... Every once in a while, I like watching a television programme called Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition. It's the only "reality show" I watch. Unlike other reality shows that seem determined to highlight what is the worst and most shallow in this country, Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition is a programme that I think celebrates the best of America. It brings together hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers in what would be termed the "gotong royong" spirit in Malaysia, working together to build beautiful new homes for people in need. If you haven't watched it and get a chance to, you should, because it shows America at its most helpful, most supportive, most heart-warming.
Every time I watch it, this programme makes the sappy part of me cry some happy tears because there is so much love and positive spirit in it. I wish more people could see this side of America, instead of the hate that seems to fill so much of your exchanges in person, online and in the print & electronic media. There is such hate and anger in the country these days, and I think it's threatening to take over everything else, presenting the ugly side of this country to the rest of the world. I find that sad, because I'd much rather see see the positive, innovative, loving, great side of this country. The side that used to make people dream of coming here because it seemed like paradise to them. You used to celebrate freedom and independence. Now ...
I realize you've been through a lot in the last nine years. First, the horror of 9/11. Then the economic depression and loss of jobs and homes. I understand the fear. I know it's driving a lot of the anger and hate. But are you really going to allow fear and despair get the better of you? Perhaps it's wrong of me, but I expected better from the country that is supposed to be the "leader of the free world". That seems to be just a tag line now, not a motto that you live by. How can you be driven by noble aspirations like freedom and love when you show fear and hate? How can you inspire others when you show the world intolerance?
How can you call yourself the United States of America when you seem so divided by beliefs and politics? Where is the unity? It's bad enough that a number of you hate or fear all Muslims because of acts committed by a small, extremist group of them. I think it's even worse that you seem to hate your fellow Americans. Political ads by the people you elect to lead you are hateful and unbelievably negative, but you seem to lap them up. Supposedly, you approve of these nasty ads and allow the negativity to guide your vote - polls show you are more swayed by negative than positive ads. I find that shocking.
Bullying in this country is at an all-time high, leading to an increasing number of suicides by young people, and you seem surprised by that. But why would you be when I see bullying all around me, in the things adult Americans say and write. You are leading by example, bullying and hurting people who don't agree with your views or politics. There is such venom in the things some Americans say and write. Is it any wonder children and teenagers are doing the same thing, saying hurtful things to each other via text messages and online? They are learning from from the adults.
The sad thing is that most Americans aren't like that, but as with everything else, it is the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, and the worst of you are getting the most attention, even though they are the minority. The America that others see is not an America to be proud of, and I think that is sad. The anti-Muslim sentiment in this country, even if it isn't widespread, is getting a lot of attention and is making those of us who have grown up in Muslim countries and have Muslim friends, even if we aren't Muslim ourselves, wonder about this country and where it really stands on important issues like tolerance and freedom of religion. The rudeness and intolerance exhibited by some Americans, including some of your politicians, makes some of us wonder if you really do deserve to be in a leadership position internationally. If you believe that Christianity is the only true religion, then shouldn't you as a nation behave in a way that inspires others and attracts them to your way of life and your religion rather than repelling then because of your hatred?
You elected a president based on the premise of change and then, in typical human behaviour, fought that change every step of the way. Or, you expected him to deliver everything you wanted on day one and then became disillusioned when change wasn't instantaneous. I wonder sometimes if you realize just how big your country is, how long it takes for change to actually be implemented and how many demands are made on a government that you expect to fix everything but you then insist is too big.
The most watched news channel on television is the least balanced and fair, despite what their tag line might proclaim, and seems to be filled with opinionated people determined to incite an uprising with calls to "take back America" while idealizing the way things used to be even though they weren't really ideal in the past. The top-selling newspaper in the country has as a weekly columnist the man who helped take America to war in 2002 for reasons that anyone not driven by fear and blind emotion knew was wrong. Are these the most watched station and most read newspaper for the same reason negative political ads hold more sway? Do the majority of people really thrive more on the negative than the positive? That doesn't sound like the land of hope to me.
Thankfully there are also rational, intelligent, fair people with a voice to try to bring reasonable, balanced, calm debate to the table. They are not noisemakers or alarmists, so they are not heard by as many of the masses, but they are heard by enough and that gives me hope. Hope that you aren't so angry you lose sight of what a blessed country this is and how much you have going for you here, despite some setbacks. Hope that you will take a deep breath, especially at this time of year when the autumn colours are so beautiful and the air so crisp and fresh it makes you happy to be alive, and remember what America is supposed to stand for ... not hate, anger and raised voices but freedom, human rights and the courage to change, to move towards a brighter future instead of clinging to an idealistic past. Hope that the friendships all around this nation between people of different races, religions and political ideologies will triumph over fear, hate and ignorance.
Instead of "taking back America", what you should aspire to do is rebuild America as Extreme Makeover: The Home Edition rebuilds homes. Use your innovativeness, talent and creativity to build bridges between people and communities, focusing on what you have in common instead of what pulls you apart. Where you have differences, find common ground (like pride in your country) to bring you together. Be the America the rest of the world can look up to as the best there is, instead of one that makes people view you as prejudiced and narrow-minded. You are better than the pettiness and hate that fills the air. Be compassionate and filled with the desire to uplift others. Be Extreme Makeover: The National Edition. Be inspirational, and remind the rest of the world why it wanted to be like you.
