We went to walk in the park this morning, before the rain got too heavy, to break the tension of waiting for the grand jury announcement and, last night, a marathon session of “Sons of Anarchy”, thank god we are done watching that! I can’t complain too loudly- I did watch it, after all, got caught up in wanting to see what awfulness would happen next, when I could simply have left the room- but I am glad to be done with the killing and lies and revenge and hate (shoot- for that I need only look at the news!).  A soulless show it seems to me, the only glimmer of truth or life or growth of humanity in the relationship of a transvestite with a motorcycle club member unashamed of his sexual proclivities.

Yesterday we went shopping to prepare for Thanksgiving guests and I was shocked at how little traffic there was, how few shoppers for a Saturday. It must be all the anticipation of whatever will happen if and when the grand jury ever makes an announcement about whether to indict the officer who shot the young man in Ferguson, the catalyst for all the intervening unrest and protest. I would hate to be a store owner right now, depending on shoppers while folks are laying low, waiting to see what will happen. Too much tension around town during all this, but for the most part it looks to me like people are going out of their way to be kind and civil to one another.

So, this morning we saw a great blue heron sitting in the dead tree over the River des Peres and other scenes that soothe the senses and make me grateful to be here. And the trout fishermen are back for the trout in the recently stocked Jefferson Lake.