1325 What's in your garage?

Does your garage look like this one in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan? Architectural Digest is going to feature it in a fall issue.

Our garage is pretty neat and clean (thanks to hubby), but he only cleans it spring and fall. It is probably holding more "left-overs-and-will-never-use-again" items than necessary. During the winter it holds the deck furniture, which makes it a bit tight for a van and SUV. The former kitchen seems to be in the garage. The last owner in the late 1990s replaced the cabinets with a light white washed birch look and installed the old base and wall cabinets (I think they started out as dark walnut but had been painted several times) across the front of the garage. Last year I replaced the refrigerator and the old side-by-side awaits it fate in the garage, usually holding only a sack of apples or 2 or 3 cans of pop. Holding up its end for history and tradition is a rolling 3 tray metal unit from our first apartment's kitchen. In glorious ovacado green is our plastic kitchen wastebasket from the 1970s which holds a variety of tools too shy to stand alone.

We have enough old unusable rags and too short pieces of lumber stashed around to start a small cottage industry. Until the last spring cleaning, we had probably 5-10 large cardboard boxes sitting atop the cabinets--just in case we ever needed to repack a computer or DVD player or mail something really large. Hanging on to boxes until they get buggy seems to be a problem with us. Does anyone else do that?

We have several neighbors who can barely get one car in their two car garage because of the boxes and tools and "stuff" stacked to the ceiling. They seem to put a lot out on trash day, but the pile in the garage never goes down. I suspect this is a type of respectable, but almost out of control, hoarding.

This person responded at a hoarding OCD board (?) with an answer I thought showed a lot of insight: "I hoard because I hoard. It's a cycle where my home is a complete, unfunctional mess, so I believe that I will use all these items once I clean (or in order to clean) up the rest of the mess. I have known about my hoarding/OCD for a few years and have gone through much BT and it seems to have only gotten worse. I think it's because I truly believe that once I organize my house, I will finally be able to use all the items that have been 'hidden' or in piles or behind other things. So, I have blind faith that I will soon clean up, and that perpetuates the comforting and incorrect belief of future use."

It's exactly the reason we have problems throwing away empty boxes and a frig that we don't really need. Blind faith that we might use them some day. On a continuum, I'm just a hoarder-in-waiting compared to my messy neighbors.

1324 What did you learn the first year of your marriage?

Last night we went out for dinner with Sharon and Eric and Nancy and Ron (46th anniversary). Among the 3 couples, our years of marriage added up to 125. That's a lot of wisdom, Ron quipped. But no one will listen, his wife responded. The Toledo Blade wants to know what you learned during the first year, I said.

You can let the reporter know at tlane@theblade.com what you learned. I took a few notes on this at the coffee shop while reading the paper--it's a lot easier to remember that first year than any of the others, I discovered.

Setting aside the sex stuff (which nowadays everyone figures out by a series of living together arrangements), I developed quite a list. A lot wasn't even about marriage, but about life in general. Here's just a few:

• We had three apartments that first year, all with interesting and/or peculiar neighbors. One had an 80 year old landlady with whom I'd eat dinner; one had a 16 year old mother, married with a baby. Her mother was 32, I think.
  
  
• I learned to cook, budget, manage a checking account, use a laundromat, and keep a car running. I'd learned bits and pieces from watching and working with my mom, but I'd either lived at home or in some type of college housing.
  
  
• I learned to scrounge for used furniture and adjust to another person's taste more conservative than mine. One wooden cabinet with a metal top stayed with us for 41 years.
  
  
• I learned to live on one income and save the other. That plan never failed us.
  
  
• I learned I needed to return to college so I wouldn't be stuck in dead-end clerical jobs and how to file a complaint with the county and sue for my final paycheck.
  
  
• I learned contraception occasionally fails and found out I was pregnant after I re-enrolled to finish my senior year. So along with all the other new things about being married, I learned a lot about my body that year. Although both my sisters were also pregnant and we were all due the same week, we didn't live in the same town so we didn't do much sharing (no cell phones or e-mail in those days).
  
  
• I learned how to teach Spanish to high school kids who knew more than I did.
  
  
• I learned the vagaries of the pre-women's movement laws and regulations that bound women--like becoming an instant Indiana resident and losing my in-state student status because of my marriage; being passed over for a job because I had a husband "who could support me;" being denied consideration for professional work because I was pregnant so I clerked in a drug store.
  
