Thursday Thirteen

Things I Love About Living Where I Live

1. The way the mountains hold the horizon, always steady, familiar, and never showy. They're just there like an old friend.

2.  Mornings shaped by cattle sounds drifting in from the fields, grounding the day before anything else can intrude.

3.  The particular winter quiet that settles over the valley, softening everything to a gentler pace, especially during a snowfall.

4. How the light changes room by room as the day moves, turning the house into a sundial of small comforts.

5. The sense of lineage in the land, because I know generations of my kin have walked, worked, and tended these same ridges.

6. The simple little hand lift from the steering wheel the neighbors do from their cars and trucks, even if you don’t know their names, because that’s just what you do here.

7. The smell of woodsmoke in cold weather, a kind of unofficial county perfume.

8. The rhythm of seasons that actually feel like seasons, each one with its own rituals and chores.

9.  The night sky that still remembers how to be dark, full of stars you can actually see.

10.  The comfort of familiar roads, winding and imperfect, but always leading home.

11. The small-town kindnesses like holding open doors, leaving extra tomatoes and zucchini at the back door, and knowing that we look out for each other.

12. The way history lingers quietly, not as spectacle but as lived memory in buildings, fields, and local stories.

13. The feeling of being rooted, not stuck, because this place knows you, and you know it back.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 944th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

A list of small domestic joys -

1. A freshly made bed on Saturday night.

2. Brand new socks fresh from the dryer.

3. A cup of hot chocolate.

4. Solving a problem of multiple appliances with an outlet strip.

5. The moment when the dishwasher hums and we head off to bed, where we fall asleep holding hands.

6. The blanket that I wrap up in every evening while I read a book.

7. Finding the scissors that belonged to my great grandmother and knowing that once again, I haven't lost them.

8. The soft thump of clean laundry landing in the basket.

9. A lamp turned on in a dark room, making its own little pool of safety.

10. The smell of cake baking in the oven.

11. A trash bag that ties neatly on the first try.

12. The quiet click of a door latching just right.

13. Waking up to the sounds of my husband moving around to head out early to feed the cattle, and the brush of his lips as he kisses me goodbye.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 943rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

Yesterday, January 14, 2026, was the 50th anniversary of the premiere of The Bionic Woman. I can't believe the show has been around for that long. I remember sitting entranced in front of the TV watching Jamie Sommers jump and save the day. I rewatched the show this summer and discovered many things about the show that the young pre-teen girl watching wouldn't have noticed. Here are a few facts about this show as it celebrates its longevity in popular culture:

1. The series was created by Kenneth Johnson, who also worked on The Six Million Dollar Man. His knack for blending character-driven drama with high‑concept sci‑fi shaped the tone of both shows.

2. It was based on the 1972 novel Cyborg by Martin Caidin. While the book was darker and more militaristic, the TV adaptation softened the edges and made room for emotional storytelling.

3. Jaime Sommers was played by Lindsay Wagner, whose grounded, empathetic performance helped define the character. Wagner’s approach emphasized humanity over heroics, which became the show’s signature strength.

4. The show originally aired on ABC from 1976–1977 before moving to NBC for its final season. That network jump was unusual at the time and showed just how popular the character had become.

5. The series ran for three seasons and produced 58 episodes. Despite its relatively short run, it left a cultural footprint far larger than its episode count suggests.

6. Jaime Sommers began as a professional tennis player before her life‑altering skydiving accident. Her athletic background made her transformation into a bionic agent feel both plausible and poignant.

7. Her bionic upgrades gave her super strength, super speed, and enhanced hearing. This made her one of TV’s earliest female superheroes. The show treated these abilities with a mix of wonder and restraint, keeping Jaime relatable even at her most powerful.

8. The character was originally intended to die in her first appearance on The Six Million Dollar Man. Viewer response was so overwhelming that the producers rewrote her fate, essentially willing her back to life.

9. The show blended action‑adventure with emotional storytelling, often exploring Jaime’s struggle to maintain a normal life. Episodes frequently balanced spy missions with the quieter challenges of identity, recovery, and belonging.

