Don't let the North Winds blow your house away.....

     Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there was a little town called Runathemill where the Naunows lived.

     In Runathemill everything was----how shall I say it?  Well----run of the mill.  Even the local sawmill was run of the mill.  Even the annual Runathemill "fun- run" was----run----of the mill.  No one could muster anything past mediocre----even the color

     Being ordinary in Runathemill did not come about for lack of"trying"to be something different. There were classes and books dedicated to

     One day, a stranger came to town, unlike any stranger that had ever wandered into town before.  He was, dare I say it-----not mediocre----or at least what he had to offer was considered exceptional in relation to what Runathemill was used to.  He rode into town on a mighty steed named Bynd th Cll f Dty----difficult to pronounce but easy to see and appreciate.  He even espoused the heresy that "money I$ time."

     Some of Runathemill's townsfolk welcomed "Rome" (that was "more" (or less) his real name) with open arms, while others treated him with suspicion, derision and open hostility.  You see, when you don't know what you are missing, how can you possibly be missing anything? 

     But Rome started to show the good people of Runathemill how they were not really mediocre at all-----and their homes were certainly not ordinary.  He told them wonderful, informative stories about their homes that they had never heard before----stories that did not read at all like "See Spot Run"----but more like "The Little Engine that Could."  He could even tell them why some of their homes blew away in the North winds----heresy to some----enlightenment to others.  Even more threatening was his providing information on what to "DO."  He even made the "fun-run" more fun by making it the "run to the mill."

     Rome could sure tell stories, but the skeptics would only say, "well how come no one has ever told us these stories before if they are true---if they are important?"   

     Rome simply told them that they merely needed to remove their "ordinary" glasses and replace them with the "magic" glasses he offered to them at no cost.  But many of the Naunows refused to stay and listen---being too busy or impatient to try out the magic glasses----preferring instead what they were familiar with----with what "fit."  Some wouldn't even take his cell phone number.

     And so it came to pass that the Town of Runathemill passed an ordinance that said that only "ordinary" glasses would be allowed.  This kept everything running smoothly like always----and occasionally the North winds would blow and another house would disappear----but that was all as it should be----there would always be bailouts.

     Fast forward "100 Days"----to another little town----not so far away, called Yeswecansas. 

     Rome----our ever optimistic Don Quixote----finds greener pastures for his trusty horse Bynd th Cll f Dty.  It is a land of beautiful houses----houses with many entertaining, informative and sometimes important stories to tell.  A land where the North Winds blow the houses away even less often----and the yards are watered with ActiveRain.

Charles Buell