Yes, that would be me. The one with the mall walker in the headlights look!

Sorry about the length of yesterday's blog. I too thought it to be a little on the wordy side. I was not trying to convince anyone that my attempt at brevity over the holidays was only a passing fancy. It just happens that way and any attempts to interfere with the process has the potential to make a mess of things. What's that? You thought it was a mess already? Okay. How about a bigger mess? How are you on this wonderful cool and/or cold, (depending on personal tastes), Tuesday, January 3, 2012? Like I've done in past years, I became a mall walker for several days before returning to work. I can tell you this. Having not done the walking for a while, well, that first day caused Uncle Arthur as in arthritis to get himself all stirred up. He can be a noisy old coot at times. I did practice that old Yogi technique as I made my brisk rounds. "You can observe a lot by watching." This economy has done a number on the stores in the mall. So many are no longer there. Many of their replacements are, to me anyway, quite odd. I suppose the folks with money must like some really weird looking clothes because they now have some really really weird looking stores to shop in.

I did see some encouraging scenes. The same old dudes I've seen for years were all huddled up over across from Chick-fil-a for their fellowship and Bible study. I observed a rather large lady opening up the grate on the candy store. That's a better advertisement than those skinny as a rail girls opening up the plus size stores. Now to the people walking, they are a hoot. Especially the older ladies. Yes. I do know that I cannot see myself and that maybe they have some stories to tell about me but they are not the ones writing my blog. Right? I love those who have the elbows in the air working them like there is no tomorrow. Then you have the lady walking with her mate making it very difficult for him to sip on his coffee because of her pace. Some of them have their lane. They must have been given that lane by the mall authorities because they will move you out of the way if you happen to find yourself there. One day I was there a little later and there were more people in the mall. I, at times, must have a messed up link that sends me very bad information. I was walking pretty fast and a young lady was meeting me. She was heads down texting on her phone. I don't know why but I faked a collision into her lane just for the fun of it. Now get this. She was not in the least bit amused. Some people. They do need to lighten up.

Yes I am aware that my exploits as a mall walker is not really a very exciting thing to report on in explaining how I used my time off. But I do believe the wife and I will someday become an official part of this brigade, therefore, knowing the ropes ahead of time can't hurt. Many people are just back to work today because of how the holiday fell. That means the traffic gridlock into the downtown corridor of the metroplex will be back into full swing today. I was a part of that scene for well over twenty years and that gives me another thing to be thankful for as I drive each morning where the most likely competitors for the roadway are rabbits, raccoons, skunks, opossum, deer, some stray hounds, and the occasional coyote. No doubt even as I write this the planners are busy planning new ways to extend the metro madness even into the most remote of any and all nearby targets. They call it progress but we all pretty much are aware that often it is nothing more than a race to expand the tax rolls. Meanwhile, I will enjoy the country road feel each morning for as long as I can and do my best to share it with all the critters. I hope you too will find something to be thankful for as you start your day. It might just be something very small indeed, like a friendly commute, but, we can be thankful for all that God provides. Amen.          .....More later.