10. Richard Anderson and Martin E. Brooks reprised their roles from The Six Million Dollar Man, creating one of TV’s earliest shared universes. Their presence helped knit the two shows together long before crossovers became a franchise staple. Lee Majors, The Six Million Dollar Man himself, also guest starred in a number of episodes.

11. The Bionic Woman was one of the first series to center a female action hero without camp or parody. Jaime wasn’t a sidekick, a joke, or a novelty. She was the story, full stop.

12. The series inspired a generation of girls who saw Jaime as a model of competence, compassion, and independence. Many fans still talk about how she shaped their sense of what women could do and be on screen.

13. Lindsay Wagner won an Emmy Award for her performance, which was and still is a rare honor for a sci‑fi action series. Her win validated the show’s emotional depth and set a precedent for genre performances being taken seriously.

Did you watch The Bionic Woman?

*An AI tool helped me create this list, mostly because you can't get away from the things in a search now.*

 _________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 942nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

These are the number one songs from the first week in January 1976! Fifty years ago.

1. “Saturday Night” by Bay City Rollers. The song that convinced an entire generation that spelling S‑A‑T‑U‑R‑D‑A‑Y was a personality trait.

2. “Let’s Do It Again” by The Staple Singers. A smooth, grown‑up groove that absolutely did not mean “let’s do the laundry again,” though that’s how adulthood interprets it now.

3. “Love Rollercoaster” by Ohio Players. Proof that in 1976, even romance required seatbelts and a height requirement.

4. “I Write the Songs” by Barry Manilow. Barry, sweetheart, you didn’t write this one — but we admire the confidence. (The song was written by Bruce Johnson, a member of the Beach Boys.)

5. “Fly, Robin, Fly” by Silver Convention. Three words. That’s it. That’s the whole lyrical budget. And somehow it still slaps.

6. “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” by Diana Ross. A song that asks the same question adulthood does every morning before coffee.

7. “Fox on the Run” by Sweet. For when you want glam rock but also need to be home by 9.

8. “That’s the Way (I Like It)”by KC & The Sunshine Band. Disco’s answer to “don’t overthink it.”

9. “Convoy” — C.W. McCall. A novelty CB‑radio trucker anthem that somehow became a national mood. America was weird, and honestly, charming. What happened to us?

10. “Eighteen With a Bullet” by Pete Wingfield. A song title that sounds like a crime drama but is actually about chart positions. The 70s were nothing if not dramatic.

11. “Nights on Broadway” by Bee Gees. Falsetto so sharp it could slice bread. Also the soundtrack to at least three unwise romantic decisions.

12. “Sky High” by Jigsaw. A breakup song disguised as a motivational poster. You think it’s uplifting until you listen to the lyrics.

13. “Over My Head” by Fleetwood Mac. Christine McVie quietly carrying the entire emotional weight of the decade, as usual. My favorite on this list, although I like "I Write the Songs," "Theme from Mahagony," and "That's the Way," too. Just not as much. It's hard to beat Fleetwood Mac when it comes to songs and bands I enjoy.

*An AI tool helped me create this list, mostly because you can't get away from the things in a search now.*

 _________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 941st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

1. Some years, January 1 shows up warm enough to open a window, the kind of day that tricks you into thinking winter might be gentler this time.

2. Other years it arrives with frozen pipes and that first “we made it through the night” cup of coffee, the one that feels like a small victory.

3. It’s usually the quietest morning of the year. There is little traffic, no deliveries, just birds reclaiming the soundscape.

4. Out here, the calendar doesn’t impress the animals. January 1 still means feed buckets, hay bales, and the same routines as yesterday.

5. The empty mailbox is its own kind of holiday. No bills, no flyers, no demands. Just a metal box taking the day off.

6. It’s the day when people either take down the Christmas tree or decide they don’t have the emotional bandwidth for that yet.

7. Leftovers become the whole menu, and sometimes they’re better than the original meal — the flavors settling into themselves overnight.

