~Wang Wei, The Bamboo Grove
Alone I sit, in the shade of the bamboo trees,
My strings I pluck, then, long and loud I sing.
Deep in the forest, none knows I exist, yet
Comes the moonlight, as ever on me shining.
I once had the opportunity to wander through a bamboo grove. Interestingly enough it was not in the East, but in the South of France. Down there on holiday we took the opportunity one day with our friends Audrey and Peter Lee to visit a Buddhist Monastery somewhere near the Dordogne region. It was a very interesting visit.
We found the Monks very accommodating and kind. On the property was a Bamboo Grove. I have always been a person who loves nature and am open to experiencing and learning new things. I decided to walk through the grove, albeit it on my own. It was fascinating and a tad bit eerie to this girl who is used only to deciduous and pine trees.
The bamboo grew in a large thicket, and whilst it appeared to be dense, you could actually maneuver your way through it. Before too long, I was standing in the midst of these majestic tall bamboo poles. Bamboo doesn't have much of a scent as such, in fact to me it didn't have a scent at all, although those who are more learned might have a response to that statement.
To me what was really fascinating was the sound. It was a light and breezy day and the tall poles of the bamboo trees were clunking together in the breeze, making a type of hollow noise, not dissimilar to that of a wind chime, although clearly not as loud. Plus there was the slight rustle of the bamboo leaf and when I say slight, I mean very slight.
The whole experience was not unlike being in a Temple of sorts, a bamboo temple, peaceful and musical, not jarring. The melodic sound of the bamboo was very settling. I have never forgotten the experience or the sound. And in the distance the song of the Buddhist gong. Fascinating indeed, and an experience I have never forgotten. It is a very peaceful religion.
Well, I made it safe and sound to the mall in Greenwood yesterday so I could go and see what was wrong with my phone. I was there about 9:15 only to discover the shops don't open until 10:00 am in most cases. I walked down to the food court to see if my dad was still there, and he was, so I sat down with him for a while to pass the time. He was quite surprised to see me, but not unpleasantly so. It made a nice break for him, something different. He gets bored a lot these days. He doesn't have the will or the energy to do very much and he is very tired because he doesn't get much sleep. Little things like me showing up at the mall give him a small boost of sorts, something out of the ordinary from his regular day.
Once the stores opened I went to the Bell store and they checked out my phone. It was not my charger, but the actual phone itself. $$$$ Mucho dineros. And of course my phone wasn't even a year old, nor did I have insurance. I had not purchased it because I thought, I am careful with my phone, I don't need insurance. I could have had it sent away and fixed, but then I would have been without a phone entirely, as I do not have a house phone/land line. And so I opted to just get a new phone. Same type, newer model. Of course, I had to pay out the contract on my old phone, etc. I had to buy a new case, cover because of course the ones on the old phone did not fit the new one. It is what it is. I had no other option, so several hundred dollars later (that kicked a real dent in my savings!) I had a new working phone that I could charge properly, and an old phone that isn't much good to anyone really. In any case, I'm sorted now and I have purchases insurance. Lesson learnt. Had I the insurance for the old one, it would have only cost me $100 to replace my phone. DUH.
I had a few errands to run in town when I got back to Middleton. I needed to go to the bank for one thing and transfer some money from the one bank to the other one where I pay my bills. Its complicated, but the one bank which holds the bulk of my money doesn't have a visa debit card. So you can't set up payments from it, not that I have been able to figure out at any rate, and so I have another account in another bank that I pay all my bills from. So I had to go to the one to take money out to deposit into the other. Of course the bank machine was out of order at the first one. More dineros. It costs you $3 every time you make a withdrawal from another bank machine other than theirs. But, again, I had to do what I had to do.
On the bright side, I was able to go to the chemist and make an appointment for my flu-shot. That is set up now for the 2nd of November. Job done. I had been fretting a bit about that. Worried as it were that they would run out of shots and I would have to wait.
And now today I get to go back and pick up my prescriptions this morning and then take the cats for their Vet appointment this afternoon. What's that old saying about there being no rest for the wicked? That's me! Very naughty I think! I must be!
