thoughts for Friday

So there's a swine flu pandemic ongoing, so far 10 people have died in the US as a result, starting in April of this year. I'm eating lunch yesterday, a lady at the next table pulls out two bottles of disenfectant and goes to town cleaning up her hands as well as the area around her, prior to allowing her husband to set the food down.

In the year 2007, there were 37,248 deaths due to motor vehicles in the United States alone - that averages to a bit more than 102 people each and every day of the year; 1.91 of those are bicyclists - almost 2 per day, on average. A guy this morning ran a stop sign crossing in front of me, after making direct eye contact with me with his window open; he ultimately decided running the sign without slowing down was the best course of action - he was probably in a hurry, so it's okay.

Saw a squirrel fall out of a tree while walking the dog this morning - tree branch broke off under the weight of the furry, four-legged, frolicker. The squirrel was a bit frazzled, but went running away upon touchdown.

Hit St. Louis last weekend for Linden's wedding, happily came across the Country Inn Donut Drive-In while the borrowed GPS tried getting us to my favorite record store from east of the river: (note on maps and GPS's when a ferry river crossing is involved - call ahead and see if the damn thing isn't closed first, in my case I should have called both of them)

It was a bit smoky inside; it's a good thing not all of our freedoms have been taken away in each state, eh? This place has been there 46 years and has one of the best jelly donuts I've had to date.

Beer, donuts, music - classy.

Enjoy the weekend.