StoryBook Club wanders with "The Bremen Town Musicians"

The Bremen Town Musicians

So this donkey works all his life on the farm, gives his best years to his Master and one day the Master decides that the donkey is too old and can't work like he used to and will be sent off to the glue factory.

The donkey says "Oh hell NO" and decides to go to Bremen Town and start a new life as a Musician.

(and who doesn't want to be wandering minstrel? says the wandering minstrel :)

Along the way, the donkey meets a dog (too old to hunt) and a cat (too old to catch mice) and a rooster (who is getting up there in years too) and all of whom have been given the death sentence from their owners as well.

It seems that old age sneaks up on you that way doesn't it? One day, you are fine, healthy, vibrant....
the next day you are being put out to pasture and you wonder how it all happened so fast.

So this unlikely quartet team up to go to Bremen Town -all to be musicians- and start a new life together, come what may.  It's a mid life crisis in animal town and by God, they are gonna shake things up! (well it's better than death anyways :)

Along the way, they find a house filled with food. And ROBBERS. The animals team up, and jump on each others' backs. Donkey on the bottom, then the dog on top of him, then the cat on top of the dog, with the rooster on the cat's head.

Quite a totem pole!

Donkey- Creative Force, Faith, Versatility, Willingness to take on another's burdens
Dog- Loyalty, Companionship, Friendship, Unconditional Love
Cat- Independence, Sensuality, Magic, Freedom, Curiousity
Rooster- New beginnings, Sexual Appetite, Joyful Embrace of Life

All the things you need for a major life change! A community to support you and to be there for you, no matter what! The willingness to use music to change your life and the ability and freedom to pursue your goals and dreams with friends to share it with! What more do you need?

Well...shelter, for one.

So this motley crew of new friends finds their perfect home, but unfortunately,  it's also a robbers house.

But our brave undaunted old duffers aren't deterred!
They scare away the brigands and take over the house. This is also symbolic of living an authentic life. These animals shoo away the negative forces and are able to find some peace in life with each other. Yes, even in their old age, even without the comforts of work (which never appreciated them for all their efforts).

This story proved to us all at our StoryBook Club meeting that Life IS change.

The robbers come back to try to take back the house, but their twisted life has already colored their perceptions and they can't see what is the truth. They think the cat is a witch. They think the dog is a man that has stabbed them, they think the donkey is a monster, and the rooster cried out warnings instead of crowing. This proves that life IS only perceptions. You cannot change or influence a twisted mind. They will only see what they see and even if truth is staring them in the face, they won't be able to grasp it. 

But for most folks, who are good....
With AGE comes WISDOM.
And if we are indeed, good people, we are promised to enjoy a network of real friends who care about us to live our lives with, to lean on, to enjoy with.

And FOOD.
Glorious FOOD!

This was a German Folk Tale so German Food was all the rage!
We met at Kate's house and the house was warm and welcoming...and No Robbers to be found! :)

Chicken Paprikash (made over a fire on an outside hearth no less! :)

Bavarian Pretzels with Beer Cheese Sauce
Spaetzle


Kielbasa!
Saurkraut, Onions and Buttered Potatoes

German Apple Cake!
Guglhophf (a delicious Bundt)
We also drank some lovely white wine, and amazing Blackberry Brandy! 
It was all SO DELICIOUS!!

Our StoryBook Club loves to eat, drink and discuss great thoughts and themes. 
The one this month was timely, about: Life, Death, Change and Usefulness, Wisdom and Community.

We celebrated the friendships that we have...
Even if some of us aren't as young as we used to be...or wished to be...

We are all still awesome!

Life goes on. 
No, we aren't young or as beautiful as we once were.
And that's OK.

We have each other, we have wisdom and courage, 
and we can always be Musicians in Bremen Town someday :)

Next month's Theme?
We visit "The Pied Piper of Hamlin" and the Children's Crusade of 1212. 

Ratties (& Children!) Beware!




Where's Merlyn?

Hey ho~

It's been quiet here on my blog for about a month....wanted to catch up with you.

The work on my memoir has been progressing, slow but sure, over the last year and a half. I feel that it's all coming to an end and a book may be the ultimate fruit to pluck soon!

Looks like 103, 600 words or so have amassed and the stories that I tell will delight, amaze, make you laugh and terrify you all in one roller coaster ride of what has been some moments of my life. So far.

It has been cathartic.
It has also been frightening to relive some of the events...even in words and memory.
It has been a delight in making myself laugh while typing.

It is poignant, sincere, witty, and honest to the core.

I have five wonderful friends who have been acting as my copy editors. They have been, and are still in the process of gleaning the work, and picking it free of grammar bugs and punctuation errors.
I am a very lucky girl to have such intelligent and educated friends to help with this project.

Lorie O'Donnell ~ a top notch Librarian
Christine Bonvino~ Master degree in Organization and Management
Diana Baretsky~ An avid reader with an open mind
Heidi Nightengale~ English Mentor at Empire College
Val Chism~ a top notch Librarian

All these ladies have slogged through my weighty manuscript, poured over pages (some numbered and some not...) and have encouraged me to keep going, even when I was ready to stop.

I owe them much.

And I owe YOU a book.

I just wanted to tell you....

I'm working on it. :)

The last third of the memoir is being proofed and I should have it back by Mother's Day. At which time, I will be making the last of the edits and then looking into sending it out to be published or to self publish.

I WILL make it happen.

It's SO CLOSE and one of my dreams off my bucket list.

Soon, lovies, very soon.....