Halloween costumes...

 In bygone years my husband and I liked to host Halloween parties.  They were always fun and some guests showed up in costumes.  My favorites were the Gorilla costume my 6'6" brother wore one year, his gorilla smoked a cigar.  His wife was the scantily clad (not too scantily) big game hunter.  What added to the fun was the fact that he drove across town in costume - head and all - and got some good reactions from other drivers.  Fast forward to 2022.  I exchanged text Halloween greetings with my grandson today and he informed me that he and his girlfriend had gone to a Halloween party on Saturday in costume and volunteered to send me some pictures.  I said oh yes, please do, hoping for some cute pictures I could show my friends.  His girlfriend really is very attractive.  But no, it turns out he went as Freddy Kruger and his girlfriend went as a victim.  She did the  makeup, she's really good at special effects.  I told him I thought he had found his soul mate. He said definitely! Awe....

Happy Halloween everyone.

a follow up and more...

 My west coast brother, who is, I'm happy to say, a regular reader of this blog, has informed me that they actually hug their sheep two or three times a year, to give them shots and trim their hooves.  And I was right, the sheep don't like it.  So much for sheep hugging.

On to a more entertaining subject.  This afternoon I listened as the group Chanticleer entertained a very full house at First Presbyterian Church.  I'm told that singing groups like to perform in our sanctuary because of the good acoustics.  Chanticleer certainly made the most of it.  By the way, the name of this all male acapella singing group who are based in San Francisco, comes from Chaucer's name for the 'clear singing' rooster in his Canterbury Tales.  I must admit I'm in awe of anyone who can sing acapella.  A group of twelve singing acapella perfectly, beautifully together is simply amazing.  I enjoyed their entire performance, including the pieces sung in Latin like 'Tu pauperum refugium' with much appreciated translations.  However, I must admit I really enjoyed the somewhat less high brow music more.  My favorites were the spiritual "Follow the Drinking Gourd," and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now."  Sheer bliss!

proceed with caution...

 Today, according to my west coast brother, is "Hug a Sheep Day." Really?  I've seen sheep grazing at a distance in their fields, in the USA, Scotland and in New Zealand; even some very interesting demonstrations of sheep herding. Everywhere, when seen from a distance, they look fuzzy and cuddly, positively huggable but they can move right along when the amazingly well trained sheep dogs are nipping at their heels.  Up close it's not quite the same.  I don't think sheep want to be hugged.  They certainly don't look like they're enjoying it when the shepherds (or sheep wranglers) hug them very close to sheer them.  Also, before that sheering, their wool is often full of burrs and stickers and also loaded with lanolin which makes for lovely warm pretty much water proof sweaters for people who live in the far north, but really doesn't make for a very huggable creature.  For that matter, they aren't very huggable sweaters.  While we he were dating, I bought my soon to be husband a lovely natural wool sweater.  That's when I learned that he was allergic to wool.  Happily, I had kept the receipt. By the way, my west coast brother actually owns some sheep and I've never seen him hugging them.  

one theory...

 Yesterday I asked if it's really easier for young people to memorize their lines in a play than some of us who are more mature (to put it kindly).  My west coast brother says that yes, it's absolutely easier for young people to memorize anything.  He bases this statement on his theory that young people, in his words "haven't got all that stuff already packed in."  I think this makes a lot of sense.  When you have the stock market, the mid-term election, Medicare options (aren't you sick of those commercials?) healthy diets and taxes on your mind, (or make your own list), it's harder to focus on memorizing make-believe conversations.  Actually, I do have my few little lines memorized, but I'm just explaining so, if I goof during a performance, you'll understand.  

After presenting me with his theory, my brother gave me one more bit of information to stuff into my busy brain, so of course I'll share it with you.  On this date, October 28, in 1886 the Statue of Liberty was dedicated.  You're welcome.

brain power

I have only half jokingly said that I think memorizing is good for my brain and that's why I like being in plays.  I pretty much have my few lines memorized for the play I'm in now and I've been feeling smug about it.  That is until this evening's rehearsal.  This was the first time we've run through the whole first half of the play and I've gotten to see the 15 children with lines in the play in action.  The kids range in age from eight to sixteen and I am amazed at how many of them have all or most of their lines already memorized.  Do you think it really is easier for young brains?  

it's puzzling....

