In The Heart Of It All

Posted on February 10, 2026 by oldmainer

We moved to Gray Maine twenty two years ago, about six months before we even knew it existed. We were living in Louisville KY at the time but had been a resident of Maine before, as newly weds, striking out to make our fortune. Once my wife and I left Maine, it didn’t take long for us to realize that we would always want to go back, and we did so, after spending years in other states and cities. We had a general idea of where we wanted to settle but nothing specific. Our criteria was to settle into a small town that was within ambulance distance of professional medical care since we were now retired and didn’t plan on moving again.

We had a great realtor who knew Southern Maine well and kept us informed of homes for sale in the communities surrounding Portland, most of them on our ‘possible towns’ list. He was the one that sent me data and pictures of a home in Gray. It was not on our radar, but it was only twenty miles north of Portland and met most of our criteria. I came, I saw, and we bought.

Where am I going with this. Well, it has to do with identity. As you all know most cities have an identity beyond their official name. Chicago is ‘The Windy City’. Boston is ‘Bean Town’. New York is ‘The Big Apple’. Everyone knows that. But what they don’t realize is that every small town in America also has a perceived identity. My town has one too. As you pull off the Maine turnpike you are confronted by a cemetery, in front of which is a large sign that says “Gray Maine. In The Heart Of It All”.

Rest assured that we did not move here to be in The Heart Of It All. In fact, after all these years, I am not sure what we are in the heart of. Maine is a big state geographically, and we are definitely not in the heart of it. Bangor maybe, but not us. However, apparently, someone in our town government has recently decided they didn’t know either so they created a committee to address the issue, and after much discussion, they asked the residents which of their three choices we had to select from. Well, that apparently didn’t go over too well. They were all bad, and apparently the population suggested that.

Today, I received another email from the committee with a new survey asking us to pick our choice of two finalists. One was the current “In The Heart Of It All” and the other was “All Roads Lead To Gray. However, to their credit that also included an option to suggest a phrase of your own. I suspect they will receive several and I hope they are civil. No guarantees there.

Anyway, it is in the hands of the committee now, which reminds me why I never volunteer to join committees. I’ll be curious what we end up with. I’m sure it will drive a multitudes of people anxious to move here. Maybe not. We’ll see.

P.S. My suggestion was “A Town For All Seasons” Just sayin.

Posted in Humor, Maine, Random Thoughts, Reflection | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Oh Yeah, It’s Still Winter

Posted on February 9, 2026 by oldmainer

I was making the bed this morning when I heard an unusual sound out on the street. It was a motor vehicle of some sort, but not the normal sound of a truck, or car, or even a snow plow. Looking out a window I saw a large road grader with a couple of plows attached on the right side making a turn into my street. Now, under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have given it another thought. Our town does an amazing job of making sure our roads are cleared. However, we have not had snow for over a week, which was quickly dispatched into snowbanks when it happened. So, I had to supervise the activity. It appeared the equipment had two plow blades mounted on the right side, one elevated and one at ground level and they were taking the top off of the existing snowbanks while also pushing them back, in effect widening the street.

My first thought was ‘there are my tax dollars at work’. Why would they be pushing the snowbanks back a week after they had created them. It seemed like a little overkill. I went back to making the bed, mulling over the wisdom of the activity. I guess it was mid morning when my phone posted another Winter Weather Advisory. Tomorrow we will probably get another 3 to 6 inches of snow and it all started to make sense. Up here, February can be very unpredictable and March is always a crap shoot.

I can’t say I look forward to another round of snow, especially since we have just encountered several days of single digit temperatures which precluded any melting of what snow we already had. But, that’s Maine, and 6 inches is not that big a deal. I guess it is just that time of the year that we are ready to move on. Let it all melt so we can welcome mud season.

I went out this afternoon and filled the snowblower with fuel just in case. A 6 inch snow may not mean much to me, but I have a dog with 4 inch legs and that creates a little problem for him. If the weatherman can be trusted I will have to save his butt yet again tomorrow. In the meantime, we will both hang out somewhere in the proximity of the fireplace. If there is an upside to winter up here it is that it gives me a reason to light it up and curl up in my recliner, with Kramer of course. Kind of makes me a little more thankful that I live in an environment where every day can be a surprise.

