The Mouse

(The photo, which I took on one of my recent "shade hikes," has nothing to do with "The Mouse," but I liked the arrangement when it caught my eye, so I snapped it)



Where shall I begin? Ah, that is the question. I’ve threatened to start in the middle and work in both directions, but that never seems to work, does it?


First of all, it’s not easy determining where the middle is ... when you’re as muddled as I am ... and I’m not indicating that YOU’RE muddled. Don’t get me wrong on that.


I’m the one who’s muddled. Don’t ask me what day of the week it is, for example ... unless you give me three guesses, minimum. A little hint would help, too.


So here we are, approaching the home stretch on July ... right? ... the time is flying so fast. That’s my excuse. The days whiz by in such a blur, who can be expected to identify each one?


But I do know this ... It’s Saturday again (It is, isn’t it?) ... time for another installment of “Squiggles.” How can I be sure? Professor Squigglee has stopped shuffling papers, and he’s peering at me over his glasses. THAT’S how I know it’s time for me to get moving again.


-S&G-


REMEMBER JOHN (Florida)? He used to be a regular contributor to “Squiggles,” back when it was an e-mailed “newsletter” instead of this weekly posting.


Well, I heard from him recently ... Earlier this year he celebrated birthday No. 90 ... last remaining member of his Class of 1938, which had 121 members (almost as many as my whole high school at that time).


“This past winter was severe,” John reports. “Our A/C heater unit froze over, and we had to turn the hose on the motor to melt the ice.” (Now THAT’S cold).


-S&G- 


TODAY’S QUOTE: “Do I dance? Never! And why not? Mainly because my feet don’t always follow instructions.” - Professor Squigglee


-S&G-


LOREE (Kansas) went to Wal-Mart recently ... “and found just how little self-control I have. They are marking down all the garden stuff ... annuals, perennials, you name it. Well, I ended up buying several boxes of annuals, since we still have probably close to 90 days of growing season left, and several perennials ... this after I swore I was through planting for the year.”


Then the fun begins: “Just digging a few holes, right after daybreak, will be quiet enough,” Loree says, and ... “Hope the neighbors don’t call the law when they see me digging at daybreak! I can just see it now ... law enforcement literally crawling all OVER the place ... some inside, searching for ‘evidence’ ... and some outside digging up those plants to see if I buried anything else there!”


-S&G-


WALT (Ohio), who has a great touch when it comes to writing formal verse (and I’ve enjoyed hearing his reading of many of his pieces) ... says in a recent e-mail that he has ventured into the land of short stories, a series featuring a family making its way in those years after World War 1. He’s also planning to go to Alaska again in September ... “Taking my long johns, too,” he adds. (Hey, Happy Trails, Walt)


-S&G-


YOU MIGHT want to mark your calendars for this event ... details passed along by HELEN (Florida): August 7 ... the whole world is waiting for ... Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting in August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will culminate on August 27 when Mars comes within 34.65 million miles of earth. Be sure to watch the sky at 12:30 a.m. on August 27. It will look like Earth has two moons.


-S&G-


TODAY’S POEM: My computer had a little trouble waking up on a recent morning ... I guess we're becoming more alike ... I say "a little trouble," but that translates as BIG TROUBLE for me.




I'm still struggling to understand the electric typewriter (anybody remember those?) ... and, no, the first typewriter I used was not really a wood-burning model ... it was a standard, mechanical ... clackety-clack ... sturdy, understandable, non-electric typewriter.




When something got stuck, I could usually track down the problem and ... with the help of a paper clip or a brush ... perhaps solve it.




Computers, though, are a different breed. I know nothing about their workings. 




Well, I do know that this one seems to be working now ... (how many times have I thought that, though, only to be wrong?) ... and if all goes well ...




But I digress.




What I started out to talk about was today's poem, based, as are most of mine, on the material at hand ... you know, tangible stuff ... things I understand ... at least sorta ...




Now that I think about it, though, it seems that this particular poem kind of tells its own story, so here goes: 


THE MOUSE


I slept serenely one blustery night
while a timorous sweet-toothed mouse
stole into my house, chewed a jagged
hole in the right-hand pocket of my
old blue robe and took a foil-wrapped
chocolate by surprise.


Discovering the theft, I, Superior
Creature I, smiled at such waste
when my poor pocket was open
all the time.


But who has dined on prized chocolate?
And who stands here holding crumpled
foil while a finger waggles foolishly
from a hole?


(originally published in Capper's)


-S&G-


COMMENT? Feel free ... below, if you like. 


Or if you prefer e-mail, that's fine, too ... especially for more detailed observations, to


 rbrimm@peoplepc.com


... and it helps if you put "Squiggles" or "S&G" ... something like that ... in the subject line (just remember, no religion or politics ... please!)


-S&G-


If you’d like to see what’s up with my other, DAILY blog (no, this is not my “Home Page”),  here’s a link to it:


http://rbrimm.blogspot.com/


Thanks for paying a visit.




-S&G-


UNTIL NEXT TIME ... take care ... see ya!


-S&G-


©  2010