  
• I learned the trick of getting maximum service from a wringer washer that offered 30 minutes of agitation and wringing for a quarter (in the basement 3 floors down). Later I would figure out how to coordinate that with my husband's schedule so I could wash diapers--but that was during year two.
  
  
• I learned that although I thought my parents in-law were loads of fun, I didn't like their values much (my husband loved my family's values but didn't think they were much fun).
  
  
• I learned that compromise was not a good option for us. It was easier to just watch and wait until something came along we both liked. At least I think I learned that the first year--it's possible I didn't put a name to it for 20 or so years.

I'm pretty sure I learned that my husband was focused, logical, thoughtful, tidier than most men, passive, and non-confrontational. However, it probably took me years to see his personality as my good fortune rather than something to be changed.

It took a quarter of a century to learn this: don't talk your relationship to death. Men hate that. Find a girlfriend and talk to her (i.e., but only if you are female). Or blog it if you just got to get it out.

1323 Blogging doubles in 5 months

Technorati tracks weblogs--somehow when I hit the publish button, it pings somewhere and within 5 minutes, it is recorded. The blogosphere is growing faster than I thought, and apparently world events affect the growth rate both of blogs created and the number of posts published. New features like instant messaging and photo tools also push up the stats.

"As of the end of July 2005, Technorati was tracking over 14.2 Million weblogs, and over 1.3 billion links. Interestingly, this is just about double the number of blogs that we were tracking 5 months ago. In March 2005 we were tracking 7.8 million blogs, which means the blogosphere has just about doubled again in the past 5 months, and that the blogosphere continues to double about every 5.5 months." Technorati Weblog

Because I taught a blogging class here at Lakeside, I can take personal credit for adding 6 more bloggers to the list in one week. And all are over 50, thank you. The tricky part is that 5 of these folks were not touch typists--slowing things down considerably. I'm not expecting frequent posts.

Dave Sifry at Technorati summarizes:

Technorati is tracking about 900,000 blog posts created every day

That's about 10.4 blog posts per second, on average

Median time from posting to inclusion in the Technorati index is under 5 minutes

Significant increases in posting volume are due to increased mainstream use of easy hosted tools as well as simple posting interfaces like post-from-IM and moblogging tools

Weekends tend to be slower posting days by about 5-10% of the weekly averages

During the day, posting tends to peak between the hours of 7AM and noon Pacific time (10AM - 3PM Eastern time)

Worldwide news events cause ripples through the blogosphere - not only in search volume, but also in posting volume

1322 Apple Pie Sailing Weather

My sugar-free apple pie won me a week's sailing lessons here at Lakeside. I don't even own a swim suit, so I was going to try to trade it for something else of comparable value, when my husband suggested he use it. He's had two lessons this week and just loves it.

Each day at lunch I hear about treading water with his shoes on and pieces and parts of the sunfish. Apparently he can join the sailing club for the season for $25 and can use the Lakeside boats, so he's excited about that. For years he has loved painting sail boats on the water, and also in dock (his latest painting of the sunfish lined up on their sides on shore sold for $450). Now they will have a bit more authenticity. His skin is as white as you can be and still be alive, so we have to slather his body and head with 45 spf sunblock. The cottage sort of smells like a beach.

Tonight is the opening of the Lakeside symphony season. Last night we went to the reception at the hotel to meet the symphony members (and to eat tiny, delicious snacky meatballs and cold chocolate covered desserts). I spent some time talking to the viola (i.e., the lady who plays one). She's been in the symphony for 15 years, lives in Washington, and teaches orchestra in a middle school. Her husband, who doesn't come, is a conductor. She shares a cottage with 5 other orchestra members--all men. She says they all get along great, and share all the housekeeping duties. No comment.

My husband's perspective drawing class is going well--except for the heat. He comes home about 6 p.m. just dripping. (Rhein Center has no AC.) He's quite excited about the abilities of one class member with no art training starting college this fall. He says she catches on quicker than anyone he's ever taught. The older class members have more of a struggle. I opted out since there were 9 signed up.

Instead of art classes, I've been attending the lectures on China. Gene Swanger is teaching something loosely titled Christian Response to Buddhist Teaching, and so far we are still in the basics of Buddhism. Then in the afternoon, Kerry Dumbaugh who has been with the Congressional Research Service since 1985 (and was a student of Dr. Swanger) is doing modern Chinese history. Yesterday was the late 70s, and I think today is 2003-2005 with lots of emphasis on the current financial page.

