All-America City

Linda Burton posting from Olympia, Washington – Birds singing outside the window are always a good sign. A breakfast ticket, an elevator ride, a warm greeting at the front desk as I pick up the morning paper. In the breakfast room I lay my paper on a table by the window and head for the buffet, scrambled eggs and sausages, fruit and yogurt; over on the bar the toasters and the bagels sit, ah, I see, this was once a dining room in the hotel, now serving breakfast just for guests. Coffee, orange juice, I think I’m set. It’s time to eat, and read the paper, what better way to start the day? The paper is the Olympian, a fitting name. City traffic moves on Capitol, across the street in Sylvester Park a backpacker stretches on a bench. The newspaper tells of plans for celebrating the 4^th in the communities around; family festivals, fireworks, parades with a four-legged fourth (Otis the police dog will be Grand Marshall), a Volkssport walk. And the All-America City awards are announced; fourteen new cities are named. Olympia, Washington received that honor some years back, I remember; that’s right, I’m having breakfast in an All-America City! » read more