Sweet, Georgia Brown! - 07 January 2022 - Plague Journal Day 666

Micah 6:8
Judges 3:15
Yes, your life matters.

Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Here a Friday Fun Fact I came across today.
Male cats are more likely to be left-pawed, while female cats are more likely to be right-pawed.
(I have only partially confirmed this, as it's also in the infographic below, but it does sound a bit unlikely.)

It does make me think of my fencing career at university. Phys Ed classes were for zero credits, but I - bravely - took two of them: Rifle & Pistol, and Fencing.

Fencing was really fun and quite physically demanding and rewarding. I had a friend in the class who was left-handed, which turns out to be a huge advantage. After all, he fought essentially only right-handers; and we all did the same - except when fighting him with everything going the wrong way.
I talked with him about taking the course again, but with each of us working with our off hand, thus anticipating both Inigo Montoya and the Man in Black by quite a few years.
It also led to my once annual golf tournament where a different left-handed friend and I trade clubs and play a round going the wrong way. It's quite embarrassing to begin with, but gets quite a bit better by the end. We'll have to restart that tradition soon.

On an historical note, on
07 January1927 the Harlem Globetrotters played their first game. That reminds me of a vacation happening. We were stopped for lunch at the restaurant of a Holiday Inn on the way to Fort Wayne to visit family. The sign outside said something on the order of "Welcome Harlem Globetrotters." Well, there were a few Black men at another table in the restaurant. Mom grabbed all the gumption she had accumulated to that point in her life and asked one of them if he were Meadowlark Lemon.
"No, ma'am," was the reply, and she walked away.
I've always wondered if they really were Globetrotters and she just guessed the wrong one. They might well have wanted some privacy at lunch, after all. I know he wasn't Curly Neal, as he had hair. (Unless he was wearing a wig - he might have been in disguise, or even in cognito!)

Ah, good times with Mom in restaurants. At least we weren't kicked out that time.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our insane lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

Just Keep Going! - 15 July 2021 - Plague Journal Day 490

Micah 6:8
Jeremiah 31:21-22
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

I heard the traffic report on the radio this morning. Apparently there was a problem at the intersection of I-94 and I-69, "that's in Port Huron," the reporter explained. That explanation actually was helpful, because, despite their being purportedly-perpendicular Interstate Highways, I-94 and I-69 actually intersect in two places. The problem one of this morning - in Port Huron - is where they simply don't make sense: I-94 Eastbound is actually Northbound there, and I-69 Northbound is actually Eastbound.
The other, more reasonable intersection is at Marshall, and it - more specifically its cloverleaf - holds a special place in my memory.

Today would have been my Mom's 87th birthday, so having this reference came on a very appropriate day. When I was a kid, I got to go spend a week with my cousins in Indiana (originally Fort Wayne, later Warsaw), and at least once we met my Aunt Peggy at about the half-way point, Marshall, where friends of hers lived.

This trip was special, We took the I-69 exit from I-94 and the first loop was the one to head us South on I-69. We didn't get over quickly enough to merge onto the highway - we were stuck heading for the next loop. Well, to make a long story short (too late!), we ended up doing all four leaves of the cloverleaf, bringing us back to that first loop which we then navigated correctly, ending up on I-69 as we intended. Five loops of the cloverleaf rather than one! We were enthusiastically delighted. Mom was embarrassed. It was a great day.

Hey! Bonus Celebration and Fun!
Today is National Tapioca Pudding Day! I really like tapioca pudding. It's not terribly common these days, but if you have the chance to celebrate with a bowl, raise a spoon to Ryan, Colin, and Ricky. 

You're welcome.

Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.

15 July 2020 - Plague Journal Day 125

Micah 6:8
Exodus 20:12
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is my (late) Mom's birthday - she would have turned 86 today - and I miss her very much, every day.
One thing she did well, even though she didn't think she did, was to write. She wrote devotions for our annual church Lenten Devotions books for many years. The one that was always my favorite was one that she didn't think was worth submitting, but she felt she needed to turn in something, so there it was.
I'm sharing it here today for a couple reasons. First, because it really is my favorite of her devotions, and secondly because it seems incredibly appropriate in these days of fear and loathing.

Read and ponder:

A Lump of Coal

Read: Genesis 45:3-8, 50:18-20

Remember when you were a kid, and at Christmas time you hung up your stocking for Santa to fill?

If you'd been good, he'd give you candy and oranges.  If you'd been bad, you'd get coal.

Picture this –
A snowman facing the fireplace – his back to you.
He reaches into his stocking and finds coal.
He turns; he has eyes and shouts joyfully – “I can see!”

Sometimes we get coal.

Sometimes it's a blessing.


Prayer:  Dear God, let us see.  Amen

Shirley Van Becelaere

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.