The weather should break today and we're looking forward to another fabulous week-end when Jim and Susan will be visiting us.

Lakeside, Ohio

1321 What the Bible doesn't tell you

Three Bad Fingers mentioned something today I hadn't thought about. All the misinformation of the ancients that was not included:

". . .it is amazing what is absent from the pages of the Bible. The backwards medical practices embraced by the ancient Egyptians never made appearance in the Bible, despite generations of Israelites in Egypt. The four elements recognized in Greek mythology (fire, wind, earth, and water) were never written in The Good Book. But these were all accepted truths at the time of authorship of many of the books in the Bible. Careful Biblical study even debunks the flat earth theory. " Read it here.

1320 Our town performs Our Town

Last night we joined other Lakesiders in a sweltering South Auditorium for a local performance of Thorton Wilder's Our Town, the most performed play in America. Community theater is such fun as you watch your friends and neighbors take on roles. In the case of our little summer community they only have a few weeks to put it together, build props, find costumes, and round up money and volunteers to put it on. It's sort of like those old Mickey Rooney Judy Garland movies where everyone chips in to help.

I first saw Our Town on TV. NBC's Producers Showcase offered it in 1955 with Frank Sinatra as the narrator (stage manager) and Paul Newman* and Eva Marie Saint as the young lovers, George and Emily. My high school English teacher assigned it to the class. My parents didn't have a television set--Dad said he was waiting for color. So I went with a group of friends to the Duffy home on First Street. Mrs. Duffy ran a cafe and she had two handsome sons, one of whom dated my best friend, so it seemed the ideal location for a fun "homework" night.

Last night a first time Lakesider, Josh Bayer, a senior at the University of Kentucky, played the part of George Gibbs. He's done a lot of acting in college, so who knows, maybe he'll go the Newman route. The role of Emily Webb was performed by Alison Park, a long time Lakesider and a student at Ohio Wsleyan University who waitresses during the summer at Sloopy's and clerks at the Fudge Shop. The heavy role of the narrator was done by Josh Olin, an elementary school teacher who's been coming here since he was a child. I don't know how anyone learns that many lines, mostly monologue, while squeezing in a vacation.

The director was young Kay Meyers, who will be a sophomore at Columbia College of Chicago where she studies theater. She has grown up at Lakeside (summers) and her sister runs the art center. Tom Meyers was the Producer (I don't think they are related).

Photo from Toledo Blade.

* Originally, James Dean was supposed to play the role of George Gibbs in the 1955 TV production, but Paul Newman got this role when Dean was killed.

1319 Phhhhht on fitness

What next? The President's smirk? His ears? A New Republic editor/columnist now takes the President to task for his fitness routine. Poor Dubya. He's just too dumb to get get off the treadmill.

"There's no denying that the results are impressive. Bush can bench press 185 pounds five times, and, before a recent knee injury, he ran three miles at a 6-minute, 45-second pace. That's better than I could manage when I played two sports in high school. And I wasn't holding the most powerful office on Earth. Which is sort of my point: Does the leader of the free world need to attain that level of physical achievement?" Crabby Bush Basher.

But then, he doesn't think much of the rest of over half the country either:

"A recent article of mine in ______ defending Bush hatred seems to have worked like some kind of conservative dog whistle, silently summoning drooling right-wingers out of their lairs to bay at the moon...Wait. Did I just lump David Brooks together with a bunch of incoherent right-wing knuckle-draggers?" Borrowed.

1318 The ubiquitous plastic water bottle

Although I don't recall when I first attended a public musical or dramatic performance, I can recall them as a pre-schooler. At church I watched the choirs perform at the Forreston Lutheran Church and the Mt. Morris Church of the Brethren; I attended concerts and watched musicians in the band shell in our little village at age 3 or 4; I sat in the audience at my sister's recitals; I cheered from the sidelines as the high school band performed at football and basketball games; I myself performed as a child with my siblings (we were an early version of the Jackson Five, but we were white and there were four of us); I sang in a ladies quartet and choral group and played first chair trombone in the band; I attended many programs of music and drama during high school and college; I acted in a few little productions as a student; and as an adult I've paid out a small fortune for tickets to on the road Broadway productions, picnic with the pops, community theater, and the last 31 years, have spent many hours at Hoover Auditorium here at Lakeside watching every imaginable singing, dancing, performing and dramatic hopeful who makes a living at the smaller venues of America.

