Another Season/Another Reason

Red and pink plush teddy bears. Cellophane-wrapped candies.

So, the weary hard-working souls who mind the shelves at the dreary castles of retail have packed up all of the Christmas dreck and wheeled the beginnings of the Valentine dreck. Don't you guys find this dispiriting? It's a mercy to pay for my jug of Mr. Bubbles and hurry home to get back to work on my Arrow Rock Coloring Book. I be drawing a picture of Wm. Becknell, heading out on the long trail to Santa Fe 'bout 190 years ago. Yes, well I know that Independence is supposed to be the trail's tail end, but no; that came later. He headed out from the old river town of Franklin & then to Arrow Rock and one west a ways to Independence before doing the long dusty mosey to Santa Fe. Can I even imagine riding a horse, looking after a string of mules, camping out, sleeping rough, night after night, some 800 miles? Now that's dispiriting.

Good.

I've cheered myself up.