Povey Prattle

  When visiting friends a few months ago I mentioned in conversation that I'd love to have and use a fountain pen; partly because I like the idea of using a real pen with real ink; and partly because my handwriting improves when I use a fountain pen. My casual comment was heard and remembered.  Thus it was that I was given a late birthday gift today,  of not one, but three fountain pens. Thank you Donna Chrisman for the pens.   Beware   In 2022 I will  mention a TESLA car in my casual comments at your home!

  A couple of family members have asked me about the size of my compass, with its lovely hand made wooden bezel. Here it is next to a pen on an A4 file folder

  My good friend Diana treated me to lunch on Thursday last to celebrate my birthday.  It was good to be together after more than a COVID 19 hiatus of over a year. Our server touted Lobster Rolls, and we took the bait. As I ate my roll; and as I thought about it afterwards I asked myself "was this lobster and only lobster?" I have an unverifiable hunch (based on taste and texture) that my roll included some lobster meat, fortified by a surimi based filler. I am told that this is a common practice in this neck of the woods.  BAH!

  I had  specified "no gifts" for my birthday celebration. My friends had other ideas.  I gladly accepted two bottles of fine red wine. And this:-  so very beautiful. Some time ago I had told my friend Ashley that I'd like to have a compass.  She tucked that into her memory, and bought this beauty from a craftsman in the town of Floyd, VA. Such lovely hand wrought woodwork is a joy to the eyes and to the touch.

  My usual greeting to those whose birthdays come up on Facebook is (for example) "Happy Maryday" or "Happy Peterday". It's one day out of 365/366 on which the focus can rightly be on those whose birthdays we celebrate. I've had a wonderful "John(or)Michael Day". I love it!  I've received fifteen or so traditional birthday cards via the USPS, and more than ninety electronic greetings.   Some scoff at Facebook or e-mail greetings, but not I.  It is great to know that family and friends from near and far think kindly of me, and send me heart felt greetings. Thank you! Today's celebration of my birthday was dinner with four good friends at Sarasota's SIAM GULF RESTAURANT (North Tuttle and 17th near the Baltimore Oriels spring training ball park), The food is consistently good.  I enjoyed a lovely spicy salad, with fresh and crispy greens, sweet and juicy tomatoes, and   (be still my beating heart) slices of tender flesh and crispy skin du...

 

  Worm's eye view of laundry on an outside clothes line. Wonderful photo' by my friend Kathy B.-J. Her photo' put me in mind of this wonderful poem by Richard Wilbur.   If you know it,  you will enjoy it again. If you do not know it, read it aloud (very slowly)  at least three times; and thereby savour it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Love Calls Us to the Things of This World BY  RICHARD WILBUR The eyes open to a cry of pulleys, And spirited from sleep, the astounded soul    Hangs for a moment bodiless and simple    As false dawn.                      Outside the open window    The morning air is all awash with angels.     Some are in bed-sheets, some are in blouses,    Some are in smocks: but truly there they are.  ...

I'll be in my bedroom; changing from my house attire to my street clothes. Mr. Z will be peeping at me.  This makes me laugh! He is saying  "Oh Papa, dear Papa;  does this mean that we are going out for a walk?" Most often the answer is YES!