I am Feeling My Age

I had a dream that I was at a church. The woman pastor was a lady from my book club. The church was near my house but also in Lutsen. I read that dreams are just random images firing in the brain that we try to string together into a story. The dream ended with me leaving the church. There were only 5 or so stairs but as I stepped down, the stairs multiplied into dozens and dozens of stairs. I stepped down and I felt no pain. I liked that so I put a little jaunt in my step. Still I felt no pain. So I lept down a step. No pain. So I jumped down a step. No pain. So I danced down a bunch a steps. It was wonderful. I was airborne between stairs. I was moving down the stairs like a dancing gazelle ballerina. I didn't want to wake up from that dream. I guess I am feeling my age.

In Living Color

The Flintstones was the first television show I ever saw in color. I remember it vividly. My family went to visit a friend of my father. They had color television and we didn't. It was one of those families whose kids' names all started with the same letter. I suppose people are overwhelmed by all the name choices and decide to downsize the market by sticking with only one of the 26 letters. Anyway, the Flintstones came on. I have always loved the Flintstones. Don't you just love Wilma's hair? I love the orange swirl over her forehead and the matching swirls over each ear. I wonder how she does it. Plus her white pearl necklace with the off the shoulder scalloped white gown with fitted waist really shows off her little arms and legs. She looks so petite next to king-sized Fred. He looks very manly in his orange, um, dress? Ok, maybe his attire isn't so manly but that beard is manly. Wait, why doesn't he have sideburns? And what about the back of his head? Does he have a poor barber? Alopecia problems? Offspring #1's first word was Wilma. He had these cute-as-can-be footed pajamas with Wilma on the shoulder (hand-me-downs from older cousin). Before I put him to bed I would point to Wilma on his pj's and say, "Wilma!!!" just like Fred does at the end of the show when he gets locked out of the house by the cat. I think that is why his first word was Wilma. I wonder what Offspring #1 thought I meant when I said, "Wilma." Maybe he thought I was saying, "Go to bed you little man," or "I've had a day and I can't take anymore," or "I love you to the moon and back." I hope it was the last definition because it was the first thing he chose to say back to me.

Hell on Earth

Last night at the fair we visited the Miracle of Birth center. In the large and fertile building are animals who just gave birth, are giving birth at the moment, or will give birth soon. They had cows, sheep, ducks, chickens and pigs. There were more pigs than any other kind of animal. These mother pigs were laying in farrowing pens. Farrowing pens are used prior to and for 21 days after the mother gives birth. Here is a picture:

We saw quite a few pigs in farrowing pens. Some were lying with their little piglets. At first glance the scene seems maternal and quaint. As I watched I got less comfortable. Some of those piglets are very rough on their mother. They poke their piglet snouts into her side about 25 times before grasping the nipple and sucking. They yank on her. The piglets pull the teat to the right and to the left. I saw one pig try and move away from the greedy piglets because they were being, well, piggish. She can't move. The farrowing pens prevent her from moving. She can't roll over. She can barely stand. She can't move forward or backward. The farrowing pens prevent piglets from becoming pork pancakes but the poor Momma Pig can't catch a break. I felt so bad for the pig that I couldn't watch her anymore. I moved onto the next pig. This pig hadn't given birth yet. She looked uncomfortable. She sounded uncomfortable. She might have been in labor. She was trying to stand in her farrowing pen. She got her southern end up but her head and shoulders were still on the cage floor. Wow, pigs have long backs. Anyway, I watched her try to get comfortable. She ended up flopping back down on the floor. I felt a huge rush of sympathy for this pig. I remember giving birth. I wasn't at my best. I would hate to be confined in a farrowing pen and on display. I cannot imagine anything worse except to have to stay in that same pen for 21 freaking days with a dozen piggy piglets molesting and pulling at me. I would loose my mind. Hell on earth is at the Minnesota State Fair - Miracle of Birth building. I am grateful I'm not a pig on display. I'm grateful I'm not pregnant and never gonna be pregnant again. I'm grateful I am a vegetarian.

Greg Brown Was Cooking Last Night

Greg Brown was cooking last night. The concert was awesome. The rain was light before the concert and gone by the time the concert started. I was glad because umbrellas would have obstructed my view of the stage. Greg plays guitar. There were two other guitars, a drummer and a electric harmonica/electric accordion player. What kind of music does Greg Brown play? Prior to the concert I would have said he was a folk singer. After the concert I would still put folk first but would have to add blues, rock and country. Greg Brown is hard to categorize. His voice is definitely baritone. There is something about a man's voice going so low it barely sounds human that thrills me. The guitar riffs were great. I have never heard blues solo electric accordion riffs before but they were smoking last night. Wow. We left at 10 and I was home by 11 but I've been dragging all day. Am I too old for weeknight concerts? Should I join AARP? I don't really want to know your answer to that last one unless you are going to say, "Oh, no, absolutely not, you are way too young for AARP."

School Days

I enjoy learning. I get a thrill when the latest edition of the community education bulletin comes out. This year I am taking some new courses. I signed up to make a fall grapevine wreath, a winter container garden, and a kissing ball (looks Christmassy but is not mistletoe). I signed up for creative writing at the Loft Literary Center. The class at the Loft is during the day and not in the evenings. I am continuing my book club which is also through community education. This will be enough for me this fall. I have enough to keep me pleasantly busy. And I don't have to wear a brown plaid jumper uniform with a short sleeved white blouse, peter pan collar, brown oxfords and white bobby socks.

Taking Care of Business

Thanks to offspring #2 for mowing the lawn today. Oh, it smells good and looks nice. She helped me clean up some fallen trees yesterday. The yard is looking respectable again. Only one more month before I can mow again.

The Two Faces of Jeff Daniels

Two Thumbs Up for "The Squid and the Whale," a dramatic movie about the failure of a marriage. The subtly acrimonius atmosphere during the split has poisonous effects on the two sons. The character played by Jeff Daniels was pure toxin. He played an miserable and angry character. After I finished the movie, I flipped through channels as I brushed my teeth and I came across the end of 101 Dalmations. I could not believe my eyes. There was Jeff Daniels again only this time he played a man who is so nice he takes in 84 orphaned dalmation puppies. The contrast of the two characters made my head spin.