And today we shopped for black dirt mixed for gardens and paving to build up new herb garden…8 inches or so high.
And then on to replenish larder….
How sweet it is!
And in grocery store found a new Picoult novel….Between the Lines….
Just finished large swaths of the Oxford History of Christian Worship….
Something light is now in order.
Maybe.
Found book in the grocery book section…right near the restrooms…..
Ok, I recommended it to Dear Wife…and then thought the jacket summary sounded fun.
We’ll see.
Need to order the yard stuff…perhaps tomorrow…retaining blocks first, then dirt.
I must say, a cigar would definitely taste good.
Have to make a tobacco run.
But now it is late….and there is a canasta game to resurrect and practice before inviting friends over….friends who do not require an electronic game.
Canasta takes this Old Fella back to the ‘50’s…..
Gotta go….
More later…
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
47th ANNIVERSARY
47 years on 14 August.
How time flies!
Nearly half a century gone by o so quickly in hindsight.
On Sunday we worshipped in the church where we were married.
The Sanctuary had been redone seven years ago…but our wedding chapel was unchanged.
All these years, it has been so close by…and only now have we revisited.
And yesterday, 14 August, the Anniversary day, we took a day trip to a city with a 100+ year old restaurant from our past; a store we needed/wanted to visit; and as a bonus found another selling Egyptian papyrus and hand-made paper from Katmandu, to name but two fascinating joys.
We drove and talked and laughed and reminisced and prayed….
Today we’ll call Texas and reconnect with our Best Man and Maid of Honor….
Bless their hearts….
A year ago we visited….
A prayer once again comes to mind:
This is the day the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Amen.
How time flies!
Nearly half a century gone by o so quickly in hindsight.
On Sunday we worshipped in the church where we were married.
The Sanctuary had been redone seven years ago…but our wedding chapel was unchanged.
All these years, it has been so close by…and only now have we revisited.
And yesterday, 14 August, the Anniversary day, we took a day trip to a city with a 100+ year old restaurant from our past; a store we needed/wanted to visit; and as a bonus found another selling Egyptian papyrus and hand-made paper from Katmandu, to name but two fascinating joys.
We drove and talked and laughed and reminisced and prayed….
Today we’ll call Texas and reconnect with our Best Man and Maid of Honor….
Bless their hearts….
A year ago we visited….
A prayer once again comes to mind:
This is the day the Lord has made
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Amen.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
NOT EVERY POLITICAL ENDOREMENT IS WELCOME
Candidate Romney is now well into his pre-election foreign tour and we have been told that not all has been smooth sailing.
We have watched respected analysts express dismay at the reactions of various foreign leaders and foreign media outlets to some Romney expressions of opinion.
And we too wondered at how unfortunate for our candidate.
And then a different thought occurred.
We remembered that maybe, just maybe, a negative reaction to our national candidate might not be all that bad.
We recalled that many foreign governments and media fairly salivated over b.o.
Some did not.
We at The Study did not and now our reservations have been confirmed by experience of nearly four years.
We were right and the salivators were wrong.
Fact.
And the foreigners who had reservations about b.o. just might be the allies with the clearest vision.
And so we suggest that maybe it is a good thing that the foreign admirers of b.o. do not care for the honesty of our hoped-for-next President.
Perhaps it is ok if those who adore the present President do not similarly adore his political opponent.
Not every political endorsement is worth having.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
LESSONS REGARDING THE SIMPLE FIX
The Study is quiet.
Sophie is asleep nearby and Herself is visiting cousins on the west side of the state.
‘Tis a cloudy and blessedly cool Wednesday morning.
Piles of newspapers have been read. Online news sources have been studied. Radio programs have been monitored.
I am reminded of a news column title…I think it was I see by the papers….or some words to that effect.
Anyway, we have been busy, as have many, and now it is nice to put a few thoughts to, I was about to say to paper, but rather to hard drive, to this journal.
We have had an opportunity to take note of a few happenings we have seen by the papers.
One encouraging observation is that the at least for awhile, the idea that there are simple fixes for terrible tragedies is at least muted in our msm.
Few prominent voices are calling for new gun control laws in the aftermath of the incident in Colorado.
The ignorant blame propaganda by gun lobbies.
The knowing credit the common sense of the American electorate.
Not all libs are complete fools.