But it has only been in the last 5 years or so that every performer seems to need to bring a plastic water bottle on stage. Am I the only one who thinks this looks really tacky--to turn your back on the audience and take a swig? What accounts for this surge in thirst?

1317 Why you know more about iPods than mammograms

Full Field Digital Mammography is a huge technological advancement in the detection of cancer that despite 5 years availability, isn't catching on to replace the older mammogram technology because consumer demand and manufacturer competition doesn't factor in. "Routine use of FFDM will mean:

Fewer images and less radiation overall
No lost, damaged, or mislabeled films
Portability
Reproducibility
New ways to detect cancer (manipulating the digital image); and
"Double-reads" by Computer Aided Detection (CAD) software"

CodeBlueBlog is running a three part series on FFDM and how the consumer is out of the loop on medical advancements. He compares it to another digital technology--the development of the music CD and the current popularity of the iPod. He concludes:

"If people were informed and had choices, new technology would spread like wildfire, and breast cancer detection would get better. Fewer women would die from breast cancer. All the groups who lobby so hard and work so fervently against this cancer plague could do more by advocating simple market reforms than is done with all the walkathons, pink ribbons, and think tank group seminars together."

And as usual in really thought provoking blogs, the comments are just as informative as the original post.

1316 Why you might need an architect

My husband is trying hard to retire, but when a former client or a good friend comes to him with a tale of woe, he's an old softy. As he rushed out last night, drawings in hand to meet with a widow, I said, spitting into the wind, "I thought you were retired."

He admitted it was like rescuing an abandoned puppy kicked to the side of the road. Her husband had died before their project was finished, and never saw it. She's enjoyed it all these years, but now wants a new house in her other community and didn't know how to start. So he drew up two plans and then met with her.

Next week he'll be presenting a talk to potential or current home owners here at a public program about what will go into a remodeling project. He needed a typed outline, so I reworked his chicken-scratches. Here's what you'll need to think about, at least if you are dealing with an association, a local design or preservation committee, a township, a county zoning board and your neighbors:

1. Establishing a relationship between client/owner and architect.

2. Preparing the program.

3. Contracts and Agreements.

4. Design Phase.

5. Finding contractors.

6. Working with clients.

7. Cost statements.

8. Construction Documents Phase.

9. Governmental agencies.

10. Construction Phase.

11. Examples of completed work (this will be done with slide projector--will need a projection screen)

12. Show examples of finished drawings.

13. Post relationship between client/owner and architect.

14. Questions and answers.

1315 Now she's the older woman

We squealed and hugged like teen-agers when we ran into each other after last night's program of southern Gospel. She and her family had moved out of state about five years ago, leaving a big hole in our community and church. We met when my daughter was about 12 or 13 and she was assigned to her as a "big sister" through our church youth program. At some point during the 80s she wrote me a lovely note after seeing my husband and me at a dance. Ah, I was such an 80s fashionista. That night I wore a lovely cream colored silk with full sleeves, big shoulder pads, blousy top with fitted waist, full circle long skirt, my best curly perm and full-clown make-up (mascara, eye shadow, etc.). We do a mean jitter-bug, and can fake a reasonable waltz and fox-trot. When dancing, you always look more graceful in a skirt (unless you are a guy, of course, then trousers are a good choice). Her note was so sweet and loving, but I nearly dropped it from surprise when she referred to me as an "older woman" who was a model for the young women to look up to. Older woman? That was my mom and her generation, wasn't it?

As we caught up on the kids, we both did double takes as she told me her oldest was now 21, and I told her my daughter, her "lil sis" would be 38 on her next birthday. As we talked I did the math in my head and realized she was now "the older woman." But I don't think I'll mention it.

1314 Chocolate flavored cheese

Chocolate and peanut butter, yes. Chocolate and raspberry, yes. But chocolate flavored cheese?

1313 Off label Use Causes Death

Although I'm not sure what "off-label" use would be for an abortificant, it's not safe. I think off-label means, "let's just fiddle with the instructions and see if you tolerate this." (And it's lethal for the unborn when used correctly.)

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Danco Laboratories, LLC, have warned healthcare professionals regarding the risk of sepsis associated with use of an off-label regimen of mifepristone (Mifeprex, RU-486) and misoprostol for medical abortion, according to an alert sent today from MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting system.

