Two Subjects - Can't Decide!

 3/29/2021

Friends, we're just a mere few days before April makes it's appearance. At this moment, I really have to check the weather everyday, to decide what I should wear. Long pants? Short pants? Sleeves", etc. 

The sun is shining brightly out my windows, but I think we're going to have weather in the 60's. But, then because Mother Nature, is so fickle, we'll have three days this week, with temperatures in the 40's. 

As I sit down this morning, I have two topics I could write about. And, believe me, these two topics, have absolutely nothing to do with each other!

Where I'm living now, there are low flush toilets. We don't have these at home, and hope we never will. My experience has been, so far, is that low flush toilets, aren't all their cracked up to be. You're supposed to save water, and that's a good idea. But, if you have to flush multiple times, then what's the point? TMI I know, but I now have a plunger in my bathroom. You get the idea. 

In our house, our appliances, with the exception of the new oven, are all mostly 32 years old. If you want a washing machine with the regular spinny thing inside, then you should buy this old kind now. Store it in the basement, if you have to. I don't even know if you can buy a regular toilet anymore, but if you can, put that in the basement as well. That's the end of that topic. Aren't you glad? 

Changing topics.

I have read a fiction, but loosely based on facts, a book about Charles Dickens. The book makes a big deal out of how handsome he was. While I can't seem to be able to give you guys a picture, but, in my humble opinion, I think he was downright ugly. And, yet, women swooned to be near him. Why? Probably, because he was well known and had money. These two qualifications from his time period, can be somewhat true for today. Who wouldn't like handsome and money? Everybody has a price!!

Here's what I know is true. Dickens lived from 1812 to 1870. He was 58 years old. His wife, Catherine, lived from 1836 until 1879. She was 64 years old. Catherine and Dickens were married for 22 years, until he became perhaps more enchanted with younger women. In the book, and it is perhaps fiction, Catherine didn't attend Dickens' funeral. The book intimates that Catherine, after her "divorce", became quite heavy and seldom left her home. 

In Dicken's lifetime, he wrote a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, 5 novellas, hundreds of short stories and articles. 

One of the woman, that Dicken fancied was Ellen Ternan, an actress. Upon his death, his will provided with Ternan 1,000 pounds. Today, that would be over $79 millon dollars. Tidy sum for it's time. Catherine received only 600 pounds, or 25 pounds today.

When Dickens died, his estate was worth an estimated 50 million pounds. Today, his worth would be 69 Billion dollars. He died a rich man. Unfortunately, at the time of his death, he left more money to Ternan, than his wife. 

Dickens had a very large ego, and thought of himself, as "the magical circle of one". 

The novel I read, was mostly based on fact, dates, marriages, that kind of thing. But, being a novel gives the writer free range to gather the facts, and then make them more interesting for the reader.

I tend to find a subject or topic, that sounds interesting to me, and then research the hell out of that subject. If, I could remember what I have written here today, I would be able to have a conversation about him, at a party. Of course, there are no parties, or few parties, now. My family and friends know that I'm reclusive, and have been more so, after I retired. In a large crowd, I try to find the smallest place in the room. And, yet, with friends or small gatherings, I can certainly hold my own. Sometimes people actually think I'm a funny person.

That's all the information, I have handy for today. My calendar today says "do more of what makes you happy". Nice thought to end my blog.

P