Another beautiful day seems to be ahead. I was awakened early by the beep, beep, beep of heavy machinery next doo where a new seawall has been constructed and now truck loads of dirt are being spread. At least the pounding seems to be over. The job has been going on over a week now and I hope it is finished soon. My dog is a nervous wreck with the machine noise and beeping. Wherever I move she goes with me. The cat is sacked out somewhere upstairs oblivious to the activity.
This is the second day here with no school. The calendar says “Spring Break,” but it starts with Columbus Day on Oct. 12. I did read somewhere that not every state recognizes Columbus Day on the 12th. A few put it on the 11th and some apparently don’t acknowledge it at all. It was pointed out in one article that Columbus wasn’t the first to discover America, not by a long shot. People lived here thousands of years earlier and it is acknowledged that Columbus found San Salvador, not America exactly. I believe I also read that one of his discoveries was the banana but I might not have that right.
It is beautiful out. I have started walking on the levee again in the evenings when the temperature has dropped to a comfortable level. It’s a little muggy but the mosquitoes have abated. Pretty much the only activity is some off road vehicles of various sizes. They just zip on by.
I am staying on the batture of top of the levee. I’d like to walk along the bayou in the woods but the memory of my dog being caught by an alligator is still fresh. She doesn’t seem inclined to venture far either.
Yoga tonite. Tomorrow night I plan to attend the Assumption Parish Police Jury meeting and see what they have to say about a proposition which will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. Voted one way, the proposition will give the jury the authority to take money from the library funds. Voted another way the funding is left alone. And I know the library badly needs funds. Two of the parish libraries are very small and old and pretty ramshackled but very popular. They need repairs.
The police jury meeting was very interesting and I hope it results in a vote on the Nov. 3 ballot that is favorable to the library system in the parish. I doubt if this jury is much different from others or other councils in their need for funds, but it seems these entities have spent their money unwisely and now want to take money from the library.
I don’t know for a fact, but I would guess that many on the St. Martin Parish Council have never been to the public library nor any of its branches. People don’t have any idea just what libraries offer. Not just books but all the paper work for tax filing, helping with official work, looking up things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve personally gone to my nearest library to ask for help with my phone after I’ve messed something up or just can’t figure out how to do something.
My pharmacist and my library are my two most important go-to places. (My daughter is number one but she doesn’t live here and isn’t always available.)
Here goes the beepbeep, beeping of the bulldozers and whatever else. It started at 7 am and appears to be continuing all day. A good day for a long walk just to get away.
My phone weather app shows temps in the 50s this weekend. How wonderful. I’m going to find a good book, drag out my heated throw and hunker down in the chair with a cup of hot coffee. Heaven!
Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be emailed at lindacooke1939@ gmail.com.
