‘So, Mr. Mole, you really have not seen God after dying and coming to heaven,’ He asked? ‘That is one of my most anticipated meetings when I was on the other side of the Great Hill…we write songs about it and hymns…and poems too,’ He continued.

‘Oh for ‘heavens sake…’ can’t you just believe…look around at the lovely scenery…the majestic Woods…the Technicolor…we have been searching for Him too…but he is an elusive Rascal,’ Mr. Mole exclaimed.

Mr. Mole, Ratty, and I have been up and down the river in our little boat, and at times we almost catch a glimpse of him…but then the Shadow evaporates and we are back where we started,’ Badger explained.

‘Sometimes I hear him in the early morning when the birds are singing their hearts out, said Mr. Mole.

‘Well, I must snap a photo of him to prove his existence…the Woods is so lovely that he must be here somewhere,’ He said.

‘Camera shy…he is,’ said Mr. Mole. ‘I had my Polaroid Big Swinger and almost got a photo once and a cloud came up and obscured my view…then I discovered to my amazement that what I thought was God was a beautiful sunset on the horizon,’ he continued.

‘I see God in the eyes of Mrs. Badger…until she chases me out of the Den with her broom,’ Badger ruminated. In any case, we must continue on as this is only the first stop for you and it will be dark if we do not seize the day,’ Badger extorted.

‘You mean this is not the place we have been waiting for…the great destination…the halcyon of halcyons,’ asked He.

‘Hello…Hello…could someone help me over the Great Hill,’ the beggar asked? ‘I am so tired and very happy to see someone out here as I have been living in the Woods for 5 years with no company,’ the Old Man said.

‘Any news of God…we are looking for him…have you seen him,’ asked Mr. Mole? ‘We almost see him and want to meet him and even snap his photo…but he seems to be around just the next corner,’ Badger said.

‘Follow me over the next hill and I will show him to you,’ the Old Man said with a wink.

Before the intrepid explorers was devastation and ruin. There were sick kids and crippled dogs and every type of malady and even hunger. Amid the suffering, the Old Man sat down and began to tell a story of God.

‘My goodness this place does not look familiar,’ He said.

He had been walking in the Woods and in an unfamiliar area as well. The trees seemed opaque and the leaves were pastel in color. ‘I should have gone to the eye doctor last month but I thought that I could make it another year,’ He thought. ‘That last hill was a doozy and I was a bit out of breath…but in a good way…after all, I did close my ring on my iPhone,’ He thought some more. ‘The Woods has transformed into a Technicolor movie somewhat like The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston portraying Moses,’ He said out loud to the surrounding animals.

‘Pardon me…kind sir…were you speaking to me,’ Badger asked as he locked the door to his den. ‘I heard that you were coming but you are somewhat early…nevertheless, this is usually true for your kind,’ Badger continued. ‘You look a bit lost…was it the last great hill that did you in,’ Badger asked?

‘Well I did feel a little faint but still good and I closed the ring on my iPhone,’ He answered. ‘I considered getting an Apple Watch for Christmas but instead, She and I decided to get a 65-inch Television and we now feel like we are at the Theatre,’ He said with a smile and a wink. ‘I noticed a marked change in the terrain after climbing the great hill and the colors are so brilliant much like our new TV,’ He added with a satisfied smile.

‘Well my friend…you have crossed over to the next phase…and I will assist you in your acclimation to it,’ Badger said with a matter-of-fact tone.’ ‘Hello Mr. Mole…we have been waiting on you,’ said Badger.

‘I simply could not find my spectacles…I can not see a thing without them,’ Mole said with a determined and squinting gaze at He and Badger. ‘Did you you tell him yet, Badger, Mole asked?

‘I really do not know if He is ready for the truth of his current circumstances…He seems to be very happy with his success in closing his ring on his iPhone,’ Badger groussed.