Posted in Beauty, Coping, Life, Maine, Reflection, Winter | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Kramer’s Korner

Posted on February 7, 2026 by oldmainer

I’m back!!! Hello again my faithful friends. I know it as been a long time, but, as I have often said, ‘good things are worth waiting for’. In my case that would be things like chewy treats and, of course, your adoration. I want you to know I have not intentionally neglected you. No, I wlll be seven years old next month, and have joined the nations workforce. Specifically, I have become a mobile security service, protecting both Bob and his car.

As time has passed, we have both realized that, weather permitting, I would much rather wait for him in the car, then be left at home. However, it didn’t take too long to realize that my handsome self would draw people to the windows of the car saying things like “Oh look, he is sooo cute” or “look at the cute puppy”. I didn’t mind the admiration because I knew they couldn’t help themselves, but I didn’t appreciate them hanging around my car. I could be curled up in my car seat, sawing some zzzz’s and they would come up and stare at me or even knock on the window. That is when I decided I was there for a specific reason, and that was to protect me and the car from these lovelorn spectators. It was one thing to be admired, but quite another to be respected.

So, I took it upon myself to provide the security that was so lacking in Bob’s life. I mean, the instinctive tendencies born within me would kick in and I would immediately morph into defensive mode growling and snapping at the window. They didn’t have to know that I only have 6 teeth. Bob was at first concerned, but after talking to his vet, decided that what I was doing was normal. I mean, I don’t exhibit aggressive tendencies when I am not confined. In fact, I have been accused of being a fluff muffin. I can’t say I am crazy about the type cast, but it does get me a lot of attention and recognition and a few treats.

I mentioned my car seat which, while being very comfortable unto itself, also elevates me enough to see out the windows. But, thanks to Bob I now have a shag heating pad that fits in that seat so I can now accompany him on cold days, coat included of course. It maintains a temperature of 82 and plugs into a power pack so he doesn’t have to leave the car running. In the summer, he also added a portable fan that also runs off the same power pack and blows directly on my car seat. How many dogs can say that?” I know, you are probably thinking this is all a little overkill, or worse, that Bob is a little weird. Just between you and me, you may be right in both cases. Personally, I prefer to believe that he holds me in the same esteem that I hold myself.

Well, I guess that’s about it for now. Just wanted to drop back in and say woof. Depending on the way the rest of the winter goes, I may be able to interrupt my busy schedule sometime in the future and send you another update. Until then remember, there are still a lot of other dogs out there that are still looking for a forever home. They may not all be as smart as I am but I guarantee they are every bit as ull of love. You won’t be sorry.

Take care. Your favorite pekinese
Kramer

Posted in Dogs, Humor, Life, Pets | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Of Course

Posted on February 5, 2026 by oldmainer

I find it curious how our means of communication has changed so dramatically over the years. I’m not talking about the impact of technology, albeit it’s ability to provide distinct methods to interact, but instead, the impact time has had on the spoken word.

To my recollection, there used to be an English language. Today it would seem there are several. It was kind of a revelation to me when I realized (I’m a slow learner) that words that were common when I was younger disappeared and were replaced with new ones. Actually, some weren’t replaced at all, like whippersnapper or humdinger. No one however mourned their loss. In retrospect, I think that was a good thing. I ‘m talking about when Levi’s used to be dungarees, and previously owned was used. When foot apparel was called shoes and an emergency vehicle was generally called a fire truck or an ambulance..

For the most part, I was able to accept those changes because there was at least a thread between them. Through word association, I was able to assimilate one with the other. That was back when politically correct speech began to rear it’s head. Suddenly, nothing was the same. It was like everyone was inventing new ways to say old things. I can remember the first time I heard someone use the phrase ‘vertically challenged”. I hadn’t noticed that. I just thought they were short. Just yesterday I read about a school board member somewhere that railed at the term ‘homeless’ demanding that they be referred to as ‘unhoused’. Buy, that’s going to make an improvement intheir lives. Regardless, we are well on our way to ‘reinventing’ how we state the obvious. Specifically, renaming something doesn’t necessarily make it different, just restated.

Then came the next iteration of communication. The abbreviation genre. This one I have been easily able to avoid. Not because I don’t constantly run into it (or more correctly, it into me) but because, although prolifically used, I can live without it. It is more specific to younger generations and I don’t interface with them a lot and it is generally written (texted) as opposed to spoken.

So hear I sit, at an age when I am content to struggle with the subtle language changes that insinuate themselves upon me. The most recent took me by surprise. I hired a young man to clean up my yard in the spring and the fall. After completing one of those tasks, I handed him a check and said ‘thank you’, expecting the familiar ‘you’re welcome” or at least a ‘no problem’. Instead, he said ‘of course’. like I should have expected no less. Maybe it’s just me and probably is, but for some reason, to me it was, I don’t know, different. Maybe it was because I had normally heard it used in a different context, like ‘of course you can’ or ‘Of course I’ll help you.

