Nancy's Notes

Body In a few months, we Stocktonians will have opportunity to celebrate our town’s “sesquicentennial” — the 150th anniversary of this town’s settlement. Sesquicentennial is a mouthful of a word, but easier to say than the word for the 125th anniversary: “quasquicentennial.

Body This piece was not written by me, but it sure resonated with me when I read it on a Facebook share. Since it gets passed around umpteen-thousand times all over the world once it gets on Facebook, I call it fair game to share in this spot of mine.

Body Even though she is three years old, I still call Charley a puppy. She certainly still acts like one, especially one morning not too long ago when she was playing with a little frog.

Body Way back in early spring, I was perusing an online ad for flower seeds, and on a whim, I ordered three packets of sunflower seeds in dazzling colors as they were shown: Red Wave, Italian White, and Bright Blue.

Body I've come to believe there are two kinds of people in the world: those who love roller coasters, aka “thrill rides,” and those who don't. I unapologetically fit in with the latter, and I proved it last week when we took our youngest grands to Silver Dollar City.

Body Inner Strength We were traveling last week, and I plan on filling y’all in on how that went as we took our two youngest grandkids camping at Silver Dollar City: amid record-high gas prices and potentially record-high heat.

Body The theme of the 2022 Symphony in the Flint Hills Signature Event was, ironically, “Weather in the Flint Hills.” It had been three years since we had last been to the Symphony concert out on the Kansas prairie, and we were so eager to go again.

Body Kansas was recently ranked as the “least beautiful state” by the food and travel website Thrillist.

Body Here at the Sentinel, we have experienced the loss of a dear, sweet friend. Our big yellow cat became very sick with bladder cancer, and the humane thing of putting him to sleep was the only choice.

Body Gun violence and school shootings are a uniquely American epidemic. Sandy Hook Promise is shining a light on these vital facts and statistics.