My shopping list

I gave a precise grocery list to someone, I'll not mention whom: cat litter crystals; a specific brand of cat food in a green bag and free range eggs.

They came back with clay cat litter I don't use because it sticks between their toes and tracks big white pieces everywhere. The crystals are finer and less noticeable, except under bare feet.

The cat food was in a green bag (1 point) under a label I don't buy (minus 1). I dished up a little for Schatzie and Madchen, and they just stared at it. They wouldn't touch it. I swear I could see them thinking, You want us to eat this *&^^%? I was not forgiven until I brought home Hills Science Diet.

The requested free-range eggs were not. The carton was marked "natural." Natural? What are unnatural eggs? Square?

Memo to self: do my own shopping.

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series

Me and my shadow ready to roll!

My itchy foot steps on the rail at the Batesville City Center. Where does it go? Where does it come from? Now and then I hear the whistle. Does it take passengers?

When we were kids, we took our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the depot in Wahoo and boarded the train for our May school outing. The "Cookie-Pusher" earned its name poking along slow enough for us to explore the countryside. The engine puffed thick black smoke past our window and in it. Stinky. Imaginations ran high. We were Tom and Huck exploring Nebraska by rail. Forget the raft, our water is underground. We had a secret view of the world gravel road travelers didn't. And we had all day to make the trip.

I jumped. "Did you see that?" A lone rabbit zipped along side momentarily.
Sister stretched her neck. "Where?" It was gone.
Mother pointed out, "That's a plum bush." The air smelled flowery. "Jam in the fall," she reminded with a glint in her eye.
Jani leaned over excited, "What bird is that? The one with the yellow?"
Mom stretched to see, "A Meadowlark. Nebraska's state bird."
I pointed out, "There are wild wild violets same as those we picked for our May baskets."
"Girls," Mom called. "There's an elderberry plant. Remember the jelly?"
We nooded remembering how much we loved it. The plant's spread head was green with the beginnings of tiny bursts of flowers. It had all summer to produce berries. We'd wait. Mom's warm-from-the-oven bread, fresh butter and jelly would make our day.

Mom said, "There will always be something new to see and somebody new to visit with."
Really? Jani and I were pretty sure the world ended at the Kansas line. We didn't know anyone beyond it. But the travel bug was tickling us looking for a place to burrow in.
"Where can we go next?" Jani asked.
Mom sighed and smiled wistfully. Living on the farm, our lives were owned by the livestock, crops and weather with a very small window of opportunity in August. Only twice in our childhood did everything workout so we could leave home for a few days. We'd all make up for it in the years to come.

Wahoo is slightly hilly. The approach to the Czech community of Prague is hilly with deep ravines. The train screeched to a stop scrunching cars together. We scrambled to get out and look around.

One wide main street with businesses on either side was it. The restaurant/bar advertised kolaches, roast pork, sauerkraut and dumplings on Sunday. Wow! People eat out on Sunday. "It's Grandpa and Grandma's for us," Jani piped up, "Is that eating out?"

We were running off energy when the round, black-hatted conductor called, "All aboard."
Mom whispered, "Take seats on the other side." We dashed on ahead.
Something didn't feel right. I stated, "There's no place to turn around."
Mom smiled, "You're right. The train has to backup."
"We're going backwards to Wahoo?" Jani puzzled with a frown.
A couple of hours later we were back in Wahoo happy and sleepy from the rock and rhythm of seeing where we'd been. It was a very good day.

At one time three major railroads crossed in Wahoo. No more. Tracks both directions from our local Museum were taken up stranding a lone, yellow caboose. Makes me sad. It would rather be riding the rails, me too. The first weekend in December, Wahoo celebrates Christmas on the Prairie. The Museum, machine shed, an old log house, church, school, mini-post office, the caboose and station are open for touring. Cookies, punch and coffee are served in the Museum. The caboose is cold. When I hosted it, I looked the part in my borrowed full-length fur coat and hat. Traipsing home in the snow was enough to remind me I was glad to live in today.

When my girls were little, they were not allowed to ride the Cookie Pusher, some new rule. We did the next best thing: climb on the ends of the caboose and pretend we were traveling across the praire to the ocean. Mike and Jenna and I walked the track bed, picked up trash, and worked our imaginations on the caboose. Ryker and Aja and I walked the rail-less track bed so they could climb up the loose dirt sides and slide down. Caboose imaginings followed.

I long for a train ride. Have toothbrush will travel.

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series

Batesville, Mississippi

The Chickasaw name for cotton was Panola, the name given to the port established on the south side of the Little Tallahatchie River in 1839. River commerce was limited to three to six months a year shipping commodities, mostly cotton. During the Civil War they had a gun foundry that employed "one people."

It was the summer of 1967 when I first heard the word Tallahatchie. I stopped working and listened to Bobbie Gentry sing "Ode to billy joe" in her haunting, gravely, alto voice smooth and rhythmic as a slow moving river. I felt the heat and humidity, sorrow and hopelessness. Did it really happen, or is it just a song?
Conjuring a picture of billy joe about to jump, I asked JB where the Tallahatchie bridge is. "On the Tallahatchie River."

Per the Chamber of Commerce, the name Panola was changed to Batesville in honor of Mr. Jim Bates, a conductor on the MS & TN Railroad and prominent Methodist Minister. In 1866 the town received it's charter. The well-maintained tracks and bed are still operational under another name.

Today shopping malls and businesses line Hwy 6 running east and west and 51 north and south. I55 cuts across 6. The city center has more empty store fronts than occupied, but it is still worth the look: great crafts, gifts and clothing, a pharmacy, jewelry store, hardware store and restaurant to name a few. A couple of blocks off the square is Court Street Catering. We had a lovely lunch on linen table clothes with Kenny G in the background; a pork chop and scalloped potatoes to die for, lima beans and lemon cake for dessert.

I'm looking forward to a trip to the cemetery to study old stones, soon as the snow melts.

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series

New Moon pull it to me!

In the Mary Kay business consultants are encouraged to put up a dream board with pictures and imagine driving the car,living in the house etc. My sponsor is Teresa, AKA as Glitz she is so charming and beautiful. Cadillacs are earned rewards. She put a picture of a Cadillac CTS on her frig and forgot about it.

She didn't work the plan or even set a goal. Her 'food nose' takes her from city to city following her husband's work. When she tells me what she ate or cooked, there is passion in her voice. Food is more than satisfying hunger, its a sensuous experience. I look forward to making her grandmother's chicken pot pie recipe with fresh sage in the crust.

Glitz's parents have been married 60 years. When she came home, her Dad asked her to come outside. She grew panicked and nervous. "What's wrong?" He just kept walking to the garage and opened the door.
"WOW. You bought yourselves a Cadillac CTS. Good for you!" She exclaimed.
"It's for you," her mother replied.
Glitz was speechless. She tells me, "It's red, cherry red, a trollop car." I love her laugh. I can just see her in it. She will turn heads twice: once for her beauty and once for the car. We have so much fun together and gobs to visit about, if we went on a road trip, or a trip to the store, there's no telling when we'd get home.

Glitz's dream board put the "intention" on the wind. The Universe did the rest. A lesson to unlimit our possibilities. Today is 1/4, the New Moon. Put your intentions out and let the gravitational pull of the moon bring them to you. Be aware that your negative thoughts will bring a harvest also. We can manifest our needs. Go get'em!

2011 Red Convertible Travel Series