But in retrospect, it appears the problem is me. I started hearing it at the bank and the checkout at the grocery store, so I looked it up. It said: to suggest that something is normal, obvious, or well-known, and should therefore not surprise the person you are talking to. Well, it appears that I should not have been surprised, but, as we both now know, of course I was. Maybe because I have hired people to help me in the past and, given some of the results, I was surprised, so I am not in the habit of assuming all will of course go well.

So, I guess I’ll wait another few days to see what the new word/phrase is. Maybe even use it in conversation. Wouldn’t that make me cool? Of course.

Posted in Adult Language, Communication, Generations, Humor | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Shelby

Posted on February 4, 2026 by oldmainer

SHELBY was seven years old. She was in the second grade and loved school. She loved the environment and looked forward to every day. To her it was an escape. Her home was not a particularly pleasant place. As an only child, living in a state subsidized apartment in the projects, friends were few. As such, she felt lonely and understandably, a little frightened . She welcomed the feeling of belonging that she experienced in her class. Consequently, she did well.

Shelby’s parents worked hard. Her dad, a cook in a restaurant, spent long hours, and often didn’t get home until Shelby was in bed. Her mom was employed at a local hotel as a housekeeper, cleaning rooms. As such, she was able to be home most days when Shelby returned from school, anxious to tell someone about her day. The time they had together, were treasured by Shelby. She was able to tell someone the things she had said, things she had learned, and things she felt.

One of the things she felt, and told her mom, was her desire to have a dog. After a field trip to a shelter where she saw several dogs, and while moving from kennel to kennel, she felt a bond. She knew that she wanted to bring one home to love.

Conversations with her mom were peppered with reasons why she should have one. They needed a family, and she could provide one. She would take came of them. They could sleep in her room, etc.

Without knowing it, she was breaking her mothers heart. She could see the sincerity in her daughters desire. but she knew that another mouth to feed was not something they could afford. She also knew that there was more to having a dog then just feeding it. Someone would have to walk it and there was no one home during the day. And, if it got sick, what then? Their combined incomes barely covered expenses. A dog would just be another expense. Her mother, while acknowledging her wishes, tried to let her know that a puppy was not possible.

Shelby kind of knew that having her own dog was not going to happen. If the subject came up when her dad was home, it was quickly quashed. “I have all I can do to help keep food on our table without having to feed a dog” he would say.

At seven years old, Shelby didn’t really understand why it was so hard to have a dog. After all, they were not as big as people and surely didn’t eat as much. Plus, they could provide protection. The housing unit they lived in was not exactly without issues. Many nights after going to bed, she would hear sirens in her neighborhood. It was not what you could consider a safe environment. None of that however, diminished Shelby’s dream.

CRAIG was homeless. He was a veteran that had a lot of baggage. Although he had survived three tours in Vietnam, his life since had never been the same. Since leaving the military, what he had seen, what he had endured, still lived within him. He came home to an angry nation. Each day it became more difficult to assimilate back into society. Just more demons beyond those he already carried. Night sweats were not uncommon, and deep sleep was impossible. His body was still attuned to every sound, every movement around him, an awareness of implied danger still infused within his being, alert to the possibility of danger. Sunrise didn’t offer him anything positive. Just another day on the streets. Another day to survive the isolation that was his life.

ATLAS was a stray trying to survive when he found Craig. Until then he too had been homeless. His life had been upended when his family had decided to move and left him behind. He didn’t understand that they weren’t coming back, so he had waited for them, trusting they would return. Hunger and thirst had finally forced him onto the streets, foraging for anything to sustain him for another day, every night returning to where he had been abandoned, hoping to find them waiting.

CRAIG first saw him one morning while he was panhandling for food. He had been fortunate to have scored a burger and fries from the manager of a fast food restaurant and had just sat down next to a dumpster to enjoy his good fortune when he realized he was being watched from a distance. A little dog, sitting and staring at him intently. He tossed him a french fry and watched while he chose between fear and hunger. Slowly hunger won out and he tentatively approached until reaching the food. Craig threw him another one. This time there was no hesitation. They continued to share the food until it was gone and Craig reluctantly moved on. Looking back he was surprised and, somewhat pleased to see that the little dog was following him. There was something in his eyes that conveyed trust and Craig made a decision. He knew the dog would not survive long by himself on the streets, so he went back and picked him up

He named him Atlas because he too had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He admired the strength and tenacity he exhibited, and he lived up to his name as he became Craig’s eyes and ears. Nights were a little more restful as Atlas was like an antenna. He heard and saw everything and was not afraid to set sound to sight, alerting Craig to anything that could be threatening. It was obvious that a bond had been developed and two needs had been satisfied.

