Reunion and other stuff.

I seem to be on a weekly posting schedule. I guess plant growth is slower in the fall, sorry, faithful reader, for my inattention.

I was outraged, yes outraged and appalled, to see that a performance of the opera "Idomeneo" was cancelled because of fear of attack by Muslims. This quote is from the NYT today:

"The Deutsche Oper Berlin said Tuesday that it had pulled "Idomeneo" from its fall schedule after the police warned of an "incalculable risk" to the performers and the audience."

Mozart! Now they're after Mozart. Judy and I are seeing the Met's "Iodmeneo" sometime this fall. I didn't realize when ordering tickets what a courageous political act it was.

When the furor over the cartoons in that Danish newspaper arose, every newspaper in the West, or the World, should have published those cartoons every day for a week. The Pope should have explained his remarks a few weeks ago, but not have apologized. These attacks on free speech and free press are not to be tolerated. Get over it, you crazies. If you don't like it, just say so. We'll talk. Nobody likes beheaders. And you editors of papers, why do you roll over for this intimidation? Pretend you're reporting another story about a blowjob and a head-of-state.

OK. Mood Change. My fiftieth high school reunion took place this past weekend with events sheduled from Friday to Sunday. Judy went to three things with me, under duress, but probably had a better time than I did. And I loved it. I saw many people I hadn't seen since graduation and, almost, picked up conversations where we had left them fifty years ago. One hundred of about 130 living classmates showed. We graduated about 165 in 1956. Some of us are clearly identifiable and some not. People came from all across the US and Canada and Europe. No politics or war was discussed, only bio snippets and grandkids. It was exhilarating. I think it was the affirmation that all those other folks are out there and all still in business, even if retired.

In the garden, I spread another load of wood chips and covered all the bare patches in the lawn. There's not much green visible. I hope the chips work out better than the straw did.


When the chips are down.