Off to VA we go

We all fly out tomorrow to Virginia (where I lived until I was 12) for my grandfather's 90th birthday party. He is sharp as a tack, fit as a fiddle. I am looking forward to celebrating with him and all my extended family. I will mourn the day that his generation has died out...he remembers the Depression, WWII, Elvis Presley, and all other strange phenomena of culture here in America. To hear his stories is truly amazing. He received an orange for Christmas one year in the 20's and he thought that was such a special gift. Can you imagine if our kids received a piece of fruit?

I love history and sometimes I wish I had experienced American life from 1914 until now. How many changes I would have witnessed! I wonder if he is aware of how different life is now or if it is just a sort of gradual thing where it isn't as dramatic as "we used blocks of ice to keep our food cold and now we have the internet".

I am looking forward to showing Eli and Dan the city of Washington and all of its beauty. Architecturally, it is gorgeous, and I grew up with so many fond memories there. We would take field trips to the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, Civil War battlefields...it was such a great place to "feel" American history. Somehow, I feel connected to that city and I wonder if someday my life might take me back there for good.

Off to VA we go

We all fly out tomorrow to Virginia (where I lived until I was 12) for my grandfather's 90th birthday party. He is sharp as a tack, fit as a fiddle. I am looking forward to celebrating with him and all my extended family. I will mourn the day that his generation has died out...he remembers the Depression, WWII, Elvis Presley, and all other strange phenomena of culture here in America. To hear his stories is truly amazing. He received an orange for Christmas one year in the 20's and he thought that was such a special gift. Can you imagine if our kids received a piece of fruit?

I love history and sometimes I wish I had experienced American life from 1914 until now. How many changes I would have witnessed! I wonder if he is aware of how different life is now or if it is just a sort of gradual thing where it isn't as dramatic as "we used blocks of ice to keep our food cold and now we have the internet".

I am looking forward to showing Eli and Dan the city of Washington and all of its beauty. Architecturally, it is gorgeous, and I grew up with so many fond memories there. We would take field trips to the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, Civil War battlefields...it was such a great place to "feel" American history. Somehow, I feel connected to that city and I wonder if someday my life might take me back there for good.

Up to here in dog poop

Out of the goodness of my heart I let my Mom's dog continue to stay with us for two weeks after she moved out--to help her get settled and unpack, etc....without the stress of the dog. Well, the goodness in my heart has become the badness in my soul. She is all unpacked and suspiciously has not picked up the dog yet. So, after the dog pooped and peed all over the carpet last night, I gave her a call and let her know that enough was enough. The dog peed all over the stairs this morning as well just to make sure I won't miss her at all when my mom picks her up today.

I don't like animals that much, and I especially don't like them when they share their excremental waste with my carpets.

Our marriage therapist said to me and Dan this week, "If both of you aren't willing to work on your own issues, which is the only thing you can ultimately control in this relationship, then there probably is no future for your marriage."

I think of impending divorce, tragedy, and all other saddening things. Dan asks me later on that day when we are going to have more kids. How did we get on such different planets? I don't like any of that Mars and Venus crap, but I do think we process life through a different lens. And, no, I am not pregnant, nor will be. Fighting is great birth control!

This holiday season I want to get off my depressed, growing fatter ass and try to do something charitable. Not just because it is charitable, but also because I do not want my kids to associate the holidays with just "taking". There is so much consuming: food, presents, self-indulgent activities. I want it to be about the Messiah baby, giving, loving, and mercy. Not everyone has a stuffed range-free all natural turkey from Whole Foods to eat, and damnit, I want my kids to realize that.

4 more years

Much to my delight and to the sadness of some dear friends, Bush has won re-election. Sure, the Dems are trying to hold on to Ohio, but mathematically speaking, it is virtually impossible for Kerry to overcome the deficit there and all but the staunchest of liberal networks have admitted Bush is the winner. I do believe that mainstream America has been represented by this election. Bush has received more votes than any president, ever (according to my recent sources on the Internet). More minorities than ever before have come out to vote and more voted for Bush/the Republicans than in any other election. Bussing in the Native American vote still didn't keep Daschle in office. Besides the electoral college, Bush has won by an amazing amount of popular votes as well, which did NOT happen in 2000. I am shocked by this in particular. I thought it would be closer in that regard.

Unfortunately, as James Carville and Doug Brinkley had to admit last night, the Democratic party must re-evaluate itself in order to flourish in this country. It cannot be represented by a left-wing socialist, but by an individual who more closely represents America. I do feel that if a Kennedy-esque Democrat had been nominated, their chances would have been better. Why would the Dems nominate a self-admitted "war-criminal" during a time when the military, terror, and war, are at the forefront of the election issues? I believe that was the first fatal error in a long list of many that kept Kerry from reaching mainstream ideology.

I am not gloating today. I am happy, though. The numbers feel vindicating from predictions that proved far differently. I do feel that Bush, though accused of being so far to the right, will move to a more moderate camp as he approaches the next 4 years. I do think most of America is in his camp, and this sends a clear message to the world that we support him, we support our troops in Iraq, and that we are NOT a divided nation. I talked for a while with an Iraqi war veteran last week who told me how strongly the troops believe in what they are doing over in the Middle East. I couldn't imagine how divisive it would be to switch the administration in the middle of a national crisis. I am thankful we do not have to find out.

Though I am sensitive to those I care about who voted Kerry, I don't give a rat's ass about Michael Moore and I believe that the popular vote margin and the electoral college win by Bush will be enough to wipe that smarmy grin off his face for a while.

No matter who won, our nation would have continued to be great. Our children will still flourish under our love and care as parents, our freedoms will abound, and our right to vote and choose will carry through to the next four years when we can blog, talk, pray, fret, and discuss all of these issues again.

I am thankful that we can move on and look ahead now. I pray Bush and his administration will be wise and measured as they do the same.