Saturday 9: The Love Club (2013)
Unfamiliar with this week's song. Hear it here.
1) Lorde has said this song is about a time when she fell into "a bad crowd." Her high-maintenance new friends were all about their romantic dramas and it overwhelmed her. Have you ever had a friend who was just too much work?
A. Yes, and I think I've probably also been that friend.
2) She sings that she longs to be alone. Where do you go when you want peace and quiet?
A. I am alone a little too much.
3) Lorde credits her mother for encouraging her verbal skills. "Mum" let her join a theater class when she was just 5 and was always giving her books. Tell us about an encouraging, understanding adult who assisted you when you were growing up.
A. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Wright, taught me how to read aloud and do it well. She did it in a way I tend to detest, that is, she didn't tell me I was doing it wrong and give me a chance to correct it. Instead, she gave me a B in reading on my report card, which was the highest grade in the class. When I asked her why it wasn't an A, she said it was because when she asked me to read aloud in class, I read in a monotone, and she demonstrated by putting her face down in the book and reading blah blah blah. Then she looked up and read to me with a sing-song voice and changed tones for the character. Well, why the heck didn't she tell me that before she gave me the B? I didn't know it mattered. But after that I became the absolute best out-loud reader you ever heard, and I'm still pretty good at it. And of course I received an A forever after in reading.
4) Lorde is not the only celebrity from her class at Belmont School in Auckland, New Zealand. Olympian Eliza McCartney was a classmate who went on to win a bronze medal in Rio for the pole vault. Did you participate in any sports in high school?
A. I was in band. You try marching around a football field playing a flute and see if you don't think it is a sport.
6) Lorde wrote music for one of the Hunger Games soundtracks. Have you seen any of the Hunger Games movies, or read any of the books?
A. I have the first Hunger Games book here to read, but it has not yet been read. I haven't seen the movies.
7) Her favorite candy is Peanut M&Ms. Do you prefer Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Almond, Mint or Cripsy M&Ms?
A. Milk chocolate.
8) When Lorde was on stage at Lollapalooza, a sudden storm interrupted her set. The music festival was evacuated and her performance was cancelled. Can you think of a time when the weather had a major impact on your plans?
A. It seems like (though it wasn't) every year when we went to Myrtle Beach for vacation in September, we'd have a hurricane. We evacuated from there at least five times. Nothing to do but come home.
9) Random question: Please complete this sentence -- Before I leave the house, I always __________________________.
A. Make sure I've turned off the curling iron and the computer.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Thursday Thirteen #540
1. On Monday, I could not pick up my medication because I can only get it one day to the month since my last prescription, so I have to make an extra trip back out today. It is not a pain killer or an opiod. It's a drug that's been around since the year I was born. I take it for vertigo caused by a bone spur that pushes on my middle ear. Too bad it wasn't a gun. I'd have had it in 10 minutes. We are one screwed up society.
2. My nephew was involved in a car wreck yesterday. He is six hours away in another state. I do not yet know the extent of his injuries, only that there are some. Apparently he hit a school bus (no children in the bus) that pulled in front of him. I am very concerned and worried.
3. We have installed a water softener after 30 years of living in this house and using hard water. It's been in for two weeks. I can't stand the way the water tastes now. I know the water softener is necessary so we don't have to keep replacing appliances, but what to do about the taste?
4. I have decided to stop eating chocolate. It is step one in a diet plan that I am still figuring out.
5. My dreams keep me from sleeping well. I don't always remember them but they not only disturb me but also my husband, who wakes me and shushes me and tells me to go back to sleep.
6. When I was younger, I used to think the government had my best interest at heart. I no longer think that. I am 100% sure that it doesn't give a rat's patoot about me. It just wants my money.
7. Yesterday, I told the DNC to stop calling me, and I said that until the Democrats actually did something about gun control, all I was sending them was thoughts and prayers. Then I hit the off button. Dang, but I miss the days of slamming down the phone into a receiver.
8. We had to sell our old bull. He weighed 2,065 pounds. He was huge.
9. I bought new curtains for the bedroom. They were supposed to be 84" long but they are only 80" long, and now my sheers are longer than the curtains. What's up with that?
10. My new camera seems to work properly, but there is something off in the focus. Or maybe I just shake and the vibration reduction can't overcome it, I'm not sure.