SHELBY was on her way home from school when she first saw them. Craig was sitting on a door step with a dog next to him, barking at her. Against all the warnings she had been given about strangers, she was drawn to the couple, mostly, the dog. As she slowly approached, she heard the man say “it’s OK Atlas, she looks like a friend”. The dog continued to watch her closely, but his tail began a half hearted wag.

Shelby stopped about three feet from them and studied them both. Craig gave her a little smile and Atlas became a little more curious about their visitor. Shelby looked at them both, still drawn by the dog, finally, in a quiet voice asking “can I pat your dog”?

“Now that would be up to him” Craig said. “what do you think Atlas.Would you like to let this little girl pat you?“

Shelby took another stop forward and Atlas responded by approaching her, apprehensively, however, his tail was wagging. Shelby crouched down and held out her hands. Atlas slowly approached and began to sniff her, allowing her to slowly pat him. “I think he likes you” Craig said. “His name is Atlas. What’s yours?” “I’m Shelby” she said.

Slowly Atlas warmed to this new being. He liked receiving the attention and of course, Shelby loved to provide it. Soon he was jumping at her legs and Shelby put her books down and sat on the sidewalk while he climbed into her lap.

“I’ve always wanted a dog, but I can’t have one” she said. Craig watched the two of them and saw the connection. “Well” he said, “Atlas and I are very good friends. We take care of each other. But it never hurts to have more friends”.

Jumping at the suggestion, Shelby quickly asked “Do you think I could be his friend?” Craig chuckled and replied “looks like you already are”.

Reluctantly, Shelby stood up, picked up her books and looked at Craig. “Will I see you again. I go home this way every day from school.”

“Oh, I’m usually around; he said, “and if I don’t see you, I suspect Atlas will.

Shelby slowly walked away, looking back and waving. Craig watched her as she left. She had awakened something within him that he didn’t know existed . The innocence of youth and the love she projected had given him a new perspective and a new purpose. He knew that tomorrow he and Atlas would have to be here. In a way, Shelby had given them a new responsibility and something to look forward to.

As for Shelby, she had not only found a new friend, but she had also, kind of, found her dog.

Posted in Fiction, Love, Pets, Relationships, Short Story | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The Value Of A Tear

Posted on February 2, 2026 by oldmainer

I don’t know if those that know me would agree, but, I am a softy. Maybe not externally. I mean, I don’t fold if a harsh word is spoken, or tend to take every affront personally. No, that’s not me. I am a softy in the context of feeling strongly about things I see that hurt others. Things that exist because someone else didn’t care. Things that didn’t have to happen that did, or things that should have happened that didn’t.

I have a lot of compassion for animals, as well as my fellow man. I have a propensity for trying to provide for and protect them. But I also have a problem when any animal is injured or placed in danger. I have the same emotion when I see people in need, facing problems that appear to be beyond solution.

I have often heard that men do not cry, but on occasion, I do. To me it is a natural thing. A physical reaction. A personal reaction. While society may see it as a sign of weakness, I see it as an example of expression. An expression of what I feel. But, it takes a little to get me there. Some nights I sit down and put my earphones on and key up favorite songs, many of which my wife and I shared while she was still here. Some evoke such deep memories that a tear is shed.

I have a tee shirt that says “be the reason someone smiles today”. I try to do that because it gives me great pleasure, and hopefully has the same effect upon someone else. And sometimes, it can pay unexpected dividends. The other day, while shopping, I encountered an elderly man in one of the supermarkets battery operated chairs, struggling to reach a product . I asked if I could assist him and asked which item he wanted, which I retrieved for him. No big deal. However, I happened to be wearing my Air Force cap at the time and suddenly heard this male voice loudly saying “I’m not surprised that it is a veteran that helped that man. Thank you for your assistance and thank you for your service”. I was greatly surprised, but pleasantly so. My act had evoked the personal feelings of another. I felt like I had won the trifecta. By something that simple, three lives had been impacted positively. I think we all walked away smiling however, I was personally affected. I don’t know about the other guys, but my day had taken a turn for the better.

