The Shepherdsville Times: Do The Math
When it comes to weddings it isn't the size of the show that matters, says the inimitable Jerry Selby. It's endurance.
Big day for Valerie and Bob
Thursday morning, Jan. 10, 2008, at 9:30 a.m., I think Avie said, was the scheduled time for Bob and Valerie’s wedding. I’m a little vague on the details of ceremonies, and Avie, my information source has gone to bed, but I understand the only attendees were to be some church members and dignitaries, some friends and close relatives who live nearby, and it is to be a very low-key affair. Someplace in New York City, where the Bishop was to perform the rites, I hear.
The size of the show has nothing to do with the real effect of the event. Avie and I got married in her folk’s living room, with only family members and a few close friends as guests. That was in 1950. Fifty-eight years ago. The union still endures.
Do the math.
Lost and found
It’s been so long I wasn't sure I still owned it, but I found, with no problem, exactly where I remembered putting my Central Hardware (cheap and old), hand truck. Hanging on nails in the barn. Not something you need often. But when you do, it's a very simple, useful tool, which will save your back and your time, and probably your temper.
I have finally reached a point where I absolutely had to clean out the cave. Even after throwing away a few trash bags of accumulated things, I still was left with several file-storage type boxes that needed at least a temporary new home. With my rheumatiz, short breath, and dislike for that sort of work, it has taken nearly two weeks. But the old hand truck, folded into its little red wagon configuration, made the job much easier.
Snow Bunting
The man who told me about the snow buntings at his feeders. Lives up in Ulen area. The one whose name I could not remember, although I knew it well enough. He says he has seen the snow bunting still showing up at his feeders and several neighbors reported to him they’d seen it too.
Strange how you suddenly become aware of something like that, which may have been around for years. Once you identify it, it pops up every whipstitch. And sure as the world, someone will say, "You know a lot about birds, what do you call that one?"
"Well, I call it a fino."
"Fino, that’s a strange name."
"Well, that’s what I call it’.
"Darned fino."
Coon at the feeders
Finally, I saw a coon in the milkhouse very early this morning. At first I thought it was Tillie, but maybe not. Didn’t seem to be a bit afraid of having a human audience at breakfast. Just looked up, smiled, and went back to business. On the other hand, when it decided to leave, it scampered off like a youngster.
Delayed gift
Hooray! Fed Ex finally delivered my exterior hard drive this morning. A Christmas present from Avie. At her suggestion I ordered it on the Internet, back before Christmas. 160GB is what it holds. For those of us who are not really all that knowledgeable about such computer terms, That means this little gadget about the size of a paper-back mystery can hold something like the equivalent of a large truckload of books. A Whole Bunch of Data, I think is the technical term.
It will be useful in many ways. Some I know about, others I will discover, as time goes by, if past experience with other computer stuff is a guide.
Probably, I will also discover it won’t do some of the tricks I thought it would. Same as most of the other complex tools I have acquired over time. Or at least it won’t for me. Just like the fancy kitchen tools they sell on late-night TV. They will slice, dice, peel, and in the hands of the demonstrator, they will do all sorts of magic things. But not for you and me. That’s life.
Weather report
On Thursday morning at 9 a.m., the sky is dark, completely cloud covered, and spitting what I hope is snow, not freezing rain. Avie has a hair appointment this afternoon, and I need to stop by the bank and shake the money bush. Hopefully the weather will be fine, or at least clement by the time this prints on Monday.
