The Game Of Life

It's been a full day in Lloyd. First off, I'd like to say that if one of those weather forecasters who said we were going to get a hard freeze wants to come over and put all my porch plants back in order, I'd appreciate that. 
It did freeze. I know that because the potato plants got nipped some. I don't think it will end up killing them but it's proof that we did get some low temperatures. However, there was no ice on the chicken waterers and I know it didn't get down to the mid twenties. And I'm not really complaining. It's just so frustrating to trust a weather forecast and plan accordingly and then it all turns out for naught. 
Better safe than sorry I guess. And I'm sure there is both art and science when it comes to meteorology. 

Anyway, I got up early enough to watch the CBS Sunday Morning News Show and that was a bit of a disappointment in that I'd seen a great deal of the footage before and it was quite short. Keith confirmed what I'd heard- that he's quit smoking cigarettes which is like saying that lions have quit hunting gazelles, that Madonna has quit using mascara. And he does look so good. Jessie suggests that perhaps he has had fillers and that may be true and if so- it looks good on him. Mr. Moon asked, "Who puts on his eyeliner?" I think it may be tattooed on. Who knows? Not me. He's also not wearing his skull ring and chain bracelet anymore. I haven't heard anything about that. But he practically glows with happiness so whatever he's doing or not doing is working beautifully. I hated that at the end of the interview, the interviewer asked him the same question that he's been asked since about 1968 which is, "How long do you think you'll keep on doing this?" 
His final answer to that after joking around a bit was, "I guess I'll find out the hard way." 

After the show was over I made a big pancakes and eggs and bacon breakfast and the Weatherfords came out. Vergil had offered to help Mr. Moon with some projects and he did. Jessie and I hung out with the boys and we played a game I've never before played in my life which WAS Life, and I really did enjoy it. I hope it's been updated some since the edition I have was issued. We were talking about how the game is set up so that the person who retires the richest wins and Jessie said to August, "That's not always true."
"I know," he said. "The person who ends up with the most love wins."
This sort of blew me away. The wisdom of a kindergartner. 
But of course once we started playing, it was all about the money. The Game of Life, unlike the game of life, doesn't really provide much opportunity for love. August and his mama were on one team, Levon and I on the other. After awhile Levon got bored and went to see what Boppy and Daddy were doing and he'd drift in and out. Jessie helped August with the money counting and I was quite surprised at how well he already grasps addition and subtraction. Once the kid learns to read, he's not going to need us for a damn thing! 
Well, except for love. 

And so here it is, after six, and the sun is still shining brightly through the thick, glossy, waxy magnolia leaves. 

I see that the cursed Bradford pears which we vow to take out every winter before they leaf in the spring is already putting out blooms, undaunted by last night's weather. 

There's all-the-leftovers-soup bubbling on the stove and the oven is preheating to receive an iron dutch oven filled with lovely risen sourdough that I started last night. 
It has been a beautiful day of enjoying the company of family, of sun and coolness, of blue sky, and red cardinals at the feeder. 

I have had a few moments of insight with the help of a daughter, a few moments of cuddling with a boy as I read him a book, a few moments of watching the joy on the face of a man who was, by all accounts,  supposed to die fifty years ago but who did not. 

Not a bad day at all. 

Love...Ms. Moon