Thursday Thirteen

1. I've been having trouble managing my time this week. Time has not been on my side! Instead, it's playing rough house with me, and I feel like a pinball in a machine. Whiz! Bing!

2. This morning I was supposed to see my doctor, but she called me early (I was in the shower, shampoo all over my hair, and I almost didn't answer the phone, but I did) to reschedule to a telehealth appointment because her whole staff is out with Covid. She only gave me about 15 minutes to finish up and dress before the telehealth appointment, so I still had wet hair when I saw her over the phone. This was just a check-in that I have to do every three months for one of the drugs I take, so it was no big deal.

3. That gave me extra time and I was glad of that because I hadn't written a Thursday Thirteen yet and had no clue what I would write about. I still don't know, but I am writing anyway.

4. If I could turn back time, I would go way back to when I was about 20, and I would immediately start an exercise program. I hated exercising and still hate exercising, but I can see that it is an important component to good health.

5. Time after time I have attempted to lose weight, and I can manage a few pounds off, but I truly think that my hormones are so screwed up from all the drugs I was given when we were trying for a child that things in my body simply don't work like they should. 

6. I was reading an article earlier this week that said in a little while, the clocks will all need to be moved up a second because the spin of the earth has slowed. Does anybody really know what time it is anyway? Aren't we making it up as we go along? Why do we let those little hands on a clock dictate what we're supposed to be doing and when?

7. Most days I have too much time on my hands, and I find myself trying to fill the time with mundane chores, video games, or playing guitar. I need to be writing but apparently, I'm just not cut out to do that. Maybe being a news reporter is my best gig.

8. Yesterday, I worked on the bookkeeping to fill my time. The bookkeeping is not a favorite thing to do, but it must be done, and I'm trying to do better with it and keep it current. I'm not quite current yet, but I'm closer than I was.

9. The times they are a'changing from the looks of things. I see things going on that terrify me - and I wonder what people are thinking when I watch a youtube video and some guy says, "If Trump wants to be a dictator, that's fine by me, I think we need one of those." Do they understand what they are suggesting? Do they not realize how much loss of freedom that would entail? Do they not realize that if we give one man that much power, he could control everything and take all we own and call it his? How can they think that way?

10. If I could, I would put time in a bottle and then store it somewhere until someone smarter than me figures out how to fix things. Life feels pretty broken for a lot of people, but I think that too many people, me included, are seeing on the bottom of the glass and aren't realizing that they need a change in point of view. If you have enough - a roof over your head, food, a job, and a little left over to go to dinner once in a while, you're doing pretty good in a country that has systematically set out to ensure that the money rolls to the top of the food chain, leaving the rest of fighting it out for the dredges.

11. Time waits for no one, and neither do the vultures. We lost another calf to the vultures over the Easter weekend. We didn't get there in time. The vultures are mean and vicious and they swoop in and before you can take 20 steps, the little calf is gone. We can't do anything about them because they're a protected species. But you can bet I'd sure like to find some way to deter them from the farm. They don't seem to be afraid of anything.

12. There are all sorts of references to songs about time in this Thursday Thirteen. Not in every entry, but in most. How many titles can you find?

13. Now that I have Thursday Thirteen done, what shall I do with my time? It's about time I have the time of my life, isn't it?

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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 854th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Q & A

A couple of readers asked questions about my responses to the weekend memes Saturday 9 and Sunday Stealing, so I thought I'd address those.

One question I answered asked about money. I answered that I have "purchase rule" in my house.

Managing money, either personally or as a couple, is probably one of the harder things to do in the U.S. I'm not sure about other nations that are not so capitalistic. But here, the advertisements to buy and spend your money are fairly constant. My ad blocker that I installed in November tells me it has blocked 1.445 million ads since then - and that's just on my desktop. Who knows how many ads I've seen on TV, on my Kindle, etc. That's a lot of advertising in less than six months.

I feel like it's my job to hold on to my money, and everyone else's job apparently is to try to take it away from me.

Our "purchase rule" began early in our marriage. We decided within the first month that we would not make any purchases over $100 without discussing it with each other. Of course, now you can drop $100 on groceries so the figure has increased, but we still discuss major purchases. In the back of my mind, I still keep that $100 figure in the foreground.

