See You Next Year

It was sometime around those junior high-into-high school years, as we grew taller, that we knew we were aging. When it became obvious while deciding upon a costume & roaming the neighborhood streets that what should be our "trick-or-treat years" was coming to an end/already had come to an end.

I still wanted to be a part of it. Not for the "seeing the kids' costumes" part of it; rather just for handing out the candy. It made me feel as connected as I wished to be. Mom typically bought a bag of this & this. She'd check in with me from time to time to see how many kids had come on by & if we needed to "double up" or "thin out". Basically Mom typically gave each kid one of each mini candy. If we were "thinning out" we'd be giving them just one piece instead of the two pieces. "Doubling up" meant that, depending on how bad it was, we'd either give the kids three pieces, or four pieces.

This was all decided based on how much candy was left in the bowls & bags & how late into the evening it seemed to be, as well as how many kids seemed to be trolling the street. If no one seemed to be out, then I definitely was "doubling up". One of the good weather years (there were a few where the temperature made it extra pleasant to trick-or-treat) I needed to "thin out", otherwise we were definitely set to run out of candy way too soon. And we didn't want to be in a position where we'd need to turn away any trick-or-treaters.

Aside from actually handing out the candy (which meant tossing it into their open pillowcase for them 😁), one thing I truly enjoyed the most, which is something I thought of on my own, was to say, "See you next year." It left many, if not most, completely dumbfounded. Their body language read that they were wondering, "Why'd she just say that?"

Their expression was of complete & udder befuddlement. Some would stop in their tracks & actually ask, "Why?" or "How come?" Through my high school years, up to & including my junior year I'd make this comment most every time a kid approached our screen door. And it was because I could respond, "You'll be trick-or-treating next year, won't you?"😏 "Well, I'll be right here again handing out candy." 😊

They'd nod in agreeing understanding & be on their way. 😕😑 Surely they were wondering, "Who's that crazy lady?"😒 I do believe the effects of my college years were already beginning in these particular moments of my high school years. It was a complete personal growth of sorts; something I'd have never bothered to do before as I'd been avoiding the, "Why'd you say that?" kind of questions I'd surely have received even a few years younger. 😜

Lo & behold, though I've handed out candy in years since high school, I've not said "See you next year." to anyone. This is mainly because it's not been since those simple years of ol' that I actually knew, one year out, that I'd be right where I was, one year later, to be handing out that candy to those kids. 😄

Life's funny like that. The guarantees of life during high school that adulthood doesn't always provide.


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A Couples Costume Party

Probably in the year or so right around when we dressed in our hometown ball team player costumes, a neighbor decided it would make for a good change of pace for the neighborhood adults (& some of their other friends) to dress up for a "adult" costume party. And so they did.

I don't remember all of the clever costumes I heard about soon afterward, & only a photo or two surfaced (just that no one really took that many photos in general for them to be duplicated & passed out). The adults that attended the party came in couples & the intention, I believe, was that their costumes were to coordinate like any of these.

I think I remember the host couple to have dressed up as 50s swing dancers. She, a petite woman, had the figure; he could wear a suit.

In my parents typical style, Mom set to work figuring out which pattern she could find that would be both fun for them to wear & something she'd be able to stitch up simply enough; patterns like this. Somehow Mom came across a sewing pattern for an adult version of this & this.

They did well for themselves at the party & those who attended enjoyed their unique costume pairing. The costumes served us kids well into the upcoming years as whenever there'd be an occasion for a costume, as we'd outgrown any possibilities from our childhood, & many mainstream costumes weren't practical, we'd reuse these costumes over & over.

I remember one occasion of re-wearing Mom's costume. There'd been an event at college where students were encouraged to wear a costume to dinner in the school's cafeteria. I believe it had been our junior year & the friend with whom I'd eat dinner meals hadn't a costume, nor bothered to get herself one. I, on the other hand, had become comfortable enough with myself that I could manage easily enough to sit in the school's cafeteria & eat a meal all the while wearing this silly, somewhat meaningless (it was, at this point, a stand-alone) costume.

She was proud of me. Honestly, I think it was just a low-key costume "party" as I didn't get any type of bonus or prize for wearing the costume. I had a general growth within recognizing in myself I'd become strong enough to do this sort of thing. Minuscule as it may seem, at one time this would've been a rather monumental happening for me.

Apparently it's true, not everything each of us learns while away at college (appropriate or inappropriate 😂) occurs in the syllabi or even in the classroom. 😃



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Halloween Hometown Heroes

It was probably right around the year that my brother walked down the cul-de-sac on his own to get the "regular size" candy bars, maybe a year or two later, when there was a year that neither of use really had a concrete costume picked out. I was tired of being a princess each year, though none of the stereotypical costumes & characters of our day appealed to me in an I-really-want-to-dress-up-as-that type of costume. So I never did. This is probably also why I spent so many years recreating something that could be considered a princess costume enough to keep ringing doorbells & explaining what I was supposed to be to the (much) older generations answering their doors.

My brother had something he'd figured out to wear for a costume. It may've been the (first) year of the white collar worker, & borrowing Dad's briefcase, or an old one Dad had used to use, though couldn't bear to pitch, because, well, that's the kinda guy Dad is, & also - for use in these such occasions. For me, it was a "dead end" year; I'd nothing.

Weather to the rescue. Rain that is. Yep. 😛 Any other household would've been fretting & reconsidering & knowing that their kids really wanted to get their Halloween candy, & that other kids would soon be coming a-doorbell-ringing...Mom figured it out. We wore these & these & went out as hometown ball players. We already had owned hometown team ball caps. The only thing we needed were rain jackets. At one of the last games we'd attended, rain jackets were the freebie handout - so our hometown team's large size logo had been stitched into the, otherwise ordinary, rain jacket. Mom found them in the corner of the foyer closet, took them out of their fresh-off-the-press plastic wrap, shook them out into their wearable positions, & instructed us to put them on with a simple, "Here, wear these."

They were simple, over-the-head rain slickers, not as cheap as a dollar store poncho, yet not top quality either. After all, they were the freebie handout for having shown up as a spectator at the local hometown ballgame.

We wore whatever we'd worn to school for the day, & added these jackets on top. Jeans, & long-sleeves, & sweatshirts with socks & our tennis shoes. We hadn't gotten into running just yet, so we'd no quality hiking or running shoes at the bottom of our closets to secure our soaking feet from the apparent rain. We did our best.

