One of our joys at the beginning of each month is to attend the CODOFIL Breakfast. The first one we attended was this past April, and an article appearred in the Times-Picayune about it. Check out this link to find out about the breakfast:
http://www.nola.com/archives/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1113459944189604.xml. Thanks to Anna Keller for sending this link along.JB Borel, President of the chapter, came over to Timberlane afterwards for some of my redfish courtboullion and a lesson in "Pay Me!" which we played together with Paul and Joyce for a couple of hours. JB showed his beginner's luck and was the big winner of the day. My luck was bad in cards, but I decided to try my hand at Scrabble against Del that evening. I was well ahead most of the game till Del got “wickets” for 150 points — I stayed within five points of her till I got bogged down with two U’s and three other vowels and Del crossed my “zoo” into “zoom” in the upper right corner and I never got within 50 points of her after that.
Later in the month I attended the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Les Amies du CODOFIL Rive Ouest and have included a couple of photos of the event below. Got to visit the Gretna Community Center, a lovely, spacious new building on Monroe Street I had not been to before, for the celebration. There's a rumor that our home may be incorporated into the City of Gretna proper, so we'll become residents instead of ersatz residents by virtue of the US Postal Service's city assignment to our street address. Currently we're officially in the unincorporated section of Jefferson Parish with a ZIP of Terrytown and a City of Gretna. Go figure.
Speaking of the City of Gretna, a color photo of an artist's rendering of two 16-story Condominiums appeared on the front page of the Times-Picayune this month. See above Photo. These condos will be built to the downriver side of the Richards' Bldg which Del's mom, Doris, owns. It will block her view of a beautiful tank farm and add to her property values. The condo project is in review by the Gretna City Council currently and construction could start in 2007. This would be a major upgrade to the formerly all-heavy industry riverfront area downriver from the Gretna-Jackson Avenue Ferry. The Publicker Alcohol Co. owned the property and ran a distillery there during the War and my dad, Buster Matherne, worked there when things were slow at the distillery at Nine Mile Point where he usually worked.
A few years ago Buster was talking to Dick, my father-in-law. Dick loved to drink J.W. Dant, and said his father always told him to always drink at least 100 proof whiskey (like Dant) because it had no fusel oil in it." Buster said in reply, "Yeah, we used to skim the fusel oil from the top of the alchol vats at Publicker."
Now, I took advanced organic chemistry and never heard of fusel oil, but here was my dad and Del's dad chatting and both of them knew what it was. It's a high-carbon chain alcohol with an unpleasant smell which is created as a by-product of distillation. It is insoluble in ethyl alcohol and can be removed by skimming. I seriously doubt that 89 Proof whiskey has anymore fusel oil than 100 Proof, by the way, as the Proof is creating by later dilution with water.
The month of May was filled with glorious weather, and we improved the dry, clear, and cool days by working in our garden. The hill of mulch was leveled and tilled into the extension of the round garden as we planned a year ago. In addition, I liberally applied some Bio-Dynamic Barrel Compost to the garden. In the isthmus we inserted the tub for our water garden.
We brought home a King of Siam lotus plant, which cost so much money I told Del we had to give it a name and make it a member of the Timberlane family. Her name is Aubergine because of her delicate eggplant color. After a few days I noticed lots of mosquito larvae swimming in the water around Aubergine, so I went to PetSmart and asked, “What eats mosquito larvae?” “Goldfish came the answer,” as I expected and I bought 2 dozen small goldfish, 3 larger ones, and a small koi (biggest of the fish). On the shelf I noticed a package of mosquito larvae for feeding fish. I laughed. The air provides enough mosquitos to create larvae around here. Must be for indoor aquariums. But I doubt I would want mosquitos growing in my aquarium and have to depend on the fish eating all of them inside of our home before they matured. Soon we had the new garden all situated with lotus, fish, and flowers and some photos of the initial condition are in this Digest. 
After three weeks, Aubergine is blooming her heart out with three blooms each day, the goldfish seem to have stabilized, and the archway we placed over the water garden has its blue potato flower vine growing up the trellised sides and blooming. In addition, we now have a new edible product from our garden for the first time: an avocado is growing in the tree I planted about a dozen or so years ago. Next year we hope to have enough for weeks of Audrey Avocadoes prepared freshly picked from our own tree.