The other rule is to wait a day, unless it's the last day of a sale. If you can wait a day, then you may decide it's not something you actually need or want. We live 30 minutes from a city, so the drive was often enough of a barrier to stop either one of unless we really wanted something.

I have always thought that young couples should go grocery shopping and watch each other's shopping habits before they live together or marry or whatever they're doing these days. If one person carefully checks prices while the other throws stuff in the cart willie-nillie and doesn't blink when he or she swipes the credit card, those two might need a discussion about financial management.

We track our expenses using Quicken, which I try to update fairly regularly. If it looks like we are spending too much on something, then I speak up. Generally, I am the most fiscally conservative, though my husband is fairly good about it. It depends on what it is. If it's something to do with the farm, he doesn't hesitate to spend the money. I wait until stuff blows up to replace it.

The other question had to do with my car. I said I might have purchased a different vehicle than the 2014 Camry we bought that year, if I'd had the chance. But our old Camry had a safety issue that wasn't worth the price of the car to fix, so we made the trade in a hurry.

The 2014 Camry is not a bad car, but I can't see well out of it. It has blind spots for me because I am short. The console had changed shape by the time we traded in the 2003 model, and it makes the car feel close and less spacious inside. I would have liked to have driven various other vehicles to see if I could have found something I could see out of better (fewer blind spots) and perhaps something that felt more open up front.

Also, we have had the same issue with doors in the 2014 Camry that we had in the 2003 Camry. The doors in the 2003 Camry started locking up and I couldn't get out of the car. Or in the car, sometimes. This became a real safety hazard because I would have been trapped in the car in the event of an accident, or stranded somewhere if I couldn't get the car doors opened. (That actually happened, and that was the day we traded the car.)

The 2014 Camry developed the same issue with the front doors last year, and we had it fixed. Obviously, Toyota has some issue with door locks.

So that is the answer to that question. I may have ended up with this car anyway, because I may not have found something I liked better for the price, but I do wish I'd been able to take the time to look around and see if some of these issues could have been addressed by another vehicle manufacturer.

Sunday Stealing

1. Do you believe in the unknown and Mystics?

A. I believe there are unknowns in the world. I am not sure what the question means by "Mystics."

2. How do you tell time? Do you use a watch or your phone and why?

A. I use a watch and a clock on the wall, because I always have. I sometimes ask Alexa. I very seldom use my phone for the time.

3. How do you stay cool in the summer?

A. With air conditioning from a heat pump.

4. Egg yolk or white?

A. Both.

5. What is your current on-repeat song?

A. I don't have one, but I woke up with Froggy Went A-Courtin' as an earworm this morning. Does that count?

6. What is your favorite sound in the world?

A. The E string on a guitar.

7. What's the must-have-items in your bag?

A. My asthma inhaler, credit cards, and a brush.

8. When you're dressing up, which one you put on first: pants or tops?

A. Tops.

9. What is the one thing you wish you could take back?

A. I am stuck with a 2014 Camry. It's not a bad car but I don't love it. We had to buy one in a hurry because the old one crapped out. The 2014 car only has 62K miles on it, so it's not going anywhere. I wish we could have taken our time and found a car I liked better.

10. What is your pet peeve?

A. At the moment, it's the lack of capital letters at the beginning of the sentences in this meme, which I am having to fix. Otherwise, I am awfully tired of really stupid people, because there seems to be a lot of them around these days.

11. Have you ever been ashamed after buying something frivolous? What?

A. I don't buy frivolous things. We have purchase rules in our house.

12. What dessert would you eat even if you were beyond full?

A. I don't know. The meringue off a pie, maybe.

13. Sweet or spicy?

A. Sweet.

14. Which website do you visit most often?

A. My google email.

15. Which countries/states have you visited and which one did you like the most?

A. I have been to Spain and France. The states I have visited include North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, a bunch of the states in between Virginia and California, including Kansas and Illinois, and Wyoming. I would love to go back to Paris, but I would also like to see the Grand Canyon again as an adult.

