Spice

All other entertainments spent, I'm Stumbling (http://www.stumbleupon.com/ - okay, I'll learn to do the cool link thing soon...). Stumble can be an Extension to the wonderful Mozilla Firefox browser. You set it up by choosing a few topics. Then, as needed, click Stumble! in the tool bar to be taken hither and thither... I'm learning about Spices on http://www.theepicentre.com/, going mainly to the Far East. It must be just after lunch, there.

S is going to New Zealand to escape her 40th birthday. I hope it works - might try it for my 60th. 2007 is forever from now, isn't it?

Such a mood. Flatter than half a pancake. There was, in the early 1950s, a radio programme from Cincinnatti, Ohio called Big John and Sparky, airing Saturday mornings, at 10 am in Tennessee, I think. I loved both Big John and Sparky! Big John would describe really flat things - aluminum foil, squashed bugs, etc. - as flatter than half a pancake. I was probably 45 before I realised he was slicing the pancake horizontally, not cutting the pancake diagonally in preparation for further cutting of bite-sized pieces, as I did when lucky enough to get pancakes for breakfast. All those years I spent, wondering why half a pancake was flatter than a whole one....

Dear reader, that tells you a lot about the struggles I've had comprehending the world. Today, with the benefit of a lot of education and therapy, I sometimes realise my immediate, instinctive, intuitive, naive apprehension isn't the right one, before getting into confusions.

Anyway, I was that half of a horizontally sliced pancake earlier this evening, and now, well, with all the spicing up, I feel almost hush-puppy rounded! The Chardonnay this evening is Toasted Head 2004, oaked California. (I'm in the process of learning the difference in taste between oaked and not. You have to pay attention, with the first glass.) Toasting your head sounds warm, doesn't it? Good for the coldness both here in Kentucky and in Great Britian.

What Next? went really well again this morning, in a wonderful downtown 'Old Louisville' two storey shot-gun styled house. Bless the Americans, who are the Center of the World and inventors of Everything. 'Shot-gun' when describing a house, means a straight hallway on one side of the house (separate or as part of the rooms) from the front door to the back, with rooms opening off it. Ever seen that in the UK?

All Old Louisville was built in the 19th century, and all houses are, well, 19th century style. The importance comes from the contrast with New Louisville, in its various waves radiating out towards the South, and East and NorthEast (the Ohio River is North, the West has always been built up). We nibble towards local politics, money, and the racism involved. Most people here, when I've talked about my perception of the racial segregation in Louisville - I and my life here have been in a North East white ghetto - either glass over, or say ahem and then glass over. My client this morning did at least say Yes! Louisville is the 2nd (or similar) most segregated city in the US. She talked about urban renewal projects from the 1960s that destroyed the downtown black business district, and set the White Move East in motion. Some white people choose to live in the neat old houses downtown. Some property developers have made bigger ones into 'condos'.

Sometimes Henry and I talk about where in Louisville we'd buy a house, if if if if...

I watched Dad and Frances sleep thru two hours of tv tonight, and they weren't making a conscious comment on the content. My despair at their vulnerability hid behind hurt at Frances's jokes that I might damage 'her car'. Heaven forfend - she will try to drive, at some point.

The voluabiltiy index of Toasted Head Chardonnay being towards the high end of the scale, Henry's gently saying I should stop now. After all, I have to get up in time to be made beautiful by the talented Diane at Diva Spa tomorrow, in 8 hrs 40 mins.

Okay, good night, Henry. (Good morning, Britian.)