11. "You have no power here, Gandalf Stormcrow." I don't know why that line from the Lord of the Rings movies just popped into my brain, but there you go. Maybe I am feeling powerless?
12. We have had days that are too warm for February, but it is hard to complain about that after those 8 long days of near-0 degrees cold.
13. I reread A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle last week because there is a movie coming out and I could barely remember the book. Now I think I might mail it to a young cousin. I like to recycle. (I bought the paperback because it was cheaper than the Kindle version, which always perplexes me.)
_______
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 540th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. My nephew was involved in a car wreck yesterday. He is six hours away in another state. I do not yet know the extent of his injuries, only that there are some. Apparently he hit a school bus (no children in the bus) that pulled in front of him. I am very concerned and worried.
3. We have installed a water softener after 30 years of living in this house and using hard water. It's been in for two weeks. I can't stand the way the water tastes now. I know the water softener is necessary so we don't have to keep replacing appliances, but what to do about the taste?
4. I have decided to stop eating chocolate. It is step one in a diet plan that I am still figuring out.
5. My dreams keep me from sleeping well. I don't always remember them but they not only disturb me but also my husband, who wakes me and shushes me and tells me to go back to sleep.
6. When I was younger, I used to think the government had my best interest at heart. I no longer think that. I am 100% sure that it doesn't give a rat's patoot about me. It just wants my money.
7. Yesterday, I told the DNC to stop calling me, and I said that until the Democrats actually did something about gun control, all I was sending them was thoughts and prayers. Then I hit the off button. Dang, but I miss the days of slamming down the phone into a receiver.
8. We had to sell our old bull. He weighed 2,065 pounds. He was huge.
9. I bought new curtains for the bedroom. They were supposed to be 84" long but they are only 80" long, and now my sheers are longer than the curtains. What's up with that?
10. My new camera seems to work properly, but there is something off in the focus. Or maybe I just shake and the vibration reduction can't overcome it, I'm not sure.
11. "You have no power here, Gandalf Stormcrow." I don't know why that line from the Lord of the Rings movies just popped into my brain, but there you go. Maybe I am feeling powerless?
12. We have had days that are too warm for February, but it is hard to complain about that after those 8 long days of near-0 degrees cold.
13. I reread A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle last week because there is a movie coming out and I could barely remember the book. Now I think I might mail it to a young cousin. I like to recycle. (I bought the paperback because it was cheaper than the Kindle version, which always perplexes me.)
_______
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 540th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Tree Fairies
Yesterday after the mist had risen, and the sun was brightening up the backyard, I noticed a shimmering sight in the trees.
At first I thought there was ice on the trees, but it was far too warm for that (I think we hit 75 degrees yesterday!).
Then I decided it must be the sun reflecting on water droplets.
That would be the scientific explanation, anyway.
I used my new Nikon camera, which has a great zoom lens, and tried to look closely. But all I could see were dancing lights.
After looking at the photos, I think I was visited by tree fairies. I wonder if they will bring me luck.
At first I thought there was ice on the trees, but it was far too warm for that (I think we hit 75 degrees yesterday!).
Then I decided it must be the sun reflecting on water droplets.
That would be the scientific explanation, anyway.
I used my new Nikon camera, which has a great zoom lens, and tried to look closely. But all I could see were dancing lights.
After looking at the photos, I think I was visited by tree fairies. I wonder if they will bring me luck.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Sunday Stealing: Q&A
Sunday Stealing
1. What is your middle name and what is a middle name you'd rather have instead? Why?
A. I don't give out that information online. I don't know of another middle name I would prefer.
2. How would you spend $1MM (you have to spend every penny!)
A. I'd buy land.
3. Yellow light - speed up or slow down?
A. Depends on whether or not I'm in a hurry.
4. What was the last movie you saw and what did you like/dislike about it?
A. The last movie I saw at the theater was Star Wars: The Last Jedi. I liked the movie because it was Star Wars but I didn't think there was a lot of great character development in it.
