For those who may be interested, the deformed robin that was at my mother’s feeders last month is still around. It’s enjoying a combination of mealworms and this stuff called Bark Butter that I picked up at Wild Birds Unlimited in Carmel. It smells like really good peanut butter and is designed for you to spread on the side of a tree for woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches.

On another note, I forgot how many storms hit Indianapolis. Just like the day before I started this trip, the day before I leave Indianapolis there is a hailstorm. This is actually the second round of hail we’ve had this afternoon.

Today I ran into one of the teachers from my high school. We walked into a great little tearoom in Morgantown and there he was at the front table. I recognized him right away, he hadn’t changed a bit, right down to the pencil mustache right above his lip. My high school was huge and I certainly didn’t expect him to remember me, but I did tell him how much his organization skills workshop he gave us as freshmen really made an impression—okay, all you people who have worked for me in the past, stop sniggering—imagine how much worse I would have been without this class.

He did have one tip that has always stayed with me about having a notebook by the bed because some of your best ideas can come at night or you could have had a really cool dream and to just jot it down as soon as you think of it, so you don’t lose it. I use that to this day, not just sleeping but anywhere I am. Anyway, go Mr. Swengel!