Disco Bus - The Morning After

I will have to b e brief otherwise I will be late for Father Mahoney's Jubilee Mass. The Disco bus was HUGE fun. Loud vintage, disco music, bubble machine, people I hadn't seen in ages and a crazy scavenger hunt.

I thought it would end at 10.....home by 11.....asleep shortly therafter to look rested for Mass.

No!

Left the city at 11, home 40 minutes later (not my usual 32 because I was on the cell....safety mind you). On the phone with SouthieBoy for 80 minutes, 40 in the car 40 in bed. Phone call at 1:30 am.........police........great!.....Frank and Bill totalled Toni's car. They are OK, but need a ride. I get up get dressed and head for the door when the cop calls back. He's decided to drive them home. Back to sleep......alarm at 0615 to wake up SouthieBoy (I am better than an alarm clock.)Back to sleep for two more hours.

How many hours of sleep is that? Not enough. I am 45 and look every minute of it.

My Hands Hurt......

.....from clapping for Andy Card. He's the reason I went to the convention. There is only one contested race - nomination for sacrificial lamb to run against the hero of Chappaquidick - Ted Kennedy. I loathe Ted with the same intensity that I love Bobby and Jack. Ken Chase from Medford (his voice doesn't sound it) got the nod over Kevin Scott. Doesn't matter, I was ready to vote for either. Ted only wins over Osama and Ahmedinajad......and then with some serious soul searching.

Hillman gave a good speech, Kerry Healy was ok. The guy running for treasurer, Ron Davy, Hull selectman, is a Navy guy. You know how bad I wanted to like him! While he had lots of good things to say....there was no life in him.

So, back to Andy. He was there to accept the Senator Edward W. Brooke Award. The award is for individuals who have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to furthering the mission of the Massachusetts Republican Party. Brooke spoke about the party and how hard it is to be a Republican in Massachusetts.

Andy's speech was about taking an oath and defending the Constitution. He talked about the history of our country and the Massachusetts contributions. There were frequent interruptions for applause. My favorite part came when he said that after 9/11 he was glad it was Bush who had taken that oath on January 20, 2001. Because he knew Bush understood there was no "if" in the oath. That it didn't say "preserve, protect and defend, if.....if the wind was blowing the right way.......if the U.N. was ok with it, .......if the French gave permission". The last part was lost in the clapping and cheers. The second he said "U.N" I leapt to my feet. I mean *leapt*! Clapping and whooping.

Unless, you're Kerry Healy's mom or Reed Hillman's best friend... there were no whooping moments at this convention. Until Andy. He mispoke a couple of times, saying that the Bill of Rights wasn't ratified until 1891. He named Samuel Otis when I think he meant James Otis. But when he was speaking about Bush and doing the right thing and defending the Constitution......it was from his heart. When he talked about the burden W has of sending men and women into harm's way........I was nearly moved to tears.

Great job Andy!

The Disco Bus

After I tramp all over Tsongas Arena (concrete floor/high heeled sandals) I get to scoop up my sister Jennifer and head back to the city. We are joining 30 drunken Townie chicks on a trolley driving through Boston, blaring disco music.

Can I Be A Democrat Today?

That's what I asked SouthieBoy when I called at the most painful hour of 0530. He chuckled and asked why I would want such a thing.

"Because Democrats get to sleep in on the morning of the State Republican Convention."

He had to laugh when I told him where it was - Tsongas Arena!! How blue is your state when you have to hold your convention in an arena named after Paul Tsongas a liberal Democratic Congressman?

Go Visit BeerGirl

My pal Maryann over at soldier's Angels Germany has this awesome story.


On one of those days in Iraq where I wasn't sure if I'd see my daughter again, I was working at a checkpoint near a small camp in the desert. (...)

On this particular day one of the locals had his little girl with him. She was shyly watching me from behind his legs. When I smiled and waved at her, she brazenly ran up to me with a big smile and held out her arms, expecting to be picked up.

At first I was shocked at her sudden bravery, and it took me a second to reach down and pick her up. When I did, she immediately kissed me on my cheek and then nestled in as if she meant to stay a while.

