Monday, September 21, 2020

Ram On


 I had no excuse whatsoever not to take a walk this morning. It was cool and clear and although it was 11:30 by the time I hit the sidewalk, it was still fine outside. I don't think I broke a sweat until the 1.5 mile point which sure wouldn't have happened two weeks ago. The old house above is a few houses down from mine and I wonder about its history. It seemed some months ago as if someone was going to fix it up. A new fence appeared and No Trespassing signs went up and I saw a truck there sometimes but there's been no sign of any progress recently. That curtain in the upstairs window has been there, tied just like that ever since I've lived in Lloyd. 

Down at the ranch a mile and a half from my house I saw some lovely huge cows, laying in the shade and when I got to the gate I saw this guy. 


What a fine black ram! But I instantly realized that it was not a real ram but some sort of ram statue. I like him, though. His horns and whimsy appeal to me. 
Oh, Lloyd!

The rest of the day has basically been shite except for talking to Jessie on the phone. We're trying to figure out a safe way to have a party for all of the September birthday people. Was it last year when we had the HUGE party with the giant bouncy castle and about fifty people over at Lily's? I think it was. 'Twas like a dream, right? 
Starting with Owen's birthday on Saturday, we have Lily, Vergil, and August's birthdays before the end of the month. Billy and Shayla's birthdays are in there too. 
This year though we're going to have to keep things a bit more low-key. Jessie and Vergil will be back on Thursday and I think we're going to have the party at their house. The presents I've ordered from Amazon are piling up here in my hallway. So Jessie and I were discussing the arrangements for a safe gathering. They're having a really nice time up in North Carolina and I'm so very, very glad they've had the opportunity to go visit. 

After I talked to Jessie I called the Saucony customer service number because after three weeks my shoes still haven't gotten here and the tracking history has been telling me that they were in transit back to the sender. They made it as close as Jacksonville before they started a journey across the country to San Fransisco. The woman I got on the phone was very nice but completely mystified. They are based in Kentucky, not California, so why the shoes were being sent there made no sense at all. She conferred with someone and told me that they had no idea what was going on (there was an actual "bless your heart" in there) and that they could either refund my money or else give me a discount if I wanted to wait for the shoes to try and make their way back to Lloyd where my feet await them. 
"I have no idea when that could happen," she said. 
I chose the refund and immediately went to order another pair because dammit, I NEED new shoes and I filled out all the information and promptly got a message saying, "Would you like to be notified when this item is back in stock?"

Fuck. Me. 

And this is a prime example of a first world problem and it's not that big a deal. I can order a different style and meanwhile, although worn and shitbeat, my old shoes still have laces and a sole so who cares? Not like I'm training for a marathon. 
It was just one more thing on the list of crap that's making me feel like life is meaningless, impersonal, and that the universe just does not care. 

A long, long time ago I posted this picture of R. Crumb's Mr. Natural. 


Mr. Natural has been my philosophic touchstone for many years. Our beliefs align. 
When I went to find that image by googling it, I also found this one. 


And guess what the source was? 

You can find it here. 

Where you can also find this timely reminder.


I believe this just about sums it up. 

Thanks, Mr. Natural! 
You're a wise old guy. 

Love...Ms. Moon

25 comments:

  1. Good that you were able to get out for a nice walk in cooler weather. It's surprising that you had not seen the horny ram before. A fine fellow but it looks like he needs a respray.

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    1. I do believe I would have noticed that ram which I KNEW you would end up calling "horny." You are so predictable, Mr. P! I'm pretty sure that he was just installed recently. And yes, I noticed that he was looking a little careworn.

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  2. hope you can plan a party for all the birthday people......it may not be the whoop of the century...but I trust it will be a loving gathering of loved ones with cake and food and love. Your shoes.....dammit! I was fortunate that on my last doctors visit to town 3 weeks ago (the only time I venture to big town 45 minutes away) I had the brains to stop at the Big 5 store on the way home...the only place that carries (YES) my favorite and only shoes....Saucony. I bought 3 pairs, knowing it would be a year before I venture that way again....and so thankful I did. Hope you can order some new ones and have them arrive! - they are sublime imo. My feet are sure happy and hope yours will be soon too!
    Susan M

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    1. I thought about going into a shoe store today but just couldn't face it. I will gird my loins soon and order another pair. Glad you got yours! I've always found Sauconys to be comfy right out of the box!

