Technicalities

One of the things I like best about this time of the year is that I can take my morning constitutionals early. Why, as early as 5:30 AM in fact, about the time I'm typing this out. But this morning I can't walk.

Well, I can walk. I walked from the bedroom to the library to the computer to hammer out this thing. But there's a thunderstorm, and the radar indicates that rain will last for several more hours here in the D. So I'm taking a weather break. I've walked eight days in a row before now, so a day off isn't tragic.

And why would you have thought I couldn't walk? Just don't try it while chewing gum. It's a challenge.

Predictability is funny

Some things just make your day. It can very nice indeed if your day is made early.

I know I'm a creature of habit in both my activities and my, shall I say, slogans. I like repeating several of me Pops common remarks such as 'Every day above ground is a good one', even though me sister hates that one. But I've developed my own sayings too. A common one when asked how I am is, 'Not bad for an old man'. It apparently has become rather well known.

As I finished my typical morning constitutional today I stepped into the local 24/7 gas station and party store for a paper. I still like the occasional morning news even though in this Internet age I probably know most of the expressed events as it is and as such what I buy is already dated. But it's still a paper and there's still comics and crossword puzzles which I don't know, thank you very much. I might also as I did this morning buy a coffee, especially as I had none ready at home. What says lazy worse than a man with a Keurig who buys a large coffee for a buck sixty-five because it's easier? In my defense I was of course already at a spot where I could get my java immediately while my Keurig and my percolator were four whole blocks away.

Gathering the paper and the joe I set them on my side of the glass enshrined counter. Reaching for my wallet I asked the attendant conversationally, "How are you today?"

I looked up to see a broad smile on his face. "Not bad for an old man!" he heartily exclaimed.

I laughed out loud. "Well, good for you!" I replied to the much younger than me guy. But I appreciated the humor, and it truly made my day.

Marty and the sparrow

Often as I enjoy my morning constitutional I walk past the Wayne State University baseball diamond, Ernie Harwell Field. Baseball and Ernie go together very well, don't they?

A fence runs along the third base side of the field, a regular old chain link fence. I would say it's about 400 feet long, ending at the service drive of the Ford Freeway. Tuesday as I hiked along the sidewalk outside the fence I was accompanied by a sparrow. Yet I don't think he cared to accompany me.

Chain link fences have all those little diamond shaped holes formed by the chain links, right? They're perfect for tiny birds to perch upon. Or within I suppose. So it wasn't surprising that this sparrow was sitting in one of those little holes as I approached from one end of the fence.

Birds however don't care for human company. When seeing me the sparrow left his perch, to fly about fifteen feet away and resit in another diamond link. Of course I kept on walking. I was on my morning walk after all.

As I drew closer the bird moved again, another several feet down the fence. My closing in on that position caused the little guy to move again. I got closer and he flit another few yards. This repeated itself the entire length of the fence.

I found it funny, the bird trying to keep its distance and me just plugging along. The sparrow however was likely thinking, 'The hell, dude? I'm trying to respect your space, why don't you respect mine?"

Birds, huh?

May firsts. Sorta.

My furnace kicked on at about 6:50 this morning for the first time since May.

On my morning walk I could see my breath. Very starkly. For the first time since May.

I thought I had layered enough but I didn't get past being cold on my walk until after about 15 minutes. That's the first time that's happened since May.

What worries me the most about all this is that in May I had seen snow flurries on my walk as late as the 12th. That's how long the cold held this year. Not that, with the 2020 we've had, that should be surprising. So, I wonder with trepidation, how soon will I see flurries again, for the first time since May.

The furnace just kicked on. For the second time since May. I hope that's not a portend of things to come.