__________

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: Easter Sunday Sweethearts

Saturday 9: Two Easter Sunday Sweethearts (1954)

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

1) This song is about a couple dressed in their "Sunday Best." Will you be getting dressed up this weekend?

A. No.

2) The happy couple is walking up the street arm-in-arm. Have you recently seen a couple holding hands or walking arm-in-arm in public? Were you one of that romantic duo?

A. My husband and I usually hold hands when we are out.

3) This week's featured artist, Vera Lynn, was a beloved English singer who is affectionately remembered for her tireless work entertaining the troops during WWII. She famously sang "There'll Always Be an England" during outdoor concerts in Egypt, India, and Burma, even as battles raged nearby. What is your favorite patriotic song?

A. America the Beautiful.

 

4) Though she became a celebrity at 19, Vera continued to live with her parents until she married at age 21. How old were you when you left home for good? 

A. Twenty.

 

Now, here are some questions in honor of this weekend's holiday . . .

5) More than 1.5 million Cadbury Creme Eggs are produced every day. Do you enjoy Cadbury Eggs all year around, only at Easter, or not at all?

A. I eat a few around this time of year but that's it. I don't see them to purchase at other times (the Halloween ones are not good). I don't eat them like I used to because they don't taste as good as they once did. They're also smaller.

 

6) Pretzels are considered a delicious Easter snack in Germany. Do you more often crave salty treats or sweet ones?

A. Sweet ones, I'm afraid.

7) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?

A. I will say it's about the same amount.

8) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?

A. A hot shower and a good night's sleep.

9) This year, April Fool's Day happens to follow Easter Sunday. Do you expect to fall victim to any pranks?

A. No.

_______________

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

Thirteen books I've read this year. (I've read more than 13, but this is Thursday Thirteen.) I read a variety of things, from young adult to mystery to science fiction. I'm a little behind on my fantasy so far.

1. A Wolf Called Wander, by Rosanne Parry. A story told from the wolf's perspective as it flees its home and searches for another. It reminded me of Pax.

2. The Pecan Man, by Cassie Dandridge Selleck. A story about race, along the lines of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Very intriguing and timely story.

3. City of Girls, by Elizabeth Gilbert. A book set in the 1940s in New York, about the theater and women.

4. Murder at the Taffy Shop, by Maddie Day. A mystery. I must not have been overly impressed because I don't remember much about the book.

5. This is How You Lose the Time War, by Max Gladstone. This was a great SF novella about two time-travelers who work for opposing forces to keep their versions of the timeline in play so that they have the outcome they want.

6. The End of Her, by Shari LaPena. A couple has new children, their lives are sort of perfect, in walks a stranger. Perfect no more.

7. Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett. A family splits apart; some of the children have to live part time in Virginia and part-time in California. Covers decades. Patchett is one of those authors I am supposed to adore, like Barbara Kingsolver, and I keep reading her waiting for that to happen.

8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo. This was a sweet story about a little China toy and how it is lost and found again.

9. Educated, by Tara Westover. Probably one of my top reads so far this year. This memoir relays how a woman was homeschooled and how she overcame certain things to obtain her Ph.D.

10. The Girl in the Castle, by James Patterson & Emily Raymond. This book surprised me. It was about a young woman who seemingly time traveled in her mind while her body stayed put. It was actually about mental illness. Very well done. I wasn't expecting much out of it, but it has stuck with me.

11. Dirty Thirty, by Janet Evanovich. Will she or won't she? Stephanie Plum gets involved in one of the better plots in this series and has a cliffhanger at the end involving her relationships with Morelli and Ranger. No spoiler!

12. Talking to My Angels, by Melissa Etheridge. This is Melissa Etheridge's second book. The first half is a rehash, for the most part, about her childhood (and I don't care what she says in the book, she isn't over that like she thinks she is). The latter part is about her search for Spirit and briefly, the death of her son during Covid. This is one of the few times I've read a book by someone I thought I liked and/or admired and found that I didn't like her as much after I finished. I am not sure why that was.

13. The People We Keep, by Allison Larkin. This book is about a young girl who is tossed away by her family, and her efforts to live by her art (music) and maintain some sort of sanity. It was very well done, and I highly recommend it. It made me tear up at the end and I don't normally do that.

