My son, Michael, and I finally made it to Callicoon Center. We caught the last two band concerts of the season led by James Newton. At one, I sat with a woman who told me that she had taken over my dad’s class in Jeffersonville when he retired. I remember hearing that when a member of the school board told my father she was sure that they could count on him to take over a class if they ever needed him. To her surprise, he replied, “No, once I retire that will be it, I will no longer wish to teach.”

While Michael and I were in the country we ate twice at The Cabin on Hessinger Lare Road between Callicoon Center and Jeffersonville. They open at 4pm on weekdays;12pm on Saturday and Sunday; and close at 9pm every day. No reservations are required. The menu is extensive with many delicious choices at reasonable prices. A special on the blackboard was beef stew over noodles which we were about to order “to go”, but it had already sold out and was being erased from the board.

My son, Michael, and daughter, Patricia were concerned about me climbing the stairs to the bedrooms, worrying that I might fall. Over the next few days, I heard about friends of mine who had recent falls. One fell down a complete flight of stairs. Then I heard about my friend, Kathy’s mother who broke both legs when she fell during the night in her nursing home where Kathy spends every day caring for her. Then there was a woman who fell at church and again when she got home which landed her in the hospital. When I heard about a fifth fall, I decided to keep sleeping on the enclosed front porch which has a double bed and is very comfortable. While on the porch, I had a race with a daddy-long-leg spider and won! My neighbor asked what I had done with the body. I promptly found the spider and threw it in with some leaves. I decided against having a funeral for it. Why? Because I’m not that crazy... yet!