Revival of this story coming in 2020!

When I conceived the idea for this story, I was really excited.  Life got between me and the ending I had envisioned, so I wound it down in a rather hurried ending.  Now, I have reread it and become inspired so I am going to work on the story I know is buried deep in my head and more importantly in my heart.

I will of course, continue with my Words of Wisdom.  Those pages are written early in the mornings because I wake up thinking about things that mostly happened in my day to day life and mostly back when I was growing up in a dog eat dog world.

I hope you will follow "The World Is Not My Home" as a purely fictional effort on my part.  You can also sign up to get in sent to your email.  Just go to the left column under the followers.

I look forward to entertaining you in a purely fictional rendering

#19 A new day

I began to rouse myself.  I had no idea how long I had been asleep, if sleep was actually what it was, but Rompano standing beside me.  I raised myself to his level and was disturbed to see that he looked very sad.  I thought of touching him and I could feel his warmth.



“Oh, Rompano, why do you look so sad?”  I could not imagine what could make him sad in this world we were in that had no beginning, no end and not even a now.



“ I have learned something.  I do not know how I learned it.  It just came into my head.  I think that is how we learn here. At least I think that is how, otherwise I would not know this.”



He did not move, but I felt his arms holding me.  And then he began to speak.  “ I am going to be sent back. I am going to be born again into a family in Central Kansas.  Imagine that!  I know nothing of who they are, or why I am going there.  I just know I will be leaving you and that makes me sad.  I have learned more.  I have learned that some people have been together since the beginning  of time.  They keep getting thrown together or finding their way to each other.  Do you think that could be true of you and I?”



I thought a moment and then smiled.  “I think that is possible.  The first time I saw you  I knew you.  You found me here in this place and that is something.  I love you like I have loved you forever.”



“And I you.”  He laughed.  “I do not even know your name.  We don’t really need names here, but I want to give you one.  I want to call you Infiniti.  I do not know if I will remember this when I leave here, but I will know you when I see you.  I will look in your eyes and I will see Infiniti.  We were meant to be together forever.”



Somehow I knew this was true.  I remembered how I had walked into places I had never been and knew where every thing was located.  I knew the people on the street that I had never met.  I remembered hiking a trail near Beulah and I knew I would find the Mountain Sage near the top.  Some people called it dejavu.  I remembered the first time I had met my husband.  I knew him.  I knew we were destined.  I turned to face Rompano, but he was gone.



A strange peace came over me.  I knew I had work to do if I wanted to reach the shining shores and rest in the arms of my sweet Jesus, but I was ready.  As I settled to the softness of my mossy little room with my furry friends beside me I thanked my God for having sent me Rompano.  I knew not what lay ahead, but I did know that somewhere I would find him, or he would find me and together we would work to change the world.

#18 A new day

I awoke to brilliant light filling my mossy little room.  I was surprised to see that Rampano was still there.  I gazed at the place where he lay and felt full of love like I used to feel back in the real world.  I did not know this man, if he was indeed a man, but some how I felt a link and a connection to him that came from deep within.  Now even “deep within” I did not understand since there was nothing to have a within with, but I felt a tie to this little Rompano.



As I watched him sleeping I felt myself in another place.  I did not recognize my surrounding.  The ceiling were high and the trimmings around the ceilings were elegantly carved and painted a brilliant gold.   On closer examination I decided they could actually be gold.  The floors were marble.  It was neither cold nor hot, but rather just a temperature that was completely moderate.  I saw people at the end of the long hallway.  It seemed to be all men and they were in some sort of uniform.



At that point I became aware that they were English and the the year was 1431.  It was the end of the 100 year war with France.  I was French and had no idea wht I was doing in an English prison.  My roots traced back to French Switzerland. I deduced that it was an English prison, but I was French to the bone!  What was going on?



I watched as the contingent of men in their army uniforms came toward my door.  I was locked in a small rock cell with only a pallet on the floor.  I wore a uniform consisting of a pair of pants that were tied tightly at my waist, a coarse jacket  and no more.  The men stopped at the door of my cell and one of them unrolled a parchment and began to read:



“Maid of Orleans, you have been found guilty of heresy.  You claim to talk with God!  By your own words you admitted that this is true.  You refuse to dress as a woman, but wear the garb of a man.  A jury of your peers has deemed that you shall be immediately taken from this place and burned at the stake until you are dead!  So be  it.”



With that he turned and stepped aside.  4 men entered my cell and grabbed me by my arms and jerked me outside the cell and propelled me forward.  In no time at all I stood before a pyre.  It was then I realized I was Joan of Arc, the maid of Orleans.  I had fought for France since the age of 17.  I had lead troops in battle and changed the course of history!  I was descended from the Calame and Gagnebien line.  I had no time to speak as I was propelled forward and tied to the stake.  Quickly a fire was lit and I was consumed.



I felt no pain.  I could see my murderers , but I felt no pain.  I was floating, floating, and then drifting down.  I came to rest beside Rompano.  He opened his eyes and smiled.  I smiled back.  I was safe once more for a while.



The crackling fire was no more.  I wanted to tell him where I had been, but as quickly as it had happened it was forgotten, so I just smiled and faded into my mossy little room with Rompano at my side.

Back to square one, thanks to Mesa Nails

So I had told Tracy I would drop her off some cookies.  That was two weeks ago.  Well, guess she did not want them very bad, because when I stopped a couple days ago I was greeted with a locked door and a note that gift certificates would be redeemed for cash by mail and thank you for supporting us all these years.  Damn!

So, all you people out there, I am in dire need of a pedicure and a manicure.  I want some one who is fast, gentle, listens to me babble and makes my hands and feet look good.  Click on the comments and leave me a name and number and I will tell them you sent me.