Be the America that drew so many to your shores, filled with hopes and dreams. Be the land brave enough to allow true freedom of speech - the kind of freedom that lets you say what you want if you so desire but gives you pause so that you say things that will build up instead of tear down your fellow Americans, or makes you choose not to speak when it hurts or denigrates, because that is also a form of freedom.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
10/10/10
Such a cool date. I entered my friend Jackie for a competition today, so the non-rational part of me hopes that submitting the entry on this date brings her luck. It's a gift-wrapping competition, one that she really should win because she does such an amazing job of wrapping presents. Jackie didn't have any photos of gifts she had wrapped in the past, and since Bruce's birthday is coming up, I volunteered his presents. Jackie gift-wrapped them, Bruce took photos of the finished products and I wrote a 100-word essay on why I am nominating Jackie. If she's selected as a finalist, she gets to fly to New York in early December for the finals (the competition organizers pay for the airfare and hotel). I hope she wins!
The weather apparently doesn't think it is Autumn yet, because although it's cool early in the morning and late at night (about 10 Celsius), temperatures are still going up into the mid-eighties (about 29 Celsius) during the day. In October!
I am now allowed to work from home two days a week! As of the coming work week, I'll be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. That means less noise and distraction at work during the day (the people in the cubicles near mine can be really noisy sometimes) and less days on the road ... And psychologically, even though not mathematically, it makes the weekend seem longer and the week less stressful. The dogs will certainly be happy to once again be alone only three days a week.
The weather apparently doesn't think it is Autumn yet, because although it's cool early in the morning and late at night (about 10 Celsius), temperatures are still going up into the mid-eighties (about 29 Celsius) during the day. In October!
I am now allowed to work from home two days a week! As of the coming work week, I'll be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. That means less noise and distraction at work during the day (the people in the cubicles near mine can be really noisy sometimes) and less days on the road ... And psychologically, even though not mathematically, it makes the weekend seem longer and the week less stressful. The dogs will certainly be happy to once again be alone only three days a week.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Camping, take two
Some years ago (too many, in Bruce's opinion), Bruce, Buster and I went camping. It was the Labour Day weekend (Labour Day is always the first Monday in September here) and we went to the north Georgia mountains. It was hot, the tent was tiny & therefore claustrophobic and Buster woke me up several times with his heavy panting and restlessness. It wasn't exactly the best introduction to camping, so I told Bruce I'd do it again only if we got a bigger tent. We bought one a couple of years ago that I really like because it's big, tall, wide and spacious enough for the two of us and the dogs (including their two beds). It supposedly can sleep 7-8 people but that would bring the claustrophobia right back as far as I'm concerned, so I'm quite happy to think of the 7-8 people description as being for 7-8 toddlers or two adults and two dogs.
We hadn't actually gotten around to using it, but when Bruce and his sons went camping on the Blue Ridge Parkway in August, it reminded Bruce why he loved camping so much. He came back determined to take me camping somewhere, and once again the Labour Day weekend became our destined camping time (because the next long weekend we get is for Thanksgiving at the end of November, and that might not be the best time to reintroduce me to camping). As with the previous attempt, it was a little too hot to be really enjoyable, plus the insects buzzing around us at the campsite were irritating, to say the least. However, the larger tent did make the experience far more enjoyable and I'm going to be more apt to say yes if the subject of camping comes up again in the future. Just not when it's hot (which makes things a little difficult for the time being, since I can only go on vacation if my department's intern can cover for me, and that is only when she's on vacation from college). Perhaps we'll go camping in Florida for Thanksgiving ...
Back to the camping adventure. We went to South Carolina, to a campsite called Tuck in the Woods (I think that's how it was spelled, or perhaps Tuc, and you'll have to call Bruce if you want to know how to pronounce that properly, i.e. in true South Carolina fashion. I apparently failed miserably in my attempt at that accent.) The campsite was about six hours from our house and both Bruce & I had to work the Friday before the weekend, so the decision was made to leave Friday evening, after Bruce got home from work. I, happily, get to work from home on Fridays, so I woke up early, started work at about 4:00 a.m. that day and was finished by 2:00 p.m., giving me plenty of time to get some packing and loading of the car done while Bruce was at his office.
We left at about 5:30 p.m. on September 3rd, stopping briefly so Bruce could buy a couple of CDs he'd been wanting and to get some dinner. Then the journey proper began. As usual, that bratty husband of mine begins the trip by insisting on doing the driving, and then gets tired when there are about two hours left in the trip and deigns to let me take over the driving at that time (this is usually when I'd be sound asleep if we were at home). Luckily for him, I get wide awake when I'm driving at night, because there is so much to look out for that I'm very alert.) The journey takes about six hours in large part because the last leg of it goes through many small towns, which are quite picturesque in the daytime but rather boring to drive through at night, when you can't see much and have to keep slowing down to 35 mph and then 25 mph before being allowed to speed up to as much as 55 mph at times (says the person who'd much rather be going at 110 km per hour because that sound so much faster).
