I was in the chair after waiting my turn when the other guy spelled out the word. He was reading from the same local sports section that I had killed time waiting. I pronounced "Valkyrie" for the man and the barber and then told them a little of who they were. But before you think we were having a conversation about old Norse mythology don't get carried away: the new Minneapolis Lingerie Touch Football team is named the Valkyries which is a pretty decent name even if the locals don't necessarily know what it means.

Now, I don't want to sound insulting at all -- really. I had come to the old man barber shop for a haircut and I was more than happy to sit through the local insurance man, the undertaker and the Snap-On parts guy got their hair cut. I mostly hid in the newspaper but they were funny - they meant to be - and I couldn't keep from looking up and laughing some. I mean, after all, this was the kind of barber shop that I have mostly just read about, I suppose most recently in "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter," which was good, but not amazing; the barber shop as the central place for "manly" gossip was a big factor and now I was soaking in it. This is the kind of place where anyone under the age of fifty is called, "kid."

But I got some local lore (he's been cutting hair and living above for approaching fifty years, so don't call him "kid") as well as some sights to explore: No reason to go to the cities when NordEast has all that you could ever want or need...

My next stop will be the local butcher... Unless I make that less necessary by trapping one of the cute (and I am sure - tasty!) bunnies that have been cavorting in the yard this week.

*****

Losing 3 out of 4 to the lowly Tigers leaves me with nothing much good to say about the Yankees today. The starting pitching has still been doing the job, but the bats must have gotten left in the Bronx. Tough playing a team that had done nothing but lose the previous week; the law of averages is a law after all...

Finally getting to see The Danger Board live this coming weekend; shame it's their farewell performance. Wonder when talk of reunion shows will commence...

It was great seeing friend's Harriet Brewery beer (Westside IPA) available on tap at Tilia; great little joint that...

Gonna go get me some sun...

Brian