In any case, I had a couple of very hungry munchkins waiting for their dinner by the time I got back to the house. Happy to see me of course They always greet me very enthusiastically. Lots of cuddles and purrs. I fed them and then decided to empty my compost bin and check my mail.
Although we each have our own small compost bins here on the street, the large one is a community one, which means we have to decant our smaller ones into the larger one when they are full. I usually try to kill two birds with one stone and check my mail at the community mail box at the same time. As I got nearer the end of the street a neighbor from down there was out in her yard with her dog and we got to pass the time of day. This is a very friendly street for the most part. We talked about dogs and kittens and gardens. I had seen a rat on my deck on garbage day of the week before. They are Norway Roof Rats. *Shiver*
I will have to put my bird feeders away for a while I think, in an attempt to dissuade the rat from coming. They say you are never more than 500 yards away from a rat. My front desk was a bit too close for my comfort.
On the way back from emptying my compost bin to the mail box, I ended up having a chat with my very next door neighbor who had just popped out to walk her dog.
As I said, a very friendly street. I would rather that than a cold neighborhood where nobody talks to you at all.
Once I got home, without any more outdoor chores to do, I was able to get on with getting myself some dinner, get in a bit of work for the day, etc.
I had just cleaned up from that and my father called. He was feeling a bit depressed and wanted to know if it was okay to stop by and see the kittens on his way to my sister's for supper. I said of course it was okay. And so he did. The kittens charmed him with their acrobatics and antics as always. They know him now and go running right to him when he comes in. That always makes him feel good. Nutty of course charms the pants off everyone with his long white socks and boots and his two white cheeks. Plus he is very gregarious. Cinnamon is a bit more reserved like a lady. She is not as needy as he is, and it shows. I love them both.
Nutmeg
I was trying out the camera on my new phone last evening. Of course the cats were both asleep. It is a pretty good camera I think.
They are like a pair of sleeping angels when they are being quiet like this. Its much easier to take their photos. When they are awake they are moving about too much.
Cinnamon
Awake or asleep, I find them both very charming.
In the evenings I usually talk to my daughter Eileen about 5 pm. That is her choice. They don't usually eat until much later on and so she likes to talk then. She is not one for talking on the phone. She puts a message on Facebook just about every day, "Don't call me on the telephone because I won't answer you. If you want to phone here, phone after 6 pm when Tim is here." And she really does not answer the phone. And so if I need to talk to her it has to be on the messenger on FB and at 5 pm because she is busy looking at YouTube videos before then, lol. She's funny.
I watched a bit of television in the evening and had toast for a late supper. Two slices of multi-grain bread, one with cheese whiz on it and one with peanut butter. It is the same every time. I can be so predictable. There is a comfort in the sameness of each day. I always talk to my dad about 8:45 or so. Not really for very long, just to touch base. I find if I don't, then he will call me and it is often after I am already in bed, so it is just better for me to call him first. I know, I am being a bit selfish.
I usually watch the same things every night. First I watch an hour long show and that is different each night, depending on the night. I hardly watch regular tv at all. Everything good is on too late for me, so I mostly stream. After the hour long show I watch a few half hour shows, again, depending on my mood. I pick between Friends, Seinfeld, Life in Pieces, New Girl, Modern Family and I have added a new one, Cuckoo. I hardly ever vary it although I do throw in a Big Bang Theory here and there just to shake things up a bit. I am usually embroidering or crocheting while I watch TV.
Now I have a decent pair of curtains on the windows, I can pull them shut and turn on the light in the living area.
A thought to carry with you . . .
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
* Four things you cannot recover:
The stone after the throw,
The word after its spoken,
The occasion after its missed,
The time after its gone.
~An old Celtic saying•。★★ 。* 。
In The English Kitchen today . . . Steamed Jam Sponge Pudding, served with lashings of warm custard. Old school comfort food.
Have a wonderful Wednesday whatever you get up to. Stay safe and don't forget!
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