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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 853rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

The Hawk, the Squirrel, the Fox, and the Deer

I was on the phone when I glanced out the window and watched a hawk land on a tree across the way. Next thing I knew, the hawk was chasing a squirrel, its wings flapping, head bobbing as the bird tried to grab the furry little thing in its talons. The squirrel ran in circles around the tree, it's fluffy tail wagging behind it like a flag. It raced to the back of the tree, and I lost sight of it.

So did the hawk. With its prey gone, it flew off, and I turned my attention back to my conversation.

Then I looked out the window again and saw a fox trotting across the pasture, not far from where the hawk had just been defeated by the squirrel. A mother fox with kits, I guessed, since she was out in the middle of the day. She didn't look rabid or anything. She was just going about her business, doing fox things in a fox way. 

I had to tell the person on the phone what I was seeing, because I don't see foxes very often and this was rather exciting. Fortunately, my caller is a nature lover, too, and understood my enthusiasm. But not enough for me to hang up the phone and find a camera. The fox would have been long gone, anyway.

Not long after the fox went by, I saw a small herd of deer wandering up from the creek, heading into the same pasture the fox has just vacated.

The deer were in no hurry, and I watched them simply flop down beneath the oak trees, sunning themselves in the warmth of the day.

They were still there when I ended my call. I grabbed the camera. They weren't a fox or a hawk, but they remained, still resting and soaking in the sun, and the other animals had vanished.

This is what I love about my life. Where else could I have such a view, and see such things on a warm spring day?

Deer just hanging out in the sunshine.

Local Author Signing

On Saturday, March 23, I went to the Fincastle Library to hear a local author talk about her book, West of Santillane.

The book is about Julia Hancock Clark, who is from here, and in 1807 or thereabouts married William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark expeditions.

The author is about my age, and she teaches music at Greenfield. Her book uses the pen name of Brook Allen.

She talked about Santillane, which I wrote articles about when I worked for the paper, and about Julia Hancock and her relationship to William. She has fictionalized the story, and it sounds interesting. She did a lot of research to get the history correct, including going to St. Louis to the Lewis and Clark Museum there.

An old photo I took of Santillane, around 2006, maybe?

The meeting room at the library was packed, and I sat at the back where the door was cracked open. The local historical society sponsored the event, so there were a lot of those folks in attendance.

The room reeked of perfume and cologne, and at one point I thought I might have an asthma attack from it. Fortunately, about that time a nice breeze blew in and the fresh air saved me.

I'm looking forward to reading the book. I thought about writing fiction about Julia Clark once, but I was going to make her a vampire hunter!

People lined up before and after the lecture to get a signed copy of the book.

The executive director of the local historical society (right), introduced
the author (left) and gave a glowing account of her efforts.

 

Local Book Authors Sale

On March 16, my husband and I went to Salem to visit a sale of local book authors. I knew several of them and I like to support the local writers.

The event did not look to me to be well attended by the general public. Mostly I saw the authors standing around talking to one another. The event only ran for two hours, from 11 to 1, which I thought were strange hours anyway.

I didn't take a camera, but I did snap a few cellphone photos. (I still have an iPhone 5 (SE). Still works, I don't care if it's old.)

This is Dan Smith. He sold me a book called, "News,"
which is about a news reporter.

This is Bill, who teaches journalism at Radford, and a woman who 
writes true crime. You may have seen her on shows like 20/20 that
delve into these true crime things. I don't read true crime.

The author on the left, Jane Fenton, has a best-selling novel on Amazon called Repo Girl,
which I didn't buy there but I did purchase a copy for my Kindle. The woman on the
right had a book called, "42 Things to Do Before You Go," which is sort of
a bucket list of things to attempt before you off yourself. I bought that book.

Ken Conklin lives not far from me and wrote a book called "Norvel," which is about
a Black Olympic Medal winner from our county.

I didn't speak to this person, I don't know why. I just had the phone out
snapping pictures and this was one of them.

This is Ken Conklin and Amanda Cockrell. Amanda was one of my professors
at Hollins University when I was working on my masters degree. We have
been friends on Facebook a long time, too. She recognized me but I didn't
think she remembered much about me. That made me a little sad. But it has
been 10 years since I saw her, so that's ok.