‘Well He will not need an iPhone here…we are more advanced than that little piece of plastic…it will never replace books as far as I am concerned,’ Mr. Mole proclaimed with earnest delight. ‘You must tell him to not pull at E.T. and attempt to call home,’ Mr. Mole continued.

‘You see my friend…you have crossed over the great divide…you have boated down the river Jordan…you have in essence bought the farm,’ Badger said to He. ‘It takes some years to acclimate to the reality that Heaven or the afterlife or whatever you choose to call it looks a bit like where they came from…without the iPhones and the suffering of what humanity does to itself when it is bored or tired or just jealous of each other, Badger continued.

‘Did you bring news with you of how God is doing…we have not heard from him in some time…we miss him although we never saw him but rather heard stories about him and how he loved us,’ Mr. Mole said.

It is a picture-perfect Sunday. It was a bit cold and now it is a bit warm. Such is life. I traveled to Eldorado yesterday and visited the Eldorado Museum. They had a vintage toy collection which was outstanding. One of the items was a baby buggy from the 1800s. Also Fischer Price before plastic. I returned with four commemorative coins from the centennial celebration of 1973 when I was still in high school. They were buried in a time capsule that year and I recall thinking that 50 years was a lifetime…and lo and behold I have lived to see it!

The last days of the colored leaves are upon us. Aaron MJ and I are watching the Enfield Poltergeist on Apple TV +. This happened in Enfield, England between 1977 and 1979 and is a fascinating documentary that uses the original tape recordings with the actors lip-syncing the words. The Hollywood movie Conjuring 2 was based on the Enfield occurrences. Some judge the paranormal events to be staged while others assert that they are real. The tape recordings are chilling…

Thanksgiving is fast approaching whether we are ready or not. Similar to my centennial coins of 50 years that seem like yesterday I am amazed that 2023 has raced by. Busy days are happy days and they are quick days. We want to believe in the Enfield Poltergeist as we know in our hearts that there is more than we can see without our eyes and hear with our ears. We are spiritual beings in houses of clay.

‘Smoke Good,’ said Frankenstein when offered a pipe to enjoy.

‘Well Halloween is over but we did not get to have our costume party,’ Jane bemoaned.

‘How about tonight…it is a great and chilly fall night and we still have the costumes,’ said Billy B.

‘I wonder if we might get in a bit of trouble with a late Halloween Costume Party,’ Chet ruminated. ‘Everyone is thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas and probably more about Christmas, he added.

‘I would like to dress as Jackie Kennedy and I have the hair for it,’ Neva J said. ‘I also have an identical outfit as she wore when she gave the White House tour to the press,’ she continued.

‘If you are going as Jackie I will dress as Jack Kennedy and we will make quite the couple, The Wiz added. ‘My goodness the Cuban Missle Crisis is over and we need to celebrate the victory, The Wiz grinned with an otherworldly gleam in his eyes.

The November 2nd Halloween Party was in full swing in the haunted house on Illinois Avenue. In attendance was President and Mrs. Kennedy as well as Premier Kruscheve and Fidel Castro and even Bozo The Clown was there with his big red nose and clown shoes.

‘I will take another helping of that wonderful punch,’ Neva J grinned. ‘I think it is spiked with vodka.

‘Vodka is mother’s milk to me…fill up my glass as I decide what to do with Kennedy’s ultimatum,’ said Kruscheve.

‘May I have this dance,’ Kruscheve said to Jackie. ‘You know I am unaccustomed to such beauty in Russia, he added through blurry eyes.

‘Well Mr. Premier…we beat you this time…no need to take off your shoe and beat it upon the table…we have averted Nuclear War,’ Kennedy said to Kruscheve.

‘Not so fast Mr. President…we are a proud people and we are bent on your destruction…never doubt our resolve…the only person that has stopped me is your lovely wife,’ Kruscheve said.

‘May I cut in,’ Kennedy said to Kruscheve. ‘I am somewhat jealous of my wife’s attention, he muttered.

A whistle could be heard outside the Victorian haunted house.

