Author: rakeeter

Our rain barrel was down to the dregs, or at least far enough that it could no longer keep the dripper dripping. The small showers of rain we’ve gotten so far this year weren’t enough to replenish the barrel. Finally we got enough out of the latest system to fill the barrel and the dripper is now dripping away. Our total was 1.11 inches. The weeds are so happy.

After running a couple of errands the other day, I stopped off at the music store to kill some time ogling  guitars.  I took a Yamaha classical off the wall, sat down on a stool and started tinkering with it, just to compare it to the classical I have.  A couple of fellows came in and the garrulous one stopped in front of and told me to play something.  I fumbled around a bit  till he wandered off.  His companion soon left, but he took a guitar down from the wall, pulled up a stool close to me and began to play.

It stopped blowing briefly Thursday afternoon.  The silence was deafening and I found it difficult to maintain my balance, having become accustomed to leaning into the wind.  Fortunately the wind returned the next day and I and the chickens were satisfied.

Wildcat Bluff held their annual Burns supper last week.  The Esquire Jazz Club donated their facility in the old Woolworth building downtown which was just right for people, some of them in kilts, to come and celebrate the work of Robert Burns.  I thought about borrowing a kilt from Dave to wear that evening and wisely chose not to.   It is best to keep my elderly shanks covered, not only to avoid offending the delicate sensibilities of those around me but to conserve as much body heat as possible this time of year.  Also, it isn’t just the kilt.  Those who did wear them were fully decked out from head to toe in gear that looked to me like it would set a person’s pocketbook back considerably.  Those who wore them really looked sharp.  Though with McBrides on my mother’s side and McKetters on my father’s, I have never gotten into the Scotts schtick but there are those that do and there were several examples that evening.  I enjoyed a couple of Kiltraiser ales and we both enjoyed the music and the poems.  WCB raised some money and it appeared everyone was having a good time. Continue reading “January weary” →