Apple Sauce
Yet a different day, yet a different Starbucks. This time Iâm on Main Street in My Little Town. Iâm positioned with my back to the counter, facing out through the picture windows. I munch a mini-scone while watching the mid-day parade. Iâm the only computer user facing this way, so while I can identify the other brands of machine Iâm comingled with (itâs a virtual orchard in here) I canât see what anyone is doing. No matter, since the outside is far more interesting than the inside right now.
I amused myself for a while by counting the ratio of sedans: SUVâs: pick-up trucks: others that went by, until I started getting depressed. Then I switched over to noting how many SUVâs went by with only one person it them, versus how many sedans went by with more than one person in them, but that got even more depressing.
So, what else can I tell you about beautiful downtown Salamanderville? Immediately next door to my Starbucks is a Walgreens. Its flashing light tells me that the time is thirty-three minutes post noon, that the temperature is 57°F, that the in-store clinic will be glad to give you a flu shot for $24.99 (and why not $25.00 I wonder; have they an excess of pennies they need to dispose of?), that Wheat Thins are on sale for 2/$5. The sign lists the prices for toilet tissue, two liter bottles of cola, and a gallon of bleach as well, none of which I would think of purchasing at a pharmacy except under duress. Now the temperature has dropped to 56°F.
The trees along Main Street match the slowly falling temperature. The maple across from me is patched with red, orange and green, but the green is in the minority and destined to continue losing ground. The walnut tree behind it is nearly naked, save for some sickly yellow leaves clinging for dear life. Bunches of green orbs bend some of the branches downward, and a squirrel dances out towards the waiting nuts, bouncing up and down like a furry cross between a trapeze artist and trampoliner. The spindly cherry tree planted immediately in front of Starbucks hangs onto its green leaves as though it could hang onto summer itself. The poor thing is in for a rude awakening in a week or two.
Its not yet October, but the pub behind the patchwork maple tree across the way is festooned for Halloween. A plastic skeleton draped in a cape worthy of a Harry Potter dementor blocks the neon beer sign hanging in the front window. Its boney hands hold a five foot banner that proclaims BEWARE! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! Other canvas signs stenciled âBEWAREâ dangle from fake scythes with their poles planted in the ground . The pubâs owners have draped a huge black spider web over the other front window, with a huge fuzzy spider in the middle of it. All I can think is that somebody who has read too much Tolkien and Rowling has a major time and money disposal problem on their hands. The place is scary, but not in the way the owner intended.
Enough of the mood music. I note with interest that the condo across the way has a Welcome Basket hanging on its front door. I’m pretty sure that the new occupants move in tomorrow. I plan on spying if I can; I’ve been playing with that short story I mentioned in an earlier entry and I’m hoping to learn a little more about my new neighbors by observing. If the opening presents itself I may even go over and bid them welcome. I’m not a Welcome Wagon kinda gal, so that’s going to force me out of my comfort zone a bit, but I can’t see that being a bad thing.
In other news, I decided that I wanted a wedding band to go with the emerald and diamond “engagement ring” that The Prof got me seven years ago, when we thought about getting married after I was diagnosed with end-stage liver failure. I knew what I wanted, but didn’t see anything close to it at any of the chain jewelry stores in the area. I went to a favorite artisan’s store in the area today and found exactly what I had in mind, so I ordered it. I’ll post a picture when it comes in a few weeks time.
Artisan-made jewellery is lovely, with the link it offers between maker and wearer. Mr Kimi had a brooch made for me for a rather significant anniversary a while back, and I get a warm feeling every time I look at it.
I can’t wait to see pics of your ring. Neither Ray nor I wear ours much because our professions(or rather his at this point because I’ve not worked in two years)weren’t conducive to wearing anything that might get one of our digits ripped off. He actually asked me the other day where my wedding ring was and I almost laughed because it’s been so long since either of us have worn them.
Fall is falling here more rapidly than usual. Usually it’s deep into October before things start to show their brilliance but leaves aren’t turning so much as just doing a kamikaze dive for the ground. Doesn’t say much for what the winter is going to be like *sigh*.
RYC: any chance of getting your moms recipe for the pie crust??? One of these days I’m going to master baking even if it kills me, lol.
After reading your description of the street scene I have to urge you to think about writing. If you can’t find a job like you had before, perhaps you can find something writing for your local newspaper, shopper, alternative (freebie) paper, etc. It was as if I were there seeing the street scene, something my old creative writing instructor was always adamant about. Heck, I could almost smell the coffee! There were few students in any of those creative writing classes that could have written that street scene with such a wonderful combination of clarity and lovely prose. It really is beautiful.
OH,,,I want to see it.
404error makes a great point, with your writning skills you might talk to your local paper about writing a column. There is a guy down my way in North Carolina named Robert Reid, I doubt you are familar with him but you can find him on the web. He started by writing a column for our local paper years ago. He still writes the column which I think is syndicated and he has published several books which showcase past columns, he does quite well money wise. If you do not want to write from your point of view write from one of your cat’s point of view like you used to do on DD. Just a thought and have a wonderful day.
Justamn
I have to agree with a couple others here who commented on your writing skills. I was thinking the same thing before I even read their comments.
I’m glad you’re getting your ring. I didn’t know what to say to you about it before. I’m glad you’re taking the bull by the horns and getting one.
I lost so much weight before the wedding and put it all back on again so that I couldn’t remove my rings if I tried. When I went in for minor surgery last year and they asked me to remove my rings and I couldn’t the anesthesiologist was quite judgmental about it. "You’ve been married three years and you already can’t remove your rings?!"
How rude! >:o/