Mortality!

"How Sweet is mortal Sovranty!"--think some;
Others--"How blest the Paradise to come!"
Ah, take the Cash in hand and waive the Rest;
Oh, the brave Music of a distant Drum!
The Rubáiyát - Omar Khayyám.

I was brought up short when I entered the lobby of The Lodge to visit The Old Lady.
Of course I should have realised; a few days ago TOL was telling me that she had a new friend called Mary; that could only mean that someone had euphemistically moved out.
I didn't know either of the departed souls - one aged ninety seven, the other a mere stripling of seventy seven, but then there are seventy five inmates and I have only met a few of them.
"Requiescat in pace."

On a lighter note, there are many wine emporia scattered about the country that carry the name of Omar Khayyám, I have often been tempted to go in and ask to buy a tent. While he is famous as a poet, mathematician, scientist, philosopher and politician, he was brought up to the family trade of tent-maker. His infamous connection with wine is just one word in a quatrain.

Today’s back blip is “Another Load” from July the 14th.