August is here, and just a couple of weeks and all the kiddos will be back in school. Oh the horror of it all. In the meantime, it’ll be a glorious Sunday.

Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different ~ C. S. Lewis

****I need to point out that next week I WON’T post The Ramblings till Sunday. Next Saturday it’s the Cincinnati Cyclones Un-Frozen 10K (Cyclones are our Hockey team) and I have to be downtown at dawn. I’ve done this before – in mid-February (Frozen). This year due to the pandemic it’s an August thing (Un-Frozen).

Paddlefest 2021 – This morning my arms are once again somewhat operable – thank you Ibuprofen, so here goes with a bit about yesterday’s adventure.

At 7:15 I was on the river. We were told there were approximately 2200 people participating and over 1,600 water craft; we were all launched in under one hour. Along the way were anchored several Safety Boats, each with a live band – it was a real PARTY! We were told that this all makes it the largest such event in the nation.

A 9-mile journey lay ahead. I ended up doing one extra mile since I took part in exploring the mouth of our Mill Creek. This 28-mile waterway was explored 200 years ago due to rich farmland and power. More on that later.

4-hours and 29-minutes later I reached the finish line. Once there I assured the ‘handlers’ I could exit my craft on my own. The actuality was that it took three high-school aged, football player sized, ‘handlers’ to get me lifted out and on my feet. I blame it all on the steep slope of the boat launch we landed at.

The before Party – Local Craft beers, Food trucks, live bands, about 40 vendors, and so much to look at on Friday evening. Marcia and I went for dinner and a cold one, listened to music, and just wandered. Even seeing the camping gear today, over what we remember from years ago.

The Launch –

Meeting folk – 1,600 craft and I spotted this Canoe – and what a small world it is. Paddling over I struck up a conversation on the name of their boat (Holland Amerika Lijn). Turns out the lady was from Holland. I mentioned that I’d come across on the Holland America Line’s MS Rijndam 70 years ago.

I also mentioned that on the 50th anniversary of our parent’s immigration my brothers and I went back to Holland and had a dinner with our Dutch cousins at the former headquarters of Holland America Line in Rotterdam – now turned into a specialty hotel. The woman responded; “Hotel New York”. I answered “yes”, and added, “I stole a small espresso coffee cup”. She answered; “I was a waitress in that place”. WOW!

A different view from the norm –

The Mill Creek – The Mill Creek Watershed in our area’s history

The Landing –

The Fun Continues – after all the shutdowns and cancellations I’ve missed the enjoyment of hearing our Cincinnati Contemporary Jazz Orchestra (CCJO) and their 17-member Big Band sound. Tonight will be the first performance in quite some time. On the ‘menu’ will be standards (swinging’ classics), along with stuff from Radiohead, Earth Wind and Fire, Prince, and Ray Charles. Should be great!

I’ll be listening outdoors at the pavilion in Washington Park. It’s that location, Washington Park, which caused Marcia to state; “I’m not going, I don’t want to get shot.” I’m heading there solo.

School Demands – Our local school system is mandating that all students and staff wear masks indoors. Surrounding school systems have stated that mask wearing is left to the individual and is thus; optional. But for both it’s due to; the Science.

The latest rash of edicts and ‘predictions’ is due to the possible spread of the ‘Delta’ variant; for which there is no test.

Quoting a Dr. Eli David: “If the masses could read scientific papers or analyze data, then;
– Nobody would wear a mask
– Nobody would comply with lockdowns
Government pandemic response is entirely based on people complying with the opinions of “experts”.
Just like in the middle ages.”

Fini –
• Kirstin has rediscovered the joy of roller skating and her home is perfect for twirls, spins, runs.

• This past Thursday, on that day in 1926, Harry Houdini was placed in a coffin and then put under water for 90-minutes before escaping.

• Also, on date this past week in 1936, Jesse Owens won the 100-meter dash defeating Ralph Metcalfe, at the Berlin Olympics. This became his fourth gold medal. His win caused Hitler to lose his cool and storm out of the Olympic stadium.

• As little kids we all just loved to be read to. Then that would change as we began to read and prefer to read for ourselves. Thought; wouldn’t it be more desirous for us all if the President would just turn the Teleprompter around so we could read for ourselves?

• The current Covid-19 variant outbreak by (European) nations. Look where the larger outbreaks are. I wonder if it’s due to the testing methodology used – i.e. change the particles per million being tested and thereby increase the number of positives. Then have a reason to place more constraints on their populations?

• Google “Covid-19 deaths USA”. Deaths are at one of the lowest point for the past year and a half, even though the actual cases logged continue to rise. Viewpoint folks.

• Finally, this read on one of my feeds; “I’ll start listening to my government during a pandemic when it closes the border during a pandemic.”

Now, enjoy this month of summer. Make it a great week. Value life, stay healthy, and laugh a lot (if struggling with laughter try smiling). And the same as I wrote last week; best till next Sunday!

Dirk