Up early, coffee poured, and ideas for the Ramblings whirring, but slow to unfold.

This week was ‘eaten up’ primarily in of blocks of time. The easiest to get out of the way was Marcia and me getting 16-hour flu. Neither of us got sick (meaning, we did NOT get the green apple nasties), just chills. With a single massive dose of sleep we managed to knock it aside. It worked – I even kept my appetite.

The security detail assigned to President #41, George H.W. Bush signed off one final time:

”Timberwolf’s Detail concluded 0600 … with no incidents to report at the George Bush Presidential Library – College Station, Texas. God speed Former President George H.W. Bush – you will be missed by all of us.”

Block #2 – Never thought it would happen. Never thought I’d be able to become hypnotized. Well, I did.

Some think I am an old curmudgeon. Some think I’m just a plain old cynic. Some think both. But, at heart I am an old softy. An old softy who loves history – especially history as it’s unfolding. This was just such a week.

Marcia and I watched all of the service for President 41 as it unfolded at the National Cathedral.

The next morning I began to watch the events leading up to and then during the train ride to College Station, TX. Initially I thought it to be a short ride, something like taking the kiddos on a Thomas the Train ride – over in twenty minutes. Wrong! It lasted hours.

With me watching, at first Marcia shook her head and occasionally peeked in the room. Then I got the uplifted eyebrow. Eventually the ‘uplifted’ became the ‘evil’ eye. Then she got quiet. Meanwhile I had become hypnotized. No ifs or buts. And yes, I love trains.

I wouldn’t have missed it.

   

Block #3 – I’ve had a small run-in with something called basal-cell carcinoma on my ear. The ‘fix’ resulted in something which looks as if I had a run in with boxer Mike Tyson (Marcia says it’s a very, very minor run in). The spot on my ear (actually two) was sandpapered and then on round two I got the wire-brush treatment. Now it’s as if I’ve hugged a rose bush and possibly one bubble off plumb. Most of that will disappear – in the meantime I want to let it be known that I do like Cauliflower.

Mind you, I am only mentioning this to let all of you 50+ year olds know to inspect yourselves. Grab a mirror and inspect! All of this business is easily fixed if caught in time and it’s all a result of our carefree days when we were twenty something’s and living fancy free.

Finis – Today Kirstin will be a certified Yoga instructor – CONGRATULATIONS. I am trying to talk her into conducting her first family class the week she’s here over Christmas and New Year’s. I can envision how this will fare.

drawing by Gary Andrews

drawing by Gary Andrews

This week Donn completed another loop around the sun in grand style – this one completing almost ‘spot on’ with the birth of another grandchild – Samantha Jane. All doing fine, meaning; Samantha Jane, dad Daniel, and mom Jacquie.

Last week I mentioned that I was heading out for a first showing of Queen City Kings. It was a great review of the old, long closed, King Studios (the studio where Rock and Roll was born). Only two showings and each was a sell-out. I think that efforts to pay homage to this piece of the city’s history are well underway.

And, this is Block #4. It took a while but I finally found the grave of our dear neighbor, Doris. I was on my daily walk on just about the coldest day of the week. Passing the cemetery where she was buried I spotted a couple of guys with a back-hoe and approached; they pointed me to where I had to go. Finding Doris wasn’t all I discovered. This past September at Northern Comfort I saw one massive ‘V’ formation of Canadian geese after another heading south. Now I discovered where at least some of them are spending their winter.

Dinah passed her entry exam to Walnut Hills High School, one of the nation’s top University preparatory schools. Quite an achievement – and mom Cathy says; “she passed with flying colors”. Brassa

I hope that yesterday you took a moment to reflect on  the stealth strike by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii – December 7, 1941.

It formally pulled us into WWII and stunned the nation when news broke that 3,500 were killed; “a date which will live in infamy” (President Franklin D. Roosevelt). Hence I took some time with my early Christmas gift, a wonderful book; National Geographic’s Atlas of World War II. Actually, I spent some serious time reading devouring it. It’s an amazing book, thanks Marcia. I guess that was Block #5.

 OK, time to start getting ready. At 10 we’re meeting Vili and Vai for what’s become a tradition – the annual ‘buy-a-gift-for-mom-dad-and-each-other’. It was just a short while back where a $5.00-bill at the Dollar store sufficed. Now they’ve been promoted to something called; Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. I do believe that the Ollie slogan; “good stuff cheap” is what caught their attention. And we’re off!

Oh, and by the way Costco, it just so happens that I am still waiting for my tires. Just letting you know. Entiende mis amigos?

Make it a great week.

Ciao
Dirk – the dog-eared

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