Quiet

That's what I'm feeling this morning. It's not windy or snowing or raining (yet) and Durwood's taking a nap, so it's quiet. My only "chore" today is to take Mom to get a new microwave since she burnt up her old one last week. We agreed that it's probably not safe to use anymore and Shopko has one on sale so we'll go get it later. It isn't really a chore but it's something I said I'd do so that's the list it falls in. I also have to stop at the library before noon to pick up a book I reserved. I love hearing about a book, checking the library's website, and then having them send it over to my nearest branch. So convenient, so FREE. Our VCR gave up the ghost this week so I looked online and Walmart had what we wanted. Turns out it's really just a recorder, you have to have a cable box, there's no tuner in the housing to pick a channel so you can't tape a program when you're gone. What good is that? I suppose that they (whoever they are) want everyone to get digital cable with DVR or Dish or Tivo but there have to be more techno dinosaurs around than Durwood and me. On the frustrated drive home I remembered that I kept the old old VCR when we got the DVD/VCR player and I actually knew where it was so I dug it out and hooked it up and, presto!, it works. That gives us a reprieve to sneak up on modern technology a bit.

April 21--Mali, Western Sudan, Headdress.

Rows of bodies
dark brown and sweating
circle the fire
puffs of dust rise
rhythmic feet
drumming
voices humming
buzzes on nerves
sends quivers up spines
for reasons too old
to remember
masks loom
cast shadows in firelight
rivulets of sweat
streaks in dust
on naked skin
dance faster
flames leap
dancers too
voices rise and fall
pull you in
until you're dizzy
lost in the dark
dust and smoke
~~~~~

Enjoy your day. I have knitting tonight. Hooray!
--Barbara