The weather folks predicted possible rain for the morning, so I was pleased when I peered outside and discovered it was dismal and gray, but not drizzling.

I figured I’d just do my Emmons Boulevard route this morning, as I can get more mileage under my belt if I’m not chatting with other walkers on the path, or stopping to toss peanuts to the squirrels. That way I’d avoid getting soaked, just in case that rain did arrive.

And … being the glass half-full gal that I usually try to be, I didn’t take an umbrella.

Off I trekked, down to the tracks, giving me another four miles to add to my total, which is nearing the century mark …yes, if the snow-free weather holds up a little longer, I’ll get to that goal in short order.

The weather was still pleasant – not too cold, and, I noted that the chalk artists had been out since the last time I walked here. The sidewalks at several homes were covered in pastel flowers and flourishes.

A runner streaked past me – clearly we were at odds in how we had dressed before leaving our respective homes. Her head was uncovered, a long blond ponytail streaming behind her, and she had bare arms and legs.  Me, the long-time bus rider/former Girl Scout, abiding by the motto “always be prepared” had a hat, scarf, gloves and heavy coat on.  Perhaps we needed our moms to dress us?

Luckily, I made that round trip in record time … not a thimbleful, or even a single raindrop, ruined this walker’s parade.

Speaking of thimbles, I was surprised to learn that it was the lowly thimble game token that was voted out by Monopoly fans. It will be missing amongst the new fan-picked tokens that will be found in all Monopoly games created after World Monopoly Day on March 19^th.

Who knew there was even a “World Monopoly Day” anyway? I didn’t.

I’ve not played Monopoly in decades, and that board game sits inside a cupboard shelf in the basement, along with another favorite, Scrabble. Growing up, Monopoly was best played on a snowy weekend afternoon, whiling away the hours, when you used your business skills, while your  favorite token piece  went ‘round and ‘round the board, picking up valuable property, passing “Go” and trying your darndest not to end up in jail.

I heard that fans decided that the thimble was just a “sew-sew” game piece, so the replacement token will be something more modern. Apparently, many people had never used a thimble, and few people do hand sewing anymore, so it was deemed obsolete.  All the young ladies in Mrs. Baldwin’s Home Ec class used thimbles, circa 1968.  She did not want us pricking our sensitive fingers while learning how to baste and hem.  In fact, I’ve got a pink wicker sewing basket sitting on a shelf alongside those board games with that first thimble used in Mrs. Baldwin’s class.

When Hasbro, the maker of the Monopoly game, bids adieu to the thimble, it will go the way of the iron, a token that bit the dust a few years ago, as it was deemed a boring and unimaginative game piece as well.  I’ll concede there is nothing glamorous, exciting or upbeat about an iron.  Ironing is drudgery, and that is why we park ourselves at the dryer to pull out the tops or pants that are tumbling inside it, before they languish too long and those dreaded wrinkles set in, making your duds/you look unkempt and uncool.  Personally,  I have enough wrinkles of my own, let alone creating them in my clothes too.  Do you  even remember when you last ironed your clothes?  Ahem – I’ll take the Fifth Amendment for my answer.  In fact, I’ve eyed the ironing board in the broom closet more than a few times in my zeal to contain clutter, my #1 New Year’s resolution for 2017.  Does that ironing board stay, or does it go?  There it is, propped up against the closet wall, with its multiple layers of metallic gray covers, taking up valuable space in the closet, never-ever used by me, and probably never will be.  Of course, my mother would be aghast to think her ironing board should be cast out in the garbage … likewise the iron and the water shaker also take up space in that cupboard.  So, should I liberate myself from this hum- drum household duty forever and simply toss those items?  Hmmmm.

Hat’s off to Hasbro, since the top hat and the token I always chose, the Scottie dog, have remained intact and not been axed as old-fashioned or obsolete-looking game tokens.

As to the game of Monopoly, were I to play after all these years, I sure would need to look over the instructions again. As a kid, I thought I was pretty smart, gathering up all that real estate or the big bucks, and my parents egging me on to become an enterprising entrepreneur as I gathered property and wealth, though, in retrospect, perhaps my parents let me win some of the time.

I’ll bet Dan Gilbert was an awesome Monopoly player when he was growing up – I wonder what he chose for his token?