Saturday 9: Lazy-Hazy Crazy Days

Saturday 9: Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Nat King Cole sings about enjoying "soda and pretzels and beer." Which of those three would we find in your kitchen right now?

A. My husband drinks Diet Dr. Pepper, so there are some of those in the refrigerator.

2) The lyrics mention a romantic movie. Which movie couple do you believe had onscreen chemistry?

A. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman would get my vote for best onscreen chemistry.

3) He wishes "summer could always be here." How has your summer been so far?

A. My summer has been hot and painful. We've had record-breaking heat and are now in a drought, and I've been having back spasms for two weeks.

4) According to the song, a great warm weather meal includes sandwiches and weinies. Tell us about your perfect sandwich or, if you prefer, what you believe is the ideal way to dress a hot dog.

A. My perfect sandwich would be a ham, cheese, tomato, and mayonnaise sandwich. The only way I will eat a hot dog is with mustard, ketchup, and relish. I don't like them with chili or slaw or any of that stuff.

5) Nat was a big baseball fan. Growing up in Chicago he played sandlot games and listened to Cubs games on the radio. As an adult he was a season ticket holder at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Do you enjoy playing/watching baseball or softball?

A. No. Sorry, Gal.

6) The lyrics of this week's song were written by Charlie Tobias, who wanted to create a sense of nostalgia for summers gone by. Share one of your special summer memories.

A. My grandparents had six children, and the youngest was a year younger than I and their next youngest was 4 years older than I. My brother was the youngest of the four of us. My grandfather would give us each two quarters to mow the yard, and we would split the work up and take turns mowing. Then we'd ride our bikes up to the Orange Market, which was about a block and a half away, and we'd take our quarters and buy a comic book, a candy bar, and a soda with it. My favorite soda was a grape NeHi and I always bought the comic books about Wonder Woman, Supergirl, the Fantastic Four, or the Black Widow because I wanted the strong women in those comics as role models. A quarter went a long way back then. We would make sure we each bought different comics so we could swap them around.

7) In 1963, one of the best-selling books was Happiness Is a Warm Puppy by Charles Schultz. The cover showed Lucy giving Snoopy a big hug. Name another character from the Peanuts comic strip.

A. Peppermint Patty is another character in Peanuts.

8) Also in 1963, men were wearing thin, solid-color ties. Later in the decade, ties would become wider, patterned and more colorful. Where do you turn to keep up with fashion trends?

A. I don't keep up with fashion trends.

9) Random question: Would you rather be a cowboy or a pirate?

A. Arggh! Shiver me timbers, it's a pirate life for me, matey! I'd be the fiercest female pirate to sail these seven seas, I tell ye, and I'd make the kings and queens shiver at the sound of my name. I'd take all of my prisoners to a private island and tell them to go off and do their own thing and create their own little world, with coconuts from them my only tithe. Then I'd track down the other pirates and force them at sword point to tell me where they'd buried all their treasure, why surely I would! If they didn't talk, I'd blindfold them and make them walk the plank, only they'd not fall into shark-infested water but into a net, where I'd pull them into my ship and have my way with them if they smelled nice (if they smelled bad, then off to the dungeon with them!). And once they'd been entranced by my beauty, we'd go dig up their treasure and distribute it amongst the poor at the ports.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen

1. Whatever happened to hickeys? You know, those dark spots that used to appear on the necks of young men and women. It was all the rage when I was in high school for the kids to have a hickey to prove they were doing a lot of necking and stuff in the back seat of cars. But no one ever talks about them anymore.

2. Whatever happened to ring around the collar? Did it just disappear? Did men stop sweating around their neck in their shirts? Or is it because we have a more casual dress code now?

3. Whatever happened to the important question of "Where's the beef?" Shouldn't we be asking this now, especially since a thing of beef on a fast-food hamburger is about as thick as a potato chip?

