Tickled Plum Silly on a Beauuuuuuuuuuuuuutiful Day

Sunday, March 28th, 2004

Words of Today
"I'm just tickled plum silly to be here, as pleased as punch."
Aye, what a beautiful day 'tis here in Madison with my son, Albert, his lovin' spouse, Bobbi, and my spouse here in Madison, Wisconsin – how I wish darlin' daughter Gretchen were here, but we just talked at length on the phone. Kola, I'm the luckiest of men who have ever lived with those lovin' kids and long-suffering spouse. 'Tis sunny, reasonably warm, and I'm feeling particularly fit, all things considered. I've already had a piece of great birthday cake – chocolate on cherries in a marvelous variation of a Black Forest done by my dear daughter-in-law Bobbi. A lazy morning – deliciously so. Even the powers that be – those who must be obeyed, Mortimer and Oliver the cats, who are in fighting trim these days – they sit around and supervise cooking and all else that passes beneath their purview. A bit of egg, the weest little bit of sausage, a little caramel roll – aye, a grand breakfast that, for me, rivals the kind of pig-out the Irish expect every day – and tourists are served as a matter of course. After watching the Irish eat back in the fall of 2000 on a trip to visit our darlin' daughter at Galway, I'm still wondering how they managed to eat more than that morning meal. One of those meals are probably sustaining me more than three and one-half years later.

Most remarkable happening this day – resting up after the long trip from a very fruitful and stimulating meeting of the North Dakota Humanities Council in Grand Forks to this bastion of a bit more laid-back attitude ('tis the cats, methinks) – the oldest of those who rule this roost, Mortimer, curled on my lap in genuine affection – usually he scorns me. He's giving me special treatment today, as are my dearest son and daughter-in-law and my spouse, for I've made to age sixty-two – at least a year beyond the time that I'm supposed to be ambulatory and reasonably alive here in this middle world. That's why I've quoted – more of less – the ever-enthusiastic Hubert Humphrey on this fine day – who wouldn't be "tickled plum silly" and "pleased as punch." So I'm gonna play this day for all it's worth – rather shamelessly, I fear – ain't gonna move unless I feel like, gonna drift off to a nap whenever I wish, read if I feel like it – what I won't do is indulge in any corn on the cob or spicy wurst as I did a week or so ago to great discomfort. But you can bet that I'm gonna have another wee slice of that wondrous Bobbi Hermanson-Albers-concocted cake, scratch Morty between the ears, write my daughter e-mail, and let my family here know how much I love them.

'Tis almost inconceivable that my dear children – Gretchen and Albert – are so absolutely sweet and dear – and how easy it has become for all of us to express how much we love each other. I truly don't deserve it, I know – for there's so much more I could have done for them – and learning how to accept such unconditional love has been one of the great lessons of this past year. Family becomes all-important – along with friends, and then meaningful work.

Would that we could all be with my spouse's family as they prepare to say good-bye to Leslie's Mom, Dorothy, tomorrow in Dickinson – and how wonderfully loving they have all been about insisting that I – and my sustaining force, Leslie – keep the appointment at the Cancer Treatment Center of America tomorrow at Zion – and her brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces, have all let me know. Gonna stay alive to return with our entire family to Dickinson later this year for a visit – and Leslie did have a chance to say good-bye about a week before her Mom finally succumbed to years of the ravages of that savage insidious invader, Alzheimer's. Tomorrow, I'll post a modest tribute that my nephew Jay Bleth will read for me and my family at that funeral tomorrow morning.

Among the treats I'm indulging in today is reading a reprint of the magnificent Wendell Berry's 1983 A Place on Earth -- some of the earliest stories of those fabled folk of Berry's town that is more real, peopled by more intensely alive folk – than a real place – Port William. Aye, what a treat it is. He "tickles me plum silly." And I'm "as pleased as punch" (not really sure what that means) with your incredible love, friendship, and support, my dear kola. I hope that this day is as beauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutiful wherever you are as 'tis here – and I know it must be in glorious Dakota this fine day. Do take care of yourselves – and do look out for each other – if you treat others as you do me, kola, there may never be strife and war again in the history of humankind.

Ev Albers