5. If a movie was made about you, who would portray you in that movie?
A. Kathy Bates. At least, as I am now.
6. What is the strangest thing you've eaten and what did it taste like?
A. I guess escargot would be the strangest thing I've eaten, and it tasted like mushrooms and butter to me.
7. What color is your bathroom?
A. It has white walls and blue accents (rugs and stuff).
8. If you could vacation anywhere in the world RIGHT NOW, where would it be and why?
A. I would go to Scotland, because I want to see the old castles and maybe explore some heritage while I am there.
9. What is your least favorite thing to cook?
A. Pretty much everything. I am not a fan of cooking.
10. What is the dish you make that your family rolls their eyes at?
A. I don't know.
11. What are three things on your bucket list?
A. Take my husband to the Grand Canyon, go to Disney in Orlando, and see Niagara Falls.
12. How many skeins of yarn do you think you are currently hoarding?
A. Maybe six.
13. Today is my birthday. What virtual gift are you going to give me?
A. You can go play Fishdom and then you'll have your own little aquarium.
14. What is your favorite candy?
A. Chocolate.
15. What is your favorite time of the day and why?
A. Probably between 10 and 2 p.m. That is when I seem to be most alert and not so tired.
16. If you could call in sick for a day, what would you do with the time?
A. I would be sick. I don't work, so, not really relevant.
17. How much did your last crafting run cost you?
A. Maybe $10. I don't do much crafting stuff.
18. Can you play a musical instrument and if so, which one?
A. I play guitar. At one time I could play the piano, the flute, the saxophone, the clarinet, the piccolo, the accordion, the bass guitar, the banjo, the mandolin, etc. I stuck with the guitar.
19. What is your least favorite craft that you still do? Why?
A. I don't have one.
20. If you could have any job for just one day, what would it be and what would you do?
A. I'd be the World Supreme Ruler and I'd get on a space ship and leave.
__________
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.
1. What is your middle name and what is a middle name you'd rather have instead? Why?
A. I don't give out that information online. I don't know of another middle name I would prefer.
2. How would you spend $1MM (you have to spend every penny!)
A. I'd buy land.
3. Yellow light - speed up or slow down?
A. Depends on whether or not I'm in a hurry.
4. What was the last movie you saw and what did you like/dislike about it?
A. The last movie I saw at the theater was Star Wars: The Last Jedi. I liked the movie because it was Star Wars but I didn't think there was a lot of great character development in it.
5. If a movie was made about you, who would portray you in that movie?
A. Kathy Bates. At least, as I am now.
6. What is the strangest thing you've eaten and what did it taste like?
A. I guess escargot would be the strangest thing I've eaten, and it tasted like mushrooms and butter to me.
7. What color is your bathroom?
A. It has white walls and blue accents (rugs and stuff).
8. If you could vacation anywhere in the world RIGHT NOW, where would it be and why?
A. I would go to Scotland, because I want to see the old castles and maybe explore some heritage while I am there.
9. What is your least favorite thing to cook?
A. Pretty much everything. I am not a fan of cooking.
10. What is the dish you make that your family rolls their eyes at?
A. I don't know.
11. What are three things on your bucket list?
A. Take my husband to the Grand Canyon, go to Disney in Orlando, and see Niagara Falls.
12. How many skeins of yarn do you think you are currently hoarding?
A. Maybe six.
13. Today is my birthday. What virtual gift are you going to give me?
A. You can go play Fishdom and then you'll have your own little aquarium.
14. What is your favorite candy?
A. Chocolate.
15. What is your favorite time of the day and why?
A. Probably between 10 and 2 p.m. That is when I seem to be most alert and not so tired.
16. If you could call in sick for a day, what would you do with the time?
A. I would be sick. I don't work, so, not really relevant.
17. How much did your last crafting run cost you?
A. Maybe $10. I don't do much crafting stuff.
18. Can you play a musical instrument and if so, which one?
A. I play guitar. At one time I could play the piano, the flute, the saxophone, the clarinet, the piccolo, the accordion, the bass guitar, the banjo, the mandolin, etc. I stuck with the guitar.
19. What is your least favorite craft that you still do? Why?
A. I don't have one.
20. If you could have any job for just one day, what would it be and what would you do?
A. I'd be the World Supreme Ruler and I'd get on a space ship and leave.
__________
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, February 17, 2018
Saturday 9: Baby Love
Saturday 9: Baby Love (1964)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) When this song was popular, the Supremes were known for their elaborate hairstyles, make up and full-length gowns. When was the last time you got dressed up?
