Quirky thoughts from an old man.
Shibboleth
Noun: A phrase, word or custom that distinguishes one group from another.
Examples: “Shalom” is a shibboleth for Jews. “Allah Akbar” is a shibboleth for Muslims. “Howdy” is a shibboleth for Texans.
There is a biblical story about the use of a shibboleth to identify the Ephraimites.
The photo is one of the continuing series of Zelensky fan boy photos. this one is from a wood workers shop in the Italian Alps.
“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”
At dawn in Joliet, Illinois our flotilla set out to make it through the next lock. The couple in this boat had as their goal to complete the Great Loop by next spring. Small goals are better than no goals. My goal is to consolidate, tag and sort all of my digital photos.
“There are good ships and wood ships
And ships that sail the sea,
But the best ships are friendships,
May they always be!”
The Loopers Toast
“Loopers” are boaters who sail (usually in power boats) around the Eastern US in a “great loop.” Up the East Coast and the Hudson River then through the Great Lakes or Ontario, Canada to Chicago. Then down the Mississippi basin to the Gulf of Mexico. Finally completing the loop by sailing around Florida. The people that do it are self selecting as fun-loving adventurers who like to talk about boats. And when they meet up they have a delicious drink and say this toast. They also introduced me to the term “docktails” a portmanteau of dock and cocktails.
I know about this because my long time friends Gene and Carole B. have the power catamaran you can see, moored outside in the above picture. They have done the Great Loop twice and I have had the good luck to be the last mate on several segments of the trip. It is a wonderful experience, both relaxing and energizing. The photo was taken in Joliet, Indiana a couple of days into our recent trip from Chicago to St Louis.
Other sources call this toast an “Irish Proverb” and they could be right. It can be both and in my mind it is still the Loopers Toast.
“The United States is the world’s largest gated community”
And like the Great Wall of China or Hadrian’s Wall in the UK it will ultimately fail. Tell me why I’m wrong.
“As we grow older, we become like old cars – more and more repairs and replacements are necessary.”
C. S. Lewis
A wall of old kitchen utensils at a farm/tourist site in South Tyrol, Italy.
“Everything you buy makes everything you own less valuable.”
In Trento, Italy they discovered the remains of a Roman town under one of the main squares. this is part of the artifact hoard.
“The costs of migration are greatly eased by the presence in the host country of a diaspora from the country of origin.”
Paul Collier in Exodus
One of the reasons that the United States is so successful at absorbing immigrants is that the new immigrants can find a safe place near their countrymen who proceeded them.
The photo is of a mural in the lobby of the hotel at Lake Iseo.
“The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves.”
Helen Keller
The photo is from Edolo a small town we passed through on one of the transfer days with OAT. We had time to walk around, have a coffee and, most important, use the bathroom.
“Work the system to change the system.”
Grapes almost ready to pick near Tirano.
