I Speak of Dreams

Benediction

I hope that for all of you, and yours, that 2007 is peaceful, prosperous, and exciting (but only in a good way).

Right now some folks have let off fireworks, and in the distance, the coyotes are signing.

Coyote luck to you all.

WHAT a Good Time

My cousin Bill and the lovely Leslie were invited to a party tonight.  They asked if I could be included. 

I was, and I had a great time.  Good food, good conversation, and maybe new friends.

I am lucky.

I Spoil Her Rotten, But...

I drove Jumper Girl to the airport.  She's working two shifts tomorrow (building up shift-exchange credits for January and February).   We talked about the death penalty--we're agin it, except we agreed that it was better for Saddam to be put to death) and other things.

A few miles of quiet, then out of the blue

"Thanks, Mommy, for another wonderful trip."

Update

One of the Saddam topics:   unpacking the maxim:  "hard cases make bad law".

I am fascinated by her thinking.

Denver Sandwich, Ditz Style

My cousin Bill (who is about 5 months older than I am) and I have been reminiscing about our youth, skiing in the Sierras.  Our families grew up skiing at Sugar Bowl -- our fathers, brothers, jointly purchased a condo there.  That was back in the day when there was no direct car access--you parked the vehicle and took the Magic Carpet into the resort. 

Oh, my, how we prayed for a big windstorm to come up Sunday at noon, so the Carpet would shut down and we could stay another day.  I am not sure it ever happened, neither is Bill, but it must have happened at least once for us to be so prayerful.

The lunchtime drill was this: leave the skis at the base of the lift.  Walk back to the condo (Snow White 6, Ditz Central) -- usually in the company of a gaggle of friends. I remember as many as 25 kids invading--the nine cousins, plus a friend or two each.  Clomp down the entry hallway and remove boots at the long bench outside. 

Begin the mass production of Ditz Denver Sandwiches:
Ingredients:

1. Thomas English Muffins, Fork Split.
2. Butter, room temperature
3. Whole dill pickles, thinly sliced longwise, rather thin
4. Packaged sliced ham  (the square, pre-sliced lunchmeat kind)
5. Longhorn cheddar cheese rather thin (it comes in bricks, not rounds)

Assembly instructions:

1. Broil the Engish muffins
2. Butter the English muffins
3. Stack the dill pickles, ham, and cheese on the English muffins
4. Broil again, until the cheese is bubbly
5. Serve

More on Winter Wonderland

I'm writing a long piece on what questions parents should ask of private schools they are considering.

That is, when I'm not:

• Sliding down snowy slopes on two pieces of metal
• Visiting with my Ditz cousins (lots of fun)
• Visiting with my Goodwin cousins (the mom's side) also lots of fun
• Eating good food with the above-mentioned persons
• Ice skating!  I am so lame at ice skating, but it is such good exercise.  Maybe that's a resolution for 2007, getting good at ice skating.

Wesley Allan Croley, 20, Alcohol Poisoning

Wesley Allan Croley was a life-long resident of Monroe county.

On December 9, 2006, he attended a bonfire party in Monroe county, where he consumed a significant amount of vodka.  He lost conciousness at the party, and emergency services were summoned.

He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Update: Mr. Croley's blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.414 percent.

Snow and Fitness Report

Yesterday in Idaho was snowy, with moments of total occlusion, when the cloud bank  came down on the mountain.  I thought I was in good shape, but evidently not.  We quit about 2 pm, and my legs were like jelly.

Today was clear and beautiful with a bit of wind.  I didn't feel such a prat, as legs held out for hours.  Wheee!

Dinner tonight with my cousin Bill on my father's side, plus wife and daughters.

Skiing tomorrow and dinner with my cousin Jim on my mother's side, plus wife and daughters.

Life is good.

Jack Allen Reid, jr, 19, Alcohol

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

On the night of November 18, 2006, Jack Reid went to a party with friends. Christopher Mino, a 21-year-old Branchburg resident, brought alcohol.  According to Reid's girlfriend, Heather Opdyke,

an acquaintance of Reid kept nagging him about drinking during the party.

Baldilocks Issues A Stern Warning

There are times I agree with Baldilocks, but more often we disagree.  Her politics are much more to the right than mine, and she is a  "Bible-believing Christian", which I am not.

But she does indeed have a unique perspective from which to chastise her fellow Republicans.

Vote for the person who stands for what you believe in—and leave the bigotry at home. 

baldilocks: A Warning To The Right.

I’m tired of the insinuations about Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) because his dead father was a Muslim. I’m tired of the insinuations about his middle name—Hussein—and the racist/bigoted insinuations that I’ve seen on the Right that flow from there. I’m even tired of the assertion that the senator isn’t even really a black American (whatever that means to a group of people who are demonstrably of mixed-race for the most part) because he has a white mother and a non-American black—i.e. African—father.

Rick Moran at Right Wing Nuthouse slaps down the conservative blogger who is the most visible target of Baldilock's ire.

 

Christmas 2006

To all my friends & readers who celebrate today:

Merry Christmas.   

For all: may that peace that passes all understanding be yours today and always.

It's an unusual Christmas here at casa I Speak of Dreams: