Sunday, January 05, 2014

Watch for a Star! (12)


21 comments:

  1. "they checked the weather report on Dec. 26 but that there was no prediction of snow. As they traveled on I-78 through Pennsylvania that morning, intense snow hit about five minutes before the accident"

    Small world: This wonderful family is close friends with our family in Kennebunk. Mom Katie was our youngest granddaughter's first teacher (and still "best friend"), 7 yr old Carter is in our eldest granddaughter's class and a student in our instructor son's TaeKwon Do class, 9 yr old Molly (who has a fractured pelvis) is a competitive gymnast, and Dad Justin is a youth pastor.

    While traveling over the holidays they were involved in the massive pileup on I-78 in PA. Their car is barely recognizable after an 18-wheeler landed on it, yet the entire family survived and will recover. This hits pretty close to home. I will be making a donation to their expenses.

    http://m.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?aid=%2F20140102%2FNEWS%2F140109950&template=wapart

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  2. Last night I watched "Reds" (1981) with Warren Beaty, Diane Keaton and so many other fine actors. By way of preparation I refreshed my memory about the October Revolution (and learned a bit more to boot). There were a few little things that I thought could have been clearer, but I did miss a bit of dialogue here and there. A good solid 4.5 stars IMO. Watching it on my computer allowed me to pause here and there to check one thing or another, which is a fair tradeoff for losing the theatrical big-screen presentation, I think.

    The Green Party has some (currently four) very decent candidates for statewide office this year, and I will one way or another sign petitions to get them on the ballot for free; same goes for Peace and Freedom candidates (currently two). P&F is rather too radical for me, but I certainly want them to stay on the ballot, and Cindy Sheehan is their gubernatorial candidate. I think I will spread around some modest campaign contributions.

    --Alan

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    1. I had a very small part in getting the Peace and Freedom party on the ballot the first time around -- I voted in their primary. I wasn't 100% convinced Eldridge Cleaver was committed to peace, but I thought they should be on the ballot.

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  3. Patty, Peter and Sara took me out this afternoon for a birthday lunch, seeing as Sunday is much more convenient than Monday. We went to a Mexican restaurant called Acapulco's and had a silicious meal. I stuffed myself on cheese enchiladas, Spanish rice and re-fried beans. Patty, being the brat she is, told the waitress it was my birthday so, at the end of the meal, what seemed like the entire staff came to serenade me and sing "Happy Birthday." They didn't say muchacha, I can't remember the word they used, but something like that. And they gave me a sombrero to wear. All very silly. Peter had to take pictures, of course. EEK! *big grin*

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    1. Sounds like good fun!

      --Alan

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    2. I think restaurant birthday celebrations are fun. My next birthday will be during the tour of England and Wales before the World Science Fiction Convention. I have not-so-subtly let the organizers know about this.

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    1. Poetry of The Great War [Click]

      And now, later than I should as well as later than I had planned, to get some gardening done. Primary focus on pruning.

      --Alan


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  5. "We Three Kings of Orient Are" is well-known. On Andy Willilams: The Complete Christmas Recordings I discovered a forgotten gem, "The Wind, The Sand And The Star," which I have uploaded to my YouTube channel for those who do YouTube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZqTwbQE0_Y - Clicky

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    1. We Three Kings was written in Vermont! It was written by the shores of Lake Champlain at Rock Point, about a half hour from my house, while John Henry Hopkins, Jr was visiting his father, Bishop John Henry Hopkins, the first Episcopal bishop of Vermont. It is the first Christmas song written in the USA that became popular.

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  6. Temps falling steadily. Now 5F. Will be colder before norming.

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    1. Can't compete here. Currently 28 and foggy. My iPhone weather ap, run through Yahoo! claims tonight's low is 28, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if temps fell between now and morning.

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    2. It's 37.1F here at the moment. We're to see 33F overnight then up to 44F tomorrow!
      Tomorrow night: 3F

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    3. Better hurry up and picnic while the weather holds! [He ducks]

      --Alan

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  7. Pruned the tulip tree (two or three buds are showing color) and finished pruning the large wisteria near the street, cut up the prunings and got them into the big wheeled trash can, ready for pickup. Hearing from my pruning muscles already... Next time the plum tree (which I didn't thin near enough last year) and a peach tree.

    --Alan

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