IT HURTS SO GOOD

Laughter is sometimes automatic, even when extremely inappropriate response and/or to something tragic.

One of my favorite lines from the sci-fi classic "Stranger In A Strange Land" by Robert A. Heinlein is when the main character, Michael, a human raised in the Martian culture, finally comprehends laughter - we laugh because it hurts so much.

I try earnestly not to laugh when someone is made a fool, or makes a major mistake - but sometimes it is simply impossible.

It hurts too much to do anything other than laugh.

But this afternoon, I didn't simply laugh, I ROARED for a couple of minutes.

I have to separate my horses when I feed them - otherwise the mare simply allows the colt to gobble up everything.

And it becomes a bit of a dance to get the mare on one side of the fence, the colt on the other, hay on both sides but senior feed only for the mare.

Tonight, the colt burst into the corral in his usual flamboyant manner, bucking and kicking and showing off for my benefit.

And promptly slipped in the mud, went sliding on his side until he slammed against the fence.

Nothing was damaged other than his pride - but yes, I did laugh. A lot.

ECONOMICAL VS. INFERIOR

I'm cheap.

No, not that way. Geez - what were you thinking?

I am discovering that some things are simply better when they are cheap.

My mom always insisted on high quality items - clothing always had to be from the high-end stores (Robinsons, Macy's). They may have been from the sales racks, that may be true, but never from a place like K-Mart.

I don't know where she bought furniture, but I still have a couple of end tables looking good after 50+ years (and my three children).

I always figured it was because she grew up dirt poor, and even when we had extremely limited income when I was in elementary school (in particular the years my dad was writing for television), the quality-deal never altered.

Ever.

But I have a daughter who carries that same gene - if something is hers, it's pretty well-made.

So maybe, like good looks and class, it just skipped a generation.

Therefore, I have believed, for quite some time, that high-price, high-count and high-end stuff are always better.

Not.

I love cheap bath towels.

I mean, the $3, thin towels that are supposed to be the ones you pick up before the Egyptian cotton 999-million count thread $45 towels.

Because those 999-million count thread simply don't dry me as quickly as the cheap, 23-thread count ones.

And that's really all the matters to me.

Okay, how many of you now are going to disown me as a friend?