I looked toward her father and he immediately began talking rapidly in Arabic and gesturing at me. Our translator quickly explained that he, the father, had been locked in a prison for most of the child's life. He had been sentenced to death for being a Shiite dissident traitor.

The man went on to say that soldiers wearing the same patch on the shoulder as I was (the 101st Airborne Division) had freed him shortly after we began the liberation of Iraq. His daughter from then on believed that the famous Screaming Eagle patch of the 101st meant that we were angels sent to protect her family.

Read the whole story here.

You rock BeerGirl!

UNITED 93

United 93 is in wide release today. Many thoughtful discussions are taking place in the blogosphere. Matt at Blackfive thinks you should see it, but respects that some people are hesitant. There is some discussion about people being "ready". Some people are against it because they resent Hollywood "making money" off of this tragedy (See Freedom Watch).

I am not thoughtful or deep. I will be going to see it Monday. I will wait that long only because I dislike crowded, noisy movie theaters (deafgirl). I will see it with my sisters.

Also, I am so full of myself that I have no problem telling others what to do (not suggesting....telling). Go see this movie. Wait a little if you absolutely must. Bring tissue (I will - Grace is weepy). But go see it and soon.

Here's another strong voice - ConservaJew.

This opinion comes to you from someone who believes that they should show 9/11 footage on TV every damn day!

Never forget.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Rachael made chocolate cream pie and brought some into work for the rest of us.

Bagel
Vanilla Chai tea
Chocolate Cream Pie

Breakfast of Champions................how much farther off of Atkins can I get!!!!!

The Car Accident

All in all the weekend was going amazingly well...........fun people.........interesting places.........round tub........chocolate.......underspent the budget between Priceline for the hotel and Enterprise for the car.................making great time on the road.......

Then at zero dark 30 I slid off of an off ramp in New Jersey. Bent the rim, ruined the tire, alignment out of whack. But I really can't complain. I have AAA, a cop came pretty quickly, I was not really hurt just shaken up a little. I was back in Massachusetts 18 hours later.

Sunday

Sunday I was up very early, lot's to see, lot's to do.

After clearing out of my room I checked my bags with the concierge. I went and got my carnations, my yuppie vanilla chai tea and with those in hand, I headed out. I put my carnations on the stone pillar for Massachusetts in remembrance of my grandfather's brother Dan who was killed on Iwo Jima. I went across to the opening, sat on the stone wall and thought about Dan who I never knew and my grandfather's other brothers who served, Tim, Tom, Joe, John, George and Jim. I knew them all except for Dan and Jim. Jim died in the Coconut Grove fire. My grandfather was turned down because of his age and his children. Although I guess he got as far as having a going away party before they decided not to let him go. My Aunt Helen's husband Bill served in the Pacific and I have very fond memories of him. None of them really talked about their service except in terms of places they had been. To hear them tell it, it was like a world tour. No specifics. I remember as a little girl my Uncle Joe telling me the he went to Lourdes, my Uncle Tim telling me that he was in Australia..........never a word about battle.

Can you guess the next stop for the Townie girl? Many sights in D.C. moved me......The White House, The Capitol, The Lincoln Memorial, the various war memorials. But there was one place that was almost unbearable. When I got there, I had to stand off to the side, facing away, composing myself, steeling myself.......

Then it was up over to Bobby's grave.

Another powerful moment for me was crossing the Memorial Bridge. This one caught me off guard. I was prepared for how I would feel about some of the other places I was going. But as I walked that bridge and realized it was part of the funeral procession.............

Next I hit the Holocaust Museum and the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. From there I was hijacked and taken to lunch. I tried to see the Navy Museum (I'm a Navy girl, doncha know), but it was closed on Sunday.

I want to go back. There was lots more to see.

Conference and Pub Crawl

The Conference -

There are many AARs out in the blogosphere. Andi has a list. So I will just say that I was on time (it's true and NameTag Man can vouch for me; it was a lot of fun and I love Col. Hunt. He autographed my sister's book and his Dad is from Charlestown. He is the man. Murdoc says he is a prick, but that's why we love him.