We looked like ballplayers on break, out-n-about our town, meeting & greeting, wearing our team's "colors" & supporting ball cap. Really, it worked. It probably worked better than most any other partially thought out Halloween costume we'd managed through as kids.

Every other neighbor has seen an attempt at just another princess. Though every other neighbor, an adult themselves, could truly appreciate these rain jackets, might've had one of their own in their hall closet, & knew that it was raining out there, & that any mother on the street was brilliant to have created such a concoction & send her kids out supporting it. Each adult chuckled, laughed, & rolled their eyes a little as they opened their front door for us that year. No "bonus bars", or regular-sized candy bars that year, though I did get to enjoy the expressions of many of our neighbors.

Practical, comfortable, reasonable...Sometimes winning the ballgame (or Halloween) just comes as natural.



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The Early Days of "Hiking" the 'Hood

My earliest Halloween costume memory is as a pumpkin; a costume pattern which Mom would've sewn for us kids to wear & I was next in line. I feel that the pumpkin costume is a frequent & expected one for babes up & through the toddler years. Next, thanks to our family photo album (remember this post?) I've reminisced & been reminded that I wore one of these, in fabric form 😂, while in the First Grade.

Dad was the parent who walked with us kids through our neighborhood, pillowcases in tow as we'd have these in hand with which to walk up each of our neighborhood's front walks.

Mom was the parent who hung back & answered the doorbell when the rest of the neighborhood kids made their way up our front walkway. Mom definitely wasn't the type to sit in a chair in the front yard & await the kids in their costumes. For that matter our family also wasn't one to just leave a big basket of candy on a table or ledge right outside the front door where the neighborhood kids could just "help themselves". She'd have said, "Make 'em work for their candy bars; they can walk all the way to my front door & ring the bell. I'll be waiting for them inside."

She'd have said this while taking care of something, maybe straightening up from dinner - which would have definitely been stew. Apparently us kids were slow to eat our stew so Mom & Dad took to meal planning stew's first arrival of the season on a night when we'd be bound & determined to eat it a bit faster than we would any other night.

My first memories, sans family photo albums, are of these. Although I'd have worn none of these, rather I'd have had the workings of this or these. As the years continued on, &, for some reason, though I'd never felt like much of one, I'd still ultimately decide on wearing a princess costume annually. This continued on for about a handful of years. I didn't get a new costume each year, rather Mom would alter it (not in an I'm-growing-out-of-it sort of way either) in so that it would be a different version of a princess. I remember an early accessory I had was a wand with a star at the end to carry. This was cumbersome (what with carrying this alongside heavily weighed down by the processed sugar inside 😂). Mom would've updated this costume to keep those attributes which instilled the "princess-y-ness" about it, yet made it reasonable for a walk [read: hike for a kid in a costume with stuff] around the neighborhood.

As the years grew on & we considered whether Dad needed to come on his "evening walk" with us (while nodding to all the other dads out on the street too 😁), we'd begun considering more "reasonable" costumes. We'd joke about going as "us - yesterday" (any ordinary outfit which we might've been wearing recently), or "us - while sleeping" (our pajamas), "us - as working stiffs" (we'd put on our best version of white collar workers attire, briefcase-type item in hand).

All of these possibilities were in the name of convenience while walking the 'hood & what likely footwear we could manage that would "flow" with our costume while also being reasonable for the walk/hike. This was hiking because we did live in a neighborhood filled with lots of hills. Mix this with darkness on a school night where lots of other kids were out-n-about & crawling up front walkways & a simple neighborhood walk instantly becomes the definition of a hike.

What might've been the first year we went around the neighborhood without Dad there's a chance I was coming down with something; that I was getting sick. We went down the hill at the other end of our section of street to a flat grade that continued on for dozens of houses. Then we began an uphill. A street with a cul-de-sac at its end was right at this point. I needed a break. My brother suggested I wait "right there" & he'd walk the street quickly & be right back. No matter how much of a frustrating kid sister I ever might've been, this was likely our very first "him & me" on our own outside the house where we needed to make sure the other was as safe & "okay" as absolutely possible.

I definitely felt safe. I don't remember much of those minutes. The weather was fine & reasonable & not too many other kids came on by, although it wasn't silent & eerie either; it just was. 

He reappeared what seemed to be a few minutes later, & we continued on up that hill. I was fine the rest of the way & we didn't cut out from any of what our usual route would've been. We returned back to the house & sorted through our sacks with Mom. He explained the story of walking the cul-de-sac on his own & mentioned a few pieces of candy he'd gotten on that particular street.

What I'd later learn was that, rather than give "mini" sizes of candy, a number of houses on that street gave out regular sized candy bars. I didn't get any of those & therefore we'd no duplicates of them, yet when I'd reached for a piece of candy a few times I'd happened to take these regular sized pieces (completely unknowingly). He was generous & understanding. I'd like to think he remembered the look on my face & my honesty of needing to break for a moment while letting him be on his own & not saying something like, "No, you've got to stay with me." emphatically. That moment on the street, the situation, was a growing one for the both of us.

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Building a Tradition Over Time

Do most traditions happen by accident? 'Tis a philosophical way to begin explaining how I've eventually come to bake a pan of these each time I'm sure I'll soon be seeing Dad. (That is, of course, in order to give the batch to him! 😂)

When did it all begin? A look down memory lane. Back when processed foods were just as much a part of my digestion as farm foods, I'd often make a batch on an almost routine basis. This was a few decades ago.

Having boxes of these stocked up in my house (in great abundance!) began about the time when the local grocery store had a 10/$10 promotion. No, I didn't need to buy ten boxes, though I did. The promotion was too great. Each box, at this - very nearby - grocery store, typically ran at nearly $3.00. (I might be wrong, though I want to say the exact stamped price had been $2.79.) So, yes, I probably should've bought twenty boxes, not just the "pushed" ten boxes.

At the time I was also an ice cream eating feign. (I had worked at Baskin-Robbins less than a decade prior. 😀😋) And I enjoyed keeping these in my cupboard for use atop ice cream when I scooped a serving for myself in my kitchen. Maybe it was the bland appearance atop the batch, because for some reason I felt they needed these decorating it from edge to edge, almost like an icing (which I never did lather atop them as I've never been a fan of icing no matter how thinly or thickly it's layered).