 I really like a good jigsaw puzzle with a fun picture and well cut pieces.  500 to 1000 pieces suits me very well.  I even have a puzzle board made for me by a friend years ago.  Right now I have three puzzles on my shelf that I received last Christmas and haven't had time to put together yet.  Maybe I'll get snowed in sometime this winter with nothing else to do?  As I said, I really like a good jigsaw puzzle, but I heard of a puzzle today that 'blows my mind.'  My west coast brother tells me that Costco has for sale a 60,000 piece puzzle, which, when finished would measure 8' by 29', for a mere $600.00.  Further investigation revealed that it is actually sixty 1,000 piece puzzles that can be assembled individually and then joined together at the edges.  

So now I'm wondering, who would buy such a puzzle?  A school maybe or a retirement home or someone planning a really big family reunion?  And assuming you have a large enough group to assemble these sixty individual puzzles in a reasonable amount of time, where and how would you lay them out to connect them? A gym floor maybe or somebody's driveway?  And what if, when you have the whole big puzzle finished, there's a piece missing?  

walking and reading

 You know the old joke about someone not being able to walk and chew gum?  It might have been first said about me.  One of my more embarrassing moments regarding walking occurred during the first rehearsal for our high school graduation.  We were to process in, two people at a time, side by side, doing the hesitation step. I was the first to go in, with my partner, not because either of us had received any special awards but because he was the tallest boy and I was the tallest girl in the class, so we would be in the back row on stage.  We were told very clearly to step out on our left foot.  So of course, as the music started, I stepped forward on my right foot, only to hear my principal bellow "Left foot, Cohrs!"  Cohrs being my maiden name.  I was so embarrassed, being a very shy person anyway, back then.

Side note, six years later when I got married, my father and I were in complete agreement that we would NOT be doing the hesitation step up the aisle.

Well, it wasn't quite that bad at rehearsal for "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" this evening, but I did realize that I really can't walk and read my script at the same time.  It took me several walks across the front of the sanctuary to end up in the right place at the right time in my little speech, and to exit promptly.  Now I don't mind repeating a scene over and over until I get it right, but I felt sorry for, and self conscious about, everyone else standing around waiting for their turn.  But I know tomorrow will be better.  That's why we practice.

I'm in love...

 This year the student I'm tutoring as part of FWCS Study Connections is a first grader.  I've always had third to fifth graders before.  I met him for the first time this afternoon.  He's so cute and so tiny.  Today he walked into the library (I mean resource center) where we meet, carrying a back pack almost as big as he is, and gave me a big smile revealing two missing front teeth.  I knew I was a goner.  This charmer could wrap me around his little finger.   As we worked through several introductory projects today I learned that he can't count past 17, has some sense of the sounds of letters but is a long way from being a reader and that he does like to draw.  As a former art teacher, that last bit cheered me.  I will try in every way I can to help him this year, and, if I'm lucky, for years to come.  Did somebody say challenge?

a good problem

Today I had lunch with some friends at the Bradley, always delicious.  However, the parking on Main Street, around the construction areas is not great, so I encouraged the one friend who was meeting us after church, to park in the church lot, where the other three of us were already parked, because we attended the 11:00am service.  It's only a two block walk from First Pres to the Bradley.  We came out of church at noon to find the friend who was meeting us waiting in her car, in a no-parking area, because there were no parking spaces available.  She was understandably frustrated, but her problem was solved pretty quickly as congregation members started driving away. While I sympathized with my friend's temporary frustration, inside I was quietly cheering for the fact that we had enough attendees in church this morning for their cars to fill both parking lots and all the meter spaces around the block.  It hasn't been so long ago, during and immediately after the pandemic, that the parking lots were empty and then less than half full.  A great deal of credit for the happy current situation goes to our excellent pastors.  It's truly joyous to see the old timers coming back, and to hear the sounds of babies, thanks to young new families.  Hooray for crowded parking lots!

the last hurrah???