Anyway ... we finally got to the campsite at about midnight, at which time we had the fun of putting up the tent in semi-darkness, surrounded by biting insects that weren't intimidated by insect repellent. Bruce, the camping expert, had us practising putting up the tent the weekend before we left for the trip, so that we'd know how it's supposed to be assembled. That was an excellent idea, because it meant we familiarised ourselves with the different rods and what went where, making it much easier to put the tent in the dark when we were tired. It wasn't really that dark, because Bruce had bought several battery-powered lamps (which unfortunately brought out the insects in full force but did give us enough light to function by). I let the dogs wander around a little when we first arrived at the campsite, but then made them sit in the car while the tent was being put up, so that we wouldn't have to worry about them disappearing in unfamiliar territory. They were very well-behaved, considering there was much to explore and smell. It took about an hour to get everything, including ourselves, ready for bed, and another half-an-hour to get the dogs settled. They both decided our sleeping bags looked more interesting than their beds. Unfortunately, all the work to get things ready made us get rather hot, and the humid weather didn't help, so that first night wasn't very comfortable. It took Beau a long time to stop panting, and we're seriously thinking about getting a portable fan for future trips if we're crazy enough to go camping in the summer again.
Happily, we managed to keep the bulk of the insects out of the tent. We left the windows and the door unzipped to try and catch any night breeze that might decide to visit, so Belle had a fine time looking outside from her bed (there was a porch-like section of the tent that was just netting, beyond the sleeping area, so that gave us some extra space while keeping the front opening securely zipped in order to keep the dogs in the tent with us. Not that they ever tried to escape - they were thrilled to have us sleeping on the ground with them! And thankfully, the second night was a little cooler, which made it more comfortable. Belle and Beau actually slept in their own beds all night. In the early hours of the second morning, it actually got cold enough for Bruce and me to want to be in, rather than on, our sleeping bags.
On Saturday, our first full day there, we drove into Charleston, which was about two hours away. (I'm unable to pronounce that in the proper Southern way, either.) On the way to Charleston, we saw a sign for a nature trail, so we stopped there for a while. There was only one other car there (we later found out it belonged to fishermen), so we felt comfortable about letting Belle and Beau run around without their leashes. They were thrilled! That really is such a joy for them, being able to race around freely. They had a marvelous time. We didn't see all that much in terms of wildlife, but it was still a fun stop. Then we got back on the road to Charleston. We stopped at the visitor's center to get some information, and the very helpful man on duty there told us where to go to park (always useful information to have when you're new to a city). Since it was almost lunch-time, we left the dogs in the car at the parking deck and went to get some food. There was a cafe-type restaurant across the road from the parking deck that I'm glad we went to, because the food was scrumptious. We both ordered seafood, because that's what you do when you're in Charleston, home to some of the best seafood around. I had crabcake and Bruce had a shrimp salad sandwich, which was so good that I actually preferred it over my crabcake (which is nothing like real cake, in case you are wondering).
After lunch, we went on a carriage ride around Charleston WITH THE DOGS. That is in bold, in capital letters, because that's what the ride was like! First of all, we had to get the dogs used to the idea of being near horses, because they tend to bark at them (I'm quite sure Beau thinks horses are really big dogs). Then we had to get the dogs on the carriage, which was a big adventure in itself. The carriage seats 16 people, four per row. Or, in our case, two adults and two dogs. People climb onto the carriage using a stepladder. Dogs don't climb stepladders. They are fine walking or even running up regular stairs, but a ladder? I know they think we humans are crazy. I climbed into the carriage first, then Beau got very excited and tried to follow me, but couldn't figure out how to do it. After several attempts, I got back down on the ground, Bruce got into the carriage, and then somehow we managed to get Beau up. Belle was much easier because she's smaller and lighter, so the guy who runs the show just lifted her in. Finally, we were all in (with the rest of the passengers waiting patiently - thank goodness they were all dog lovers) and ready to set off. The dogs were excited and nervous but behaved tolerably well for the first few minutes. Then they started getting too hot and became really restless. Belle finally crawled under the our seat and all the way over to the seat behind ours, where she sat in the shade under that seat. getting lots of attention from the people in that row. Beau tried to follow but was too big, so he was stuck in the front row with us and the driver, getting much hotter and more restless. Giving him water didn't help much. I had to keep holding on to him and trying to calm him down, so I missed about half of what our guide was saying, but it was still an interesting tour.
I had no idea Charleston gets hit by earthquakes as often as it does. That, combined with flooding, makes it quite a challenging place to live in, I think. But it is a beautiful city and I can understand why people love it. It's a lot like Savannah, which is my favourite city in Georgia. They both have gorgeous oak trees draped with Spanish moss, elegant architecture and very walkable streets, artistry everywhere you look ... Bruce and I definitely want to go back to Charleston so that we can see more of the city, but next time I think we'll stay in or near Charleston itself, so that we don't spend so much time on the road getting to all the sights.
After the hot adventure, we put the dogs back in the car with water to drink and the engine running so that the air-conditioner would cool them down, and we trotted over to the market to look at some souvenirs. Then we drove back to the campsite, where Bruce cooked dinner while the dogs and I explored the area a little. When we arrived on Friday night, there were no tents near us (which is how I like it!), but when we got back to the campsite on Saturday evening, there were tents everywhere! And several more RVs. It was a lot noisier.
On Sunday, Bruce took us to the beach. We'd been wanting to see what Beau would think of the ocean, since he's such a water dog. He was startled at first by the moving water, backing away quickly when waves came towards him, but he soon realized it was his beloved water and went trotting in. He loved it! (And for some reason drinking it didn't seem to bother him, silly dog.) Unfortunately, the dogs had to remain on their leashes and Belle wasn't at all impressed by the ocean, so I spent most of our time there being pulled in opposite directions - Beau wanting to go into the water, Belle wanting to be as far away from it as possible. Where was Bruce? Taking photos of me getting my arms pulled off, naturally. Highlight of that excursion, apart from the fun of seeing Beau's reaction? We saw dolphins!!! They dove in and out of the water, moving out so rapidly that Bruce couldn't get photos, but it was such a thrill to see them.
It was very hot so we didn't stay at the beach very long. I love the sea, but I like being on the beach only early in the morning or late in the evening, not when it's baking hot. So we left the beach for some marshland, where a platform has been built so that people can walk out into the marsh and look at the crabs and birds. There's an area just like that near Savannah, adding to the similarities between the two cities.
The original plan had been to leave for home on Monday morning but the heat was beginning to get to us, so we decided to pack up and head home on Sunday evening. We got home at about 11:00 that night and had the whole of Monday (Labour Day) to recover, which I was glad about. I also had to do some work, since there's always a lot of news to catch up on during a long weekend and I work alone on Tuesdays, which meant I'd have even more news to go through on Tuesday if I didn't get some work done on Monday. So I did labour a little on Monday, but it was worth it as it made my Tuesday a little less stressful. I think the best thing about the weekend was being away from computers and e-mail. I didn't think about work at all, which was a very nice mental break.
The other big event in September was the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Park (about eight miles from our house). This is already a very long blog entry so I won't ramble on about the festival. Suffice to say it showcases work by various craftspeople/artists and was a very successful shopping expedition. Bruce has been wanting some plants for his new office and found two very pretty bonsai there. I've been wanting some sort of small table on which to put a lamp I bought for our reading room, and I found the perfect one at Yellow Daisy. It's a wooden table with small shelves at different levels and bigger top. The lamp sits on top and I've filled the shelves with all my Christmas-themed snow globes. It looks lovely! I was going to put in a photo but I haven't taken one with Bruce's camera yet, and the photo I took using my cellphone doesn't look very clear. Bruce and his camera are in Madison and Athens today, bike-riding with his brother-in-law, so I'll have to wait until they return before taking some photos.
We also found some pottery that I really like. We bought a spoon holder, a serving platter that can also be used as a tray and a couple of candle holders. The colours go quite well with the blue-green French pottery we bought last year, so I'm happy. I'll try and get photos of that, as well. Yesterday, we went to a monastery so that Bruce could find some things for his bonsai and I found candles at the monastery store that go perfectly with the candle holders. I love the way that happens - finding things in different places that go together at home. Shopping can be so much fun!
We hadn't actually gotten around to using it, but when Bruce and his sons went camping on the Blue Ridge Parkway in August, it reminded Bruce why he loved camping so much. He came back determined to take me camping somewhere, and once again the Labour Day weekend became our destined camping time (because the next long weekend we get is for Thanksgiving at the end of November, and that might not be the best time to reintroduce me to camping). As with the previous attempt, it was a little too hot to be really enjoyable, plus the insects buzzing around us at the campsite were irritating, to say the least. However, the larger tent did make the experience far more enjoyable and I'm going to be more apt to say yes if the subject of camping comes up again in the future. Just not when it's hot (which makes things a little difficult for the time being, since I can only go on vacation if my department's intern can cover for me, and that is only when she's on vacation from college). Perhaps we'll go camping in Florida for Thanksgiving ...
Back to the camping adventure. We went to South Carolina, to a campsite called Tuck in the Woods (I think that's how it was spelled, or perhaps Tuc, and you'll have to call Bruce if you want to know how to pronounce that properly, i.e. in true South Carolina fashion. I apparently failed miserably in my attempt at that accent.) The campsite was about six hours from our house and both Bruce & I had to work the Friday before the weekend, so the decision was made to leave Friday evening, after Bruce got home from work. I, happily, get to work from home on Fridays, so I woke up early, started work at about 4:00 a.m. that day and was finished by 2:00 p.m., giving me plenty of time to get some packing and loading of the car done while Bruce was at his office.
We left at about 5:30 p.m. on September 3rd, stopping briefly so Bruce could buy a couple of CDs he'd been wanting and to get some dinner. Then the journey proper began. As usual, that bratty husband of mine begins the trip by insisting on doing the driving, and then gets tired when there are about two hours left in the trip and deigns to let me take over the driving at that time (this is usually when I'd be sound asleep if we were at home). Luckily for him, I get wide awake when I'm driving at night, because there is so much to look out for that I'm very alert.) The journey takes about six hours in large part because the last leg of it goes through many small towns, which are quite picturesque in the daytime but rather boring to drive through at night, when you can't see much and have to keep slowing down to 35 mph and then 25 mph before being allowed to speed up to as much as 55 mph at times (says the person who'd much rather be going at 110 km per hour because that sound so much faster).
