This time of year – the infamous Ides of March – predict what are invariably bungling interventions upon the projected springtime and summer seasons.
The Ides of March is the day on the Roman calendar marked as the Idus, roughly the midpoint of a month, of Martius, corresponding to 15 March on the Gregorian calendar. It was marked by several major religious observances. In 44 BC, it became notorious as the date of the assassination of Julius Caesar, which made the Ides of March a turning point in Roman history.
Less dramatically than Roman history, the record of events here adjacent the Mississippi River at the end of Spring Street, Almonte is scrambled by a mix of mud (from McCaffrey Trail, Village of Ashton), recent pellets of frozen rain and now a light snowfall which has succeeded to cloud the former clarity of the river view.
Otherwise however the prospects are far less muddled. We’re already actively retailing the multiple advantages of arranging breakfast reunions at the golf club. Our confessed dissolution of entertainment at home by replacement at the golf club has proven to be a highly workable mechanism for stimulating not only social gatherings but more specifically strengthening familial connections upon all sides. Having the need, and knowing the way, to accommodate this worthy enterprise is a happy fortuity. Indeed it is reminiscent of those tribal or clan alliances which so spirited our ancestral Gaelic types.
It was true that the Highlander had few scruples about shedding the blood of an enemy: but it was not less true that he had high notions of the duty of observing faith to allies and hospitality to guests. It was true that his predatory habits were most pernicious to the commonwealth. Yet those erred greatly who imagined that he bore any resemblance to villains who, in rich and well governed communities, live by stealing. When he drove before him the herds of Lowland farmers up the pass which led to his native glen, he no more considered himself as a thief than the Raleighs and Drakes considered themselves as thieves when they divided the cargoes of Spanish galleons.
Excerpt From
Thomas Babington Macaulay
“The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 3”
As often as I cringe upon reading the snobbish renditions of English history by Babington Macaulay (a prejudice which by the way has been advanced by scholars), I am bound to credit him with exceptional insight into human character notwithstanding his undisciplined preference for the likes and dominance of the British gentleman. These ruminations by him or me however never amount to an interruption of my day. In fact au contraire they stimulate what I fashion to be advancement albeit with qualification.
Living as I do a life of rampant idleness has nonetheless permitted me to dwell upon sufficient preoccupations to expiate any guilt of indolence. Foremost is a theme of physical exertion. Initially I had sought to exhaust myself or at the very least prolong the stimulus to a point of depletion. Finally however I have recognized that at my advanced age there is no need to hurry. Nor thankfully have I any inclination whatever to embarrass myself or somehow to prove myself by exhibiting what are frankly characteristics limited to youthful exuberance. My remaining limited rationality has enabled me to argue myself out of that particular jumble of thought. This morning for example I fulfilled my athletic ambition by twice (that is, on two separate occasions) having bounced up and down on my Rebounder. I know it sounds silly and even quaint or meaningless; but I can assure you that it rapidly becomes a challenge. And more importantly of course it becomes a fruitful engagement. I chose that particular opportunity today because yesterday I had tricycled about 6 Kms about the neighbourhood. Following completion of either exercise routine – triking or bouncing – I am uncertain which is more beneficial. I like cycling because it gets me out and about – and frequently stopping alongside the road to chat with walkers along the river. But the Rebounder is good return for the money! The two events have I believe the further benefit of combining different strengths so there is that advantage as well.
Once I have purged the athletic impulse, and after having consumed a bowl of steel cut oats comingled with strawberries, prunes and a cocoanut based yoghurt, the afternoon precipitously opens upon my day. Granted I have likely delayed the evolution of my day’s enterprise by first confronting my MacBook Pro assembly to read and answer whatever email I happen to have received. I am one of those narcotic people who answers email upon receipt. My catalogue of acquaintances often suffer a similar urgency. As a result a conversation sometimes initiatated by a sleepless constituent in the middle of the night might easily continue well into the following morning depending upon the nature of the chat. However by the time noon is approaching (and I have taken my pills – God bless Advil Arthritis Pills), it is time to address the car wash proclivity.
In my defence an outing in my automobile is akin to a ride upon a Skidoo; it’s an assured adventure in addition to being an antidepressant. As I further discovered today while addressing the vacuuming, cleaning of the car mats and cleansing the collection of mud upon the undercarriage, my ability to stand for anything more than 30 seconds is questionable. If I happen to extend the duration of unsupported mobility I quickly begin to collapse. All this I take with entire acceptance. But it certainly advances my entitlement to automotive conveyance. Besides I have a partiality for anything mechanical (among them for example watches). Listening to a well-tuned engine, feeling the surge of a competent acceleration and playing with the onboard bells-and-whistles (including toying with Siri and music) are all preoccupations of endless levity.