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“Like Alexander the Great and Caesar, I’m out to conquer the world. But first I have to stop at Walmart and pick up some supplies. ”

February 12, 2013

Clean, warm and happy describes me perfectly. The sun is out, snow is dripping off the roof, and the ice will soon melt. I hear the blast of heat from my furnace, the sweetest of sounds.

The road was black ice when I went to get the paper this morning. It had rained last night then the rain froze. As luck would have it, my paper was under the car. I needed to get the broom so I could push the paper out from underneath so I had to go back inside the house, a scary venture given my history with ice, but both times, in and out, I took minced steps. The road was so slippery ice skates would have served me better. The last thing I wanted was another fall. I still have pain from the first.

Gracie has been out most of the morning. She is my weather barometer. Speaking of which, the paper mentioned that unless the government decides to replace aging weather satellites, our polar-orbiting satellites will not be accurate for forecasting weather by 2016. Sandy’s landfall and this storm were accurately tracked and predicted by the European center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts while the best model we have didn’t predict this as a really big storm. Soon enough I’ll have to rely on cranky knees and elbows for my forecasts. Oops, my back hurts, must be rain coming.

Today I step outside into the world, my first time since Friday. I suspect nothing has changed though, without TV or newspapers, I did miss some world-wide news. The Pope resigned and horse meat was taken off the grocery shelves. That news was still headlining yesterday’s paper. On the sports’ page, Red Sox spring updates have begun. Pitchers and catchers are already at spring training. Perhaps the Sox will do better than the cellar, their last occupied spot in the standings.

The local schools are not open again today. Even when I was a teacher, I loved snow days though today is more like a shelter day as the high school is still being used as one. Not everybody has electricity back. Thursday is the day being tossed about by NStar as to when all will be restored. If it were my house, I know they would find me sitting on the couch frozen and looking much like Jack Nicholson did in the maze at the end of the Shining.

I seem to have written far more than I expected for someone who has been living a sheltered life. Maybe tomorrow, after my jaunt outside, I will be bursting with news, jokes and commentaries about the world at large.

Did I mention I’m going to the dentist?

Categories: Musings
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“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.”

April 5, 2012

I’m thinking it must really be spring. The nights are cold but the days are sunny and mostly in the 50’s. Yesterday the plants I had ordered on-line were placed in the garden. I got excited at the idea that soon enough I can fill my wagon at the garden store, and my front garden will be a blaze of color. Spring makes me smile.

The Red Sox open today in Detroit. My expectations are lower than they have been in years because of last September and their spectacular fall from grace, but this is a familiar place. Until the Sox won the World Series in 20o4, we Sox fans always had hope but never too much hope. The let down was less painful that way.

I read in the paper this morning that the New York City Department of Education has sent a list of fifty banned words to textbook publishers. No, they aren’t composed of four letters, and no, they are never beeped on TV. Here’s some of the list: dinosaur, birthday, pepperoni, dancing, home computers, Halloween, space aliens, divorce, slavery, terrorism and disease. The school department wants these words eliminated because banning them “allows our students to complete practice exams without distraction.” With tongue in cheek, I wonder about pizza without pepperoni, and I’ll have to start singing Happy (hum here) to you, Happy (hum here) to you and T-Rex was just a big animal. I’m not sure how I’ll get around dancing. Gyrations could be the substitute but that seems suggestive. ET is just a visitor from another place. History is going to take a big hit if we eliminate discussions of slavery. As for the others, how can the school department eliminate the word terrorism? What caused that big hole in the ground?

This is taking political correctness to a terrifying height. The reasons for banning these words all hinge on so called cultural sensitivity. Talk of dinosaurs may offend people who don’t believe in evolution though that has nothing to do with dinosaurs. Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate birthdays so no one else should either. Pepperoni is junk food, and not everyone can afford a home computer. Rock and Roll music is on the list. Maybe we need a new Alan Freed to rise in defense. I am speechless which is probably good as I wouldn’t want to offend!

List of banned words: Political Correctness.

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“With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.”

August 5, 2011

The weather continues to be perfectly lovely. I can’t think of a better descriptor for a sunny day of 73°, but when I use the word lovely, I always feel as if I’m a character in a British novel of manners.

Last night, had the Red Sox won, the evening would have been a perfect. It was baseball weather, the stands were filled, I had my sausage sandwich with onions and peppers and I got to walk on the Fenway field carrying the Ghanaian flag. We, returned Peace Corps volunteers, were part of the  pre-game ceremony honoring fifty years of Peace Corps. We walked onto the field in single file carrying flags from Peace Corps countries and stood ringed around the field from the scoreboard to the bullpen while a clip about President Kennedy played on the jumbotron, the anthem was sung, the first ball was tossed and play ball was shouted. We walked off the field in single file still waving our flags. All of us who attended the game sat in a block in the bleachers wearing red t-shirts with the Peace Corps logo on the back and, “Life is calling. How far will will you go?” written on the front. We were easy to spot.

Today I am attending a birthday luncheon for a woman turning 90. If you met her, you couldn’t correctly guess her age. She is one of those eternally young people. Her sense of humor is wry, she misses nothing and her exuberance for life makes me smile. Louise loves jokingly harassing people. I am often her target, and I return her harassment with a good comeback, and off we go, back and forth. Louise is a big Red Sox fan, and we often talk about the last game we watched, and we bemoan every loss and shake our heads when discussing the likes of John Lackey. I hope to be as bright and funny as Louise if I turn 90. Come to think of it, even next year I’d hope to be as bright and funny as Louise. I guess I’m going to have to start remembering why I’m in the kitchen.

Categories: Musings
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“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.”

June 22, 2010

It’s an overcast morning, but that’s how mornings are here. Soon the sun will break through to bring us a hot Colorado summer day. Yesterday was in the mid-90’s. Later, in the deep afternoon, the clouds will make their return and the early evening will be a delight.

Everything is still green here. From the airport, I got my first view of the Rockies, still covered in snow at the higher altitudes. They never cease to amaze me. I remember my first view of the Rockies when I just sat silent struck totally by their beauty. That was when I totally understood the words, “For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!” for the first time. 

Last night was just catch up with each other night. We do talk on the phone every week, but nothing beats sitting around the patio table chatting and eating chili verde made by my brother-in-law. This morning he delivered coffee and his homemade cinnamon roll to me here at the computer. I might just have to bring him back with me.

We ‘ve planned an easy day today as we’re leaving early to get to Denver where we’re be having dinner before the game then we’ll descend on Coors Field in our Red Sox shirts. I can’t wait for the game.

Rod, my brother-in-law, and I are the only ones awake. The house is quiet except for the meows of a cat looking for a little affection and a lot of treats. We all spoil our pets.

Categories: Musings
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