Year of the Dog! "Sweet Mattie Bragg" 

Year of the Dog!

Just wanted to remind everyone out there that coming up Jan. 29th is the Year of the Dog! It warms my heart. I love dogs. I think this means that this year would be good for close companionship, loyalty, honesty and integrity. We could use more of that. When I think of what my dogs represent to me, I think of unconditional love, warmth, affection, company, security, playfulness, and the best life has to offer. I have heard people say, "She treats him like a dog". I think that must be pretty good. If I treated you like a dog, you would have a very happy life! I had an ex husband who claimed I liked the dog better than I liked him. He was right. Guess that's why I'm divorced. However, if he was more of a dog I would have liked him as well. My Mom was taken back when I told her I named my puppy after her. Katie. She said, "you named your dog after me" and I said Yes, I did and that should be an honor. I think more of the dog than I do of most people. Dogs only stay with you a short time here on earth. Every day is precious. They teach you so much about getting along and loving others. Now of course everyone knows - DOG spelled backwards is GOD! I don't think that was a mistake.

No Smoking!

I just wanted to comment on the No Smoking ban in my county. I am a smoker. Even tho I smoke less these days, I am still a smoker. If I stopped altogether, I would still consider myself a smoker. And....I would hang out with the smokers even if the little white stick never touched my lips. Did you ever notice when you went to a wedding or a function where you didn't know anyone and were feeling a little uncomfortable? Just walk outside the door, next to the outdoor ashtray, stand a minute and before you can blink your eye you are one of the gang. People are smiling, talking and here you are with a bunch of instant friends. I believe smokers and drinkers are social people and I can't live without them. That said, and please my non-smoking friends don't take offense, I have something to say that I just don't understand. Maybe I missed a brain cell or two on my trip to earth, but I noticed that there is a group of people who are very serious and passionate about not allowing others to smoke so much so they passed a law that you can't smoke in public. I don't see this group banning other public problems like alcohol which does cause deaths on the roadway sometimes, sex which does cause some big problems with health sometimes, and my biggie - the automobile. Hmm. It just makes me wonder. I got an email today about tumors in fish and here I quote, "In the Anacostia, Fish and Wildlife scientists linked liver tumors in bullheads to polluted urban runoff laden with car exhaust residue, pavement sealants and asphalt particles." Now I'm thinking maybe the tumors, health problems, heart problems, cancer is coming from the cars and not the cigarettes. Maybe we should ban the automobile. So, I say - no cigarettes, no alcohol, no sex, no cars. That will make us healthy and give a fuller richer life. We won't live any longer, we'll just think we did. Amen.

Finally Awake!

The RiverdaleReader has been quiet for awhile. So many things have been going on and comments just escaped me. Things in my town of Riverdale Park are changing and I am not sure that change is progress. I find myself longing for the "good old days". People are talking about development. They want a Trader Joe's! They want upscale franchise businesses. They want video streaming, call ins for town meetings. High density housing. Now I will comment. TJ's chickens live in small cages for their entire lives. (Check out the Humane Society web site) I would rather buy my eggs from Farmer Jerry at the Farmer's Market. I don't need TJ's. If I want to live in high density housing, I'll move to DC. Video streaming, meetings on the net, call in comments - whew! What's wrong with meeting face to face every month? We're not machines, we are people. We need face to face contact. We can learn more and interact more in person. Get off the couch and get out there. The whole purpose of living in a small town is community.
Now my story: I moved to Riverdale Park in 1970. I could drive through Peeler's cleaners with my kids in the car and drop off my dry cleaning. I could pick it up the same way. What a convenience. Had a shoe cobbler right on the corner. Didn't have to throw my shoes out when they needed stiching or new soles. Pizza Heaven with the best pizza anywhere was right on Route 1. The Second Time Around Shop helped with clothes recycling. The Office Store for all my office supplies was right there. Dumm's Corner served all your daily quick needs. The Bike Shop - oh how I miss that. All my kids got their first bikes there. I didn't have to put them together, they came that way. When the tires went flat or the brakes needed adjusting, they rode up the street and the nice man took care of everything. Special occasion dinners were provided by the Calvert House Restaurant. We went to the movies at Riverdale Plaza. My favorite of course - The Riverdale Bookshop. The owner knew what I liked to read and if he came across anything he thought would interest me he put it aside and when my kids walked past coming home from school, he would go out and give them the book and tell them to take it to their mom. He would settle up with me later. Oh, to have the good old days back when merchants knew their customers and treated them like family. When I could walk to anywhere I needed anything. My children knew the police officers and they knew them. They could get help anytime they were around town. We had a Recreation Board which provided a summer playground right down the street at the park. All the kids in the neighborhood knew each other and were friends.
When I think back and see the changes, I am not sure we made any progress. I just see change for change sake. I see big developers changing the flavor of the small town I always loved. I see all my favorite spots going the way of the dinosaur. I see Dumm's Corner moving into the past. The only change I don't see is the Town Center. It wasn't anything in the 70's and it is still nothing now. Except maybe it could be a Hollywood set. Just a facade. I often wonder how did this happen and why? Maybe when they do their video streaming they could also do some virtual reality tours of how life in a small town would be. We could enter the tour and be in Riverdale Park in the 70's and 80's where the people were friendly, stopped to talk face to face on the street and businesses knew their clients and customers. I am getting homesick.