There won't be a June issue here in this space. June disappeared - dissolved. There was something very weird (or very new?) about our last month. I know time passes quickly for older folks but this was on-going rather than after-the-fact.

I have a Rubic's Calendar - a cube with letters & numbers so you can set one face with the day on the top row, the month abbreviated in the second and the day number on the bottom row. It’s not hard to do (usually) - I'm only "solving" 1 face.

Anyhow, this cube is on my desk at work and it just seemed as I was doing it - that I changed the thing way too often. (Didn't I just do this?)

Not an excuse, just an observation. June was so very nice, I played music at the bar and church (not the same tunes), worked, saw my GP who says I'm in good shape (great to hear - I weigh @ 160 - comfy for me).

Ben is successfully re-located and digging in with his brand new situation(on another planet - the Bay Area). He sent me a Lawrence Livermore National Labs T-Shirt. A friend saw it and commented he wanted one so he could fake being smart too.

Life is good in this little Norman Rockwell town. My job is varied enough to exclude boredom, I’ve been here more than a decade (how did THAT happen?) and so we have all our regular smiling faces on a daily basis.

Sometimes - especially when driving into town on the way to work at sunrise, I get the notion I'm dreaming this whole Willoughby thing. If that's so - not a bad job.

There's a deli on Franklin's one-block Main Street. "Life's Bounty". Tony (retired from Publix in FL) & spouse Rene (the boss) run a nice clean place. I eat there a few times a week and the provender is always fresh and made with care.

They have a small stage up front with the big shop window at the stage rear. So if you are walking by on the sidewalk, you can see the musician's backs. Acoustic music on Friday evenings is the regime and I have a nice time, sometimes joining the gang and playing or sometimes just BS’ing with friends.

Then I usually go outside, around and down a bit to the back side of the same one-block to the Rathskeller for a more pubby atmosphere and more acoustic picking. Pretty good habit for Fridays.

Just got a domain on the web for the band - it was way overdue - I was always being asked to my inner embarrassment (as a tech pro) what's our Web Address? Well, I finally got off my lazy butt and did some small development. Much more to come - here's the link The Remnants - Most Excellent R&R

Music Music - I love it (not rap). Ubuntu is back in my life after a several week break in which I re-recognized (when you cognize something it "shows up" in your brain, right?) my addiction to a capella vocals and way more so my dear friends in the tribe.

Tom (our director) volunteered to "speak" at our Wayfarer’s Chapel Sunday last. http://wayfarersunity.org/main. He put out the call for singers and a hearty bunch showed up. He didn't have to speak at all (much) (TG) and the singin was celestial - with serious congregational participation, full range from big fun to a holy whisper.

Speaking of singing, here's a link to 4 wonderful sirens - a female barbershop quartet - doing a gorgeously energetic, slap-on perfect harmony, killer vocal arrangement - take 4 minutes and enjoy their energy. 4 Girls Singing (We'll thank little Ray Olsen from Jazz Mt. for that link.)

Right after the end of June, my big day. I used to congratulate my parents. They're gone now so I just thank them. July 1 was a fine day weather-wise, Up at 6 (a work day) and I was awake and checking the early light and listening to the Towhees "drinking their tea". before I recalled this day was my birthday. I kind of treasure that little "awake but not in the drama" moment. Very tranquil. Definitely a good sign.

The in-between moment vanished and I got to the first business of making breaky (2 scregges with cheddar & onions, cantaloupe, cocoanut juice and coffee.) I also set out black-oil bird seed & fresh water.

I sat down to my board and in the front window, about 6 feet away was a big doe (I could see her eye lashes). I froze and watched her pick her way carefully through the front yard. I didn't move until she was off camera, stage left. Another good sign.

I swam laps at lunch, got a take-out salad and ate at my desk. I called and heard from my children, my dears (you guys, thanx) and sibs and other kin. Camille sent me a Totoro and her students



... well here are the photos.





Isn't that terribly sweet?? I love the serious faces turning to cheers! What great kids!

(Click any photo for the full version)



Camille has become an education giant. I couldn't be more proud of what she's doing and how it is affecting her kids and the future of the world. Check out her Evaluation document - Stellar! - beyond my considered possibilities. Heroic!

I had an especially nice phone chat with Char - one of my oldest friends - we had been crossing messages all day and finally connected after work. We talked war stories - we have a lot of common musical history and some very unique\ experiences. (I will soon write about the Deep Blue Sea Room and the Donald Duck Citrus Works).

Continuing July 1 - a Tai Chi lesson at 7p (I'm up to the first cross-hands) and more deer on the way home - three of 'em casually crossing the last paved curve up to the house.

I slowed the car down and the final doe (could well have been the same one from that morning) paused to consider me before she regally stepped into the bush (the other two bolted). Once home, I had a beer with the coon on deck before bed.

All-in-all, a fine birthday #65.

Byron called, he's changing jobs, going to be a Service Tech (that's newspeak for fixit man). I've done it in the past - appliances, etc. I'm still doing it on a computer level. My dad was a refrigeration mechanic and so it goes back down the line. Taylor is working in the offices of the same outfit that is training Byron..

In honor of Byron's new chosen line of work, I offer this link to a fun song I first heard when I was his age My Old Man - Smothers Brothers

I have Morning Glories growing in my parking place at work. Nobody else in the lot has 'em so I'm using them to boost my ego. (I know we're not supposed to consider ourselves special but I do indulge occasionally)

They grow where the perpendicular planter wall meets the parking lot. I think there's enough of a drip or seepage from the planter to encourage them.

Been there a few years and they seem to be thriving (along with everything else this bonus growth year).

I have 3 colors so far - Pink, Purple and Heavenly Blue and I think that's 3 different plants. They are papery delicate little pastel things. They curl in and dry up as the mist breaks and summer sun heats things up to a different color.

I love it. It really is the small stuff, the details and the amazing ability to go down deep into the consideration of such, that make it fun. One of my dear friends commented back on that last note I sent out "If you can get off on bird shit - you have it made."

I think that's so. Feels pretty good to be in yr. 66. Let's make it last a while.



Great Big Love!