A random family function would come to be & I'd whip up a batch, including these. After receiving praise for the batch, Dad, in his typical style, did point out that these weren't necessary. Over the following months & years I concluded, at least for Dad's batches, that I'd keep these for atop my ice cream instead since he'd rather I left his batch remain plain.

And so the years & events continued onward. And whenever it looked as if I'd see Dad, I'd check on my stockpile as well as checking on the other necessary ingredients, including this. I've been baking these long enough to watch the recipe change over time. The dry mix has obviously been re-engineered as the bake time originally fell around half an hour. Now it's roughly forty-five minutes, & oven temp adjusted from 350 degrees to a reality check of 325 degrees if the batter is to be poured into a dark pan. Also, using one of these versus using one of these is both fundamental & necessary for a decadent, plump, moist, & chewy result, as well as needing a bit of baking time adjustment. This also had to be considered in the revised directions that have been printed on the box's back cover throughout the years.

Now-a-days the box reads to include an additional egg (rather than simply using the traditional two) for a more "cake like" baked result. Dad's toyed with this with his own playing around; I've stuck with just the two eggs from Day One. This has occasionally been two thirds of a cup; sometimes it's half a cup. The amount of water has almost always been just a quarter cup, though sometimes it's a few tablespoons instead.

I've also learned over the years about the best of these. And which to use for a reasonable, plausible result - with the least amount of mess. I've used this; I've used this; & I find this to be best as a non-stick. Extremely lathering in the corners. Corners tend to need special love & attention when baking this recipe.

In just about as many occurrences as the back of the box reads these differences, I've grown & changed & continued baking a box in regular routine for random groups of people, some who I'll likely never see again, some that I'll see too often. Then there's always Dad. I've always continued baking a batch for Dad.

A batch has accompanied holidays, birthdays, & random stops by because I've quick questions or there's something else to pick up or drop off at their house. I don't care to use this for my own needs with the health concerns of it slipping into our systems, though I know Dad's fine with his batch being wrapped up & kept together in it, so I keep a box on hand. I don't run out of it knowing that it'll keep & it'll be good for the next batch, whenever I make it & for whomever I make it, though it'll likely be for Dad. 😉😊😋😍



In my recent perusing's of the internets I happened upon this link, which seemed awful interesting & rather alike to what I've written here, so I thought to include it, because, well, Why not? 😉😁😂😘




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Ring Around the Cake

Mom baked a cake for Dad's birthday each year. I'd always thought [read: assumed] that she'd made it from scratch. I'd assumed incorrectly & I should've known better; it's not really her style. (Though it's important to give her a bit of credit as she did find a delicious, from scratch, recipe for chocolate zucchini bread long before it became the craze that it is today. And, once us kids began scarfing the bread down, she was only too ready to make more loaves since she knew how much zucchini she'd put in the recipe. And she's always been a huge fan of the vegetable too. We weren't complaining; we couldn't taste it. 😋)

What I remember most about that cake Mom made was that it was a spice cake, & that it had these along the circumference. I'd been lead to believe that a spice cake, by definition, was to include these. Almost in the same way that when a baker makes peanut butter cookies, those cookies are defined by the crisscross fork formation imprinted atop them. This is what I knew these to be for a spice cake: definition. Dad likes spice & he'd prefer a spice cake. Mom bought this & made sure to have these on hand...Which wasn't difficult because Dad would've been baking since the first week or so of the school year & used these in most of his recipes.

When I'd have a snack after school I'd be interested in occasionally adding these to the snack. Mom would agree to it, though she'd enforce that I was only to eat those which were broken, since she'd need the whole ones for the display atop Dad's cake. My rebelling may have rooted in these moments. I'd really have wanted whole ones. Just because. I'd just been told I was to avoid them; to not have any of them. Like any other, this made me wish to have at least one whole one. Reverse psychology, perhaps? 😁

I don't remember if I ever did eat any of the whole, unbroken ones, though I do remember similarly eating these. There was a box in the cupboard &, as with these, I was looking for a quick after school snack. I asked Mom if I could have some & was told I could have two because they were in the cupboard since Dad had plans to bake with them; he had found a recipe which included them on the list of ingredients.

Mom was discussing my brother's school day with him on the other side of the wall (the kitchen sat on the back of the house's main floor next to the dining room, whereas the living room was directly off the foyer, which ran alongside the staircase making up the front side of the house's main floor); she'd already discussed my school day with me.

She'd be preparing dinner after she finished with him. I knew this, &, because of my disappointment, that is, because I'd been told to limit myself to only two of these, I kept the box out on the countertop & began enjoying them (though I did keep it closed in case she suddenly walked on through). Due to my bitterness over the count limitation, I finished them & realized no one would be any the wiser if I did eat more. So, I opened the box back up & took out two more. As I began eating, what was my third, I realized since it would appear to someone just walking on by that I'd be eating my first, if I kept one out & enjoyed one, then replenished that one, the one I'd just eaten, before eating that other one, the one I'd kept out - then, whenever I was "spotted" or "noticed" (whenever Mom would finally walk into the kitchen), I'd still have one more remaining that I could have when I'd have to officially have the box closed up & put away for Mom to begin prepping dinner.

The flaw in this plan was that Mom continued talking to my brother about his day for many minutes more than my "plan" had been unofficially set. I must have eaten around a dozen of these &, still having that one sitting out of the box as a spare, Mom still hadn't come into the kitchen to "interrupt me". I got to the point where I'd had enough. Between feeling full & being generally discouraged from a "rebelling" plan gone wrong, I'd completely lost all interest. Big. Time. Bummer.

And no one ever did notice, question, or ask about this incident; my eating an additional ten or more never affected Dad's baking or anything else.



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Walking in Stride

Dad's never been a runner, though he's been a strong advocate for fitness, exercise, & movement in general throughout our lives. Hiking while on vacation (camping! 😍), backyard badminton, occasional neighborhood walks, & some other times too. He's definitely always loved a good walk.

I recall one Memorial Day Weekend camping trip where we'd hardly even been set up more than a few minutes - in fact - I don't recall us being completely set up - I think the party lights - Dad's favorite (remember this post? 😎) - & the camper's awning - had yet to be put in place. Yet Dad wanted to make the most of the day - well, probably the weather - maybe me & the age I was at that current moment. We didn't go far. Just a quick stroll (I really want to write "down memory lane" right here 😂 - it feels so appropriate, & yet, well, we didn't; we hardly spoke at all during this stroll) around a portion of the campground which cut into the area where our campsite was situated.