 I went to a movie with friends this afternoon, "Ticket to Paradise" starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney.  Gorgeous scenery and a fun story.  A chick flick for the not so young.  I recommend it.  After the movie we had supper at El Azteca, always yummy. What made this a last hurrah, as in my title, is that we decided to eat outside on their deck.  It was lovely and warm, but not too hot, with a gentle breeze, and I couldn't help feeling that today might be the last time I'll be eating on a restaurant's outdoor deck for many months.  But it will be fun to look forward to in the spring.  In the meantime, buckle your seat belts; Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up fast. 

This one's for the sports fans.

 Another bit of information from my Page-a-Day Trivia Calendar: "What was the first sports game to be televised in the United States?" I guessed the sport correctly, baseball, but the date surprised me.  A baseball game between Columbia and Princeton, at Baker Field, aired in May of 1939.  It was used to demonstrate that athletic events could be successfully televised.  1939??? My family didn't own a TV until 1956.  We did, however, occasionally go to my Aunt Ida's house to watch their television.  This would have been in the early '50s.  What I remember most was that the reception was often very snowy and the small screen was almost round.  

My father, who was a little skeptical of new inventions, decided that we would not have a television until Fort Wayne had at least three TV stations.  And so, in 1956, he brought home our first TV.  It's good that he was strong because that 13 inch black and white Zenith 'portable' (meaning it wasn't built into a cabinet) weighed a ton.  Once it was hooked up, with cables running from the tv to the butterfly antenna on the roof, we actually got good reception; pretty amazing because we lived 20+ miles from Fort Wayne.

Since he brought it home and hooked it up in the late afternoon the first shows we watched were Howdy Doody and Buck Rogers.  You can't imagine how excited we were.  Or perhaps you can if you're of a certain age.  

where in the world??

 I am surprised and interested by the fact, presented by BBC America and other news agencies this evening, that the current Prime Minister of Great Britain has resigned after only six weeks in office.  What's even more interesting is that they expect to replace her within two weeks. How can they do that? Where are the months and months of political ads, talking heads, debates and poll predictions?  My impression is that, even if they decide on a general election, it will happen fairly quickly.  We certainly get a lot more drama with our elections.  We are also stuck with our decisions for two to four years.  Speaking of which, our mid-term election is coming up fast.  So get out there and vote.  

But if you're suffering from political message overload, here's something more fun to ponder.  From today's entry on my trivia calendar - Where in the world can you find a museum exclusively dedicated to watermelons?  I immediately assumed that this would be somewhere in the southern US, but not so.  The China Watermelon Museum is located in the countryside just south of Beijing, an area known for its watermelon production.  It explores the history of watermelons, watermelon growing methods, and the role the watermelon plays in Chinese culture.  So now I'm wondering where watermelons actually originated.  Evidently not in my childhood back yard.

printer solutions

 Yesterday, when I was printing out some pages, the ominous "low ink" message showed up on my computer screen, so I checked and I'm evidently very low on black ink.  So today, while I was out and about, I stopped at Office Depot, where I've always bought my ink, scanned the shelf for the number I needed, couldn't find it, asked a clerk for help and was told that 'they' don't make that cartridge anymore.  It wasn't on his inventory list. Now I'll admit my printer isn't new, it's at least nine years old, but it still prints very nicely in black and color and I don't really want to buy a new one.  

So, because I have learned something about on-line shopping (I'm old but not that old) and because I questioned the clerk's information, I went on line this evening, googled Epson ink cartridges (it's an Epson printer) and, surprise, surprise, there was the exact cartridge I needed (they do still make them) so I ordered two.  I love a happy ending.

too many answers?

 First the answer I know you've been waiting for.  What's the  difference between a hippo and a zippo?  One is very, very heavy and the other is just a little lighter.  

On a slightly heavier note today is "Information Overload Awareness Day."  Case in point, just this evening, listening to the news, I've been made aware of problems in Iran, China, Russia, Ukraine, Africa and, of course, US politics.  Not to mention there's still a formula shortage.  Don't get me wrong, I like to have some idea of what's going on in the world, but maybe I should take it in smaller doses.  In September, when I went on the river cruise on the Rhine, I learned something about how the French fought battles all up and down the Rhine during the late 17th century.  However, I didn't turn on my TV at all, and survived very nicely without any current news for ten days.  I know, hard to believe but true.  

