Changes in latitudes

A week ago today I spent the whole day with my friend Kay. If you don't know her, please go visit her blog here.

Kay and I met on an online bookstore forum 21 years ago, I believe. The store was called Books dot com. If you type that in now, you will arrive at Barnes & Noble. They must have taken over the name when the original store closed.

This group of women and one man talked about much more than books there. We got to know one another and shared our lives and our families. Many of the members of this group met in person at the bookstore twenty years ago. I couldn't go, but in the spring of 1998 my family went to Arkansas and Texas to visit cousins, and when we were in Texas, Kay and I got together. My cousin certainly thought it unusual that a woman I knew only from the internet was so close to me that I would visit her in person. It's hard to realize now that in those beginning days of internet communication not everyone used it.

The bookstore closed at some point, and a bunch of us, not the man, went to Yahoo and formed a group. One group morphed into another as time went on. Some left, some moved into other groups and brought others with them. It was an exciting time, those early years. Suddenly there were people who understood me and my passion for reading. That was always our basis, but we grew very close to each other for other reasons. We talked about everything. Twenty years later many of us are still close. Along with two other women, one being Les whose blog is here, and another who is not a blogger, Kay and I are in frequent communication. I have never met the other two, but we are closer than most people I know in my "real" life.

So there is the back story. I haven't gone back to Texas since. When Margaret decided she and Hazel would go down to visit her long time friend, I asked if I could tag along, and she said yes. I'll do another posting about the Texas trip, but this one is going to be about my day with Kay.

She picked me up around 1 pm and off we went. She drove me around to show me her area, and then we went to Kay's house!

This type of landscaping is called xeriscape. "a style of landscape design requiring little or no irrigation or other maintenance, used in arid regions."

She then took me to a Mexican restaurant where the food was delish.

A selfie outside the restaurant!

Afterwards we went to the mystery book group she leads at a local library. The subject that evening was any book by Peter May. I have read only The Black House, so far. I'll tell you, the talk in that room was so intelligent and informative. I learned a ton about the writer and his various works. The people were so nice to me, too.

Then she drove me back to my hotel, and we bid adieu... until next time!

The country family heads to a casino

On January 27 we did something we've never done, and never thought we would do. No, not skydiving or ice climbing, but going to a casino! We are so not gamblers. I don't know anything about gambling games, and would never waste my money that way. So, why did we go? Because our beloved daughter got tickets for all three of us to see comedian Jim Gaffigan at Foxwoods. We love Jim G's work. He mostly talks about his family (wife and five kids) and food (the junk/fatty variety). There are five of his stand-up shows streaming on Netflix, and he has also written books, which Margaret has read but I haven't yet. We had a really wonderful time, both in the car and at the place. Foxwoods is huge, probably bigger than the whole area I live in. A couple of things struck me - there weren't any drunks. I somehow expected it to be a big drinking place, but no. We all figured out that probably people stay sober to concentrate on the games they are playing. There were a few bars but the people frequenting them were likely not the gamblers. But my goodness, there were a lot of games and people at them. There were also a lot of restaurants and stores. I expect people go there for all kinds of experiences. It is spread out so much that one has to do a lot of walking to get from a show to a restaurant or to the gaming areas. And here's the other thing that struck me - the people seemed a bit zombie-esque in the walking. All together, all at the same pace. It felt weird to see them. There were people of all ages, from little kids to quite elderly people, several in wheel chairs. We ate at a California Pizza Kitchen and thought it the best pizza we'd had. Our breakfast place was also very good. All the people working there were very nice, answering our questions and just being really friendly. And Mr. Gaffigan was wonderful. We laughed the entire show.

I so love what Margaret wrote on her Facebook page.

This weekend was a thank you for my amazing parents for taking such amazing loving care of Hazel while I work. We didn't gamble or take home thousands of dollars but boy did we laugh ALL weekend!!! #jimgaffigan who knew these old hippies would have such a good time at foxwoods!!

In the hotel room

In our seats (who is that fellow behind us)

View of the stage - no pictures allowed during show

Just before we left. Had to get a pic of the games.

Our day out

As I mentioned on the April post of afternoon gardens, the grammy, the daughter, and the granddaughter had a lovely shopping day. We went to two stores which we've visited many times since Margaret was little. First we went to our local health food store, where the owner, our friend, has been following Hazel’s progress on Facebook, and was eager to meet the little lady. We had a wonderful visit. I took some pictures and posted them on Facebook with the words, ‘third generation shopper.’ The occasion filled me with a new and exquisite joy - the pleasure of sharing my daughter’s childhood with her daughter. 

