Today started out as an ideas day – it was a double header. I first had some ideas about a book, the subject being what I was talking about yesterday, the acceptance of decline, the hook being running with horses. Then I had the idea that I could organize a silent auction of books, which would coincide with the kids getting their bookends.

Alas, I didn’t have a moment to sit down and work on either. I am feeling now as though I am surfing the wave of busyness. I am in the pipe, surrounded by a circular sheet of blue-gray water. I am on the board, and I’m being propelled forward. I am in synch with the movement of the water – I shift my weight, and in this way, I manage to stay upright.

Black spider on the horse trailer tire

The analogy is that my being busy is not of my own volition – the good weather and the increased daylight are propelling me forward, and in the process, making it so that I can’t slow down or backtrack. I had a friend once do a graphic representation of me – it read, “I may as well go berserk. It’s as good a place as any.” Actually, I’m just managing to keep the shoreline in sight.

And so, what did I do today? I did what I had to do. I first went on an outing with Tinni, then Ran with Tyra. I then went to the meeting house and I categorized books, got most ready for distribution. I chose to work alone. This was a wise decision because it was bits and pieces work. Plus, I wanted to be alone when I did this.

Upon returning home, I kept on task, by saddling up Hrimmi and taking her for what was to be a short ride. I went up Jim’s road, passing the trail, then detoured and crossed the creek. I then resumed riding on Jim’s Road. As I was coming around a bend, I saw an excavator at the trailhead, and a man wearing a hoodie. I first looked at the excavator, which had partially sunk into the mud. I then looked at the fellow standing next to it.

I asked him what was up. He explained that he had gotten the excavator stuck in attempting to dig out the mud at the base of the trail. I acted properly surprised – I mean, it was pretty amazing – the treads had even come off the machine. What most impressed me was this man’s attitude – he was not, as would our neighbor Jim, swearing and jumping up and down. In fact, he was amazingly calm and detached, enough so that we had a lengthy conversation.

His name, I learned, is Sebastian, and he and his wife Bright purchased property on the hill above the mud pit. He soon said that he had been reading my dispatches, which blew me out of the water for as far as I know, just a handful of people read them regularly. He in fact knew all about Stormy’s passing and Swampy, and my interactions with the neighbor who fired off his gun when I was passing his place on Raudi.

I did most of the talking, rare for me. It was really a breath of fresh air talking with Sebastian. His sentiments were the same as mine about living where we do – there does not appear to be a cohesive sense of community.

Well, we exchanged phone numbers, and we’ll all be getting together again soon. And so, no I did not get a ride in right then. Later, Pete and I went out and rode our trails. Too busy for the unexpected? Not so.

154. 6/4/21: And on the Nicest Day of the Year