Anyway ... we finally got to the campsite at about midnight, at which time we had the fun of putting up the tent in semi-darkness, surrounded by biting insects that weren't intimidated by insect repellent. Bruce, the camping expert, had us practising putting up the tent the weekend before we left for the trip, so that we'd know how it's supposed to be assembled. That was an excellent idea, because it meant we familiarised ourselves with the different rods and what went where, making it much easier to put the tent in the dark when we were tired. It wasn't really that dark, because Bruce had bought several battery-powered lamps (which unfortunately brought out the insects in full force but did give us enough light to function by). I let the dogs wander around a little when we first arrived at the campsite, but then made them sit in the car while the tent was being put up, so that we wouldn't have to worry about them disappearing in unfamiliar territory. They were very well-behaved, considering there was much to explore and smell. It took about an hour to get everything, including ourselves, ready for bed, and another half-an-hour to get the dogs settled. They both decided our sleeping bags looked more interesting than their beds. Unfortunately, all the work to get things ready made us get rather hot, and the humid weather didn't help, so that first night wasn't very comfortable. It took Beau a long time to stop panting, and we're seriously thinking about getting a portable fan for future trips if we're crazy enough to go camping in the summer again.
Happily, we managed to keep the bulk of the insects out of the tent. We left the windows and the door unzipped to try and catch any night breeze that might decide to visit, so Belle had a fine time looking outside from her bed (there was a porch-like section of the tent that was just netting, beyond the sleeping area, so that gave us some extra space while keeping the front opening securely zipped in order to keep the dogs in the tent with us. Not that they ever tried to escape - they were thrilled to have us sleeping on the ground with them! And thankfully, the second night was a little cooler, which made it more comfortable. Belle and Beau actually slept in their own beds all night. In the early hours of the second morning, it actually got cold enough for Bruce and me to want to be in, rather than on, our sleeping bags.
On Saturday, our first full day there, we drove into Charleston, which was about two hours away. (I'm unable to pronounce that in the proper Southern way, either.) On the way to Charleston, we saw a sign for a nature trail, so we stopped there for a while. There was only one other car there (we later found out it belonged to fishermen), so we felt comfortable about letting Belle and Beau run around without their leashes. They were thrilled! That really is such a joy for them, being able to race around freely. They had a marvelous time. We didn't see all that much in terms of wildlife, but it was still a fun stop. Then we got back on the road to Charleston. We stopped at the visitor's center to get some information, and the very helpful man on duty there told us where to go to park (always useful information to have when you're new to a city). Since it was almost lunch-time, we left the dogs in the car at the parking deck and went to get some food. There was a cafe-type restaurant across the road from the parking deck that I'm glad we went to, because the food was scrumptious. We both ordered seafood, because that's what you do when you're in Charleston, home to some of the best seafood around. I had crabcake and Bruce had a shrimp salad sandwich, which was so good that I actually preferred it over my crabcake (which is nothing like real cake, in case you are wondering).
After lunch, we went on a carriage ride around Charleston WITH THE DOGS. That is in bold, in capital letters, because that's what the ride was like! First of all, we had to get the dogs used to the idea of being near horses, because they tend to bark at them (I'm quite sure Beau thinks horses are really big dogs). Then we had to get the dogs on the carriage, which was a big adventure in itself. The carriage seats 16 people, four per row. Or, in our case, two adults and two dogs. People climb onto the carriage using a stepladder. Dogs don't climb stepladders. They are fine walking or even running up regular stairs, but a ladder? I know they think we humans are crazy. I climbed into the carriage first, then Beau got very excited and tried to follow me, but couldn't figure out how to do it. After several attempts, I got back down on the ground, Bruce got into the carriage, and then somehow we managed to get Beau up. Belle was much easier because she's smaller and lighter, so the guy who runs the show just lifted her in. Finally, we were all in (with the rest of the passengers waiting patiently - thank goodness they were all dog lovers) and ready to set off. The dogs were excited and nervous but behaved tolerably well for the first few minutes. Then they started getting too hot and became really restless. Belle finally crawled under the our seat and all the way over to the seat behind ours, where she sat in the shade under that seat. getting lots of attention from the people in that row. Beau tried to follow but was too big, so he was stuck in the front row with us and the driver, getting much hotter and more restless. Giving him water didn't help much. I had to keep holding on to him and trying to calm him down, so I missed about half of what our guide was saying, but it was still an interesting tour.
I had no idea Charleston gets hit by earthquakes as often as it does. That, combined with flooding, makes it quite a challenging place to live in, I think. But it is a beautiful city and I can understand why people love it. It's a lot like Savannah, which is my favourite city in Georgia. They both have gorgeous oak trees draped with Spanish moss, elegant architecture and very walkable streets, artistry everywhere you look ... Bruce and I definitely want to go back to Charleston so that we can see more of the city, but next time I think we'll stay in or near Charleston itself, so that we don't spend so much time on the road getting to all the sights.
After the hot adventure, we put the dogs back in the car with water to drink and the engine running so that the air-conditioner would cool them down, and we trotted over to the market to look at some souvenirs. Then we drove back to the campsite, where Bruce cooked dinner while the dogs and I explored the area a little. When we arrived on Friday night, there were no tents near us (which is how I like it!), but when we got back to the campsite on Saturday evening, there were tents everywhere! And several more RVs. It was a lot noisier.
