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The Lantern

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Stopped by a hardware store to get a couple of keys made. It was an old-time hardware store and three people came to help me when I walked in the door. I like those kinds of places. As the chatty, happy woman made my keys, I wandered around the cluttered store a little, and my eyes fixed on a propane lantern. My mind shifted immediately to the summer nights at the Barking Lions campsite. I didn’t own a lantern and would have had zero chance of ever lighting it (probably still can’t) but I had a guy for that! Jeff - who coincidentally is celebrating his 63rd birthday today - was the man for the job. He’d light the lantern and then he’d work the pot belly stove. I looked at that lantern for a long time. It looked like the same model that we had back there some 40 years ago, back when we believed those long summer days would never end. And now, here we are. Old bastards now. I’m sure Jeff has a lantern… …and that he knows how to light it. Happy birthday, buddy. Thanks for taking care of u...
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Flynn

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We were huge fans of ‘Breaking Bad’. Kathy and I watched it twice. I believe that Sam and Jake may have had 3 go-arounds. A terrific show, and when we visited Albuquerque, we hit all the tourist spots. Hearing the news that the actor who played Junior or Flynn as he wanted to be called, died at the age of 34, at his own hand, was heartbreaking. It’s a show, but when it’s well done, it makes you believe you know the actor a little bit. I’ve learned a lot about the man - RJ Mitte - since the news broke. He broke through as a disabled actor. His early life was tragic. He was adopted and one of his adoptive parents died young. His financial manager robbed him of his ‘Breaking Bad’ money, and he spent his adult life as a powerful advocate for healthcare that works for the disabled and all Americans. He was set to be married. And there are really recent interviews of him where he was cheerful and accommodating. And yet, he decided to end his life. I have complicated questions about suicide....
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“You Mind If We Go?”

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The Bills have a night game tonight against the Rams. I noticed that Kathy was getting dressed to go…. …somewhere. “Where you going?” “Me and Sam are going to go to Matt’s to watch the game. You wanna’ go?” I just looked at her. She knew the answer. “You can. We’re going to get pizza and wings.” “That’s exciting.” “I know, I know, but are you all right staying home alone for the game?” A couple of things about that. I’m not alone. Miller the cat is right beside me. Ollie got a new toy today, and we had three throwing sessions. And best of all, I have no intention on watching a football game. I’m watching baseball even though the Yankees aren’t involved. Which is even better because I can go to bed. Tomorrow I’ll be rested and it won’t ruin my mood if they lose. And some may be wondering how many catches Ollie is up to for the year… …he just went over 53,000..
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Random Thoughts

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 Sunday afternoon here. Let’s just take a few snapshots of what’s going on. 1). Hurricane season is upon us and the week ahead will be a challenge for a portion of the country. To make matters worse, no one can pronounce the name of the hurricane. 2). Watched White Sox batters strike out 21 times in Game 5 against Cleveland. They put the ball in play less than 10 times! They weren’t facing Koufax! They were trying to hit homers. 3): Golf season is winding down - I’ve truly been zeroing on an ace. I must’ve hit 6 balls within 8’ of the hole in the last few weeks. If I don’t get it in last few times out, I’ll have to start over from scratch in freaking May. 4). So, we are funding Russia’s war efforts now, huh? Sickening, isn’t it?  We handed the whole freaking thing over to a Russian asset, and he’s not even bothering to hide it. 5). I turn 62 a week from today. Hard to believe. When we were young we’d hear of someone who was 62 and think, ‘He’s an old man.’ Uh, yeah. 6). Speaki...
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The Biggest Problem

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There are reporters out there who are willing to do the impossible… …talk to MAGA supporters and figure out what they stand for. “Why do you love him?” The reporter asked one woman who was dressed up like a MAGA ball girl. “Oh, he is always straight forward. He tells it like it is.” The reporter rifled off four straight instances where the lies are evident. “Well, he’s solving our problems.” “What problem has he solved?” “All of them.” “Give me one example,” the reporter said. “No trans people in sports, and that might be the biggest problem we have.” I shut it down. There are people out there who believe that the biggest problem they face as Americans are transgender athletes taking gold medals away from deserving women. And before you dismiss it as the ramblings of a crazy woman a question was posed to J.D. Vance. “How do you define socialism?” Now, mind you, this is the vice-president. “It’s immigrants taking jobs from Americans, and transgender playing in women sports.” Uh. That’s ...
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Live Stream Execution

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The tough guys are now taking it a step further. An execution will be live-streamed so we can all watch the death penalty be enforced. And, I suppose, it will be another shrug by most of the country. Plenty of people will be in favor of being able to watch a man die. Kegseth thinks it will be a deterrent. It’s not. People who murder are well aware of the potential consequences. This is simply grandstanding. What is alarming about it is that America once stood on principles. The death penalty wasn’t celebrated. When it was used, it was supposedly used as justice, and most of the country has suspended its use as unconstitutional. It was never something to be celebrated. Taking the stand that we would not show capital punishment allowed us to pretend that we are a civilized society. We were better than the countries that sponsored the violence. We pretended that televising state-sponsored death was barbaric. A lot of what we once stood for is now gone. The flag and the constitution were s...
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Another Year Down the Drain

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Over the last 55 years or so I’ve had to face elimination day for the New York Yankees. Yesterday was the 48th time it happened. Thankfully, on seven of those years it never happened. Yet, I’m going to spend my day getting my stones busted by a lot of fans who own shirts that say: “One before I die!” And yet, it’s still disappointing because the Yanks are always in it, and that makes it tougher. They failed this year for a couple of reasons: 1). Judge went down - this will be glossed over because injuries happen, but they lost the best player in the sport for 100 games. You gotta stretch, I guess. 2). The playoff seeding is ridiculous. They would’ve had to beat the Rays at some point, but didn’t. Yet for the second straight year you win more games than three teams seeded ABOVE you. It’s just dumb. 3). Launch angles. I saw too many bad at-bats by guys named Jazz and Trent and Austin as they tried to hit it in the seats with a runner on second and no one out. Move the runner! Those three...
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