I usually know ahead of time what I am going to write about. But this time I had no ideas with staying power. The two thoughts that came to mind were a truck and a cat; not necessarily compatible.

     My truck was first on the list of column ideas because it has needed a lot of fixing. This should not come as a surprise.  It has over 180,000 miles on it. Where's the bliss in that? 

     Another reason to use my truck as a column idea is that trucks and cars are like people, they never get any older.  That doesn't make sense, I know, but something of Peter Pan has always resided in me and I only just realized this forever-young attitude extends to inanimate objects with moving parts.  

     Next up on my list of column ideas was our new pet from the Humane Society, a cat named Charlie. As with the truck, the forever-young connection was made instantly. Even though our dogs are now dead, when I see them in my mind's eye they appear in their prime; never older.

     Charlie will have his sixth birthday in July and like my truck and dogs before him, Charlie is already frozen in time. Right now he has relatively few miles on his body and I refuse to believe as he pads around the house he will ever be any older. Still, as blissful as this forever-young approach to life is, I thought there could be enough "Okay, this guy needs help, he's going cuckoo" that prevents me from writing about it any further.

     So instead I went to something new. I decided to write about the first sentence that made it to the blank page. After a moment's concentration, here is what came up:

     "We went to the barbecue."

     Although that sentence made little sense to me, I pledged to stick with it.

     There are only a few things I know less about than going to a barbecue. We have gone to maybe two barbecues in the last five years, and at least, right now, we no longer barbecue at home. Last summer a friend who did some yard cleanup accepted our invitation to take the grill off our hands. We haven't replaced it.  

     This week my wife and I watched the movie The Bucket List.  It stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, and seeing them together in this movie is a real treat. What they call their "bucket list" is a list they make of those things they always wanted to do, and never did. Knowing they are soon going to soon kick the bucket, they prioritize their time to work through the list. Even though their characters start out as the least likely of friends, they form a combined list, and it is joyful to watch as they accomplish each of their desires together.

     I can say unequivocally that going to a barbecue will not be on my "bucket list," but perhaps this was not the point of the words, "we went." They don't say we were thinking about going to a barbecue, but that we did it.

     Best as I can figure the words are prophetic, reaching back in time to give me a signal that I will soon be going to a barbecue and maybe even find bliss. I will try to be open to outcome even though I can't equate bliss with going to a barbecue. Anyway, you know my address. If you hear of any blissful barbecues, be in touch.