On Sunday, Bruce took us to the beach. We'd been wanting to see what Beau would think of the ocean, since he's such a water dog. He was startled at first by the moving water, backing away quickly when waves came towards him, but he soon realized it was his beloved water and went trotting in. He loved it! (And for some reason drinking it didn't seem to bother him, silly dog.) Unfortunately, the dogs had to remain on their leashes and Belle wasn't at all impressed by the ocean, so I spent most of our time there being pulled in opposite directions - Beau wanting to go into the water, Belle wanting to be as far away from it as possible. Where was Bruce? Taking photos of me getting my arms pulled off, naturally. Highlight of that excursion, apart from the fun of seeing Beau's reaction? We saw dolphins!!! They dove in and out of the water, moving out so rapidly that Bruce couldn't get photos, but it was such a thrill to see them.
It was very hot so we didn't stay at the beach very long. I love the sea, but I like being on the beach only early in the morning or late in the evening, not when it's baking hot. So we left the beach for some marshland, where a platform has been built so that people can walk out into the marsh and look at the crabs and birds. There's an area just like that near Savannah, adding to the similarities between the two cities.
The original plan had been to leave for home on Monday morning but the heat was beginning to get to us, so we decided to pack up and head home on Sunday evening. We got home at about 11:00 that night and had the whole of Monday (Labour Day) to recover, which I was glad about. I also had to do some work, since there's always a lot of news to catch up on during a long weekend and I work alone on Tuesdays, which meant I'd have even more news to go through on Tuesday if I didn't get some work done on Monday. So I did labour a little on Monday, but it was worth it as it made my Tuesday a little less stressful. I think the best thing about the weekend was being away from computers and e-mail. I didn't think about work at all, which was a very nice mental break.
The other big event in September was the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Park (about eight miles from our house). This is already a very long blog entry so I won't ramble on about the festival. Suffice to say it showcases work by various craftspeople/artists and was a very successful shopping expedition. Bruce has been wanting some plants for his new office and found two very pretty bonsai there. I've been wanting some sort of small table on which to put a lamp I bought for our reading room, and I found the perfect one at Yellow Daisy. It's a wooden table with small shelves at different levels and bigger top. The lamp sits on top and I've filled the shelves with all my Christmas-themed snow globes. It looks lovely! I was going to put in a photo but I haven't taken one with Bruce's camera yet, and the photo I took using my cellphone doesn't look very clear. Bruce and his camera are in Madison and Athens today, bike-riding with his brother-in-law, so I'll have to wait until they return before taking some photos.
We also found some pottery that I really like. We bought a spoon holder, a serving platter that can also be used as a tray and a couple of candle holders. The colours go quite well with the blue-green French pottery we bought last year, so I'm happy. I'll try and get photos of that, as well. Yesterday, we went to a monastery so that Bruce could find some things for his bonsai and I found candles at the monastery store that go perfectly with the candle holders. I love the way that happens - finding things in different places that go together at home. Shopping can be so much fun!
Where did August go?
We're already in the third week of September but it seems like August just began last week. Once again, so much has been going on and I've been bad about writing updates here, so I'm going to do another summary. To sum it up, August was a month of highs and lows.
Bruce and the boys had a fabulous time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and he's got some photos up on Facebook. It was a good bonding session for them, plus Bruce got to spend a little time with his friend Chip, whom he's known since he was a teenager. They had lunch with Chip and his wife Judy on the first day of their trip, and then Chip and his son Austin joined Bruce, Jason and Jonathan for one night of camping.
After three weeks of vacation, Bruce started his new job on August 16th. The type of work is the same as at his last job but the new boss is much better. However, his commute is even longer now, which is a major drawback in the summer heat.
Belle had to have surgery on August 11th. Apparently, she decided she hadn't had her share of drama for the year. She had two cancerous growths removed. She has mast cell cancer, which is apparently common in some dogs, and hers is Grade 2 - not as great a result as it could have been but not as bad as it might have been, either. We're supposed to keep an eye out for the appearance of more growths, which will have to be immediately removed. The wounds from her surgery healed well, which is a good sign, because apparently in some cases, if the cancer cells are malignant, the wounds don't heal well. She's been very lively and seems to be learning from Beau to be more light-hearted and less serious.
We had a ruby-throated hummingbird visit our feeder for about a week, probably on his way south. That was a little thrilling, because they are beautiful birds and it made a nice change from seeing only the green hummingbird. See how things evolve and how greedy I get? At first, I was so excited just to have one type of hummingbird visit our feeder. Now that isn't enough and I want lots of different kinds! I tried growing flowers so they'd have a more natural source of nectar, but the drought and heat ended that dream for this year.
We had a flock of gackles driving me crazy a few weeks ago, because they were migrating and decided to make our feeder a long-term stop. For several days, we had over 50 birds converging on our feeder. That was infuriating, because they were going through the food so quickly and leaving nothing for our "regulars". I ended up leaving the feeders empty for over a week to convince them the food source was gone. I haven't seen them since, so I hope that means they've continued their journey south and won't be back.
There was probably more to write about but I'm moving on to another post now, because September's events (thus far) deserve an entry of their own. I'm going to take the dogs to the dog park this morning, but I'll try to write more later today. Like with everything else, if I don't do something immediately or as soon as possible, I tend to put it off indefinitely. I want to write the September post soon, because it involves a trip. And camping. Yes, Bruce got me to go camping again, only seven years after the first attempt!
