RUSSIAN AROUND

Hey. What's up? I am, finally; but not after running all over town this morning, not getting any packing done, getting all wide awake and then falling into bed exhausted and then not being able to sleep. NyQuil to the rescue. Makes waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed more than a little bit of an impossibility. So now I must rush to shower and eat and off to work again. I need a vacation.

If you're feeling inclined, mail me your address and I'll send you a post card from Martha's Vineyard. Do it soon, I'm leaving early Friday morning.

This was so cool: I was in the grocery store this morning. I was attempting to return my basket to the stack inside the front door. This darling little old man, probly aboot 85 or older I would say, was bent over the pile, filling the top basket with an armload's worth of items. I stood watching him aboot two feet away, waiting. Might I add that I love old people in a respectful, admiring way. When he realized I was standing there, he looked up at me with a twinkle in his eye and a big grin and pronounced "Hi!" in a way that made me think he recognized me and was glad to see me. I said "Hi!" back, as enthusiastically as he had. He finished filling his basket, looked back at me and said "How are ya?" to which I answered, "Wonderful. And you?" Still grinning, he said he was great and rewarded me with a big old wink. He lifted his basket from the stack and I replaced mine. I winked back at him and then I smiled the whole way home.