What do YOU Think?

 Truth is, the pavement is dusty and the street is lined with serviceable cars and trucks.  The dog walkers look very ordinary and the dogs themselves are not show dogs.  The air is a bit sultry.  Windows are not sparkly clean in my neighborhood.  
Even the neighbors I don't know always say hello, though.  I think we all need to step outdoors a bit more often.  What if we set timers and every two hours, we went outside to run around for fifteen minutes or so?  Even in nursing homes, it wouldn't hurt to wheel all the ladies and gentlemen out to sniff some fresh air, would it?  I feel very cooped up at school. 
At least I'm closer to the door this year.  

 I picked up two leaves for my nature table.  I had to put them in a fat book Bill's reading so they'll flatten out.  Turns out picking up stuff off the ground involves bending over.  I'm a stiff old granny.

"There is always one moment in a day when I think my heart will break.  Such a moment I think all women have, and men too, when all the meaning of life seems distilled and caught up and you feel you can never, never bear to leave it.  It may be when you turn and look down a blazing autumn road or it may be when you see your house under great ancient trees or it may be, in the city, when you look up at a towering apartment building and see one light and think "that is mine."  It may be any one of a number of things, according to the circumstances of your life.
But there is the moment, and all the heartaches and sorrows of your life suddenly diminish and only the fine brave things stand out.  You breathe sharp clean air, your eyes lift to the eternal wildness of the sky."     ~ Gladys Taber (Stillmeadow Daybook)


One of the many sweet features of October is the perfect temperature.  Last night I snuggled in our bed wearing my "Eat Crab" hooded sweatshirt.  I thought, "I feel just right.  Not too hot.  Not too cold." Why do you suppose that people over a certain age (let's just say around 50) wake up a bit more often during the night?  I think it might provide us with extra opportunities to figure things out.  I rarely come up with solutions when I'm wakeful, but I think a little more pondering upon the basics helps.  Maybe.  Maybe not.
I rarely woke up during the night when I was younger.  I was out cold, snoring away until morning.  Now I find myself thinking, "There you are again." 
What do you think about when you wake up before morning?


Another thing I'd like to ask you is, what's your favorite story?  We're reading short stories at school and some of the stories in the book are SO DUMB.  We're learning about plot, theme, character and setting, tone, mood, and what not.  I just can't bear to discuss stories that don't have any spirit in them.  I try to imagine sitting around a camp fire telling tales and I believe the stories should change our thinking in some way.  Do you think so?
Okay, thank you for the help, good visitor, good seeker, good sleeper, good thinker.  Until we meet again . . .