Drop-In

A half hour into the Monday Irish jam at the community center, a gentleman came in and politely asked if he could stay and listen. He had been in a hall chair, heard the music, and thought why not? He was waiting for someone. Could he wait with us? Absolutely. There was a brief inquisition: Did he play? No. Did he sing? No. Did he dance? (Oh, come on, Bob!) Well, yes, he did, but we managed not to ask him to perform for us. He said he was from Delhi.

After a bit, his wife and daughter came along, and they all listened together. If I had to guess, I'd say his daughter probably goes to school around here. After a while, he requested a waltz, so we played Laura's Waltz, and he danced with his daughter, and we applauded them and they applauded us, and then they were off. But not forgotten.

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Take charge guy

I've been taking a more active part in the landscaping. Went out and trimmed the ornamental maples, and immediately felt like I'd blown it somehow. 

The larger of the maple shrubs had something hanging in it. I used to look out the kitchen window and see it, like a bookmark hanging from a branch, reflecting the sun brilliantly, so I took it for a mirror. Later, I thought perhaps it had colors on it and had mistaken it for a mirror. Today I went and looked.

 It's a plastic container, like for an ice lolly. Saran plastic. It somehow caught the light. I had been thinking of taking it out-- it didn't belong there-- but I liked seeing it. Then I pulled it out and realized as it was too late that it was part of a bird's nest. Empty, at least, and hopefully I haven't ruined its structure, but it had been incorporated into the nest by the bird who made it, and I feel a little bad that I didn't leave it. I did leave a second wrapper, which seems to indicate that the bird really liked having those plastic bits in there.

So there we are. I took initiative, and regret it again.

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