Had a great time at Dinky’s Auction last Friday night. Huge place with hundreds of people there. Probably six simultaneous auctions happening across the three big buildings. Didn’t buy anything except a fish sandwich and sweet tea. Audio only because half the crowd were plain folks.

I’ve updated the correspondent section of The Visitor’s News site after some clarifying questions from some friends.

New project: The Visitor’s News. I’d love for you to subscribe and participate. (In fact, the whole thing hinges on participation!) I’d like to get out a November issue so if you want to be a correspondent, please send in your subscription and letter in the next couple of weeks.

I am thankful that, in 2026, a few anachronisms still exist in small town Indiana. Ladies and gentlemen, the White Steamer in Washington. Everyone clearly knows each other. Cash only. Menu on the wall with those black press-in letters. Old men at the bar talking about the weather. 10/10

Uncle Wendell was mentioned by a Budget scribe out of Missouri

First fire!

At the top of Green Hill Cemetery. The wonderful stone carver memorial stands to the right and, up the next hill in the distance, stands St Vincent de Paul.

Anyone else notice that people don’t flash lights at oncoming traffic to warn about a speed trap? (I still do.) Has this practice just been forgotten or is it the result of thin blue line propaganda? I remember when country folks and cops weren’t friendly. Not hostile, but certainly not trusting.

An unexpected effect of the (not so) new job: I’m rarely in Bloomington anymore. It was such a big part of my life for thirty years. Now I’m there less than once a month. So many cool things there, but now I think, “All the way to Bloomington? In that traffic?” 😄

It’s here! Just in time for me to shape up a super secret project during my week off.