"Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned."

Izaak Walton, born August 9, 1593

Oh, August, how you call to mind an old friend whose birthday's today, my folks' wedding anniversary, my grandmother's birthday [same as Napoleon Bonaparte's]; state fairs (sawdust, corn dogs, sweat, the brown eyes of cows, and orange pop). Getting ready for one of my weddings, back when Nixon was in office (sewing a gown out of white cotton from the Ben Franklin Store, 59¢ a yard). It was the 9th of August - 36 years ago? Can it be? - that Nixon resigned his job, his resentments catching up with him at last.

Going through catalogues, planning back-to-school wardrobes, knowing that only kids from rich families could have all they wanted and the only people who had money and children were the Kennedys. My 11-year-old self planned an entire house, its furnishings and major appliances, all for my imaginary family, my husband and our three children. Took me a while, too long of a while to realize that the wealthy were not likely to do their shopping out of catalogues from Sears and 'Monkey' Wards.

Dreading, anticipating a new school year when all would be better. This year I'd have friends. I'd understand math. Now it's This year I'll finish that manuscript. I'll, by god, knock off this squashy business around my middle. Soon it will be cool again - of that, at least, I am certain.

On This Day

In the spring of 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte was busying himself in his duties as France's emperor/conqueror of Europe, President Thos. Jefferson was settling into his second term in office. Far away in the west, at Fort Mandan, in present-day North Dakota, Sacagawea, teenage mom/explorer-to-be, was looking after her newborn son, Jean-Baptiste. Little "Pompy" Charbonneau would grow up to be a fur trapper and frontier scout, a very different sort of life than that of the tender-hearted soul who made his entrance at this time/space intersection: April 2, 1805/Odense, Denmark.

Who'd have thought that homely, dyslexic Hans Christian Andersen would grow up to grace the world with Thumbelina, The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, and The Little Mermaid. Hardly anyone.