I also recall back when I running [read: jogging] with the cross country team in high school, & I'd see Mom at the top of the final hill, where I so desperately longed for her to be at the bottom of the hill, the bottom of the stairs below the hill, & at the sideline of the track where our school's cross country course happened to finish. I'd have no energy, though I'd still do my [pathetically] best to motion to her & weakly (cause I really was worn out) cry out, "Go down. Go down."

To which she'd reply in a, 'Gee, I wish I could. Though with my knees...' tone, "Dad's down there. I'll be able to watch you finish from right here where I'm standing. I'm proud of you. You're doing so good." She was right. She could see me from where she was standing. She could watch, pretty much, all of the rest of the event & all of the camaraderie from that spot, though there was some minor tree blockage. And I'm sure it was relatively difficult for her (although she never focused on making any changes in order to make this situation any different) because she couldn't be right there among the other mothers who'd managed to come out to the school & the track to support their sons & daughters listening to their chatter & contributing to their conversation. I think so at least. From where she "had to" wait it was a bit odd, though it was an unspoken understanding since it was obvious she wasn't able to be standing alongside her husband fully supporting her children as they participated on their team. Also, I'm sure that Dad filled her in on the scene as he saw it in order for her to "keep up with the Jones'" among the team's parents.

Dad was there though. He did come down to the track. I'd just completed another 3.1 miles & I'd accomplished that. He knew that I knew he was there for me & if every other teammate was too busy & caught up in their own conversation (remember I was the last one & many might have already been on their way with the remainder of their day) I could count on him if only for a jovial, "You made it!" "Good job!" "You finished!" and generally just being present. And sometimes this moment would also include a father/daughter hug. (Did I mention I'd have been rather sweaty & he'd have been in his work clothes? ...Which would have been a dress shirt, Dockers, & likely a tie too.) He did his best. He did what he could within the limitations of what he had available.

At a time, years later, Dad & I decided to optimize that same track. With me running & with him walking. I ran & we paid attention to see how often I lapped him. I think, during that "event" I ran two miles. I also think that during that "event", I lapped him twice. I probably didn't use the opportunity as well as I could've. It's only been in more recent years that I've done better with paying attention to my form & goals while I run rather than allowing my mind to dilly dally...Which is what happened that day, resulting in my not making the most of it, & not working better to lap Dad more frequently.

*****

Since Dad's retirement he's joined in a walking group that meets up at a local park. They use these (each member purchased whichever model worked best for their personal taste) to calculate their distance & steps & track miscellaneous information. There are prizes for various accomplishments, which, as any ordinary "group" might need, is their overall motivator.

He kept at the group for quite some time & knew that he needed something better than what he'd been managing with since he'd joined. He also knew that if he gently mentioned it to me, I'd likely work on figuring out something for him. That I did. 😊 Yep. That's exactly what I did do. I worked on some homework to pick something that'd likely work best for his situation. I cross referenced with a few brick & mortar stores. Then I selected this & had Amazon mail it directly to him. He responded with a quick (that's his style! 😊) & joyful email that he'd received the package & it was just what he wanted.

I won't lie. 😏 It did feel good that the homework efforts I put into my purchasing decision were all for the good. 😄



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Birthday Bingo

Along with our family's birthdays being nearly exactly spread out over the course of the calendar year, another unique & unplannable coincidence that existed in our family is that both Mom & Dad's mothers were born on the same date of the month, just different months. And Mom's mother's birthday happened to fall within a week of Dad's birthday. I never knew either of my grandfathers, they both died before Mom & Dad were married, though I had the great pleasure of knowing both of my grandmothers, who, generationally, could've been a mother to the other one; that's how far apart in age they happened to be (likewise with my grandfathers).

In my opinion gifting women is significantly simpler than gifting men. Maybe it's just the men in my life, though. Mom made it easy in that anything dealing with sewing, crafts, & decorating would work as a "fall back" for her if I couldn't come up with anything else. Dad wasn't like that well, because there weren't a lot of options to get someone who was into gardening & genealogy. Dad didn't fish, sit in front of the television with a beer & watch sports, golf, bowl, & I'm sure that I'm forgetting at least one more stereotype I spent my childhood observing on the front of most every Hallmark card option for Father's Day. (Where I struggled very much with card options! 😞)

He did sit in front of the television each time his hometown football team took to the field, though that's pretty much been his only spectator sport. And he wasn't "the guy" holding a beer; that's never been his beverage of choice.

Getting a gift for Mom's mother wasn't all that difficult either. And it wasn't even because I'd be gifting a woman. Grandma had a hobby. She played bingo.

I'm sure that we didn't all gift her bingo paraphilia each year, although winning options would be these or these. She'd definitely use them & neither lasted 😂. So, even as a routine gift idea, they worked well. Another of Grandma's favorite things to keep around, especially when she'd have time to just sit, would be these. She'd be sitting if she was waiting on someone to pick her up from the bus station, or when she was trying to stay out of our way during a visit, whenever we'd be trying to accomplish something we'd be completely used to doing...She'd know that by her sitting on the side of the couch, under the lamp, that she'd be well off & out of the way. We knew she was having fun figuring out her missing letters.

*****

The image link isn't the bingo bag Grandma used, though it's similar as I recall. Mom sewed the one Grandma used. Mom wasn't into quilting as she is now, so it lacked the true "quilted" aspect, though it was handmade & most definitely with love from daughter to mother. 😍

Grandma had a bingo hall to go to most every night of the week. She'd play quite a spread of cards at once. And when things came up to pick numbers, she'd use her children & grandchildren's birthdays. She'd get so excited to share with us when she'd win something with our birthday digits.

Playing bingo was her social event, though it was also a source of income for her too. She didn't win all the time, & the winnings weren't all that big, though they were something, & that "something" helped her out. Playing was her social event since these were the years since her family had either moved away or passed away. And those others who'd be at the bingo hall too, she'd share about her growing family, (& of their growing up too) & she'd learn of the stories from the regulars around her as well. She'd have our annual school photos handy & she'd be able to show the small group she'd befriended who she was talking about all the time.

And then the night would come to a close & she'd be on her way back to her little ranch house where she'd likely watch sitcoms after the nightly news until a new day began; she'd eventually find her way to her bed where she'd be until she couldn't resist the morning's sunrays any longer.



