Those are the breaks!

[Note: Recent inactivity on this blog will not be commented on until a thorough review of plausable explanations has been listed, field-tested and approved by the director.]

On this day, as in several previous, one finds oneself 20 miles from the Canadian border in Plattsburgh, NY. We had a break in the wind. (Do I need to reword that?) What had been a force of 15-25mph [c.25-40kph [for our bi-numeral acquaintances]] was down to three to five mph [five to eight kph] for today.

We also had a break regarding the temperature. Gone was the 25 F [Celcius on your own], here came 45 F.

The missus and I headed out to a sugar shack to surprise friends in the middle of boiling sap in the process of making maple syrup. Alas, there was no activity to benefit from our surprise. The preceding two nights and days had been too cold for the sap to flow at a good pace. They thought that tomorrow would be a good day for boiling. Earlier in the week, 150 gallons of syrup had been produced. That's dealing with about 6,000 gallons of sap, and I'm not going to try to figure that in liters (or is that litres). Sooooo we searched out other sugar shacks to bother, but none had weather different from our first stop. So. magically, our visit turned into a shopping tour in the gift shop of one of the sugar shacks. Maple cocoa, maple coffee, varieties of shapes of maple sugar items, 2009 syrup, maple cream, pervasive aroma. Just a bit heady. . . . (yes, they will ship).

Several years ago I became aware of birch syrup - from an inquiry about maple syrup in Alaska. I learned that it takes about double the amount of birch sap to develop one gallon of birch syrup - 80 gallons. The aroma and the flavor are somewhat medicinal in my judgement. It is not too distant from the soda Moxie - even the diet variety carries that flavor. It all works out O.K., as it tastes pretty good on Dairy Queen. Really.

So, the day was a break from some of the have-tos of the week and the resignation of sparing ourselves from the 'brisk' winter weather by being indoor people. During our tour of duty in the North Country, I recall the period we called the 'January thaw'. Around the third week or so of January, we would benefit from a warming period - the snow and ice would melt for a few days, and I would allow myself to think 'Ah, we're going to have an early Spring this year. Good for us!' The thoughts and hopes were shattered in not too many days by the return of belligerent Winter weather, freezing the tears on our cheeks.

Those were the breaks.

Once more, with feeling

It would seem I've been able to learn well the lesson of not rushing into matters, like posting blogs. A degree of insouciance seems to be the order of the day. Since our last meeting much water has gone under the bridge, over the dam and wherever else it has chosen to venture.

* Mary has received the official okey-dokey on her first knee replacement. Dr. Cohen is tops! Lower extremity #2 will be a Jan., '09 consideration.

* Our Sunday School class (25 strong) helped in several projects (painting, fountain, spackle and paint the laundry room, prepare the coolers for summer, etc.) at 'Hospitality House' - a USO-like setting for military personnel in our area. They don't do overnights, but when they do come they have plenty of snack items, books, walking areas, meals, Bible Studies and fellowship to busy themselves with. The host family is very gracious, and the Mr. and Mrs. have undergone considerable training prior to being accepted as setting Hosts. (All this accomplished on Armed Forces Day (May 17) to boot!)

*We attended a Retirement breakfast for those of Mary's associates from Johnston School on Ft. Huachuca. One couple is planning to head to Costa Rica to build and settle in for the next 20 or 30 years. Their setting will be in Nuevo Arenal. His brother is a builder and a long-time resident of the area. Sounds helpful to me. That same evening, we a attended a 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration for friends of ours. Both settings were similar in some aspects - each celebrated an achievement and was a pleasant atmosphere with the recognition from friends and family; as well, in both settings, we were able to renew acquaintances from a few to several years back. I like that in an activity.

*This brings to mind one aspect of one of my retirement activities __ years ago. This was with one of the Elementary schools I was associated with - knowing my feelings toward the brown vegetable, they purchased a pink cord jacket, added several pockets and stuffed each with a variety of candy bars. I viewed this as very thoughtful as I generally refer to them as 'Snowbank Supplies', emergency, readily available and completely adequate items for home or travel, in the event of . . . .

*Did I mention that the following January I received a diagnosis of Diabetes, Type 2? Another of life's mysteries. I must say that these events are viewed as examples of parallelism rather than as cause and effect. Or perhaps genetic predestination. . .

***

Renaming:

The polite snake you saw last week - could be called a civil serpent. Couldn't it?
________________

(Hope you had some pleasant moments with your dictionary, Doug!)

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Jer.29:13 has good contemplative qualities. Reading it in THE MESSAGE gives it a bit of urgency.

Adios