Judy Crandall showed us a picture of camel spiders which I believe were taken by her daughter, Dianna, who is in Afghanistan. They were extremely large, maybe a foot or more from end to end and looked quite treacherous. I’d hate to meet one anywhere.

If a wall plasterer is pompous and conceited, would you say he’s stucco on himself?

On Mon-day I had an extension of my birthday more cake at my friend June’s more coffee and conversation with her, her husband, Don Petersen and our friend and neighbor, Freida Johnson. Freida gave us each a bouquet of her Tropicana roses, and they have such a lovely fragrance. Guess I’ve had enough getting older for one year.

Would you believe it’s bazaar time already? People thinking about making things for Christmas? That’s what happens as soon as there begins to be a little dampness in the air and night comes quickly.

The Methodist church bazaar is just before Thanksgiving. There are lots of clever ladies who can design stuff you simply can’t do without. And if you don’t like things, there are always baked items and other edibles. I’m beginning to drool myself.

The Moose Lodge is really looking good with its improvements. I thought they had privacy windows, but in passing one night, it was easy to see inside, so the windows are not special after all. Lookin’ wonderful, anyway.

I told you once that if a sidewalk has large pebbles and too many slanting exits, I walk in the street. I do watch for cars and we get along. Don’t think I can recommend it to anyone else, though.

Charlie McCarthy and his wife, Lorraine, celebrated their 10th anniversary this year. We’re glad to know that they found each other and are happily ever after. Charlie was our minister for a few years at Seaside United Methodist.

I have another pet peeve. You’re surprised? Why does it seem that they get more frequent as the years go by?

Today’s is with anything that is packed tightly coffee filters and new books, mainly. I have a really difficult time separating them and often must resort to a fingernail. A book I’ve been reading jumps inevitably from pages 44 to 46 or from 303 to 305 so that I never know where I am. I know nothing about book binding except that in its final stages when leaves are all in order, they must drop a ton weight on it for hours at a time so that pages are all “squoze” together. It’s so frustrating. At least my fingernails are long enough to be useful.

How do you like the rain after so long a dry spell? Don’t know how we’ll feel about the long haul. Already it’s impeded exercise but I guess we’re supposed to be tougher and dive right in.

I watched a remake of “An Affair to Remember” with Annette Bening and Warren Beatty, on Saturday. I don’t think it was as good as Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr but I really loved that show. And of course the new version took liberties with the plot to get Katherine Hepburn in. Still, it made me cry, which is the acid test, I guess.

I just reexamined a picture of Washington crossing the Delaware and made a new discovery for me. I know women were camp followers in earlier (?) wars but in this scene, they seemed to be rowing the boat in an icy river. They could just have been sweet faced boys. Does anyone know?

A new song on the radio first sounded like “Double Egg Sale” until someone announced the title as XXL (Double XL). Egad. How about a little enunciation? Perhaps as a unique hobby. At least the double was right, I didn’t think double eggs were that easy to find.

Down from the soapbox You guys who throw your cigarette butts on the walkways and toss your drinking utensils and food containers where people live and breath, cut it out. Keep a sack in your car.

When it’s full, take everything home to your own garbage can and show a little responsibility for the looks of things. You can do it. (Maybe the street sweeper pushes them to the side.)

Quipsie corner: The crabby mathematician complains that his life is just one problem after another.