Sheds and Crowns

The first week of the new American Football season is in the bag, and both DH's Vikings and my own Broncos are 1-0. Of course, that won't last long, but we'll enjoy it while we have it. Today is a bit of a round-a-bout day - here and there, odd times, and errands bracketing my work day. I start out (after the pool, of course), with my semi-annual dental checkup before work. My day will end with DH and I taking a quick trip to Home Depot to order and pay for our Tuff Shed and to get the installation scheduled.

As best I can determine, our Tuff Shed will look like this. The
side walls will have ventilation grates for air flow, but the color,
trim, roof color and door placement will be like this. It'll look
similar to our house colors, so that's not too bad. 

Between appointments, there will be work - doing the standard administrative stuff for a Tuesday morning followed by working the sales floor. It's not that I'm unenthusiastic, but I really just want today to be over with. It's probably going to be a long one and I'm not necessarily looking forward to it. Still, it could be worse. Our weather up here in the Frozen Northlands is beautiful right now and fall is just touching the trees with their first color.

The new Miss America is Cara Mund from North Dakota. She's
quite lovely, but also seems to have a sharp brain. Congratulations
to her. 

Did anyone notice (or care) that the new Miss America was crowned? She's from North Dakota - a first time winner from that state - a graduate of Brown University who has been accepted to Notre Dame's School of Law. A smart young woman whose chosen charity is the Make-A-Wish Foundation for children with life-threatening health conditions. Bravo and congratulations to Cara Mund, Miss America 2018.

Miss America receiving her crown on Sunday night. She seems to be
up on the issues of the moment. When asked about whether President
Trump was wrong to have withdrawn the US from the Paris climate
accords, she stated, "It's a bad decision. There is evidence that climate
change is existing and we need to be at that table." 

Did you ever dream of participating in and/or winning a pageant? A lot of little girls in the USA when I was growing up dreamed of walking the stage while hearing "Here she is, Miss America," sung in the background, a sparkling crown on our heads. Pageants seem silly in this day and age, but the winner does get some serious stuff - a six-figure salary for the year and a $50,000 scholarship. That can go a long way towards paying off student loans. Even the fourth runner-up gets a $10,000 scholarship. I suspect it's the benefits, not the actual title, that pushes today's young women towards the pageant stage.

I'm still wondering why anyone would want to get involved in beauty
pageants, even though my cousin was Miss South Dakota in the early
2000's and I was a finalist for Miss Teen Colorado in the 1970's. I know
why I entered that specific pageant - the one and only of my life - but
there are kids and teens out there who have competed in pageants throughout
their young lives. Why? 

So have a great Tuesday. I just want my dental checkup finished and my day started - delayed, but started. Here's to Tuesday - tucked in the beginning of the work week but still, one more stumbling block to overcome before the weekend.