Tuesday, June 21, 2022

New Arrival



 

Monday, June 20, 2022

Doomed to Destruction

The photos below are of the current Botetourt County Courthouse. This structure was rebuilt in 1975 after a fire in 1970 gutted the building. The destroyed structure had been constructed in 1848, allegedly from plans provided by Thomas Jefferson.

The current courthouse is scheduled to be demolished next year. The structure has mold and due to poor upkeep by the county, it is literally falling down around the employees inside. It is also not secure given today's political climate, and it not accessible to the disabled.

So this building will in a few years be replaced by another with a similar exterior but a much larger footprint.




 

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. If you could live in a house shaped like anything what would it be?

A. I would like the exterior to look like a hobbit house. Rather like this:


The interior, of course, would have to be human-sized, and the roof could be green solar panels instead of grass. I'd like to have a music room and a library in the house, too, while I'm dreaming.

2. What do you think is in outer space?

A. More planets and suns, more solar systems, galaxies, asteroids, comets, dust and debris. Maybe life, perhaps not recognizable as life to us.

3. Where is the most wonderful place you’ve ever been?

A. The campus of Hollins University, where I went to college. There was something about being on campus that made me feel better all over. It was a terrific atmosphere, incredibly supportive, and simply an overall good experience.

4. If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?

A. I would do something that I felt was for the betterment of humanity that I otherwise could not do. I'm not exactly sure what that is at the moment, but that would be my lofty goal.

5. What is the worst smell in the world?

A. I'll go with either rotting corpse or vomit.

6. If you could, what animal would you be?

A. I would be a deer. Deer is my spirit animal.

7. What is the greatest thing ever invented?

A. The wheel. Without it, there wouldn't have been carts and wheelbarrows allowing human to evolve from a hunter-gather society to an agrarian one and then on into the industrial age. It really is the unbroken circle of civilization.

8. What is your favorite word? Why?

A. Serendipty. It sounds cool and I love the meaning of it. (the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way)

9. Who is someone in history that you’d like to be friends with? Why?

A. Mary Johnston (1870-1936) and Ellen Glasgow (1873-1945) both were Virginia writers who were also active in the suffrage movement (and they were friends). I would have liked to have been part of that movement, and friends with these two fabulous and yet now under-rated writers.

10. If your pet could talk, what would it say?

A. I don't have a pet. The cows would probably say, "Why do you take my children from me?" because we haul their calves off to the market. Or maybe they'd say, "Give me better quality hay," or "Why can't we swim in the pond anymore?" (We fenced off the pond to keep the cow poo from Tinker Creek, it was a conservation effort.)

11. Were there dinosaurs on Noah’s ark?

A. I don't believe Noah's ark existed, it's a biblical fairy tale. But if it were true, the answer would be no, as dinosaurs were extinct by the time human beings came along, unless one wants to count reptiles and birds as small dinosaurs.

12. What makes you cry?

A. Other human beings.

13. Have you ever played a joke on someone? What was it?

A. A very long time ago, when I was a young teenager, a friend and I picked up some sticky tar from a parking lot and molded it into long thin lines. It looked like licorice, and we offered some up to another friend. We stopped him before he ate it, but his girlfriend jumped down our throats. We defended ourselves by noting we didn't let him eat it. I suppose it wasn't a good joke, but it seemed funny at the time.

14. What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

A. Wait while my husband was in surgery in the hospital.

15. What is the most important appliance in your house?

A. The hot water heater. It is necessary for the washing machine, the dishwasher, and a hot shower.

__________

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, June 18, 2022

Saturday 9: Yesterday


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

Chosen because June 18 is Paul McCartney's 80th birthday. 

1) Paul McCartney sings that yesterday all his troubles seemed so far away. Can you recall a time when your life seemed carefree?

A. Not really. I was born old. Maybe the summers when I stayed with my grandmother during the day were like that, carefree. I have always been a worrier, though, and I don't remember them as carefree, just anxiety ridden.

2) He has always insisted the melody to "Yesterday" came to him in a dream. Did you dream last night?

A. I am sure I did, but I don't recall it.

3) The lyrics were inspired, in part, by the death of Paul's mother when he was 14. Thirteen years later, he named his daughter Mary after her. Are you named after anyone? If you're a parent, did you name your children in honor of anyone?

A. To my knowledge, I am not named after anyone, although my grandfather, whose name was Joseph Eugene, took my middle name, Jeanne, to be in his honor. My mother said it was not, though.

4) Over the years, Paul has performed on bass, acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards and drums, but not the first instrument he owned: the trumpet. A present from his dad for his 14th birthday, he exchanged the trumpet for a guitar because, "you can't sing while playing the trumpet." Have you more recently a) exchanged a gift, b) donated a gift you didn't want to charity or c) regifted?

A. I've most recently purchased a gift, which isn't an option listed. I can't remember when I've last done any of the available options. Pre-pandemic, maybe.

5) Paul grew up seeing how much his dad enjoyed placing a bet and then listening to the horse race from his favorite armchair in the living room, so he took his salary from making the film A Hard Day's Night and surprised his father with a racehorse. After father and son proudly watched Drake's Drum win at Liverpool's Aintree Racecourse, the horse retired to Paul's farm in Scotland. If money were no object, what gift would you give a loved one?

A. My husband wants a red Ferrari. I have no idea why, but if money were no problem, I'd buy him one.

6) Paul is considered one of the world's wealthiest entertainers, worth an estimated $1.2 billion. This month, as he approaches his 80th birthday, he is winding up a 16-city North American tour, during which he performs 30+ songs in a 2-hour, 40-minute show. If you had all the money you needed, would you continue to work? Or would you kick back and relax?

A. I am a writer first and foremost, and I suppose I will always write something, even if it is only in my journal. But I wouldn't worry about money so much.

7) Paul first joined the Beatles when he was recruited into the band by John Lennon. They met as teenagers when Paul showed up at a church picnic where John's band was performing. Paul recalls pedaling over on his bike to hear them, his guitar flung over this back. When did you most recently ride a bike?

A. Years and years and years ago.

8) Paul met his first wife, Linda, at a London club and then again four days later when she was a photographer at a press party for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. Think about one of your romances. Where did you meet?

A. My husband and I met under the goal posts at the football field at the high school.

9) TV journalist Barbara Walters played matchmaker for Paul and his current wife, Nancy. During the summer of 2007, when Paul was vacationing in The Hamptons, Barbara repeatedly and intentionally invited them to the same parties and picnics. Have you had any success in a matchmaking scenario -- as either the matchmaker or one of the dates?

A. I don't try to be a matchmaker. Those things never work out for me. No successes here that I am aware of, anyway.

_______________
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.  

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Thursday Thirteen #760

1. Last night while I was trying to fall asleep, my mind wandered back to the playthings of my youth. Do you remember Mexican jumping beans, sea monkeys, crystals that grew in the water, and the advertisement that said something like draw this picture in any way except a tracing and send it to us and we'll tell you if you have talent?

2. My brother gave me eight bags of Baked Lays Potato chips for my birthday. He ran across them while he was in Ohio the previous weekend and bought them because they've been hard to find here. They seem more available now, but we can't find the "lightly salted" Lays potato chips that my husband eats. Things are weird.

3. While I don't doubt that there are supply chain issues, the fact that all of the major corporations are hauling in cash hand over fist, including the gas and oil companies, tells me that our inflation and recession (we're in a recession even if the experts haven't said that yet) are induced by corporate greed. Unregulated capitalism may be good for business, but it is hard on the average person.

4. The president of the United States doesn't set the gas prices at the pump, I don't care who is in office. Most of the economics that affect the average citizen the world over is created by those in power (political and corporate) who want more money. (And if the president did affect the prices, why would they be high worldwide? Think about it.)

5. I know we are in a recession because there are more Trustees Sales in the newspaper ads. These are foreclosure notices. When we're not in a recession, there may be one or two a month. Now there are 5 or 6 a week. They started becoming more frequent in May and really noticeable lately. Maybe if more people read the newspaper, they could pay attention to things like that and realize how things actually are.

6. A meme I've seen floating around says something to the effect of "what is wrong with not wanting poor people to starve," an idea which apparently makes one a socialist or far left. Empathy is not a saleable commodity, so of course it is unworthy. However, I think an empathetic human is one of the worthiest qualities of being human. Those who lack it are morally deficient.

7. I get called "far left" all the time although I am not. I'm what Republicans used to be before so many of them lost their minds and allowed theocracy, stupidity and cult of personality, along with infantile emotionalism, to become their guiding light. Yes, that's an awful judgment, but I've seen worse things said about Democrats and today I'm feeling judgmental. People judge me often enough, or so it feels. I think I can occasionally make a statement about something.

8. I am listening to an audiobook called Dolly Parton, Songwriter. It's not exactly an autobiography, as it's done more in a question-and-answer format, with someone asking questions and Mrs. Parton answering them. Sometimes she sings. She's written over 3,000 songs. That's a lot of songs.

9. This year I have been varying my reading habits, trying for a fiction book then a nonfiction. At the moment I have three things going at once. The other books I am reading are What Unites Us, by Dan Rather, and Zanoni, by Edward Bulwer Lytton. This is an ancient book that's supposed to be a morality tale; I read about it somewhere and downloaded it free on my Kindle.

10. My last fiction book was called Crime and Poetry, and it was about a young woman whose grandmother operates a bookstore, and books fall off the shelves to give clues about solving crime.

11. My husband's hip replacement surgery is coming up very soon. I am terrified for him and for me. We are hoping for the best outcome. Many people say it's a great fix for hip pain. All surgeries have risks, though, and they don't always have the anticipated outcome.

12. Someone came yesterday to fix the dryer door. He took the door apart but couldn't fix it and said he was going to order a part, whether that's a handle or an entire door I do not know. After he left, we took the door apart again and fixed it ourselves. I don't know how long it will stay together, but for now it's working. If it weren't for the warranty thing, I'd have used some Gorilla Glue on it, and it would have stayed on for sure. I wasn't impressed with the fixer guy.

13. We are fast approaching the summer solstice. The longest day, and then they begin to grow short again. The year is half over. Time goes by fast even on days that seem to crawl along like a snail on concrete.

____________________
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 760th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Damn Dryer

In April, we bought a new dryer because the one we bought in 2019 was constantly needing a new timer.

The thing isn't even two months old, and the handle fell off.



A $1,300 piece of crap.


Monday, June 13, 2022

The James Breckinridge Law Office

 


This building is one of the oldest in Botetourt County's seat of Fincastle. The James Breckinridge Law Office dates back to about 1775-1780. The town was founded in 1772 and is celebrating one of those big anniversaries this year.

James Breckinridge (1763-1833) served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1809 to 1817 (back before that became a lifetime job). Prior to that he served as a state delegate.

He also served on the Board of Visitors for the University of Virginia.

I always knew this structure as a museum, but it is now slated to be torn down and then rebuilt just about 1000 feet away. The structure is making way for a new county courthouse.

Pictures before demolition are always good things. Reconstruction doesn't always happen.

Sunday, June 12, 2022

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

There are no right or wrong answers. Don't limit yourself to one-word responses; just say everything that pops into your head.

I say . . . and you think . . . ?


    Hurry! :: Speed

    Dumb :: as a hammer

    Fudge :: chocolate

    Sturdy :: board

    Printing :: press

    Itch :: scratch

    Creaks :: groans

    Paste :: glue

    Waste of time :: probably memes and/or video games

    Let down :: your hair

    Cancellation :: disappointment

    Suspect :: villain

    Fireplace :: poker

    Spring :: flowers

    Commute :: long drive

    Places :: to go

    Fraud :: the former guy

    Adoption :: option

    Election :: turn out

    Moving day :: lots of work

__________


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, June 11, 2022

Saturday 9: Let Me Love You Tonight


Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
 
1) Pure Prairie League was a country rock band signed by Casablanca Records in 1980. The label, known for disco hits, wanted to expand their client roster in case disco died. (Which it did, and Casablanca ultimately went bankrupt.) Disco can be a polarizing topic among music fans. Do you love it or loathe it?

A. I love disco. It's great to listening to when I'm cleaning the house.

2) In this song, lead singer Vince Gill encourages his girl to hold him tight. Who did you most recently hug?

