Enga mellom fjella

Ghost trains...

...and all-too-recent derailments.

I've been avoiding cupcakes. I've gained 10 pounds. Maybe I should go on a cupcake only diet?

I keep cards and gifts. Keep coming across cards sent to me from Mandy, Sheila and Linda. I have hats and scarfs that were gifted me... and notebooks (Teresa, Thomas...). I am blessed.

I wonder whether my gifts are cherished. I suspect it depends on the person... and the gift. Some gifts like licorice or moose poop should be used... not "cherished".

I wish I could just ask and receive answers. Even with the internet this is tricky. I need to understand patience and that not all questions have answers.

Like... How do I travel with formal clothes yet only with a backpack? Hmm...

Me:

I remember the trains that went past my grandparent's place in the hollow in Penn, Pennsylvania. My mother's father would walk the tracks to work at the glass factory. When I was small they still had steam engines and the whistle was never as harsh as the diesel engines. Most of that is gone now.

Missoula had the Great Northern and Milwaukee Road. The tracks in front of my place were taken out. The right-of-way became the bike path. The depot is still maintained and those who have seen my photos would recognize the tower. The Great Northern depot is still used as well. Burlington Northern uses those tracks as does Montana Rail.

They are instituting new safety regulations for trains throughout the U.S. However, Montanan Rail is exempt. The problem? We've had a couple derailments near town. No major disaster... yet. Mostly coal wheat airplane parts go through here. But, I lived in a small town in Nebraska that has a fatal derailment of ammonia cars. Derailments need to be taken seriously.

It is odd that in a time when the infrastructure of bridges, rails, roads, et cetera are deteriorating that the powers-that-be won't find the dough to fix this... and provide jobs as well. Waiting until the situation worsens and labor is more expensive doesn't make much sense to me.

In other Snews:

The gay marriage debate is winding down. The 5th Circuit may very well deny the bans in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. South Dakota's ban has been found unconstitutional. The Supremes may be ready to tackle the issue by choosing from 4 cases from the 6th Circuit (I'm betting on Michigan...).

The situation in France is still looked upon as "freedom of the press". I still contend that the issue of respect needs to be explored. As to the violence? That thankfully is being condemned most everywhere.

I haven't seen anything today about the Kardasians... or Beiber (what's his name). However, the NY Jets got a new coach (because my Buffalo Bills stole their old one!).

In my sorry-so-called life:

Good news. Got a notice under my door that they'll be in to spray on Monday the 19th. This is good because I'll be ready and then it'll be over. I need this bump in my mellow to be over... way over.

Still no plans about traveling but maybe now I can focus on that. Same with writing. I've been editing a series of short poems and putting them at "L'aura del Campo"  and making individual items and putting them in the folder "There comes a softening..." , like "[...to ice cream treats]" . Progress.

Reading? Yeah... a detective novel set in Montmartre, Paris. Keeps me upright instead of merely sleeping the gloom away. By-the-way... the sun came out to play today! It's out there now.

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