Picnic here. And so’s the hot weather.

I don’t know if it’s the virus or the heat, but the Picnic Committee has cancelled the turtle jump and the frog pull for this year.

I’m sure the critters won’t miss it.

– I had a request from city hall to tell you that running your air conditioner now will result in a big utility bill in August that doesn’t have anything to do with the Picnic.

The person in City Hall said one utility customer said she keeps her thermostat set on 68 ̊ Fahrenheit. Good grief. That person shouldn’t need a refrigerator. But she might need a loan to pay the electric bill.

We set the thermostat at the office on 74 ̊ to try to hold down the bill. At home, we set the thermostat on 73 ̊. I tried lowering it to 72 ̊ one night and it got too cold.  I raised it to 75 ̊ Monday before I left for the office. It will cool down pretty quickly when we get home. We run the ceiling fan at night year round. At church, the A/C is set on 74 ̊ in the summer.

– During the day on weekends when we are home, when we let Davis’ dog, Caddee, out, her first stop is a sunny spot where she can soak up from rays. We have to watch her or she will finally ask to get back in without going “out.”

We don’t have to worry about out new kitten, Jack. We’ve both offered him a chance to go outside with Caddee. He’s not even curious. He was a street kitten in Nevada and doesn’t want any more of that. I think we are probably his fourth home and he seems perfectly content. He talks all the time in a little high voice.

– I’m dreading the heat at the Picnic kids’ games on the tennis courts. I’m wondering what the attendance will be like with the heat and the virus.

It’s going to be a new look at the Picnic this year.  The new carnival company is Fun Time Shows out of Doniphan, MO.

– We are not going to photo any class reunions for the first time in years. Thank goodness we don’t have to load all that equipment, rush to get it unloaded and set up, shoot the photos, tear down the equipment, reload it, rush to the next appointment and start the process again.

This will be the 56th year for the Class of 1964, the year I graduated. Nothing is planned that I know of. It will be Reese’s second Picnic. I haven’t heard if Ben is going but at 11 I expect he will have to ride something scary. Adrian, Cain, Van and Snider are not coming.

– The band for the street dance, Rekoil, will be moved to the Picnic stage making it a Park Dance. In past years, we always went to the Eagles trailer for a cheeseburger then to photo the street dance winners. The Eagles won’t have a trailer this year. We can get custard from the Nine Wonders Optimists in their booth next to the Optimists on Main Street.

See you at the Picnic. KL