Busy--and good--day. Betty called early and asked, "Are we still meeting for lunch?" Lunch? I thought it was dinner and a sleep-over, which she had forgotten. Actually, though, I wasn't anxious to drive to Manahawkin (to Olive Garden) in the dark, especially as it was also raining, so we decided we'd, indeed, lunch instead of dine.
Stopped at Shop-Rite first and got Romaine, tomatoes,and blueberries. Got to Italian Cuisine and we had a good lunch and, as ever, good talk. I had a smaller lunch portion shrimp scampi, which was delish, and a Blue Moon. We stayed a bit longer than two hours, then said goodbye. As I got in my car, I noticed that I should have had my car inspected in December. Yoicks! When I was overdue a few years ago, I was nabbed and the fine cost me $130! (Geez, they probably don't charge that much for vehicular homicide.) Drove directly to the inspection station and had it done. There was only a fourteen-minute wait and I had my tape recorder with me, so practiced my lines. Car passed fine.
Needed a few items, such as paper clips, so drove across to Target and got them. Was beguiled by a cute top--black with pink and red hearts--and, being about as sales resistance as Paris Hilton, tried it on and bought it, along with pink fleecy pants and two other tops.
Got home to find a message from niece Joan and called her back. We had a nice talk and I invited her and Jim to the play and to stay over here. She accepted, I'm happy to say.
Made a humongous salad and had that for dinner. I then became aware of a periodic chirping sound, coming from the smoke detector in the guest room. Called Bill, who had just changed the batteries, and he replaced a battery. Said this happens a lot, but I can't remember why and don't care as long as it's fixed.
Finished off the day by just reading my book about members of the band that went down with the Titanic. I'm always bemused by the fact that, although the sinking seems to have happened an impossibly long time ago--1912!--my mother was already ten years old.
WIDER: Another breath-takingly clear essay from Arthur Silber, which includes this observaton:
--Most Americans are like badly damaged children: they expect evil to announce itself in advance, with the aid of thundering, ominous music on the soundtrack of their increasingly desperate lives. But that is not how evil most commonly arrives. It comes with a gentle, reassuring smile. It insinuates itself with soothing platitudes. It speaks of "threats" to our "security" that cannot be countenanced. It says it only wants to make you "safe."
But, as ever, his latest in "Once Upon A Time..." should be read entire:
http://powerofnarrative.blogspot.com/