8. A lot of households do a deep clean, not because of resolutions but because clearing a surface feels like clearing a mind.

9. Even laundry feels different on January 1. It can be more like a ritual of renewal than a chore.

10. There’s something about writing the first date in a new calendar that makes the year feel both wide open and slightly intimidating.

11. TV marathons take over the day, the familiar comfort of parades and old shows filling the background like a soft landing.

12. Gyms unleash their loudest ads, but most people stay home, at least for this day.

13. Newspapers run their “Year in Review.” I always enjoyed writing these - it was fun to look back at the stories I had written and see what was important to the community throughout the year.

Thursday Thirteen

Merry Christmas to you and yours! May your day be filled with love, comfort, and joy.

It's Christmas Day! I thought I'd go back to 1973, when I would have been 10 years old, and see what I might have found under the tree. (Confession: I really don't remember what I received that particular year, but it could have been some of these.)

1. Barbie with one new outfit - or maybe just an outfit.

2. A small set of plastic farm animals (because the real ones were outside)

3. Jacks or pick‑up sticks - I had both. I was very good at Jacks back in the day.

4. View‑Master with reels

5. 64‑count Crayola box

6. Paint‑by‑number kit

7. Spirograph set

8. Nancy Drew book

9. Diary with a tiny lock

10. Craft kit (potholder loops, embroidery floss, etc.)

11. Small AM radio

12. Cassette recorder

13. Warm gloves or mittens

How about you? Any idea what you might have received when you were 10 years old?

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 939th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday 13

Now I'm going into podcasting! My podcast will be called Freezing and Wining. I will need to find a wine lover as a partner, though. Here are some of the proposed episodes. What do you think? 

Freezing and Wining

A podcast pairing weather complaints with wine language, frozen desserts, and mild absurdity.

1. Crisis Coco - Emergency weather whining, paired with Chardonnay and a frozen hot chocolate situation that defeats the point. Includes existential angst stirred in with a whisk.

2. Storm Cellar Stories - Exaggerated storm memories, paired with Syrah and rocky road ice cream. Optional side note: includes dramatic reenactments using a hair dryer.

3. Almanac Apocalypse - The end of traditional weather forecasting after the collapse of the Farmer’s Almanac, paired with Cabernet Sauvignon and Neapolitan ice cream. Listener discretion: may include unsolicited conspiracy theories.

4. This Wind Has Notes of Hostility - Burgundy with dark chocolate gelato. With undertones of passive-aggressive sidewalk commentary.

5. Sunny but Structurally Cold - Sauvignon Blanc and lemon sorbet. Served with brief but intense eye-rolling at neighbors’ optimism.

6. The Forecast Overpromised - Rosé with strawberry sherbet. Includes a small panic about whether it will actually snow next week.

7. This Is a Full-Body Chill - Cabernet Sauvignon and espresso ice cream. Garnished with minor resentment toward your own coat.

8. The Sun Is Decorative Only - Riesling with mango sorbet. Pairs well with sighing at the audacity of a sunny day that offers no warmth.

9. Cold Enough to Make You Rethink Your Life Choices - Bordeaux and salted caramel ice cream. Also includes one regrettable decision made while shivering.

10. Snow That Refuses to Melt - Barolo with hazelnut gelato. Perfect for muttering poetic curses at the recalcitrant white stuff.

11. Wind Chill as a Personality - Syrah and dark chocolate ice cream. With subtle undertones of judging the entire street for leaving their trash bins out.

12. Why Is February So Long? - Zinfandel with cookies-and-cream ice cream. Served with a side of deep sighs and vague muttering about time dilation.

13. Spring Is Theoretical - Late Harvest Riesling and frozen chocolate cream pie. Pairs excellently with whispering sweet nothings to a calendar.

*An AI tool helped me with this list because, well, I know absolutely nothing about wine because I don't drink.*

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 938th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

I have decided to start a new business! It's insurance for mythological creatures. Here are some of the coverage plans:

1. Dragon Fire Liability Insurance - For when a sneeze, hiccup, or minor disagreement results in the total loss of a village.

2. Phoenix Rebirth Coverage - Handles nest destruction, wardrobe loss, and scorch‑related inconveniences during the fiery renewal cycle.

3. Unicorn Horn Repair & Replacement Plan - Covers chips, cracks, magical overuse, and unauthorized wizard borrowing.

4. Leprechaun Pot‑of‑Gold Loss Protection - For theft, misplacement, rainbow‑misalignment errors, and human meddling.

5. Mermaid Tail Injury & Scale‑Shedding Insurance - Protects against fin sprains, scale loss, coral abrasions, and unfortunate encounters with boat propellers.

6. Werewolf Transformation Liability Policy - Covers property damage, shredded clothing, and neighbor complaints during full‑moon episodes.

7. Fairy Wing Tear & Glitter Overuse Coverage - For wing rips, dust shortages, and accidental glitter contamination of human dwellings.

8. Giant Structural Damage Umbrella Policy - Handles unintentional stomping, leaning, sitting, or “just resting my elbow” incidents.

9. Vampire Sunlight Exposure & Coffin Replacement Plan - Covers coffin fires, smoke damage, and emergency blackout‑curtain installation.

10. Centaur Orthopedic & Horseshoe Plan - For back strain, hoof cracks, and long‑distance galloping injuries.

11. Troll Bridge‑Collapse Liability Insurance - Protects against structural failures caused by toll‑collecting, stomping, or goats with excessive determination.

12. Kraken Ship‑Entanglement Coverage - For tentacle‑related misunderstandings with maritime traffic.

13. Pegasus Flight Accident Insurance - Covers mid‑air collisions, cloud‑slip injuries, and lightning‑bolt interference.

And just for the holidays, we have a special running on the SANTA PLAN to cover airplane near misses, lost toys, reindeer hiccups, loose reins, bad GPS, cloud cover, and stains on red suits.

Happy Holidays!

*An AI tool helped me with this post.*

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 937th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

 

Thursday Thirteen

1. A spider built an entire town inside my sneakers that I use for my "outside shoes." When I went to put them on, there was spider web everywhere, inside and out. The spider was still in the shoe. I handed it to my husband. "Eww," I said. He cleaned it out with a paper towel.

2. The spider in my shoe reminded me of that nursery rhyme about the old woman who lived in a shoe and had so many children she didn't know what to do. I think she whipped them all soundly and put them to bed, but it's been a long time since I looked at nursery rhymes.

3. I used to have a book of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. It was large with a black and white checked pattern on it, and goose in a bonnet on the front. At one point, I knew all the nursery rhymes, but that was a very long time ago.

4. Was there a nursery rhyme about a spider? I don't recall one, but I remember the song, "Itsy Bitsy Spider." That spider had a Sisyphus complex, always climbing up the water drain only to be washed out and having to start all over again.

5.  Once, I opened a game camera in the kitchen and tiny little yellow spiders went everywhere. It looked like there were hundreds of them in the innards of the game camera. The next fall, we had big spiders - we call them wolf spiders although I don't think that's the right name - were all over the house. I was constantly hauling out the vacuum to suck them up off the floor. They appeared every fall for years after, and I even saw one this year. But hopefully they've about done their due in the house.

6. Now I only open game cameras outside when I want to get the cards out to see what the pictures are. Yes, I buy only cheap game cameras, not the ones with apps that allow you to see in real time that there's a raccoon in the backyard.

7. Speaking of raccoons, I saw a story Wednesday about a raccoon in Hanover County, VA, that invaded an ABC store. It destroyed bottles on the lower shelves, got very drunk, and passed out in the bathroom. The animal was fine after it sobered up.

