Crone

I'll get to that later but there is a point. As I was walking to the farmers' market this morning I passed by a large number of very young women, most likely new minted freshmen, rushing various sororities lining my route. I was overwhelmed by the hormonalosity of the throngs and thought to myself how glad I am that those days have passed and I have become a crone. Let us resurrect the crone from the language graveyard from which it has lay in repose lo these many years. Let us resurrect it to a proper place and meaning, that being, a passage into wisdom, freedom and personal power. Let's get all Feminist. Look at all the handsome women of a certain age. Full of wisdom and and a passion for life. Let us celebrate our age, beauty and most important our collective wisdom. I am proud to be a Crone. So here I sit in my comfy living room dispensing wisdom to the world, such as it is. Say it loud, I am old and proud. I owe this realization to a precursor to the lovely Hyphen, a therapist who saved me from my crazy self and brought me into the sanitized light of my well being. Let's just call her androgynously Pat. I hope she is still out there, retired in her own Crone dome, enjoying her fruits of her labors. There for the grace of Pat did it not descend into a permanent crazy land of youth. I have emerged as a Crone. Life is good, even as we have grown older, yes, and wiser, and yes, closer to the end of days. It all come down to that.

Saturday

Switching between watching football and baseball and just ordered in some Chinese food. It has been a day of errands and had a lovely lunch with Gastric, the Sherpa and the Evil Nutella. Was able to hit Kroger and get some lovely short ribs for a future cold weather (yes, that is coming all too soon). Later the same day...hit Walgreen's and as I had a gift card and points only spent $60 for almost $100 of soaps, shampoos, aspirin, well, you get the idea. Couldn't decide on what to make for dinner so I finally thought fried dumplings sounded good. They will be here about 9:00. I also received a phone call from an Ex (not THE EX) who was my realtor who told be a classmate from college had passed away suddenly. So Honest Bon and I talked for a long time, reminisced and then ended up talking about our own fragile health. It is hell getting older but it beats the option. Back to lunch. Sherpa and I talked about her future plans for schooling and a potential career. I'd like it if she could shadow me for a day as I think she'd make a fabulous librarian, given her love of reading and her discipline, she is a senior in high school this year but wise beyond her years and has a good head on her shoulders and lots of good sense instilled by her dad and Gastric, her grandma. She and Gastric remind me so much of me and my grandmother. That was the best familial relationship I ever had. I felt truly loved by one person. Oh, there were some rough spots and my whole family seemed to think that withholding affection was the best form of discipline, which really fuxed me up. But more on at another time. With Gastric and the Sherpa they have a special bond that is so lovely to see. So that was my day. Lunch out, errands and reminiscing. Okay. Onward to baseball.

So long loading dock

This is the last day this 'summer' where early entrance to the library is via the loading dock. Come Sunday night we resume 24/7 operations and don't have to watch the loading dock. This really signals the end of summer for me, it was nice sitting with Gastric in the morning on the dock waiting for the ducks, who are apparently late sleepers and have not appeard since July. Of course the hawk may have had something to do with that but who knows. So on the last day of dock duty, until Christmas break, we shall observe a moment of silence for the summer gone by. A topic change, I had my first pizza in a month last night and that was not a smart move. Body wasn't ready for the influx of grease. So today's lunch of a light salad may be just what the doctor ordered. If I eat at all. Don't tell Gastic, who has been monitoring my food intake since the great illness of 2014. Right now I just want an iced tea and some quiet time this morning. Insights, I ain't got them. Alright, maybe one. My dad used to say 'to be a king is not worth it', only to be contradicted by Mel Brooks years later when he opined 'it is good to be king'. I am of the latter opinion. Dad world's view was too narrow. Sure, with rank comes responsibility but also great reward. Who amongst us would opt to be a peasant rather than a king? Alright. So that wasn't a great observation. And A sad farewell to Joan Rivers. No, I won't have to close her dates in the authority file but a sad passing nonetheless. 'Nuff said.