A. Really dressed up? My grandmother's funeral, I suppose. Otherwise, I made an effort on our anniversary, and for me that was "dressed up" but not, well, dressed up.
2) "The girls," as they were known to the engineers and executives at Motown Records, were Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. They began singing together when they were high school classmates. Are you still in touch with any friends from your high school days?
A. Not really. There are a bunch on Facebook that I see post but I seldom interact with them. However, my husband's first cousin was in my class from elementary school through high school, and we are friends. That's more of a "through marriage" kind of thing.
3) Mary Wilson was born in Mississippi and her family moved a great deal before settling in Detroit, where she fatefully met Florence and Diana. Were you uprooted often when you were a child? Or did you spend your school years in the same neighborhood?
A. My parents moved three times after I entered school, but it was always in the same area and I went to the same schools.
4) The Supremes began as a quartet called the Primettes. In addition to Mary, Flo and Diana, there was Betty McGlown. In 1960, Betty left the group to get married and was replaced by Barbara Martin. In 1962, Barbara left the group to have a baby. They quit trying to replace the fourth voice, soldiered on as a trio, and made pop history. Have you ever found yourself in a position similar to Betty's or Barbara's, where you had to make a difficult decision and choose between your personal life and your career?
A. Not so much "personal life" as health over career.
5) Thinking of babies and "baby love," is anyone in your life expecting a baby in 2018?
A. Not that I am aware of.
6) With twelve #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, The Supremes remain America's most commercially successfully recording group, and this song (along with "Stop! In the Name of Love") is one of the most popular karaoke songs. If we handed you the mic this morning and absolutely insisted you perform, what song would you choose (any song, any genre)?
A. Oh my. I know so many. But let's go with I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.
7) Original group member Florence Ballard left the group in 1967. She died of cardiac arrest in 1976 at the age of 32. Since February is National Heart Month, it seems appropriate to ask: Is anyone in your life battling heart disease?
A. At my last doctor visit, my doctor told me not to worry about dementia because I'd be dead of a heart attack long before I started losing my mind.
8) Florence Ballard's brother, Hank, wrote Chubby Checker's famous dance song, "The Twist." When did you last dance?
A. This morning while I was folding clothes.
9) Random question: Close your eyes and visualize the most beautiful place you've ever been. Now describe it to us.
A. The only place I can think of is soft and hairy, because it is in my husband's arms.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. (#220)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) When this song was popular, the Supremes were known for their elaborate hairstyles, make up and full-length gowns. When was the last time you got dressed up?
A. Really dressed up? My grandmother's funeral, I suppose. Otherwise, I made an effort on our anniversary, and for me that was "dressed up" but not, well, dressed up.
2) "The girls," as they were known to the engineers and executives at Motown Records, were Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. They began singing together when they were high school classmates. Are you still in touch with any friends from your high school days?
A. Not really. There are a bunch on Facebook that I see post but I seldom interact with them. However, my husband's first cousin was in my class from elementary school through high school, and we are friends. That's more of a "through marriage" kind of thing.
3) Mary Wilson was born in Mississippi and her family moved a great deal before settling in Detroit, where she fatefully met Florence and Diana. Were you uprooted often when you were a child? Or did you spend your school years in the same neighborhood?
A. My parents moved three times after I entered school, but it was always in the same area and I went to the same schools.
4) The Supremes began as a quartet called the Primettes. In addition to Mary, Flo and Diana, there was Betty McGlown. In 1960, Betty left the group to get married and was replaced by Barbara Martin. In 1962, Barbara left the group to have a baby. They quit trying to replace the fourth voice, soldiered on as a trio, and made pop history. Have you ever found yourself in a position similar to Betty's or Barbara's, where you had to make a difficult decision and choose between your personal life and your career?
A. Not so much "personal life" as health over career.
5) Thinking of babies and "baby love," is anyone in your life expecting a baby in 2018?
A. Not that I am aware of.
6) With twelve #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, The Supremes remain America's most commercially successfully recording group, and this song (along with "Stop! In the Name of Love") is one of the most popular karaoke songs. If we handed you the mic this morning and absolutely insisted you perform, what song would you choose (any song, any genre)?