8. I once had a squirrel find its way into the garage. Its ending was not as good as the raccoon's. This was when my husband had ankle surgery in 2019, and I was caring for him and not going out much. I don't know how the squirrel got in the garage. I heard something once when I was in the laundry room but I thought it was the dryer bumping against the wall. After several days, I had to make a grocery store run. While I was gone, the mail carrier brought something up to the house, and my husband, on his little knee scooter, asked the woman if she could just put the delivery inside the garage door for me to get when I returned. "Do you know there's a dead squirrel in your garage?" the woman asked him after she put the parcel inside. He did not. Being the hero that he is, he wheeled himself outside in the cold, down the patio sidewalk, and into the garage, found a shovel, picked up the dead squirrel, and flung it as far as he could out into the yard so I wouldn't drive home to find a dead squirrel in my path. "I didn't want to freak you out," he said. He later had a friend remove the carcass away from the house. He was probably right that a dead squirrel would have had me in tears. It upset me anyway because I knew the poor thing died of dehydration and lack of food.

9. Completely changing the subject now, I gave ChatGPT all of my health issues, food allergies, food preferences, and what I normally eat, and said, "fix me." We are working on a few things, and I have lost three pounds, even over Thanksgiving. I'll let you know if this continues to prove helpful. So far it seems to be working. I don't know why I thought to do that, but I guess dietitian could be another job that AI takes over.

10. My friend told me she read that the owner of Open AI thinks that one day an AI will be president. I'm not sure I want to live in that world. That's just too weird even for me. Although I think AI is better than believing that all the powerful folks at the top are secretly lizard people.

11. We had a lizard called a skink in the back and it kept trying to get in the house. I didn't want to kill it, I just wanted it to move along, so I sprinkled black pepper all over the patio door and the patio area where I kept seeing it. Black pepper is supposed to be something skinks don't like. The skink moved to the front porch, which is Ok because I don't go out that door as much and there aren't little door guides for it to hide under.

12. I tried using cayenne pepper to keep the deer away from my roses when I grew them, but it didn't stop them. Nothing keeps those things from eating the flowers, although they don't like marigolds much. I even had them eat my mums this year, which was a first.

13. And now we have come to the end of this wayward little wandering Thursday Thirteen. I don't often do these like this but sometimes it's good to just see what comes out of the air when I simply want to write.

Thank you for reading!

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 936th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway. 

Thursday Thirteen #935

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone is having a fine holiday. I could do a "what I'm thankful for" post but I opted instead for a more introspective post today. So here are thirteen things I’ve learned about myself.

1. I am quite self-aware. Usually, I notice my reactions before I act (but not always, of course). Sometimes that saves me from saying things I’ll regret, and sometimes it delays the regret until I’m alone with a piece of chocolate.

2. I think deeply about the world, even when it’s exhausting. I spend hours pondering patterns, history, and human behavior. It’s tiring, yes, but it also means I notice the things people miss.

3. I carry my experiences with clarity and honesty. I face both the good and the bad parts of life without pretending they didn’t happen. No rewrites. No glossing over. Just the truth, messy as it is.

4. I show up for people, even when it’s inconvenient. I maintain connections and offer kindness long after others have moved on. Some days it’s exhausting, some days it’s rewarding. Sometimes it's both.

5. I have a strong sense of responsibility, sometimes too strong for my own good. I manage tasks, projects, and commitments, sometimes taking on more than I should. I’m learning to notice when it’s time to stop (or at least take a deep breath).

6. I still try to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Maybe one day, some silent angel will give me a gold star for integrity. Mostly, though, I do it for the quiet satisfaction of knowing I did.

7. I’m more resilient than I give myself credit for. Setbacks, long days, or exhausting challenges don’t keep me down. Somehow, I eventually find a way forward, even if I grumble.

8. I balance intelligence with practical, lived experience. I think things through, plan carefully, and then figure out how to make them work in real life. There’s satisfaction in getting it right on the first try . . . . or in learning fast when I don’t.

9. I notice the details that make life vivid. Light on a field, the smell of fresh earth, small movements in the world around me - these are things I pay attention to and try to remember. They are small joys.

10. I’m loyal to a fault. I hold onto relationships and commitments, even when it’s inconvenient or difficult. Exhausting? Yes. Worth it? Usually.

