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I’ve been thinking

 Some people/cultures perform genital mutilation on young girls, knowing the discomfort that will cause them for the rest of their lives.  We here in the U.S. generally think such a thing is abhorrent. Yet we circumcise our young boys without even thinking about it.  Why would we do that?  Is it medically necessary?  I don’t think so.  Because we’ve always done it that way?  Not so, especially in cultures other than our own in the U.S.  So our son won’t feel different?  It never mattered to me as a kid.  That argument might be overrated.  Because it has religious significance?  How do we feel about that argument in favor of mutilating young girls? The consequences for boys aren’t severe like with girls but still, why cut out and discard parts for no reason?  Why do we modify genitals that will work just fine if left alone? I just don’t get it.  
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So

 What would be the question most on everyone’s minds today? I think you’re probably wondering “Have Steve and Judy ever seen a red-necked grebe?”  Well, glad you asked.  It turns out we saw one just last month while we were on the coast.  We even got a picture of it. Actually, I’m surprised it took this long. 
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I got to drive the car!

 I haven’t done that in months.  Judy had already taken over all the heavy lifting; hooking and unhooking the utilities on the motorhome; hooking and unhooking the car; getting the folding chairs out and putting them away again at each stop; anything that might be a strain for me.  I realized that turning my head to look both ways while driving the car was hurting my neck as well, so I even relinquished driving duties, and Judy cheerfully assumed them.  She has been doing pretty much everything since the end of April, two and a half months ago.  (It’s been okay for me to drive the bus because with all the mirrors and the rear-view camera, I hardly have to move my head at all.) Finally, around the first of July, with all that rest, my neck actually started to feel a little better.  We gave it a couple more weeks, then I tried driving the car again yesterday.  It didn’t hurt!  It felt great!  We’ll continue to take it really easy to avoid any relapse, but it feels like my neck might eventually be fully functional again! Judy says if I’m good I can drive again in another week or so.  Now how do I get Judy to relinquish all that control? 
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Old friends and new

 Rich Marsten.  We bought the motorhome from him at Beaver Coach Sales in Bend, Oregon in 2005.  We’ve kept in touch with him since.  We’re friends. Last Tuesday, while we were out of our coach for repairs in Salem, we made the short 50 mile drive down to Eugene to have a visit with him.  Rich has moved on and opened his own coach sales shop.  It’s smaller than the one in Bend.  He seems happier. Today we spent the day with Makaila, Judy’s niece we’ve never met before.  (And Morgan.) It was a good day.