I got up before six in the morning. First, I posted my ccMixter secret mixter remix. Then I gave Beatrice her morning medicine. She was not feeling well. I think that the rainy weather set off her arthritis. Then I took a shower and hit the road. I stopped for McDonald's oatmeal at the small town of Mount Vernon, whose McDonald's offers fine service.
During the drive to my dad's house, I listened to the Mixcloud cloudcast of an interview of Unitarian Universalist chaplain to game wardens, Kate Braestrup. The broadcast link is here:
http://www.onbeing.org/program/presence-wild/144
Kate Braestrup said a lot of things that resonated with me. She said that the more she does in her life and work, the simpler her theology becomes--that God is love. She also said that she mistrusted ascribing unexpected outcomes to miracles because her work with police matters showed that really horrific crimes resulted from incredibly coincidental runs of unlikely opportunities for wrongdoers to do wrong. She explained her experience in comforting survivor of people who have died, and the way people seem hard-wired to carry on despite the unthinkable loss. She herself had lost a policeman husband to a car accident, just as he intended to go to seminary, which, in some ways,is why she went herself to seminary. I also listened to a good Elvis Mitchell radio interview with the creator of Orange is the New Black, a show I have not seen.As I got out to get a sandwich, the Milk Carton Kids were about to begin a song on "Prairie Home Companion".
I ate a sandwich at Subway sandwiches in Camden.Then I went to visit my dad. I was really glad to get a few hours to talk with my dad. His wife had a chance to go get some shopping done.
I could not stay as long as I had planned,as my father wanted me to get home early, since I must travel at dawn tomorrow.
I drove back this afternoon. I listened to the local sports team lose a football game on nearly the last play of the game. I listened to a Mixcloud Cloudcast of a show called This Week in Tech Hardware, in which a discussion of new graphics cards by Nvidia was being held at length, with more jargon and accessories than I had imagined could be the case..These gamer discussions always involve technology at fantastic prices to achieve goals not within my usual understanding. But it was an interesting listen,for a while. I spoke with my sister by phone as I drove.
I stopped at the Brookshire's supermarket on Highway 380 outside of Farmersville.I bought 2 bananas for a snack. On a whim, I also bought a one dollar scratch-off card for the Texas lottery from a machine in the supermarket . When I scratched the card, I found that I had won two hundred dollars.
I drove to Brockdale Park in the country near Lucas, and walked down to Lake Lavon.I took pictures of a mockingbird on a bare tree. I drove to Bethany Lakes Park in Allen and took pictures of Autumn leaves.
I picked up for my wife and I sandwiches from Subway (I have eaten more Subway this week than the Subway pitch man Jarod). Then a curious thing happened. I used the Bank of America ATM machine to withdraw 200 dollars. I only got 120, because 80 was stuck in the machine. The little doors closed on my middle finger, drawing blood. I called Bank of America customer service. The ATM machine had recorded a partial reversal of the transaction. I will know Monday night if they got the amounts right. I wonder if the twenty dollar bills show the blood from the top surface of my finger.
When I arrived home, Beatrice was better, but had a long story to tell me in whimpers. My wife band I dined, and then began to watch Masterpiece Classics.
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