The above is prompted by a news report that the leading cause of death of kids less than four years of age is drowning in swimming pools. “…90 children younger than 15 have drowned in U.S. swimming pools since Memorial Day.”
And NO ONE is calling for the abolition of swimming pools.
We hope and believe that there is an understanding amongst the people that more is going on here to cause, to allow, to make possible the horrors of shooting deaths and child drowning than the existence of guns and swimming pools.
A no brainer idea???
You bet!
And once one starts down this track, it occurs that sex ed will not cure problems of illicit sex.
Full employment will not solve the problem of out-of-control violence and crime in our cities and spillovers to the suburbs.
Quiet time in the corner will not curb misbehavior at home and at school.
Praising low achievement in school and work will not ensure successful individuals.
Government-run health care will not solve all health care problems.
Higher taxes will not secure our economic future.
Soft power will not solve the problems of the world.
You get the idea.
I wonder how many such statements I/we could list if I/we really tried.
Sophie is asleep nearby and Herself is visiting cousins on the west side of the state.
‘Tis a cloudy and blessedly cool Wednesday morning.
Piles of newspapers have been read. Online news sources have been studied. Radio programs have been monitored.
I am reminded of a news column title…I think it was I see by the papers….or some words to that effect.
Anyway, we have been busy, as have many, and now it is nice to put a few thoughts to, I was about to say to paper, but rather to hard drive, to this journal.
We have had an opportunity to take note of a few happenings we have seen by the papers.
One encouraging observation is that the at least for awhile, the idea that there are simple fixes for terrible tragedies is at least muted in our msm.
Few prominent voices are calling for new gun control laws in the aftermath of the incident in Colorado.
The ignorant blame propaganda by gun lobbies.
The knowing credit the common sense of the American electorate.
Not all libs are complete fools.
The above is prompted by a news report that the leading cause of death of kids less than four years of age is drowning in swimming pools. “…90 children younger than 15 have drowned in U.S. swimming pools since Memorial Day.”
And NO ONE is calling for the abolition of swimming pools.
We hope and believe that there is an understanding amongst the people that more is going on here to cause, to allow, to make possible the horrors of shooting deaths and child drowning than the existence of guns and swimming pools.
A no brainer idea???
You bet!
And once one starts down this track, it occurs that sex ed will not cure problems of illicit sex.
Full employment will not solve the problem of out-of-control violence and crime in our cities and spillovers to the suburbs.
Quiet time in the corner will not curb misbehavior at home and at school.
Praising low achievement in school and work will not ensure successful individuals.
Government-run health care will not solve all health care problems.
Higher taxes will not secure our economic future.
Soft power will not solve the problems of the world.
You get the idea.
I wonder how many such statements I/we could list if I/we really tried.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
MUSINGS
As ‘reported’ awhile ago, we at The Study have over the years established a tradition of celebrating certain British doings which especially appeal to us as we endeavor to keep alive the special relationship between our family and our other Mother Country, if you will.
Such has been the case with the weddings of Charles and Diana; Kate and William; the Golden Jubilee and the most recent Diamond Jubilee, an American version of which was held here a weekend ago.
We invited 15 or so folks over for fellowship, food, drinks, and ceremony: British memorabilia; trivia game and prizes; croquet; tales of visits to the UK; and finally our version of the Jubilee Beacon.
We shared an American household’s version of what was going on ‘across the Pond’.
We observed a few traditions.
And so it was especially gratifying to read in my alumni magazine this quarter an essay regarding the importance of traditions by the current Headmaster of my old school.
I excerpt and paraphrase some of his comments below:
In every culture there are moments that are marked by specific rituals or actions because these moments are defining moments either for an individual in the community or for the community itself. We surround these moments with ceremony and we embellish the moments with music or costumes or pageantry….
Tradition is not what we leave behind. Tradition is what we pass on. Celebrating the histories…is also celebrating our future. The promises made to earlier generations are made again, renewed and enriched by our shared experiences and inspired by the opportunity to shape a vision for the future linked by our common journey.
What splendid stuff!!
And so it is that we celebrate our family and our national traditions as we can, aware of the value of doing so.
Such are the musings of an old history teacher.
Such has been the case with the weddings of Charles and Diana; Kate and William; the Golden Jubilee and the most recent Diamond Jubilee, an American version of which was held here a weekend ago.