11. I look for meaning rather than distraction. I try to understand why things happen, rather than just filling my time. Sometimes I fail spectacularly, but at least I’m thinking about it.

12. I don’t shy away from hard truths, even about myself. I face my limitations, mistakes, and emotional reactions head-on. It’s uncomfortable but avoiding it feels worse.

13. I value steady relationships and do the work to maintain them. I invest time and care into the connections that matter. It’s not always easy, and yes, sometimes I slip up, and sometimes I sigh, but it’s worth it.

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 935th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway. 

Thursday Thirteen

Since I recently celebrated a wedding anniversary, I thought I'd share a little marriage advice. Actually, this advice might work for most relationships.

1. Marriage takes work, and you have to be willing to change with life as it comes. Nobody coasts for forty years. You adjust, or you don’t make it.

2. Respect and honesty are the bedrock. Even when you’re mad, you still owe each other basic dignity, and you can’t build much without the truth.

3. Laugh when you can. The hard days show up on their own, but couples who still find a reason to laugh together seem to carry the years a little easier.

4. Don’t keep score. Long marriages survive because someone lets things go instead of counting every slight.

5. Small kindnesses matter more than the grand gestures. A cup of coffee, a thank you, a hand on the shoulder. Those things add up over time.

6. Patience becomes a skill. You learn to give each other space, to wait out the moods, and to trust that the storm will pass if you don’t feed it.

7. Stay curious. Share values. Act like you’re on the same team. After decades, you can still find things you didn’t know about each other, which is half the fun.

8. Arguments happen. What matters is how you put things back together afterward.

9. Keep a little romance alive, and mark the milestones, big or small. It reminds you why you started all this in the first place.

10. Let the small stuff go. After forty years, you know which battles are worth it and which ones you’ll forget by next week.

11. Support each other’s growth. People keep changing, even later in life, and a marriage does better when both partners feel free to grow.

12. Love is a choice. Some days the feeling is bright, and some days it’s dim, but you still show up for the life you built.

13. Gratitude carries you through. A little appreciation every day keeps resentments from settling in and gives the whole journey a steadier footing. And never be afraid to say, "I'm sorry."

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 934th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway. 

Thursday Thirteen

 

1. We saw the Northern Lights Tuesday night. The sky above us looked like velvet, and over the top of the mountain ridge we could see green, white, and orange lights. I'm not sure the orange wasn't from the Bald Mountain fire, as that is the direction we were looking. Unfortunately, my iPhone doesn't have a night mode on it, and I didn't take out my good camera.

2. The lights were supposed to be visible Wednesday night as well, but the smoke from the fire was so heavy we couldn't open the door to go outside to look. The fire sparked up again today, along with some back-fires the firefighters were setting to try to control the burn. I think it's over 3000 acres now.

3. When I was writing for the newspaper, I covered a fire. That meant getting up close and personal with the orange flames. I hitched a ride with a Forest Service Ranger that I knew, and he let me out as close as he dared, which was pretty close. I could feel the heat, see the flames, and watch the men with their shovels and rakes.

4. One other time, I was close to a forest fire because my new husband was fighting it. I went to the grocery store and loaded the car up with bottled water to take the firefighters, and they let me drive the car close to the fire. That fire was in the Catawba area, a very long time ago. The firefighters appreciated the water.

5. Being a news reporter afforded me many opportunities for activities I might otherwise not have attempted. I seldom thought twice about going after a story when I was young. If it called for me to ride in a hot air balloon, up I went.

6. Once I went up in a small twin engine plane. I was gone for hours, and my husband had a fit when I told him where I'd been. But I'd been all over the county.

7. I also went into a burning house once that firefighters were training on. No mask, no gear, just my camera in hand, trying to get that great shot in black and white, because that was 1987 and that's what the paper printed in then. Somewhere I have this really great shot in black and white of an entire wall of flames, with a firefighter off to the side. I have no idea where that picture is, but it was a good one.