 

Sunday Stealing

1. If you could witness any event from history, what would it be?

A. I would like see Queen Victoria take the throne.

2. What do you think about conspiracy theories?

A. Everyone is out to get me! How dare you ask such questions! Don't you know the government sees everything? I think they're silly and sad at the same time. This meme sums it up fairly well:

3. Do you like cartoons? Do you have /had a favorite one?

A. I used to like cartoons, but I haven't watched any in a long time. I liked Bugs Bunny when I was a youngster. What's up, Doc?

4. What did you most dislike in school?

A. I disliked the cliques that formed in the schools. Seems to be the way social groups evolve, though.

5. What sounds are in your opinion relaxing? The sound of the sea? Traffic? Vacuum cleaner? Combine harvester on the field? Some kind of music? Birds singing?

A. Music is more relaxing than most of those. Bird song can be relaxing sometimes, unless it's a murder of crows cawing. I sleep with white noise - the hum of an air purifier - because I hear the refrigerator and other appliances turning off and on if I don't. 

6. What was the last thing you read?

A. The last thing I read, besides these questions, was an article about the GOP budget proposal that would raise the retirement age to 69 and it would gut Medicare, too. It also makes it federal law that life begins at conception and does away with IVF. So, if you want to work until you drop dead and not be able to pay for your medical care while you're doing that, and you want your granddaughter with fertility issues to never have a baby, vote Republican.

7. What is one thing that has stumped you so hard you won't ever forget it?

A. How Hillary Clinton lost the election in 2016.

8. What are you interested in that most people aren’t?

A. Local government. The real local government, not the craziness that some people are trying to pass off as the local government.

9. What’s something you really resent paying for?

A. Electricity. I don't mind paying something for it, but it has bloomed in price in the last 10 years and nothing I do seems to bring the usage down. I think it should not be shareholder owned, as that runs up the prices. They worry more about paying their shareholders than keeping the trees cut back so you don't have outages. 

10. If you could choose a different time period and place to be born, when and where would it be?

A. I am happy with where I am now, although if I get to come back in the future, that's ok, too.

11. What's one question you would ask Superman?

A. If he has to use deodorant. I don't know if Kreptonians sweat while they're on Earth.

12. What's your favorite smell? What's your least favorite smell?

A. My favorite smell is my husband's chest after he has had a shower. My least favorite smell is a skunk.

13. How do you feel about cars becoming fully autonomous and having no steering wheel, breaks, or accelerators?

A. I don't think I will be driving one. I do not like the idea of something without a human mind behind it driving me around.

14. What are your favorite books and authors?

A. I read all sorts of things, so I don't really have favorites. Looking back over my "books I have read" list, which I started in 2006, I see a lot of Janet Evanovich, Debbie Macomber, Sue Grafton, Stuart Woods, David Sedaris, Neil Gaiman, Nora Roberts, David Baldacci, Louise Penny, Fanny Flagg, Naomi Novik, Kate DiCamillo, Juliet Marillier, Richard Paul Evans, Lois McMaster Bujold, Tamora Pierce, etc. Tolkien's books are the only ones I reread, although I have put Heather Cox Richardson's book back in my "to read" pile to reread because I think it deserves a second look.

15. Have you had a reading or palm reading done?

A. Yes. But it was a long time ago.

__________

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.

AITA?

Generally, I do not post much on Facebook. I don't interact with many people even though I have hundreds of friends. I "like" things sometimes, and sometimes I put up a photo (usually one that also ends up on my blog), but I seldom comment.

This morning, an author I follow asked a question that went something like this: If you don't buy my book, would you mind telling me why?

A few people had answered, most having to do with money.

This author writes self-help books about a particularly traumatizing topic. I have never bought her book, but I have read articles she's written. I have followed her page for a long time (years), and never commented.

I thought about her question and decided to give an honest answer, and I admit this was hard for me to write, but it was the truth. "I haven't bought your book because I don't want to relive the things I have gone through."

The rest of this is paraphrased; you'll see why at the end.

A little later, I saw that she had responded thusly: "That's a false assessment."

