The familiar way seems quicker and shorter

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022; can the holidays be far behind? Just six short weeks away is Thanksgiving — OK plus a few days. Then always four short weeks away from that is Christmas, then one week until New Year’s.

The words to September Song now mean a lot. Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few and, as we age, the days seem to have only 12 hours in them; they just fly by. However, the Old Men of the Mountain still manage to gather and, on the 11th, the OMOTM gathered at Mrs. K’s restaurant in Middleburgh.

The days are really getting shorter with their daylight hours until Dec. 21/22 and then they will start going the other way. With only 12-hour days, those days of December arrive much sooner. Is that a plus?

The OFs discussed distances; this scribe has this one note in his little notebook and all it says is “distances.” The reason for this word was discussion of the strange sensation that familiar ways seem shorter.

The OFs thought this was odd but, to all of the ones in on this part of the conversation, it was true. Google or the GPS may send the OFs on a different route, which in miles and time is shorter, but not familiar, and for some reason it seems when using these directions the OF is going all around cock robin’s barn to arrive at the OF’s destination.

When checking the clock and odometer, it was quicker and shorter but did not seem like it was. The familiar way seemed quicker and shorter; however, it wasn’t. One OF said he hates it when Google is right.

Another OF commented he travels to the same places quite often and sometimes it is so automatic he finds himself pulling into the parking lot and has no recollection of the drive over. The OF said his wife piles into the vehicle and said we are going to Kohl’s. OK, the OF says, and that is when it happens.

All of a sudden, the wife is getting out of the car at Kohl’s — what happened to all the time? The OFs said they do it so often they just wonder what goes on between the house and their familiar destination. I didn’t hit anybody with my car so I had to be conscious, the OF said; the time is just lost. To this OF, time and space is just a matter of consciousness.
 

Oct. 31st is Halloween. Halloween, for some reason, is just a day but, with all the parties and hoopla about the day, it should be designated a national holiday.

Now, there is a cause the OFs could champion. “All Hallows Eve Day” we would call it, and the OFs are sure they could get the backing of all the card, candy, and costume companies behind them.

The OFs commented on how the streets of Middleburgh were decorated with scenes in front of each business. There was a theme and each business expressed their idea of the theme with scenes made from straw and costumes. Worth a trip just to check them out and vote for which one in your opinion was best.

Heavenly diner

Every now and then, a new list of the OMOTM with phone numbers and emails is composed. This was a good time to collect the information to update the list.

The snowbirds have not flown, and the summer travelers for most part are back so the list was sent around to the OFs for any changes or updates. In going over the list sent around, the OFs noted how many on the old list are no longer with us but instead are with the OFs on the restaurant cloud in the sky doing the same thing. They are probably looking down on the OFs at Mrs. K’s.

Hunter’s moon

The use of conversations about the drive to the restaurants is quite often. This is not unusual because sometimes the ride over has interesting events happen.

The ride home cannot be reported on because how is the scribe going to gather any information unless he is at each OF’s home when they get there? This breakfast, it was the hunter’s moon and how bright it was.

Some OFs encountered fog, then nothing, but the moon was so bright it could light the way at night, then fog again. All in all, it was going to be a nice day.

Mystery word

Another stand-alone word on the scribe’s pad is “west.” Now that rings no bells.

It is a good thing this scribe is not a regular reporter. The scribe’s notes many times are rather skimpy and don’t jog too much in the way of worthwhile information.

Is west because of the sun, or “go west ,young man, go west,” or is it even west? Maybe it should be “rest.”

Who knows? This scribe’s writing is getting pretty ugly with all the arthritis. Maybe it is a good thing real reporters use recorders.

The Old Men of the Mountain who arrived at Mrs. K’s Restaurant in Middleburgh and, as the warlocks they are, parked all their brooms outside where the decorations were already there so these brooms weren’t even noticed. The coven was already underway and the attendees were: Rick LaGrange, Roger Shafer, Joe Rack, Doug Marshal, Glenn Patterson, Wally Guest, Harold Guest, Ted Feurer, Jake Herzog, Jake Lederman, Bill Lichliter, Robie Osterman, George Washburn, Warren Willsey, Russ Pokorny, Frank Dees, Ed Goff, Bob Donnelly, Dave Hodgetts, Elwood Vanderbilt, Lou Schenck, Jack Norray, Paul Guiton, Duncan Bellinger, Paul Whitbeck, and me.