Panorama days 5K race

While the tractor pull was going on, the 5K race was set to begin. Previously, I had arranged from someone to supervise the boys while I was running, but I didn’t know the tractor pull and the race would overlap. At any rate, I drove down to collect my number and came back to watch Oskar. I had to jog down for the race so I missed Maxim’s performance. I ran into a couple we knew in Kazakhstan who have relatives in Panora. I finished the race in 22 minutes and 7.83 seconds. I felt great, but I wish I had asked Stan to bring the boys down to see the end of the race. It was another 2nd place finish. 2nd in the men's 40 -49 year old division. I found that out today (Wednesday) when I opened up my mailbox find the prize below.

Wouldn't I have liked to pin that medal on my high school letter jacket!

I saw the boys and Stan sitting at a picnic table near on the town square. They were chatting happily. Stan and Dorothy were very impressed with the boys. I think they are most comfortable with me, so they are not afraid to whine and complain. I am reminded of Yadav (or something) an Indian kid in Kazakhstan who for all my trying, I couldn't get him to voluntarily say a word in school. His dad told me he is loud and crazy at home. There were several inflatable games that the boys loved. They were fantastically expensive, though. I told the boys that is the reason we have a trampoline at home.

Yesterday, I woke the boys at 8:45, asking them if they wanted to go to a pet show. Oskar, of course, wanted to see piggies. He was disappointed that piggies are usually never in pet shows. The show featured only dogs that were up for adoption from the animal rescue organization here in Panora. I learned that they ‘rescue’ many dogs from Missouri. One woman told me that the most adopted pets are from “puppy farms” in the state of Missouri because, as she told me in a soft conspiratorial tone, “they have no regulations down there.” The added the words, “those hillbillies!” in unspoken character assassination.

Fortunately, we were there because I had been assigned to walk with one of the puppies in the parade. The dog was a lovely little dachshund named Louie, who loves everyone and everything. The boys were fighting over which one got to walk the dog until Oskar had to admit that he was a bit tough to handle. Even Maxim said he was tough to control in the parade. Luckily we were still able to eat a pancake breakfast at the community center. Oskar said, “This room is the cribbage room AND the breakfast room? Imagine his surprise when the same room turned into the venue for the free movie that evening.