‘

‘I told Vice President Nixon that we would capture you without firing a shot…but I did not mention…bombs…’ Kruscheve said as he spun Jackie across the dance floor…

The Cartoon in question is displayed on Facebook by Mother Lode of Warm Fuzzies. An otter and a priest are sitting on a park bench and the otter is explaining his understanding of the often-quoted words of Christ. The otter displays in his innocence the modus operindi of many of us as we feel good about ourselves and our magnanimous charity towards others. We look around us and attempt to see the folks who are in need and who we can reach out to…and more often than not they look and act like us…

The House of Representatives has a new Speaker. Upon first blush, he seems very reasonable. But his speech identifies him as a gentleman who identifies God’s will God’s people and God’s church in a narrow rendition of his particular fundamentalist dogma. Now if you are of those self-same beliefs you are comforted your heart is warmed and your soul is fed. But…how do you feel if you are not? The founders of our country and the authors of our Constitution based on their belief that church and state must be separate. Indeed they had experienced religious persecution and being a part of the government’s church.

Looks are deceiving. Words are suspect.

‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: God, I thank you that I am not like other people… robbers, evildoers, adulters…or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, God have mercy on me, a sinner.’

‘Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat…would you please put a penny in the old man’s hat. If you haven’t got a penny a hay penny will do…if you haven’t got a hay penny…God Bless You!’ This verse Neva J would sing all of November and December each year. She laughed joyously as she sang and at the same time set upon fulfilling the verses admonition. Neva J sought neither fame nor fortune and did her good works where no one could see. She sought not those who were like her but rather the marginalized the untouchable and the unwanted. If society ignored you…Neva J loved you.

Rosie was small in stature and a rotund woman. She wore Moo Moos exclusively. Several of her teeth were out but there was one in the middle that was on prominent display. Rosie talked to herself a little and periodically answered as well. Rosie loved JFK and Neva J loved Rosie. Neva J helped Rosie pay her bills gave her money and took her to Eldorado to do her shopping and to our house for the holidays. Neva J was as proud to be seen with Rosie as if she were the President of the United States…

One Eye had a terrible nickname and a scarf permanently on her head and the reputation of being a gypsy. She was shunned by society. She did have one eye and she was set apart to mock and scrutinize. No one took an interest in her until Neva J. People said that she stank…but she did not. People said that she was crazy…but her observations were more professorial and spot-on than most people in the little community. Her name was Abigail and she was a sweet person who would do anything for Neva J.

Mrs. Westbrook was called the Cat Lady. She had 100 cats and she loved them all. When people saw her they would walk on the other side of the street…but not Neva J. Neva J became Mrs. Westbook’s friend. She lived on the underside of Eldorado and knew not of the society of the community. Mrs. Westbrook heard voices but she peacefully communed with them. She was alone and afraid until Neva J became her friend. Mrs. Westbook soon found homes for many of her Cat Family and with Neva J’s help cleaned up her home and had a Thanksgiving dinner with her friend and Billy B.

The smallest of towns has a pecking order. The villages and the hamlets have the Sears measurement of…Good…Better, and Best. Of course, some are poor challenged, or marginalized who do not ascend to this scale and are forgotten.

Have you ever been forgotten? Have you ever been the last person chosen to play on a team in school?

‘Who likes smoked turkey,’ Grandpa E asked?

Do you have a little of that good rum, Neva J asked with a Rummy’s gleam in her eyes?

‘How many will be here for Thanksgiving,’ Billy B. asked as he played host to the ever-expanding gathering. ‘I have all of the folding chairs out and the card table for the kids,’ he added.

The little house had only four rooms…but they were four rooms filled with love. Grandpas B and E were telling tall tales and Neva J was on her third shot of Thanksgiving Rum…and there was a Rum Cake as well. Niece T was there and her sweet mom and dad and even Granpa Mike asked…’ Janey do you always have these lovely balloons on display?’

‘I love the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Fernie said.

