Ah, Kansas.

A gorgeous place, Pottawatomie County

Ah, Kansas, I’ve missed you.

The past few months, I’ve been incredibly busy. Lots of commitments, obligations, work to do. Plus, I’m trying to co-write a book. Lately, I’ve just been so tired of having something to do every minute of every day. I goof off 10 minutes here and there on facebook, but that’s been my only play time lately.

This morning I went to the Java Cat to plan out a couple of columns. I sketched out the bones of two essays.

Meanwhile, out the window of the coffee shop, such a beautiful day was in progress.

Spring goes by so quickly.

I texted Dave at home to see if he was up for a road trip. Didn’t know where we’d go or why, I just needed to get out and have some fun.

Yesterday, a facebook friend, LouAnn Thomas (who is also a writer) and I had an online conversation to the effect that yes, we should meet in person, get together, do something. Sometime. So, as Dave and I were leaving this morning, I texted LouAnn just to see if she was available to get together. She was.

Although we had never met in person, I felt like I knew LouAnn. A few years back, she wrote a column for the Topeka Cap-Journal and I followed that online.

Anyway, we met her in Wamego at the Friendship House.

I had a bierock and a salad. (Good stuff.)

And a raspberry cheesecake cupcake. I’m cutting back on sugar, but I’m not down to no sugar (nor will I likely ever be.)

Then LouAnn took us out to her farm in Pottawatomie County and it was just crazy beautiful out there. She took us all across her land in her Gator (or some brand of 4-wheeler). LouAnn was as cool and as nice as I expected her to be. And what a wonderful and peaceful place she has here where on the edge of the Flint Hills, where glaciers left a trail of red rocks.

So, today turned into an unexpected road trip. I met a friend in person, and spent some time out in the green, green hills of Kansas. It was a great day. It was exactly what I needed.