With gas prices being what they are, it sometimes feels like you need to get a second mortgage or sell a family heirloom like Uncle Dudley's toe-nail clippers just to run a couple of errands. (Don't laugh about my uncle's clippers...he had the most beautiful toe-cuticles in our town! The rest of him was a little off, but his feet were awe-inspiring.) Calling someone a "Sunday Driver" today is really a compliment to his or her financial acumen. Imagine taking a ride in the car just to take a ride in the car! Luckily, in my case, I have great reasons to get out and about: school visits.

As I mentioned yesterday, Atchison Catholic Elementary was my destination on Tuesday. A room full of bright, well-behaved fourth, fifth and sixth graders made the visit a terrific time. One student snapped my picture with his cell-phone/camera. A fellow 4th-grader said to the shutterbug "What are you...the paparazzi?" They had great questions and comments and sent me on my way with a couple of t-shirts, an Atchison Kansas decorative bell and other goodies including a delicious strawberry pie from the nearly world-famous Jerry's Again restaurant. Thank you everybody! If you haven't been there lately, take a trip to Atchison!

It was a pleasant day for a drive, too, through one of our prettiest areas. It brought back a lot of good memories of Special Olympics opening ceremonies at Snow Creek, for example. My oldest son and I were honored to take part for several years...announcing the Olympians. One year, they had me compete in a race down the hill on a garbage bag. I lost...but I didn't get Mad...I got Gladd!

Driving by the Lewis and Clark village reminded me of the floods of 1993 and a story I did for the old ABC Home show about one family's devastating loss of their home and everything else in that dangerously soggy summer. They were inspiring in their determination to move forward.

Also, I once did a feature story about a country gas station up in that neck of the woods with a unique way of getting customers. If you filled up your tank, you didn't just get a commemorative tumbler or S&H Green Stamps (young'ns...ask your folks what those were all about.) No. If you filled your tank...you could take home a piglet. A real, live piglet. All clean and pink with the little curlicue tail. When you squealed out of that gas station you really squealed!