‘MJ you always have such a wonderful dinner and real napkins…and I so appreciate you asking me each year,’ Mrs. M said with a twinkle in her eyes.

Aunt Wanda came in and Uncle Bill and cousin Billy. They had in their arms pumpkin pie and Divinity and homemade fudge as well. Neva J asked them if they would like a bit of rum to ward off the cold and they said that they would love some.

There was happy talk of shopping on Black Friday and traveling to St. Louis. They were going to see the Christmas Bears at Famous and Barr and then have dinner at Casa Gallardo. Thoughts of Christmas were swirling about in their heads. The Sear Wishbook had been dog-eared by Aaron and Jonathon for possibilities for under the Christmas Tree.

Billy B looked startled as suddenly everyone was gone and the house had transformed into a much larger one. He had been there. It was as real as anything he had experienced.

‘Chet…did you see them leave…are my eyes playing tricks on me…were we not just celebrating Thanksgiving at Elkville with all of the family and life before us and our hopes at their zenith,’ Billy B asked his lifelong friend?

‘Not only were we there but they are here…past and present are in a circle and all are transpiring at the same time…shut your eyes and open them and you will see,’ said Chet.

‘Pass me another slice of that delicious smoked ham,’ said Grandpa E.

‘You know you really can taste the rum in the rum cake,’ Neva J laughed as she sliced another helping.

‘Please do not ever leave,’ Billy B implored the Thanksgiving group.

‘We are always here…we never left…,’ said Grandpa Mike…

The temperature has plummeted 30 degrees. We became seasonal overnight…or perhaps a bit wintery. There is a marked difference in the leaves in the Woods today. We have a freeze warning. Soon there will be little but bare branches. I think that I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula in my youth but I am not sure. In any case, I am reading it now and I am amazed at how much of the book Dracula does not have an active role in. I like the writing. Dracula was a big part of my youthful appreciation of gothic horror. The Count’s debonair manner combined with his malevolence was a heady mixture for a young mind. Watching the original Dracula movie with Bella Lugosi was a chilling and fun adventure. A tree branch striking the window pane could send shivers up your spine.

We enjoy being scared in the confines of our security and safety. I began watching a program regarding the Enfield Haunting which is one of the most documented cases of haunting in the United Kingdom. Often I watch programs after everyone has retired for the evening and it is just Mylo and me on the couch. The difference in this program on Apple TV is that it has actors portraying the roles of the real people who were involved in the incident but it has the real tape recordings of the affair. Feeling brave I began the program and in the first few sentences there played the original tape of the poltergeist saying something to a little boy…I told Aaron and MJ that we would watch it together…

We all have encountered occurrences in our lives that we could not explain. The feeling of having been somewhere before when we know it is the first time. Meeting someone who you have never met and knowing that you have met before. Looking through the mist and fog and feeling that someone is looking back. The assurance of our departed loved ones being with us and helping us through the trials of our journey.

Having been a student of Faith for over 50 years I have witnessed things that did not yield to convenient explanations. A minister told me when I was a youth that one day I would lead a large number of people. I laughed similarly to Sara when the angel told her that she was going to have a child when she was old. Remind us that all that we see is not all that there is. There is a thin veil between us and another world…and sometimes it is pulled back for a moment…

We have had a long tradition of celebrating my birthday in St. Louis. Returning to the last century we attend a movie at Landmark Theatre in Plaza Frontenac and eat on the Hill. For the last few years, it has been at Bartolinos. We did not have our usual waiter but he did come out to say hi to us and we felt a part of the family. I remember enjoying three or four dirty martinis at the beginning of this century and in the latter part of that last and then getting in the car to drive home to Southern Illinois. I really did not feel alcohol to any degree. My capacity has decreased in the last few years. In those days it was Cunettos and it is still one of my favorite restaurants. The line to enter Cunettos was often down the block and we stood in it on many occasions. We saw the original and Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo at Plaza Frontenac. I returned home and purchased the books. In those halcyon days, Cunettos gave you a free glass of wine with your entree.

