The Caregiver’s Tales
Tiny essays on life, nature, grief and other things that catch my fancy in the Texas Hill Country. Here’s how it all got started.
Tags
- .River 1
- 290 1
- A Resolution 1
- AAA 3
- AC Unit 1
- ALS 1
- ASCII 1
- Abundance 2
- Abyss 1
- Acceleration 1
- Acceptance 2
- Accomplishments 1
- Aches 1
- Acid 1
- Action 1
- Activity 1
- Adoption 2
- Adrift 1
- Advice 1
- Again 1
- Agarita 1
- Age 7
- Ageless 1
- Ages 1
- Aging 6
- Air-tags 1
- Aircraft 1
- Alexa 1
- Aliens 2
- Alone 3
- Alvin 2
- Ambition 1
- Ancient Seas 1
- Anderson Fair 1
- Android 1
- Angels 5
- Anger 2
- Angles 1
- Animals 1
- Ankle 1
- Anniversary 2
- Anticipation 6
- Antiviral Meds 1
- Anxiety 2
- Aorta 2
- Aortic 1
- Apartments 1
- Applesauce 1
- Appointment 1
- Apps 2
Bipartisan
I have a spreadsheet called John’s Timeline. It runs from the year I was born to the present. It has schools I attended, places I’ve lived, jobs I’ve held and that sort of thing. To help me delve into my past, I’ve also included data about world events.
May Day
After Russia, the other post war enemy of note was China. When Mao defeated Chiang Kai-shek, with the help of Russia, there was a big row in the states about who lost China? As if China was ours to lose.
My Enemy
The reunion is over and I’m back to my journey through the history of my world and my life. We left off with World War II. We won. Defeated our enemies. Started rehabilitating them. This allowed us to get back to fighting an old enemy, communism and in particular, the Soviet Union or Russia.
Reunion 2
The final reunion is in the books. Anything we do going forward will be informal. I suspect there will be some of those.
Reunion
Speaking of way back. I’m in Houston for my 60th high school reunion. Although to be absolutely clear, we’re celebrating the 60th anniversary of our graduation from high school. We haven’t actually had 60 reunions.
Way Back
I’m going backwards a bit. As I mentioned earlier, my initial conditions were family, church, and World War II. But the latter inevitably led to the First World War. Why? Because my grandfather served in the 32nd Field Artillery and went to France.
A Digression
History can be boring. One of my high school teachers, a football coach, taught history off mimeographed sheets where we filled in the blanks. But generally speaking, I always thought history was a great story.
Aftermath
Here’s a weird thing about memory. Italy was part of the Axis. But sandwiched between the evils of Germany and Japan, Italy came off as an almost accidental villain.
The War
In my youth, the Second World War was almost as real to me as it was to those who fought it.
In the Beginning
I was born in July 1946 in New Orleans, Louisiana to a mother from Ohio and a father from Texas. I tell you this because we all start somewhere, and those initial conditions are important.
Dear Reader
I’ve been doing this for ten years, starting in 2014. Getting up. Almost every morning. Writing a few words. Posting them. First on Facebook. Then, in 2020, on my blog
Hiatus
I’m putting up the pen for a week. Taking a break. No real reason except it just feels right.
A Lesson
I have a touch of dry eye. An outflow, no doubt, of my recent surgery where I was immobilized for the better part of two weeks. I fell under the lure of the small screen and watched too many videos.
My Sweet Tree
The biggest of the two chinquapin oaks is still largely a tree of bare branches. It’s odd because all of its brethren in the yard, lacy and burr, are on full display.
Thistle Words
Rain is a weeders best friend. We had a big one on Tuesday, more than an inch. So, yesterday, after writing about my new enemy the Musk or nodding thistle, I had a beautiful morning with my turning fork digging up the pests.
Weed War
I have a new enemy in the war of the weeds. The Musk, or nodding thistle. It has a beautiful, large, purple bloom. It has hyper aggressive leaves and stalks.
Shadowland
Yesterday I watched the passing of the moon between the earth and it’s sun. And for the briefest of moments the moon outdid the sun, and there was darkness upon the land.
Sky Day
I slept hard but not so long last night, and there were no dreams I remember. It was just the usual. Asleep at ten. Awake and two. Asleep at four and awake at six.
Dreamland, Again
I slept hard and long last night. It was a night of vivid dreams. I still see the fragments of them this morning. I was busy in the night and my dreams were rich with detail.
Thoughts
We went to the viewing yesterday for the recently departed lady who cleaned my home. She was 57. I have no idea why disease claimed her so young. I have no idea if she regularly saw doctors. I have no idea if she had health insurance. Basically, I have no idea how she lived her life.