A. Oh my. I know so many. But let's go with I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.
7) Original group member Florence Ballard left the group in 1967. She died of cardiac arrest in 1976 at the age of 32. Since February is National Heart Month, it seems appropriate to ask: Is anyone in your life battling heart disease?
A. At my last doctor visit, my doctor told me not to worry about dementia because I'd be dead of a heart attack long before I started losing my mind.
8) Florence Ballard's brother, Hank, wrote Chubby Checker's famous dance song, "The Twist." When did you last dance?
A. This morning while I was folding clothes.
9) Random question: Close your eyes and visualize the most beautiful place you've ever been. Now describe it to us.
A. The only place I can think of is soft and hairy, because it is in my husband's arms.
_____________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. (#220)
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Thursday Thirteen
1. Sad
2. Pissed
3. Angry
4. Down
5. Upset
6. Disgusted
7. Blue
8. Overwrought
9. Confused
10. Grieved
11. Raging
12. Fuming
13. Not saying "thoughts and prayers" (I really never want to hear that again)
I AM sending money to The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. It's the very least I can do.
_______
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 539th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. Pissed
3. Angry
4. Down
5. Upset
6. Disgusted
7. Blue
8. Overwrought
9. Confused
10. Grieved
11. Raging
12. Fuming
13. Not saying "thoughts and prayers" (I really never want to hear that again)
I AM sending money to The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. It's the very least I can do.
_______
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 539th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Breaker Break Down
Friday, I rose and like I always do, I flipped the thermostat up as I walked by on the way to the kitchen to start the hot water for my tea. (We keep the house at 66 degrees at night.) I could tell within minutes that something wasn't right.
After checking things out, I realized the heat pump wasn't running. The thermostat said the auxiliary heat was on. I kept smelling something and I assumed it was the furnace, since we generally don't need the auxiliary heat. I checked the breakers, which all seemed to be on, and called my husband to make sure there wasn't something else I needed to examine.
He advised me to call the heat pump people, which I did. They had someone out here by 10:30. I had everything off and so at the heat pump man's request, I turned it all back on again. The heat pump did not start, and that strange odor occurred.
The heat pump man quickly realized the issue was not in the heating system. The breaker box was burning. Yikes!
He threw the main and then examined the breaker box. One of the breakers had melted at its end.
This was not something he could fix. He spoke on the phone with my husband, who said he would be home in 30 minutes. In the meantime, I needed to leave for a dentist appointment, but I started scrolling through the phone book in search of an electrician. I fortunately found someone who would come out. The man would be there by noon.
With my husband on his way home, and the house seemingly not in any hurry to burn down, I went to the dentist. By the time I returned, everything was back to normal.
It was scary, though. Imagine what might have happened if I hadn't turned the furnace off.
After checking things out, I realized the heat pump wasn't running. The thermostat said the auxiliary heat was on. I kept smelling something and I assumed it was the furnace, since we generally don't need the auxiliary heat. I checked the breakers, which all seemed to be on, and called my husband to make sure there wasn't something else I needed to examine.
He advised me to call the heat pump people, which I did. They had someone out here by 10:30. I had everything off and so at the heat pump man's request, I turned it all back on again. The heat pump did not start, and that strange odor occurred.
The heat pump man quickly realized the issue was not in the heating system. The breaker box was burning. Yikes!
He threw the main and then examined the breaker box. One of the breakers had melted at its end.
 |
| Scorched breaker box. |
 |
| Burned out breaker |
With my husband on his way home, and the house seemingly not in any hurry to burn down, I went to the dentist. By the time I returned, everything was back to normal.
It was scary, though. Imagine what might have happened if I hadn't turned the furnace off.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Interstate 81 Traffic Jam
Interstate 81 is the fast lane that connects Botetourt County to Roanoke City and the rest of the world. Exit 150, where one leaves I-81 to enter Botetourt County, has been known for traffic backups for as long as I can remember. That interchange is undergoing a reconstruction.
However, in the last two decades, the entire I-81 route has become infamous for backups. All it takes is a little ice or heavy rain or an inattentive driver and you have this:
Miles and miles - literally - of traffic at a dead stop with nowhere to go. Before I found my cellphone and started snapping photos, traffic further up apparently had been stopped for a while, because people were out of their vehicles, stretching, fetching sodas from the back seat, or whatever.
This was around 2:15 p.m. in the afternoon.