Thanksgiving is less than a month away. We have hosted it for over 30 years. I remember our niece Tara and her mom talking about getting up early to shop in St. Louis on Black Friday. Their excitement was infectious. One year MJ and I looked everywhere for a Cabbage Patch Doll for Tara and finally found one at Fairview Heights near St. Louis.

On one Thanksgiving we decided to attend a showing of Father Of The Bride with Steve Martin and Tara rode with us to the theatre. She was so excited about her upcoming 16th birthday.

Life is filled with special moments. It is not the big events that you remember and hold in your heart…it is the small unexpected love that you feel…

So, I was preparing to pay the bill for dinner when I joyfully noted that I would have about $30 more than I had anticipated at the conclusion of our wonderful meal. Little did I know that I had shortchanged our waiter…I guess I am feeling my Dirty Martinis more than I did at one time in my youth…

So, I just returned from the Woods to see the last of the leaves before the temperature takes a precipitous drop and the rain commences. I and hundreds of others seem to have had the same idea. One of my favorite shelters was full to the brim of happy nature enthusiasts. Another parking lot was empty until I parked there and subsequently, about twenty cars followed me in. One of the kind gentlemen tapped on my window and told me that my gas cap was off and that he would put it back on if I did not mind. I did not mind.

Jonathon and I visited the Grand Opening of GeekBetty Vintage and More in Carterville today. I first noticed a young woman in vintage clothing waving at me as she sat in the window reading. Upon entering the store there were several young women modeling antique and vintage clothing throughout the establishment. There was a lovely Library with a plethora of books and old knick-knacks and Jonathon and I had to have a little Boston Terrier sitting in a yellow basket.

‘How does the time slip away so quickly…it seems that it was just the beginning of fall and now we are over a month into my favorite time of year,’ Billy B asked?

‘Time is a bit fluid I think…I remember when we were kids in Eldorado like it was yesterday and when I close my eyes I am back there once again…playing with Daniel Boone and wearing my Lost In Space Robot Halloween Costume,’ Chet answered.

‘Well I am 66 and the other day I was 6, said Billy B. ‘It seems like a dream that when you awaken from you have difficulty remembering,’ Billy B said with a wistful look.

‘Talk about a dream…do you remember our camping in the Woods last Halloween and hearing the chants and seeing the black bassinet the next morning,’ asked Jane? ‘There it was outside the stone structure with the two fireplaces and it appeared that a witch’s coven had gathered around it,’ she continued. ‘It reminded me of the recent movie Rosemary’s Baby which scared the bejeebers out of me with Rosemary’s dream about JFK and Jackie being on that boat, Jane said with a shudder.

‘I never told anyone but during the night Mia Farrow dressed as Rosemary came into our campsite and asked me where the sound of a baby crying was coming from…I told her that I thought that there was a coven of witches outside the stone shelter and that there she would find her baby,’ Chet said with a serious and tired look in his eyes.

‘You know that explains who the dude was with the stocking cap on that stuck up at two points on his head as if it were covering horns…and he had red eyes…he asked me if had seen Rosemary and did I have directions to Dubrovnik…’ Billy B answered.

I was saddened to hear of a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. We stayed just 26 miles from Lewiston last month on a Holiday in Maine. When I heard that the shooting was in Lewiston I recalled the gentleman who tattooed Brock and me with our Lighthouses saying that he had lived in Lewiston for some time. He mentioned that the types of tattoos he did vary from Lewiston to his current business in Bath.

Maine is a sweet and lovely state. Over our six visits there we have met many wonderful Mainers. We love to visit and rest and refresh next to the ocean. Maine is full of small communities. Peaceful people who mind their own business. Our Captain on our sailboat tour lives in Maine. What a nice person. Maine has a different feel to it. It feels like home…even if it is not your home. It feels like family.

I awoke from a vivid dream this morning. For some reason, I would have to leave my beloved Maine. I did not understand why…but I did not want to leave…