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Maps, Addresses, Genealogy, & History

In my quest to obtain books for Dad, I managed to find two other books which I think might be just right for the both of us to thoroughly enjoy "together". This book, because it's discussion is about a time the nation went through a vast change; &, after reading the synopsis on Amazon's page, I initially thought that  there seems to be an entire high school history class' year's worth of lesson plans encompassed within the pages of this book.

This book also, because I'm personally enamored by all things location, maps, zip codes, & geography in general. Each of my professional positions have, happenchance, dealt with addresses, more specifically & more frequently, maps. I've typically either utilized a map, or numerous maps together to respond & provide feedback & assistance to a co-worker, customer, client, what have you, or created one (from a program) in order to enhance the product of what my employer was expected to include when submitting an assignment. To this end, I've also found that any position, any career for that matter, where I'd be working to a great degree with maps & addresses, would be one where I'd be "right at home" as well as successful & worthy talent; a great attribute to that company.

I've also found it fascinating how zip codes were established around a city, in that the towns, as they "pull away" from the city, in an alphabetical fashion, the last digits of their zip codes were applied in order. Many towns are merged, or identified by other names, & therefore this "labeling" fashion can easily go unnoticed...unless someone's intrigued & considers it. 😊 There's an amount of information here on this too. By the by, I've no idea if this book touches on any of this, though I've great anticipation for its possibility.

Dad & I had discussed the television show, How the States Got Their Shapes. He'd said that it was frustrating to him because there'd been so much jumping around. I pointed out that it was T.V. & that's something they've got to include in order to wrap the production around commercials & other, like requirements. He responded, "Ah hmmm..." In a, "Yes, you have a point, & I agree with you, yet it's still an eye-rolling misfortune that it's set up as it is." He may have even rolled his eyes as he responded. He does that often, eye-rolling, that is.

*****

I'd also managed to find in my book stash a number of other books which kind of fit that same profile. Historical, as well as somewhat genealogical, & then there's social history, which taps into my college major: sociology, which is likely why I'd purchased the book in the first place.😊 This is a link to the series, though the one I obtained is Volume II: 1865-Present Fourth Edition.

The two "historical" books might be considered more on the political spectrum. In any case, I picked them up years ago, & when recently sifting through a large load of books in order to best organize them, I came across this book & this book.

The genealogical book, is this book, which is really a book on German village life, (actually that's the subtitle: German Village Life 😊), & as Dad is 100% German, & I've inherited his, rather-obvious-upon-first-glance German cheek bones, I've taken to all-things-German, German culture, German background & history of Germany within that of what would be my family, what would've affected my ancestors "in the old country" & what would've been those things impacting my ancestors into becoming who they were, making the decisions they've made, & thus bringing my ancestors to be who they were by the time the generations got around to making me. All of this similar to Dad's zeal for general genealogical research. Which is probably why he credits to me the greatest likelihood of following in his "family tree" footsteps. 😊

Now, all I've to do is get around to actually reading each of these novelties & then I'll be ready to gift them to Dad. 📚😂



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Borrowing Books Now Birthday Gifts

As a kid Mom had been the parent who was "the reader". She'd go to the library & borrow books all. the. time. The books she'd read weren't always educational, non-fiction pieces; maybe some cookbooks, though I most remember various fiction novels. That's alright; that's her style.

She'd be real good at keeping up with them; she read super quickly. (Definitely the opposite of me, still to this day! 😒) I specifically remember this book, the first book I read, which she'd also read. (Just before me, though she'd returned it & I'd then borrowed it under my name. 😊) I truly enjoyed it & felt like I'd actually read it more quickly, though I doubt I actually did. I began doing something of a book discussion with Mom, only to learn that she'd not technically read the whole book. The beginning had an extensive, informative introduction & there'd been a section after the last chapter where her children had...well, maybe they were commentaries. Mom hadn't read either portion, which is in what I'd begun engaging her...to no avail.😑

Mom had also been the one who'd made the best use of our local library being, well, so local. We kids could easily ride our bikes (easily, because the distance was short, though there wasn't a route to take that wasn't a reasonable uphill), & we did ride them as well as walk to the library quite often. Mom would drive the short distance, &, as time wore on & online book renewal became possible, she made good of that too. She was a pro at going onto the website & renewing those items which she & Dad had borrowed. She explained that she'd monitor the one or two books Dad had on his bedside nightstand for when they'd be due back whenever she'd follow up on her own nightstand's short stack. She knew their library card numbers by heart, or at least had made a desktop side note, & would only need to concern herself if there'd been a hold placed on a item she or Dad had at the house, which then meant it'd have to be returned to the library.

So this was our childhood ... & our adolescence ...

*****

Now Dad's become more of the book reader of their house. If I remember correctly, I believe his being retired had enough to do with that. Mom's still reading books, though she's apparently elected to prioritize quite a few other projects [read: hobbies]. So, alas, it's Dad's library book stash piled next to "his chair" in their finished basement, which maintains & grows as he procures more.

For some reason I felt that re-enacting, if it can even be called that, something of a library system between Dad & I, might be kind of fun. So I set about it as his birthday gift. My theory was that I'd find a book, or books, which I felt he'd be intrigued by & interested in reading, as well, that is, as well I might be. This way we'd "share" the book. Then he'd keep it once I'd read it as I'd be gifting it to him. (I prefer to "neatly" read a book, so the binding would be as in tact as store bought; the book having a "used" appearance wouldn't be a problem.)

The first book I came across to think to try is this book. I'm very interested in finishing it, though I've not yet made the time to do so. I'm a few (very exciting! 😁) chapters in at this point & many things I'd just never thought to think, or even to consider, I've found to be very enlightening.

It's an "historical book" & that is a subject which I know to fascinate Dad. Which is why I looked to the subject in the first place. At the same time I felt as though the story read a bit too off an angle he'd take to (he'd enjoy it, though I knew I could do better), & therefore I put it aside in order to search for others which I'd find more applicable to him & his personality.

🕮 This birthday present project idea is still in progress.😔📚


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A Genealogy Tree

Dad's been fascinated by our family history & studying our family's genealogy, well, forever. At least for my forever. As my adolescent years grew on & we'd be discussing as a family much of anything in this category, he'd also mention lightly, or at least nod my way, that he saw me as the kid who'd follow in his footsteps, perhaps picking up where he's left off on tracking & trailing all those along our family's path of "relativity". Perhaps he's right. 😀 One thing I know for certain is that my style would be a whole lot different. And there are plenty of times when I'm quite certain I'll never work on any of these things, that is, in the spectrum that is genealogy.