Since the approval of mifepristone in September 2000, the agency has received four reports of septic death in patients receiving 200 mg of oral mifepristone followed by 800 µg of intravaginally placed oral misoprostol. One additional death was reported during clinical trials in 2001." Story at www.medscape.com

Even last year cases of infection with RU-486 were being reported. I'm not sure if it is that women's lives are cheap, or if the "perfect pill" for abortion can't be questioned because of pressure from the feminists, but compared to the flap about men, blindness and ED meds, I'm surprised I haven't seen more about this. But then, I don't watch much TV news in the summer.

1312 Leahy is so entertaining

Last night, Lakesiders were entertained by a musical family from Lakefield, Ontario, Leahy. The audience whistled, cheered, clapped and gave them two standing ovations, plus stood in line to get their CDs or programs autographed. Eight of the eleven siblings perform and dance Irish, Scottish and traditional tunes together (although one was out on maternity leave last night). The couple sitting in front of us were so enthusiastic I wondered if they might be the parents of the group!

Our guests, Duke and Kinga, went home this morning after worship on the lakefront pavilion and breakfast at Abigail's. Kinga is recovering from neck surgery and she said this was just the respite she needed. Last night at dinner we were talking about the possibility of them returning next year, when we suggested Duke offer a class on poetry (he writes it). The instructors in the arts program get their gate pass and a room at the artist's house, so they got quite excited about that. After dinner my husband took Duke to meet the manager of the Rhein Center, so he's going to put together an outline for a class and she'll work out the scheduling.

We went to the lighthouse at Marblehead, and the weather was so perfect and the water so delightful, we almost couldn't believe it--there was even a sailboat regatta out there for us to watch and the guys to photograph.


After the lighthouse, we drove to Johnson's Island, the site of a Civil War prison camp for Confederate officers, and a small graveyard. The enlisted men were imprisoned in Columbus at Chase. Officers were treated better than the enlisted men, and the death rate was much smaller.

1311 The Wedding Dress Obit

This morning there was a large article/commemorative in the Plain Dealer that included several photographs of the deceased, including a candid wedding photo of him and his bride running through a throng of well-wishers after the ceremony in 1955. As I looked at that beautiful white satin and net and tulle cloud that surrounded the bride, I thought it could be an obituary for the wedding dress.


Have you noticed what brides wear today? Their slips. Their nighties. Yes, that's what these strapless or spaghetti strapped flimsy whimsies look like to me. No style or elegance. What I wore my wedding night was blue, sexy and body clinging, but I think it had more fabric than some of the wedding gowns I see for 2005. You should be turning on the groom, not the groomsmen.



I think I remember reading somewhere that it was John Kennedy Jr's bride that changed the style to the barely there look in 1996. This wasnt the article, but google will find the same opinion:

"Carolyn's wedding dress was made from pure white silk. This simple dress was combined dress elegance, classiness, and sexiness into one knockout package. Woman began to realize a wedding dress could in fact look sexy. This was a whole new concept, never heard of before. For years most women had landed up looking like an overstuffed pilsbury dough boy on their wedding day. Narciso had accomplished in Carolyn's wedding gown what women thought to be impossible. She had been transformed into this bewitching sexy princess."

Glad I was MOB in 1993 and my daughter (a gorgeous woman, btw) had the good sense to cover up.

1310 Ottawa Indians in Ohio

When we were in Oklahoma last week, we met a young couple at breakfast who were actually from Bartlesville and enjoying a week-end at Price Tower which they'd won in a drawing at the Cultural Center. "Do you know how many Indian tribes are native to Oklahoma?" the man asked. We didn't, although we'd seen many Indian names on streets and towns and schools. He made a zero sign with his thumb and index finger.

The Plain Dealer (July 29) reported that Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma leaders were touring western Lake Erie and visiting North Bass Island to file a law suit for hunting and fishing rights. There are almost no pure blood Ottawa Indians--they've assimilated into the larger culture. But I doubt this is about wanting to experience old tribal traditions of hunting and fishing. I'm guessing they want the right to make everyone else around here using the water and land to pay for the privilege. If the leaders are 1/32 Ottawa, they probably want a bit more than that as a percentage of the take.

