It took me until almost 1 o'clock this afternoon to get out the door for a walk. First off, I slept until the birds were already napping again. Ooh boy. But so what? And then I had to spend some time looking at reviews of the Stones' show in Houston which were all pretty positive. It would seem that Mick's ability to move and dance and sing at the age of eighty is universally regarded as a wonder. I love that Keith appears to be recycling his stage clothes from past tours. Why not?
When I finally started walking, an old man (and by that I mean even older than me) was pulling out of a driveway blocking the sidewalk and he didn't seem to want to pull on out and let me by. Then he rolled down his window and started talking to me.
Oh great.
Typical old white man questioning began.
"You from around here?" "Where do you live?" "In one of those little houses?" "Oh, that Bond house? You kin to them Bonds? What was that man's name?" "You live in this area all your life?"
Why do old white men feel so entitled to answers to questions like this? Turns out he doesn't even live in Lloyd. He lives in Monticello. He does own some property here including the little house whose driveway he was in. He rents it out and told me that the last tenant destroyed it. I find this hard to imagine. She had put all sorts of plants and little fountains around the yard and made it so pretty. But, perhaps she trashed the inside. I have no idea.
Meanwhile, the old man's hearing aid kept screeching and I think he must have had it turned way up because he was barely whispering which meant I could hardly hear what he was saying over the sound of his running truck.
I would so much rather have an encounter with an old Black man. Here's what they generally say: "How you doing, baby?"
At which point I melt.
Finally, I had finished the inquisition in a satisfying manner, I guess, and he introduced himself and I introduced myself and we shook hands though the window of his truck and off he went, back home to Monticello and I continued on my walk.
I wanted to see what they've been building on Notre Dame Street so I walked down that way. I've been hearing the work going on for a few weeks now.
I did laugh.
Well, another mystery of Lloyd.
"What?" I asked. "You can buy ice cream at the store or go to a bakery and get a cake. Get some mint Milano's."
I totally did not understand that he was asking me why I hadn't baked him cookies to take. Oh Jesus. And I would have made him some right then, if I'd had any chocolate chips, which I did not, so at nine o'clock at night I made him some chocolate/coconut/oatmeal/pecan/raisin bars.
How could I have forgotten his cookies?
It was painful. But it was fun.
Your florabunda is beautiful. Color is one of the characteristics, and that one has a superbly red gene.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe it hasn't bloomed once until this year in the twenty years I've been here.
DeleteDoes Maurice have a scratch on her pretty nose?
ReplyDeleteHow could forget the cookies for your man? Oh Mary. Your mind must have been with Keith.
Maurice always has a torn-up nose. She's a fighter.
DeleteHmmm...I don't think my mind was on Keith so much as I just completely forgot.
Beans! I have some in the fridge waiting to be blanched and frozen and I completely forgot them! I bet you remember the cookies next time and make them as soon as he starts packing. Maurice is looking lovely. I think I have those same roses, though the bush isn't exactly mine, it is way taller than me with three dark red scented flowers right at the top of the highest stem.
ReplyDeleteI ALWAYS make him his cookies. There's been a lot going on over here.
DeleteOur roses may well be related though. These are climbers.
Maurice looks content. Those little houses are kind of appealing. You do not see many here anymore, another dead dream for me. I'm sorry you forgot Mr. Moon's cookies. I hope he likes the bars.
ReplyDeleteGetting older means the death of a few dreams, doesn't it? I'm sorry, e.
DeleteI believe that oysters and bourbon are taking precedence over cookie bars.
Creepy house looks like it has potential, but if they’re already painting outside I don’t suppose much more will be done with it. I’m also curious to see the inside. Your pee camera story is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI know that house must have a ton of things that need doing on it and in it. A house can't sit empty for twenty or more years and things not fall apart. I will be interested to see what the plan is for it.
DeleteWell, I certainly thought my pee story was funny.
Mr moon's roundabout way of saying where's my cookies? ;)
ReplyDeleteYES! He's so funny. Why didn't he just ask me about them before?
DeleteI happen to Love that Creepy House, the Two Chimneys and Vernacular Porch, so now I too am curious about the interior layout of it.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's got pretty lines, I will say that for it.
DeleteThose roses made me think of a climbing rose my Mom used to have. Roses had very short stems, but they were so dark and velvety and smelled like heaven. Haven't thought about them in years.
ReplyDeleteSounds like these roses, Amanda. They are climbing and have very short stems. Did your mom's grow in clusters like that?
DeleteThat creepy house will look better when they fix that roof. It has a nice porch.
ReplyDeleteSo I was just thinking you should go to a Rolling Stones concert. I was checking the dates online and June 3rd they are in Orlando and June 7th in Atlanta. That's not so far for you, right? It would be a challenge but maybe it would be a blast. It may be their last tour...Can you imagine it?
Yes. The roof probably needs replacing. I hope there are no leaks in it because that will destroy a house over the years.
DeleteOh, Ellen. I do believe my concert-going days are over. If I went to see anyone, I'd go see the Stones but just the thought of that many people in one place makes me shiver.
Well, I'm pretty impressed that you cranked out a batch of cookies at 9 p.m.! I'd have pushed the Mint Milanos a little harder.
ReplyDeleteThe "creepy" house actually looks pretty good with a fresh coat of paint!
"I'd have pushed the Mint Milanos a little harder."
DeleteSteve, you made me laugh.
I'm sure you saw that house when we walked to the fally down house that day so long ago when you visited.
if Mr Moon is in Alabama how is he going to get the cookies? I don't think the house is creepy, great front porch. new paint job fixes a lot of things. should have two windows on the right though. that new house looks tiny. houses go up fast now. I remember when the first new little cottages were built on my street the next block over in the city. 3 or four years later a hurricane came through and one of the owners were complaining that the house shook and had sprung a leak. I told him yeah (living in my rock solid 120 year old house that didn't so much as creak) I'm not surprised, I watched them build that house. I wouldn't want to live in it. he was not well pleased to hear me tell him that.
ReplyDeleteI made the cookies the night before he left so he was able to take them.
DeleteThat house looks to me to have been built by someone very practical. Windows cost money and make it harder to keep warm in the winter, I guess. Who knows? It's a story long since being told.
Yeah, I guess that house owner really was NOT well pleased with what you told him.
My rock solid 130 year old house in Galveston doesn’t creak, but it’s been know to shiver and shake a bit in hurricanes, of which it has seen a great many. Margaret
ReplyDelete