Regardless, one of the many times I sat crocheting, I flipped through my Amazon Prime movie watching options & came upon this movie (which is the Amazon Prime link). This link is to the DVD, which I've since chosen to own. I do reach for my technology, I really do; though I'm still far back enough in the generational line-up to appreciate having all things [read: as many things as possible] advantageous to me from a quick & simple reach. Case in point: Spending time outdoors, not utilizing any technology (like running, walking, hiking, canoeing, etc. without even a Walkman available). Taking up a craft (crocheting, most likely for me). Reading a book (the kind that requires the reader to hold bound paper).

So even though I'm still utilizing technology by owning & playing a DVD, I'm not utilizing the internet, & therefore I'm not concerning myself with having it available to me or working from it. It's more peaceful & much less stressful for me; I like that.

Another plug for DVDs, especially this DVD, is that DVDs, unlike movie theater movies, & well, Amazon Prime, & like internet viewing options, contain commentaries (& deleted scenes, gag reels, etc.). I really enjoy watching & listening to movie commentaries. And this movie's DVD does contain an enjoyable commentary.

I came to select this movie because it has the words "Family Tree" right in its title. Family history & genealogy are all wrapped up in us learning about our own family trees. I further found myself watching & re-watching it because of its eloquence, overall message, purity in complexity, & general "softness".

As I type these words I'm dying inside to share many "spoilers" 😜. Especially many from the commentary. The main character's genuine & placid nature also seems to walk the viewer into each scene which makes for a well paced movie as well as a gratifying viewing experience.

One thing I will include, as, since this month's begun, I've re-watched the DVD yet again, is that there's a character who goes by "Leenie", which, as she explains, is a nickname; her full name is "Eileen". The main character tells her, while they're sitting on a bench, not facing one another, outside a building, that her name is "pretty", that both "Leenie" & "Eileen" are "pretty". She thanks him, though she also "nails" the ideal facial expression for "okay?" (read "okay" drawn out, like: okkkaaaayyy] as it's obvious (as anyone knows), that she's not picked these names for herself, & they are, to her, exactly what they are: her names. This moment of the scene makes me giggle. Incidentally, that scene also closes on her saying, "okay" & making that facial expression.

*****

Dad's visited numerous churches, county courthouses, various historical archives, history museums, really wherever he learns that genealogical information is to be had which might add to, or enhance his research, possibly...potentially adding another name stretched out somewhere on the family tree which makes up our relatives. Dad, not a "writer", hand-writer, or otherwise, even writes notes to certain locations when necessary to see what they've to offer, or what insight they can provide along his journey. Many have opened doors & tossed out the red carpet. And yes, a few have practically slammed the door instead.

He found a newspaper article about our great-great grandfather (okay, maybe it was our great-grandfather), who, in the article, was six & had happened to find himself in an accident, a "child's play" accident, which required the removal of one of his legs. This meant that this (however many "greats") grandfather always had a peg leg, as no one was ever aware of a "one-legged" family member.

*****

The movie isn't about genealogy or a family's family tree in the sense that one might think to consider, though I've come to notice the movie's double meaning. The movie includes nothing about any family tree - nothing "branch" related, & there's hardly any "research" mentioned either; yet there's a true beauty, love, & pure sense of family - true family; they definitely wrote "a love of family", & also somewhat, a "loss of oneself", into the plot. Well, I suppose, this actually is the plot 💓😍💗.

After watching the movie, reconsider the image from the main part of the DVDs cover; the portion between the movie title & the actor's images. This gives a good clue & simultaneously provides an "ah-ha" as to the multiple meanings behind this movie. A recreated purposeful tree for any family (of children) "endorsed" by a family tree.

I'm glad I did purchase this movie, because I know I'll definitely be watching it, as well as its commentary, countless more times.



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On Eating Pomegranate Fruit

It's a special month again (although, yes, we're part way through already 😔). This month is Dad's month & there's lots of reasons to be remembering him. I got to the bottom of how to enjoy a pomegranate recently (& I've been eating a lot of them too!). This made me think of Dad who'd happily manage his way through a few a few pomegranates each year to share with his wife & kids.

Memories topped of it being a messy process. One where, even as an adult, wearing painting clothes, if any, seemed most practical as the fruit's juice seemed to squirt anywhere as soon as a knife passed through the fruit's skin.

Alas, video tutorials & more now exist in order to walk the fruit lover through how to cut into the top of the fruit (I'd describe it similar to how one cuts into the top of a pumpkin) & also into the bottom of it as well (in just the same fashion as how the top's been sliced). Running the knife along the fruit's seams might be the most complicated since finding the seams from the top and/or bottom of the [now "open"] fruit can be difficult. (Essentially disregard how the fruit's been cut in the image link for best results. 😂) Minor squirting can occur here, though I've found that if I make minimal cuts, especially if the fruit is rather ripe, simple pulls at the fruit's skin & bending within the fruit's interior, "opening" the fruit works out well enough.

I told Dad about this (though I didn't get around to mentioning just how many pomegranates I've eaten since they became the "in season" fruit in the produce section) when we recently chatted. Really, I asked about eating the fruit when we were kids. He offered that we'd only end up with three or four pomegranates a year because of the effort they'd become.

He didn't say it, though it was understood between us that the "effort" was the mess as well as the time consumption & everyone waiting on him to finish prepping the fruit so we could eat it, which he did enjoy doing. He did not see it as a chore; instead, rather, he saw it as "family time" as well as pleasant & enjoyable.

We hung up the phone line with him telling me he hoped I would have a great day. That was "Dad talk" for "thanks for the fruit cutting instructions". And probably the reminiscing too. 😊

*****

In chatting with others about pomegranates I found myself unsure of what is the actual fruit. Thanks to Wikipedia, from this link I learned that the fruit is what resembles, well, depending on who's looking at it, possibly a Christmas ornament, possibly an over-sized red onion, possibly something altogether different. 😁😏 It's the edible portion which is considered to be a berry. So, there you have it. 😋😂

*****

Dad's always enjoyed fruit. Mom's thought coconut's to be his most favorite. He's never affirmed or denied this, which is only typical of his style. He's had plenty of fruit growing in his yard throughout his adult life, including most every berry: strawberries, blueberries, definitely gooseberries, cherries (so they aren't really berries, although close 😏 ... click here & here for more information on their differences), & I believe raspberries too ... No pomegranate 😂, nor any coconut. 😁 Here would be a means if he'd want to get started.