Had a marvelous lunch with Del’s school chum, Ginger and her hubbie, Buster Thiele, at the Bon Ton Restaurant on Magazine Street downtown New Orleans. Del and Ginger talked without stopping, and Buster and I talked without stopping. His name is actually Henry, but I like calling him Buster which is also my dad’s nickname. We swapped recipes and cooking stories, I told him the “crate” Boudreaux story which graces our Digest this month, and 
we enjoyed our memories of New Orleans. He calls what he and Ginger did by moving to Michigan and starting a business, “reverse carpetbagging” — going North and bringing back a carpet bag full of Yankee money and laughing all the way! We owe Ginger and Buster a visit up in Michigan some summer when Doris is recovered and we are able to travel again. See photos.
Seated in the table next to us at the Bon Ton was Charlotte Ford, a friend of ours we hadn’t seen for many years. Neither I, Del or Charlotte could believe it’s been almost thirty years (BD) since Charlotte and I dated. (BD= Before Del)
The first week of the month, writing-wise, was devoted to an enormous database project which will likely not make much sense to those of you who are not readers of Rudolf Steiner. I created a Study Guide for Steiner’s most famous work, “The Philosophy of Freedom,” based on the results of Tom Last’s extensive and intensive study of the book. By his estimate he has spent about 7,000 hours reading and re-reading this one book and each time he has extracted new spiritual insights. The database I created allows readers easy access to the insights of Tom by tables of hyperlinks which access index card size passages from the book. See my review blurb below for more detail.
My daughter, Maureen, called to invite us to her son Gabriel’s first chance to blow his horn in public: a 6th grade concert. Gabe is already in both the beginning and the advanced band section. The concert featured an original piece of drumming music that was stirring and dramatic. Rose Bowl parade quality, I told Jay Haydel the band leader. He’s trying to get a $2million fine arts center built for John Quicy Adams Middle School and I wish him the best. What’s he’s doing with those middle-schoolers is amazing. Also amazing was “Bahama Bayhi” with her Cowbell Trio. See photo.
After the concert, we took Gabe out to eat. He wanted a hamburger at Burger King afterward so we took him. Was my first time in Burger King in twenty years or so. Rather unappetizing place I thought, but we had a good time with Gabe and then drove him home. Maureen showed us how she painted Steve’s new storage shed in back yard. Looks like a Hansel and Gretel cottage in the forest. (See bottom of Digest.) She had just finished the flagstone walkway to the shed when we arrived.
On May 8, after Mass at St. Joseph’s, I drove to Del's mom's building and went upstairs with her to present Doris her birthday card and present from me. I waited till she had opened Del’s present and card. When she opened Del’s card, she thanked me for it. I then handed her the one I’d labeled “Belle Mere” which is Cajun for Mother-in-Law. She was looking good that day although still in her robe with no make-up on. Later that afternoon, however, she fell flat on her back between kitchen and LR while turning around. Del gave her some pain pills and she seemed to be no worse for the wear. Within a
few days, the pain was bad and Del took her to the emergency room to get back X-Rays. They showed no break. Slowly Doris is recuperating from this latest setback and as the photo of her and Del shows, she can still manage a genuine smile for her favorite photographer.
Update on Doyle Henderson’s health. He had a close call this past month and ended up hospitalized for about a week. His heart stopped working. He had been having trouble breathing and had checked himself into the Acute Care facility. They quickly rushed him into intensive care and put him on oxygen. The doctor had just come to talk to him when I reached him in his room a few days later. Thanks to Warren Liberty for letting me know of Doyle’s condition. The doctor said he would be released shortly and that he had a few good years left. Doyle was in great spirits in spite of the close call. As many of you would suspect, he has no “fear doyles” left, having traced them away over the years. He says it’s difficult to find alternate words to express his concern without using feeling-loaded words which do not represent his fear-free state. The best he can do is say, “I’m concerned.” He’s back in his motorhome in Redlands, California, so far as I know.
