I made it safe and sound to Independence, Kansas.  It is sunny and warm here, but the weather faeries are predicting that the storm that’s burying the Rockies in snow will bring cold winds and rain here by tomorrow.  I’ve packed accordingly, so I’m ready.

It’s nice to be back.  Kansas is getting a well-deserved bad rap politically because of Gov. Sam Brownback and his plans to move the state back to the 19th century in both fiscal and social policy, but it is still a beautiful place and the people are very friendly.  I hope they can back away from the fringes and get back to electing governors like Kathleen Sebelius and, dog help us, a few moderate Republicans.  The current crop makes Bob Dole sound like a secret gay Kenyan Muslim socialist.

The Inge Festival starts tonight with a production of Bus Stop.