I want to start with the book recommendation first. I’m afraid the rest of this writing will be a big rant, and you can just skip it and go read the book “Deacon King Kong” by James McBride.

I was first introduced to James McBride’s writing when he was the keynote speaker at the Greensboro Bound Literary Festival in the spring of 2024. I was in Greensboro, but chose to attend my grandson’s birthday party instead. His last book (James McBride, not Bridger Honey),was “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store”. So of course, I read it. It was good. I enjoyed the story and recommend the book.

As I was perusing the Montana state interlibrary website for our next book club read, I found another James McBride book, “The Good Lord Bird”. I ordered the kit to be sent to Darby. Did I like this one……..well……I did notice that several people in my ‘open to the public’ book club returned the book early instead of at our planned meeting. I started the book at the beach. It was not a beach book. I got to page 100 and decided to stop, and for the first time, not finish my book club book, that I picked out, and a book club that I head up. Ugh.

The next day, I kept reading. The writing was good, the premise of the book is great, it’s historical fiction, one of my favorites, but it just went on and on and on with Civil War battles and details and would drag along with not much progress. I finished. I still don’t recommend it, but I did like it.

And next, I had found a James McBride book in a free library box on the street and had grabbed it and added it to my stack at home. Brett read it, liked it and said I should read it. So, after finishing “The Good Lord Bird”, I started “Deacon King Kong”.

It takes place in 1969, in the projects in New York City. I started this book on my river trip. I had to read a whole page and a half of the beginning of the book to my river crew. I read the same page and a half to my book club. The writing is incredible, the story line astounding, and the characters are as real and genuine as your next door neighbor. I highly recommend “Deacon King Kong.”

Next paragraph. Donald Trump gave me $500 this week and a letter. He told me in the letter that there was a surplus of affordable care act money. He wanted people whose subsidies were taken away to get a one time $500 refund. He said that Joe Biden took away the subsidies. Wait. What? I think I will write Mr. Trump a thank you note and explain to him that it is my understanding his administration took away the subsidies. The 6% refund, based on my annual expenditure of affordable health insurance for 2026, is generous, but now I question your system. How do you have excess? I know……me, personally, I do not go to the doctor. The annual $10,600 deductible is not in my budget. I spent $8400 per year for insurance I can’t use. So you don’t actually spend any money on me. I think maybe I should get more back.

Next paragraph. How many fiber internet companies do I need on my rural dirt road outside of Darby, Montana? The companies just keep coming, tearing up my road, installing ugly green plastic pods, installing orange tubing underground, move rocks and roll them down the mountain. And they are ALWAYS going backwards in their trucks. The entire summer was filled with the constant noise of a backup beeper, all day long. I have high speed internet. Sometimes it isn’t great, but mostly I can watch You Tube videos, stream Hulu and follow my daughter on Instagram, just not all at the same time. Word on the street, literally, is that there was a lot of federal government money to get high speed fiber to rural areas. The two best parts of this story is that I already have high speed internet and the second is that in order to get the new and better stuff to my house I have to pay to have it come down my quarter mile driveway. Then pay for the monthly service. HAHAHAHA. But I’m paying for affordable health insurance. Also, Brett is going to end up plowing those ugly green plastic pods right off of their stands in the next big snow storm.

Next paragraph. The people running for political office must be the scum of the earth. The political commercials tell me every time I turn on the tv how horrible these people are. Running for public office is not about budgets, jobs, cost of living, health care. It is not even about abortions or guns anymore. Apparently, these horrible people want to have drag queen shows for children. Really. No joke. That’s what they said on the commercial. And this is what they are focusing on; spending donator money on. They are also very concerned about a person transitioning to another sex playing sports with their daughters. Not worried about their sons, just the daughters. These are the issues that voters are concerned with? Is this a problem somewhere? Am I not up on worldly events due to my rural internet?

Next paragraph: Sunshine Protection Act. HAHAHA. I think this is a bigger misnomer than Daylight Savings Time. You can not save daylight and you can not protect sunshine. You get what you get. Noon is when the sun is directly overhead. The end. Days are longer in the summer period, and not because you changed the time in March.

Next paragraph. Who talks in a library? I’ll tell you. The librarian and the lonely old guy. They are having an in-depth discussion about welding. For an hour. It’s a library. Read about it.

Next paragraph. My spork. I own a long handled, titanium, spork. This is a backpacking essential. And sometimes, a hiking essential. Heidi and I will go for a day hike and still pack our backpacking stoves, fuel, food, mug, tea, chair and spork.

Let’s breakdown the spork. Long handled, this is so you can dig out your rehydrated-eat-in-the-bag meal. Some of the bags are deep and the long handle keeps you from having to insert your hands into the food bag and getting food on your hands. Titanium, this is to make it light. Ounces make pounds as they say. Spork, this is so you have a fork and spoon in one, also saving on weight, so you don’t have to take a fork and a spoon. It is an important tool not to be lost. I’ve lost mine twice now. Not really lost, as I can specifically see exactly where it was left once I realize I do not have it. The first time I lost it was on a through hike on the Selway River. We had camped at Horse Creek, got up early to beat the heat, hiked 14 miles, set up camp at Moose Creek and my spork was not where it was supposed to be . In my mind, I could see it still laying in the crook of an old rotting log. I had to borrow a spork after the spork owner had finished their meal. How embarrassing. The second time I lost my spork was on a day hike. If Heidi and I can’t get out for a backpacking trip, we will day hike. We will sit by a water fall or high mountain lake, soak up the sun, and enjoy the wilderness with a hot meal and a cup of tea. Once again, I got home, no spork. In my mind, I could picture it sitting in the dirt waiting to be placed in my bag. Two days later, Heidi and Shannon went back to Gem Lake, found my long-handled titanium spork and returned it to me. Spork rescuers, those are the kind of friends I have.

Next Paragraph: Digital coupons. Fuck me. First you want my phone number every time I purchase something in your store, now I have to have my phone, I have to down load your app, “clip” your coupon, then find it while checking out. Can I just get these grapes on sale without all the technology involved.

Last Paragraph: The five remembrances. I just learned these. Seems apropos this month. (My mom wanted to name me Apro Poe.)

The Buddha taught his followers to recite the Five Remembrances every day:

I am of the nature to grow old.

There is no way to escape growing old.

I am of the nature to have ill health.

There is no way to escape ill health.

I am of the nature to die.

There is no way to escape death.

All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change.

There is no way to escape being separated from them.

My actions are my only true belongings.

I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.

My actions are the ground upon which I stand.

If we look at the Five Remembrances only as ominous warnings of what is to come, they will serve only to create more suffering. Our practice is to smile to them, to look deeply and shine the light of mindfulness in order to transform our fear of old age, sickness, death, being separated from people and things we love, and to see the nature of our actions.