It is the 20th already?

Although I felt quite well on Monday and Tuesday, I had an attack of the blues/blahs accompanied with a slight fever and chills running from Wednesday until this morning. I spent time on the sofa; I spent time watching several episodes of Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. I also read a throw-away book for no good reason other than escapism.

The days are going to start getting shorter and maybe that is why I started thinking about the years piling up and my upcoming 66th birthday. I fantasized about a phenomenon in which I would be back 20 years, anticipating my 46th birthday and how great that would be. My 50’s never looked so good – although I didn’t know it then. Back then I was not anticipating my 46th birthday, I was bemoaning it.

All of a sudden it occurred to me that perhaps just seconds ago I was sitting somewhere thinking of my 86th birthday coming up and how happy I would be if it were my 66th. It gave me pause and I decided I’d just pretend that a few seconds ago that was exactly what happened – so Woo Hoo. Sometimes mind tricks are not a bad thing at all.

Well, what do you know

Say, we have more class here at the PBC than we realized. I started thinking about the little bowl I tell people to drop special keys in and, uh, some screw or pill that’s turned up. I went over and picked it up, put my hand over the top so the little flexible flashlight that looks as if it came from War of the Worlds would not fall out and turned it over.

Right there on the bottom is said Lido W.S. George Made in the U.S.A. I looked on eBay and maybe I should start using an old soup can as a catch-all on the window sill.

little bowl

Slept like a log

Last night I tucked myself under an afghan in an air-conditioned room, after having spent the day in a car with a non-working AC in 88 degree Indianapolis, and I slept. I woke up around 1 am and decided maybe I could adjust the AC to a higher temp and shuffle off the heavy afghan for a light one.

Actually, I feel better this morning than I have in a while – but I think yesterday’s “activity” is more of a wake up call to the benefits of pushing myself than a blueprint for a training regimen. Yes, I think there will be modifications. Oh, yeah.

By the way, the Interstate that circles Indianapolis has been undergoing repairs and reconstruction for years. My exit was closed – the exit that is about a half mile from my destination.The city is also introducing roundabouts instead of intersections, at least in the northern upscalish section (Can you say Fishers?)

I’m going to have to study roundabouts in the field – the paperwork just doesn’t do it. When you are staring down at the overview on a map, the little lines make some sort of sense. When you are in one of the hellish circles at ground level, with cars all around you, it’s a little difficult (for me) to figure out things like: Is that my exit off the other lane?

One grandkid asked if I were lost. I said no. I could have elaborated and added: I know right where I am but I don’t know what I’m doing.

Hot now

Der Bingle told me last week that The Farmer’s Almanac said this was to be a really hot summer. Up until the time he told me, it had been very cool. I said he’d jinxed us. I went to Indianapolis today in a car with a broken air conditioner and it was 90 degrees.

Oh, by the way I think this is Take a Gnome to ? Day; somehow they think they have to use French Silk ones to celebrate.

A great-grandpa: George Shimp

george shimp

Well, I don’t feel so old when I think of my great-grandfather having been in the Civil War. This fellow is my mother’s paternal grandfather, George Shimp. I’m thinking her maternal grandfather may have been too young to go. My other two great-grandfathers served and I remember sleeping at my paternal grandma’s under a picture of her father in uniform. Once she asked, “Wasn’t he handsome?” She probably thought I would join the Daughters of the Union, but I think that organization faded away.

Now, in another bedroom was the picture of Roy – you remember Roy? No? Well, here’s HERE.

This and that at the Peanut Butter Cafe & Roadhouse

boys n berries

Lately, I’ve been noticing actual items here in my world where the screen door slams in the summer and we all use the big heavy door that opens and closely quickly in winter. If it isn’t quick enough, there will be a vocal slam.

Mostly, I suppose, it’s the hominess that I’m aware of overall – nothing chic, nothing really matching, mementos of the past stuck here and there, on a wall or windowsill. Essence of Norman Rockwell might come close to summarizing it.

The embroidery above is just a small thing, and when I’m not photographing it, it rests on the horizontal part of a window sash.

June 14, I made it

I just realized today is Flag Day. Because Flag Day is always the 14th, it can never be Friday the 13th. So it’s possible this keeps down the number of accidents happening while putting up a flag on Flag Day; there is the question of the Early Bird Flag Day Preparers when Flag Day is on Saturday – like today.

Maybe I should research ER data for yesterday, just for the heck of it. Or, I could just let this train of thought hop the rails and plunge into the Pit of Never Mentioned Again.

I am a Friday the 13th experiment

Although I had noticed that Friday the 13th was coming up this week, I didn’t give it any thought. I wasn’t thinking of the date today until I looked at the icalendar and realized the 13th . . . she was here. So, is the little hint of the superstition effect in the back of my mind going to trigger a mistake; is the superstition not a superstition, but an unproved phenomenon; or just what?

If I had not realized it was Friday the 13th, would it still be Friday the 13th – the sound in the empty forest thing?