This morning was a mirror under the nose morning. I slept until noon. The last couple of days I have been really tired so, as my mother used to say, “You must have needed it.” The dogs too must have as they stayed with me in bed. They are napping now. Jack, the cat, is also napping now. They lead tough lives.

When I was a kid, I never slept late. On school mornings I had no choice. My mother had us up, breakfasted and dressed with plenty of time left for walking to school. We never walked fast. We chatted and we dawdled. I loved that walk. The sidewalk had towering trees beside it the whole way. In every season the trees decorated the walk. In fall the leaf colors were mostly yellow with just a few reds. In late fall, leaves would cover the walk, and we’d plow through the piles and kick them into the air. In winter the bare branches were shadowed on the walk and looked like arms and legs. In the spring the trees were filled with green leaves which towered over the sidewalk. The houses were close to the sidewalk. They were old houses with big front windows. When I visited my hometown a long while back, I took that route. I was sad to see many of the houses were gone, replaced by an apartment building and houses which all looked alike. I know things change over time. I just don’t have to like it.

I remember learning to tie a bow. My mother taught me. She used a giant bow to make it easier for me. She also taught me to ride my bike. It was on the street in front of my house. I still remember the joy of riding by myself for the first time. I learned to tell time when I was in the second grade. My aunt helped. I didn’t know it was part of her plan. She gave me a Cinderella watch for my first communion and wanted to make sure I could read the time. I still have an analog watch. I choose not to go digital.

When I was young, the world felt safe. I could be by myself on my bike anywhere. I could walk alone all over town. The only advice my mother gave me was not to talk to strangers. I was always in the present. Kids usually are. The furthest away I ever looked was Christmas. That took a lot of planning.

Saturday is a fine day, my favorite day since I was a little kid. Back then I was usually out and about every Saturday, sometimes with a destination in mind while other times I just meandered. All through time, Saturday has stayed much the same for me. I still think of it as a day to enjoy, to have no chores or errands. Today I have a concert. I get to play my uke.

The weather this morning is a mix of sun and clouds. The sun, in its turn, is bright, squint your eyes bright. Everything seems to shine, almost glitter, in the light. When the clouds take their turn, the day is a bit darker. It is in the low 40’s right now. Light rain is predicted.

When I was little, my mother used to read to me, usually a Golden book. My favorite was Chicken Little aka Henny Penny. Many years later my mother gave me a Chicken Little book in my stocking. After I read it, I was horrified. Everyone pretty much gets eaten. Somehow I’d forgotten that part.

Today my muse has gone hither and yon. When that happens, I rely on stories of my travels. Most of our family vacations were either the stay at home sort or a visit to Maine where my father’s friend had a tiny cottage. In Maine, the water was too cold for swimming, and there was nothing much to do all day. The home vacations were my favorites. We often went to museums or to the beach for the day. We went to the drive-in. The town had a pool and a couple of times my father took us night swimming there. You had to have an adult with you at night so the pool was never crowded. One time we went to New Hampshire. My father drove up Mount Washington. It was a spectacular ride. I could see right over the edge, and it was a bit scary. At the mountain top it was cold. We also saw the Flume, the the most amazing gorge and waterfall that was so loud you couldn’t be heard. We saw the Old Man of the Mountain. He’s gone now. He collapsed. The only place you can see him is on New Hampshire license plates. We did all that in one day. My father was never one to waste time, even on a vacation day.