occasion. We have all waited for this for so long, I practically expect the Queen of England to show up with a present!

My Mitford reading compulsion continues. I'm halfway through book 4, which I picked up yesterday after work. And I have book 5 on hand just so I don't run out!

I expect to stay here this weekend, for the first time. Oh the mere thought of it delights me, although I won't have the chance to sleep in late Saturday morning, which would make it perfect. I'll have to work, at least for a little while. The only thing I know for sure that I have to do is pick up the police notes. Lord, you would think it was a suicide bomb the way people try to avoid having to do them! I'd do them gladly if that was a spoken part of my assignment, but most of my hours are full with slightly more important projects.

One thing I'm working on with a co-worker has been done by bigger papers, including the one for which I previously worked. We're going to report on the county restaurant inspections. We've already had a battle with the county health department, invoking the state Open Record Act and involving the District Attorney who gave them a blistering lecture and changed their attitude for the better. Anyway, that aside, it will be a good project for a small town newspaper.

I'll leave you now and spend some time surfing around, reading what you've written to entertain me. It better be good, or else! Just kidding. You all make me happy with your writings and your comments that you leave here. I've missed spending time on the blog, but hey, now I have things to write about. And a nice restaurant in which to write them, with a pretty good inspection score, as I recall.

See you later!
Life is good!