One Friday afternoon John and Kristin brought grandsons Kyle and Collin over. I showed them how to watch the fish in the water garden while holding onto the arbor, which they both learned to do very well. Kyle loves the sandplay box already. He's still in the sifting stage, but we got him to become aware that he’s not to drop sand on the floor of the North Portico. I showed him how to build a school, a church, and house and I think he picked that up. Collin was interested in finding a lizard to take home with him, but wanted Del or me to catch the lizard for him. John tried, but couldn’t get one and we demurred. John and Kristin had a fancy dinner at the Ritz-Carlson downtown and we tucked the boys in for the night in the guest bedroom. About 3 AM I heard Kyle crying a bit and found him standing beside the bed looking all lost. I picked him and tucked him between me and Del and we all slept peacefully till about 7 AM. Was a great visit.
One Sunday we drove to Camp Street to the quaint cottage of Bruce and Melissa Gordon for a 60th birthday party. (see photo at top) Their master bath has a mural across the tub by artist Melissa Smith. A lot of club members were there, several CG Jung Society folks, and other friends of the honoree Battle Bell were there. 
Battle came on time and was duly surprised when we shouted surprise and began singing Happy Birthday to him. Melissa Gordon asked if I’d come up with a question to ask Battle [a Jungian analyst] and I came up with this:
“Name a famous New Orleans Hotel on Canal and LaSalle streets, a famous Swiss psychiatrist, and a adjective for someone who is under 60 years old.”
The answer is of course, phonetically, “young”, even though New Orleanians always mis-pronounce it as the "Juhng" Hotel instead of the "Yuhng" Hotel. Battle’s eyes lit up with recognition and he sheepishly mumbled “young”, but several people didn’t know the answer and had to ask him to repeat it, so he shouted, “YOUNG!”
Our fourplex kept me busy on and off this month again. This time it was some electrical problems stirred up by a cable guy moving stuff around. We needed a section of gas pipe replaced and a grounding rod installed from the electrical distribution system.
One night while waiting for Del to fix the popcorn before our movie du jour, I caught the ending clip of an original Kojak episode with Angie Dickenson and Telly Savalas. Telly never said a single word as Angie did an incredible, dramatic scene of confession. The two of them walked outside where the arresting cops greeted her and she entered the police car to drive away. Not a single word from either of them, but I was riveted to the screen.
A knowing look and sympathetic nod from Kojak before they closed the door. As the car with blinking yellow light above it drove down the water puddled night-time city street, Kojak slowly walked down the same path it took down the street, looking ever so much like Jimmy Durante in his famous spotlight exit on his 1950s tv show. Wow.
When we were invited to Battle’s party, his wife Susan said, “Don’t bring gifts.” So we didn’t, but I took home a gift from the party — a summer cold. Achoo! This has slowed me down a little the last week of the month, but unfortunately not enough to stay away from LSU baseball games on radio in the SEC tourney. Are they saving their all for Omaha? Hard to know — their bats have been silent on the issue. One can only hope that dreams of another World Series Championship will wake up their bats in June.
Great news: Del's mom came over to Timberlane for a visit — first trip out except to doctor in many months. She had only gotten verbal reports about the new water garden, the new bench, the flowers in the newly expanded center garden, etc. When Doris arrived, she walked out to water garden to meet Aubergine and her playmates, the goldfish and Koi. She loved what Del did with the garden. Then she came inside and looked at the photos of Kyle and Collin’s visit and Battle's party. The photo of Del and Doris smiling was taken on that day. She's not free of pain, but she's building up her strength a bit every day. Thanks for all of your prayers — they are most appreciated.
Added a new stained glass panel to the bottom of the window between Del and my desks. Del inspired me to find this panel with her comment a week earlier as she sat on the East Portico looking through the window into our office area, “That window sure looks tacky with all the equipment showing through the window.” Now it looks elegant.
Del’s cousin Lovee and her son David Moore came to visit Del and her mom. She lives in Virginia and David in San Diego and New Orleans was a central meeting place where they could also visit relatives.
The month is ending in a syzygy of converging activity: Del’s son Jim and his lady Gina are visiting from Beaumont with their two kids, Kirt and Amanda. Jim’s coming to my poker night. Grandson Chris Bayhi is graduating from Bonnabel. That’s just the planned activity for the long Memorial Day weekend. May you all have a blessed and safe holiday weekend. Till next month. Bobby
To review or not to review, that is the question I held unanswered for a month before I proceeded to write this review.
I decided not to review this book so much as share the thoughts that arose in me as I read the book, and to restrict my sharing to thoughts which were positive and useful.
If you are not sure what a soul process means, this review may help get your thoughts around it.
