So I went to the market this morning REALLY EARLY to find parking. And I got a couple quesadillas for breakfast. I am sitting at this table they have set for people to have food, all on my lonesome when this woman and her child, could not be over nine, walk over. She asks if it is ok if she can join me. Sure no problem. Now here is the kicker... the kid would not seat on his own, and only sat on mom. Care to guess why? Fear of strangers. This forty something woman wearing a hat, with a bag on her side with viddles scared him.

Now I am not going to be too critical of the fear, but what happens when that kid grows up? Because of our present paranoia, never mind that all crime against kids is at an all time low, will that kid grow up to be a mal-adjusted adult that will NOT be able to relate to others? Granted, I am sure this is an extreme example and lord knows my mom told us not to talk to strangers... but I could not get this out of my mind as I got the rest of my vegies and fruits. What the hell are we doing to our kids? And no this is not just this mother. This fear is ever present in our society and has helped to dissolve that sense of community.

On the plus side i found an American made casserole dish (in the oven right as I speak) and a cup to start replacing the crappy ones I have whose glazing is going away. Will take a while to replace them as well, these are made by hand in the US, locally and therefore more expensive. And I am ok with that. Oh and a nice lady told me how to cook butternut squash... so got one and will try that this week. We even exchanged how to use the inevitable plastic bags we all get as hard as we try not to. I simply grab a bunch and take them to market and reuse them until they need to be recycled,