Today, for the first time in ten days, sunshine has broken through to mid Michigan. The last sun we had seen was on Friday, Nov. 7. This is one of the great drawbacks of winter in this area. North and South of this middle swath, the sun shines more often, even on the town of Hell. PAT W and I went out for a walk yesterday and by about two blocks, we had become plastered with the heavy snow which was so wet it stuck to our coats and made a frozen mat. She said, "Isn't it beautiful?" and I reluctantly agreed, although none of this will look so beautiful in about 6 weeks or so. There never was a winter in this county that didn't rapidly wear out its welcome.
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What some friends are up to
DASHMANN and SKUZZA - went with BUD and PAT - to see a play, To Kill a Mockingbird . Some liked it better than others, but everyone agreed it was well worth the going.
SPARTY - Did God's work by escorting/chaperoning a whole lot of eighth graders on a class trip to Washington D.C. He has returned alive and unharmed.
The GENDERS - her mother has died. The condolences of all of us under BIrches, is extended.
PAM - had a recent birthday. It was kept secret from us. But we take belated joy for her.
GIGI - reports that Ramseys -- whom many of you know -- have sold their home, finally, and can now move westward.
MARI - collected together her birthday money and went off to the casino with her best friend to see if she can multiply it. No word, yet.
FELIX -
I was listening to the only thing 'NPR'-like I could pick up on my iRiver while mowing. It was
something I believe is called either Democracy Now or Democracy Radio. The woman told a story of voting in '06. She says 'as I'm rushing into the office after voting I meet some man, I'll call him Mike, leaving the building. I say "Did you vote, yet?" Mike says that he can't vote because he has a record. I said that I thought he could vote even if he had a record. So, in order to find out, I wrote a column about the voting rights of convicted felons. Come to find out, Mike could, in fact vote." ... So, the woman introduces us to an exuberant Mike who had just voted.
They talked about how he'd always been told by family and friends that he couldn't vote because of his record. He said that he knew lots of others in his situation who also believed they couldn't vote. (Mike was an African-American man who sounded like a very nice guy. Not overly-smart. But, a guy you are pulling for. ) So, the woman was feeling all proud of herself. "Look at this great thing I've helped to do" sort of pride busting through the airwaves. So, she wanted to milk this
feel-good-story-of-the-year just a little more. "How did you feel after you voted?" she asked. Mike says "I just think that anyone who votes for John McCain is mentally retarded."
DEB VAN - will be off to the National Athletic Director's Conference in sunny San Diego. "Not a bad place for a December conference," she says. Happy traveling.
STEVE - has gone on an elk hunting expedition to Montana with good friends. It is hosted by one of his friends who is a hunting guide there.
SPARTY - forwards an article that suggests that the Regan Democrats who have handed the White House to several Republican presidents, are now a thing of the past. CLICK
He also recommends an article by Nobel Prize winning econommist Paul Krugman that Barack Obama may prove to be another Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Franklin Delano Obama?) if he is bold enough in pushing short range plans for reforming the economy. CLICK
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What some friends are smiling at:
A retirees Report, according to JERRY:
My wife said, "Whatcha doin today?"
I said, "Nothing."
She said, "You did that yesterday."
I said, "I wasn't finished."
From GIGI:
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