odds and ends, again

 Jackie and I had a nice visit with friends today

    We once went together to church, but Covid hit and, well, stuff happens.

    We had a great time visiting, chatting, catching up.  He has lost a lot of weight and looks really good!  Exeercise and control of his diet are keys.

    The have a split family.  Dad and oldest son are Cardinal fans, Mom is a White Sox fan, only daughter is a Cubs fan, and youngest son seems to like even another team, but I can't remember exactly.

    We only met with dad and daughter because I brought her a program from the London game and a rally towel to wave around when the Cubs are losing.

    As you know, the Perseid meteor showers happened over the weekend.  I don't know about you, but I saw 1.  Yup.  1.

    I have been entranced by them ever since we went to Vermont in the mid 1980s.  We camped (yes, we camped!  In tents!) in a campground in the White Mountains.  That night around the campfire, I saw dozens of shooting stars.  It was incredible.

    Of course, Jackie and the kids had gone to bed and I was sitting with a complete stranger from Boston who was also camping and his wife and kids also went to bed.  He did not want to build a fire just for him, so he came over to mine.

    Ever since then, when August comes along I look forward to the Perseids and every year, without fail, I don't see them.

    Clouds, rain, forgetfullness, all play a part in my missing them

    But this year was different. 

    I sat outside from about 10 to 10:45 and saw 1.

    I was up at 3:30 and remembered peak viewing time was from 3- sunrise.  So I grabbed a blanket, and sat in a chair outside for a long time.  Did not see a one.  Zip,  Zero. Nada.

    Either there were clouds, too much light from cities, or I was looking in the wrong spot.  But I saw  nothing.

    Finally....TC had a Buffett party.  I am the oldest one there, at least 20 years older than anyone else.

    I mentioned Jackie liked watching Bob Newhart for 30 minutes when she goes to bed.

    One of the youngin's had never heard of Bob Newhart!  TC asked if they watched Big Bang.  When they said yes, TC said Bob Newhart was Professor Proton.  They were familiar with him.

    When I got home I checked the original Bob Newhart series, when he was the psychologist in Chicago.  The episode we were watching was filmed in 1972,  50 years ago, for those of you math challenged.

    And TC and I almost at the same time said the Newhart series, whereBob owned an inn in Vermont, had the best ending ever in TV history.

    Unfortunately, we watched the series on Prime and it showed every episode except the last one.  That was a disappointment.

Peace and Love