“I know I am getting better at golf because I’m hitting fewer spectators.”
The world on Cape Cod is a winter wonderland. I took the long way to my breakfast spot this morning and saw limbs split and broken from the weight of the snow, tree branches laden with heavy, icy snow and bent to the ground, fronts of houses hidden behind walls of snow turned to ice and side roads still covered in snow and ice, including mine. The sun is blinding. The temperature is 18˚.
Today is Washington’s Birthday or President’s Day: which one you celebrate depends on where you live. The fact that Washington was not born on this day does not affect in any way the cake and candles. It became a Monday so people can have a three-day weekend. Lincoln still has his own day in some states but mostly he is just throw into the President’s Day mix.
I knew lots of facts about some Presidents which gave them a bit of nobility far beyond those of mortal men. Those facts, however, later proved to be folk tales, myths. Washington never did cut down that cherry tree and for all I know he lied through his teeth which were not wooden even though they taught me that in school. Lincoln was Honest Abe because he walked a mile to return a customer’s change. He was also an educational inspiration. I had pencils and paper. He had coal and the back of a shovel. As for the Gettysburg Address, it wasn’t written on the back of an envelope.
Nicknames in those days were flattering. Washington was the Father of His Country and Lincoln was the Great Emancipator. I think it was President Nixon’s Tricky Dick which reversed the trend.
Many Presidents don’t deserve mention, but they still get a piece of the day. Lumping them all together is a good idea because I suspect none of us would celebrate Hoover Day unless we were talking about a really good vacuum cleaning or Gerald Ford Day because there isn’t a reason for him to have singular recognition. Besides, I’m still mad at him for pardoning Nixon though I did feel bad when he fell down those plane steps. Jimmy Carter got attacked by a rabbit which is another event we don’t celebrate, and he saw a UFO though I like that about him. One slang word for a certain male body part is a johnson. LBJ called his Jumbo. That’s a fact!
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Carter, cherry tree, downed limbs, Father of His Country, Great Emancipator, ice and snow, LBJ, President's Day, Tricky Dick, Washington's Birthday, winter wonderland, wooden teeth
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February 17, 2014 at 1:31 pm
Representing the United States of America, from Royal Oak Michigan (and West Bloomfield) , Meryl Davis and Charlie White go GOLD
I know squat about figure skating or ice dancing but these kids are part of our community. Folks know their folks, they train in Michigan, they attend the University of Michigan, they are World Champions, they win Olympic Gold medals
Watch them tonight as they fulfill their promise and potential and did not fall away under pressure.
USA USA ….MICHIGAN
(oh and those rascally Canadians who train at the same place did get a nice silver medal)
February 17, 2014 at 1:35 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I now can recognize a twizzle and I certainly could see the grace and beauty as they magically skated together. They were magnificent.
Their first gold was in splendid fashion!
February 17, 2014 at 1:40 pm
I asked Mrs MDH if a twizzle had something to do with Miley Cyrus and was quickly corrected – not for the first time by the spouse I might add.
To dip back in to the past a bit , Davis and White were “fab-gear”, such an achievement and amazing that they could hold their nerve under so much pressure, magnified by NBC’s search for new heroes. Guess they just found them
February 17, 2014 at 1:43 pm
My Dear Hedley,
They were compared with Torvill and Dean, high praise indeed. Standing there waiting for their music, they seemed calm and settled.
I enjoyed the films of them when they were so young and just starting together.
February 17, 2014 at 1:46 pm
It is interesting that Michigan is the epicenter for all these other skaters. Obviously Meryl Davis and Charlie White are from here, but the Russian coach teaches out of Canton and we have athletes in West Bloomfield and Novi and at the same Canton ring.
Must be something on the water – or perhaps its more accurate to say that we have water
February 17, 2014 at 1:50 pm
MDH,
That coach deserves kudos for having the two top pairs. As for Michigan, I think it was more Davis and White who drew the other skaters. Nothing like training with the best in the world to improve your own chances!
February 17, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Maybe Birgit can apply Michigan’s success to her photographic project – its the people not the buildings.
February 17, 2014 at 2:09 pm
MDH,
She did try to make amends for choosing Detroit.
February 17, 2014 at 3:36 pm
Hedley, of course it’s the people and not the buildings. Who would live in industrial regions by choice if not for job, people or culture? But that’s my problem for finding a suitable photo of Bochum. I can’t take photos with people I haven’t asked for permission and it’s difficult to show future and hope in a picture without people. Well, last night I had an idea, but I’m not sure if I can make it within a few days.
