It's been rather an uneven birthday.

We slept late, which was a swell birthday gift all in itself. We both had breakfast after walking the dog. The sky was slate grey and silver grey rippled, and it was chilly and slightly damp, with a bit of a breeze that snuck into the weaknesses of your jacket. About 11:30 we left to go to Books-a-Million. Last year they were the only place that had gingerbread boys. But first we stopped at Publix so I could drop off the recycling and our contributions for Toys for Tots, and also get a newspaper. Well, I got a shock—the store is closing on Wednesday (I thought the aisles looked rather empty), with the new store a mile or so away in Smyrna opening on Thursday (we heard it was opening next year!), so they didn't get a Toys for Tots bin. I was so surprised I walked out without the paper, too.

Luckily (or unluckily), James had a call of nature and we stopped at the next Publix on the route and I bought a paper and left the toys behind. From there we proceeded to Books-a-Million after stopping at Kroger for gas. And, yes indeed, they did have gingerbread boys. We had them with peppermint cocoa and bought a half dozen more for the rest of the season. Alas, the days when I could have sweets for lunch and do okay afterward are gone. By the time we left, I was feeling distinctly queasy.

James wasn't doing so well, either. He thinks the food at Red Lobster last night made him sick. So I paid for my purchase, a remainder book, and we came home where he could have some ginger tea and take more Pepto Bismol. I got things ready for work tomorrow, then watched the Lassie episode "The Little Christmas Tree," and then The Lost Tapes: Pearl Harbor. This was fascinating as it was comprised of news bulletins, interviews, recordings, and other vocals over photographs, film from newsreels and the scene, handwritten notes, and documents. I didn't get all of it and need to try to record it again when it's on December 22.

I always listen to Roosevelt's speech and try to put myself in my mother's place, or my father's. What did they think when they heard the bulletins, and then the speeches? Was Dad scared of the idea of going to battle, or just too angry to care? Did Mom realize how many of her family would go off to war, even the nephews she still thought of as boys? I look at the old photographs and wish I could jump in...not to change, I know I can't do that, but just to see. I want to know how it was so much!

Ended up watching the end of Anne of Green Gables, the Sullivan version. The new version with Martin Sheen is on tonight. I'm not sure if I want to watch it, as I hear they've made it "more relevant," which gives me the shudders. I remember "relevant" TV from the 70s, and it usually means "boring." So we went on to the episode of Alaska: the Last Frontier that we skipped last week to watch something else, and then this week's episode.

Labels: books, history, shopping, television

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. . . . . noted and logged by Linda at 11:10:00 PM

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