4. Where did the pet rocks go? Did they all run away?

5. Whatever happened to clogs? They were big clunky shoes that girls wore in the 1970s. I had a pair and nearly broke my neck on those things.

6. And why did the clothes makers do away with bell bottom jeans?

7. What happened to acid rain?

8. Why do they no longer show cartoons on Saturday mornings? Is it because we have cartoon networks that show cartoons all the time? But today's cartoons are kind of blech. :-)

9. Do they still make tube socks?

10. Do people still hitchhike? Or ride on trains as hobos?

11. What happened to the smallpox vaccine scars that we all had when we were younger?

12. Why did they do away with Schoolhouse Rock?

13. Lastly, how does Superman change his clothes now that all of the telephone booths are gone?

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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 868th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

We Didn't Have No Internet

Friday night, the storm came through. It arrived quickly, so fast I really didn't have time to think about unplugging electronic doohickeys before the first bolts hit.

Zap! Pow!

My phone pings of "lightning has been detected near you" went nuts.

And then one bolt went seemingly straight through the house, something popped, and thunder crashed, sounding like a jet falling on top of the roof.

Just like that, we lost the telephone (I still have a landline) and the Internet.

The Internet never went completely out, though the phones did. Instead, it sent through little bits of itself, reminding me terribly of those long-ago days of dial-up, when information trickled in. Of course, programs weren't so big in dial-up days, not like the software and words that come through today. Today, every programmer assumes that we all have supercomputers running Windows 11, with high-speed Internet access.

I still have DSL. It takes me 2 hours to upload a 3-minute video. But it's better than dial-up.

My weekend suddenly looked different. I wasn't going to be able to spend time looking at Facebook, read the local paper online, or play video games. Some of that I could do on my phone, but my phone kept picking up the trickle of Internet data, so it was wildly confused as to when to use the Internet or when to use the very low cellular data I have. At one point, I walked far away from the house until the phone went to straight cellular data to get something to work, but it was too hot to stay out there long.

So what did I do? I managed to get Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing up, albeit slowly. I worked on the bookkeeping for the various things we keep up with - the farm, my husband's backhoe business - that sort of thing. I use an old program for that, one that doesn't connect to the Internet.

I wrote postcards to voters.

I worked up a few blog posts that I'd had on my mind. I didn't need the Internet to use Notepad or MS Word for that. Maybe I will post them. Maybe I won't.

The fact that the Internet wasn't completely down made for a false sense of still being attached, because I wasn't. Sometimes I could get something to come up, but mostly not. I couldn't pay bills or check my email, except sometimes I could so I did. 

I never did get around to reading the Sunday Stealing blogs of other meme participants, because they took too long to load. I need to go back and visit those.

My phone had a workout as it played music (no Alexa), and I listened to an audiobook. 

Lastly, I made zucchini bread. It was too hot to be baking, really, but we have the squash now, and of course it comes in all at once. So I made bread, and left a loaf out to eat, and froze the rest.

That is what you do when the Internet dies.

I strongly suspect you live a better life. I have thought for a long time we might all be better off if the Internet were to die. I still think there is truth in that.

Sunday Stealing

1. What's your favorite animal?

A. Doe, a deer, a female deer. They are my spirit animals. 

2. What's your favorite book?

A. I always say The Lord of the Rings, because it's the only one I reread, generally, but honestly, I don't have a favorite book. 

3. What's your favorite color?

A. Blue is my favorite color. 

4. What's your favorite dessert?

A. My favorite dessert is chocolate cake with chocolate icing. 

5. What's your favorite drink?

A. I would love to have an A&W Root Beer, but I only drink water these days. 

6. What's your favorite food?

A. Watermelon. 

7. What's your favorite hobby?

A. Playing guitar. 

8. What's your favorite movie?

A. I don't really have a favorite, but some movies I like are Under the Tuscan Sun, Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes, Blind Side, Lord of the Rings (all 3), and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

 

9. What's your favorite restaurant?

A. I don't have one. We used to go to Shakers, a local restaurant, all the time pre-pandemic. They've changed the menu, though. 