Until then, it is back to the broken finger nails, the phenomenally long toe nails and I am talking to myself.  Oh, and Tracey if you are out there, Bret ate your cookies!

Sister's Courtyard Tea House (of the August moon?)

Our friend Tere had taken a position way back in Tennessee, turned in her resignation at PCC, and notified all her friends that she was leaving in 2 weeks.  So Ross thought it best we have a small going away celebration (?).  Guess we had to call it something.  Our loss is her gain as she has family back there.  In life we are often called on to make changes that, while we may not like them, are necessary.  This was one of those things.  So Ross, in typical Ross fashion, pulled together a very elite group of her friends and , believe it or not, I made the cut! 

He chose a very intimate setting and we had our "party" after hours so we were there all alone, except for the owner and the chef.  I had never been to this place, but had heard nothing but rave reviews.  Our Pueblo Handweavers Guild had their Christmas party there, but I did not go because they told me I had to dress up and I have not played "dress up" since God only knows when.  So the evening of the soiree I pulled on one of my better pairs of jeans, picked up Ross's mom, Nancy, and off we went to Sister's Courtyard which is located in a corner of a small strip mall at 517 W. 5th St.  This was a good omen since I owned and lived in a house in Hutchinson, Kansas for many years which was located at 217 W. 5th St.  Omens are omens you know.

The entry way looks pleasant enough.

 

The owner greeted us and made us feel right at home, despite my tacky attire!  There is Ross in the background spinning a tale about something or other to some one.  The perfect host for the perfect party.  See that pink ball in the upper left corner?  There are lots of those suspended from the ceiling.  Hey!  I wonder how they got those up there?  Up the stairs is a small loft where they have things for sale and Michelle found a hat and parasol.  I found something to eat right on the table so I never made it up the stairs!

Oh, look!  Glass tea cups and a glass tea pot that sets over a candle so it stays warm!  How cool is that?

That hand pouring the tea into my cup belongs to the fellow who sat beside me through the whole tea and kept me entertained with computer talk and the furious clicking of his new camera.  Did you ever try to drink hot tea with a camera lens in your ear?  I will make a small interjection here; This is Chaz and Chaz has computer mind that would rival Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, or anyone else. He has his own business which I will profile here in a day or seven, but in the meantime, if you need a guru, this is the boy to call.  (I have his number) ((In  more ways than one)).

Nancy and I were having some sort of Blueberry tea which was out of this world.  I could see that since we were having the Full Tea Service that I would no doubt have to make a stop at Burger King on the way home.  Boy, was I surprised!  It is called Full for a reason!  The first thing to hit our table was Cheddar Cheese scones with some sort of garlic or something to spread on it.  On the "tea" deal I figured out that everybody gets one of what ever it is you are getting.  This keeps everyone on a level playing field.  Next came a small serving of quiche along with about an inch of soup in a bowl.  Yummy dabby doo!! 

I was beginning to think I probably would not starve when they brought out a 3 tiered thingy with tiny sandwiches, and little sweet things, along with little bitty servings of like fruit and other stuff!Hell, I was beginning to feel like Alice in Wonderland at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.  My tummy was full, I was sloshing with all the tea, and they were not done with me yet!

OMG!  Cheese Cake!  Now where am I going to put that?  I am already stuffed.  I have no doubt consumed enough tea to keep me awake for hours or at the very least, well, you know as well as I do what happens when you drink a gallon of liquid right before bed!  Nancy and several others were asking for "to go boxes", but you know me.  I will eat that if it is the last thing I ever do, and to my credit, I did.  It was worth every delicious bite!  The whole tea was.

 

So after 2 hours of non stop eating and drinking, Nancy and I waddled out to the car, loaded up and headed east.  We did not stop at Burger King, but rather hurried home to our nice warm beds in our nice warm houses.  When I got home I jumped in my jammies and hurried off to bed with visions of Sister' Courtyard dancing through my head.

 

Now, have I ever given you a bum steer?  I think not.  If you are in need of a place to go with someone and kill a couple hours in an unhurried, casual  atmosphere, I highly recommend you call and make a reservation for 2 or 3 or more and have yourself a little tea party.  Prices range from $20 for the Full Tea Service down to $7 for the Crème Tea Service which is scones and tea.  The also have a lunch menu and that is out of this world!.

Reservations are recommended for lunch and required for Tea Service.  719-543-1947

or visit on the web at Sister's Courtyard 

and, as always, tell them Lou Mercer sent you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southwest Grill November 13, 2013

I am inside, looking out the window from our table.  That is my little car parked beside the sign. 

This is my dining companion and guess what is in her hand and against her ear?

But nonetheless, we soon had a cup of hot coffee in front of us served by a very friendly waitress who I did not get her name nor picture. 

I could almost have bought a lottery ticket without leaving my seat, but I chose not to do so.  Aren't you proud of me? 

Our food arrived very quickly which was no surprise since we both ordered Biscuits and Gravy.  I fell to eating and neglected to take a picture of the fare.  I have my own scoring system on food of this nature.  It was not greasy, which is good in my books.  It was tasty.  The gravy was creamy and the sausage was sausage as oppose to some of the stuff I have bit into.  Very shortly my plate and that of my friend looked like this:

As you see, I managed to do justice to it.  The biscuits were just a tad bit on the dry side and the meal was not quite as hot as I would have liked, but it was a cool morning and I was not eating right off the stove, so that is understandable.

 

I have been to the Southwest Grill before and enjoy thier food.  Will I return?  Most definitely!  The atmosphere is casual, the staff friendly, the resturaunt clean, the food good and reasonably priced.  Lots of parking.  All kinds of good things to say about the place!

If you pop in, tell them "Lou sent you!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just tell me what you think!

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