Wild Night

Last night Meg, Henry and I went out for Chinese food. We usually go out on the weekends, but this weekend looks a bit busy so Thursday worked better for us. It was a bit crazy. Usually Henry is very good at restaurants, but last weekend he wasn't too good and last night he wanted no part of sitting down. For half of "the meal" Meg walked around the restaurant with him and for the half it was my turn. We've gotten used such things and I was proud that we both took it in stride. Afterwards we had one of our greatest play times ever. Henry was very affection and silly with us for about half an hour. I wish I could have captured it on video, but it would have been hard to do so and not loose the moment. Nothing like a hug from one's son!

I searched a big batch of coins last night too. Usually Thursday is one of my night's off, but yesterday I was motivated by my 19th century coin find.

Twenty-eight small dollars, two half dollars and 880 quarters didn't produce anything.

3,650 dimes turned up on silver Rosie (1948), three Canadians and one Bermuda 10¢.

2,240 nickels yielded three Canadians (2 Ni) and one Bermuda 5¢. No War Times. :(

7,500 pennies had twenty-six Wheats and forty-two Canadians. The Wheats were:

1916, 1935, 1939, 1941, 1942(2), 1945(4), 1946, 1947, 1948D, 1950, 1950D, 1950S, 1942D, 1953(2), 1955, 1957, 1957D(4), 1958



This morning I completed reading another book, Odd Tom Coryate: The English Marco Polo, by R.E. Pritchard. The book described the life of an English court jester who undertook two journeys, mostly by foot, in the early 1600's. Coryate first took a journey to northern Italy through France and then back through Germany and The Netherlands. When he returned he wrote about it in a book titled, Coryat's Crudities: Hastily gobled up in Five Moneth's Travels. To get the book populished he had to curry favor with many English elite by allowing them to write an introduction to his book. These introductions, many of which poked fun at Coryate, became so popular that an unauthorized second publishing of the book only included the introductions and not the travelogue! I found it interesting to read how a 17th century European traveler would view the world. Coryate spent most of his time touring churches, discussing religious differences (usually he was not very accommodating), observing harsh judicial practices and noting the economic benefits of the territories he passed through. He spent little time enjoying the natural beauty of the lands. His love of traveling for the sake of improving oneself became a model in England. Unfortunately his second journey through the Greek Islands, Turkey, Palestine, Iraq, Persia and India is not well documented as as many of his notes were lost or unpublished. He died in India before completing his many of his travel goals.