The Pub Crawl -

Where to start? Well I walk into Finn McCool's and look around for my partners-in-crime. Sgt.B gives me a big enthusiastic wave.....someone seems happy to see me. I go over and claim the spot he has indicated between himself and an older woman. It was very noisy....lot's of yelling from table to table. You know I have that crazy arthritis in my ear thing so I have a hard time with ambient noise. So I generally talk only to those that are pretty much in my lap. I introduce myself to the woman beside me and ask about her blog. Bang! She is off and running - Communism - secret camps - brainwashing youngsters - not being allowed to go to Vietnam because her CO was afraid she'd get pregnant. I turn to Sgt. B and make a face and tell him meaningfully.....he will PAY! He tries to look innocent and fails. Then........

SHE
RUBS
MY
LEG

LOL, I turn to Sgt.B and again threaten his life. AFter a while, ConspiracyWoman gets up for a cigarette break, and I quickly move my favorite BeerGirl from the Castle, Maryann, into that spot. At various times I notice ConspiracyWoman taking pictures of me from different places in the pub. Were-Kitten gives a lewd explanation - aren't friends grand! - which doesn't make me feel any better. When the gang decides to "crawl" on, CW follows and is never far from me for the rest of the night. I tell various bloggers about the leg rub - no sympathy.

So off we go up 8th. There are several pubs on the list but we can not find the very next one and some people (Sgt.B, 1SG. Keith, Were-Kitten) are anal enough that we can not go out of order. Sgt.B takes me through every GD puddle on 8th as we search for the next pub. It's raining, I am completely bedraggled, I'm surprised CW is still interested, lol. Some people are not coming out of Finn McCool's and the suggestion is made that someone needs to step up to the big plate glass window and get their attention. HomeFront6 goes up and presses her jean clad behind to the glass and swishes. I step forward to show her the correct way to handle this......I turn my back to the group I am with, flip the back of my skirt up and press my less-well-covered backside to the glass and announce that *this* is how it's done!

The next pub is packed with very young Marines from the barracks across the street. I got carded!! In less than one drink we move on.

We walk past #3 on the list because a smaller group I was in has reconnoitered and found it to be dead quiet with a few snooty yuppies.

On to #4.........I stop outside to take a phone call and most everyone else goes inside. A young man walks by me carrying a Military.com bag. I realize he is one of our group and call to him because he is passing the entrance to the place. He grabs his bag a little tighter and steps up the pace. I call out again that he is missing the front door. He stops and looks and thanks me as he goes inside. I follow him in a few minutes later. "Who just came in here with a Military.com bag?" I ask the group. He raises his hand. "Did you think I was soliciting you from the doorway? Calling out my rates?" Everyone laughs. Uncle Jimbo wants to know my rates..................but we all know the answer to that.........if you have to ask........
In this place there was a) bad chocolate cake (icing was ok); b) a waitress who didn't understand my order but brought me Grey Goose and cranberry juice and wrote "cape coda" on the check; and c) Doug from military.com, who was freaking hilarious!

I told the guys from Op-For again how much I loved them and gave Charlie cigars (John doesn't smoke).

At the end of the night as I was being steered out to a cab by a responsible party, Matty O'Blackfive was admiring Sgt.B's Castle shirt.

It was obviously new and the logo was black and crisp. I opened my sweater and showed him my Castle tanktop (old, faded, worn a hundred times to the gym and yoga. Strangely enough, they both thought mine was better.....hmmmmmm.

So we get in the cab and we have a driver who looks like Bernie Mac. He asks what we're doing tomorrow. I respond that I am going to take some carnations down to the World War II memorial. The cabbie roars laughing and in a deep southern voice he declares "I could listen to her all night!"


I had a great time!

The Sentinel

Jen and I went to see it tonight and we liked it. But then again we are big "24" fans.


Keifer - more sunblock, baby.



Eva Langoria, yikes!

