(no subject)

[kirkcudbright]

1) This is slow-news-day news, but I'm inordinately happy with my new sneakers. I threw out my old sneakers at the end of the Scotland trip, because a) they were skanky and falling apart, and b) we needed room in the luggage for books (because it was Worldcon, and because Kylie had gone through the 11 books she brought by the time we left Glasgow, on day 5 of a 15-day trip).

Anyway, I bought these online (from Footlocker), because I couldn't find this pattern, or anything else truly funky, in a brief foray into...The Mall. (Not just The Maul, but The Maul during Back To School shopping season.)

These are the first All-Stars I've had since I was a kid, and the first canvas sneakers I've had since college. That last pair (Nike tennis shoes) is still around, being used to batter quilts and other bulky items in the dryer. These new ones are a little narrow in the toe-box, and they offer almost no support, but they're retro and funky, and I think they'll look great under a kilt.

2) We went to Northampton this weekend, to see my parents (for the first time since Christmas?) for their 45th anniversary. This is not a family that stands much on ceremony. We don't make a big deal about birthdays or anniversaries (my mom is good about sending cards, but that didn't breed true), but perhaps we're too casual sometimes. Of their 4 sons, one is a thousand miles away, and can be excused for not popping in. Two are within 10 minutes drive, but neither put in an appearance (except #4, who needed to borrow the parents' car to get to work). That left me taking the parents out for Chinese (their choice) on their anniversary.

3) By wildest coincidence, the Chinese restaurant in question was at the site of my first real job, as a busboy at Mr. Steak (a franchise/chain that seems to have gone under in the late '80's). This particular restaurant closed shortly after I left it in '83. It was also where I took Francie on our first official date. See, it was my birthday, and you got a free dinner on your birthday, so I only had to pay for her. I didn't have a lot of money then, being a busboy at Mr. Steak, but we had fun walking back to her apartment on the railroad tracks. 22 years later, I can take my parents out to dinner on their anniversary (by grabbing the bill before they do).

4) The other reason to go to Northampton this particular weekend was for the Three County Fair ("the longest consecutive running agricultural fair in the country", as opposed to the Topsfield Fair - "America's Oldest Agricultural Fair"). I remember it as being a huge big affair, but this was fairly small and sleepy. They still have a bit agricultural component - we spent a while in the poultry barn, and we watched a sheep show - and we went on what rides there were, but it seemed greatly diminished from my youth, and I'm not sure it's entirely due to nostalgia.

They do still have horse racing, and we did win $4.20 on one race (my pick, entirely on his long odds). Of course, I bet to show, and he ended up winning; if I'd bet to win, it would have been something like $22 - but of course if I'd bet him to win, he would have placed or worse. We ended up down about $10, which isn't bad for an afternoon's entertainment. But a grandson of Affirmed (the last horse to win the Triple Crown - in 1978) let us down badly, coming in dead last in his race. Ah well.

5) When we got home, we had to mop up dog pee in the dining room. Again. She's old, and we were gone later than we told the neighbors we would be. Apres moi, le deluge. Apres dog, le new dining room floor.