Category: History

Today, in anticipation of funds, I got all high on consumerism

And bought a phone, because it was PISSING ME OFF, yes, I think in a week I will still feel that vehement, that I couldn’t get hold of my son when it was mutually convenient.  The next time Keith arrives I will present him with it – I already called him to tell him.  I also bought beer.  I thought of taking a cab home, and then my conscience stabbed me and I took the bus.

Then I got home and there was a check for $6K and a night out waiting for me.  And Katie, dreamingly expecting to get fed.  So out with the leftover pork and sauerkraut (life, she is so hard) and yet more tater tots and homemade cheese sauce with steamed cauliflower. and the leftover mushrooms.  Note how little in the way of dessert I’ve been mentioning.

Katie left (of course!) and Jeff and I watched the Ken Burns documentary on the Brooklyn Bridge.

It’s raining like mad out there, in fitful, cranky bursts, with long lulls, like a teething child that you’re just putting to sleep.

I hope that you are someplace snug and warm right now.

Lee’s army is surrounded on three sides by Union troops

Surrender is inevitable.  Heavy sigh.  Such a gallant army.  Such an inglorious cause.

Anyway, I should drag myself away from the Rebel defeat long enough to comment on chicken breasts, curried rice and salad for dinner last night (v mild curry, due to Katie really not being a big fan).  Jeff’s doing the trash.  It’s all very domestic and boring, and frankly, that’s the way I likes it.  Katie left about 7:30 last night to parts unknown, but she had all her school crap with her and she’s supposed to text me when she’s on her way to school.  I’m not too worried; it would hardly help if I was.

I am now facing the prospect of doing scratch recordings of all the songs I have selected for inclusion in the musical, with some horror.  But it must be done….

The Niña

Paul’s cunning plan for Father’s day involved taking us all to see the reproduction of Columbus’ Niña and then feeding us.  This was indeed a cunning plan, endorsed heartily by all involved, and Jeff joined us for Phó afterwards.  In the middle there was the BsG latest episode (loved the last 10 seconds) as Keith was anxious to see it, and bringing the sewing machine from the boy’s place over here so Jeff and I can sew the blackout curtains, which popped like a cork to the top of the household list with the longer day lengths.  There was also an interesting walk with Paul which included a candid and constructive assessment of the emotional carnage of the last 18 months or so.  I got kinda drippy a couple of times but didn’t otherwise embarrass myself; I just kept repeating the mantra speak respectfully, listen carefully and got through it okay.  So I may be in a good mood today (of course!  the Sun came out!) but I am also in a reflective one.

The Niña itself is a dinky toy.  When we first saw it I said, there are Tall Ships and Small Ships, and this is very Small Ship.  Katie and I had two reasons for wanting to see it – one was to extend our historical knowledge after our trip to the Dominican Republic last year, and the other was to imagine Niccolò sailing on such a vessel (Niccolò being yet another Dunnett character) because it was built just like what he would have sailed in.  The boys had their own reasons, chief among which of course was the ‘messing around in boats’ thing.  The ship’s boat was made single handed by a fourteen year old man.  I’m hesitant to call anyone with such an accomplishment a boy.  The Niña’s sailing away today.  It was a perfect day to see it, and of course I didn’t remember to take my camera, so the pics are courtesy Paul.  BONUS For my Seattle fans…

Satidday roundup

Two hundred thirty seven reasons to have sex.  Guess I am going to have to read the original research to get the list. This was forwarded to me – but I won’t say by whom….

How will you know when the housing market has bottomed out?  A handy formula. 

A canonical list of “They do it” one liners.  Definitely some giggles in there.

Brian Kiely goes to Kenya in February for the UU movement, and reports back.  I’ve seen him deliver a couple of sermons and the guy is fracking awesome, and he’s also the only minister I’ve ever seen who incorporated Chet Baker music into a service.  By way of sidestream comment, has anybody else besides me had a conversation about genocide in Canada recently?  The existence, the possibility?

I asked my brother for advice about a haircut and after a blank stare, he said, “Uh, not a brush cut,” which now concludes my attempts to ever ask him appearance related questions again.

Since some of my readers will be progenizing shortly, and some have progenized and like getting reminders of how traumatizing it was (sample conversation with my mother.  “Remember when I here insert description of frankly horrid and unsafe and at best unsanitary teenage behaviour?”  “No.” “Well one of us is luckier than the other.”)  So I am providing a link to an interesting list of things new moms should know.  When I read it I nodded a lot, and I also went hunh?? a couple of times too.

The science behind monster waves.

Rational atheism.

Interesting green blog. Obviously it exists to sell things, but there’s cool stuff in there too. 

I LOVE THESE PICTURES.  The expression on the young man’s face, the poses, the clothing that he’s wearing.  And he was hanged. I just think of Deadwood, and melt.

Maybe it’s not a safe place to put money, but it’s an interesting place.

Young and coordinated.

And now… a dancing walrus.

Life on line…. death on line.

Your opinion?  I poop on it!

Finally, a joke.  What’s Australian foreplay?  “Brace yerself, Sheila!”

On this day last year

The Maori queen died.

What I didn’t know last year, when I posted about it, was that she would lie buried in an unmarked grave, as a sign of equality with her people.  I find that very affecting…. economical, too.
Also, I didn’t know that a large chunk of Maoridom thought she was not their queen, and that she was a bit of a glory hound.  Whenever we borrow from another culture, the questions start.  What is it to be Pakeha?  What is it to be Maori?   If she was really a hereditary chief, why was she called a queen?