Col. Hunt

Is on Howie Carr right now (1635) talking about the Milblogger Conference. He says we are very intense, lol.

In Case My Ego Ever Gets Out Of Hand

I have my sisters.................

Last night after watching "24" I was relating anecdotes from the conference. In particular I was telling Jennifer that about coming back from lunch on Saturday. I asked Sgt. B why I hadn't seen him at lunch. He replied that he was there, just at a different table. Then he pulled out a camera and took my picture. I asked him why and he responded that I was beautiful.

Jennifer snorted and said "Sgt. B, yeah, Sgt. BS!".

Thank you, thank you very much!

Getting to The Milblog Conference

Thursday I left work to pack and run some last minute errands for my trip to DC. Everything just seemed to break my way. Items I picked up were on sale, things were available in my size, my color. Because Frank was still in the Bahamas, the house was still clean......lol. I met the guy from Enterprise to go get the rental car and he gave me a free upgrade on my $12.50 per day rental car from a Chevy Aveo to a Dodge Stratus. I was ready to go at 2330.....timing it so that I would pass through New York and New Jersey in the dead of night. I made great time and even stopped in a rest area in New Jersey and took a two and half hour nap. I hit DC around 9 am, well ahead of schedule. That's the only place I hit traffic. I found the hotel easily, but still drove around a bit to orient myself. Check-in at the hotel was supoosed to be at 1500 hours, but when I stopped in at 1000 to ask if they could store my bags until then, I was informed that my room was ready. Good deal! Good size room, king size bed......big, round tub, mmmmmmmmmmm. I took a bath, changed my clothes and went off to explore DC. After a quick manicure (remember what Fernando says, it is better to look good.....) and a trip to an ATM, I walked down to the White House. I couldn't go inside, you need to arrange those tours a month ahead. I imagine my clearance will take a little longer, oh well next trip. I stood in front of the White House in the light drizzle and was just awed. I called SouthieBoy from my cell. He *gets* me, doncha know. Then it was around to the Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, The Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial. I was most moved at the WWII Memorial. I noticed that people had placed carnations on some of the states and made plans to come back before I left and do the same for Massachusetts for my grandfather's brother Dan who died at Iwo Jima.

Then it was back to my hotel for a bath before the trip to Walter Reed for the counter protest.

I was down in the lobby at 2016 but no cab drivers would take me there. Apparently because they can only charge set fees, they don't like to sit in traffic. I didn't catch on right away or would have just offered them an extra $20. So I went back upstairs and was going to try again in a bit, but I fell asleep. Not exactly surprising since I had driven for 8 hours and walked around DC for 5 hours all on two and a half hours of sleep. Frankie's girlfriend called at 2130, thank goodness or I would have slept through Fran O'Brien's.

Putting faces to everyone's screen name was loads of fun. I passed out my cigars to Capt. B and Taco. Taco wore his kilt and I found out later some bold women checked to see what was under the kilt. Why didn't I think of that? You are probably as disappointed in me as I am. John and Beth Donavan were fun adn friendly and just as I imagined they would be. I met Were-Kitten, 1SG Keith, FbL, HomeFront6, LL, Dadmanly, and so many others. At one point Fran O'Briens son Marty stopped me and smoothed out my name tag, alledgedly to read my name. I said "Baby, you don't give a fat rat's ass what my name is, you just wanted to touch me." He proceeded to tear my name tag to strips very slowly. Lol, NameTag man gave me another. I met Bill Roggio but didn't recognize him as part of one of my favorte blogs The Counterterrorism Blog! I was ready to call it a night when FbL told me that Sgt. B was on his way from the airport. He walked in the door and hugged Fuzzy. It was very touching. Like watching a brother and sister who haven't seen eazch other in a long time. When they parted, I introduced myself, shook his hand and off I went to bed.

The Bostonian Society

I have lost a day thanks to the car accident and I quite forgot I had a lecture to go to tonight! Bummer!

