Quote de jour

Don't you love a literal translation sometimes? Today you get both. Those yummy looking apples aren't fit for man or beast. Even the ground hog nibbles at them and spits them out. This old, lone apple tree straddles the property line between our house and our neighbors. It used to be part of an orchard and the previous owner would sell its bounty by the roadside.  The apples now provides artistic nourishment for the soul which is fine by me, and contains less calories.

Like most kids growing up I thought my parents were weird.  I knew there couldn't possibly be any truth to the old saying: "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." No, I insisted, I was not like my parents. Then I grew up. Eventually, with much kicking, screaming and  therapy I embraced my special brand of weirdness which was flavored by both of my parents. The funny thing is, I turned out far more quirky than they ever were.  Well, most of the time. My mother, who lives in Canada is 80-something going on 8. She loves sending me cards, notes, newspaper clippings, horoscopes and other ephemera. If she could use a computer, she'd be the kind  to send those cute cat photos and schmaltzy poetry. Every so often, she sends me a motley selection of random old photos. I've already scanned all the family photos (thousands), so I don't know where she dredging these from. Last week, slipped inside a gossip magazine was this old family photo taken a beach holiday. I'm in the center, the apple of my parent's eye. They look pretty normal to me now and I'm the Puckish free spirit then and now...happy I didn't roll too far from the tree.