My beloved cat-faced spider

Every evening I sit in the front garden, and, every evening just after 7, the huge orb-web cat-faced spider climbs down on a strand of silk and chooses what she's caught for her dinner.

She's beautiful.

But, yesterday, I found her dead on the garden slabs......during the night, some other garden inhabitant, attacked and killed her.......

Then, surprise, surprise, one of her babies appeared and took over the beautiful orb-web. So, she and I have introduced ourselves, and I sit and watch her feed off the prey caught in her mother's web..........

Isn't nature just wonderful??

September 11.................mother's birthday.....news about Fred

A big and very sad day in American history...........................but, for me personally, a big day as it's my late mother's, Hazel Monica,  100th birthday.....and the sun is shining bright, highlighting beautiful Eldorado.........

So I go for an early morning and in my head talk and talk with my mother, bless her cotton socks!

How I wish she could come and see what a beautiful home I have in a very beautiful part of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She woulkd like it so much, I know................and she could make me and Jeannine a Cornish pasty to share for dinner, followed by some scones, jam, and Cornish cream!

And I talk with Fred, my friend since college days, way back in the 1960s............I was so upset when I heard this morning he experienced a heart attack and is now in hospital.

Thinking of you, Fred. GET BETTER asap!

Fred and I became teachers and, then, headteachers.......................and, after retirement, we lived quite close to each other.

One incredibly bright, articulate fella..........................and a valued, dear penfriend.............

Today's sad email from Charles Rathbone............someone I met in the 60s...........

Dear Friends,

As a number of friends and family members have recently asked how I’m doing, i thought I ought to post a chronology and update.  Towards the very end of December, I was attacked by an aggressive form of cancer, a lymphoma.  I was immediately hospitalized and began a treatment consisting of six blasts of chemotherapy.  Ideally, these treatments should have been spaced out every three weeks, but chemotherapy is tricky and responses to it are unpredictable.  In my case, it often took more than the three weeks for my body to be ready for more of those corrosive chemicals; nor did it help that, while waiting for my white cell count to recover (leaving my immune system vulnerable), I managed at different times to contract once a cold, once the flu, and once pneumonia! These unforeseen blips naturally conspired to send me back into hospital, thus delaying my treatment.

Fast forward to June.  The treatments were over, the cancer in full remission and the last of their chemicals washed out of my system, but I was left emaciated and weak, hairless and on a walker, being seen by a visiting nurse and a physical therapist each twice a week.  I began the climb back to something approximating normalcy.

So now it’s the end of August.  I am at last beginning to gain back some of the 46 pounds I lost back in January; though my discriminating palate isn’t fully back, I am eating often and well; I have driven myself several times to my outpatient PT sessions and have eaten out a half-dozen times at restaurants.  I even walked around Fresh Pond once (on Edie’s arm, to be sure, though it a good is 2.3 miles). All of that spells progress!  My guess is that, if I keep going at this rate, I’ll be in nearly full swing by the end of October.  We are already planning some trips.

This may tell you more than you really want to know, though I’ve got to say that I’ve left out many details of this nasty little adventure, ones you really don’t want to hear.  But I’m on the mend, committed to the many physical exercises that have been prescribed for me and, above all, I’m in good spirits and optimistic. Thanks for your concern and good wishes.

Charlie 


September 11

Just had an email from Charlie, telling me he's doing well!

That's great news. Keep it up, Charlie!!

The BIG question

Ok....the BIG question......

I'm a retired educator, teacher of children, teacher of teachers.

I'm confused.

....... I consider myself a gentleman in that I show respect for everyone I come into contact;
........I open shop doors for those behind me
...... I patiently wait in shopping lines when necessary
........I pay my taxes
........I don't have the urge to 'grab women's pussies'
.......I know that climate change is potentially destructive
.......I love Mother Nature
........I believe all humans are equal
........I would not utter or think inappropriate thoughts about a daughter, if I had one
.......I have never ever described another human being in derogatory fashion
.......I  believe in the immigration concept, with appropriate systems in place to support those who wish to begin a new life in the USA
.......I believe all working folk should be paid enough to lead a good life
.....I believe in free public education for all ages
.......I believe we should create slower moving cars that don't require fossil fuel to drive them forward

OK..............I could go on.

My question:

What political party should I belong to????

My trip to Los Alamos

So, as Eldorado at Santa Fe is close to Los Alamos, hoem of the Manhattan Bpmb Project, I thought a visit would be interesting. The drive there certainly was...........but the twon was a disappointment.

Feeding the goldfish

Not long ago, Jeannine and I discovered the most fabulous nature walk in Galisteo Basin Reserve, an open area about ten minutes from my home...........a winding path through ancient trees, flowers, grasses and lichen-covered rocks - and eye-catching dried river beds.

Once the home to Native Americans, we walked for about an hour, eventually resting on the most fabulous large rock.











One of the interesting bits of the walk was the water-well and windmill at the beginning of the hike.

Someone, some time ago, had put in a large number of beautiful goldfish...................and now, of course, feeding them has become a daily feature of my daily walk in the countryside.

It's funny - I stand, with my tin of goldfish food in my hand,  and gaze and they all come towards me...........I throw a handful of fish flakes on the water surface, and, crikey, they go crazy!!

They LOVE it!

Monday's science class hike........

Today's class, August 8th, focused on the Manhattan Bomb Project, especially David Hawkins, Oppie's friend and personal assistant, and my friend for over 30 years.


So, today, 22nd July, I organized a hike for those senior scientists who could walk............that meant not taking four of my class, but I will take them in my car sometime soon for a scenic drive.

Galisteo Basin Preserve, a nearby beauty spot,  was the place we went to, leaving the center around 8.45.

After parking our cars and checking that everyone had water, I fed the goldfish in the huge water trough, and we began our hike - Joan, Bob, John, Linda and her sister, Doris, and me................................and, as it was a somewhat cooler morning, we walked for about 45 minutes, then explored one of the many beautiful arroyos.

The rocks were so beautiful and everyone had a super time............then, after about 20 minutes looking for the best pebbles, Doris and Joan, both fatiqued, headed back to the cars.

After a few more minutes, the remaining group went back to the trail and walked slowly back to our starting point.

When we got to the cars, Bob and Joan were there, waiting, but Doris was nowhere to be seen.

Making sure that Lind and her sister, Bob and Joan, were ok, I told them to return to the center, leaving John and I to search for Doris.
An hour later, we found her, wandering around in an arroyo.

Phew!
That experience scared me!!