Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

This morning while we were waiting for my friend’s wife to finish her medical appointments we were in search of the perfect eclair.  Chuck had four addresses of bakeries and a map of New Orleans to guide him.  He has lived here almost a decade and had not found a bakery that makes a really good eclair.  The ones found in the supermarkets were always inferior so we were in search of the perfect eclair.  We found three bakeries and bought their eclairs plus one Neapolitan.  I told one clerk that we were going to critique her eclairs.  She just laughed and said, “Go right ahead.”  Tonight the eclairs will be our deserts.  We will split them three ways and then make our judgments.

Tags: "the perfect eclair", bakery, dessert, eclairs, my friend, Neapolitan dessert, New Orleans, supermarkets, vacation
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The weather was absolutely gorgeous. I checked the car thermostat. It was sixty degrees deep blue sky without a cloud in sight. I was running to the store for a last minute errand and quickly realized the silk shirt I had on was too warm and I had to take it off. I was going to see my friend Chuck and it was going to be at least twenty degrees warmer in New Orleans. I immediately put a tee shirt on when I arrived back from my errand. I was excited. I had arranged to have a window seat on both legs of my journey today. Vacations are usually another “world”. For a short time you enter someone else’s reality. We can get so used to our own and not see what is directly in front of us any longer. Vacations in a strange place have a way of jarring you. And that is a good thing. Occasionally, anyway.

Tags: airplane, deep blue sky, God, gorgeous weather, my friend, New Orleans, someone else's reality, tee shirt, vacation, visiting an old friend, window seat
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I like wearing out my clothing.  I have a favorite tee shirt that has holes in it.  I want to wear it until I can’t any longer.  I remember my friend giving me a hard time for my tee shirt had some holes in it.  I really don’t care but he did.  I had to remember he worked his whole life for one company as an engineer.  He simply threw out clothing that had holes in it.  He never lacked for money.  I am torn between being concerned about what other people will think and simply being comfortable.

Tags: being comfortable, engineer, favorite tee shirt, money, my friend, throw out clothing, wearing out your clothing, wearing tee shirts with hole in them, what other people will think
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My friend pointed out I might live till seventy-five–ten more years.  This conversation was kindled by my discussion of buying a digital camera and what kind.  I just get exactly what I want.  Maybe, I will live another ten years.  Maybe, not.  I should get the camera with the features I want.  I do have some birthday money.  It is certain I will not live another sixty-five years so he had a point.

Tags: birthday money, digital camera, I might only live ten more years, life expectancy, my friend, Not getting what I really want is fruitless
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Tomorrow I will see my sister and her husband.  It will only be over a quick meal.  What is unusual about it is it will be in New Orleans–a place neither of us have been before.  It is plain serendipity.  We will meet in New Orleans proper.  For an hour and half at the most.  Then my friend will take me to the airport at Gulfport.  An hour and half is only a kernel of sand in this vast universe yet it is our time.  And time can be so fleeting.  Last year it was Easton, Pa we met for a few hours and that visit included my other sister and my wife.  You never know for sure when it will be the last time.  Each moment has to be savored and treasured.

Tags: family, family visit, Gulfport, my friend, my sisters, my wife, New Orleans, savor and treasure each moment, time can be so fleeting, vast universe
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There were some highlights today.  My friend stopped the car twice and got out.  Once to make sure a turtle made it safely across and another time he grabbed a king snake that was probably two feet long and deposited it across the road.  I was aghast at this.  I don’t like touching any kind of snake.  Another highlight of today was when two wild pigs crossed the road right in front of us.  One was bigger than the other.  I had never seen feral pigs before.  These were only three highlights of this day but it made the day memorable.

Tags: feral pigs, king snake, Louisiana, my friend, turtle safely across the road, wild pigs, wildlife
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We went to an natural preserve where the endangered red cockaded woodpecker frequents.  I got tired of walking.  Every step I took would be one more step back.  There was no loop on the trail.  My friend kept walking and when he came back, he reported seeing a pair.  The board walk went through swamp land.  The woodpeckers like long leafed pine.  To me, the trees were odd because most of them went fifty feet up until they had branches.  My friend said they were common in this area.  I kept looking but did not see any of those woodpeckers although I was happy he saw a pair.  I was glad when he returned to the car and we returned.  I was ready for a nap.

Tags: board walk, everything appears new, long leafed pine, my friend, natural preserve, new area, ready for a nap, red-cockaded woodpecker, swamp land, tired of walking, trail, woodpeckers
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Everything is by grace.  Today is a good day to count my blessings.  I am not in dialysis.  My kidney function has stabilized (the last three years).  It is not good but it is livable.  My wife loves me.  And my two sisters and my brother-in-law (and a friend) sent me birthday cards (and one check).  There is so much to be grateful of–two well running cars and a roof over my shoulders.  There is no pressing financial needs.  And I am surrounded by animals I love (in fact, there are eleven in this house).  I love watching the birds out my window.  And now I am waiting for the first hummingbird to find the nectar I just put out.  My life is not perfect but it is good.  I am aware God does not owe anything.  Everything is by grace.  And He owns everything.

Tags: animals I love, be grateful, bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, birthday cards, birthday check, cats, count my blessings, dogs, everything-is-by-grace, God, God does not owe anything, God owns everything, grade, house, hummingbird, kidney function stable, my birthday, my brother-in-law, my friend, my life, my sisters, my wife, nectar, not in dialysis, pets, two cars
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I spotted it on the edge of the woods last night.  I angled my car a little so my spotlights could shine on it better.  It was dog shaped with big ears.  It did not run away but simply backed into the forest a little.  I immediately called a friend and described the animal to him.  ”Yep, you saw a coyote.”  I was not convinced though and went online the next day to see pictures.  I was puzzled it looked more like a jackal (with its over sized ears) than a coyote but they are not native to this area.  I decided to call my friend back to question him again.

Tags: coyote, jackal, my friend, not native to this area, wildlife, woods
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Someone must be feeding it.  I can’t imagine it can catch fish in the almost completely frozen pond.  Every time I visit my friend I can see there.  The fishing must be awfully good or maybe it is really a statue.

And I am just too far away to determine that.  Or someone is feeding it.  I just marvel that it is always in the same pond and almost in the same exact spot every time I have passed there.  I only go on that road every few months but it is always there.  And now it is the middle of winter.

Tags: bird-watching, birds, blue heron, catch fish, fishing, frozen pond, my friend, nature, statue, winter
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