Miscellany: Little pleasures worth mentioning
Life's little pleasures are few and far between, therefore they're worth mentioning when they occur.
The past week or so has been full of those little pleasures. One evening after the sun went down I sat on the front porch, visiting with the girls, getting caught up on their busy lives. We weren't rushing to get to work, get to bed, or get to some other event. The TV was off. It wasn't all that hot. We weren't crazily slapping at mosquitoes. Fireflies floated on the breeze. I think front-porch-sitting must be a lost art.
Another lost art and little pleasure is receiving an honest-to-gosh handwritten letter through the U.S. Mail. About once a month I get a letter from an aunt in Missouri. She fills a page with tidbits of news about family, the weather, and her garden.
It's great to receive those letters. Unfortunately, I'm not so good about sending them. Unless someone has e-mail, they probably won't hear from me. It's more convenient to send a few thoughts electronically. By the time I find the paper, an envelope, and a working pen, write the letter, find a stamp, and get the missive to the post office without losing it, the news is outdated.
The telephone presents its own set of problems. If I can locate a fully-charged phone, someone is using it. By the time that call has ended, I've forgotten who I was calling and what I was calling about.
Another pleasure was finishing a couple of books I started on the plane when I came home from Norfolk. Being an observer of people I'm always interested in what they read in airports. This month's big draw seemed to be the new Harry Potter book. It didn't look like many kids gave up their cell phones and Game Boys for the book, but I noticed adults had removed the book jacket and were avidly engrossed in Harry's adventures.
Other little pleasures included fresh sweet corn and watermelon, an afternoon off from work, and watching a summer thunderstorm.
Oh yeah, and air conditioning.
— DONNA BERNHARDT
