This Day

I vividly remember the news bulletin coming over television, saying that Dr. King had been shot.  I was sitting in the den floor playing solitaire.

And then there was Bobby Kennedy, keeping one major city calm:

Who knew we were two months away from another murder.

It's Photo Day!

While I do, indeed, have boards on Pinterest, I don't visit there regularly.  I do, however, regularly find pictures that I like.  Since meaningful content escapes me today, I thought I'd show you some.



Baby rhinoceri are among my favorite baby animals.  Very near, if not at, the top of a list like that.

Tapirs were one of Briton's favorite animals growing up.  This is a practically-newborn being meaningful and squeefully cute at the same time.

I love, worship and adore Barry Gibb anyway --- but the fact that he is left-handed sends him right over the top.

First saw this picture yesterday, and still can't come up with words equal to my delight in it.

Can't come up with words for this one, either.  But for an entirely different reason.

Doctor's Orders

Lorette, The Knitting Doctor, told me to give my confounded shrug one more go, then ditch it and move on.  That's just what I'm doing, and, so far, so good.

Very cold here today, but no ice or snow.  Grave disappointment.

Since it was such a freezing, grey day, and since I'm still trying to stay out of harm's way in the house, I've spent all day in my room, knitting, reading, watching movies.  I think the last time the Alphabetical Authors project was brought up, I was on "Q" --- Daniel Quinn's My Ishmael.  "R" was Lisa Rogak's Dogs of Courage.  "S" was Cain, by my beloved Jose Saramago.  It's a slim book, yes, but I read it in one sitting.  Saramago's stories and his words transport me.  This time, it was no different.

Right now, I'm reading Boots On the Ground By Dusk, by Mary Tillman.  Her son, Pat, a former NFL player, joined the Army Rangers after 9/11 and was killed by friendly fire.  Only it took the family months to be told that, and they were given several versions at that.  I'm not sure they have the Truth to this day.  It's a sad, infuriating, yet interesting read.  I very well remember Tillman's NFL days, and all the turmoil that surrounded his death.

It being Inauguration Week and all, thought I'd join in the patriotism and stuff.  I've been to Washington, and would love to go back.  Took a tour of the White House, but, nice as ours was, it could never match up to this:

The Date

Yes, yesterday was Thanksgiving.  We were invited to dinner with dear friends, and had excellent food and unsurpassed company.

At one point, someone mentioned the date.  November 22nd.  And we launched into a discussion about how ours (the hosts' and mine) is the last generation that will have that twist-in-the-gut feeling whenever we see or hear that date.  It has always been a date that made me stop and remember the messages I got about that day growing up, and wondering (once I was old enough) what the world might be if that had simply passed as another day.

Every year that I taught, if the 22nd were a class day, I would ask my students if they knew why it was an important date.  The more years I taught, the fewer hands would go up, and the more quizzical the looks I got.  It would make me sad --- how could they not know?  But do I know, was I told about things that happened 25 - 30 years before I was born?  Not necessarily.  Still, I grew up in a very Kennedy-centric home, and that date. . .  That date. . .

Make A Wish

In Washington state, there is a 13-year-old boy who wants to be a policeman.  Only trouble is, he's blind.  So his local police force let him be an officer for a day (though I suspect the relationship will last a wee bit longer.)

Got a little change jangling around somewhere? Here you go.

Elect!

Edited to add: The results of these contests have been removed on purpose.  In case anyone wasn't keeping up with these races today, the Finalists will be a surprise on Monday!  Have a great weekend!

Alright, folks.  Gut check time.  Down to the last four contestants in both Knitters' Chick and Knitters' Hunk.  Today's winners will vie for the titles come Monday.  And, the winners of the nominators' prizes will be announced!  Vote your heart and your knitterly intuition. . .

Pair Ninety-One

Pair Ninety-Two

Pair Ninety-Three

Pair Ninety-Four

Forward!

I hope everyone had a relaxing Labor Day.  We had some afternoon thunderstorms which made the animals pretty scarce, but it was an okay day.

Not a whole lot of voters yesterday, but those who did turn out moved Samantha Bee, Paul Rudd, Alan Rickman and Hugh Jackman ahead.  Let's see who'll join them, shall we?

Pair Fifty-Eight

Pair Fifty-Nine

Pair Sixty

Pair Sixty-One

Hang In!

Closing in on closing out the first round!  Winners from yesterday:  TV's Craig Ferguson, Rashida Jones, Jon Stewart and Emma Watson.  (In the spirit of transparency, 2 of those 4 were my nominees.)

Contestants for today

Pair Thirty-Nine

Pair Forty

Press On!

More winners: Tom Hardy (by a single vote which came in the last few minutes the polls were open), Gillian Anderson, Scarlett Johanssen and Christina Hendricks.

More decisions:

Pair Thirty

Pair Thirty-One

Pair Thirty-Two

Pair Thirty-Three

We'll finish the First Round by the middle of next week, then head right into Round Number Two!

Move Along!

Yesterday's Winners: Sean Bean, Samantha Bee (by one vote), and the Fillionettes turned out to move Nathan on to Round Two!

Today's Contestants:

Pair Twenty-Two

Pair Twenty-Three

Pair Twenty-Four

Pair Twenty-Five