Took some time off this weekend to go visit my alma mater, Berea College. For those of you who don't know about Berea, they have no tuition and every student is given a job to pay their way through college. It was founding in 1855 by John G. Fee, an abolitionist, who wanted to educate blacks and poor whites in the area and was finally expanded to become the college it today.They are well known for their student produced craft items. They have a wood shop, a weaving studio, and a broom making shop among other things. I worked as a teaching assistant in a shop teaching what was called "Appalachian Crafts." This was everything from blacksmithing, to riving shingles or tanning deer hides, making fiddles, or spinning wheels, just about anything everything dealing with day to day life and culture in the mountains. They have an arts and crafts festival there every year and I like to go when I can. It's been so hot and dry here that nothing is growing much and I figured a little loafing might take my mind off all that dying tobacco and burnt pastures. Well, we invited a retired college professor friend of ours named Scott along and he, my partner Jerry, and myself headed down to Berea. When we got there we got in line to pay the entrance fee. My partner was paying for all of us and came out to tell me he thought the woman charged him wrong. Well after looking at the ticket we saw he was charged for two senior citizen discounted tickets for myself and Scott. Well we laughed that off and went on our way. After walking through several booths and saying a good many exhibits we ran into one of my old college professors and he and I started to reminisce and discuss "old times". Before I could make introductions he motioned towards Jerry and asked if he was my son. I explained who everyone was but after we went on our way I was called "Pappaw" for the rest of the day. By the time we left I was starting to wonder if all that grey in my beard might not be needing some grecian formula or a razor! I did get to see some nice black smithing work that interested me and some really nice wood working. I was stove up and sore and good for nothing from all the walking the next day, so maybe I am feeling some age!?

So... how old ARE ya?

Ha, ha. I'm with you, got offered my first senior citizen discount at about 36 due to the gray hair!

I'm 45. But have a lot of gray hair, and at a distance my beard now looks like I have a napkin in my mouth! And what hair on my head ain't gray is leaving. I've been told too, that I talk about things that most people my age and younger don't. So maybe I give the impression of being older than I am.

You are younger than my youngest! I remember being insulted when they quit carding me at age 36. And they wouldn't give me a senior discount until I was 68. We are all different! I'll bet people listen to you when you speak. Enjoy the dignity of age...