MIA, Thoreau

Hi Dear Folk,

I do seem to have been MIA, just all sort of lose ends to tie up.

Don't you think one should have some reading matter for such a long trip?  So besides my book on Norway, the discard from the library I have decided to read Thoreau, also a discard from the library, and since it's in paperback circa 1980 edition, should be just right for packing in my backpack.

I have never read Thoreau so it seemed the appropriate time to do so.  I have only read the first five pages and I'm already enjoying it enormously.  I would consider it an American classic along with The Scarlet Letter.  If you have never read The Scarlet Letter you really must, especially if you are an American.  My goodness that is a very potent piece of writing.

Thoreau says.

"Men have an indistinct notion that is they keep up this activity of joint stocks and spades long enough all will at length ride somewhere, in next to no time, and for nothing:  but though a crowd rushes to the depot, and the conductor shouts 'All aboard!'  when the smoke has blown away and the vapor condensed, it will be perceived that a few are riding, but the rest are run over- and it will be called, and will be, a melancholy accident.'"

Doesn't that remind you of your 401K plan?

Here are my prairie bonnets, I just fell in love with the name.  One thinks of Little House on The Prairie, and settler bonnets just when you say the name.

They love all this rain, every day we have a rain storm.

My old lady seventeen this month.  When you look at her closely you can see she's getting older, but as my son says she did catch a mouse this week, so she's not so feeble.

All my cats live to quite an age and we have come to the conclusion it is because we let them outside in the garden.  They get a lot more exercise and it stimulates their brains.  I remember Tinkerbell the Himalayan, used to do circuits of the house and check out anything that was new.

I had to make a few returns today, one being to the dreaded Walmart, yes the line was yet again a mile long and there dangled a sign to insight me to riot, "Fast Service" really?  Take that sign down.  I get right to the front and my customer service person had to leave.

I did have interesting company though.  In front of me stood two black ladies, I at first thought they were friends and were there together, but it just turned out they were in line like me.  The one lady started to talk about her husband, how he always phones and checks to see how she is.  She said and what's more he's Jewish.  We've been married since the seventies.  The other lady said she'd been married 38 years and I didn't get to say how many years I'd been married.

The one lady married to the Jewish man, said he doesn't do a stroke of house work, but makes lots of money.  She said Jewish men don't clean.  Well I had to say something since a best friend I have Martin, who I've known since I was eighteen is Jewish and he even had a cleaning business at one time, and does clean, so I did mention this.  She said her son didn't do a stroke and was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  It seems her husband's family have had a bar in Mt Airy area for well over 60 years.

She showed us a picture of her son, and we said he was a good looking boy, and she said she'd had him at 40 and was an only child, in turn I said I had my one and only at 40, then she said do you know I'm 82, well she looked about 72, I've always looked young for my age. She proceeded to show us photos of herself at 38 and her son.  She said he was born looking quite white and people thought I was the maid, although as he grew up his features were like mine, so people then knew he was my son.

She said I asked my husband why he married me?  And he said to look after me and so that I could live in the way I should.

It's amazing what people tell you.  She did forget her keys on the counter, and when I looked at them they were to a new Cadillac.  The line did seem to go quicker than usual.

Counting down now, up, up and away on Sunday.

Christine