“The principles of control and discipline ought to be abandoned in favor of self-control and self-discipline. “ — Vaclav Havel

 

The above would appear to be the only way out of the classic impotence of traditional democratic organizations, which frequently seem founded more on mistrust, collective irresponsibility than mutual confidence.

These were words passed while on outside writing my column in the sun and the warmth and having some time away from Mello, Fred, Echo and Patolme. It’s not easy to see what I’m doing, so I turned the chair around to see if the sun will brighten up the screen.

It appears to be slightly brighter. Then, of course I’m an advanced aging man closing in on the next decade beginning with a seven.

I listened to our ex-governor on public radio recently as I quietly and privately departed from the fall leaf pile north of town as Pawlenty attempted to make some sense.

He pointed out decisions being made that aren’t rightful decisions, and information is being made accessible without certainty.  I thought he was actually making sense as I parked the car at Hy-Vee. We were down to the last three sheets that are an asset to drying the washed washings.

As a kid I would go down the basement at Vilt’s Valley and mother would put the wet clothes through a ringer. Down there I often had the privilege of filling the hopper with coal and then hauling out the clinkers and dropping them off along the Turtle Creek river bank. How wonderful it was to sit on the grate between the living room and dinning room to absorb the heat.

In other local news Mello and Fred got to travel by car to Houston Saturday morning to celebrate Jeanne’s sister’s 50th birthday that turned out to be a packed room. There was a huge crowd there of all ages. The next day was spent talking story and giving Uncle Chuck a hand.