*****

It's always been a funny thing to me, how our family's birthdays happened into the calendar in a nearly equidistant-apart-from-one-another fashion. I note this because it's Dad's birthday which is "out of sync", yet he's the oldest member of the house in which we grew up. 😂 So technically it's the rest of us that are all a month late. If his birthday only fell in November, rather than in October ... 😜 It's just been one of those weird quirks of the family & it's just as well as it is.



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Hiking Ambition

Following up on my recent writing about going on a hike I'll reminisce about my most recent hiking expedition. It's actually quite the funny story. 😂 And we're laughing already! 😏😊

So I knew just where I wanted to go on the hike & I got myself out there. I'd recently hiked there, along with someone else [read: someone who knew what they were doing & where they were going 😂]. This time, this most recent time, however, it was all me. Yep! And that's where the foul was really made.

I got myself there (to the established hiking trail at the state park) & parked my vehicle. I saw where the start was & I clipped my key onto my clothes. I had on my hiking boots, which had been broken in, having worn them just once before, & I'd also recently purchased a pair of these because they suited well along with the boots much better than my ordinary socks. (Which would be running socks - go figure!) A few of my toes & the side of my forefoot had been slightly crushed wearing my running socks inside my hiking boots, even though the notion had originally seemed quite sensible.

I had ambition running through my veins. I didn't want to take anything with me extra, nothing to weigh me down. After all, I planned to hike out to the main area, hike around the loop, then join back into the beginning section & be back at my vehicle in no time. No time in this case equals roughly an hour & a half. 😜

This would've been nice. So nice that I didn't even pull my hair back. I had planned the hike in the earlier part of the day, before I needed to be off & going onto other time commitments. Before the heat of the day could & would have me, well, getting sweaty. I'd wanted my hair down for the later day commitments, so I left it down in general. An hour & a half hike didn't seem enough to bog me, or my hair, down enough to mess it up that quickly.

So there I was confidently hiking with my hair down, my phone locked up in my vehicle, a sweatshirt on over a simple t-shirt where I'd be able to switch & wear it around my waist if I got that uncomfortable.

Apparently I didn't know much about what kind of uncomfortable I'd soon be feeling.

*****

Things were going well; they really were. Then, a few more turns, slopes & such, & I began considering, 'When might I happen to next turn & see the section that leads back to the lot where I've park?'

*****

I began reading the signs marked for the hikers; they didn't make much sense. Nothing read as a short (less than a mile) hike to any destination, which is what I was due. Early on I'd passed a few individual hikers. I ran into one more set of people hiking, a small family, & as they greeted me I explained my dilemma. They directed me toward where they'd parked their vehicle. Honestly, at that point, I just wanted out.

Sure enough I came to a parking lot. Though it wasn't the one where I'd parked. It was a desolate strip. An inactive, unlined street ran behind the lot which could hold, maybe fifteen vehicles. An older man lived across the way with a few horses that I could see; I did consider checking with him to at least learn what time it happened to be.

After all, I'd left my phone in my vehicle. Where was I? I did have a 4 p.m. commitment I'd eventually need to be getting to. I'd started out at 10:45 a.m. Could it be much past 12:30/1:00 p.m.?

Next two young men came chatting their way out of the hiking area. I'd remembered hearing, then seeing them briefly while on the hiking path. We'd not crossed paths as there was a section where two paths ran nearby one another, within earshot, yet not overlapping.

Turned out the other vehicle in the lot belonged to them. (There'd been two vehicles in the lot when I'd emerged from the hiking path. The other, the small family had driven away in a few minutes before the young men walked back into the midday sunshine.) As they walked toward their vehicle I knew I had no other option & I began walking toward them. I explained how I'd meant to hike the trail & that my vehicle was in a lot, just not the one in which we were standing & chatting.

One of them invited me to study the nearby hiking map. I thought he wanted me to walk back onto the hiking trail. This wasn't going to happen.

Instead he showed me where we were on the hiking map as well as the distance between the sections & where the trail began, which was very near where I began, as I'd begun a bit further out, as in further away.

Oh, & it was 2:30 p.m.

*****

They volunteered (realizing it simply needed to be done) driving me back to my vehicle, wherever that lot may be, on the other side of the park, very near the beginning of the hiking trail.

The driver, he asked me, once they'd told me their first names & I'd told them mine, "So when did you know?" "When did you first start...?"

I was able to answer honestly, "Really, I was able to count my blessings the whole time. When I was getting question marks in my mind, I considered how I was dressed well for the event, I didn't need a toilet, I wasn't parched (I could've used an ounce or two of water, though I really was 'fine'.), I'd eaten two poached eggs on this for breakfast (I favor this variety), so I had the necessary protein stamina. I'd begun wishing many of my locks of hair weren't falling about & I was denying that they were actually in my way as they were, so I eventually decided to braid them back, even as temporary as it'd be, without them being held back in an elastic tie. I re-braided the strands three times (which is coincidence that there were also three strands each of the three times 😉); it worked out."

"What wore me out, if anything did, was swatting. Eventually my arms got tired of swatting at the gnats to get them out of my vision, out of my face, so I could continue on the walk of the hike, basically without inhaling them."

We giggled about this. And eventually found my vehicle...Tucked away, well, right where I'd left it.

I was most grateful to the young men because there was no way to know the next point in time when a park ranger would've been perusing the lot where I'd emerged. And, unbeknownst to me, as the clock had kept on ticking so well, I was due to be somewhere just over an hour once I'd found that midday sunshine.

*****

Sharing this story before the day ended with someone else...Mentioning the gnats & how they began exhausting my arms, I learned that wearing one of these around my forehead (which could also collect my sweat & hold back my hair quite a bit 😏) with a sheet of this rubbed all along it & through it, would be a worthy it resolution.

And, of course, with any simple internet search, possible solutions are plentiful; it's about the swatter finding their best repellant method.



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Recovery, Reminicing, & Running

The temperature keeps on fluctuating. Sinus allergies have been on most everyone's mind (both literally & figuratively 😂). Sinus infections, or for the medical savvy, sinusitis 😊. Keep up on nutrition, fitness, sleep, & overall general wellness; take care of yo'self & these infections don't stand a chance of sneaking up - heck, sinuses don't even stand a chance of flaring if we'd all keep up on all these things just our bodies require & demand of us. We just squeeze a bit more from our bodies than we probably should on most occasions, so our bodies talk to us, & therefore there are these times when these allergies come a-calling reminding us of our vulnerability.

