Morning all:

It was well before six and already the song birds were in full chorus. Even my coffee mug is bright red to honor the leap into spring. Ok, so it is overcast, it is still spring!

Last weekend brother Pieter made a visit and we had a great time. While we were running about he just had to look around at what was left of his former employer. It does show how things do change and just how quickly the change occurs. This company was a multi billion dollar concern with well more than a dozen factories spread around the world. What I showed Pieter was all that was left of the former world headquarters. Where his office had been is now a Sam’s Club. Doors leading into various buildings that are still standing on the old campus, leading to offices and factory where he spent hours, days, and years, working and in meetings were now chained shut with “possible bio hazard” signs posted prominently. Pieter saw hundreds of thousands of square feet of memories sitting idle and deteriorating. Without benefit of his memories, I saw it differently. From my perspective I am anticipating a bright new Jungle Jim’s store opening up on that very spot. It is spring and it is a new beginning. Yes, the old gives way to the new.

It does bring up just how fleeting even things we tend to think of as “permanent” are. As Agnes is wont to say: “You find it, it gets away, you grab it, it squirms out. The tighter you hold it, the farther it squirts! It’s like trying to catch a shaved mouse in a bowl of olive oil.”

Adrianne has expressed a need for books for young readers. This is so her Tongan youth can learn English. Cathy grabbed that bull by the horns and posted the request on bulletin boards at work. Sometimes you do really need to watch what you ask for. It seems as if an area library is closing and one of her co-workers is involved. Yesterday she and Jason (Marin too) came waltzing over with at least eight large shopping bags chock full of books.

Later last night Marcia was on a rampage sorting through everything. A very large stack of books of those unsuitable for Adrianne’s needs was created first. Then about a fifty pound stack of books she wanted to keep; keep here that is. Another fifty or so pound stack for the grandkids. Finally what was left was about one pound of books to be shipped to Tonga. Now I fully realize that shipping into Tonga is hugely expensive, however, I think we’ll again start at the beginning. It’s all in the sorting!

Remember when you run out today to buy those little yellow foam “peeps” for the kids that these could have been manufactured something like seventy-five years ago. I’d stick with chocolate eggs. In case you want to know, I myself prefer the ones made of dark chocolate.

Happy Easter, and have a great week,
Cheers.
Dirk