LOWELL LECTURES
Tuesday, April 25th
6:30 pm
Jim Aloisi takes a
"behind the scenes"
look at the BIG DIG,
a project that is
dramatically changing downtown Boston,
and its lasting impact
on the quality of life
in the city.

Home again.....

A day late.........and many dollars short.

Had a small car accident on the drive back from DC, set me back a day and my $500 insurance deductible.

I have showered and I am going to bed.

BTW the conference was pissa. Everything broke my way until the accident (an out of state accident with a rental car and I didn't take the optional insurance, this will be a nightmare).

Mission accomplished with my sisters book. Got Col. Hunt to sign it. He's a funny guy and his Dad is from Charlestown.

Milblogging Conference

I leave tonight for DC and will likely be offline until Monday. If you will need me this weekend or you will be at the conference, email me before 1700 EST today for my cell phone number.

So far the plan is to arrive in DC sometime Friday morning (I am driving). I will poke around DC until I check into my hotel. At 1830 I will be at Walter Reed for the counter protest. Dinner at Fran O'Briens, although it sounds as though so many people are going I may be lucky to get inside. The conference itself is Saturday. I will just be going with the flow Saturday night. I will leave sometime Sunday.

If you are not going to DC, your assignment is to miss me while I'm gone.

Hey Brighton

Leave me a note.

Although you may not be in Brighton, that just may be where your server routes.

Sitemeter is lots of fun. For the most part I can see who pops in and how they got here. Last couple of days, two people have used a search engine (Google maybe, I forget) for my pal Father Mahoney and it brought them to me. Sitemeter tells me that they have spent a considerable amount of time in my site using Verizon.

Welcome, you obviously have some connection...........drop me a line.

Stealing Stuff From The Castle

I was reading some stuff posted over at The Castle of Argghhh! and they had a link to this great article by Victor Davis Hanson.

"April 12, 2006
Eye of the Beholder
by Victor Davis Hanson
The American Enterprise Online

War-torn Iraq has about 26 million residents, a peaceful California perhaps now 35 million. The former is a violent and impoverished landscape, the latter said to be paradise on Earth. But how you envision either place to some degree depends on the eye of the beholder and is predicated on what the daily media appear to make of each.

As a fifth-generation Californian, I deeply love this state, but still imagine what the reaction would be if the world awoke each morning to be told that once again there were six more murders, 27 rapes, 38 arsons, 180 robberies, and 360 instances of assault in California — yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every day. I wonder if the headlines would scream about “Nearly 200 poor Californians butchered again this month!”

How about a monthly media dose of “600 women raped in February alone!” Or try, “Over 600 violent robberies and assaults in March, with no end in sight!” Those do not even make up all of the state’s yearly 200,000 violent acts that law enforcement knows about."

Read the whole article here.

April 19, 1775

"...in 1775, the first shots were fired in the cause of American Independence. In Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous poem, "the shot heard 'round the world" came from the musket of a Concord militiaman. In reality, the first blood was shed hours before the Redcoats reached the Old North Bridge. The confrontation on Lexington Common between 77 militiamen and nearly ten times that number of British Regulars ended with the death of eight Lexington men. The Redcoats moved on to Concord. When they got there, they found several thousand farmer-soldiers who had already heard of the bloodshed at Lexington. With their nerves steeled, the Americans drove the Redcoats back to Boston and placed the city under siege. The Revolution had begun."


If you ever get the chance to see the reenactment they do in Lexington, go and take the kids. It starts the night before with Dawes riding into town. The whole town gets into it. Frankie and I went one year. Someday Tommy and I will have to go. PBS made a movie about the reenactors.

Last Night

I went to Jennifer's and watched "24" last night. She is furious with SECDEF Heller.....but he reminds me of a State Trooper I dated a million years ago (they have the same mouth), so I'm just a little disappointed, not furious.

After that, I went to the gym and out to dinner.

This morning........owwwwww. Off to a *very* hot shower! If I feel this way later, there will be no gym tonight.

Jennifer

Has saved me!!!! She has it on DVR and I can go watch after work. She says I won't be happy with my favorite character SECDEF Heller. LOL I'd be happy watching him sit in an empty room and read names out of the phone book. Many years ago I dated a State Trooper who had a mouth just like his.

