Returning From Spring Blog Break

Hello again.


For those of you who check in from time to time to see if there were any new posts, please accept my apologies for my recent absence. I've been busier than normal this spring living the life of a somewhat typical Howard Countian.


My first distraction was our extreme backyard makeover. When we built our new home last year we ended up with a drainage problem that left a portion of our backyard in permanent soggy status. We feared that if we left this unresolved, the Army Corps of Engineers would declare it a wetland. Our solution was to install a series of pipes and drains to move the water out to the street. We hid these waterworks underneath a flagstone patio and walkway. Midway through our water works project, we decided to go ahead and construct a screened room that would provide us some relief from the impending arrival of summer bugs.




In other words, the project quickly got out of hand.


I am happy to report that it is now complete and we are able to enjoy evening cocktails outside. It was also done in time for us to host my stepdaughters high school graduation party, which was another thing that distracted me from blogging.


Anyone who has had a kid graduate from high school lately knows of what I speak. It sure is different from when I matriculated from Wilde Lake High School back in 1973. Back then it was pretty much, "Congratulations, now go get a summer job."


Nowadays, it is an endless progression of awards dinners, parties, and even a public school baccalaureate (only one county high school still has one...can you guess?).


And as if that were not enough, we are also in the middle of the Columbia Festival of the Arts. I have the somewhat dubious honor of serving on the Board of Trustees of the festival which means I get to give lots of money and time (and manual labor lugging "doors" around) in return for the satisfaction of seeing the event succeed. Oh yeah, I also get a t-shirt.


It is a great festival though. While some may think of it only in terms of the LakeFest which was held last weekend, the festival actually runs from June 6th through June 23rd. So far this week I attended the production of True Colors, The 80's Musical and America (they were great) at the Rouse Theatre. Tonight we will be seeing Minnesota Dance Theatre with the Columbia Pro Cantare Chorus.


It's all good and the best part is that it is all right here in our backyard.


So that's where I've been. I'll update more stuff on the festival this weekend.