Dale always loved a gathering of family and friends. And there’s no better holiday for that than Thanksgiving. Whether at Camp, on Juneberry Lane, or in some other location, we would always find him in the center of it all, sharing stories, laugher and spreading his own person joy generously.
As I’ve tried to get my head around the results of our recent election, I’ve wished Papa was here to sit down at our kitchen table and share his unvarnished reaction and thoughts on the way forward. Last weekend when the results were particularly fresh in my mind and I first experienced this desire, I looked across our yard and found a brilliant red cardinal sitting on the edge of the stone birdbath, enjoying the sun and regular sips of water. The cardinal turned to me and winked. I think that was Papa trying to tell me this too will pass and it won’t be as bad as I imagined it might be. I can only hope….
Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful, family-focused Thanksgiving.
Fondly, Stephen
This issue of The Dumpster was first published on November 15, 2012.
WARNING!
The Dumpster may contain material that you were not suppose to see. This month’s transmission may have been sent in error. But read on anyway, the Government is too busy now looking into the sex lives of all 4 star generals to care about us. Just remember that this may contain the ranting of an old man who delights in annoying all his gentle, nice readers. Now that you’ve been duly warned, proceed on if you have nothing better to do.
NOVEMBER
It is the toughest month of the twelve. It is full of good news, bad news. The good news was last Tuesday we got to vote. Which brought to an end more than two years of political ads and phone calls. Bad news is in a few months the race for political power and victory in 2016 will begin.
Good news for this year we had the most beautiful brilliant multicolored leaves to enjoy. Bad news is that they now are brown and are running across the lawns and needs to raked up, bagged and carried away.
Good news is the baseball season is over, the Red Sox’ season was over a long time ago. Now we have many football games to watch every week-end. Bad news is every TV games will show the same commercials twenty-four times in the three hours.
Good news that it is deer and moose hunting season in Maine and you get to wear your blaze orange outfit and takes little trek through the forest. The bad news is this new workout brings about a major diet change in that it creates a big thirst and hunger. Now you drink two pots of bad coffee in the morning and a 24 pack of beer during the day. This washes down the four hearty coronary blocking meals.
Good news is that all the mall stores have quickly removed all the Halloween witches and ghosts that they put up in August. Bad news is that they replaced them with lighted Christmas trees and Santa’s elfs who will sing “Jingle Bells” hourly for the next 55 days.
THANKSGIVING
The wonderful Thursday holiday is a favorite of mine. It is all about tradition, about spending time with old friends, family, revisiting your roots and of course, about giving thanks to the ONE from where all our blessings come. I will be doing Thanksgiving at home this year. I will be hosting Ellen’s family and serving the usual dinner of Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc.
So for all of you who also will be making this a festive, happy, and delicious celebrationfor your love ones, God bless you. May the day be perfect in which all that cooking does not activate the smoke alarms. None of the activities of the day involves a call to 911. May all your guests get back home with out a trace of food poisoning. And most of all may you have lots of help with the million of dirty dishes in the sink.
On the eve of this holiday may The Dumpster find you at peace and feeling loved. May you be surrounded by the spirit of all that is kind and good, and may joy fill your heart. It is the one thing that I wish for you.
DALE’S HEALTH NEWS
November is not all about cranberries. I want to tell you about another good healthy food: RAISINS. They can do a lot for you, high in potassium levels raisins will lower your blood pressure. They are also high in antioxidants which helps protect body cells. Raisins contain the mineral boron, which increases bone health so it helps in the prevention of osteoporosis. They are rich in iron and copper that helps with formation of red blood cells and fights anemia. They will promote blood clotting during wound healing. Raisins are really good throw a few into the turkey stuffing, it can’t hurt.
DEER CAMP 2012
As most of you know I have a camp in Haynesville, somewhere in Northern Maine. I don’t call it deer camp anymore because no one has got a deer here since Jimmy Carter was president. It is a place where I reconnect once a year with my old buddies. You have to be tough to stay at camp for a week. There is a lot of fun, bad jokes, pranks, and endless ribbing when you get caught messing up. A night of baked beans and hot dogs will make it loud that night but not as loud as a bunk house of snoring men in their underwear making the sound decibel readings near the painful level.
You may ask why do you do it ? The answer is simple, a week at camp has magic powers. You will laugh until your sides hurt, its a celebration of life, it makes you feel young and renewed. The most important thing about being there is you find a camaraderie that is not possible to achieve in the real world.
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
As a regular reader, you have seen me go off the deep end on some subjects. To get on my soapbox and preach, or harp on things that upset me ,no this one goes well beyond the usual out of control children or rude teenagers. I now have about had it with hand held computers,the Internet, Web, smart phones and all these modern marvels that is taking up more than half of our waking hours. Perhaps the worst is the cell phone that has become the human umbilical cord. Without it for most life is not possible , or so it would seem, we will never know because they will never let it out of their sight.
There is a growing disregard to the English language when communication is now down to two-,three- and four -letter ciphers in texting. Not that long ago the use of English words was at the heart of our ability to read, to comprehend. It was how we learned to effectively communicate our thoughts. I feel that the total disregard of our use of writing and using the grammar skills that our teachers in grade school demanded that we master, or stay back for another year. I see that the routine use of this textual adaptions by our current and future generations of most ten to 18 year-olds will give them the impression that this is the accepted use of the language. We are creating a world that soon will never know or have a fundamental understanding of standard English grammar.
The real problem will be when we no longer will take the time to contemplate, to reflect, to just sit down and read and think. Think about it. In a letter to John Adams, Thomas Jefferson wrote, ” I cannot Live without books.” None of us can, I would not want to. Facebook is not the answer.
IT’S OVER, TGIO
Until next month I’ll be back. Thank you for reading all the way to the end. I am proud of you but I worry about you. I am sorry to have to tell you that your cancellation of the subscription to the Dumpster has not reached my desk as yet. So you are on for another month.
Drop me a line if you want, I welcome your question and comments. If you are upset just fire off an e-mail at me, I will understand. You can reach me at idontcarefu@yahoo.com.
AN IRISH BLESSING
May God grant you a sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel so nothing can harm you,
Laughter to cheer you,
And whenever you pray, may Heaven hear you.
Remember to play well with others.
Dale