02.20.12 = Cast to last Unable to sleep last night, I decided to a little channel surfing. Out of desperation, I landed on one of the home shopping channels where a “world renowned” chef was peddling his latest and greatest line of cookware. He pointed out all the features and benefits of the quality handle and rivets. They had a pan cut in two to show all the layers of metal and stated how it was the latest technology in cooking….blah, blah, blah, yada, yada, yada…In my critical and cynical fashion, I began to challenge him and his hi-tech cookware. Rivets? Who wants to clean around those big bolts? My old cast iron pan is one solid sleek handle design. And all that fancy, shiny, high-tech metal will end up looking dull, dirty and ‘out’ in a few more years when you roll out with your “new and improved” line of cookware. If you cut my good old cast iron skillet in two, you know what you will see? Yep, cast iron all the way through. I think I can relate to my good old iron skillet a little more and hope to be more like them. Cast from iron and cast to last. Hard working and well seasoned. I may not be shiny and pretty but I get the job done. And what you see is what you get; solid through and through. Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
08.11.11 = Soap It is a BEAU-TI-FUL day here today! What a relief from the stubborn heat and humidity. My windows are open and there is a wonderful summer breeze flirting with the papers on my desk. Last evening I took Gracie for a nice long walk. The sun was setting into its pinks, oranges and purples and the air, oh, the air was fresh and clean. The locust were buzzing and the fireflies were rising from the ground. It made me think of summers down at my Grandmother’s house. The air was always fresher and sweeter there. After a long day of playing outside, we would take our baths, put our jammies on and have cookies and milk before bed. It’s funny how things come back to you when you allow your mind to open up and think wildly. I remembered the soap. There were always several bars of soap that were big and heavy for small hands. Each of a different shape, color and smell. The green soap was my Grandfathers. “Don’t use that soap, it’ll take the skin right off you”, my grandmother told us, “use the one that floats.” Well, we had to test them all for their buoyancy. If you picked the wrong one and it sank, it was almost impossible to find until the water was drained. Good clean memories of soap. “Anyone’s life truly lived consists of work, sunshine, exercise, soap, plenty of fresh air and a happy contented spirit.” Lillie Langtry