I can't read anything at Bruce's site until after I watch it. I couldn't listen to Egan & Braude on WXTK radio because they might have discussed it. I am in hiding until after I see it.

Devastated!

My DVR did not record "24"!!!!!!! What am I going to do?

I went to yoga and could have made it home in time for "24". However, after having my ass kicked in yoga class, I opted for the steam room and taking my time. After enjoying my steam (hair full of deep conditioner
and shower (used the new St. Tropez body scrub)
I dressed and headed home by way of the supermarket. I arrived home, made my dinner, got on the couch, picked up the remote..........nothing.........no SECDEF Heller.
Jennifer is my only hope. If she didn't record it, I am throwing myself off the Tobin.

Speaking Out

Here are two things I think are worth speaking out over.

Immigration

Go see these people. I think it's a hell of an idea. H/T ALa

Fran O'Brien's/Hilton controversy

It's covered at The Castle and at FBL's blog.

I emailed all the Hilton people......even though I am staying at the Doubletree next weekend....that's what Priceline gave me, lol.

I like the brick thing. I think I'll do it.

Happy Easter

Last night I attended Easter Vigil Mass. It was special and traditional....all the things I love about going back to the place I have attened Mass since time out of mind. I am happy to be there and feel such peace.........but such sadness. I know that is the last Easter Season, the last Holy Week in that place, in that way for me. Soon Father will have to retire and in the next year or so the Church will close. I have been so absorbed in my own feelings of sadness and loss that I missed something. As I watched him limp through these service night after night, it struck me......Am I being selfish? Father has severe OA in his hips, maybe elsewhere. Holy Week must have been an incredible struggle. My heart broke as I watched him limp painfully across the altar. Am I being selfish wanting him to stay and serve and suffer and struggle?

Update

I am going to the MilBlogging Conference. I am all signed up. What changed my mind? Well, it's not that I wasn't interested, but I didn't think there would be room and I was just as interested in poking around DC. However, yesterday afternoon I was reading the list of participants and the agenda. Guess who will be there? Lots of great people, but especially Col. David Hunt from FoxNews fame. My sister Jennifer is his biggest fan. If I can get him to autograph her book "They Just Don't Get It".....it would be the biggest coup in sisterly gift giving! So, I am on a mission.

MilBlogging Conference

There is a conference for MilBloggers in Washington, D.C. next week. I have decided to do something spontaneous and head on down. I won't be able to attend the actual conference, but I will get to meet some of the people whose blogs I have enjoyed and some people who have visited mine.

Also, I have never visited Washington, so I will poke around and see the sights.

If you are going.............drop me a line.

The Bahamas

I am footloose and fancy free!!!!! This morning I put the youngest son on a plane for school vacation! What will I do with myself?

Although I am bummed to note that this is the first year in 25 years I haven't made an Easter basket for someone.

Ok...........I'm over it.

Good like the residents of the Bahamas..............get set for Hurricane Frankie!

Did You Miss Me?

It's been a busy week.....work....the gym....the boys.....Holy Week. But I have had fun.

I was up at 0500 this morning and the sky was beautiful........the color of the sun just below the horizon reflecting on the water..........the moon, full and clear in the west. Made you happy just to see it.

Always Open All Of Your Mail

I get lot's of stuff in the mail that I don't recognize right off the bat. I attend some pretty diverse lectures. I recieve mailings from the Cambridge Forum, Ford Hall, the Bostonian Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Republican party, local public television and radio sponsored events. But still I was surprised to see something from Anti-Defamation League, New England Region. I flipped it over and there was the Cardinal.....perplexing! Well, he's not my favortite person in light of the parish closings and his treatment of my pastor....so I was about to flip it into the trash..........when for some reason I opened it. The event the mailing was promoting was the Tishler Confronting Anti Semitism Award. This award recognizes the "everyday heroes" who speak out against anti-Semitism, whose actions resonate far beyond their own communities and whose beliefs and principles are examples for us all. This years winner?