10. What's your favorite sandwich?

A. My favorite sandwich is ham, cheese, and mayonnaise. 

11. What's your favorite season?

A. I am partial to spring and fall. I don't like the extreme heat of summer or the very cold temperatures in winter. 

12. What's your favorite series?

A. My all-time favorite series is Cagney & Lacey.

 

13. What's your favorite snack?

A. A Nature Valley Cashew Bar. 

14. What's your favorite sport to watch?

A. I like to watch women's basketball and ice skating. 

15. What's your favorite thing to have for breakfast?

A. Honey Nut Cheerios.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: The Star-Spangled Banner (1991)

... because Thursday was the 4th of July and we're still celebrating!

1) Whitney Houston originally performed this in front of over 73,000 at the 1991 Super Bowl. What's the biggest crowd you have ever been in?

A. The biggest crowd I have ever been in was probably a concert at the Roanoke Civic Center. I'm going to guess it was Elton John's concert in the 1990s.

2) Whitney's version of The National Anthem was released 10 years later, after 9/11, and the proceeds went to support New York's first responders. It was her last Top Ten single. What's your favorite Whitney Houston song?

A. I Will Always Love You, which was written by Dolly Parton.

3) Whitney's friends recall she loved lavender -- both the color and the scent. What's your favorite color? What's your favorite scent?

A. My favorite color is blue. My favorite scent is unscented, although I can tolerate vanilla.

4) Whitney had a sweet tooth and loved Fruity Pebbles. If you reached for a snack right now, would it be sweet or salty?

A. My snack would be a combination, probably a Nature Valley Cashew bar.

5) Whitney's grave marker bears the words, "I Will Always Love You," so clearly her family is proud of her best-selling recording. How would you like to be remembered?

A. My grave marker would bear the words, "Beloved wife," and/or "She did the best she could," although I wouldn't mind being remembered for my work with the newspaper. So maybe "Local writer."

6) Going back to 1991, when this recording was first popular, consumers who had a cell phones likely had flip phones. Technology has come a long way, hasn't it? What did you most recently use your cell phone for? (Calling, texting, looking something up, taking a photo, posting on your blog or social media ...)

A. I last used my cell phone to call the telephone company to tell them that lightning took out my landline, and my internet is so slow and intermittent I can barely get anything to load.

7) In 1777, Colonists celebrated July 4 with the firing of cannons and muskets, followed by a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. What did your neighborhood do to celebrate the 4th of July?

A. I don't really have a neighborhood. Some residents set off fireworks somewhere, as I could hear them, but it was so foggy I couldn't see anything. The nearby town had the courthouse and church bells ring at 5 p.m. as part of early celebration of America's 250th birthday. (I am not sure we're actually going to make 250 years.)

8) The Revolutionary War still raged during that summer of 1777. General George Washington allowed his soldiers to celebrate with a double ration of rum on July 4. Do you know anyone who is serving in the military this 4th of July?

A. I know of some friends who have people in the military.

9) Celebrity chef Rachael Ray says she considers mini-hamburgers, or "sliders," the All-American food. What will/did you dine on to celebrate the 4th of July? 

A. We had hot dogs on July 4, along with watermelon for dessert.

A Quiet Independence Day

We had my mother-in-law up for hot dogs and watermelon at lunch yesterday. 

Then later, my father called and said he had a bag of plums he'd picked for me. He has plum trees. So we ran over to his house and stayed for about an hour, chit-chatting.

Then we drove from there to Fincastle, where we sat on Main Street for a while. The reason was to hear the sound of the Botetourt County Courthouse bell.

The bells in town, including church bells, had been asked to be rung 13 times for the 13 original colonies of the United States. It was part of a statewide initiative to jumpstart the celebration for the country's 250th anniversary, which is only 18 months away.