I will continue, on occasion,to spill my tears for those in our world, human as well as the lesser creatures that deserve them. I will save them until my heart says I should use them. I believe that they are sometimes shed internally and may not be seen by others. I’m OK with that. To me they are a symbol that I am not alone. It’s a language everyone speaks.

Tears are words the heart can’t express

Gerard Way

Posted in Compassion, Perspective, Reflection | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Snowstorms

Posted on January 26, 2026 by oldmainer

I’ve been through them before. Actually most of my life. As a kid, I loved them. As an adult, not as much, but I still accept, and expect their intrusion on my life. Being born and brought up in the northeast states, they were just another part of the four seasons. Life would have been strange without them.

For the last few days I have been watching yet another weather watch/warning about the approaching storms. I can’t say I was particularly concerned. When you expect something to happen, you are usually better prepared to deal with it. You know the perils and you prepare for them. In the case of power loss, most folks up here (Maine) have a secondary source of heat, i.e. fireplaces with inserts, wood stoves, and/or generators. They also keep a pantry with a variety of non perishable food products, and if you don’t have something, your neighbor probably does.

Well, as expected, the snow in my area started about three yesterday afternoon and continued throughout the night. This morning I was met with about nineteen inches. A little more then forecasted, but definitely not the largest I have confronted. By eight this morning, the sounds of snow blowers and plows permeated the neighborhood. By noon, most driveways were passable, even though chances of snow remained in the forecast for the next twelve hours, And this time, the weathermen were right. Tonight there is maybe another three inches on my driveway, and it is still snowing. Tomorrow morning is destined to be a slimmed down version of this morning. I’m not surprised.

But, I am concerned about this storm, because of its scope. Not for me personally, but because the majority of our nation is under attack. Few states are being spared. States that seldom, if ever, confront severe winter weather are dealing with a very angry Mother Nature. Millions of people, unprepared people, are being inundated with snow, sleet, and loss of power. Many roads impassible. Lives put on hold while survival becomes paramount.

Like most storms, the aftermath is the most distressing and devastating. Lights and heat don’t turn themselves back on because it stopped snowing. Roads remain slippery and dangerous assuming they are once again passable. State resources are tested. Replenishment of basic personal items are unavailable because stores and gas stations are closed. Work crews, many working around the clock are stretched thin. Communications are interrupted.

I did not lose power this time. Tonight I am sitting in a brightly lit, warm home. I have food to eat and can enjoy a hot shower. Tomorrow morning I will crank up the snowblower and remove whatever snow has been deposited on my driveway overnight. I will then continue my life as usual. But I can’t stop thinking about the millions that won’t have it that easy. Their life, as they knew it last week, will not return for quite a while. For me, I am thankful. This storm was just another speed bump. My heart however will be with those that are not as lucky as I. Please keep them in your prayers.

Posted in Reflection | 2 Comments

Leave The Light On

Posted on January 14, 2026 by oldmainer

If I were young again,
I’d pay attention
To that little known dimension
A taste of endless time
It’s just like water
It runs right through your fingers

Chris Smither
Leave The Light On

In my youth, I had it good. Still do today. The difference is, I didn’t know it then and I do know it now. In my teens, I was Teflon. Not yet having experienced any of the troublesome issues that becoming an adult confronts you with, I lived in that transitional period between belief and reality.

I guess that was a good thing. Had I already seen life up close, I may have been a little more reticent about confronting it. Instead, I faced it willingly, ready to confront whatever the future held. And, I was in no hurry. After all, I had a lifetime to live. Time was mine to spend, and I surmised that I had a lot of it.

Well, it seems that I have almost spent that lifetime. The question is, did I spend it wisely. Of course I think I did. In reflection, I can’t say I tried to become a specific anything. In fact, I entered adulthood without having a clue what I wanted to do. But that was not a problem because I had forever to figure it out.

Rather then having a planned direction, my life kind of evolved. By that I mean I made decisions based on what was available to me at the time. It seems we do not really direct our lives. Our role is simply to evaluate the opportunities that life presents, and make a yes or no decision.

It’s funny how life kind of takes you by the hand and leads you through it. If you are willing to follow, it is ready to lead. If you are willing to take responsibility for what appears to be right for you and are willing to pursue it, you will probably succeed.