8. Other silly things I did while I was writing for the paper included taking long hikes just to talk to people, jumping in a ditch for a picture and nearly breaking my ankle, and driving down roads that I thought would surely lead to the ends of the earth before they came out somewhere.

9. I also stalked the sidelines at football games and prayed some linebacker didn't crash into me. Same for basketball games. Please don't let the point guard hit me, I would think as I clicked away, trying to get a shot for the paper.

10. I also once climbed up a ladder and onto a roof to interview a roofer while he worked. He kept roofing nails in his mouth, so it was hard for him to talk and work at the same time. I finally convinced him to take a break so he could tell me about his job. The nails, by the way, were in his mouth from habit, something he developed when he was a youngster learning the trade from his uncle.

11. Those days are behind me now. But that doesn't mean something like seeing the Northern Lights doesn't get me excited. It's a rare phenomenon for it to be so far south.

12. I also can be excited by the vast plumes of smoke that rose today from the forest fire. Mostly now, though, my concern is for my asthma and the health of others who have breathing problems.

13. There are plenty of other things to be excited about: read up on Comet Atlas, for one. It's been hard to find good information on that with NASA shut down as part of the government, but I'm hoping that will be rectified soon.

 _________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 933rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway. 

Thursday Thirteen

1. The other day I was thinking about all of the things around my home that are old, and I don't mean just me and my husband.

2. I am still using the Club cookware that I received as a wedding gift, almost 42 years ago. The pots have a few dings and scratches now, but they still heat evenly.

3. My camera sits on a Slik Stick tripod that someone gave me around 1986. I have tried a few other tripods, but I always go back to this one, even if I do have a bit of Duct Tape around one of its feet.

4. I have stoneware plates I never use that were a wedding present. They sit in the cabinet, and I probably should use them. Instead, I use Corelle ware, and I have no real idea why. Maybe habit. Maybe because it’s what I reach for without thinking.

5. The kitchen clock was also a wedding present. It has ticked away through many meals and lots of cooking. It's the last thing I glance at as I head into the garage for the car, to see what time it is, because it's still accurate.

6. I have a globe atop my bookshelf that my in-laws gave me so long ago that it's out of date, because the Soviet Union no longer exists, and neither do some of the other countries listed on it.

7. My bedroom suite is about 30 years old. It's well-made by a company called Virginia House, which no longer exists. It's not glued together; it's put together like well-made furniture should be. It will outlast me.

8. The cover on my checkbook is over 20 years old. It is made of leather, and I bought it at a craft show. The edges are smooth from years of being opened and closed.

9. I have a couple of books here that I've had since 2002, when my husband's grandmother passed away. They are history books about my county. Kegley's Virginia Frontier is one of them. It smells a bit musty and a little like Grandma.

10. The tassel from where I graduated with my master's degree in 2012 is now 13 years old. It hangs on my bookshelf. It reminds me of goals completed.

11. Another checkbook cover dates back to the 1980s. It still says Sovran Bank, which was a regional bank that existed from 1983 to 1990. The bank eventually became Bank of America, and the branch we used is now called Hometrust Bank, another regional bank, after Bank of America bailed on this area. This checkbook has outlived at least three banks.

12. I have a couple of hard plastic cups that I brought with me when we married, part of my "dowry" that I started when I was about 12. I had a little box where I kept things I thought I might need if I moved out or married, and the cups were among them.

13. And of course there's our house, which we built ourselves, nail by nail, in 1987. We moved in about this time of year - I know it was sometime in November. It's full of our DNA, and it is uniquely ours.

All of which is to say that things can last if one takes care of them and goes for quality. We have, of course, gone through many items - dishes, glasses, things that break when you drop them. As we enter our dotage, our things will come along for the ride.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 932nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway. 