Road trip a-coming

Well, the great beef jerky search has evolved into a road trip the last weekend of the month. Brody's Mom, Gastric and I are going to take a nice Saturday drive to the town of Petoskey wherein Gastric has found at least two butchers that make their own jerky. One doesn't sound that good as they make it with cherries and cherrywood smoke, but the other sounds like the real deal. Come the end of the month the colors may have started to change that far up north so we should be treated to a nice show. A few weeks later and we might miss the display. I don't know what it is but the changing season of fall leads to the ohs and ahs of the season. All this does is make me depressed. It means winter is coming and after the last winter of long duration I am not in the mood for a repeat. And according to the Old Farmers' Almanac we are due for yet another horrific winter. Yes, the first snow is pretty, but when it is gray from exhaust and tires and lingers into late April I scream in the dark night of the soul. Spring is my time of year...as in Hope Springs and yes it does. Already I am sad. Students are back, the Lugnuts are done for the year, football is in full swing, nights, well, the nights haven't started to cool yet, but we had such a mild summer. Why, on the 13th of August I was walking around in a sweatshirt as the night had gotten so cold. So, this ode of a road trip has turned I to a piss and moan about the change of season. Greet the color change, ye mighty, with shock and awe, but it does not bode well. The first cold winds will come, the skies will get November slate and before you know it another year is gone and we are knee deep in snow.

Morning Blog

In spite of the short week, it is the first full week of classes at MSU. Kind of a crazy time of year until routine takes hold in mid October. Should be a good day to shop, Krogering that is. Gonif has decided he likes a new deli sliced turkey and has turned his elegant nose up at the ground turkey. Who wouldn't? At least he is eating and not doing the proverbial scarf and barf. So he can have the $5 a pound shaved turkey. Until he decides maybe ham would be a nice change of pace. But He Who Must Be Obeyed has spoken with his appetite and he shall be obliged. The others are fine with the kibble and the treats. But the G Man puked too easily on that diet so he gets special treatment, which also befalls the Other two in the form of extras. Simcha is more the glutton than the big boy, Yankel, which is surprising. Yankel is not overly fond of human food, other than the occasional KFC and turkey. But he is not a big eater. Just a big boy. As for me the jerky odyssey continues. The Welsh rarebit should be here this week pro priding a much needed change in pace for me. And I will endeavor, no, persevere to lose another ten pounds in a more rational manner than the first twenty of the last two months. The I am not hungry diet. The appetite is back and I must make more rational choices about my food. Or not. Who knows how long we have and why not enjoy jerky and rarebit? And for those of you who may be unfamiliar with rarebit, it is basically a beer laced cheese sauce served over toast points. Yummy...topped with a broiled tomato or some crumbled bacon, double yummy. Okay, off to work to make the bacon to buy the bacon.

In search of...

Ever since The Ex took me to the Petoskey I have been in search of the perfect beef jerky. Up there they had a butcher who made beef jerky from brisket and it was meaty and spicy and all very chewy. I am in search of a similar experience but so far have yet to find anything close. There is a butcher shop in Williamston that is supposed to have something not unlike that in Petoskey. So today's find has been bacon jerky and some brisket jerky. Prepackaged of course, not like the butcher's. Ah, for some succulent beef jerky with spice and bite. Yes, every since I have been ill I have been off my feed so I am trying to get foods that sounds good and that I will actually eat. Which is why I ordered a case of Stouffers Welsh rarebit. True comfort food. Oh, I'll share with you all but not too generously. Twelve boxes of rarebit to find space in my overburdened freezer. However, Gastric has offered to keep some for me and not eat any. What a gal! I think I can keep six in the house and eat three right away. So let's hope the Jerkies I have purchase today come closer to my ideal. Until then, ham sandwiches and bread and butter pickles. But at least I am eating once again. I'd still want to lose ten pounds but not like I lost the first twenty. Cheers

Rainy Days and Mondays

Today we celebrated Gastric's birthday with a very wet Lugnuts' ball game. In the sixth inning the skies opened and we departed the stadium, splashing in puddles all he way to the car. Gastric had a good time,,even if we didn't see the end of the game. The rain was gentle at first and then...WHAM! Soaking wet. Luckily no thunder of lightening but my gosh did we get wet. Baptizing as it were Gastric on her natal day. Gastric's granddaughter, The Sherpa, fetched me a hot dog before the rain commenced. It has since stopped raining completely. And the sky...blue. It figures. I got home and changed I to dry clothes and will blow dry my hair in a bit. Basically, I won't need a shower today. Rain water has washed me clean. And it was fun playing in the puddles. Brody's Mom leading the way, splashing and laughing. It was a little tense driving in the rain and some idiot virtually cut us off, but Vicky the. car got us home safely. I think I am going to finish drying off and get me a Coke. In any every...Happy Birthday to Gastric. We are a couple of old ladies now, but raring to go and have more adventures.