On the other hand, today is also "National Chocolate Cupcake Day." So do yourself a favor, turn off the news and go eat a cupcake (or anything chocolate as far as I'm concerned).

new beginnings

 First, and this is from my west coast brother, the riddle of the day: What's the difference between a hippo and a zippo?

Answer tomorrow.  Feel free to send me your guesses.  If you scroll to the bottom of this entry you should see a place to respond.  

The other first, I was all ready to meet my new student for the year.  This will be my seventh year of tutoring with the Fort Wayne Community Schools Study Connection program.  Today was our first meeting with our new students, and this year I'm supposed to have a first grader.  I say supposed to, because I haven't met him yet.  At noon I got the message that he wasn't at school today so I didn't need to come to the school.  At 12:20 I got a call from our group leader that one of the teachers couldn't be there today so could I come and work with her student for the afternoon.  Of course I said yes since I was ready to go anyway.  Now here's my quandary.  I really liked the third grader I worked with today.  Do I ask to trade or take my chances with my first grader next week?  Would they even let me trade if I wanted to?  Decisions, decisions...

bravo!

 I saw the current play at First Presbyterian Theater this afternoon.  Very funny but, in my opinion, not really for children, although the three little girls with their magic wands sitting two rows ahead of me seemed to be having a good time.  I think it's rated PG13.  "Disenchanted" is the story of several Disney princesses and what happened to them after they married their princes.  Was it really "happily ever after?"  Lots of fun lines and good songs, but also some thought provoking elements.  I recommend it.

On another topic, today is "Global Cat Day."  This has to be a day invented by a person because, based on personal experience, cats consider every day to be their day.  There's a lot of truth in the old joke "Dogs think they're human, cats think they are god." 

another great day...

 

Today is Bridge Day.  I don't know if it refers to the card game or the over the river type but since I've been watching the construction work on the bridge over the St. Mary's River, I will celebrate that bridge.

Here's my most recent picture.  I'm enjoying the changing of the colors as well as the bridge work.

In addition, today is also "I Love Yarn Day" and "Sewing Lovers Day."  These are days many of my friends can celebrate.  I belong to a yarn group that meets once a week, and everyone in the group loves yarn.  The proof is in how quickly we accumulate more and more of it.  While most of the members crochet or knit, some are quilters - obviously sewing lovers.  I am the only weaver in the group.  I do like to weave, but I must admit that I also weave because I can't knit or crochet.  I've tried, I've really tried, but for whatever reason, my fingers just don't want to make those fiddly little stitches.  It probably goes back to my lack of coordination.  Ah well, we all have our burdens to bear, and mine is my little New Zealand lap loom. 

if at first...

 My ever faithful west coast brother tells me that today is National FRUMP Day (my friend who likes acronyms will love this) which he said sounded like me.  I wasn't sure how to take that until he explained its meaning - National Frugal Responsible Unpretentious Mature Person's Day.  Well, that's ok.  I like to think of myself as responsible and mature (it's hard not to be mature at 77).  Considering the current stock market situation, I am becoming more frugal by the day.  

Keeping in mind that I admit to being a FRUMP, today I did a responsible thing, I got my third Covid booster and my flu shot but it was not as easy as you might think.  Since I am mature, I didn't cry or yell, but after the third stab it hurt!  After patiently waiting my turn, I told the cheery young Walgreen's pharmacist that she could put both shots in one arm.  She tried, she really tried.  The first shot, the booster, went in very smoothly with only a slight sting.  The second shot, the flu shot, hurt, which surprised me, and her too.  She realized that, while the needle had gone into my arm, the plunger wasn't plunging and nothing good had gone into my arm.  So she went in the other room, got a fresh shot, and the same thing happened again. Ouch, ouch!  On the third try, in my other arm, she finally got the dose into my body.  So four pokes and three red band aids later, I am successfully protected and can go boldly into this flu season.  By the way, today is also National Dessert Day.  I think I've earned one. Yum!