I-81 took 30 years to build. Construction began in 1957 and ended in 1987. The road plans initially were constructed for traffic expectations in 1970, I would guess.
Here's a history of the interstate from VDOT's website:
Construction of I-81 started in December 1957 on a stretch from one mile north of Buchanan to one mile south of the Rockbridge County line. Four miles of I-81 were open as early as 1959 near Pulaski. A small section known as the Harrisonburg bypass was also open in that city in the late 1950s.
By November, 1963, 85 miles of I-81 were open to the public:52-mile stretch from Bristol extending to five miles east of Marion
15-mile stretch between Fort Chiswell and Newbern
11-mile stretch extending just south of Buchanan
7.5-mile stretch at Harrisonburg On November 1, 1964, a 15-mile segment west of Wytheville opened to the public creating a continuous 67 miles from Bristol to Wytheville. By December, 1964, 33 miles between Dixie Caverns and Fancy Hill (just south of Lexington) were opened to the public. In November, 1965, 26 miles from the West Virginia state line just north of Winchester to Strasburg were opened to the public. By December, 1965, a 22 mile section of I-81 from Newbern to Christiansburg was opened to the public. By November, 1966, 33 miles from Strasburg to New Market were opened to the public. On December 21, 1971, after much delay with funding, a 14.4-mile section of I-81 from Dixie Caverns to Christiansburg was opened to the public. The interstate was not completed, however, until July 1987 when work was finished on the I-77/I-81 overlap section in Wythe County.
The interstate is 365 miles long. From 1996-1998, the state did a "concept study" and talk of four-lanes became common, but nothing has been done.
So people sit in traffic.
I avoid I-81 as much as I can, but sometimes you simply have to use it. My preference would be not to widen the interstate but instead reconsider how we move freight, because as the photos above clearly show, much of the traffic is tractor trailer haulers. If we moved more freight by rail, we wouldn't need so many trucks (which would mean we would need to burn less fuel and we would decrease pollution, etc. etc.). But because the oil industry owns the U.S., I don't see that changes in the way we haul items from one end of the nation to the other will improve in my lifetime.
In the meantime, we always keep snacks and water in the car (along with a roll of toilet paper) because you never know when you might be caught between the guardrails and unable to move your vehicle when you travel I-81.
Update:
After I wrote this, I learned that a fatal accident was the cause of the traffic backup. My sympathies to the family.
However, in the last two decades, the entire I-81 route has become infamous for backups. All it takes is a little ice or heavy rain or an inattentive driver and you have this:
Miles and miles - literally - of traffic at a dead stop with nowhere to go. Before I found my cellphone and started snapping photos, traffic further up apparently had been stopped for a while, because people were out of their vehicles, stretching, fetching sodas from the back seat, or whatever.
This was around 2:15 p.m. in the afternoon.
I-81 took 30 years to build. Construction began in 1957 and ended in 1987. The road plans initially were constructed for traffic expectations in 1970, I would guess.
Here's a history of the interstate from VDOT's website:
Construction of I-81 started in December 1957 on a stretch from one mile north of Buchanan to one mile south of the Rockbridge County line. Four miles of I-81 were open as early as 1959 near Pulaski. A small section known as the Harrisonburg bypass was also open in that city in the late 1950s.
By November, 1963, 85 miles of I-81 were open to the public:
The interstate is 365 miles long. From 1996-1998, the state did a "concept study" and talk of four-lanes became common, but nothing has been done.
So people sit in traffic.
I avoid I-81 as much as I can, but sometimes you simply have to use it. My preference would be not to widen the interstate but instead reconsider how we move freight, because as the photos above clearly show, much of the traffic is tractor trailer haulers. If we moved more freight by rail, we wouldn't need so many trucks (which would mean we would need to burn less fuel and we would decrease pollution, etc. etc.). But because the oil industry owns the U.S., I don't see that changes in the way we haul items from one end of the nation to the other will improve in my lifetime.
In the meantime, we always keep snacks and water in the car (along with a roll of toilet paper) because you never know when you might be caught between the guardrails and unable to move your vehicle when you travel I-81.
