CLAY AND WATTLES

Dada Nick's Picture

I don't know where the "professional" photo is of Dada Nick - I looked and looked and then I quit because I'm old. When you get old(er) you'll understand. You'll compromise and tell yourself, Oh, well, I know it's here. I'll come across it someday. Very unlike even five years ago when I would have had the house turned upside down and shaken to find it. There is just too much to move and look through. When you get old... oh, I said that already.

So here is Dada Nick about 1984, as he almost always looked - wearing overalls. He was dressed up when he had on khakis. The wedding picture probably is the only picture of him in a suit that we have; no I take that back - in his Army uniform... He was very handsome. But he was handsome in overalls.

Speaking of Stuff

Speaking of "stuff..." Bren said she cleaned outher china cabinet and packed away the "pretties," the blue and white dishes and for-decoration pieces. In their place she put everyday things she uses and that are now easily reached. She and I are about as different as two people can be, yet our souls are knit together from high school days. She can't understand my "need" for books; but she has conceded that reading hardbacks "feels" better than paperbacks. I've tried (and will try) to use the library more. I do use it. But I haunt Amazon and Davis-Kidd, too. If you think I'm crazy about books then check out this site - Maw Books Blog, which I found on BookPage website. (Our great county library furnishes this magazine of book reviews and all things books every month). Well, I just can't help it. I've loved books all my life. Mama made sure we always had books. I remember Black Beauty, Tom Sawyer, Anne of Green Gables, and going to the libraries in just about every town we lived in. Remember Ferdinand the Bull? Library book. Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and Snip, Snap, Snur. (When Amy was little, I the library discarded Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and I bought it for her. Oh, and the five (or some versions - seven) Chinese Brothers, description from Wikipedia - (I couldn't fully recall the plot, so had to Google it):

The book is a retelling of a Chinese folk tale. At the beginning, a young man swallows the water in the sea so a boy can retrieve fish and treasures. When the man can no longer hold in the sea, he frantically signals to the boy, but the boy ignores him, and drowns when the man releases the water. The man is accused of murder and sentenced to death. However, his four brothers, who look exactly like him, each slip into his place and use their superhuman abilities to avoid execution. One has an iron neck; one can stretch his legs; one can survive fire; and the last can hold his breath forever. At the end of the story, a judge decides that the brother accused of murder must have been innocent, since he could not be executed, and the five brothers return home.

I did have better things to do on my day off than reminisce about old books, but none more fun. What I did manage to accomplish was - cleaning the fridge, cleaning the oven, ironing, cleaning the bookcases/catch-all tables on the carport, and packing two boxes of clothes to send to Sher, baking chocolate chip cookies and a pan of field peas. Tomorrow we're going to Amy's.