This irritated me and I felt it was, well, cruel and certainly not empathetic. Who is she to tell me what may or may not trigger me when I'm dealing with something traumatic? I noted that one person had given my comment the little "cares" thing on Facebook and on the author's response, someone had put the little "wow" emoji.

I wrote back. "That's a really crappy answer to give to someone who is trying to be helpful to you. And don't bother blocking me because I'm unfollowing you."

I immediately unfollowed her, but because she responded back with my name, it popped up as something I could see if I clicked on the notice. I didn't realize that would happen. I don't have confrontations like this enough to know.

Anyway, I clicked to see what she'd written.

She wrote back: "A little touchy, aren't we? My book would teach you something. It's still a false assessment."

I wrote back: "You shouldn't ask questions if you don't want to know the answer."

She wrote back: "You sound just like the mean people I write about."

I wrote back: "Oh wow, good job! Insult and name calling all at the same time. Nice of you to let your readers see what you're really like. I'm done here. Peace to you."

And then I blocked her, so I wouldn't see if she responded anymore, and later I went back into my archives and deleted everything I'd commented, because I couldn't go to her page since I'd blocked her.

Which is why I had to paraphrase this entire conversation, because I blocked her and then deleted my comments.

Was I in the wrong here, to take offense at her lack of sensitivity, when she's a self-help author writing about a sensitive topic?

Saturday 9: Got the Money

Saturday 9: If You've Got the Money (1950)

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

1) In this week's song, Lefty Frizzell is eager to go out on the town and hit all the night spots. What are your plans for the weekend?

A. I may go listen to an author talk at the library, but it depends on the weather. We have lots of rain and wind in the forecast. Also, if Virginia Tech wins in the women's basketball game today, then I will watch their next game.

2) He tells his girl he'd rather ride in her Cadillac than his old car. Back in the 1950s, Caddys were quite the status symbol. Lefty bought a white one with the profits from this record. Elvis also had a fondness for Cadillacs and preferred pink. Have you ever owned a Cadillac?

A. I have never owned a Cadillac. My father has, though.

3) Lefty was a big deal in Big Spring, TX. He was a popular attraction at local bars, a favorite among oil workers who liked to unwind by listening to live music. How do you relax after a tough day?

A. I take a hot shower and read a book.

4) This was Lefty's first hit. He wrote "If You've Got the Money" and recorded a demo for producer Jim Beck to play for established singers. When no one else wanted to record it, Beck decided to give Lefty a shot. The result was a million seller that spent 22 weeks on the country charts. Tell us about someone who took a chance on you.

A. In 1984, the owner of the local weekly hired a new editor. I popped in and asked if I could write stories for him. In October 1984, my very first article, "Making Shiloh Apple Butter," appeared in the paper, and I've been writing stuff since. If the new editor hadn't agreed to let me write, I wonder what would have happened to me? 

5) After this record became a hit, success came quickly to Lefty, perhaps too fast. He signed conflicting contracts with promoters and managers which resulted in lawsuits. Have you recently consulted a lawyer or had a document notarized?

A. Not recently, no.

6) This song hit number one on the country charts twice: first this version and then in 1976 by Willie Nelson. Do you have a favorite Willie Nelson song?

A. Not really. He wrote "Crazy" which is a good song.

7) In 1950, when this song was popular, Americans began using credit cards. Do you pay with a credit card to get rewards? If yes, what rewards are you accumulating (cash back, airline miles, etc.)? 

A. I accumulate cash back. I usually let it build up and then use it over the holidays.

8) Also in 1950, Sears Roebuck and Co. acknowledged a major spike in catalog sales and took the unusual move of devoting the cover of their Spring/Summer catalog to their "satisfaction guarantee." This was meant to allay the fear of customers uncomfortable with ordering by mail instead of buying in person. 74 years later, Amazon delivers more than 3 million packages every day. Would you rather check out a product yourself in a store, or do you prefer the convenience of ordering from home?

A. It depends on the product. I would rather see furniture in person, for example. I'd also rather try on clothes before I buy them. Things like books or pots and pans and such I don't mind ordering online.