Update:
After I wrote this, I learned that a fatal accident was the cause of the traffic backup. My sympathies to the family.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Sunday Stealing: Brrr
Sunday Stealing: Brrr
1. Do you prefer winter or summer? Why?
A. I prefer spring and autumn, but those were not my choices. So I will say summer, because it is warmer and things are green and do not look like death has stomped across the farm.
2. What are your favorite winter activities?
A. Sitting in a warm house reading a book.
3. Can you tell me about a time you went skiing or skating?
A. It has been so long that those brain cells are damaged or dead. Sorry.
4. Have you ever made a snow angel?
A. Of course.
5. Is your house cold?
A. Yes. Although I finally decided today that 70 degrees was better than the 68 degrees we normally keep the thermostat on. I was freezing.
6. Do you have a fireplace in your house?
A. I do, but we only use it when the electricity goes out because I am allergic to dust and wood smoke and it's hard on my asthma.
7. What do you usually do to keep warm in the winter?
A. Sit under a blanket and wear layered clothing.
8. Have you ever gone hiking in the snow?
A. Yes, a long time ago.
9. Tell me about a snowball fight you had.
A. I don't recall any snowball fights.
10. Have you ever looked at a snowflake carefully?
A. Yes. I've tried to photograph individual ones, but I have never been successful.
11. Do you have a sled? Have you been sledding?
A. I do not own a sled at this time and I have not been sledding in about 30 years, and I do not intend to go sledding again.
12. What do you usually do after a big snowfall?
A. Drink hot chocolate and listen to my husband complain about the snow.
13. What’s the best thing about winter?
A. The snow puts nitrogen back into the soil.
14. What’s the worst thing about winter?
A. It's cold!
15. Have you ever been in a blizzard?
A. We've had snowstorms here that were classified as blizzards (I think).
16. Can you describe ice for me?
A. Ice is frozen water. You can see through a thin veil of it and it will create a illusive world that doesn't really exist. You cannot walk through it, for it will break, but if we could we would find a place that only exists in imagination.
17. Have you ever slipped on ice and hurt yourself?
A. Yes.
18.Have you ever had to shovel snow?
A. Yes.
19. Will you be watching the Olympics?
A. Yes.
20. If yes, what are your favorite events?
A. I like ice skating and ice dancing.
__________
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.
1. Do you prefer winter or summer? Why?
A. I prefer spring and autumn, but those were not my choices. So I will say summer, because it is warmer and things are green and do not look like death has stomped across the farm.
2. What are your favorite winter activities?
A. Sitting in a warm house reading a book.
3. Can you tell me about a time you went skiing or skating?
A. It has been so long that those brain cells are damaged or dead. Sorry.
4. Have you ever made a snow angel?
A. Of course.
5. Is your house cold?
A. Yes. Although I finally decided today that 70 degrees was better than the 68 degrees we normally keep the thermostat on. I was freezing.
6. Do you have a fireplace in your house?
A. I do, but we only use it when the electricity goes out because I am allergic to dust and wood smoke and it's hard on my asthma.
7. What do you usually do to keep warm in the winter?
A. Sit under a blanket and wear layered clothing.
8. Have you ever gone hiking in the snow?
A. Yes, a long time ago.
9. Tell me about a snowball fight you had.
A. I don't recall any snowball fights.
10. Have you ever looked at a snowflake carefully?
A. Yes. I've tried to photograph individual ones, but I have never been successful.
11. Do you have a sled? Have you been sledding?
A. I do not own a sled at this time and I have not been sledding in about 30 years, and I do not intend to go sledding again.
12. What do you usually do after a big snowfall?
A. Drink hot chocolate and listen to my husband complain about the snow.
13. What’s the best thing about winter?
A. The snow puts nitrogen back into the soil.
14. What’s the worst thing about winter?
A. It's cold!
15. Have you ever been in a blizzard?
A. We've had snowstorms here that were classified as blizzards (I think).
16. Can you describe ice for me?
A. Ice is frozen water. You can see through a thin veil of it and it will create a illusive world that doesn't really exist. You cannot walk through it, for it will break, but if we could we would find a place that only exists in imagination.
17. Have you ever slipped on ice and hurt yourself?
A. Yes.
18.Have you ever had to shovel snow?
A. Yes.
19. Will you be watching the Olympics?
A. Yes.
20. If yes, what are your favorite events?
A. I like ice skating and ice dancing.
__________
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.
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