The Girl Friend

The Girl Friend. I had a girl friend this summer. She might even read this. The time we spent together on the beach and hanging her in garden was the best part of my summer. I had such a rotten summer, except for her. Three days. The first day we met at the Kingston ferry and walked out to the pier and talked to the fishermen. The second day I came to her place in Kitsap and she made a picnic lunch. We went to the beach at Point No Point. Another weekend we spent the whole day in her garden, and the evening watching a dumb video, all kissing and we were on the couch, wrapping arms.

That was all. It was so good. I forgot how good it could be, but now I know.

Drinking Wine, Eating Chili, Listening to Laura Ingram. The best place to buy wine in the Skagit Valley is the Rexville Store. Stuart, the owner, is a big pain in the neck, but he only sells good wine, and his bargain bin is always good – like wine for $4.49 a bottle, but it goes down well.

Stuart is always right. This is why he is such a pain. You cannot tell him anything, but he already knows it. I like to go there for coffee in the morning, but I might as well wear a button on my shirt that says, “Well, of course, Stuart. You’re right and I’m wrong. What was I thinking?”

Laura Ingram is on the talk radio. I’m listening while I sit in this horrible boat which I told you about last night. She’s conservative, but I am a non-partisan listener. I judge by the sound of their voices. For instance, Al Franken and his smooth, soothing baritone. He’s a liberal. He has a sense of humor – although sometime his show gets a little slow, especially when he has long, insider conversations with Tom Oliphant, the Boston Globe columnist. But I like him.

I can’t stand Rush Limbaugh anymore. It’s the voice, not the content. He’s too loud and my ears hurt. But Michael Savage is good with his raspy New York accent. I love him when he talks about his sainted mother. I don’t think he actually likes anybody else. He is a cultural conservative.

Finally, Laura Ingram has a warm, brassy voice. It’s really unusual. I love the sound. Content? I hardly notice.