My horoscope for the month of March put it this way: "One of your very best days of March—possibly one of your favorites of the year, could well turn out to be March 15. This is your banner day!"
I'm writing this "casual" on Tuesday, March 15, otherwise known as the "Ides of March." It has been cloudy and overcast with light snow and rain all the day through. Cold and damp and gloomy is the setting for my "day of all days." I rose early at my cabin—reluctantly—and put the stove burner on high to heat up water for tea, listened to the radio news on tsunamis, radioactivity, the Taliban, Ghadaffy Duck, Charles Sheen and the Idaho Board of Education's compelling argument of eliminating teachers and setting up a "Lap Top State" until I heard the teapot whistling. I chose Wu-Yi Source, an authentic Chinese tea that I had purchased through a late-night infomercial some months ago that guaranteed that I would drop 25 to 30 pounds of fat if I would just purchase a three-month supply. I did. That's why I chose it. I have more than 1,000 tea bags left. I remain portly. China 1 -- Spa 0. But never mind that. This was to be the best day of 2011. I pressed on.
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At work in the woods, I chatted with eight tourists—not at once—sporadically through the day. For lunch, I opted to spend the time dining in my 1984 Cadillac Coupe Deville in the parking lot as I did the Idaho Statesman's Tuesday crossword puzzle. I defeated it and went straight to the "Jumble" and then the sports section where I learned that rookie pitcher Alvin S. Sommers had pitched his initials off the day before. Back to work, I chatted up a couple from Seattle who had come 940 miles to cross-country ski in the rain. Soon, it was time to begin closing procedures. After filling a co-worker with hope, I locked the doors, jumped in the Caddy and headed for home.
A lady friend called and we talked about Japan, nuclear fallout, her wet dogs and the movie of the week. I told her of my best day of the year, my feelings of astrology, hung up and began to dance. I danced the rest of the night in my cabin alone and when I could dance no more, fell into bed and set my mind to awaken at 6:29 a.m. the next day. As I tumbled off to dreamland, I mused, "This was the best day of the year—possibly of my life." That's why I live here. I know how to party.
Nice talking to you.
