The mild, mild (mid)west

"In Lawrence, if you are not juiced up to be a Kansas University Jayhawks fan, if you don't like saying 'Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk', over and over again, if you don't know the stats of at least half of the basketball players - well, then you better tell Toto, you are not in Kansas anymore." 

Yesterday, we completed a short, yet very eventful trip down to Lawrence, Kansas. Why? A big family event. One of my wife's closest cousins was celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary. Over the years we have become very close to that couple. It was an event we would have not missed for anything. It was also to celebrate the wedding of  their daughter, who got married earlier in the year in Australia.

We have traveled down south a bit, and have remarked about the nature of the population. The term "southern hospitality" is well earned. The vast majority of our encounters with folks down south have been good. That being said, the midwestern hospitality we have encountered is also just as warm. In Iowa, in Missouri, and for sure in Kansas - things are mellow and mild. Instead of Kansas being the start of the wild, wild west, it is in the heart of the mild, mild (mid)west. 

The town of Lawrence is an interesting town. Almost a far out suburb of Kansas City, it is devoid of the hub-bub of the big city life. In fact, it is mellow yellow. Or should I say, yellow, red and blue. Those are the Jayhawks school colors. In Lawrence, if you are not juiced up to be a Kansas University Jayhawks fan, if you don't like saying "Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk", over and over again, if you don't know the stats of at least half of the basketball players - well, then you better tell Toto, you are not in Kansas anymore. 

However, it you do like a college town which looks like the college towns of yesteryear, Lawrence is the place to be. A high quality college, located in a high quality (very clean) town, inhabited by very nice midwestern folks. 

A brief word about our stay in West Des Moines on the way down to Kansas. Another midwestern town which is straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Nice, nice folk in a clean town. It was state fair week in Des Moines, and that is a big deal in Iowa. Kind of like our state fair is to us. Had many chats with folks at the hotel about the fair, the weather, or whatever. Every conversation was warm and inviting. As much as we wanted to get down to Lawrence, it was hard to leave West Des Moines.

But as the saying goes, it is now "home again, home again jiggity jig". Big week this week. State Fair, my wife's brother is coming to stay, and the grandies are off. It will be a week of resettlement and reflection. Is it good to be home? Always - but one thing is for sure. We are not in Kansas anymore. We are left with just some very good memories of a wonderful time.