Yes, what happened to their ancestors was terrible and sad. What happened to my foremothers and fathers who had to flee Europe because the Catholics and Lutherans didn't like the religion of the Anabaptists was sad too. I wonder if there is a pasture in Switzerland or Germany I can claim.

1309 Friday's Feast #57

Over at the Buffet for your Brain, aka Friday's Feast, we're asked:

Appetizer
Name 3 people whom you admire for their intelligence.
Our president, George W. Bush, is apparently a whole lot smarter than people give him credit for. The way he does what he says is certainly disarming. I really like the way the writer of Belmont Club puts his research together. I'm reading Alexander Hamilton right now, and think he was amazing.

Soup
What's the last food you tried that you really didn't care for.
It was probably hot and spicy.

Salad
If you could rename the street that you live on, what would you want it to be called?
All the streets in our area were named for the original farm homestead which was subdivided. It is very confusing and I frequently redirect service trucks. But, it is an historical connection, so I suppose I'd keep it as is.

Main Course
When was the last time you were genuinely surprised?
I'd have to say our recent (last week) trip to Arkansas and Oklahoma. The economic boom in Arkansas and the interesting cultural sites in Oklahoma caught me by surprise. I'd never been to either state.

Dessert
Share a household tip.
Spray every pan and skillet with a vegetable oil-type product before cooking. Really saves time on clean up.

1308 First Time Visitors

My husband loves to show off Lakeside, especially to first time visitors. You'd think this place was his idea, instead of an old Methodist camp ground founded in 1873. Duke and Kinga are visiting us this week-end. The guys went to high school together at Arsenal Technical High School (Indianapolis) and were members of the SLOBS, about whom I've written here. We'll rent a golf cart today and drive around and look at some of my husband's projects, and "do" the sights. There is also a Crafts show down on the lawn of the Hotel Lakeside.



Last night's entertainment was a bit different. The Sauce Boss performed sort of bluesy, blue grass, good old rock 'n roll while preparing a big pot of gumbo which was later distributed to the audience. He was also selling his secret sauce.



Here's one of my Lakeside paintings I call "Invite three friends." This isn't our porch, but is a favorite of photographers and painters. It also has a bright orange porch swing.

1307 Just another day at the office

My best stories about work were usually about body parts--but those of animals. Sweeter than Ever works with the police (not sure of her job title): "Last night after 11pm we had a stabbing, a person who was hit in the head by a baseball bat during a fight, an injured person who claimed he had broken both arms, legs, his fingers and then advised his neck also popped, but the truth of the matter was he was intoxicated, a suicidal person who had a .45 to his head and a bottle of booze in the other hand, a runaway from another town who arrived at a party and was sexually assaulted, a vehicle containing drugs and guns outside of a motel and the usual traffic stops, reckless drivers, intoxicated persons, and domestics."

Although, we also did detective work in my library. For instance. It is 20 degrees outside with a windchill of minus 15. Library patron comes up to the desk with overdue notice in hand. "I returned this journal last week--your staff missed it and probably reshelved it." So I go to the stacks. The library's temperature is about 89 degrees because our HVAC system cooked us in the winter and froze us in the summer. I find the exact volume of JAVMA that matches the overdue notice. Yes, it is on the shelf. I reach for it to take it back with me so the computer can clear the records. It is icy cold. I hold it to my hot cheeks and return to the desk and waiting patron.

1306 Chincoteague ponies

Today is the auction of the ponies that swim from Assateague to Chincoteague, Virginia. Marguerite Henry's books illustrated by Wesley Dennis were my favorite stories when I was a child--I think I read most of them, King of the Wind being my favorite. But Misty is probably her best known. I've written about my fascination with horses earlier.

When I wasn't reading about horses, I was hanging out at the local livestock dealer's barn in Forreston which was within walking distance of my home. Charlie was probably about 57 and Raymond was the same age as my dad, maybe 37 or 38. They gave me free rein of the barn. I'd go there after school or on week-ends, let myself in, climb over the stall and sit on the horses. Sometimes I'd just go in the stall and curry the horse. I was always there to see the new animals brought in--but they weren't pets or for leisure--buying and selling was their business. This part I didn't really understand as a kid. Oh sure, sell a steer or bull, but a horse? Sometimes Ray would like a particular horse and keep it for awhile, but my equine friends would be on their way when a profit was to be made.

It didn't seem to worry me that I was playing in stalls with huge animals (I was about 10 years old). Little girls who are crazy about horses must have guardian angels.