A. My husband.
 
3) Vince Gill left The Pure Prairie League in 1982 and went on to be a solo success. Tell us about a job you were glad you left.

A. I worked for a Social Security Disability Attorney once. He had a partner. The partner went crazy while in the office and had a gun, which sent the other secretary and me scrambling behind our desks. He tried to shoot himself and when he realized his gun wasn't loaded, he tried to hang himself from the light fixture. The police came and took him away, and he never returned. Clients came in with guns and knives, too; many were totally strung out on drugs. It was a terrible place. I was constantly working overtime and after the aforesaid incident, the attorney became a Social Security Disability Judge in another state, and when he was in the process of firing me (or letting me go because he was leaving, however, one wants to look at it), I handed him a bill for all of the overtime I worked and dared him not to pay it. It was a substantial amount of time I'd put in, and a good bit of money, and he paid up. Otherwise, he wasn't going to give me severance. I was only there for about 18 months and had put most of that off to the side of my brain somewhere so I wouldn't think about it. This happened in 1988.

4) He says his favorite song is the country classic, "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Do you often listen to country?

A. I do not, although sometimes an older song I grew up on runs through my head and I ask Alexa to play it. The Witchita Lineman by Glenn Campbell is a good example of that.

5) Vince joined The Eagles on tour after the 2016 death of Glenn Frey, taking over Frey's guitar solos. Do you have a favorite Eagles song?

A. Best of My Love.
 

6) Vince met future wife, singer Amy Grant, when she performed on his Christmas TV special. Have you ever had a workplace romance?

A. No.
 
7) In 1980, when this song was popular, The Love Boat was a hit. Have you ever taken a cruise? If yes, where did you go?

A. I have never taken a cruise.
 
8) 1980 also gave us the Post-It Note. What did you most recently write on a Post-It?

A. An address.

9) Random question: You find yourself one of three strangers trapped in an elevator. Would you rather the other two people be a man and a woman, two men, or two women?

A. I'd rather not be trapped in an elevator, but I'd go with a man and a woman, if I must choose.

_______________
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.  

Friday, June 10, 2022

Birthday Tarot Reading: Tarot.com

SELF

Self

THE MAGICIAN

SITUATION

Situation

ACE OF WANDS

CHALLENGES

Challenges/​Opportunities

SEVEN OF WANDS

RECENT PAST

Recent Past

TEN OF SWORDS

HIGHER POWER

Higher Power

THE SUN

NEAR FUTURE

Near Future

QUEEN OF COINS

BLOCKERS & INHIBITIONS

Blockers & Inhibitions

FOUR OF WANDS

ALLIES

Allies

PAGE OF CUPS

ADVICE

Advice

THE TOWER

LONG-TERM POTENTIAL

Long-term Potential

TEN OF WANDS

The Magician
Self
The Magician
The Magician

You have a talent for creating something from nothing.

The Magus symbolizes imagination, creativity and an inventive nature. Your unique intelligence and talent for clever experimentation is a valuable asset. The Magus serves as a catalyst, an agent of change. His influence is a fresh breeze blowing through any situation.

So be playful, and stay open. Don't limit yourself, the possibilities are endless. Try things, see what happens and correct your course as you go. Tease open the minds of those who are watching to see what you will do.


Ace of Wands
Situation
Ace of Wands
Ace of Wands

You have an opportunity to help bring a group to a single, harmonizing focus.

The Ace of Wands in this position reminds us of certain unifying truths. One of these self-evident truths could be coming into focus around you at this time. Perhaps you are being called upon to witness or facilitate the gathering of the collective mind into a single focal point. Such situations are both awe inspiring and educational.

You have an excellent opportunity to rally the troops if you remain non-competitive. Apply yourself for the sake of the collective good and maintain the kinds of high standards that inspire people.


Seven of Wands
Challenges/​Opportunities
Seven of Wands
Seven of Wands

An opportunity to surpass past performances can be enjoyed; rivalry and vindictiveness are indefensible.

When the Seven of Wands is in this position, stay focused on surpassing your current record of performance in a clean, fun, energized way, avoiding the snares of stressful competitiveness. Resist falling back on negative comparisons, vindictive thoughts or actions that disable emotional energy.