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  3. My mother called that kind of house a shotgun house. You could see out the backdoor from the front door. Or shoot a shotgun through the house.

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    1. I like it. My curtains are done up like that curtain. It would be interesting to see it refurbished.

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    2. My house is a more complex version of a shotgun house. You can definitely see from the front to the back but it's a hallway. Wouldn't it be nice to see it restored?

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    3. That is a typical farming architecture I used to know the history of, and cannot recall one word.

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  4. we can thank DeJoy for the journey your shoes are taking. yep, shotgun houses, one room after another.
    singlewides would be shotgun houses if the doors were at each end instead of on the sides.

    I was supposed to get a birthday party this year but, well, covid happened. ah well...keep on truckin'.

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    1. Yeah. Covid did happen and that pretty much explains everything about the last six months. Well, Covid and DT.
      Fuck him. And his minions.

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  5. Mr. Natural is one of my favorites guys too. Flakey Foont and his hairy girlfriends. I still have him around here someplace, wise old turd that he was. That house looks so top heavy I am surprised it has not toppled. It is spooky looking.
    Good job going out for a walk!
    All of our usual celebrations have been put on hold, 200,000 is so sobering.

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    1. I'm pretty sure there used to be porches around that house. It would make sense to me. It would give it a completely different look, wouldn't it?
      We old hippies all know R. Crumb's characters and hold them in our hearts with fondness.

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  6. Mr. Natural sure takes me back! I still have some of the old comics. Remember the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers and Fat Freddy's Cat?

    I'm sorry about your shoes. We've discovered that since the pandemic there are some things we try ordering that are never available. Sometimes I wonder if we will ever be back to something even close to normal.

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    1. Oh yes! The Furry Freak Brothers! Remember, "Times of dope and no money will get you through better than times of money and no dope"? Or something like that.
      Heh-hey.
      And about getting back to normal- no idea. Sure doesn't seem like it from here.

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  7. Sounds like your shoes made a similar journey as a check I sent to a local doctor on August 7. It was finally delivered three days ago. Then there is the dishwasher ordered July 5...yep, still waiting. Dishpan hands and all.

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    1. Oh, Lord, honey! That dishwasher still hasn't arrived? It's probably in Russia by now.

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    2. Yup...must be. Just got notice this morning of yet another delay (was due tmrw). Supposedly Oct 9th now. Lol...because what is the point of crying. At least, not over a dishwasher.

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  8. Sorry the parties are so much more complicated these days. But you will still manage something, and enjoy it, I know it.

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    1. I think we're honing in on a plan. Now if it just doesn't rain...

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  9. Oh, Lord, I haven't thought about R. Crumb in so long. Did you ever see "American Splendor," about Harvey Pekar, a contemporary of Crumb's? It's a brilliant movie. In fact I want to watch it again now.

    Your shoe story is worrying. What if that happens with our ballots?! Parcel delivery seems particularly hit or miss. Remember our package that went from Michigan to London via New Zealand?!

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    1. I haven't seen it and I need to. Or maybe I did?
      My mind. It's fading fast.
      I'm going to go early-vote just because I don't trust mail-in. I had forgotten about your package (my mind!) but now I remember. New Zealand?

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  10. I Love Mister Natural... and I do Hope someone fixes up that Old House, it's begging for it. I just Love Old Homes and would like to see more of them Saved.

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    1. Me too. But it's a daunting and expensive proposition.

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  11. I hope you have a lovely September birthday celebration. I think we've reached the point in covid where we can enlarge our social bubble a bit, folding in beloveds who we know are careful and wont put us at risk. And of course, who have no symptoms. Not foolproof, but it's something.

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  12. Also when I first read this post (on my phone where it's hard to type comments) I kept thinking how that shotgun how could be turned into a sparkling tiny house jewel. Such an interesting looking structure.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.