Ponder this

 My west coast brother informs me that today is International Day for Disaster Reduction; which sounds positive, I'm in favor of fewer disasters. It's also International Day for Failure which can be seen as positive or negative.  Sometimes many failed attempts lead to great successes. But, and here's the really good part, today is National M&M Day.  I think you will agree with me that it makes sense to celebrate these three special days together because a fist full of M&Ms will make any day go better.  So don't just sit there, go raid that big bag of Halloween candy I know you've already bought.  There are certain to be some M&Ms in there.  

we've cone it again...

 This evening several volunteers gathered at the church for free pizza and the chance to help pack 25,000 meals for the 216 meal packing project.  This is the eighth year that our church has been involved with this project and I think I've helped with all of them.  It's really a very efficient way to prep nutritious meals to be sent to hungry areas of the world.  Four ingredients, a nutrition packet of vitamins, rice, soy, and dried vegetables, are poured into half-gallon size plastic bags which are then heat sealed and loaded into boxes.  36 bags (each good for five meals) in each box.  This evening we reached a new goal, 150 filled boxes, which equals 27,000 meals.  Our team, admittedly older and slower than some teams, filled 15 boxes which was average.  Two teams tied for top honors, each filling 18 boxes, and all of this was done in two hours.  This year our meals will be sent to Moldova and Poland to help feed Ukrainian refugees.  

It doesn't hurt to ask.

Today, finally, it was time to take my car in for repairs to the damages done to it on July 1, when a young man opened his car door in traffic to look for the cigarette he had dropped, and banged up the passenger side of my car. We scheduled the repairs within a week of the accident and this was the earliest the body shop could get me in.  They may have not considered me a priority since my car was still drivable and most of the damage wasn't very visible.  But today they were happy to welcome my car and help me arrange for a rental car for the estimated three weeks it may take to repair my car.  

The other guy's insurance company has already paid for the body work and 16 days of car rental, with more to be paid if needed.  When I met with Sam at Enterprise, I told him that I would really prefer a small SUV because I'm used to a vehicle that allows me to sit up higher than a sedan.  Over the years my cars have included a VW bus, a Toyota mini van, a Buick Rendezvous and my current car, a Fiat 500L.  Don't laugh, my little Fiat sits up almost as high as an SUV, making it very easy to get in and out of.  

So I told Sam that I would prefer a small SUV, expecting, because I knew that the daily rate agreed on by the insurance company was well below the usual rate, that I would be given a tiny little sedan.  But, surprise, surprise, I was given a Buick Encore, the descendent of the Rendezvous.  I was so pleased.  I feel right at home in this car.  It never hurts to ask.

ten times the fun...

 Today is a day full of 10s.  First, for those of you who like to play with numbers, it's "Powers of Ten Day."  Secondly, if you're in the mood for things European, it's "National Metric Day." And finally it's SHIFT 10 Day."  I had no idea what that was about, unless it has something to do with driving a vehicle with ten speed manual transmission, something I absolutely never want to try.  In case you're wondering, yes, I can (or at least could) drive a standard transmission car. Through the years I owned three of them. I think I could still do it although I might grind a gear (or knee) getting started.  But that isn't what SHIFT 10 Day is all about.  Since 2016, it has been a day to encourage consumers to shift 10 percent of their everyday spending to local businesses instead of big box stores.  I think it's an admirable goal.  A couple of my friends when apple picking lately.  You can't get more local than that.  I do shop at fun little downtown stores from time to time, make it to the farmers' market a few times during the summer, and sometimes eat at local restaurants.  I'm pretty sure Hall's, the Bradley, and Hoppy Gnome all count as local.  But all of this doesn't come close to ten percent of my spending.  I really do want to do my part.  I guess I'll just have to eat out more.

memory work

 When I was a student in Lutheran elementary school, we had 'memory work' every day.  We memorized Bible passages, Luther's Small Catechism, hymn stanzas and so on.  I even remember the first Bible verse I ever memorized, "Pray without ceasing."  That was in kindergarten. I had to ask my mother what ceasing meant.  One of the reasons I enjoy the bits of acting I do is because I'm required to memorize.  I think it's probably good for my brain.  