Thursday Thirteen

Spooky Short Stories for the Threshold of Halloween

1. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
A sunlit village gathers for its annual ritual, one that is cheerful, ordinary, and horrifying. Jackson’s masterpiece of social horror exposes the violence lurking beneath tradition.
Read online (XpressEnglish)

2. “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
A woman confined for “rest” begins to see movement in the wallpaper. A descent into madness—or a haunting critique of domestic repression and medical gaslighting.
Read online (Project Gutenberg)

3. “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
A murderer insists on his sanity, but the sound of a beating heart beneath the floorboards betrays him. Guilt becomes a rhythmic torment in Poe’s classic.
Read online (PoeStories.com)

4. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs
A cursed talisman grants three wishes, but with cruel irony. A meditation on grief, fate, and the danger of tampering with the unknown.
Read online (Project Gutenberg)

5. “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
In the catacombs beneath carnival revelry, a man exacts revenge brick by brick. Poe’s tale of betrayal and buried secrets chills with its calm cruelty.
Read online (PoeStories.com)

6. “The Summer People” by Shirley Jackson
A couple decides to extend their stay past Labor Day only to find that the locals grow strange. A quiet dread builds as the landscape turns hostile.
Read online (PDF)

7. “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin
A utopian city thrives, but at a terrible cost. Le Guin’s philosophical fable asks what we’re willing to sacrifice for comfort, and who bears the burden.
Read online (PDF)

8. “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
A Southern woman clings to the past and to something more disturbing. Gothic decay and denial culminate in a macabre revelation.
Read online (PDF)

9. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
A woman receives news of her husband’s death and tastes freedom, albeit briefly. A haunting twist turns liberation into tragedy.
Read online (Owl Eyes)

10. “Charles” by Shirley Jackson
A mother worries about her son’s unruly classmate, until the truth emerges. Domestic absurdity masks a darker reflection of childhood and denial.
Read online (PDF)

11. “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
In a dystopia of enforced equality, beauty and brilliance are punished. A rebel rises—and is swiftly crushed. Satirical, eerie, and disturbingly relevant.
Read online (PDF)

12. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates
A teenage girl meets a stranger who knows too much. Inspired by true crime, this story simmers with psychological menace and seductive dread.
Read online (PDF)

13. “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl
A young man checks into a cozy bed-and-breakfast. The tea is warm, the pets are still, and the guestbook never changes. Dahl’s tale is quietly terrifying.
Read online (PDF)

*An AI tool helped put this list together*

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 931st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway. 

Thursday Thirteen #930

On October 23, 1973, President Richard Nixon agreed to turn over the Watergate tapes to investigators, marking a pivotal moment in the unraveling of his presidency. Below are 13 facts that illuminate the scope and impact of the Watergate scandal.

1. The scandal began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972. Five men were arrested, all connected to Nixon’s reelection campaign.

2. The burglars were caught wiretapping phones and stealing documents, suggesting political espionage.

3. Nixon and his aides attempted to obstruct justice, including paying hush money and misleading investigators.

4. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post investigated the story with help from “Deep Throat,” later revealed to be FBI Associate Director Mark Felt.

5. The Senate Watergate Committee was formed in 1973, and its hearings were broadcast live, drawing national attention.

6. The “Saturday Night Massacre” occurred on October 20, 1973, when Nixon fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox, prompting resignations of top Justice Department officials.

7. On October 23, 1973, Nixon agreed to release some tapes, which had been secretly recorded in the Oval Office without most staff knowing.

8. The tapes revealed Nixon’s involvement in the cover-up, especially the “smoking gun” tape from June 23, 1972.

9. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in United States v. Nixon (1974) that Nixon had to release the tapes.

10. Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974, becoming the only U.S. president to do so.

11. Gerald Ford became president and controversially pardoned Nixon on September 8, 1974.

12. The scandal led to over 40 government officials being indicted or jailed, including top aides like H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman.

13. The term “Watergate” became a metonym for political scandal and abuse of power.

Sources: 

FBI records, court documents, early reporting from The Washington Post, History.com, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, PBS Frontline, NPR, Constitution Center, National Archives, CNN, Watergate.info. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Brookings Institution and Politico.

*I used the little magic wand on blogger for the first time to insert links. Not impressed.*

*An AI tool helped put this list together*

_________________

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 930th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.