To avoid misunderstandings, I did not choose the motto Detroit, I just want to participate. It’s chosen because of the Detroit-GM-Opel connection, the local Opel factory will close this year.
February 17, 2014 at 4:49 pm
Birgit – Its cool , I knew that you didn’t pick the Detroit connection. As you know I have been to the Ruhr Valley on my way to Gelsenkirchen so I get it.
I still hope that you find a way to share the optimism for Bochum with us when you have completed your work
February 17, 2014 at 5:35 pm
Hedley, I know, only the bravest (or real soccer fans) visit Gelsenkirchen 😉 Optimism is a challenge.
Congratulations on the Gold medal! Unfortunately I missed Davis&White. I’m watching British zombies instead, “28 Days Later” is on TV.
February 17, 2014 at 1:34 pm
We don’t have any King’s day over here thankfully 🙂 Most of them were tyrants and mostly loved going to war killing most young men in the country. At the same time they could send sweet letters to the regent they were fighting against since they all were more or less related. Inbreeding is the word I come to think of 🙂 🙂 🙂
Well the one we have now is rather harmless so I don’t mind him, heäs cheaper than a president too so why change system 🙂
We had sun here almost all day and 45F, I saw some of it since I left work early today to leave my car at the garage. The garage owner, who has a very good reputation, wondered if I didn’t want to buy the car I borrow now when mine is at the garage. Now I don’t know what to do 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
February 17, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Christer,
We have had presidents who send men to war without sound reasons. The second Bush should have been hanged for getting us into to Iraq. We get to vote ours out of office every four years, the benefit of a president, not a king.
You are so warm compared to here. We will be in the 40’s on Thursday, and it will seem like a heat wave.
Which car is better? Cheaper to run? More reliable? My last car I had for 10 years, and I couldn’t stand it any more so I bought my first brand new car, not a used car as I usually did. The car was still in great shape so I gave it to my sister who has had it 3 years, and it is still running just fine. I love my red car!
February 17, 2014 at 3:03 pm
Hard to say which car is better since I only have driven this one from the garage and home but I can see that I need to fix more and more things on my litle Mazda so I guess the Saab is the better in the long run.
It is however more expensive when it comes to inurance and car tax and it does drink more petrol. But all four dogs fit in it without any problems 🙂 and it has climate controll. Not much younger than the one I already have though.
February 17, 2014 at 3:23 pm
Christer,
When you have to start fixing everything, that’s the time for a new car.
Mu insurance is higher as is the yearly excise tax, but it is a roomier, flashier car, and I like it.
February 17, 2014 at 2:44 pm
Best Prez Day piece ever, anywhere.
February 17, 2014 at 3:23 pm
Thank you, kind sir!
February 17, 2014 at 2:46 pm
Tuesday’s Olympic Thrill
Kat, watch the ladies giant slalom and in particular Vanessa Vanakom who represents Thailand. She is ranked 2,253 in the World and has a serious chance of finishing 90th of 90 scheduled competitors.
Why you might ask ? Well it turns out that Ms Vanakom is, in fact, Vanessa-Mae the enormously successful violinist who has sold over 10 million albums. Her violin is safely at home in Zermatt Switzerland and she is hoping that perhaps a competitor from Togo or Peru might enjoy less success than her.
February 17, 2014 at 3:29 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I would never think of Thailand as a hotbed of skiers. For that reason alone I would have been curious then I read your second paragraph which wowed me.
February 17, 2014 at 5:07 pm
Kat, the Free Press is reporting that 15 of the 24 teams in the Olympic ice dancing competition alone train in Michigan with the dominant rink being Arctic Edge in Canton, nods also to the Detroit Skating Club. Goodness knows how many figure skaters are here, I do know that the unfortunate Jeremy Abbott also skates at Arctic Edge
Home of ice dance champions …hilarious. who would have thunk ?
February 17, 2014 at 5:19 pm
MDH,
I had no idea that Michigan is the heartland for the ice skaters be they figure skating or dancing pairs.
I felt so bad for Jeremy Abbott.That was quite a fall, but I give him credit for continuing. It seemed somehow unfair.
February 17, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Funny American History lesson, also the Presidents Song 🙂
In our political system the president is just the representative head of the state and doesn’t have much power, so usually we are just glad if they can speak English fluently and don’t attract negative attention otherwise.
Happy President’s Day with cakes and candles and hurrays!
February 17, 2014 at 3:54 pm
Birgit,
It is probably more of an anti-history lesson.
For some presidents I would wish for the same, but we get what we get often due to voter indifference and, even worse, voter stupidity.
Thanks!!!
February 18, 2014 at 10:39 pm
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