Author: Quixote

Once, a customer and his wife visited me on business. They struck me as nice people but their home was some 1500 miles away so there was no chance to get together socially. Over the next year, we ended up doing a little business and at some point met once again for dinner when they visited New York. I recently learned that, sadly, the fellow died. I dropped his now widow a note and received a warm reply. I feel like I have one more friend out in the world.

Last night I played for an English Country Dance on Staten Island with two other musicians, a pianist, a recorderist, and me on mandolin. It was a lot of fun. They were mostly rank beginners and the dancers were a somewhat small group, but they were clearly having a lot of fun as were we, the band.

There are few things so joyful as dancing to 300-year old music, performed live.

I know I’ve said this before, but music and dancing consistently remains prime evidence of a friendly universe.

Q

My goodness I’m lucky.  I mean that in the scale of things, I’m lucky.  Today I bought an “Instant Pot” electric pressure cooker to replace my old crock pot and maybe one of my two rice cookers.  I don’t need it, since I had those items, but in a small Brooklyn apartment, it’s more about saving space.  Saving time too.  Word is, it can cook a lot faster than my crock pot “slow” cooker.  Anyway, it’s fun to have received it in the mail.  I’m happy to have it even though I haven’t yet used it or even unpacked it!

I’m so lucky to be able to get pleasure from something like that. So many people in the world are so much worse off.

Evidence of a friendly universe: peace and sufficient prosperity in my own home.

Q

A lifeguard who works for my swim team frequently blasts old school rock and roll while we swim.  For me, and probably for many of us, the music dates back to high school. For me that’s not a terrible memory. At any rate, it’s fun. And this particular lifeguard always seems to be glad to see me. It’s a bright spot at six in the morning.

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Yesterday, my girlfriend brought me dinner as well as something I could put in the refrigerator for breakfast.

I think that might be “as good as it gets.”

Q