We are half-way there! Where? you ask. Well, since you asked, it would be rude of me not to answer. Six months from today is December 25th, sillies. Fact #1…our screenplay will be done long before then. Question #1…will my writing partner and I still be waiting or will someone/some company have scooped it up by then. Could be the happiest Christmas in a long time! However, it’s June and we should probably roll with June topics, eh? Hehe.
Happy Saturday. I forgot to share with you a story about something special happening today. I’ve been playing around with the idea of buying an item that I remember so very well from my childhood. It wasn’t mine, however. It was my two older brothers’ game. I am pretty sure I remember this correctly. Friends of our parents, Edith and Erv Gossink were really nice people, and I’ll never know how truly old they really were cuz through my eyes then, they were really old. I am sure they were not, in reality. My brothers will probably be better testimonials as to how old they truly were. All I remember about them is they were nice folks and my parents liked it when they visited. I don’t know what the connection was either. How they knew them. I am pretty sure they weren’t relatives. But, every so often, they’d pop in. Well, one time, and I don’t remember this being any special occasion, they popped in with a present for my two older brothers. I suspect they felt I was too young to appreciate this game that was a challenging little distraction. I think it’s official title was Labyrinth Wooden Maze game. The idea was to maneuver the little metal ball throughout the maze by using the two controllers. It got a lot of use at the house. However, when my brothers weren’t playing it and I could get away with it, I’d go sneak it out of their grasp and I’d try my hand at it until they caught me and took it away. Grrrrrrrr….. Seriously, it was fun. And none too easy. For some time, now, I’ve thought about getting one for yet another distraction in my “golden years.” Hehe. And so, I finally acted on it a few days ago. It was only $15. I have no doubt I’ll get $15 worth of enjoyment from this. I even think I may buy a little table and simply have it set up always so if I want to get lost in the moment, I’ll just turn to it and see if I can wind my way through the maze of 35 holes until I get to the slot marked #36! The little things, folks. They’re never lost on me. 🙂
Today had a bit of a surprise in it that came along last night after I had posted Friday’s Reflection. A dear friend/former colleague wondered if I wanted to do lunch today and then stop in at the Pride celebration in Burnsville. I told her sure. Before I even had a chance to ask whether we’d do the old standards of Applebee’s or Olive Garden, she threw out Jensen’s Cafe as a suggestion. I NEVER think of that as an option. Maybe because it’s not right on 42. I love Jensen’s. Last time I was there was just before Covid became part of our reality. I had been there a few times before that. It’s a great place if you’ve never been. Sorta has an old diner feel to it, but it has great breakfasts. It’s always busy with a waiting list. If you go there, you expect to sit outside the restaurant, waiting to be called. But the quality of the dining experience is worth it. I arrived early to get on the list, got in after waiting only 10 minutes. They had thought it would be closer to 25 minutes. My friend showed up shortly after I was seated. We had, as we always do, a nice meal and chat. Then she popped in my car and we drove on down the Pkwy to the park where this Pride event was being staged. It was a very small event. I met one woman who is running for office this fall and I asked her if she got in to the Apple Valley Fourth of July parade. She said she wasn’t aware of any such parade. So, her people missed that one, but I gave her my boss’ number so she could see if she might still get in the parade. A walking unit shouldn’t be a big deal for the boss. My friend and I proceeded to find a picnic table. She ran into a couple of familiar faces from her church. We sat at a picnic table under a roof and chatted together. The air was nice enough with that breeze that it made for a pretty much perfect Saturday afternoon. Not like my normal ones. The event was shutting down and we headed back to drop my friend off at her car. I then proceeded to get a mocha and head home. Now, as I write this, I have the Brewer game on (they’re winning 5-2) and I’m waiting for my Amazon package! Oh, I did get a freebie at the park. Something I had never seen before. When I saw them on the table, I asked if it was for making ice cubes. Small ones, of course, but still…. Well, it was pointed out how far from the accurate guess I needed. This is a device to occupy children when they’re in need of a distraction. Or I can see where I could make good use of it too! lol. It’s one of the pics tonight. 🙂 It’s called a Pop-It fidget toy.
Ok. The package arrived. I have to admit it’s a much lighter weight product than the one my brothers had in the 60s. And the little metal ball is much lighter than it was back then as well. However, the game is the game. I gave it an instant attempt. Made it to 18th hole before losing it inside. The gameplay is just a little different because the materials are so much more lightweight, but in essence, it is still the game I remember. Fun. Was afraid I was going to have to redact some of that paragraph talking about it if it wasn’t going to show up tonight, but that’s no longer a concern. Brewers now lead 5-3 with one more inning to survive. Then it’s time to think about my evening agenda and I believe I have it. I will do away with the final three episodes of Obi Wan Kenobi tonight. And whatever time remains after, I will return to Jeff Bridges in The Old Man. I even have popcorn here to munch on later 🙂 And that, ladies and germs, will be the end of my Saturday night 🙂 Tomorrow is a no-pressure day once again. Just baseball at one and then, whatever I choose to do. It’s supposed to be cooler tomorrow so I will likely have patio time before the game. I sat out there this morning for a bit, but it was so flipping muggy. Hopefully tomorrow will have less of that. By week’s end, however, it looks warm again and now, as we look to the Fourth, it seems like that temp forecast is climbing little by little. I come home exhausted from that day each year. If it’s really hot, I’m more wiped than normal. And talking much of the time I’m sitting on that flatbed adds to my exhaustion. Again, I used to handle it a little better than I do now in my mid 60s. Why does that stuff have to change? HEHE….
I sure hope you had a great Saturday and that your Sunday is just as wonderful. We’ll bond in 24 hours if that’s ok. If not, I’m still coming back no matter what, so you might as well come along for the ride! Until then, continue to take in however much relaxation the weekend offers you. Brewers win!
G’Night!
The View From My Room 