I wasn’t feeling too good Monday night when I got home to Russell. Not only did I have a terrible time playing Buzztime’s The Pulse at Buffalo Wild Wings–my lowest score in well over a year–but I also was second guessing myself for not braving the elements Sunday morning instead of staying in Norton. I told Peggy Cox I was way down on myself and I was feeling pretty dumb for not leaving Norton. She told me not to be so hard on myself.

I didn’t have time to think about it Tuesday, because I was in a rush to get my work done before leaving for Russell’s basketball games at Ellsworth that evening. On the drive east, I realized I probably did the right thing by staying in Norton the extra day. US 283, the road between Norton and I-70 at WaKeeney, is narrow with very little shoulder. There would have been a chance I would have slid off. Or worse, what if a car coming northbound careened into me and caused major damage? What about deer (I saw three crossing on the part which joins up with Kansas Highway 9 between Logan and Lenora going up Friday)? Then again, I have almost always watched the Super Bowl at home, and I don’t know if I would have been comfortable with a large crowd at Buffalo Wild Wings.

I left the house for Ellsworth just after 4. The Broncos and Bearcats split the doubleheader, with Russell’s girls winning 60-43 and the Ellsworth boys prevailing 52-32. Pretty much what I expected coming in. The games proceeded well, and I was home before 10.

I didn’t sleep much. I decided to get all of my work done for the Russell County News before I left at 8;15 for my 9 a.m. appointment in Hays. That was a smashing success. These sessions every other Wednesday with Crista Geyer are really helping me. I think she was relieved, took, that we didn’t spend the whole time talking about Buffalo Wild Wings.

I passed on a trip to Salina. It didn’t snow like it was forecast, at least in Russell and Salina, but it was just too darn cold to go out. I stayed home and ate soup for dinner with my parents.

I weighed a trip to Salina yesterday. I would have spent most of the afternoon at Buffalo Wild Wings and then driven north on US 81 to Minneapolis for Russell’s dual wrestling meet there. I eventually said no and instead rode with Larry Bernard, Jerry Driscoll and Sean Spoonts. Larry bought dinner for everyone at Applebee’s in Salina, and we got home a little after 10.

I’m now trying to tie up the loose ends before I leave a little after 1 for the trip to Hill City, where Smith Center is playing basketball tonight. I’m staying in Norton again before driving in the morning to Phillipsburg for the Panther Classic wrestling tournament. No trip to Kansas City this weekend, since I have an appointment with Dr. Custer Monday morning and then Russell’s basketball game with Sacred Heart in Salina Tuesday.

I won’t have any trouble getting back from Norton this time. The sun is out and the mercury is headed north of 60 degrees (16 Celsius) today. Tomorrow it’s supposed to get close to 80! I’ve got shorts packed for tomorrow for the tournament. It’s supposed to get cold again later next week, but no snow expected.

I hope this does not mean (a) we’re going to have a terrible tornado season and/or (b) it will be 110 for several days this summer. I’m afraid both will happen. Of course, New Orleans has two major anniversaries from the two most destructive hurricanes to hit the city coming up later this year: first the 10-year mark of Katrina in 2005, and less than two weeks later, the 50th of Betsy in 1965.