If you’re among those who, like me, have enjoyed the privilege of breathing for 60 or more years, you’ll understand what I mean when I say, “I woke up today feeling old.”
It goes with the territory. The aches. The fog. The realization that it’ll take a while each morning before the mist lifts, and for everything to get limbered up and working the way it should (or somewhere close to it).
Every day is like that for me now, less than three weeks shy of my 68th birthday. I remind myself that the alternative to aging is pretty unappealing, and so I deal with what I’m dealt.
On the bright side, if we’re open to it, the years deliver wisdom and gratitude. Aging also brings principled intolerance — a sort of old fart’s FAFO, the knowledge that we’re not obligated to put up with anyone else’s shit.
“Don’t poke the old men,” goes the saying. “They will hurt you.”
For me, the very best thing about waking up older is an appreciation for the sunrise. I’ve been a “morning person” for over 30 years, but never have I loved the dawn of each day the way I do now.
Morning has become more than a ritual — it’s a sacrament, my celebration of the gift of
one
more
day.
That’s the only gift that matters to me.
I’m a fortunate man to have come this far. In my own simple way, I remember that each and every morning.
“In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.”
Thoreau
The subject of knives hasn’t come up on the blog in a while. Let’s fix that today.
I introduced the Victorinox “Swiss Classic Paring Knife” to my household about ten years ago. It’s the kind of gemüsemesser (vegetable knife) that that every kitchen needs — cheap, small, light, sharp, forgiving, and dishwasher-safe.
There are two lengths and three blade patterns offered, as well as plain and serrated edges. (A nifty folding version is available, too.) The handles are polypropylene, the steel stainless, and the guarantee lifetime.
And a Victorinox paring knife can be had for less than ten bucks.
Three of them found their way into the motorhome’s galley four years ago. Eventually they ended up in the fifth-wheel on The Mountain, where they served daily until they vanished in The Grab.
Though my cabin kitchen doesn’t suffer from a shortage of blades, I’ve missed having the Victorinox as a utility option. Fortunately, I had a few tucked away, still in their original packaging, and yesterday I got ’round to pulling them out.
Two are the standard three-inch, plain-edge version. The third has a four-inch serrated blade. I believe I’ll keep one in the block and toss the others in the silverware drawer.
It’ll be great having them back in my hands.
What a carbon-steel Morakniv is to woodcraft, a Victorinox paring knife is to food prep. It’s far from the best kitchen knife made, but it’s easily the best value in a parer — a good and very useful knife for very little money.
A storm rolled over The Mountain around 11am on Friday, and it rained hard for an hour. It sounded on the roof like it couldn’t rain much harder. My gauge collected three quarters of an inch.
And then the sun came out. It was a pattern that’d repeat throughout much of the afternoon.
Insulating the cabin walls, which requires dry weather (since I intend to do virtually all of the cut-to-fit work outside), would happen another day. It’s just as well.
Indoor fiddling filled my time instead. There’s always something to do.
The dogs enjoyed a pleasant day in the cabin.
As my day wound down, just before 8pm, I was outside walking Scout. The rain had ended hours earlier.
And then I looked to the west.
Towering thunderheads billowed and boiled, barreling in this direction. I finished up with Scout and quickly got Smudge leashed. Fat drops of rain pelted the Heeler and me as we ducked back into the cabin.
And so our Friday the 13th ended with a genuine gullywasher (and all seven solar stake lights shining bright, by the way).
Happy Flag Day. Happy 250th, United States Army. And happy 79th, Mr. President. #MAGA
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable