Beautiful Sunday . ..

And the miners with their pack animals walked up here in all kinds of weather!

Yea, the sun is out in all its splendor! I thought we had been forsaken. Had to hit the ATM for gas money for the Saturn. After Mass we'll be off to Providence Performing Arts to see Rain, A Tribute to the Beatles. Middle child can't make it to the play today because she's all hyped up about Richoni's opening tomorrow. So . . . Puppy's Pop will come with me. That's cool. I hope it's a good show. I'll go bright and early tomorrow to Groton to help out in any way I can to get the lounge functioning. I'm sure it'll be an interesting day . . . or two . . . or three!

Now to settle in with The Providence Journal before going to All Hallows.

Quote: Circumstances! --I make circumstances! ---Napoleon

Make believe . . .

Grandson, with Grampa's help, put this moving parts Lego tractor together. I was amazed at the patience of both. It was done in three sittings but that little kid really paid attention and found the parts and followed the diagrams. Over 100 parts!

Train meeting train in Skagway.

I've decided to pretend I'm sick (slight cold and tickle in throat) so I can just laze around today. I'm in the mood for soup and crackers so that'll be it for supper. Grandson picked out which puzzle I should spread all over the kitchen table so I'll be making a nice train scene. Along with a cup of Earl Grey I should recuperate very well, thank you!

Quote: The unspoken word never does harm. ---Kossuth

Gloomy Friday . . . (not Black, we don't Christmas shop!)

Look carefully and you can see a road.

Delicious Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday, best turkey yet, at middle child's home with six adults and four kids. Took home the carcass and have already boiled it up, removed the good meat and gotten it ready for soup. Probably make the soup tomorrow. Needed some celery so we stopped in at the little grocery near Lizzy B's; veggies fresher than Big Y's! And. . . wonder of wonders the Providence Journal is back in Connecticut. Just started up again a few days ago. The nice little lady owner is going to save me one on Sundays. Right now they are only dropping off three a day. But she's supposed to go to twenty on Sundays. I'm looking forward to my Sunday Journal. I've really missed it. The Day just doesn't hack it.

Quote: He who accustoms himself to buy superfluities, may be obliged, ere long, to sell his necessities. ---C. Simmons

Heel of Orion . . .Gov. Wilbur Cross . . . 1936

Quote: Time out of mind at this turn of the seasons when the hardy oak leaves rustle in the wind and the frost gives a tang to the air and the dusk falls early and the friendly evenings lengthen under the heel of Orion, it has seemed good to our people to join together in praising the Creator and Preserver, who has brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year.

In observance of this custom, I appoint Thursday, the twenty-sixth of November, as a day of Public Thanksgiving for the blessings that have been our common lot and have placed our beloved State with the favored regions of the earth -- for all the creature comforts: the yield of the soil that has fed us and the richer yield from labor of every kind that has sustained our lives -- and for all those things, as dear as breath to the body, that quicken man's faith in his manhood, that nourish and strengthen his spirit to do the great work still before him: for the brotherly word and act; for honor held above price; for steadfast courage and zeal in the long, long search after truth; for liberty and for justice freely granted by each to his fellow and so as freely enjoyed; and for the crowning glory and mercy of peace upon our land; --that we may humbly take heart of these blessings as we gather once again with solemn and festive rites to keep our Harvest Home.

Happy Thanksgiving With heartfelt love to all and sundry.

Yellow lines . . .

Doesn't seem possible that this refers to President Buchanan of the mid 1800's but I believe it does.

Got up this morning and we had yellow lines painted down the middle of our street! Went out for breakfast and there were yellow lines being painted all over the place! Pretty nice. Maybe some of the people will see them and realize that they're supposed to stay to the right of said lines. Starkweather looks beautiful with its new blacktop and yellow streak.

Found a delicious Chardonnay when I was out with middle child yesterday. It's by Estancia. Perfectly yummy. Middle child and hubby will be driving me to drink (more.) They are so wired up for the opening of their Lounge that it's catching. They are opening at a crazy time of year and it's such a new adventure I hope I survive! Bringing the Aero bed to Groton because I'll stay overnight a couple of times during the wild ride this month will bring. Keep your fingers and toes crossed that all goes well.

Quote: He who receives a benefit should never forget it; he who bestows should never remember it. ----Charron

Have you eaten . . .

Still going up.

Puppy's Pop and I tried out the new Italian restorante in Killingly yesterday and gave it an A for food but the service was a bit spotty, though they meant well. They've only been open a little over a week and were very busy for a Monday lunch. The pizza crust is salubrious! I had a pinwheel which was pizza dough wrapped up with cheese and pepperoni and cut into a pinwheel. It was way too much and I brought half home which Puppy's Pop ate for supper. He had a hero sandwich which was made on a very fresh sesame type roll filled with meatballs and sweet roasted peppers. He asked for marinara sauce on the side and also had french fries which, I think, were cut fresh and were really quite good. They make their own breads and soups. I checked out their deli before we left and was surprised at the number of Italian sausages, cheeses and pasta dishes they had for sale. Their breads looked fantastic and the deserts were so scrumptious looking but I was too full to buy anything else. I'm not sure but I think Nuccio's is a chain from the Virginia's. It looks as if they are starting off quite well. Their small pizza is about the size of the large pizza in a normal restaurant around here. The large is enormous. You can also get it by the slice. Pretty neat place.

To top that off I went out with middle child to P.F Chang's for lunch today at the West Farms Mall. She had received many gift certificates when she left her job and P. F. Chang's was one of them. We had a delicious lunch before heading back to Groton. Then I ate supper, Lloyd's ribs! Needless to say I don't think I'll have to eat for a week or so but Thanksgiving will be here in two days! Perhaps if I fast until then I'll be OK. We'll be off to Groton for a late afternoon dinner Thursday. I'll make a fresh bread in the morning and an apple pie. Should be a good time and great dinner.

Grampa got his suspenders from LL Bean today and hopefully they'll help him out. It seems that his belt is causing some of the sciatica problems so he's trying suspenders. They look good, loden green. Gee, it's no fun to start this aging thing. Gotta be on your toes! I just bought some new Skechers Shape Up sneakers that are supposed to help me exercise and walk better. They do feel great but I doubt they'll help me lose weight!

Quote: Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. ----Epicurus

Nous nous sommes tres bien amusees . . .

See the highway across the divide.

What a wonderful time Mme G and I had at Le Foyer in Pawtucket, RI. We went to a conference sponsored by La Societe Historique Franco-Americaine based in Manchester, NH. A gentleman from Connecticut presented his dissertation in English about the "Danielson affair." It seems that in the late 1800's St. James parish didn't like the non-canadian priests being sent to them so they complained loudly and often, even getting to the Pope. Eventually they ended up with the La Sallette Fathers who still serve the parish to this day. What was so interesting was the discord in the parish between the Irish and "les Canadiens" even when the church was sent a pastor from France they were not happy! How great is that. It made the papers and eventually even the courts in the State of Connecticut got involved.

The second part of the afternoon was given to M. Gregoire Chabot a French-Canadian author and actor. He presented a monologue based on the changes many older French-Canadians have faced as their culture declines. He was an excellent actor and I must admit brought me to tears, which I held back, yes I did. On December 5 Mme G and I will go to Le Foyer once again to enjoy a French Canadian Christmas program, French Canadian music, bien sur. I'm so pleased that I can enjoy my French again. I've even been talking to myself in French just to see if I remember enough to get around! I'm not that great but certainly passable.

Will get Puppy's Pop to bring me to a new restaurant on 101 in Danielson for lunch. It's near Zip's Diner and was just opened by friends of Mme G.

Quote: Language is the amber in which a thousand precious thoughts have been safely embedded and preserved. It has arrested ten thousand lightning-flashes of genius, which, unless thus fixed and arrested, might have been as bright, but would have also been as quickly passing and perishing as the lightning. Words convey the mental treasures of one period to the generations that follow . . . ------Trench

A robbery . . .

Upwards . . .

It's almost impossible to believe but Lizzy B's was robbed early Thursday morning. We're all guessing that it's someone who knew the place very well because the robbers knew exactly where the money was and even stole things that were stored in very out of the way places. The police do have some of the "action" on video but I doubt that they'll ever catch the thieves. The horrible thing is that the thieves probably still come in to the restaurant for breakfast and no one knows who they are. It's pretty bad when you own a place and wonder if you're serving the thief who just robbed you. The owner (who also works full time as an emergency room nurse in Rhode Island) had just been getting ahead and was putting money away to upgrade things and it's all gone. Of course I'm surprised that money was left in the building but we tend to think people are basically honest. So much for high expectations.

Did start the day with terrific cinnamon swirl french toast, a side of very crisp bacon and delicious coffee. The Bulletin reports a man got on 395 in Rhode Island going the wrong way, South in the North bound lane. Almost made it to Exit 89 in Moosup before causing a crash. He was from Danielson and 83 years old. It seems that people tried to let him know he was going the wrong way but he didn't get it. It's going to make all "old timers" look bad. I imagine there will be new laws enacted shortly.

Nice day for a ride to Pawtucket with Sue G. Looking forward to hearing some spoken French.

Quote: He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others. --- Samuel Johnson
(The last of my "Insults with class" quotes taken from the Saturday Evening Post 2007. Friends from Vermont had given me a subscription that year but it's not a good magazine. I no longer get it. As a matter of fact I'm not sure it is still in publication. When I was a kid it was such a good magazine. I loved it. We used to fight over who would get to read it first.)

Day of leisure . . .

Looking down on the ships in Skagway.

Don't have to do "nothing" today. How wonderful. No cooking either, we have leftovers and some delicious deserts my friend B gave me at Sacred Heart yesterday. She is quite a cook. Been playing slot cars most of the morning and now I can veg. and go for a walk

Quote: He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary. ---William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)

Pick up time . . .

View of the train from the train.

I think I've actually fixed all the numbers on the cell phone and the land line. Since we can no longer just dial local numbers without the area code it's a job that had to be done. It always takes me a bit of time when I have to do these "techie" things but once I get on a roll I'm fast and good, maybe not mistake free though, so wait until Puppy's Pop tries one of the presets and he gets Timbuktu; I'll never hear the end of it!

We're off soon in the Saturn. I have to go to Sacred Heart and Puppy's Pop has to go pick up the Dodge Ram. It's got a new radiator now, only $330 installed by son-in-law. More than a pretty good deal. He likes the truck and thinks that his father-in-law should always drive a truck. Says "It's good for him." I'll stay in Groton and bring Sunshine home with me so he can bug Grampa for Riverview chicken. While speaking with Sunshine yesterday I made the comment, "Yes, my dear!" He had a retort, " I'm not a deer. I don't have four legs and antlers!" Of course I explained that he was my "dear" spelled d...e....a...r. He wanted no part of it. He cracks me up. I'll continue to bug him today just for "sh---ts and giggles."

Quote: I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it. ----Grouch Marx

And on we go . . .

Just beginning.

Not much time for writing. Got to get the speed dial reset on the phone. We now have to dial all 10 numbers even for local calls. Just another pain in the neck with all of this high tech stuff. I think I like the "old days" best! Then off to lunch duty. Oh, Starkweather road has been resurfaced and there are already marks where a car went into a dirt bank on one of the curves. Gee, so many people drive down the middle of that road it's a wonder they haven't had worse than that. The town has also resurfaced Plainfield Road from Cone Hill going to Route 12. It's so wide now and really good walking.

Quote: Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go. -----Oscar Wilde

Sun's just peeking out and it's after 1pm . . .

As we began our train ride up the White Pass we saw some "junk" but not too much and only at the beginning of the ride. Pretty neat "junk" though.

Not a single falling star did I see last night but . . . I was out for over an hour in below freezing temperatures with a blanket and a pillow just enjoying the spectacle of starry night over Moosup! Using my trusty star chart I was able to pick out the constellations of Orion with Rigel and Betelgeuse, Auriga with Capella, Gemini with Castor and Pollux, Taurus with Aldebaran, The Pleiades, Ursa Major and my very favorite, Cassiopeia. Mama and Aunt Irene would have been so proud of me. The last time I really saw quite a few falling stars was when the kids were little and we stayed out on the big rock. I recall it as being a rather warm night then,

The first time I've caught robins scurrying around in the dogwood eating the berries was while making breakfast this morning. I'll bet they've been doing it for years but I've just never seen them at work. That was a pretty nice way to begin the day. The house is now as spotless as it's going to get for a while. I even polished the table and chairs. That's an extremely rare occurrence.

Will be going to a French Conference with Sue Griffiths Sunday in Pawtucket, RI. I haven't heard any French in so long it'll do me some good. I was glad she asked me to go. I'll be able to catch up on her family and KHS.

Quote: He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up. ---Paul Keating

Here we go again . . .Glorious Sun

On to the views from the White Pass RR.

Have some company this morning and I've gotten quite a kick out of him! He's always got interesting tales to tell and has his own way with words. This is Puppy's Pop's friend from the remote control plane era who stopped in for a couple of hours. It was enlightening, as always. I couldn't help but laugh at some of his trials and tribulations. I know some of the stories aren't funny but they still tickled my fancy. His wife is still working for Killingly Schools and plans to retire after she has a chance to work in the NEW high school which will open next fall. She's got lots of Moxie. I could never have made it that long.

I was going to do a good house cleaning today and some food shopping but I'm off kilter with the visit so I'll just play it all by ear. Have a haircut at 1pm and then perhaps Puppy's Pop will go flying and I'll go walking. He was going to East Hartford for horseshoes this morning but that's been put off as it's now too late. They're still in the kitchen talking away! Wish I had a recorder going!

Almost forgot. I saw a shooting star last night. How cool is that. I'm going to try to remember to go out as soon as it gets dark and look in the East because we're supposed to be able to see a whole mess of meteorites early. This is the Leonids meteor shower. The peak is supposed to bring up to 500 meteors an hour but viewers in Asia will have the best look. This is the debris left by the comet Tempel-Tuttle and should show up in the constellation Leo. I hope I don't forget.

Quote: Why to you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it? ---Mark Twain

Feels like early October . . .

I'm so proud of my Christmas Cactus which I've kept alive and growing for about 7 months that I had to take a picture. Maybe I don't have to kill all of the plants that come into the house!

I never really realized how much my mood depends on the weather, or perhaps I should be more precise, the sun. My how glorious it was to wake up to a bright day. It's been pretty gloomy lately and that makes me gloomy too. It's not the rain, I don't mind rain it's the gray skies for days on end. I've impressed myself with the darkness within :( but get a bright sun and all of my energy returns. May have to move to a sunny clime. But where can I be almost guaranteed sunny days and still have the beautiful seasons with the variety of temperatures? I guess I'll have to stay put and just get in some travel time. After all it's the sun that helps make the seasons and I doubt that perfection exists, although I could perhaps move a bit more to the South.

Did some shopping today and found out that there aren't too many really nice Christmas cards any more. I guess even Christmas is going left. Most of the cards don't even say Merry Christmas and have any nice messages. I found some but I wasn't impressed and even the lady at the Hallmark store said they were not impressed with what they were able to get in stock. I purposely bought Made in USA because even Hallmark cards are sometimes made in China. It feels like a lot of the sweet things in life aren't as sweet anymore. Hmm . . . perhaps I'm just growing up!

Did buy myself some new sneakers but I had to order them because they didn't have my size in black. I'm hoping I'll be able to use them to drive the truck! They have really thick soles and are made especially for exercise and walking. I believe the company is called Sketchers and though expensive the sneakers felt grand. Also got around to cleaning out the raspberries so now the yard is all ready for winter.

Quote: I feel so miserable without you, it's almost like having you here. ----Stephen Bishop

Looks like November . . .

In memory of the 3,000 pack animals that died on the slopes during the Gold Rush.

Who'd a thunk it? It's November and the weather is gray, cloudy, wet, sluggish, gucky and miserable.

Took a ride up to Merrimack, NH yesterday and did a little shopping. Nice to shop up there as they don't have any sales tax. Ate dinner at my favorite restaurant and it continues to please. For desert I ate a Coffee Creme Brulee that was fantastique. Back to the Sunday grind today! Puppy's Pop is off trying to get in some flying and I'm holding the Fort and cooking up some Corned Beef.

Quote: I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it. ----Mark Twain

Mix up . . .

Making corrections on egregious errors! I've gotten Skagway mixed up with Juneau. Oh, the horror! So I'm going back and fixing up the blog and putting the right names on the Skagway photos. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

Skagway: "It is the drama of '97 and '98 that fills this town. Skagway blossomed for but a few years, lawless and rough, then almost disappeared."

"The gaunt-faced men have passed through to whatever fate The North had in store for them. But the town the boom built at the jumping-off place for the Klondike remains, looking much as it did in 1897 and 1898, when some 80 saloons and many professional women were anxious to serve the lonely men on the trail north." from The Alaska Cruise Handbook.

Need my driving gloves :(

Great way to clean up the snow on the tracks in Skagway!

How great is this. I've already had to dig out my gloves; it's getting that chilly. Yuck.

Went out to lunch yesterday with Puppy's Pop to a place in Woodstock called Sweet Evalina's. It's a very odd type of store/restaurant/gift shop on 169. We enjoyed a good lunch of chicken pot pie and I had Memere's favorite, a BLT. I used to work for Evalina years ago when I waitressed at Beris' in Brooklyn, CT. I also went to grad school at UCONN with Aino Beris one of the many Beris kids. One of the girls and her husband run this rather unique, almost run down looking restaurant in the somewhat snotty town of Woodstock. It's a big hit because it's the only place in Woodstock, almost, I exaggerate here but only a bit. The best thing is that they make home made pies just like their Mom did. Pepere used to give me raspberries and I'd bring them to work with me so Mrs. Beris could make pies to sell in their restaurant/motel. I used to be allowed to eat one, not too big item, off of the menu for lunch so I loved the Fingerling Steak. It was a fried, delicious strip of steak served on a well grilled hot dog bun. I love it to this day but they rarely have it on the menu because they can't seem to get the right cut of meat for it. It has to be tender, of course. I reminded the clerk about the sandwich and she wrote it down. Perhaps they'll bring it back!!

Trying to find a book for youngest daughter called American Cooking in England but it's out of print. I'm on a waiting list of sorts at Amazon UK. Hope I can find it for her. It sounds really interesting as they use different measures and names for many products that we just take for granted in the USA.

Quote: He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends. --Oscar Wilde

Veterans Day

What a sad day for the United States when we have a President who is so ignorant he can't choose decent speech writers who could properly honor our military; the dead, the living and all those who have served this land.

Quote: Vanity is the quicksand of reason. ---George Sand

And it perked me up . . .

OK! OK! Not Alaska. This is my very own Mother's Day miniature rose still blooming near the garage in November! Cool beansies!

Went to visit my younger sister and her husband yesterday. It was a beautiful drive to East Granby even though the GPS kept trying to get me off of the main highways. It was hysterical and all my fault. I didn't want to turn it off or stop and reset it so I just did my thing and when I needed it at the very end of the trip it gave me the perfect directions to sister's apartment. They have a nice place in elderly housing and their living room over looks a small meadow and some woods. They enjoy watching all the animals around including fox and deer! Pretty neat. Brother-in-law is getting over a broken hip and it doing quite well. He had lunch before R and I went out for a ride. She brought me to her daughter's home. It's a really nice place and they not only have deer running around in the back yard but bears too! That's a bit scary for me anyway. It's on a dead end street so the kids can ride bikes out in the road pretty safely. They are already 11 and 7 years old. Time does go by way too fast. We didn't see my niece and family because they were all at work and school. R and I shared a small veggie pizza and large glasses of iced tea at a nearby restaurant. It was just like 45 years or so ago when we used to be at UCONN and had lunch together at the little strip mall on 195. I had a great day and will definitely be going back for visits. We had fun just chatting as we always did back in the "good old days."

On the way home I splurged at Munson's: 6 dark chocolate covered ginger, 4 dark chocolate covered raspberry creams, 4 dark chocolate pecan turtles. I indulged on the way home and I shall complete the indulgence this evening. Oh my, dark chocolate is heavenly. Grampa didn't even want a bite. How great is that? We'll also have a superb dinner as Puppy's Pop will grill the left over Roast Beef from Marchettis. It will be sensational on the grill.

It actually looks like a snow day, with the sun just a hazy shape in a grey sky but the temperature is 63 degrees. Grampa flew one of his new planes today and it looked so graceful and peaceful, very soft sounding engine. He did a nice job. He's just testing it and tweaking it to get the best performance. Will go to see grandson at noon tomorrow since he has no school in honor of Veteran's Day and his Mom has meetings with vendors as they're getting set to take over the restaurant. Hope the weather obliges so we can play outside. Perhaps I'll take him out to lunch.

Quote: He has delusions of adequacy. ---Walter Kerr

Back to Alaska . . .

Skagway

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood; crisp, clear, dry, bright sunshine. Will be leaving soon to go to East Granby to visit my younger sister. It should be a nice ride. I won't stay too long as I don't want to get caught in I91 traffic but I'll let the GPS be my guide going up there once I get on 291 North. I haven't figured out how to make the GPS do what I want it to do. (No matter what I choose, it wants to send me down 395 and then to Route 2!) So I just take the roads I want and let it catch up with me. There must be a way of manually mapping what I want it to do. I suppose I should read the book but it's only on line and I hate reading on line. Of course I could print the pertinent information. I'll have to ponder the problem.

Grampa's taking me to Nashua this Saturday for a nice dinner at Florence's North End and to try out a new hotel to see if we'll like it when we go up to the races in 2010. Bonne idee! I like taking trips. Maybe I'll find some really thick soled boots I can use when I drive the Dodge! The clothing stores are pretty much the same all over this blessed country but they do carry items more appropriate to their locales. Hopefully I'll find some nice cold weather stuff.

Grampa's younger brother and his wife stopped by yesterday on their Harley. It was a day for riding! They've been busy painting their house and have a new alarm system installed. He won the installation of the Smith & Wesson system at the Big E. Since his wife already had a system installed they upgraded her system. They were smart. They didn't give our name to the company as a referral but they did give out a couple of other names!

Quote: His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork. ---Mae West

Let There Be Leftovers . . . 2lbs. 11oz.

And we again interrupt the Alaska trip, this time to bring you the roast beef leftovers from Marchettis in Cranston, RI. Four people; two men getting the Roast Beef Special and two ladies eating delicious chicken concoctions, drinks, salad, bread and oil, calamari appetizer; cost without tip $115. We had a reservation for 4:30 pm. They run out of the roast beef so we had to go early and when we got there people were already waiting for tables. The place was jammed when we left with no room left in the parking lot and at least 30 people waiting to get in. The food is great and the prices are reasonable. My Margarita was so big I didn't dare have any wine with the chicken casserole! We had a super chocolate desert from an Italian bakery in Coventry, RI along with a bottle of White Merlot at the Oneco home of our host and hostess. Ended up trying to make a 28 piece kids brainteaser puzzle and it was a failure. Gorgeous pitch black night on our return home. The stars were glorious.

Quote: I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial. ---Irvin S. Cobb

23 degrees this morning . . .

Skagway

Started out with a heavy frost today and grandson had a chance to feel what icy grass is like! Thursday, while I was in Groton, Moosup got enough hail and sleet to cover the ground and that was around noontime! It was cool and windy in Groton that day but no hail and we're only 34 miles North of Groton. Weather a la Mark Twain!

Just helped Puppy's Pop cut two leading edges out of foam. I'm always nervous when I help out because I figure I'm going to mess up but with some sanding he said they'd be fine. He's making them for his friend in Slaughter. I think that's pretty nice and a very cool idea. I hope we get to see a picture of the completed plane.

Have to go on line and order some connect the dot books. Grandson went bonkers yesterday and this morning completing almost one whole book! He loved it. Of course if I get more he'll have outgrown it! But I'll take my chances. He's also back into the piano, so we've been playing and singing God Bless America for two days. Brought him home in the Dodge Ram and he loved the view. He said my car is slow! He's got nerve! With me driving, the Saturn will beat the Dodge with Grampa driving every time! Typical boy!

Quotes: "I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend . . . if you have one." George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
"Cannot possibly attend first night; will attend second . . . if there is one." Winston Churchill to Shaw, in response.

Friday . . .

Mollie Walsh -Skagway

A little late signing in this morning! The darned computer did some Mozilla updates and that led to Adobe updates and . . . So here I am after having an almost perfect Waffle House breakfast! I was served Cheesy Eggs, deliciously, savory, aromatic, crispy bacon and raisin toast. But alas,we weren't in Zachary but at Lizzy B's. They do a good job trying to make me what I want even if it isn't on the menu!

Heard the news from Fort Hood as I was returning yesterday from Groton. I knew immediately even though it wasn't reported at that time that the man's name would be Muslim. I knew that he had been in the USA for a long period of time and that he just waited until the time was right for him to let us have it. If I intuitively know this why is it happening? We know that our enemies will abuse our laws and openness and kill our best. We know that and yet we still allow it. We allow it because we don't protect ourselves because we foolishly believe that we are so good, kind and judicious no one will hate us beyond measure. I really don't think that we learn from our egregious past mistakes. But life will go on as usual and we will put it all aside just as we've never learned from 9/11. No matter how many times we get attacked we'll rationalize how it's really just one person with aberrant behavior. It's not aberrant behavior it is learned. Hatred is learned behavior but we harbor the viper and hold it to our bosom and pretend we can befriend it.

Running late so I'll just end with my quote.

Quote: He is a self-made man and worships his creator. ----John Bright

Up and about . . .

Mollie and her husband made a lot of money working a grub tent for the gold miners. She was a very beautiful woman murdered by her drunk husband in 1902. If you want to see the whole story you'll have to enlarge the photo! We're in Skagway!

In a poky mood this morning. Can't seem to get out of my own way. But breakfast was good; coffee, corn muffin a la Thomas', and boiled egg. Just gotta read the paper and see what the Bulletin has left out and then off to lunch duty. Of course, the best part will be to see grandson and, if it doesn't rain, walk home with him after school. He really runs all the way and I just mosey. He does wait for me . . . sometimes!

Gave away some more gourds! I'm almost out. Boy, I really did have a mess of them. Larry's sister's husband stopped by to chat. Really looking for Puppy's Pop but he was out so brother-in-law and I just sat in the glider and talked about various family stuff, music and seasons. He used to live in New Orleans when he was in the Navy and did a lot of driving in Louisiana to get home to see his folks in Oklahoma. Said he'd move South in a millisecond if his lady would just mention it. Sounds a bit like Puppy's Pop! Anyway I gave him a sack of gourds. The prettiest ones were already spoken for but he seemed to like what I had left.

Quote: I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure. Clarence Darrow

Onward . . .

Skagway

Well the world is a teensy, weensy, tiny, little bit better after yesterday. A few conservative wins make for easier political reading! Plainfield didn't even give the other guy half a chance. Good on them!

Got the asparagus cleared out and Puppy's Pop made a dump trip today. Wow, how do we ever accumulate so much yucky stuff? He figures we'll have another run soon. We get 18 free dump runs a year. Not too bad. They take absolutely everything! The only garden stuff left to do will be cutting back the raspberries. They're still producing some nice, big, deep, red berries even though we've had many frosty mornings. I'll have to wait until Thanksgiving probably and it'll be cold as heck! Also got the dahlia toes into the basement to stay dry and cool for the winter. What a lot of toes I have. I'll have to start giving some away The flowers have been beautiful.