One of my absolute favorite people in the world -

Father Daniel Mahoney, St. Francis de Sales, Charlestown, MA!!!!

Way to go Father! I will be there to celebrate this award with you. To cheer long and loud. You deserve this and every other possible good thing.

Lesson - open all your mail.

Bath & Body Works

Yesterday Jen & I went to an event at Bath & Body Works. We love this stuff! I had two coupons. One for the free bag with samples (had it before, loved it) and one for admission to the event which was giving away a different bag of gifts. We left loaded with stuff. It's the most girlie-girl thing we do. My favorite thing?



It's all part of stimulating the senses, right? They had this stuff in my favorite hotel........The Taj....and the smell of it reminds me how other senses were stimulated.

Meet The Press

John Kerry is on Meet The Press...........my brain hurts.

He just said "The White House has never called and asked me what to do in Iraq."

News bulletin...............they've never called me either.

John, don't hold your breath! They'll be calling me first.

Happy Birthday Buddha

On this day, Buddhists celebrate the commemoration of the birth of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, thought to have lived in India from 563 B.C. to 483 B.C.

Friday Night

Didn't make it to Stations. I cut it too close and there was a problem with the Tobin. The tunnel was backed up and I lost valuable speeding time.

I made it to the gym though.......gold star for me! Well, maybe silver.....I was eating M&Ms in the car.

The Castle

Over at The Castle John has a little list

John asserts that #14 applies to me. I actually have no problem with this premise. I completely agree.............but there is something about his tone...........

"I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to worship me."

Number 14. Two words. Princess.Crabby.


1SG Keith? You mean your comment in the nicest possible way, don't you?

Ollie smacks Kerry

Oliver North has a column over at Townhall picking apart Senator John Kerry's (D-Scaramouche) latest malarkey.

Zacarias Moussaoui

The defense presented for this piece of trash actually includes the usual baloney about an abusive father. Who is thinking this will actually sway the jury?

This story at CNN lets us know about poor Zacarias - "Vogelsang will testify that Moussaoui's father was "a violent alcoholic" who didn't care about his children, according to an outline of the the social worker's testimony. After the family moved to France, Moussaoui lived in and out of orphanages for five years, then left home for good as an adolescent."


NPR's Morning Edition has two excellent stories about the trial. The audio is available in parts at 0830 an in it's entirity at 1200 (EST) One of the segments is a guy named Peterson (sp?) who lost his father and stepmother on Flight 93 which crashed in Shanksville. He talked so calmly and was so articulate when he spoke of listening to the tapes the government provided. He didn't lose it when discussing the tapes, his reaction, the reactions of other family members listening. But what you could hear in his voice and the one long pause was so moving. I think the interviewer tried just a little to shake him when discussing execution. But the guy wouldn't bite.

This is a direct link to his story.

Can you imagine the nuttiness that would come out of my evil little mouth under those circumstances?

Roughing It

Last night during a discussion of remote places, certain people inferred that I was too addicted to my "creature comforts". Now it is true that I like to be treated well.

But this is not to say that I can not rise to the occassion. I have witnesses. During this morning's drive to school I was telling Frankie about the accusation and he pointed out that I had been camping. Not only that, I lost my tent and had to sleep outside.

So there Steve.....ppphhhhhtttt!

Years ago when I was a Cub Scout den mother (yes there was a time when I was not the center of the universe), we would do things in the woods. I did the Klondike Derby (snow in the woods), the summer camp (bugs, mud in the woods) and overnight camping. On one of these trips I was going to have three boys, and three adults from my den. My Frankie, his best friend Dan and Brad. I pack stuff for myself, Frankie and his dad (my ex). Dan's mom couldn't go so she sends enough stuff for an army. Brad and his dad show up with two sleeping bags and two sandwiches! Fine. Between what Dan's mom sent and my stuff, we could have fed and outfitted another whole den, except for a tent. So we give the boys the tent. My ex and I (we were exs at that point, but then and now close friends) are sleeping in separate bags off the ground on wood pallets. Brad's dad is on another pallet across the way. It was freezing, the pallet was hard, no light to read by, no spa, no *creature comforts*. In the middle of the night Frankie got out of the tent and into my bag.....we didn't really fit so we couldn't zip.........but Frankie's always been a furnace, so it wasn't bad. We cooked outdoors, hiked, etc. For a city girl like me.....it was horrible.