9) Random question -- You're singing along with the car radio to your favorite song when you reach your destination. Do you wait until your song is over to get out of the car?

A. I generally wait until the song finishes. I do the same thing with an audiobook. I used to sit in the garage until the end of the chapter, back when I was using CDs to listen to audiobooks instead of my cellphone.

_______________

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. 

A Tribute to an Uncle

Last week we visited the Salem Museum. As we walked along the brick-lined entrance, we started reading names on the bricks.

Imagine our surprise when we found my husband's uncle's name on one of the bricks!

Uncle Dale was a long-time coach at Salem High School. Dale Foster is known for his long-standing role at Salem High School in Salem, Virginia. He served as the athletic director before moving to an assistant principal position at Andrew Lewis Middle School.

We don't know who put the brick in, whether it was family or students who remember Uncle Dale. But it was cool to find, anyway.

Thursday Thirteen

I have been watching the eagles nest at Big Bear Valley for a while now. The two eagles there, named Jackie (female) and Shadow (male), had a clutch of three eggs, which I understand is somewhat rare. They usually only have two eggs per year. These two eagles usually lay eggs from January to March. The pair has successfully raised a couple of offspring, but their eggs do not always hatch.

That is the case this year. The three eggs are now far past the point of viability. The eagles continue to sit on the eggs. I find this sad, but instinct will eventually move them on. Maybe next year. The camera is on the nest 24/7, 365 days a year. It goes down a while in the summer when the nest is not used when the camera crew cleans the lens and makes repairs but otherwise is on all the time. It's a nice view even when the eagles aren't there.

Anyway, here are some facts about this fascinating bird.

1. Grip Strength: An eagle’s grip is up to 10 times stronger than that of a human.

2. Diversity: There are over 60 species of eagles, mostly found in Asia and Africa.

3. Nesting Heights: Some eagles, like the Golden Eagle, build their nests atop high cliffs.

4. Symbolism: Eagles are symbols of freedom and peace, often depicted on state flags. The bald eagle is one of the national symbols of the United States and The Philippine eagle is the national bird of the Philippines and is an endangered species.

5. Eagle Eyesight: An eagle’s eyesight is up to 8 times stronger than a human’s.

6. Bald Eagles: The term “bald” in Bald Eagle comes from an old English word meaning "white-headed."

7. Hooked Beak: Their beaks are perfectly designed for hunting and tearing through flesh.

8. Lifespan: Eagles can live 20-30 years in the wild, and even longer in captivity.

9. Eagle Beaks: With age, an eagle’s beak can warp and bend, making it hard to feed.

10. Conservation: January 10th is recognized as Save the Eagles Day.

11. Fish-eagles are often found in coastal areas and are known for their fishing prowess.

12. Buzzard-eagles are smaller and often mistaken for hawks.

13. Large eagles can lift prey weighing up to around 5 lbs. I've seen the eagles in Big Bear bring in sticks that looked to weigh at least that much.

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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 852nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Fire on the Mountain

 

We have a forest fire directly across from us, in Stone Coal Gap and/or Broad Run. We saw it when we got up this morning, and I called my father first, since he lives over that way. He was unaware of the fire. 

Later I learned there was about 30 acres burning, and it was crawling up the ridge. This picture was taken around 10 a.m. this morning.

The Forest Service has been sending in helicopters and planes to drop water. I've never seen that done so have been trying to catch it happening. I've seen the helicopters but not the water drop.

We are under a severe burn watch because of low dew points and windy conditions. There are several other fires around us in other communities.

Where Are the Eagles?

In The Lord of the Rings, one of the biggest plot contrivances that some folks get confused about is the introduction of the Eagles.

We'll use the movies as examples here, because I don't have the books right in front of me. But in the movie, first we see an Eagle when Gandalf, trapped high in the sky in Saruman's white tower, sends a moth to call for one. A lone Eagle soars by and Gandalf takes a leap from a great height and lands on the Eagle's back to fly safely away from his captor.

The Eagles do not appear again until the end, when in the third film, as the Men of the West are fighting off orcs and Sauron seems to be winning, Pippin stops amidst the fighting and cries, "The Eagles! The Eagles are coming!"

