I was early yesterday, for my coffee with John and stopped by HBC, where a shoe sale was on. On my way home I bought a pair of step-ins, even though I was looking for some sandals, for which there was no choice left.
John asked me to organise my addresses, which at my age is a timely request and not beyond my own horizon living by myself. I now wonder in what format I should do this, but I’m sure he’ll have a preference when asked. I already have a pencilled format for a spreadsheet file on which I may start and add more info later.
On the way home I stopped by ShelfLifeBooks and spent some time browsing two books, but I did not buy any this time. I have enough to read right now and need to restrict myself, even though the books were interesting. ‘The Last Crusade’ was about Vasco Da Gama, the Portuguese explorer who found the way to India (1497/9).
The other title sounds like ‘Barbarous Beginnings’ and covers the 1640-70 period of the North America East coast invasion and settlement by English, Dutch, French, Swedes and other colonizers. Not much peace then and there, with the lack of government. It is clear that the indigenous tribes and nations were no push over in these encounters, but were subdued with zealous effort by the new comers. Both books are historical treatise, which is the genre I like.
I wrote a first draft of the preamble section, one (1), of my reincarnation essay, consisting of ‘early interest’ and ‘My 1999 resolve’ as the subsections. Once I start writing with a certain intention, unexpected aspects and memories always surface. This is a continuing source of surprise to me, but is well reported by novel writers, as well as others.
In my own case yesterday, a memory bubbled up about an old school friend from the Polytechnic in Utrecht, who at the time introduced me to various ideas relating to reincarnation and East Asian religious thought. Along with these recalled memories, came the associated emotions and feelings. This is actually the very process I experienced in 1999 when I visited Holland in my retirement, but then in a much more powerful manner!
Today is Shirley’s birthday and I have fitting card for her, reflecting on what she has been through over the twenty (20) years that we have known each other. I hope she likes it and possibly we’ll have tea or coffee later on today or tomorrow, then I’ll know!
<8:48am~