Outbreak

I was delayed in St. Louis's less-than-delightful cold and rain two more days recovering from a minor illness. Then I enjoyed two days and nights in cold and rain headed through Illinois, Kentucky, Tenessee and into Mississippi. I did take time to visit the confluences of the Mississippi with both the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. There seems to be something sacred about the confluence of waters, and those two are major.

I hadn't seen the sun in nearly a week, an odd experience for a Coloradan, especially one from the San Luis Valley, where we see the sun 360 days a year. Around Tupelo, just about the time I began to consider the advisability of sacrificial offerings, the sun finally broke out. Unfortunately, so did a case of the shingles!

As the outbreak was, mercifully, more annoying than painful, after seeing a doctor I decided to push on to Meridian. Once here, since I was on my way to visit an already sick friend who was vulnerable to chicken pox, I decided to lay over a week and recover myself.

Strange trip.

St.Louis

Cold and rainy, but when it's not raining it's actually quite damp.

The Otter is his usual temperate and courtly self.

And with the Otter I can be my real self: an overbearing and obnoxious know-it-all--whether it's due to his gentle tolerance or his covert inspiration I'm not certain. What's more, he's the only person I know who can argue with me without getting upset. Including me. I will stoop to name-calling before I'll admit I'm wrong.

Did I mention I love to argue? About anything. I don't even have to know what I'm talking about, and that covers a fairly wide range of topics.

So the Otter, with the help of the (Legal) Beagle, another exceptional former classmate, has been taking me on a whirlwind tour of unique Gateway City eateries. There's a passel of 'em.

This is grand!