Day 98

Lots going on today. An early activity was Lexi (and Nana) picking roses from the garden for an art project. Matteo, AJ, and I spent over 4 hours fishing at Palmer Lake. Absolutely beautiful there today: about 70 for the high, bright and sunny, and the boys were catching fish (Matteo got 8). More Palmer Lake pics are here. Tonight's movie: You've Got Mail.

In that movie, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) says something like, "Everyone says something they regret when stressed or concerned." I reflected on that by the new patio fire after everyone else had gone to bed. This lockdown period has been stressful, and I am concerned. And I did say things I regret, specifically to some of our recent first visitors since the COVID-19 thing shut everything down. It wasn't the content I regretted, it was the tone: cutting, sharp, a little over the top, like hurling a virtual molotov cocktail. The quote above is what Joe said trying to comfort Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) right after nailing him verbally, righteously, but unkindly. And she knew it was wrong the minute it came out of her mouth. So I ask myself, who delivers the truth well and sticks to rational thinking about politics, life's bigger meanings, etc.? You know: cool, calm, collected. Dennis Prager is one guy like that, I think. He's published a lot of stuff in many forms, but it's his Fireside Chats that I've gotten into lately. He's done one a week now for about 140 weeks. He's big on Happiness. Happiness is his root of all goodness. The lack of happiness leads to evil. Check out his book, Happiness Is a Serious Problem: A Human Nature Repair Manual. Some quotes are here.

Be happy. It really is up to each one of us.

Lexi's completed rose-petal art.

From the pedestrian bridge running from a parking lot to Palmer Lake.
This is a southbound BNSF unit train of coal on The Joint Line.

AJ got his School in the Woods patch in the mail.

That should keep us busy a few days.

Excellent "Week in Review": steak, eggs, onion saute.

We have no idea what she's making.

Tracy got all some Sasquatch Cookies!

Beautifully cool evening, the fire felt great!