Monday Moods: Smiling

Why this photo, I parallel parked on the first try. I had the top down, it is easier with the top down. 

I have to start with saying that the outcome of last Tuesday's elections, did a lot to improve a lot of people's moods. HWSNBN has acknowledged that the shut down of the Federal government was a factor in the election. The election renewed hope in the democratic process for many.  

I have gone back to reading the Washington Post daily. 

A Federal Jury found the guy who tossed a subway sandwich at a National Guard trooper in Washington DC, not-guilty of assault. For a Federal crime of assault, the officer had to have a realistic fear of harm, apparently the jury didn't buy his distress at smelling onions and mustard as being fear of real harm.  And maybe a little bit of jury nullification. (Not that military or law enforcement personnel should have things thrown at them.) It was a charge that should never have been brought, a waste of Federal tax dollars.  If HeWhoShallNotBeNamed wants to cut down on waste, this is a good place to start.  

For 91 years everyone has found the Oval Office, the official or ceremonial office of the President just fine. HWSNBN apparently needs a sign to assure he goes in the right door, a gold painted sign is being installed.  Hmm, dazed and confused? 

Our condo community is now a separate voting precinct. In last weeks statewide election, just under 50% of voters in the precinct voted.  About 86% of the voters who voted, voted for the Democrat (the liberal.) We do fit in well here.  

So how is my mood? Improved. Optimistic. Reassured. And a little bit sarcastic and snarky. 

The Sunday Five: Come to think of it

1: How are you at remembering the name of someone you have just met? 

2: What is the funniest story of you forgetting someone's name? 

3: What is your earliest memory? 

4: What memory of a historical event is tied to a location or activity for you? 

5: Do you remember the phone number from your childhood home? 

My Answers: 

1: How are you at remembering the name of someone you have just met?  I am terrible at remembering names, always have been. 

2: What is the funniest story of you forgetting someone's name?  I had worked at the ABA for a couple of years, and I was introducing people at a conference, and I got stuck, I looked at her, she looked at me, she broke the silence with "it is Leslie." I am surprised I remember her name today. 

3: What is your earliest memory? The green bedroom in the first house on the farm, and being very sick. 

4: What memory of a historical event is tied to a location or activity for you? I was speaking at a conference on grandparents raising grandchildren at the Holiday Inn North in Lexington Kentucky, when the planes hit the World Trade Center, it was a surreal day.

5: Do you remember the phone number from your childhood home? Nope - long gone. 

Please share your answers and memories in the comments. 

The Saturday Morning Post - 50 States in 52 Weeks - Vermont

Vermont is in northern New England, it is somewhat wedge shaped, next to New Hampshire. I have been there once.  I was speaking in New Hampshire, I flew in a day early, rented a car because the conference was 100 miles from the nearest airline service. I used Holiday Inn points for a free night in Vermont. It was autumn, the landscape and trees were spectacular.  

Vermont has a sparse population. The small villages often have the picture postcard appearance of Normal Rockwell America. 

That is a very pretty part of the country that I have spent far to little time in. 

Fabulous Friday: Happy Birthday Sweetie Bear!

Happy Birthday to my Sweetie Bear!

So many wonderful years

So many more to come

The Thursday Ramble: Thinking Ahead

I am a planner, I start thinking months ahead about what comes next. This comes in handy when planning travel, while I can make plans at the last minute*, I often start planning a year in advance. I started looking at next year's grand adventure, while on this year's grand adventure. 

I am already thinking about next year's blogs. 

I enjoyed writing this year's Saturday Morning Post series on the 50 states, but they have drawn fewer and fewer comments. They are drafted and scheduled through the end of the year. So what to replace those with?  I like the Saturday Morning Post theme, maybe creativity for next year. 

I will continue the Sunday Five, a fan favorite, though it is a challenge to come up with questions every week. 

Travel Tuesdays has gone well, and I probably have enough photos (about 100,000 at this point) to keep doing that for the rest of my blog life. 

The Wednesday check-in forces me to pause and think about what I have done, where I have been, who I have talked with, what is next, what my plans are, what I am thankful for. To think about my World of Wonders. 

The Friday Fs, have been fun allowing me to be funny (rarely), funky, foody, and fabulous (I haven't done that in too long). 

Moody Mondays - causes me to pause and reflect on how I am doing. And to encourage others to focus on staying well, in what can be a crazy time.  

The Thursday ramble, allows me to expound on whatever inspires me this week. 

My overall goal is to keep it positive. Life is too short to let negative live in my mind rent free.  Being angry consumes energy, I can better use the energy doing my little part to make the world a better place. 

So there is a ramble, a talk about what is taking up space in my mind this week. 

* When I was settling my father's estate, I arrived at my office one morning to a message from the lawyers in Florida that they needed me to sign the paperwork to sell the house the next morning. I booked an airline ticket, hotel, and rental car and went from the office to the airport that afternoon. 

My World of Wonders aka The Wednesday Ws November 4th edition

Sailboat cove at Dyke Marsh, across the river is the MGM Casino at National Harbor in Maryland

Where have I been this week? Mt. Vernon, Dyke Marsh, King Street in Old Town, Amazon Fresh, Harris Teeter, Aldi, the Library, the community center, the pool, the Farmers Market, a long walk in Arlington including National Airport, the polling place - Tuesday was a state election. 

Who have I talked to this week? My Sweet Bear. Saturday was the first Saturday community coffee, so Ruth, Jon, Scott, Charlie, Joan.  Amy from the arts group. 

What have I been up to in the kitchen this week?  Roast turkey breast with wild rice, roast beef, chicken soup (starting with a whole chicken), fish pies. 

How has the weather been? Nighttime lows in the 40's down to 38 one night, afternoon highs in the low to mid 60's. Lots of blue skies. Lots of wonderful top down convertible weather. 

What have I been listening to? A YouTube feed of music from the 70s and 80s, in other words the oldies channel. 

What made me cringe this week?  A video on YouTube on foods people ate to survive in the 1970s." The title makes it sound like the 70's were a distant and difficult time. 

 

Travel Tuesday: Arlington, Virginia Marine Corps Marathon just past mile 22