We then proceeded down the hill for a bittersweet visit to our independent bookstore. Bittersweet because it is closing, and that very day was its last day in business. This store has been such a part of our lives. Forty years ago, Tom and I would haunt the aisles on a late-opening Friday night. By the time our kids came along, the store had moved to a bigger location, and also sold the most wonderful children’s books and toys. There was a toy creature that rode a unicycle on wire suspended from the ceiling, propelled by batteries or magic. There was a wooden train set up on a table at just the right height for little ones to play with while their parents were shopping. There were stuffed animals and games and tapes and just about anything you could imagine. The downstairs was given over to children, while the books for grownups were upstairs on the main floor. It was bright and cheery and welcoming. The clerks were knowledgeable readers, and there was a whole shelf devoted to employee recommendations. It was the ‘anchor’ store for Main Street, and such a part of the community. There were yearly contests in the schools where children would draw bookmarks, and the winning designs made into official bookmarks which were tucked into books bought at the store.

Some years ago, the original owner sold it, and gradually many of the older staff left. We got to know the new people, but the feeling wasn’t quite the same. And then of course the changes that were felt all through the book world began to happen. Internet shopping and electronic books began to gnaw away at the store’s business, and then the recession compounded the situation. I am as guilty as the next person. It was very hard for me to go there and spend $25 for one book when I could buy two online for just a little more. I’d still go in at Christmas time and buy presents but I winced at the price. They tried some new things to bring people in: a little cafe, some author appearances, a book club, and various classes. Finally the two floors were combined into one to cut costs. But in the end none of these things could save the store. And so, it is now closed, and Hazel Nina will never know it as her mother and I did. 

Our third stop was to a delightful shop that a woman keeps in the front rooms of her house. It is packed with everything delightful, from jewelry to notecards, and candles to baby shoes. It is like an old-fashioned, much-loved living room. The woman is also a friend who has been keeping up with Hazel Nina on Facebook, and was overjoyed to see her in person. 

Everywhere we went kind people flocked around, some we knew and others we didn’t. After hearing Hazel’s story, one man in his seventies said that when his sister was born, a wedding ring could be slid up her arm. 

It was a day that filled our hearts with love and friendship, and a sense of belonging.

Our friend's new puppy

Today we drove over the border into Maine with our friend Caryn to pick up her new puppy. She got her older dog Zoe at the same place nine years ago. Zoe has been on the blog once before here. (scroll all the way down)

Zoe and little Tallulah show us why Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dog breed in the US. They are wonderful. They are cheerful. They love everyone. They have a great sense of playfulness. Really the perfect dog. Oh, and need I mention adorable?!!

A Day Out at the Fair

Mrs Bale hasn't been around much this summer because she is a modest sort of person who never likes to appear as if bragging. The summer weather has been perfect. Really. Out of a children's storybook kind of perfect. Not too hot, not too rainy, not too sunny, windows open all the time, fans blowing.

Addendum: Two days after I wrote this, I heard on our state public radio station that someone in the tourism department said that it has been a 'Goldilocks summer. Not too hot, not too cold, not too rainy, not too dry. It's been just right for any activity.'

If I could write a poem, I would. While so much of the world has been suffering through drought and its opposite, we've had nothing to complain about. So, Mrs B hasn't wanted to say much. She has just soaked it all in and smiled with pleasure.

And yesterday was no exception. We had a little rain during the night, and by morning the sun was out, and the temps in the seventies all day. A perfect day to go to the Fair!

The view of the fairgrounds from the top of the hill heading into town

We park across the road

Tom buys the admission tickets

And we are on our way!
The buildings are permanent, empty for all but a few days a year. But, oh how they shine in those few days.

The first stop is always here

to get milk, and a homemade doughnut (in that little basket) to have with these, my particular star of the Fair!

As we ate we listened to a local ceilidh band

In one of the halls I saw pictures of older days

Look at those dresses and suits. Not many of them in sight yesterday!

We wandered through the midway, and spent most of our time in the halls and with the animals. A few years ago, a new permanent exhibit hall was created. It features items from the past. It is wonderful to see the way life used to be lived.

Butter churn

A real cast-iron sink, and working water pump.

Washing the clothes

Wringing them dry

It was a Maytag from the 1930s

There's a whole barn devoted to old tractors

We so love the animal barns; separate ones for cows, horses, sheep and goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, and rabbits.








When the kids were younger I kind of dreamed that we might exhibit some of our animals or chickens, but we never did. It is quite a commitment. Many of the young people stay right there at the Fair for the whole time. They have to keep their animals/birds fed, and their bedding cleaned, and keep them groomed for the judges.



We spent about five hours at the Fair. We ran into some good friends, and their 37-year-old son with two of his three daughters. We used to go to the Fair together when all our kids were little, and now here he is with the next generation. The fairgrounds were filled with young parents and their little ones making memories. A young woman texted me saying she was homesick and wished she could come to the Fair. It gets into our hearts and stays forever. I wrote about this a few years ago when I quoted Auden's poem; the way the Fair is a constant in our lives.

For more years at the Fair, you may click the 'Fair' letter topic.

Labor Day at the Fair