The Botetourt County Courthouse is slated for demolition and who knows when this bell - or if this bell - will ring again. That was the main reason I went to hear it. 

It's a sound that may never be heard again.

Thursday Thirteen

 Happy Independence Day!

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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 867th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Silent Running

 

Happy Birthday, Dad

Today is my father's birthday. He is 83.

My mother, my father, me, and my brother
 on the day of my wedding.

My father sang in a band. Still does.

The younger version of my father with his kids.

My father and brother at Dad's 80th birthday party.

My father dancing with my stepmother.

My father enjoying the outdoors in 2021.

This is MY Blog

My blog serves as my personal sanctuary where I can express my thoughts, share my experiences, and work on creative pieces as I see fit. My blog is a unique extension of myself. This is a space where I can formulate ideas and perspectives. Sometimes, it is hard work. 

But it is MY work, my opinion, and my expression.

When I write a blog post, I create original content that is automatically protected by copyright law. I also have a copyright notice on my blog. Copyright is a form of intellectual property that grants me, the creator, exclusive rights to my work. This means:

Exclusive Rights: I have the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, perform, and display my blog content. No one can legally copy or republish my posts without my permission. That means if you share much of the content of my blog, like a paragraph, you have not only violated the law, but you have also stolen from me, and you have violated me. (That doesn't mean you can't share a post, but it's nice to be asked first if I mind if it is shared. Sometimes I mind.)

Protection from Theft: Unauthorized use of my blog content constitutes copyright infringement. Plagiarism— taking someone’s work and passing it off as their own — is not just unethical; it’s illegal.

Monetary Rights: I hold the potential to monetize my blog. Whether through advertisements, sponsorships, or selling my content, copyright ensures that any financial benefits derived from my blog go to me.

My blog is a reflection of my unique voice. My opinions are my own, shaped by my experiences, beliefs, and values. When my individuality is disrespected, I feel violated. I feel voiceless. I feel like I have had my larynx removed.

I don't mind constructive criticism. It comes with the public part of this form of social media. However, to get here, you have to want to come here. My blog is not in anyone's face (like on Facebook). If you are reading my blog, you have made that choice. I haven't pushed my opinions upon you.

So please remember that my blog is my domain. I have the right to express my thoughts without fear of being unduly called out or censored.

I have been writing this blog since 2006, and I have been writing for the public since 1984 - 40 years. I realize this blog and writing in general can be a powerful tool for personal expression and creativity. I cherish the hard work I have put in here, and it is personal to me.

If you like what you read here, sit a spell and I welcome you. But if you don't like what you read here, then please don't come back. And please do not comment or write me privately and try to encroach upon my voice and my freedom of speech because you disagree.

And if you threaten me, I will have the law track you down.

Sunday Stealing

 

1. Have you traveled abroad? Where have you been? If you haven't been overseas, which country would you most like to visit?

A. When I was in high school, I visited Spain and France as part of a school trip. We went to Madrid and took a passenger train to Paris, France.

2. Where did you go on your last trip? Talk about where you went and what you did.

A. My last trip was into the city. I went to the bookstore, the vitamin store, ate lunch, and stopped at the farm supply store on the way back. Oh yeah, and I stopped at CVS.

3. What is the best place for a vacation in your country? Why is it good?

A. I think that question can only be answered by the person planning the vacation. Some people like beaches, some people don't. Some people like cities, some people don't. The United States has a little bit of everything, from beaches to mountains, canyons to geysers, rural landscapes to large cities.

4. What is the longest time you have been away from home? Did you feel homesick?

A. I think the longest time I have ever been away from home is a week. I am always ready to come back home when the journey is over.

5. How long should a vacation be? How long does it take you to really relax?

A. I honestly need at least a week to relax, a week to enjoy, another week to prepare to come back home, and then a week at home, but I have never had that. I just know that is what I would like to have.