'Twas clear and brisk walking today. The milk weed pods are dried up and the wind was blowing those gossamer angel winged seeds all over hell and damnation! I do enjoy being with Grampa when he's flying and I'm just walking in circles enjoying my flights of fancy.

Friends just stopped in and we've made a date to go to Marchetti's, Italian Restorante par excellence, on Saturday evening. They'll do the driving as they know their way around Rhode Island so well.

Quote: He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. ---Winston Churchhill

Election Day

The clover is really that big in Skagway. Such beautiful greenery and wild flowers.

Hey, I finally won a game of cribbage! Sister-in-law and I played one game after we had a nice lunch with my older brother in Southbridge. They are fine and sound absolutely terrific. They'll be off to Seattle for Thanksgiving and will get a chance to go to Vancouver. I'm sure they'll have a wonderful time as their son will have a week off while they're there and they can spend time with their youngest grandchild and very nice daughter-in-law.

Puppy's Pop has gone to play indoor horseshoes in East Hartford and I'm trying to get the beds in order and perhaps cut the asparagus down. When he gets back this afternoon we'll go to the Dog Track for walking and flying. Already voted at the Fire Station and our First Selectman was 75 feet from the polling area with his big Orange and Black sign waving and chatting with voters. Nice job. I'm sure he's in for 2 more years. Paul Sweet may be a Democrat but he does a whale of good job for Plainfield. There were so few Republicans on the ballot it's disgusting. The only other candidate for First Selectman was a Democrat running as a petitioning candidate and Paul has already beaten him once before. Crazy town politics.

Quote: To let politics become a cesspool, and then avoid the cesspool, is a double crime. ---Howard Crosby

Baby, it's cold outside . . .

Skagway.

'Tis a mite cold out there! Just came back from the bank and decided to choose some gourds to give to my sister-in-law in Southbridge, MA. Wow, I went out with a sweater and I'm frozen. I guess 47 degrees means I should wear a jacket too. C'est la vie. Making lousy choices.

The 150 Celebration of All Hallows Parish went well yesterday. The church looked beautiful, but not quite 2/3 full. The bishop came and I must say he didn't impress me at all. The nicest thing was that Father Ashe was there and the people gave him a generous, heartfelt ovation. I tried to see him after the services but they were whisked away to the basement where there was a catered lunch for those with tickets. I didn't have a ticket so I didn't crash the party. I'll probably send him a little note just to say hello and thank him again for the time he was in Moosup. The brochure they put out was terrible but the DVD is pretty good with pictures of the church at different phases and the pictures of the 16 pastors that have served here. They used some of the photos I gave them so I'll have to see about getting them back some time soon before they get lost.

Quote: A life that will bear the inspection of men and of God, is the only certificate of true religion. ---Johnson

Perfect Halloween Night . . .

Still in the capital city.

Mild last night so I sat out in my swing just enjoying the evening waiting for the goblins. The moon kept trying to break through the clouds and was an eerie sight as it back lit the wildly, tortured trees as they twisted in the wind. The wind howled and whistled as the leaves skittered, and swirled about. Very impressive show for all of 4 goblins and two mothers! Puppy's Pop and I will have candy to last us until next October 31. Grandson, Batman, and daughter, dressed as her husband, came after spending two hours trick or treating in my childhood neighborhood. They had a ball with our nephew's children and friends. She got our cool kid dressed in his pj's before they headed back home. I'll bet he was asleep before they reached 395.

Looks like the sun may break through today. May get a chance to go for a walk after I go the Mass. The parish is celebrating the 150 anniversary of All Hallows Church today; most fitting as it's All Saints Day! I do hope I can get a hold of at least one of the brochures that they have put together.

Quote: He that is never satisfied with anything, satisfies no one. A man who finds no satisfaction in himself, seeks for it in vain elsewhere. ---La Rochefoucauld