Bruce and the boys had a fabulous time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and he's got some photos up on Facebook. It was a good bonding session for them, plus Bruce got to spend a little time with his friend Chip, whom he's known since he was a teenager. They had lunch with Chip and his wife Judy on the first day of their trip, and then Chip and his son Austin joined Bruce, Jason and Jonathan for one night of camping.
After three weeks of vacation, Bruce started his new job on August 16th. The type of work is the same as at his last job but the new boss is much better. However, his commute is even longer now, which is a major drawback in the summer heat.
Belle had to have surgery on August 11th. Apparently, she decided she hadn't had her share of drama for the year. She had two cancerous growths removed. She has mast cell cancer, which is apparently common in some dogs, and hers is Grade 2 - not as great a result as it could have been but not as bad as it might have been, either. We're supposed to keep an eye out for the appearance of more growths, which will have to be immediately removed. The wounds from her surgery healed well, which is a good sign, because apparently in some cases, if the cancer cells are malignant, the wounds don't heal well. She's been very lively and seems to be learning from Beau to be more light-hearted and less serious.
We had a ruby-throated hummingbird visit our feeder for about a week, probably on his way south. That was a little thrilling, because they are beautiful birds and it made a nice change from seeing only the green hummingbird. See how things evolve and how greedy I get? At first, I was so excited just to have one type of hummingbird visit our feeder. Now that isn't enough and I want lots of different kinds! I tried growing flowers so they'd have a more natural source of nectar, but the drought and heat ended that dream for this year.
We had a flock of gackles driving me crazy a few weeks ago, because they were migrating and decided to make our feeder a long-term stop. For several days, we had over 50 birds converging on our feeder. That was infuriating, because they were going through the food so quickly and leaving nothing for our "regulars". I ended up leaving the feeders empty for over a week to convince them the food source was gone. I haven't seen them since, so I hope that means they've continued their journey south and won't be back.
There was probably more to write about but I'm moving on to another post now, because September's events (thus far) deserve an entry of their own. I'm going to take the dogs to the dog park this morning, but I'll try to write more later today. Like with everything else, if I don't do something immediately or as soon as possible, I tend to put it off indefinitely. I want to write the September post soon, because it involves a trip. And camping. Yes, Bruce got me to go camping again, only seven years after the first attempt!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Snippets
Quite a bit has happened in the last few weeks and I've been negligent in updating this blog, so here is a summary:
Bruce, Jason and Jonathan set off this morning on a motorcycle trip - they are planning to ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is an official description of what it is: "469 miles connecting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia ... Outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most visited sections of the National Park System. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads, mountain meadows and scenic overlooks with endless vistas make the Blue Ridge Parkway a popular attraction." They'll be stopping at campsites along the way and are planning to be back here on Thursday or Friday.
Bruce has been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and this is going to be particularly memorable for the three of them as it's been a long time since they've done a father and sons trip. They used to do quite a bit of camping when Jason and Jonathan were kids, and I know Bruce has missed it. He's not thrilled about being out in the heat, but this turned out to be the best time to make the trip as he is starting a new job on August 16th and won't be able to have this sort of leisure time for a while, plus Jason and Jonathan will be back in college soon. The dogs and I may do a weekend trip with him sometime, but only when it's cooler. (Yes, I'm a fair weather, or should I say cool weather, traveller.)
Beau has been running around in a T-shirt for the last few days to protect a sore spot on his body. On Monday, he was not himself. He was very solemn and spent most of the time lying down. I called the vet on Tuesday to make an appointment, but they couldn't see him until Wednesday. He's such a funny dog. He seems to know now that if something is wrong, we take him to the vet, so when I came home from work on Tuesday, he was standing expectantly at the van, waiting for me to let him in it so we could go to his doctor. He did that several times on Tuesday, every time I opened the front door. He was miserable by the time he finally got to see the vet on Wednesday. It turned out he had some sort of heat sore that was so raw it was hurting him every time he moved. He got a steroid shot and a medicated spray that has helped dry up the sore spot very quickly and he began feeling better within a few hours. He's back to being his usual cheerful self now. It's amazing how quickly he heals. That's the second time in about a month that he has injured himself. Previously he got a piece of a fallen tree branch stuck under his tongue, near the frenulum, and was in a lot of pain for a couple of days, but that healed quite quickly, as well. I've told him we've had enough drama for a few years now, so I hope he was paying attention. Belle needs to have a couple of growths removed, so that's going to be the next bit of drama in this household. The vet is quite sure it's nothing serious - I hope she's right.
Bruce and I saw a double rainbow last week, and I swear it was almost to the day a year ago that we saw that same phenomenon in Brinon. I love little reminders like this of all we saw and did in France last July.