I'm all for natural remedies 😁😍😂. And now that I'm not exactly sleeping ten to twelve hour nights allowing my body to stop yelling at me while I "naturally" cure myself there's some time to reflect & consider the few things I did in order to naturally get myself back into decent health.

I happened to make homemade soup from scratch the day before I began to not feel as well as I expected myself to be feeling. High in protein. Chicken soup. Chunks of ground beef. Scrambled egg dumplings. Oh, and lots of veggies too 😋😍😂.

And I slept. And when I woke up I enjoyed it. I enjoyed that there weather outside those doors. I laced up, & I headed on out. I pounded that pavement. (Sometimes a hiking trail is a viable option too.) I got my sweat mojo going on. It felt great. I stretched (always stretch kids, always stretch! 😂). I felt great.

And I did feel great ... after ... I kept taking care of myself & eating well. I kept pulling out my extra tall mug & enjoying this at least once a day (typically twice 😋😂).

I got myself some potassium. I got mine as a complete snack. Remember kids when preparing to eat a banana cut one from the general grouping, or re-wrap up the top after pulling one away. This way the bananas take longer to age. This kinda explains it too. I got my banana peeled back & I got some of this out & "dunked" each bite. 😋😍 Pure YUM! 😍😋 The snack fills the belly quite well as potassium often does. The banana's potassium is also known for naturally nursing head pressure. If there happens to be any residual headache, the banana's peel can be pressed directly against the forehead in order for direct impact of the peel's potassium.

And I used essential oils too. I used a few I've taken to while I shower. This is one that many reviewers spoke highly of in the comments. Depending on what pressures the sinuses are affecting, this could also be a great, natural, way to go.

Getting back out & pounding the pavement though, that really seemed to be my major magic show. Even going on a hike wearing a pair of these would've made for something really great. Being back in the outside air is how my breathing pattern relaxed & normalized back to a normalcy; resting made the true difference.



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Reflections After Dusk (One Foot in Front of the Other)

These past few weeks I've considered the cross country running season knowing that it's culminating. At this point in the school year those runners whose abilities are best, are mentally preparing for advancing to the finals. Those who are simply a great strength to the team, are sticking to their talent & staying with their personal goals. These sets of runners will gradually separate as this month closes out.

I've also considered the cross country running season because of how much I enjoyed it. Although I wasn't much of a runner, in fact, far from it, ideally said as much to be a "jogger", I did as well as I could under circumstances & knowledge of the day. The cross country team was one of an intimate & tiny nature, much unlike the school's track team, which was fierce & overly huge with random teammates who knew others simply by their face, never their name or grade level.

This "intimacy" fit well with me. We'd finish our school day & head to the track for a two-mile warm-up. Then, a team-wide (both girls & boys alike) stretch, followed by whatever structure our coaches had assembled for that day. We'd complete all of this around dinnertime. Many of us would be picked up by a parent either coming out from the family's house, or straight in from their work day. A few teammates had their vehicles at the school for the day & were able to get themselves on their way. The remainder of our day would be spent replenishing our burned calories & completing our homework for the next school day before heading off to get sufficient sleep.

It worked out great. The time of the year, especially the hours following our high school's school day, made for excellent weather & it typically didn't occur to us until rather late into the October month to consider a sweatshirt; we'd typically be suitably comfortable with just short-sleeve & long-sleeve t-shits.

One thing we definitely didn't need to ever consider: these.

Our school day finished out early enough that there were always enough minutes left of daylight. Of course, for under age eighteen safety purposes, I'm sure there was some concept to this planning. Nevertheless, it was what it was.

Now-a-days I find that running in the eerie hours of the morning to be quite successful. A peaceful bliss when no one's lights are on at home just yet, or -- if they are, they are turning on while passing on by -- they're just rising for the day.

Oftentimes running those same hours late in the day can be important & necessary as well. Especially as we continue to lose daylight & nine-to-fiver's spend their workday "on the clock" during those same daylight hours. Whichever end of the spectrum, something from this list can be important regardless of many a runner's high distain for the apparatus, myself included.

When I first began to look up these items I could only remember the words "neon" & "highlighter". Finally I realized that the key word was "reflective".

I've tried these, which can be difficult because they're bulky all on their own & it can be difficult to layer one's tops underneath them properly. Essentially, wearing them on very muggy days can sometimes be too much of a layer unto itself. And some of them are more "crossing guard" style where there's just too much to them & they get in the way simply by not being simple enough.

I'd think that these would be complicated unless one's waistline lacked any curves 😎; I'd also think that these would shift & offset due to the user's physique, becoming a highly unwarranted nuisance.

These are blue, so they're a "win" in general (here & here in other options/colors), & I suppose they generally captivate me as a most plausible success (they'd be on the upper body & therefore generally speaking visible at eye level to best make use of their intended purpose), although I see them as "sliders" & not staying put on the user's arm/over the arm muscle as intended - despite being manufactured in more than one size, which would create distraction & thereby, frustration.

I've seen these although I'd think that utilizing something that would switch off from garment piece to the next garment piece most flawlessly & intrusively would be most preferred. Besides, I'm not sure I'm convinced that any of these really do assist other's (pedestrians or vehicles) who are out-&-about after the sun goes down, that a pedestrian is close by.

These also made the list. They seem the closest to what I'd find most useful & idealistic. A sturdy & reliable plastic or another concrete, non-moving structure that would clip onto the shoelaces & could be constantly moved & adjusted, &, in doing so, not wearing out the clasp which permits for the moving, providing longevity of the device. This would provide reflection on a user's shoes, all over the top of them, which are what is in definite, constant motion as any pedestrian, a runner, or even a walker, is making their way about - as the day turns to dusk & the sky is simply put: dark. If the plastic's clasp is sturdy enough, then they're a reliable means to the end even though they'd be dangling off of an object (a shoe) that's constantly bouncing, which might otherwise leave the user curious of their security, cause if the object's bouncing that much then it might as well be bouncing right on off the shoe, so not very secure at all. Otherwise curiosity is on this product's reliability (its size). At 1" by 2", I'd think 2" by 3" would be a bit more satisfying & acceptable. Though they do come in four colors...The attachment is a long Velcro strap which is to be cut by the user to accommodate their personal interest. This does seem to have some serious promise, though not what exactly "what the doctor ordered" 😏😉...



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