Rivalry and petty one-upmanship is not your style -- no matter what people may expect of you. Don't lose your focus, which should be fixed on securing a "personal best."


Ten of Swords
Recent Past
Ten of Swords
Ten of Swords

You are moving forward from a devastating time, gaining distance from tragedy.

With the Ten of Swords in this position, you are just emerging from a very difficult time in which it was necessary to confront the end of a cycle or some kind of dead end. Things will never be the same. With this card, a sense of tragedy can hardly be escaped, but at least with it in this position, you are moving on.

Tragedy is in the past; its influence is waning. You are securing some distance from the defeated state that once prevailed. You are feeling better now. Be grateful. You are healing and things are going to be getting better.


The Sun
Higher Power
The Sun
The Sun

The exceptional circumstances that surround you are the natural result of pure motives and hard work.

Higher Power is blessing you with a shower of rewards. Relax and absorb them. Acknowledge that you deserve it. Let your self-image be enhanced by what the outer world and your spiritual guides are telling you. They are happy with your performance, the value you bring to the world and the optimism you stimulate in others. You are serving as a shining role model. Whatever you touch turns to gold. Even though such a state can't be maintained forever, the residual effect of these blessings will help you deal with the new temptations, challenges and twists of fate.


Queen of Coins
Near Future
Queen of Coins
Queen of Coins

Be prudent. Concentrate on what is most realistic and practical when it comes to your immediate prospects.

With the Queen of Coins in this position, you will soon have a chance to test your dream against reality. The effort and time you have invested in some enterprise or relationship is about to bear magnificent fruit.

We shall see how sensibly you behave when there are no external limits on where you spend your energy, talents and money. To maximize what is good about the Queen of Coins, you should focus on what is practical and sensible. Invest your energy and resources wisely. Otherwise her more exuberant side could take over and your gains will degenerate into one long, expensive party.


Four of Wands
Blockers & Inhibitions
Four of Wands
Four of Wands

Don't allow your independent streak to prevent useful teamwork from happening.

When the Four of Wands falls in this position, it indicates alienation from the very people with whom you could share creative work. No matter why you chose to isolate yourself or to hold your energy back, it is now clear that you will not be fulfilled until you emerge again.

Take action to find those like-minded souls you have been missing and renew your efforts to pursue your dreams.


Page of Cups
Allies
Page of Cups
Page of Cups

Don't overlook seemingly unimportant individuals; you may need their expertise.

The Page of Cups in this position serves as the eyes and ears in situations of power, and humbly gains the trust of decision-makers. With that in mind, never assume that a person's worth is based on rank.

This card holds the key to unlocking a mystery or solving a puzzle. It can inform you about certain developments, motives and patterns of behavior that will greatly advance your goals. The energy of this card can discover information you can't normally get. Be respectful of this service. You can benefit from what It knows.


The Tower
Advice
The Tower
The Tower

You are the one to serve as a catalyst for change.

With the Tower card, think of yourself as an agent of transformation. This self-sacrificing role is likely to create stressful situations. Your vision shows you that a radical change has already been unleashed by forces much larger than mere mortals, and therefore you are no longer resisting.

Now you may be at the forefront, acknowledging and accepting the bracing presence of the future bursting in on the present. Try to mediate the harsher parts of the changes as they unfold, so the most vulnerable are the most cushioned. Acknowledge yourself, as well as the others in your life, who are offering their resources to usher in a better future.


Ten of Wands
Long-term Potential
Ten of Wands
Ten of Wands

Closure will come as you complete your mission with confidence.

The Ten of Wands in this position reveals your potential to complete a long time mission that is very close to your heart. If you continue to stay your course, repeat your energetic efforts as much as needed, and build a solid body of accomplishments, you will succeed at fulfilling the goal you set long ago.

Closure is sure to come, freeing you for other endeavors. The process will have raised your self-esteem. You will possess the confidence of a person who can target an ambitious goal, work toward it systematically and achieve it in no uncertain terms. This experience will give you a strong foundation of trust in yourself, personal strength and reliability.