State Fair

 I’ve gone to the North Carolina State Fair every year since we moved to Cary, except for last year when the fair was canceled. Aloma went with me the first year but decided not to keep going.

This year I knew where to park to get a quick bus ride to the fairgrounds.  I was careful to pay attention to where I parked so I didn’t lose my car like I did one year.  Usually, I get in free as a senior citizen.  Not this year--$5.00.  There were wall-to-wall people walking around and standing in line for food.  I passed on the food and just walked around enjoying the other people having fun.  I was getting tired so I decided to ride the very large Ferris wheel.  I gave a couple of dollars and change to the ticket person and she said the cost was $7.00.  I told her that was too much for me so she pushed the bills back through the window knocking the change to the ground.  I picked it up knowing that the people in line behind me were wishing that the old man would leave.

No livestock was being judged so I just walked around looking at different farm animals and vegetables.

Finally, I walked to the ice cream store where ice cream was being churned using John Deer engines that sputtered and backfired.  I ate ice cream watching a live performance of a string band playing bluegrass or country.

By the time I walked to the bus and then my car, I was tired.  But I felt good about attending the North Carolina State Fair one more time.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Overstimulated

 I’ve written before how Aloma and I enjoy sitting on our patio looking at our plants and the wildlife.  We know every single plant and point out to each other the subtle changes day to day.  We know most of the birds that nest in the spring and we watch them leave by mid-summer.  The squirrels give us more to talk about as they forget to be afraid of us and come on the patio while we sit out.  We scold them and, while not happy about it, they leave.

 The bees and butterflies have been plentiful this year.  They are also fun to watch.

 I enjoy the many chameleons, but Aloma has had enough of them this year.  Yesterday, one was on the chair she was going to sit in and wouldn’t move.  She yelled at it and tried to shoo it away, but it only moved a few inches and stopped to look at her.

 We didn’t need more stimulation, but I blew it.  I bought an eight-inch disk that floats in our birdbath.  It has solar panels and a pump that shoots water about two feet in the air when the sun is shining.  On an overcast day, it shoots water up about six inches.  Now, we have to watch it in addition to the other things.  The first night, we were so overstimulated that we couldn’t sleep.

 If we don’t get used to it, we’ll have to move it. 

Life is tough.

 Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Bill Hosley R.I.P.

 Bill Hosley was a friend at Eastman Kokak for many years.  One day while lunching with him and other friends, I finally got the nerve to tell them I had separated from my wife and moved into an apartment.  Bill thought for a moment and then said, “My wife Cynthia plays tennis with a young woman who just separated from her husband.  Would you like to come over for dinner and meet her?”  I thanked him and said I wasn’t ready to meet anyone.

After four lonely weeks, I told Bill I was ready to meet Cynthia’s friend.  I was sitting in their living room when Cynthia brought Aloma in and introduced her.  Within six weeks we were dating and have been together for 45 years.  

Aloma and I often wonder where we would be today if Bill and Cynthia hadn’t introduced us.  We regularly thank God for both of them.

Cynthia died a couple of years ago.  Bill died on September 26 at the age of 96.

Bill, Rest in Peace.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com