Archive for November, 2008

Snow!

Friday, November 14th, 2008

Woke up this morning to the first snow of the season, here in town, anyway. There’s already been snow in the mountains and north of here. Just a light dusting, but it’s still snow.

It improved my mood … last night, I was trying to install a new range hood. I replaced the stove when I moved in, and pulled the extant range hood because it had been damaged by a grease fire the previous occupant had suffered. Sanded the burnt paint off the cabinets, had the paint matched, repainted the sanded areas, and then last night tried to install the new range hood.

Had to go back to Lowe’s to get pieces that weren’t included in the box (wiring, lamps, etc.), and got everything ready. Then, trying to put it in place, I found out that the mounting holes weren’t in the same place as the prior range hood – I can’t mount it without modifying the cabinets or using bolts, rather than the mounting screws. Where the screws are supposed to be is a void space, because the holes are too far inward to allow the screws to go into the wood at the bottom of the cabinet sides.

Ah, well. One more thing to deal with later.

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

Monday, November 10th, 2008

Formerly known as Armistice Day, currently known in the US as Veteran’s Day, and known elsewhere as Remembrance Day, it’s a day to remember and honor all those who have served. If you see a veteran, thank him or her. It’s the right thing to do.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

(Posted slightly early because I don’t have reliable internet access at the moment.)

Happy Birthday, dear Chesty

Monday, November 10th, 2008

and all of the other Marines. I was “George” at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Dunoon, Scotland – 1976, if memory serves. Not surprisingly, I was “George” in my submarine’s wardroom, as well.

For over 221 years our Corps has done two things for this great Nation. We make Marines, and we win battles. [Gen. Charles C. Krulak, USMC (CMC); 5 May 1997]

I knew (very slightly) Gen. Krulak when he was a Captain. He was one of the Company Officers at the Naval Academy when I attended. Not my Company Officer, but we had, let us say, occasional … dealings. Mostly when he was OOD and I had the watch. I’m pretty certain he wouldn’t remember me.

It is a proud moment, and an unnerving one

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

It’s good to know that you don’t have to be a white male to be elected president in this country. I just don’t believe that Barack Obama should have been the proof-of-concept. It appears a majority of the country disagreed with me, though, and additionally felt that the Democrats needed larger majorities in both the House and the Senate than they already have.

I guess we’ll now get the chance to see how much more bipartisan things become in January.