Have you seen the Internet pictures of the sign that says, “Satan called…he wants his weather back”? I think we should make an attempt to accommodate him. If you are the one who ordered up this heat wave, it is time to quit messing around and send it right back where it belongs.

I am not watering my lawn or the big mature trees, but I am watering some smaller trees and shrubs, and the neighborhood birds and squirrels. The birds show their appreciation by doing their business all over my car. I am not sure how the squirrels show their gratitude…as a matter of fact, I am not sure I have ever seen squirrel “business.” I might have to put that on my bucket list for some future investigation.

At any rate, it is hot. I saw a report this past weekend by weather experts forecasting this same weather pattern until Halloween. Ouch. It seems that Mother Nature comes back with a vengeance if I get too critical of her selection of wind, rain, snow, drought, and other nasty weather things, so now I am going to drop this topic.

I thought perhaps I should let you know that about eight people have recently confided in me that they were not involved with the giant explosion of left-over PHS band fireworks on the Rock Island railroad tracks many years ago. I was able to tell them all that their names NEVER crossed my mind as perpetrators in the first place. However, do you think it might be a bit odd that they felt the need to tell me that at all? Hmm.

Well, it no longer matters much. As with most cold-case investigations, this one seems to be going nowhere. I expect someone will slip up and spill the beans when I least expect it. If you want to know who the eight people are who didn’t do it, just ask. I don’t have a problem giving them up!

Finally, I want to share something with you, whether you are one of my five regular readers or not. A week ago, the Youngest Daughter presented a $1,000 music scholarship in her father’s name to a young lady from McPherson who is this year’s recipient of the award. The scholarship was generously funded by contributions from friends, family, former students, and music associates after his death in 2010. It is administered by the Senseney Music Foundation, and every spring a panel of judges selects a student majoring in music education or performance from applications received at Senseney Music.

I mention this because so many of you contributed to the fund and our family wants you to know that the scholarship is successfully in place for a second year and will be distributed annually for some time. The Daughters and I are pleased that the scholarship is available, and we hope that it will provide our state with some enthusiastic ambassadors for music programs in public education.

And thank you for contributing to that goal!

– SUSAN MARSHALL