The Daily News

I'm here.

1   Mornin'.

2  I just awakened to the sound of a train moving in the slight distance through Mt. Shasta City, awakening the early ripples of nearby Lake Siskiyou and small coffee houses nearby.

3   I really can't believe I am here.

4   It is difficult to get the internet, but I plugged in this morning and it decided to help a brother out.

5  The ride up from Sac worked, although one always worries about gas and lumber trucks as you make your climb.

6  We got in yesterday morning and met with my friends John, Effie, Kat, and a great friend of theirs named Scott, a brilliant guy skilled at nearly everything: travel, landscaping, house flipping, you name it. 

7   John has converted his garage into a shrine of what he says is "America." His walls have beer signs, sports memorabilia, and antiques everywhere you look, and the signs light up like a museum. 

8   They were working on the place when we pulled up.

9   Kat teaches at USF so we instantly fell into a conversation about San Francisco, and an interesting class she will be teaching beginning next week. 

10  It's eerie, but an interesting look at how much of San Francisco was built over graveyards. As a dabbler in ghost lore of different towns, it all sounded spectacular to me. 

11  The main thing I enjoyed about yesterday though was that John was awaiting his crowning piece: a pool table with a nineteenth century flair and red felt, which makes the entire addition come together wonderfully. 

12   When we arrived, the pool table hadn't, which instantly gave a mission to the day's proceedings: chat, go downtown to the Farmer's Market, and purchase beverages for the evening barbecue.

13   The house is nestled just beneath the peak of Shasta. 

14   After shopping and talking, the afternoon turned into awaiting the delivery truck.

15   The guy delivering was nowhere to be seen, but we eventually caught him, hunted him down and led him to the mini-museum.

16   "Howdy," the guy said. One-word salutations are all it takes in this little corner of Heaven.

17   "I have no idea how Immina git this off the truck."

18   Scott and I looked up. The pool table was professionally made and was in an enormous box on almost a triple-pallet that instructed people not to use a lift on the corners.

19   It weighed at least a thousand pounds and looked pretty daunting.

20   I've been what they call "unboxing" stuff for around six months now, and this was by far the hugest, most dangerous thing I have encountered. 

21   My Achilles twitched when I looked at it. One wrong step...

22   The three of us managed to get it down, and we spent much of the rest of the afternoon unboxing and assembling. Scott had great instincts on what went where and became a great boss. 

23   He did most of the work, but we all came together while the wimminz took a ride to Lake Sis.

24   Everything timed out nicely. We had just finished attaching the top to the legs when the returned. 

24   There it was, this glorious pool table all assembled, and all of Mt. Shasta blessing it in some sort of spiritual way.

25   John then made some incredible beverages and we enjoyed sitting and chatting during the smoky sunset.

26    Rambling note: The fires coming up from Lake County and down from the Weed area have interrupted the normally gorgeous air up here this year. It didn't ruin the night and only made us more aware of the human spirit and spirituality that is all around this area.

27   The barbecue was suddenly done, the table set beautifully and we enjoyed the evening talking and laughing about anything you could talk and laugh about. We finished off the evening with me challenging Helene to a duel on the new pool table. 

28   I was like Minnesota Fats early on, and almost ran the table. I got too cocky, however, and soon sank the eight ball,  therefore losing the very first game ever played on what will probably years of games and laughter, with majestic Mr. Shasta looking in on us like the Genie in Aladdin. 

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30   Do you remember who is writing this? The self-proclaimed king of bad metaphors. Nobody's worse, and I am proud of it

31   Moving On, Part One: Anybody lookin'?

32   After that we continued to pummel each other at the table. I scratched a world record thirty-some-odd times. I'm convinced I set a world record.

33  

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35   I've gotta keep this one short. Going up to Ashland Shakes to see Guys and Dolls today, and then perhaps hitting a brewery or two for burgers and chit-chat. No real plan, just walk around the festival and enjoy being all these fun places. 

36   John and Effie have been GREAT hosts, bringing lots of history and fun to the proceedings. 

37   It's almost like we've run around SO much that we finally got a chance to stop and really enjoy the end of a fantastic but busy summer!

38   It occurs to me that I would normally be leaving for school in about twenty minz. 

39   

40   I don't need to think about that this glorious morning. We're all up, having coffee and stuff, and getting ready to head north. 

41 

42  So I'm gonna make like a baby and head out...

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44   

45   I know. I know.

46    Those of you teaching and learning, I hope you're all back into a good rhythm.

47    Gottago.

48    See you again.

49    Peace.

~H~