I feel this way when I am extremely tired, like I am right now. Words for things seem to come after the fact. It’s like treading water in a murky lake, way off shore. This sensation occurs on days like today, when it is humid and somewhat hot. I was, in fact, so tired this afternoon (afternoons are my low energy time) that I began to fall asleep on the horses, first Hrimmi and then later, Tinni.

In such a state, chores (like picking up poop) seem more difficult to do than they actually are. And I wonder if everything will seem as difficult the following day. It never does – I just have to get as much done as I can before the afternoon malaise sets in.

The library cart being delivered

Nevertheless, it was a good day. The book distribution went quite well. As always, the seniors were appreciative of my efforts. And more books than usual were scooped up. This is odd, considering I had no fiction on hand, just non-fiction.

I decided to turn the new library cart into a library. I cleaned the books, first removing Bishop’s Attic labels, then categorized them. There are now a non-fiction, children’s literature, spirituality, and paperback and hardback shelves. I will further label these shelves next week. I feel good about this; ironically, the same and similar books are downstairs in the senior center library. I am learning that in parting out books, that accessibility is everything.

Today’s story – I went out to my car and returned with a copy of a book about the Masons, a fraternal organization. I noticed that a man with a blue tee-shirt with the words “FIGHT BACK” emblazoned on the back was standing at the table. All the sudden, I instinctively knew that he would want the book that I had in hand. I was right. He took it and then began telling me all about this group of individuals, starting with the line “PBS and the other stations, they got the Masons all wrong.” I nodded and he then began telling me about the various branches of the Masons, and what they do. What I found most interesting is that one must first be a Mason before one can become a Shriner. “The Shriners,” he said “are the partiers. They drink at their meetings.”

I didn’t say what I was thinking, which is that this seemed to fit with what I knew about the Shriners, which is that they have a circus (the Shrine circus), and they drive little cars in parades and do drill routines. They also wear maroon fez’s with gold cords hanging from them.

Maybe someday I will find a book entitled “The life of a Shriner.”

I distributed books after I finished at the Palmer Senior Center. I felt gratified, a fellow left a note on orange paper that read “Thank you for J.S. Bach Cantatas.” This made me think that many who claim books look around and fail to find anyone to thank. No matter.

Came home and rode Hrimmi. Our friend Payton again rode Raudi. The heat and the humidity affected us as well as our equine friends. And now, in upcoming forecast, rain.

Next: 216. 8/6/21: Hrimmi has a conversation with Alys