And the Eagles come and fight off the dark riders, and later, when Frodo (well, actually Gollum) has destroyed the One Ring and ended Sauron for good, the Eagles carry Gandalf to the top of Mt. Doom to rescue Frodo and Sam from the volcanic mountain.

The big question many folks ask is, why didn't the Eagles carry Frodo to Mt. Doom in the first place, instead of having him wander all over Middle Earth to try to take the One Ring to Mt. Doom?

It's a good question, and it is a bit of a plot hole. There are many answers, but answer I like best is that the Eagles are another race, sentient beings like humans, and have agency. They therefore cannot be subjugated into doing the will of others. Although it does seem like performing a task that would stop evil would be a good thing.

Many of the non-human characters in The Lord of the Rings have agency: the Ents, who are tree shepherds, orcs, who are used and abused, goblins, who are wild things, for the most part, and wizards, who look like men but are not men. And we must not forget the elves, who also look human but are not, or the dwarves, who look human too, only shorter, as well as the hobbits, who look like humans but are shorter still.

In many interviews I've read about Tolkien, who wrote The Lord of the Rings books, he claims that the books are not about war. However, the author served in World War I and his sons in World War II.

I think The Lord of the Rings is about war.

Lately, I've been watching the eagles in California as they attempt to hatch a trio of eggs. The time for viability for the eggs has long passed, but the eagles continue to try to hatch eggs that aren't going to hatch. It has been an interesting couple of months watching these birds as they built their nest and laid the eggs. Now it's sad to look in on them, sitting diligently on eggs that, at least according to scientists, are simply rotting and not hatching. It reminds me of all the time I spent trying to have a child even though it was a fruitless exercise.

I have had eagles on my mind.

However, another question keeps running through my mind, and getting all confused with The Lord of the Rings, the eagles on the nest, and this country. The question is this: where are the Eagles? Not the eagles on the nest. Not the Eagles of Tolkien's world, not exactly.

I think Tolkien was using the Eagles as a metaphor for the U.S., who was late entering both World Wars. We entered World War I three years after it started, and World War II began in 1939 and we didn't enter it until the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. How many lives were lost, how much devastation was rendered, because the United States didn't step up when we should have?

The Eagles were late and came in near the end. They were, however, crucial to winning the wars, World War I, World War II - and the war in The Lord of the Rings.

So that question keeps crossing my mind these days: where are the Eagles? Not the Eagles of The Lord of the Rings, but the Eagles who are true patriots, the ones who will see through the conspiracy theories and the crackpot craziness and stand up and set the United States back upon a better path. Because technically, the US is now at war with itself. We are close to taking that old Constitution and ripping it to shreds, no matter who wins, although one side is more distasteful to me than the other.

Right now, I see no Eagles, not on the right, and not on the left. I caught a glimpse of a lone Eagle in Liz Cheney, which is something I never thought I 'd ever say, but if we have an Eagle guiding us, at the moment that's who it is (and I'm not sure of that). If she is like the lone Eagle swooping in to save Gandalf, where and when will the other Eagles come from? Who will rise up to make this nation over and bring back our better angels? It won't be the Republicans, who are bent on turning back the clock, taking away rights, and creating an American version of Hungary. 

The Democrats are no angels. I'm not sure they are Eagles, either, having turned away from the philosophies of Franklin Roosevelt as they have in the last 40 or so years. Roosevelt had his flaws, as all men do, but he did seem to have the welfare of this nation, and of the world, on his heart when he made decisions. (Truman decided to drop the atomic bombs on Japan, not Roosevelt. We don't know what Roosevelt would have done with those bombs, although he didn't stop their construction.)

We aren't in a novel at the moment. This is real life. But we have lots of fighting going on all over the world, and we have lots of in-fighting going on in this nation. We have climate change creating monumental catastrophes. However, we have no wise wizards at our sides, no guidance that comes from anything beyond the beaks of those who crave great power, even if that power is only to be the loudest mouth in a thread on a Facebook page. Given the wealthy crows who own the social media companies, what else should we expect?

So, I ask again, where are the Eagles? Where are those who would stand up against the powerful, and be the beacons that we need to lead us to a stronger, brighter, fairer and better world?