It's a small world after all . . .

Lily knows that she is not supposed to jump up onto the dining room table--she gets a squirt from the water bottle when she does. But she has started doing something really funny. It's very naughty of her to do, but it looks so funny that we can't help but laugh when she does it. When she sneaks onto the table and sees someone coming with the water bottle, she immediately runs to the napkin basket and tries to hide. You would think she would figure out that a basket is not an effective hiding place, but she still tries it. I can understand why she likes the napkin basket though--it is very cool. Mom made it for Grandma, and Grandma and Mom gave it to me. It looks perfect on our dining room table (without a kitty in it)!

Today I went to the Lincoln Home for some living history training. Living history is when you have people dressed up in period clothing doing historical interpretation. They have just started a living history program at the Lincoln Home, and I am going to be the second-in-command over the program. It should be very exciting! The guy who will be in charge of living history is also a new employee. I met him and one of our other fellow newcomers today. They both seem very nice, as do all of the people there, so I think it will be a great place to work. Kevin, the living history guy, just came from Gettysburg--and he is friends with my two good Mississippi buddies who now work there: Angie and Matt!!! It's a small world.

I feel very fortunate to have gotten the job at the Lincoln Home. These days you are fortunate just to find a job--let alone one in your field and at such a neat place as Abraham Lincoln's house! As I was walking down the Lincoln's street this afternoon, watching all of the little kids running around and the people taking pictures, I remembered how much I enjoy being a park ranger and sharing history with the public. It is an important and fulfilling job to have. During training today I did learn the unfortunate fact that in the event of a tornado, it is the rangers' responsibility to remain outside making sure all of the visitors get inside the visitor center. Just kidding--that's not unfortunate. I'm sure that if a tornado is coming, it won't be very hard to get the visitors to hurry inside. Usually being a park ranger at the Lincoln Home isn't very dangerous, but they had a coyote run through the park the other day. I have no idea how a coyote would have gotten to the middle of downtown Springfield--but I guess that where there are park rangers, there are wild animals of some sort at one time or another.