We invited 15 or so folks over for fellowship, food, drinks, and ceremony: British memorabilia; trivia game and prizes; croquet; tales of visits to the UK; and finally our version of the Jubilee Beacon.
We shared an American household’s version of what was going on ‘across the Pond’.
We observed a few traditions.
And so it was especially gratifying to read in my alumni magazine this quarter an essay regarding the importance of traditions by the current Headmaster of my old school.
I excerpt and paraphrase some of his comments below:
In every culture there are moments that are marked by specific rituals or actions because these moments are defining moments either for an individual in the community or for the community itself. We surround these moments with ceremony and we embellish the moments with music or costumes or pageantry….
Tradition is not what we leave behind. Tradition is what we pass on. Celebrating the histories…is also celebrating our future. The promises made to earlier generations are made again, renewed and enriched by our shared experiences and inspired by the opportunity to shape a vision for the future linked by our common journey.
What splendid stuff!!
And so it is that we celebrate our family and our national traditions as we can, aware of the value of doing so.
Such are the musings of an old history teacher.
Friday, June 8, 2012
BOOK CURRENTLY READ
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt....the book we are about to finish.
I suppose most folks, or many at least, have read it a long time ago.
We are returned from Savannah and had to read it.
Dear Wife read it some time ago.
Read it.
'Tis good stuff.
I have a sense I have made similar remarks as above some time ago.
It happens.
Sorry.
But again, it is late and wanted to mention a good read.
When you get a chance, visit Savannah....and Charlston...and Beaufort......
We had such a time.....
Learned so much...
Met so many people and things and facts....
I suppose most folks, or many at least, have read it a long time ago.
We are returned from Savannah and had to read it.
Dear Wife read it some time ago.
Read it.
'Tis good stuff.
I have a sense I have made similar remarks as above some time ago.
It happens.
Sorry.
But again, it is late and wanted to mention a good read.
When you get a chance, visit Savannah....and Charlston...and Beaufort......
We had such a time.....
Learned so much...
Met so many people and things and facts....
IT IS LATE
8 June…and we have missed any reference to a trifecta: Memorial Day; the Queen’s Jubilee; and the Day called D.
We note in an AP release that a 12-foot tall bronze statue of Major Winters of Easy Company, the 506th PIR…Screaming Eagles…. was unveiled Wednesday…
The 68th anniversary of The Day….06-06-44….
We made no mention of the anniversary here at The Study…..
Nor did b.o….
We are told the second time he has ignored the anniversary.
Such a piece of work.
But that does not excuse us…..
We were otherwise occupied.
So it goes.
We will try to do better.
Memorial Day was also ignored here..
We were otherwise occupied.
But, we did the duty with the Diamond Jubilee….
Not on the website….
But at The Study.
A lovely gaggle of friends over; lots of fellowship and food and bubbly and items relating to HRH Elizabeth II…..
But nothing written herein….
We will try to do better….
The Duke is in hospital.
Our prayers are sent heavenwards on his behalf.
Here at The Study we observed the wedding of Diana and Charles; the 50th Anniversary; the wedding of Kate and William; and the Diamond Jubilee.
We do what we can.
We tell our friends what we think is important.
It is a wonder they put up with us.
It is late.
Take good care.
We note in an AP release that a 12-foot tall bronze statue of Major Winters of Easy Company, the 506th PIR…Screaming Eagles…. was unveiled Wednesday…
The 68th anniversary of The Day….06-06-44….
We made no mention of the anniversary here at The Study…..
Nor did b.o….
We are told the second time he has ignored the anniversary.
Such a piece of work.
But that does not excuse us…..
We were otherwise occupied.
So it goes.
We will try to do better.
Memorial Day was also ignored here..
We were otherwise occupied.
But, we did the duty with the Diamond Jubilee….
Not on the website….
But at The Study.
A lovely gaggle of friends over; lots of fellowship and food and bubbly and items relating to HRH Elizabeth II…..
But nothing written herein….
We will try to do better….
The Duke is in hospital.
Our prayers are sent heavenwards on his behalf.
Here at The Study we observed the wedding of Diana and Charles; the 50th Anniversary; the wedding of Kate and William; and the Diamond Jubilee.
We do what we can.
We tell our friends what we think is important.
It is a wonder they put up with us.
It is late.
Take good care.
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