6. What forms of transportation do you prefer to use when you travel?

A. We drive a car.

7. How do you choose where to go? Are you inspired by other people's travel stories? Or photos? Or advertising?

A. We choose to go in part by where we've been and enjoyed, and in part by curiosity. I really like historic sites.

8. What's more important to you when you travel - comfort and relaxation, or stimulating new experiences?

A. Comfort and relaxation with an occasional bit of stimulation.

9. Do you like to try local foods when you go somewhere? Have you ever had something really delicious?

A. My husband tends to lean towards the chains for meals because they are reliable. The last time we were at the beach we discovered that all of our favorite restaurants had closed (that was in 2019, pre-pandemic).

10. Things can go wrong when you travel. Have you had any bad travel experiences?

A. The worst vacation as an adult was in 1989. We had reservations to stay in Virginia Beach. The week before we were to leave, there was a riot there. We called and were told everything was fine at the hotel we were to stay at. What they didn't tell us was that most of the power was out in downtown Virginia Beach. So, we arrived at the hotel to find it running on a generator, with no air conditioning and no elevator. I think we were the only guests. We asked if we could have a fan and were told no. The accommodations were horrible. Across the street, another hotel had power and was doing fine. About 11 p.m., I couldn't stand it anymore. It was hot and humid, and I was having trouble breathing from it. I called across the street to see if they had a vacancy, and they said sure, come on over. I went down and told the guy at the desk we were leaving, and he was giving us a full refund. When he refused, I started coughing and said, "I'm having an asthma attack. I can go to the hospital and send you the bill or you can give us our refund." We got the refund, I used my inhaler, and we went across the street. I don't remember much about the rest of the trip. We did not go back to Virginia Beach for about 20 years after that.

11. Do you take a lot with you when you travel? Or do you try to pack light?

A. I try to pack light, but it seems we end up with a fully loaded car when we go somewhere. By the time I have to pack my special pillow wedge, and take along an air purifier (yes, I do that), along with clothes, we fill the trunk and then some.

12. Which places in the world do you think are too dangerous to visit? Why are they dangerous?

A. Anywhere there is a war going on is dangerous for obvious reasons. Any place that is not nice to women I would find unacceptable. 

13. What is the best age to travel? Can children appreciate the experience?

A. I think it is ok for children to travel but unless they're 10 or older they aren't going to remember much about it. Most of the places I saw even when I was a teenager, I would like to go back and see as an adult because I know I would better appreciate it now. The trick is not to get too old.

14. What are the advantages and disadvantages of traveling alone?

A. I have no idea. I've never traveled alone.

15. What kind of accommodation do you like to stay in when you travel?

A. We usually stay in a no-pet, no-smoking facility, but those are becoming hard to come by. Hampton Inn used to be reliable that way, but they have started allowing pets.

16. Do you like to talk to the local people when you travel? Why or why not?

A. I like to strike up a chat just to see what people think about their area. I think it's the reporter in me.

17. Would you like to go to a big international event, such as the Olympics or an international film festival? What would be good or bad about attending such an event?

A. I do not do well at big events. I do not like crowds.

__________

I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.

Saturday 9: People

Saturday 9: People (1964)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Barbra Streisand sings that pride can get in the way of happy relationships. Have you found that to be true?

A. I think it depends on the people and what they feel pride about. I am not so sure that what she calls "pride" in the song is actually pride. It's more a like a facade she's talking about, the one we all wear to keep that little six-year-old in our head from coming out and crying.

2) The photo on the record sleeve was taken on Chicago's Oak Street Beach, as Barbra watches the sun rise over Lake Michigan. Have you been to the beach yet this summer?

A. No. I don't expect to go, either.

3) Barbra performed "People" more than 1,350 times when she played Fanny Brice onstage in Funny Girl. She also did it in her Oscar-winning turn as Fanny in the film version. She performed it in her first TV special back in 1964 and in at least 510 concerts since. That's a lot of "People!" Can you think of another performer who has/had a song that is so identified with them you can't imagine seeing them in concert without hearing it?

A. Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones would be one I would expect to hear from them. I would expect to hear Night Moves from Bob Seger. I would have expected to hear My Way at an Elvis Presley concert. I would expect to hear the Theme from Titanic at a Celine Dion concert.

4) Barbra got her first pet, a poodle named Sadie, as a gift from the Funny Girl behind-the-scenes crew when she was 23 years old, and she's had dogs in her life ever since. Did you have pets when you were growing up?

A. We had many dogs when I was growing up. The first ones I remember were two Dalmatians, Prince and Princess. At least one of them was run over by the milk truck (which I saw happen - I was about 4); I'm not sure what happened to the other. We had a poodle named Heidi who had puppies, and one of those we kept; his name was Major. We had a collie mix named Schooner. Around the time I married my mother picked up two dogs; one was named Trixie and the other was Clipper, I think. Not 100% sure about that, I wasn't around those dogs much. My parents had one other dog later that bit me in the leg; I don't even remember its name. My husband and I had an Eskimo-Spitz/Terrier mix dog named Ginger that lived for 17 years (which is a very long life for a dog). She stayed outside because of my allergies, and I did not get another dog when she died because I knew I could not have one inside. Ginger much preferred to be outside; she hated it when I made her come into the garage on frigid nights.

5) Barbra has always taken her Jewish faith seriously, beginning with her days at the Yeshiva of Brooklyn. 70 years later, her old school is still there. How about your grammar school? Does it still stand?

A. Yes, it does.

6) She tried marijuana a couple times but didn't like it and the only alcohol she drinks is the occasional beer with her Chinese food. Are you like Barbra and generally abstain? Or do you enjoy pot and/or alcohol?

A. I abstain.

7) Barbra's favorite lunch is a bowl of Campbell's condensed tomato soup. If we were to peek into your pantry, would we find any canned soup?

A. Yes, you'd find cream of celery, cream of mushroom, and chicken with rice soup.

8) In 1964, when this song was popular, hats were, too. The Sears Spring/Summer catalog devoted six pages to ladies hats and two pages to mens. Are hats part of your wardrobe?

A. Not usually, no. I wore hats when I was younger, but I stopped wearing them after I married.

9) Random question: Which of your personality traits has gotten you in the most trouble?

A. All of them.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Thursday Thirteen

Things around me that I can see:

1. A glass of water.

2. My cell phone.

3. A calendar.

4. A clock.

5. At least 4 notebooks.

6. Burt's Bees Honey Lip Balm, Ayr Saline Nasal Mist, Doctor's Brush Picks, Bach Rescue Remedy, a box of tissues, a pack of Extra gum

7. I can see 9 books that I haven't read. Wait, 10, there's one buried.

8. Lots of recent newspapers, most with my byline.

9. A staple remover and a stapler.

10. A Thanksgiving card that is the last thing I received from my friend before she passed away.

11. Cameras and a pair of binoculars.

12. Three guitars.

13. A pair of scissors and Elmer's Glue.

What does this tell you about me, I wonder?

______________

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 866th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Hate Crime Update

Update:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE--

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED IN SPORTS COMPLEX SPRAY PAINTING VANDALISM

FINCASTLE, VA – The Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating incidents of vandalism and threats to harm. The investigation was initiated on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

On April 27, 2024, Deputies responded to a report of graffiti vandalism at the entrance to Greenfield Elementary School and the Botetourt County Sports Complex. Deputies found numerous words spray painted on the roadway stating, “F**K AMERICA” and “BOTETORT F**KS ITS CITIZENS”. 

At approximately 6:26 a.m., on June 14, 2024, deputies again responded to another report of graffiti vandalism at the entrance to Greenfield Elementary School and the Botetourt County Sports Complex.