In retrospect I spent all those years (or most of them) looking for the next best thing, without really ever knowing what it was. In the end, it appears that trusting my heart and my instincts were and are more important then seeking a specific destination. But most importantly, I am comfortable with how I have ended up and still look forward to what comes next. My tomorrows are still mine and I plan to let life take me where it thinks I should go. So, for the time being, leave the light on.

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln

Posted in Insight, Life, Memories, Random Thoughts, Reflection | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Time Travel

Posted on December 31, 2025 by oldmainer

I read a post recently written by a Quaker minister that was a reflection on friends, old and new. He is reaching an age where his contribution to his congregation is more about experience then it is about energy and new ideas. He reflects on how the years and his chosen calling have blessed him with a multitude of friends, old and new, and his difficulty in trying to maintain his relationship with both. He summed it up by saying that over the years he has learned that there is no such thing as a flat road.

It felt like he was talking to me since I am also of ‘an age’ and have in my life, collected friends and experiences that have grown over the years. However, new friends do not replace the old ones. They just add to the list, and as the list grows longer, I find that as I welcome the new ones, I have more difficulty nourishing and or renewing the relationships that have been built over a lifetime.

New friends, it seems, being more present in my today’s, hold an advantage. They exist in my everyday while my old friends are far flung and in many cases linger within my memories, awaiting my call. However, although our encounters may be less frequent, the bond of friendship remains strong.

So, here I sit on another New Year’s Eve, waiting for the ball to drop yet again. For me, a time of reflection of my years past and my new year to come. Like friends, they each are different. I will continue to treasure them all. The experiences lived, my friends, old and new, and my anticipation of a new year filled with promise.

Happy New Year

Posted in Appreciation, Friendship, Perspective, Reflection | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

It’s In The Cards

Posted on December 19, 2025 by oldmainer

I was always fond of Hallmark Card’s slogan “When You Care Enough To Send The Very Best” because for years, they really were. I don’t say this so much for the cover art, which was good, but more for the verses and sentiment contained within. My wife and I always shopped for greeting cards together because we shared a belief that a card was like an extension of you and, like a gift, showed you had given some thought to the purchase.

All this of course happened when people actually sent cards since there were no real viable alternatives other then perhaps a hand written note, unlike today when technology has intercepted the process and streamlined the act of remembrance. Today, we can quickly slap together an email or text message, add a clever AI created imoji or GIF and hit send. The benefit of this is you can totally forget the event until the day it takes place and still “get er dun”. I’m guilty. I use them all the time. But when it comes to family and close friends, I opt for something more personal and sincere. That is why I still send greeting cards to special friends and family.

I mention this because I have just done my Christmas card shopping and found it to be a tad more difficult then it once was. I suspected the selection may be smaller due to what has been a dramatic decrease in sales and maybe the price of a card being $5.00 plus. But once I started my quest, I found the selection to be massive, with perhaps one exception. I could not find a card that said “To Brother”. However, if he was married, he was OK. They have cards for Brother and his Wife. They also have them for Mother, Father, Sister, Sister and her husband, Aunt, Uncle, Grandfather, Grandmother, Grandson, Son, Daughter, Wife, Husband, Thinking of You, To Someone Special, Across the Miles, from the cat or dog,, to the cat or dog, from the cat to the dog, etc.

Now, Gray is kind of a small town. We don’t have a lot of (any) large stores carrying a variety of products except our grocery store, so I stopped there first. No luck. At first, I thought maybe there had been a run on brother cards, but all the categories were labeled and there wasn’t one for brother. So I moved on to the Dollar Store. They had one. On the cover it said “It Is Christmas and I’m Your Brother”. On the inside it said “Deal With It”. Not exactly the sentiment I was going for, so I decided to look elsewhere. I went to Dollar General and finally found Christmas cards on the end of an aisle. Santa has more reindeer, so I again moved on. I bit the bullet and drove the ten miles to Windham and Walmart. The selection was huge and they did have one Brother catagory. It was empty save an envelope.

Disappointed, but not deterred, I decided to stop at the grocery store next to Walmart before returning home, defeated. And there it was. One card. One sentiment. One card that said what I wanted to say.. My heart smiled. So did I. There is a Christmas Fairy. He/She works for Hallmark in a little obscure room, creating verses for a smaller and smaller audience. I hope they are around for a long time. Or at least as long as I am able to continue to pursue the practice of sincere wishes.

P.S. If you don’t get a card from me, I still want you to have a Merry Christmas.

P.SS. This post counts as a festive effort, right?

Posted in Christmas, Generations, History, Perspective, Random Thoughts | Tagged , | 3 Comments