Three Pieces of "News"

1. Starlings, about 200 of them in my front yard. Not the 500 my neighbor Janice claimed, but lots of birds. She called and told me to go to my front window carefully. I did. Yes, I've seen starlings, but not in those numbers, not in my own front yard.

Never my favorite bird, the starling, but I did like seeing them today just outside my window. And I do like to watch them fly. They look like a thin black cloud, except that clouds do not usually move so swiftly and change directions in an instant as starlings do. I wonder which bird in the group decides their direction and how the decision is communicated with such immediacy. It's a big group, you know.

They left my yard of a sudden, came back a time or two, and then were gone, one bird staying behind. He looked stunned, wandered along the concrete path a while. Pretty soon a group came along and he jumped up and joined them.

2. Richard and his family are coming down this month. It's a birthday present from Sarah to Richard. She told me it was a surprise, but today she said she'd had to tell him because he was planning an elder's quorum social for then. January 20 through 27.

I'm glad. I'll be telling everyone in the family now. I'm almost as excited to see Penelope and Axel as Richard is to have me see them.

Here's what Sarah told me today. She was trying to get them all out the door to go somewhere. Penelope was not cooperating.
"Come on," said Sarah. "We need to go."
"I have to get my bag," said Penelope.
"Why?" asked Sarah.
"Because it has my stuff in it."
"What kind of stuff?"
"Cool stuff. You wouldn't understand."
Penelope's three.

3. I saw George Huff at Winco today. He was pushing his cart straight at me, looking pleased as, you know, Punch. Also looking mighty frail. I said, "George. So they're letting you out all by yourself now?"

He said, "This is the first time. Don't tell Carolyn." That's his daughter, who has been right by his side since he became ill last summer. I think she's out of town. I won't tell her, but I did tell him to be careful. As if that would help anything.

I actually thought he should not have ventured out. It's colder than normal just now--in the low 20s--and he has next to no meat on his bones to keep him warm. I don't know the last time he drove. And I hate to say this part, but he is old.

I understand the urge, though, the need he feels to get in his own car and drive it to where he wants to go. Winco was his place of choice, although I figure it's not likely he had to have groceries. Not if I know Carolyn.

It's not the place that matters but the going, the doing. It proves he's still independent. Still his own man. More power to him.