I know I've been remiss in posting lately, and I'll blame it on lack of internet (not entirely true) and the overwhelming draw that Missoula has to sit back and forget all responsibilities.
We found out that while eastern Kansas is just lovely, western Kansas is as flat and relentless as everyone says it is. So when dad said, "Look Katie, I think those are the Rockies!" I told him "No way, those are just the bottoms of clouds." I hadn't seen these kinds of mountains in some years, and they're just unreal as they rise from out of the plains of Kansas.
Josh Plumley met us at his house that evening and we walked to his neighborhood sushi restaurant which had a really odd western name that sounded more like an Irish Pub, but great sushi. There he introduced us to his wife, Alissa, and her mother, Phyllis. Alissa is one of the friendliest people I've ever met and made us feel incredibly welcome in their home (Josh did too, but he has nothing on his wife). Their story is that they work for separate companies in technology sales but had to communicate with each other fairly often via telephone. After (and I'm shaky on this fact) about two years of talking, they finally met at a conference and turned out to Alissa's surprise that "Josh wasn't an old man!" They spent the entire conference together and that was that.
On another note which may be of much interest, horror, or relief, depending on the audience, ESA as of next year is banning the practice of the students' favorite way of embracing the culture of Europe. That is, drinking in the British pubs and Parisian bistros. Goes for the teachers as well. Well we got to talking about this development to Josh and his take was "Probably for the best," and told us this story:
Josh and a friend of his had a couple of drinks and were walking back to the hotel when they were lured into an establishment by the promise of dancing girls. The two of them were escorted by a man down a flight of stairs into a room where they sat down by themselves. They ordered drinks from the man, which he brought over, and told them, to their horror, that they owed 600 pounds. Then the man walked out of the room. In shock, the two of them sipped on their drinks and decided that they were screwed. Next the dancing girls entered the room and provided a performance. The man returned and told them that they owed another 600 pounds. They were worried that not only would they not be able to pay, but they might not get out of there alive. Once again, the man walked away and they were alone in the room. So they decided that they better make a run for it before he came back and charged another 600 pounds for sitting there.
They escaped unscathed and if you think about it, got away with free drinks and a free show.
We got back to the the house after dinner and Beau Fleming showed up for a few drinks. I had a technology crisis and was dealing with my computer at that point, so I didn't get to hear his story. What I did gather is that he's a psychiatrist and has had some interesting patients. Dad let me know that it was too bad that I didn't talk to Beau because he's "really interesting and smart." Maybe dad'll write a post.
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