My aunt left an interesting comment on Facebook in response to my boat post.
Years ago (and I mean really years ago and not just before the pandemic), when I visited you from California, we had lunch at a restaurant on the Columbia. You looked at the boats and announced that one day you were going to have one. So yeah–good for you! Smooth sailing.
My Aunt
Reading this was gratifying. I have long said I’m a person who always gets what he wants, be it through sheer force of will, determination, or stubbornness. Or a combination of all three. I hadn’t even remembered the conversation until she mentioned it, as it took place at least 15 years ago, but I remember it now; we were sitting on a deck beside the river on a sparkling summer afternoon and I stared longingly at the boats plying the water. See? I really have always wanted a boat.
Today was a fairly typical Monday. Tara called this morning, and I told her how I’d taken a morning walk, watered the garden, fixed breakfast, and was getting ready to head out the door.
“That all sounds so normal!” she replied wistfully. As much fun as she’s having visiting family, these trips are always whirlwinds, chock full of obligation. I’m usually missing home before we’ve even left.
My latest project involves creating two pages for each of the 11 main Black Hills communities in our Visitor publication: one called “The Story Of [Insert Town Name]” that details its history, and the other, “Visit [Insert Town Name],” talks about attractions and events. Each town takes a full day to complete; since I’m going alphabetically, today it was Hill City’s turn. I have to admit, I’ve learned at least one new thing about every place I’ve written about so far. I just slip on my noise-cancelling Bose headphones, crank up the Spotify jams, and spend the day researching/writing. It makes the hours fly by quickly.
Here’s a nice display of the current issues for a few of our print publications.
I came home, put on music, and cooked myself dinner. I decided to try a new recipe: a grilled chicken and pineapple brown rice bowl.
Yes, it was every bit as good as it looks. The best part, hands-down, was the homemade teriyaki glaze. I could have scooped it up with a spoon and eaten it directly from the pot. Don’t worry, I didn’t.
Afterward, I gave the plants and garden a good soaking, even as ominous dark clouds piled up to the north and east. Lots of rumbles of thunder and lightning flashing in the distance, but it’s been a dry summer and we haven’t had much luck with storms, so I didn’t want to take any chances. Today’s high was 95°.
Naturally, I’m sure it will start pouring any second now.
OK, I asked for questions, and a couple of you responded. Thank you for that. Feel free to ask me more! I was worried I wouldn’t have enough to write about to fill these posts but, ha-ha, forgot how long-winded I can be.
Q: What are your favorite foods?
A: This one is tricky because I like almost everything. I will say I am drawn to bold flavors, so anything that is tart, tangy, or spicy is right up my alley. Think pickles, Kimchi, sour beer. I have an entire pantry shelf devoted to hot sauces alone. Narrowing down actual foods is impossible: I like all cuisines (Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, etc.), meats, veggies, and fruit. I guess the only real way to answer this is to play the last meal game. If I were consigned to death row (wrongfully convicted, of course!) and facing lethal injection, I have always said my final meal would consist of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and a slice of coconut cream pie. Short of picking one absolute favorite, this will do!
Q: In a non-quarantine world, where would you like to travel to next?
A: I recently mentioned Croatia, and that still ranks high on my list. It would be my base of operations, with jaunts to Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, and Austria. Although now, I hate to admit it, but I’m weirdly intrigued by Chernobyl, though it certainly isn’t at the top of my list. I’d go…but I wouldn’t linger.
Until tomorrow…
Mark My Words 
Leave a comment