May: Brick of the Month

I’m so far behind in my writing. With the first of May it was time to change out my profile picture for the “Brick of the Month”. May’s brick is a cream yellow paver brick. It was acquired from my first brick swap in Paris, Illinois back in 2007. My now good friend Jean in the Brick Collectors Club saved this for me. It was made in Empire, Ohio by either standard Clay Co 1928-29 or Standard Fire Brick Co 1903-1919.

Jean is such a knowledgeable “bricker”. She has a wonderful collection and always lets me know where the good bricks are during the swaps! We have mailed bricks back and forth using the flat rate boxes. The post office workers silently groan when they see me in line!! They never know when I’ll be sending off heavy parcels!

Speaking of bricks, I’ve been working on the expansion of the back patio. It is so good to be working with the brick saw again! There was a section of the patio where there were a bunch of odd angles and heights. That has been broken out and will evened out. There is always some kind of brick project going on here!

The broken out mess:

The first reconstruction and addition:

This first work used many of the bricks from the last brick swap in Wellston, Ohio. I can see these bricks now and relive the history behind their acquisition.

My rowing crew is still basking the 2^nd place we earned in last Sunday’s race. I’m so glad we carpooled together. It was a great opportunity to bond. On the way home it was Alison, Peter and I in Alison’s car. We listened to all kinds of eclectic music as we talked.

We were out of the Chattanooga traffic when Alison asked if I were dating or seeing anybody. This was the moment of truth. Do I come out in the open or do I hide in the closet? I answered Alison, “Well, you probably figured out I’m gay. I lost my partner Ron, back in 1992 to AIDS. I’ve buried an address book of people and am so numb emotionally, I doubt I’ll ever have that kind of relationship again.”

Alison is in her upper twenties and Peter is 39. They had no idea what it was like to live thorough those dark years of the 1980’s and early 1990’s as a gay man. I tried as best I could to explain those times. We are on a much closer level now. By showing how being gay does not mean you are an “oversexed barfly” and can contribute in a positive way to life, helps to take away the ammunition for hate and intolerance used by the extreme right.

The country is in such a different place than it was even 20 years ago in acceptance of being gay. I did the right thing.

We are really into spring now. The Confederate Jasmine is in full bloom. The sweet smell of those blossoms is everywhere. The old box fan is working now in my bedroom window pulling that fragrance into the house as I type this out.

Here is one of my pillars draped in the jasmine. You can see the fire plug from DefianceOhio to the right….