Deputies observed threatening statements of violence directed toward the Board of Supervisors spray painted on the roadway and other statements expressing discontent with government.

On June 25, 2024, information was obtained by detectives identifying a suspect in these incidents. Preliminary investigation suggests the suspect had become increasingly vocal and more focused on carrying out acts of violence. The suspect has been taken into custody and the investigation is ongoing.

Currently the suspect is not being identified due to the ongoing investigation. There is no immediate threat to the public and more details will be released as the investigation allows.

“As a member of your Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, I am immensely relieved that the potential crisis at our government facility was successfully prevented by the incredible work of our Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office,” said Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Chair Steve Clinton. “Ensuring the safety and security of our employees and citizens is our highest priority, and this incident has underscored the critical importance of our vigilance and preparedness. While I am relieved, I am also saddened that such an incident could have potentially occurred in Botetourt County. I extend my sincere appreciation to our Sheriff’s Department, whose quick and effective actions made all the difference.”

“While I support our citizens right to peacefully protest decisions made by our government, and the constitution protects those rights, it does not and cannot condone or tolerate acts of violence, “said Sheriff Matt Ward.

Anyone who may have information related to the case or who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Mioduszewski at 540-928-2252.

   

-This information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as detectives interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed-

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The Hatred Among Us

In about 3 hours, the county Board of Supervisors meets to pass a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The tax rate will be lowered at least 6 cents, but because of the real estate reassessment, which takes place here every 4 years, most people's tax payments will increase.

I do not ever recall worrying that one of my Board of Supervisors members may not come out of a meeting alive, but today I worry about that. This is because someone threatened them, publicly, with graffiti on the road not far from me.

Also, because I have asked, I know they have received death threats and other threats from the general public via emails from spoof accounts as well as threats via phone calls. People have threatened not just the supervisors, but also their families.

Much of this is being stoked by social media commentary. These are people who want a Christo-fascist nation. They want to tell other people what they can and can't do with their land, what they can read, what type of sex they can have, who they can marry, where they can live. They hate women, even if they are women, and they hate minorities. They seem to be terrified of change of any kind and scared of life. They constantly denounce the true Republicans in the county and call them various names (the worst apparently being "liberal" or "Democrat"). Real Republicans are like Mitt Romney or even George H. W. Bush. Even Richard Nixon was more of a true conservative than some of the folks I see on social media. These people are so far to the right of a true Republican that they are nothing more than Nazis.

They are trying to take over with threats and mob rule. And, I fear, with violence.

Sunday Stealing

1. Are you double jointed?

A. No. I'm not even sure I'm single-jointed in some places where I should be. I am stiff as a board.

2. Are you ticklish?

A. Not really.

3. Do you prefer cookies, cakes, or donuts?

A. Cookies.

4. Did you go to prom? 

A. I did not go to my prom, but I went to a prom. I was a sophomore; my date was a senior.

5. Do you bite your nails?

A. Not anymore. I did up until 2020. It took a pandemic to get me to stop.

6. Do you enjoy dancing?

A. Yes, but I do not know how to dance.

7. Do you forgive easily?

A. I know I don't forget much. Forgive? Mostly.

8. Do you prefer to bathe or shower? 

A. I consider taking a shower to be bathing, but I presume you mean take a bath in a tub versus showering. I prefer to shower.

9. Does your name have any special meaning? 

A. It means "grace."

10. Have you ever gone camping? 

A. Yes, when I was a child.

11. Have you ever won something?

A. I've won numerous writing awards.

12. What did you last eat?

A. A Nature Valley Cashew bar.

13. What's your longest relationship so far?

A. Well, that would be my relationship with my father, since he's known me all my life, and then my aunts and uncles, etc., and then my brother, and then there are some other folks around who have known me a while, and then my husband of over 40 years.

14. Have you ever been on a diet?

A. Of course. Who hasn't?

15. Do you enjoy DIY or crafts?

A. Not particularly, no.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.