What's my point you say?

Don't ever doubt that I can accomplish anything if I chose to SB!

Tuesday

The Red Sox won yesterday afternoon.

Tonight's lecture is sponsored by the Bostonian Society and the Lowell Institute at the Old State House. Tom O'Connor will be discussing his book "The Athens of America"

Then I should go to the gym...............but it may be dinner with Trish and Bette.

I am a bad girl. Pass the M&Ms.

*****UPDATE*******

Dearest Mr. Wilson - it is "plain". Not "Original". Not "Milk Chocolate". But "plain". Please get you M&M facts straight.

USS New York

New Navy Ship Built With WTC Steel

Associated Press | April 04, 2006

NEW YORK - With a year to go before it even touches the water, the Navy's amphibious assault ship USS New York has already made history - twice. It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center, and it survived Hurricane Katrina.

Read the rest of the story here.

Cynthia!

And the laughs just keep on coming!

WASHINGTON - U.S. Capitol Police on Monday asked a federal prosecutor to approve an arrest warrant for Rep. Cynthia McKinney after she tangled with a uniformed officer last week.

Frank

Frank is a pain. He leaves dirty dishes everywhere. He leaves the bread open everytime. He is incapable of wiping up a spill. He leaves his sneakers in the middle of the floor. He leaves the toilet seat up!

He is hot tempered.

We fight. We yell.

He never applies himself unless it's about soccer.

Everytime I see those canines shifting back to their old spots because he wouldn't wear the retainer......and think about how much those braces cost.......I want to strangle him.

Today was the first soccer game of the spring season. We had to be there early to get shirts and schedules, etc. Some of the boys hadn't seen each other in a bit, there are several different schools involved. Frank greeted almost everyone who walked up, he is quite social. As the boys took to the field a woman came up and asked if I was Frank's mother. She told me how much it meant to her that Frank greets her son. Her son is deaf and does tend to stand off to the side when the boys get together. So I made some crack about Frank being very social. The woman looked at me ernestly and said that her son has been playing with some of these boys for years and the others don't reach out that way. So, I said "Well, Frank's the mayor!" and smiled. We watched the game and I paid attention to the boys interactions and her son seemed to be very much included. I think in the game, the boys treat her son as one of the group, I think they are just ackward off of the field.

So I thought about Frank while I watched the game.............all the really great things. He is loyal to a fault, open and generous, tall and handsome...and to watch him play soccer is amazing. Little kids stand against the chainlink fence of the ballpark across from our front door and wait for Frank to come out, hoping he'll play with them. And he is so good with them. In the winter he shovels out the hydrants around us and some of the older neighbors on the QT. When the beach association had cleanup projects he is always front and center even though some adults are less than gracious about teenagers in general and Frank's gang in particular. And so many other small kindnesses.

As he walked toward his girlfriend and I after the game I put out my arms to hug him. He looked surprised of course, we are not touchy/feely people. I tried to tell him about Mark's mother but I got so choked up, I'm sure he didn't understand half of it. He said "ok" and turned to his friends and we all walked to the parking lot. His friends got in their car and Frank walked over to me and we just stood there for a minute and smiled at each other. Then he got in the front seat and his girlfriend drove him away.

Thomas Owen You Are Grounded!

You may live in Virginia, you may eventually move to Mars...........I still have the authority to ground you!

By the way, smart ass.......the word is schaudenfreud. For the record, I've always had it.

You can post anonymously all you want..........no one else would know there has been no major or moderate seismic activity in this area since 1784 off the top of their head..........much less point it out to me.

Lastly..........of course God is watching me..........and He's watching *out* for me.

Love, Mum