B E B E R E

Got another letter from my little brother. When I receive one, it's usually the highlight of the day (if not the week). The sense of humor is shining out more; his writing is improving dramatically. He assured me that he did indeed quit smoking, though that's because it's not allowed at his facility.

Was kind of funny to get his letter, as I'd just gotten back from posting a special dispatch to him:

"Little Bro: Had to drop some stuff off at the post office. Got to thinking of you, so picked up some nifty-looking moose envelopes. Silly question: you don't have moose (not you personally - more of a general question) in the mountains nearby, do you? It's more elks in your neck of the woods, isn't it. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway - the best thing about the (outdated) envelopes is the color scheme - green and black. Very evocative of nature. Love, too, how this is enhanced by the turquoise + silver of the 2 cent stamps the nice postal lady had me affix.

Am sending along some koi cards as well.



(These are what I normally write my weekly dispatches on.)

Don't know if they'd be handy. Are awful pretty, though.

Bought my first pint of local strawberries today. They're tiny compared to the California ones, but very red and with so much more flavor. Kind of expensive, but they're a treat one doesn't have to feel guilty indulging in. Besides, their season is so short (6 weeks tops) that you can't really break the bank too badly gorging on them. Also got a quart of whole milk from a local dairy to serve with them (why the heck not?).

Am still slogging through the book I picked up about Eleanor of Aquitaine and the four kings in her life: Philip Capet (her first husband - King of France), Henry Plantagenet (second husband), Richard Coeur-de-Lion (second son) and "Bad King John" (aka Lackland John) - her youngest son + the one about whom the Robin Hood Legend arose. **Richard had an older brother - Henry - who was the heir to the throne, but he died before he could actually take over the throne from his father. Anyway - am right at the end of things - Richard is taken hostage by the Holy Roman Emperor while returning from his crusade. Eleanor's (now in her late 60s - early 70s) running herself ragged trying to come up w/ransom and hostages to free him. All I can think is that she must have been one heck of a force of nature. (Outlived her two husbands + two of her sons as well.) Am trying to figure out what to read next: Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War, Tacitus's "On Germany," or something on the period between Napoleon I's reign and WWI. (You might say that I'm on a bit of a history kick.)

Nothing much else is new aside from home repair stuff, some bird watching and some knitting. Would like for the weather to get better so I could spend more time in the garden. Maybe hike more and even go to the beach, too. Too rainy to do any of that, though. Oh well.



Really, it's the thought that counts.

Okay, onward. You keep taking care."

***

His Birthday's coming up soon. Found that I could have a book or two sent directly from Amazon. Am giving that some thought.