my second post....

So..I've been reading a fair bit lately and the latest one I've been wading (and I mean wading) through is Opening Skinner's Box - Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century by Lauren Slater . The title itself would normally have put me off, but I saw it listed in the booklist on Rosie.com and as Skinner figures in Applied Behavioural Analysis, I thought I would give it look. It's a tough go, but I'm finding it interesting....I'm just not sure I will retain a lot of the information contained therein. It relates the pros and cons and the author's take on the experiments and the people who conducted them. Some are pretty horrendous....all in the name of science and the brain!!

I'm finding that my interests in book reading are gradually expanding....which in turn broadens the mind...at least I hope so. Another author that has taken my fancy is Annie Lamott. A couple of her books are Travelling Mercies and Grace(Eventually), she also has a column in Salon magazine and if you google her name you can find them to read. Humourous, down to earth, and to the point with a slightly Christian and spiritual aspect, though not enough to deter the non-vocal Christians among us.

I was at a garage sale this morning...alone.... (first one a loooong time) and it was nice. As much as I love my husband, having him with me at garage sales, causes me no end of distress. If he doesn't see anything that appeals to him, he huffs and puffs until I finally throw up my hands and leave, even if I've seen something that I like. He's just not a "second hand" sort of guy I guess.

In any case, I came away with a hat that reminded me of my grandmother (crocheted "cloche" style) for a dollar. some almost new Christmas place mats for 5$, three large hardcover books in pristine condition for 6 dollars and a small plastic bag of assorted "glitter glue" for collage work for a dollar. There were quite a few children's toys there, but I think I will wait until my grandson starts visiting before I decide what toys to get to have on hand. All in all, it was a good time....and it was after I had been to the market where I wandered through and picked up some bison meat, beets, yellow zucchini, apricots and peaches, and dog biscuits. A good start to Saturday. DH was at work.....so I was able to wander at my leisure with no one to account to....except Chauncey (our bichon) when I got home!!

I remember when DH retired I said that it would be a learning experience to start doing things separately.....there are things we do better apart and things we do well together. It's all about finding out which is which.... a task that is becoming a tad easier these days. When you have always done pretty much everything together, it is stressful but definitely worth it to achieve your own identity. It gets easier....but there are still times (and always will be, I'm sure) when I need him nearby even though I'm quite capable of being by myself. Now he has a temporary part-time job, the transition is easier....not quite so "in your face"...so to speak.

Well, I have blithered on long enough....I hope that someone eventually reads this....

Slainte!!

Coramie