Politics

I try to stay away from politics on this blog. But blast it all...are you about fed up with congress and our prez? How hard is it to raise the debt limit? After all they already spent the damn money. The tea party and their no negotiation attitudes have got to go. And the libs who don't think they can touch entitlements - when our present system isn't sustainable! I'd like to knock their heads together.

DNR is going through a big change this week as Governor Branstad ordered our Division Administrator to resign - as a political fallout. It seems Branstad wants his own people on the job, and was just waiting for the legislative session to be done. He's named Creston native Bill Ehm as replacement. Bill had been Bureau Chief of the Water Quality department prior to that.

Paul and I have known Bill for a long time. I'd say he's one of the first people I knew when we moved to Creston. One of the first years we lived here, Bill and his first wife Becky invited us to their house for a Christmas party with our kids. Santa was there and everything! We had to take wrapped gifts that we had to sneak in the back door (avert your eyes Amy) for each of the kids. Ehms have three children - Justin, Sharon and Molly who is a couple years older than Amy.

At the time of the party, Jud was probably not yet two, so Amy was five-ish. We sat in their music room and sang Christmas carols with other young families. It was quite fun! Mike and Judy Moffitt were there with their children Maddie and Brett. Were John and Rhetta Baker there with Luke and Laura? I can't remember who else - except for Santa of course, who made Jud cry. I'll always remember that party fondly.

And...now he's my boss. Imagine that.