I had a fun birthday this year, although I'm not sure any birthday from now on can top being in Paris with Bruce, Meerabelle and Jehanita last year (and briefly getting to see Isabelle). Bruce and I had such fun with the girls, and that ice cream ... But happily, my birthday was on a Saturday this year so I didn't have to be at work. Bruce and I went bowling in the morning with Jason, Caroline, Jonathan and Claire, and that was so much fun! The last time Bruce, the boys and I went bowling was nine years ago, when they were in KL for the wedding, and I've told Bruce that I don't want to wait another nine years before we do it again. After bowling, we had a scrumptious lunch with Bruce's mother and stepfather, which was also fun, and then had a delicious dinner with the Jacksons the next night - they are always good company and all in all, I had a lovely birthday weekend.
Last major event for this update - Bruce and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera a few weeks ago. It was a good production and I enjoyed it, although I wished we could have been a little closer to the stage. Every time we go to see a theatre production or a concert, I realize how much I love the arts and how talented and creative human beings can be (when they aren't busy killing or hurting each other).
Speaking of the arts, I've been watching a recording of This Is IT, the movie of the rehearsals and prep work that went into the concert tour for which Michael Jackson was preparing when he died in June 2009. I'm glad they put this footage together. There was so much strangeness and controversy in his life in the last decade or so that it overshadowed his music and that amazing dancing & choreography. He influenced so many dancers and music videos and was phenomenal on his feet - so light, almost like he was floating - and this footage serves as a good reminder of his talent. There were some sections of this movie that would have been good to watch in 3D, especially the video they shot for the Thriller segment.
Bruce, Jason and Jonathan set off this morning on a motorcycle trip - they are planning to ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is an official description of what it is: "469 miles connecting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia ... Outstanding scenery and recreational opportunities make the Blue Ridge Parkway one of the most visited sections of the National Park System. Split-rail fences, old farmsteads, mountain meadows and scenic overlooks with endless vistas make the Blue Ridge Parkway a popular attraction." They'll be stopping at campsites along the way and are planning to be back here on Thursday or Friday.
Bruce has been looking forward to this trip for weeks, and this is going to be particularly memorable for the three of them as it's been a long time since they've done a father and sons trip. They used to do quite a bit of camping when Jason and Jonathan were kids, and I know Bruce has missed it. He's not thrilled about being out in the heat, but this turned out to be the best time to make the trip as he is starting a new job on August 16th and won't be able to have this sort of leisure time for a while, plus Jason and Jonathan will be back in college soon. The dogs and I may do a weekend trip with him sometime, but only when it's cooler. (Yes, I'm a fair weather, or should I say cool weather, traveller.)
Beau has been running around in a T-shirt for the last few days to protect a sore spot on his body. On Monday, he was not himself. He was very solemn and spent most of the time lying down. I called the vet on Tuesday to make an appointment, but they couldn't see him until Wednesday. He's such a funny dog. He seems to know now that if something is wrong, we take him to the vet, so when I came home from work on Tuesday, he was standing expectantly at the van, waiting for me to let him in it so we could go to his doctor. He did that several times on Tuesday, every time I opened the front door. He was miserable by the time he finally got to see the vet on Wednesday. It turned out he had some sort of heat sore that was so raw it was hurting him every time he moved. He got a steroid shot and a medicated spray that has helped dry up the sore spot very quickly and he began feeling better within a few hours. He's back to being his usual cheerful self now. It's amazing how quickly he heals. That's the second time in about a month that he has injured himself. Previously he got a piece of a fallen tree branch stuck under his tongue, near the frenulum, and was in a lot of pain for a couple of days, but that healed quite quickly, as well. I've told him we've had enough drama for a few years now, so I hope he was paying attention. Belle needs to have a couple of growths removed, so that's going to be the next bit of drama in this household. The vet is quite sure it's nothing serious - I hope she's right.
Bruce and I saw a double rainbow last week, and I swear it was almost to the day a year ago that we saw that same phenomenon in Brinon. I love little reminders like this of all we saw and did in France last July.
I had a fun birthday this year, although I'm not sure any birthday from now on can top being in Paris with Bruce, Meerabelle and Jehanita last year (and briefly getting to see Isabelle). Bruce and I had such fun with the girls, and that ice cream ... But happily, my birthday was on a Saturday this year so I didn't have to be at work. Bruce and I went bowling in the morning with Jason, Caroline, Jonathan and Claire, and that was so much fun! The last time Bruce, the boys and I went bowling was nine years ago, when they were in KL for the wedding, and I've told Bruce that I don't want to wait another nine years before we do it again. After bowling, we had a scrumptious lunch with Bruce's mother and stepfather, which was also fun, and then had a delicious dinner with the Jacksons the next night - they are always good company and all in all, I had a lovely birthday weekend.
Last major event for this update - Bruce and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera a few weeks ago. It was a good production and I enjoyed it, although I wished we could have been a little closer to the stage. Every time we go to see a theatre production or a concert, I realize how much I love the arts and how talented and creative human beings can be (when they aren't busy killing or hurting each other).
Speaking of the arts, I've been watching a recording of This Is IT, the movie of the rehearsals and prep work that went into the concert tour for which Michael Jackson was preparing when he died in June 2009. I'm glad they put this footage together. There was so much strangeness and controversy in his life in the last decade or so that it overshadowed his music and that amazing dancing & choreography. He influenced so many dancers and music videos and was phenomenal on his feet - so light, almost like he was floating - and this footage serves as a good reminder of his talent. There were some sections of this movie that would have been good to watch in 3D, especially the video they shot for the Thriller segment.
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