GaryOsberg.com

I took a vacation day on Monday and it was spring like out there. I managed to get some yard work done and best of all I did not have a back ache Tuesday morning. It was even warmer on Tuesday and when I got home from work I plugged in the bubbling boulder and it worked. Hopefully soon it will be warm enough to have my first cup of coffee on the porch with the boulder bubbling. Very relaxing.

On Wednesday I had a cataract removed from my left eye. It is a miracle. The colors are so bright. I tested at almost 20/20 yesterday when Dr. Mitchell did the post-op exam. The only problem is that I had no idea my hair was so gray and my teeth were so yellow. Now I have to spend $30,000 on caps. There is a reason that nature does the things that it does. We are happier when see our reflection in the mirror with cloudy lenses. I suppose it would be simpler to remove or cover the mirrors.

From Writer’s Almanac: “Today is April Fools’ Day, a day of hoaxes and practical jokes the world over. Newspapers and other media often get in on the act, with phony news stories, and people always fall for them. In 1957, the BBC reported on a bumper spaghetti harvest in Switzerland, accompanied by images of farmers pulling down great strands of pasta from the “spaghetti trees.” In the April issue of Sports Illustrated in 1985, George Plimpton reported that the New York Mets had recruited a phenomenal young pitcher who had learned his craft in a Tibetan monastery. The pitcher’s name was Sidd Finch, and he could throw a 168-mile-per-hour fastball. Plimpton buried a clue in the article’s subtitle: “He’s a pitcher, part yogi and part recluse. Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sidd’s deciding about yoga – and his future in baseball.” The first letter of each word spelled out “Happy April Fools’ Day – ah fib.”

The APHC show this week is a live broadcast from The Town Hall on West 43rd Street in New York City. `Vasen’ is tuning up their many strings for a blast of mind-bending music from the North Sea. Heather Masse is making the trip down form her upstate farm to join the aging host on a few duets. Rob Fisher returns with the Coffee Club Orchestra and a roster of tunes. The usual cast of characters will entertain us all with a variety of skits. In the News from Lake Wobegon, the arrival of spring will lead the way. Enjoy the show.

“No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than man can bear.” George MacDonald