Yesterday, I realized there was something else I should memorize.  In conversation with a friend, I commented that all my contact information is on my phone and I didn't even know my children's phone numbers.  I had said it laughingly.  It's so easy to text or speed dial numbers in a contact list.  But then I got to thinking, what if I lost my phone by theft or accident?  Assuming I could to get to a phone somewhere, I could always call 911, but what then.  How do I let my kids know what's going on in my life?  I thought about writing their numbers on a slip of paper and keeping it in my purse, but same problem.  If my phone got stolen my purse might have gone with it.  I thought about a tattoo but that would hurt, and they might change their numbers.  So I decided I need to do this the old fashioned way and memorize their numbers.  I only have two kids so it's really not a big deal.  My daughter's is easy - lots of repeating numbers.  I'm still working on my son's.  I can memorize numbers easily if I can see a pattern.  

Now I know you're seeing one more flaw in this plan.  What if I'm unconscious?  In that case, I won't be worried about it, will I?

Tis the season...

Tonight was opening night of the Philharmonic season and it was a wonderful evening.  In the first half, Stravinsky's "Firebird" was grand although I personally enjoyed Glazunov's "Autumn" more.  But the best part of the evening came after the intermission.  The soloist for Tchaikovsky's "Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra" was Paul Huang. He was amazing.  I'm not actually a huge fan of violin music but he truly made that violin sing.  I couldn't help wondering, as I watched his flying fingers and busy bow, how many hours of practice must have gone into reaching his level of expertise? And that reminded me of the year two of my granddaughters took violin lessons at their elementary school.  In their defense, I don't think the school music teacher was that great on violin herself, but the practices I heard involved lots of screeching and squawking and very little music.  They both gave up the violin at the end of that school year and I didn't hear any complaints from their parents.  

FOMO????

This morning, on the CBS morning news show I like to watch, they started talking about FOMO, just casually using the term.  I'm sure I'm showing my age and lack of knowledge of current ideas here, but I had no idea what they were talking about. So of course I googled it.  It turns out FOMO is Fear of Missing Out and it can lead to some serious mental stress.  I can understand how this fear can develop.  Just a quick glance at Facebook shows me beautiful children in darling outfits, beautiful homes, especially if a remodeling project is going on, beautiful food eaten in excellent restaurants, pictures from amazing vacations, and of course the world's best behaved, cutest pets.  

Back in the olden days we might have envied life styles we saw on TV, but we knew it was make believe.  No one's mother that I knew wore heels and pearls to clean house like Beaver's mother.  And, as I learned on my senior class trip, not everyone in New York City dressed like a fashion model.  

I think the difference today must be that you personally know (usually) the people who are posting these amazing glimpses of their perfect lives, so if they can have it, why can't I?  If they can do it, why not me?  I am seriously glad I'm not a teenager these days.  Peer pressure was alive and well in my youth, but the pressures weren't anything like what teens experience now.  

bridge pictures

 

This made me laugh.  Friends know that I have been very interested in the bridge reconstruction going on near my building.  I have an excellent view from my balcony.  One of the things that has fascinated me (I know, I know, I'm easily entertained) is this big blue dinosaur-like piece of equipment (top picture) which shows up from time to time either on the bridge or on this gravel pad they built to hold it.

Imagine my surprise this morning when I discovered that Big Blue is gone but Little Blue has appeared to take its place.  Is it a baby? Is it an egg?  Stay tuned.....

I apologize...

 My west coast brother kindly pointed out to me that I forgot to blog last night.  I'm not sure what happened. A senior sleepy moment I guess.  I spent the evening paying bills and I guess I figured I had done everything I needed to on my laptop.  Don't you love being able to pay everything on line?  

But back to blogging.  The same west coast brother informs me that today is 'National Kale Day,' a day which was founded way back in 2013, and yet there are no Kale Day greeting cards in the stores.  Really, does kale need a day?  You either eat it or you don't.  You either cook it or eat it raw.  What else is there to say about kale?

