We made huge progress on the last few details of preparation. Steve gave our little blue bug a face lift by adding red and black spots to the blue background. I finished all the potting and planting, cleared the patio and put all the tools away. Plus, I mowed the entire yard again. Then swam 100 lengths. And grocery shopped. Sunday will be a day of relaxation and no gardening!
The best part of the day was book club at Kate's. We read Salt, Sugar, Fat by Michael Moss, who won the Pulitzer Prize. Very few of us finished reading, but benefitted tremendously from the reading and discussion. The book focuses on how food manufacturers hook us by adding sugar, salt and fat to foods so that we become addicted. Our society is increasingly mobile, preoccupied and busy, we have become a nation of grazers. Families don't cook as much as when we were growing up or even when we were raising our children. Rather than eating three healthy meals, people bounce from snacks to convenience foods, to take out. It's no wonder that obesity is epidemic!
Kate always creates a relaxed and friendly atmosphere so stories start pouring out. After a few folks left, Pam mentioned that she hadn't seen any bats lately. That comment unleashed a dozen hysterical bat stories.
Years ago, when Justin was about fifteen, a bat flew in the back door, swooped around living room, then disappeared into the space between the log wall and the ceiling. I figured there was nothing we could do until it reappeared. The next evening, we were sitting on the sofa watching tv, waiting for its inevitable reappearance. Suddenly, the bat flew out from between the couch cushions that I was sitting on. It zoomed around and around but it was so high that we couldn't get close to it. I finally sent the boys to bed and closed myself in the bedroom to read. Where was Steve? Not home.
Not long afterward, I heard a scratching sound and the bat found its way into the bedroom by creeping along a log. It flapped around the room just over my head. I ducked under the covers and called for Justin. When it paused for a rest I darted out of the room and we hatched a plan.
I was afraid it would scratch or bite us or get caught in our hair. We donned rain coats, grabbed badminton racquets and put laundry baskets over our heads. Then we reentered the room, opened the window and swung madly at the poor bat. We got laughing so hard that we threw caution to the wind and took off the baskets. Finally, the bat must have sensed the cool air and flew outside.
On a serious note, the Supreme Court ruled today that Section Five of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is unconstitutional by a vote of 5-4. John Roberts justified the ruling by writing that the country has changed. Certainly not enough! There was a huge uproar this weekend when General Mills released a Cherrios commercial that featured an interracial couple.
Two hours after the ruling was announced., Texas acted to limit the voting right of minorities.
Tomorrow, the ruling on DOMA and Prop 8 is due. Millions are holding their collective breath.
Little Blue Bug
Potted, waiting to be positioned.