The enchantment of reason for legal matters is similar to the enchantment by paradigm of scientific matters. It acts as blinders to keep any possibility of a change from occurring. Although there have been many scientific revolutions as Kuhn points out, there has been only a progressively more and more encompassing enchantment with reason and not a single legal revolution. Anyone who pays the dues to become a journeyman lawyer or attorney becomes so enamored of reason that they cannot perceive of any other way to argue or to conceive an argument in legal matters.
Like Sleeping Beauty, the legal profession is mostly asleep when it comes to understanding its creation of a rule of reason in an unreasonable fashion. Will Pierre Schlag (Byron White Professor Constitutional Law, University of Colorado, Boulder) manage to hack his way through the brambles of legal mumbo-jumbo and plant a kiss on Beauty's forehead to awake her in time? Or will the rational frame constructionists, King Law's clothiers, continue to construct the King's New Clothes with mega-yards of satiny words, so that, when King Law appears in public, only naive children (who know not from words) will be able to see that King Law is, in fact, naked?
This is a book worth reading. To discover this for yourself, this review is a good place to start.
The best source at the best price is to order your copies on-line is from the publisher Random House/Xlibris's website above.
To sign up for 
“The Englishman who Went up the Hill and Came Down a Mountain” (1995) was Hugh Grant, who else? A cartographer and surveyor, Grant and his rotund pal have to measure the height of a local hill/mountain in Wales. Problem is: the hill vs mountain distinction is 1000 and the local prominence measures out at 984. Locals decide to build a mound on the top which is subsequently blessed by the good Reverend and Hugh and Betty, each in their own inimitable fashion. 
“Color of Paradise” (1999) A heart-wrenching portrayal of a young Irani boy of about 10 years old who waits for his dad to fetch him for summer vacation, but his dad doesn’t show up till very late in the day. Then his dad pleads with the administrators of the blind school to keep his son for the summer. But there’ll be no one there for the summer. So off to Grandma’s house with him while the dad works in the charcoal factory and tries to save money to get a replacement wife and mother for his three normal girls and his blind son. Mohammad is like a millstone around his father’s neck and one wonders if he will survive the summer. His teacher told him, “ God is invisible, so if you wish to experience God, you will have to feel him.” So the young man searches everywhere with his hands and at the end of the movie we see his hands light up and we know.
“Primer — Will it work?” (2004) No. The time machine did but the movie didn’t. Disjointed movie which never came together to make sense as Memento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind both did in their own fashion. Geeks in a garage shop built this thing and want to use it to win the lottery, punch some guy in the snout, etc. Juvenile crap. Not even worth stomping! 
barely ménàges — involving a 15-yr-old boy, 28-yr-old woman and her husband. 
She came from an agricultural school in Paris to take over an isolated farm from an old man and run it herself after he left in 18 months. Story is of their almost relationship, which we are led to believe may have flourished after the credits rolled.
I felt all at sea during the whole movie and kept wondering what it was really about. Do you suppose Bill Murray (The Man who Knew Too Little) knew? Or did the meaning of the movie get Lost in Translation? Another slight nudge from AAAC to Your Call.
Redfish Courtboullion Sloppy Jeaux Sandwich
“Peace be with you,” 
solution. Ironically each party can only offer a partial solution because the solution they seek will only do the same old ineffective thing in a new and equally ineffective way — but they will be out of office by the time that is realized by those who voted for them. The voters will shrug their shoulders, become disgruntled, and later go to the polls for vote for another new and equally ineffective way of doing the same old ineffective thing.
of my comments and quoted material came from there. 
While the outside of the building where Del’s mom lives is being repainted, we’ve been using her Cadillac Northstar to keep it away from the painters. Having been spoiled by the amenities of the Nissan Maximas Del and I have driven over the past 20 years, it has taken me a while to get used to a GM product again. The seat belts, for instance, are very tight and one cannot buckle them without strapping down one’s clothes and causing wrinkles. One Sunday this past month, I got into the Cadillac with my favorite Blue Blazer on and when I pulled the right side of my blazer up to keep it wrinkle-free, it suddenly became button-free as one of its gold buttons flew into the air. It had been snapped free from its moorings, decapitated by the edge of the extra-tight lap-belt of GM design. Okay, no problem, I figured, I can retrieve the button when we get back.
