We had a cordial conversation. He had been busy cleaning up from 25 young ladies from the East Swim team and I got to give him the news of his victory. It was a solid not quite two to one victory. I wished him well and told him he’d always treated me fairly on the Board.
I left a message of condolence with Loren Martell. I really do feel justice slipped by Duluth but I also have to say that the victor in the 3rd District race is a good guy.
I checked in with Alanna Oswald to congratulate her as well. It was a short congratulation because the education reporter from the Duluth News Tribune called and that took priority.
The voting percentages have pretty well set the seal on my permanent retirement. Even Pete Stauber can breath easier. My head has been working overtime on what I would do as a returned school board member but at that was for naught. I knew, however, that win lose or draw I would be content and that is how I feel now. In fact the lopsided nature of my loss really pulls the final curtain on future campaigns. I won’t promise not to dabble in the future but at the moment campaign number 17 feels like the end of a long run.
The writer in me is pleased. Not the blogger but the writer who wants to put some books together. The School Board would have been a powerful deterrent to that long desire of mine. I say not the blogger because the blog and short form writing has also been a distraction. But I think I will find time to return to writing every other week in the Reader. In fact, I woke up this morning with an idea I sketched out for a column this week. As of the end of the election reporting I am no longer a candidate so the Reader will probably let me back on the payroll. (That’s a joke BTW) I sent them a column late this afternoon for their Thursday edition. It would be a shame to have wasted all my ads in the Reader for the past couple months telling folks how much they missed my contributions. So, That’s how I feel as of the ten o’clock news.
Thanks to all those who helped me out and voted for me. Book orders will be fulfilled sooner now that I have so much more free time to look forward to.
God’s peace and thank you Kentucky and Virginia. You brightened my evening.
