One foot in front of the other

I took the Kid fishing yesterday. I am letting him pick where we go. He chose Sharp Park north of the Lansing Mall.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day. The young beauties took advantage of the weather by running through the park. At least that is what the Kid told me. I don't look at pretty girls.

I continue to be amazed at the number of people who wear head-phones and are completely oblivious to events going on around them. Somewhere, Darwin is rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

We survived several bombing runs by the Canadian Airforce (geese). When taking off they de-ballast and we were in their flight path.

Bonus pictures

I saw this one yesterday morning when I was running at Burchfield Park. The people I encountered had a very strange energy. More of an energy-suck than a super-ball bounce.

Student loans

I mailed in my first payment on Belladonna's student loan.

Because, as a retired guy, my income was so extravagantly high Bella was not entitled to much help. The Student Loan process is Byzantine in the extreme. The only "help" she was eligible for were "Parent Plus Loans".

Turns out I wasn't co-signing for those loans. I am the primary holder.

I was looking at one set of loans thinking Bella did well to get out of school with "only" $20k in debt. She was looking at an entirely different set of loans thinking she got out with $30k.  In actual fact, she owes $50k.

Fortunately, Bella is an industrious and honorable person and is paying me $250 a month to pay back the loans that I am the primary for. I should probably buy a term-life insurance policy for the $20k because I don't think it evaporates if she passes.

Water tanks

Sprite showed up today and collected her water tanks and feed buckets.

Permission-to-track letters

I handed out my yearly permission-to-track letters today to my neighbors who have property that touches mine.

I have only had one person exercise that permission.

The permission is not unconditional.

1. You must make a good-faith effort to contact me by calling my phone before walking on to my property. I may have hunters out there who are hunting. Also, I will probably want to help you track it and drag the deer off the property.
2. That you (my neighbor) be one of the tracking party. You cannot give this permission to a guest on your property.
3. That if a weapon is carried, that the party carry only one weapon and that there not be a shell in the chamber while it is being carried.
4. That you can point to physical evidence that you hit the deer. That would be blood or hair.

So far, this kind of letter has generated good karma with my neighbors. There are some yahoos that might try to take advantage of my generosity but they are the same ones that would trespass and poach regardless of any letter. 

The point about the blood-or-hair requirement is to prevent them from using this letter as an excuse to LOOK for deer on my property that have not been shot.