A Path – social and natural

After an early to bed, this coming after yesterday’s mid-afternoon nap, it’s now morning. An exciting new day and fresh coffee. Marcia must have had similar thoughts since we’re now both up and both have a steaming mug of coffee poured. Plus! She’s telling me that Steel Cut Oats will be breakfast. Yum!

Today, a week from now I’ll be heading out to watch Dinah participate in a nearby Regatta at East Fork Lake. She still loves her sport and is very good at it. With summer plans this’ll probably be the only one of her events I’ll be able to attend.

Then early Sunday morning I’ll head for the airport and it’s off to southern Florida to meet up with Sandy and George ————– aaaaaaand, a visit with my first cousin from France, Guillaume. This coming week he’s making the rounds with Pieter and Art out west.

So, looking forward to catching up from over the decades. Hence, unlike the comic’s Monty character – there’ll be no melancholy beach walks in Florida for me this trip.

Melancholy – You might say, Dirk, this whole bit on ‘melancholy’ is not at all like you, what’s going on?

Well, actually, it’s the reverse. This week I started and finished doing my taxes. And, as a bonus, Turbo-Tax informed me that both Federal and State filings were accepted.

So, while the journey might have been a bit ‘melancholy’ (more like a pain in the rear) affair, the outcome, although not jubilation, was certainly gratifying.

‘Jubilation’ would have come into play had the paperwork ended up pointing towards a large check heading my way – it did not.

Meals – and these are now beginning to arrive on ‘Wheels’. After some meetings and phone conversations, he who calls me, “his Homey” is finally situated with a weekly delivery of Meals on Wheels.

Yesterday around noon was the first delivery. He’s thrilled, and we’re all equally thrilled. Maybe the thrill of it all guided me to yesterday’s afternoon nap.

Working with Service agencies for those in need has pointed out the many plusses we have in our society. There is a wealth of help for those in need.

On the other hand, there is also a lot of bureaucratic process burden placed on the needy and those trying to gain them access. This I’ve known (inherently) and now discovered firsthand. Place a few wrinkles along the ‘aid’ path and a paved walkway quickly becomes a barely marked trek through a deep forest.

Having said all of this, the first successful stop (and now a steady source of proper food) has been reached successfully. And, to keep his independence he’s cleared a major hurdle. Nice going my friend.

Newsday – Reading (actually ‘devouring’) what Marcia labels as “way too much” news, one consistent topic makes no sense to me. Squatters!

Florida with more common sense than most States will evict squatters within hours. On the other hand, there are other states where it takes weeks and months to get rid of them – viewing the squatter as a legal tenant after 30 days can cause a property owner to get charged and penalized for shutting off the utilities and changing the locks.

“Squatters rights you understand” I say sarcastically.

So, I have a question; seriously, in some States does a bank robber become a proper cash-withdrawer, with all the rights to the accounts after a requisite 30 days?

Could this also carry merit when it comes to events in Washington DC?

Dachau – Wasn’t that a horrific Nazi concentration camp you ask? Yes, it was. I try to grab a class that has interest to me at a great local non-profit; EmpowerU. Earlier this week a class featured a woman who published as a book, a memoir her mother kept – hidden – with instructions to not make it public until after her passing.

So, for 1½ hours we listened to a stunning tale delivered by the lady’s daughter Susan Slonim Servais and encapsulated in her now published book; Escape from Dachau.

The course’s writeup stated: “Kathe Mueller Slonim was 11-years-old when her father Adolf was sent to the Dachau concentration camp. When Adolf’s cousin, Max, learned of Adolf’s internment, he set out to rescue him. As a Jew and thus, now former German government official, Max’s risky plan was to use his expired Third Reich papers to get through checkpoints he encountered en-route to Dachau…….”

OK, now, why this ‘driving’ interest in Dachau you might wonder? Here, I’ll let the ‘cat out of the bag.’ This early summer I am joining Kirstin, Derek, and Kellen (he’s graduating from Highschool this June) and travel to Europe.

Our plan is to visit the haunts I remember and the family members we’ve kept in contact with over the years. Plus, some time in Germany, primarily Berlin and Munich (München) in the Bavarian region. Dachau is almost a suburb of München and this will be a definite stop on the trip.

A ‘Foul’ Mouth – Actually a ‘Fowl’ mouth, but first this. Over the years the White House and the Presidents have had an affinity for a variety of animals. Our current President seems to appreciate attack dogs (as a now healed number of Secret Service agents can attest to).

Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt kept a menagerie including a Hyena. Thomas Jefferson had Bear Cubs. Calvin Coolidge had a Racoon.

But, one of the strangest animal pets events dealt with President Andrew Jackson, his grey Parrot, Poll, and the passing of said President. As quoted from the observations of one of the attendees, a Reverend William Menefee regarding Poll the parrot: “excited by the multitude and… let loose perfect gusts of ‘cuss words, causing some to be “horrified and awed at the bird’s lack of reverence.” He continued mentioning the doings of Poll as follows; “ “Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house.”

Ah, for the love of family pets. Or is it ‘pests’?

May Peace prevail! Shalom. As one of the Social Workers I’ve been dealing with these past weeks keeps on reminding me; “enjoy next week’s eclipse, just DO NOT look directly at the sun!” I think it’s a thing with her since we’re almost directly in its path.

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

What was Harrison Ford’s first credited film?

1) Dynasty
2) Indiana Jones
3) Star Wars: A New Hope
4) A Time for Killing
5) Witness
6) Apocalypse Now
7) Blade Runner