Three Beautiful Things 08/05/20: S-L-O-W, Cold Food Redux, Learning with Gibbs BONUS A Limerick by Stu

I played jazz by Art Tatum all day long.


1. I really slowed things down today. I took care of some household money/business things, worked a puzzle or two, read an Ed Yong article in The Atlantic, and relaxed much of the day. I'm hoping with cooler weather in the forecast for Thursday, that I'll get out and be more active. Also, Billy Collins returns after a two day hiatus from his M-F broadcast and I look forward to tuning into that.

2. Again, today, with the temperature climbing into the 90s, which seems to be a breaking point for me, my appetite for cooked food all but disappeared and so I enjoyed a cold dinner of peanuts, black bean and rice salad, pickled red onion slices, celery and carrot sticks, sweet red pepper slices, sardines, and saltine crackers. It might sound unimpressive, but this meal was perfect for me today.

3. I don't know how dogs think, but I'm going to write as if Gibbs has a mind at work. Gibbs seems to think that the short hallway outside the bathroom, Vizio room, and bedroom and the interior of these rooms are all acceptable places to relieve himself. He also seems to think the area just inside the front door is also acceptable. So, Debbie bought a folding fence that's light, easy for us to manage, and, thank goodness, a Gibbs deterrent. Since putting up this fence, Gibbs has done all of his business out back. Today, he sat near the folding fence in the living room. Debbie told me she thought Gibbs was waiting for me to emerge from the Vizio room. I said, "Naw. I think he wants to go relieve himself in the hallway."

Debbie, "Oh my God! Of course!"

She quickly hustled Gibbs outside and he did his business. Now I know to step in and lead Gibbs outside if he's sitting by the folding fence. It didn't register to me today to take action. I'm slow sometimes.

The three of us are getting to know each other better all the time.


Well, believe it or not, August 6th in National Gossip Day; I looked it up and it's not a day to indulge in gossip, but a day to examine our habits of gossiping and to contemplate the harm gossiping can do.


In this very spirit, Stu wrote a limerick:




Whispered quiet so not heard what they say.
Hurtful words that can ruin your day.
Not a care who it pains,
Said for just social gains.
How could you ever celebrate on this day?