On the other hand, yesterday, the day I forgot to blog was 'Kanelbullens Dag' aka 'Cinnamon Bun Day.'  Much more to my liking than 'Kale Day.'  I mean, who wants to wake up in the morning and think "Oh. goodie, I get kale with my coffee this morning?  On the other hand, it's hard to beat coffee, or tea, with a cinnamon bun.  And speaking of tea, I am a tea drinker and on my recent cruise hot tea was available as well as coffee for breakfast.  At our first breakfast, on request, I was given a cup of tea.  After the first day, they brought me my own pot of tea, good for a least three cups full.  I'm not sure why the switch.  Maybe they realized I am a serious tea drinker and didn't want to keep coming back with refills.  Whatever, it was very nice.  Another tea drinker at out table was a little jealous.  All she ever got was a cup of tea.  Again, I don't know why.  I just chose to enjoy it.  

fallng leaves

 Today, according to my west coast brother, is "Look at the Leaves Day."  It seems to me that looking at leaves, especially as they drift down from trees on a lazy breeze, is a perfect activity for the first day of "Active Aging Week."  I warned you yesterday that this week was upon us.  In the middle of the day the trees I see from my balcony are still green but early in the morning, when the sun shines at an angle, the trees already glow golden.  

A friend commented a few days ago that we should plant more trees in Fort Wayne.  I had to laugh at that.  Don't get me wrong.  I have nothing against planting more trees, but when I look at the view from my apartment I see nothing but trees.  Looking north, my view is mostly of residential areas of the city and there are lots of trees.  It's really not surprising.  Trees grow well in this part of Indiana.  The very flat area east of Fort Wayne and stretching into Ohio was, two hundred years ago, The Great Black Swamp.  My home town of Woodburn got its name from all the trees that were burned, while land was cleared and drained for farming.  My German farmer ancestors didn't let a little thing like a swamp keep them from clearing the land.  Legend has it that some of that wood was burned in smudge pots, inside their houses, under kitchen tables, to keep the mosquitos away while they ate.  

are you ready for this?

 They just announced on TV news that tomorrow begins "Active Aging Week" here in Fort Wayne.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about this.  I think my personal aging is rolling along quite actively enough, thank you very much, and I don't see any need to celebrate the rapidity of my aging.  Since I had my cataract surgery and discovered I have a high definition mirror, I have discovered new wrinkles almost daily, and don't even get me started on weird little aches and twinges that pop up without invitation.  Don't get me wrong.  Many, many good things have happened to me along the way to aging and I truly enjoy being alive, but I suspect that if I indulge in all the active adult activities they suggested - sports (pickle ball anyone?), walking, running, biking and more, I will really feel like I have aged actively, not to mention quickly by the end of the week.  How about next week we celebrate "Relaxed, Unhurried Aging?"  Be honest, wouldn't you rather ride a recliner than an exercise bike?

Time for a change....

 Time for a break from travel tales.  Here are some interesting facts that showed up on my page-a-day trivia calendar.  For example 'on average. how many kernels does an ear of corn have?'  I'm sure you've been wondering about this for ages, so here's the answer.  '800 kernels arranged in 16 rows.  Corn ears almost always have an even number of rows, even if it isn't 16.'  So, the next time you eat corn on the cob, stop and count the rows.

Here's another question I've always wondered about.  'How long can a dolphin go without sleep?' The answer is 'Studies have shown that dolphins can stay awake for at least 15 consecutive days, though it could very well be longer.  Dolphins can rest one half of their brains at a time in a process known as unihemispheric sleep. While half the brain sleeps, the dolphin relies on its other half to swim, think and avoid predators.' Wouldn't that be a handy skill on a long cross country drive?

Here's the last question for this evening.  'What bird has a very high intelligence that scientists have compared to that of a seven-year-old child?'  You probably guessed this one.  It's the crow.  'Crows demonstrate several signs of advanced intelligence, including complex problem-solving, abstract reasoning, and the use of tools.'  When we lived in southern Ohio there was a tree across the road from our property where crows would gather in great numbers, making a terrific noise.  I always wondered what they were plotting.