It's a world of laughter, a world of tears, it's a world of hopes and a world of fears . . .

Whenever I meet someone from anywhere I've ever been in my life, I usually indulge myself in asking them if they know X from the same city (or country if it's small). I think this is generally regarded as an annoying practice, but I've had two hits lately, so I'll probably never quit.

1) In Bratislava, a lady working for SEN, Alona, from St Petersburg asked where I was from. Wyoming. Oh, she'd been to Wyoming earlier this summer. Had she? Did she mind my asking where? Wheatland. Wheatland, that's where my parents live right now. Not that I know everyone in Wheatland, but who were you visiting? Dan and Melinda Melcher. The Melchers, they went to our church in Chugwater for five years and their daughter is one of Charlie's good friends. So Alona knows the Melchers and has been to Wheatland.

2) Talking with Sarah who'd come with her husband, Mark, to Athens. They met in Chicago in 1978 while he was studying at Trinity. Trinity, my mother went there. Did you ever know Lynn Johnston? No, I didn't. Chat chat chat. Sarah and Mark went to LaSalle Street Church. LaSalle Street Church - that's where Lynn and her husband went to church, too. Lynn and Chuck? Lynn and Chuck Westerman?!!! Of course I knew them, they were some of our good friends. We lost track of them after Chuck died. She's your stepmom! Yes, thirteen years and counting . . .