The Farmer's Wife: Week filled with football and the queen's funeral 

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We set a new record for temperature today, and there is a good chance we will do it again tomorrow.  THEN, it's supposed to cool off; just in time for the first day of FALL! I have jeans and sweatshirts out, and I'm so ready to put summer things away.  You'd think I had to go and work in the heat the way I complain about it, but you have to admit it's getting OLD!

Well, I have not mentioned football for a long time. Even when Northwestern beat us in Dublin; I said Dublin is a good place to drown your sorrows, and I knew at least two couples who were there. In fact, on the shot of the pep rally prior to the game, out of all the folks gathered there, we spied Karen and Roger, the couple whose wedding we attended in Northern Ireland many moons ago. What were the chances? They live in London, so it was an easy short flight to Ireland, and I suspect it was just too tempting to see if they could find familiar faces..

Then, to let North Dakota come way too close; I kept saying to Sue, our die-hard fan, “this is North Dakota, not North Dakota State!”  until she made me get out with my negativity.

But the Georgia Southern game was the nail in Coach Frost's coffin.  I do know a guy who played football for Peru State who was at the game and says the GS quarterback was very good. And  “Nebraskans are just going to have to learn to suck it up!” I think we have been doing that now since Dr. Tom retired. In an old scrapbook, I have letters to the editor saying he should be fired, and look what we would have missed if that had happened!

In my memory, the whole thing will forever be imprinted with the pomp and pageantry afforded the Queen; I think a lot of us found it all very fascinating. When I wrote last week about the place of humor at a funeral, I was not thinking of the one that happened today, Monday. And I did not detect any humor, either in Scotland or at Westminster. I could not believe the crowds! They stood in line for hours, and all they were going to see was the flag-draped casket. Some camped overnight to be able to see the procession.

I thought the “vigil of the princes” was interesting, as was the vigil of the grandchildren.  

I think we all smiled at the two Corgi's and the black pony, and at the two little great grandchildren.  They were models of good behavior, but I think all those guards and uniforms and clergy in robes would make even a restless youngster a bit in awe.. Of course, we will never know what Louis would have done; he kept us entertained during the Platinum Jubilee celebration.

When Philip died last year, and Elizabeth sat by herself in the huge church, I felt so sorry for her. She was the epitome of the British slogan, “keep calm and carry on”.  But she had to be hurting inside.  Other than her daughter, Princess Anne, she had lost her one confidante. They were married a very long time, and she must have missed him terribly.  I know how I miss Mike still, and it's already been two years.  

I found a gallery of photos online of the  heads of state that attended. This, too, was fascinating. For instance, the King of Jordan was in a typical suit, but with a turban of some kind on his head. The king of Bhutan almost looked like he could engage in a round of karate.  All in all, an amazing day.

It gave me something else to think about besides football! Now, what am I going to find to distract me? I know, volleyball!