Category Archives: death

death, watch

So Long Old Friend

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R.I.P.
Seiko Wrist Watch
Came to live with me – September 1973
Departed to the great hourglass in the sky – September 2010

I knew it would happen some day, but I hoped it would not be so soon. My faithful watch now stares at me with the vacant gaze of the dearly departed. I thought it was simply a dead battery at first, but changing the battery had no discernible effect. I am forced to face the dread alternative that it has gone to the great hour glass in the sky.

This watch was only the second “serious” watch of my life. It was a replacement for the first “serious” watch, the one that was broken in the fatal accident I wrote about here. My wonderful Seiko has served me well all these years with nary a bit of trouble. It was on my wrist when L and I got married. It suffered through my PhD. orals with me. It calmly kept track of the universe when the Son was born and my grandfather died. It witnessed the death of both my father and father-in-law. It saw me through three terms as Mayor and innumerable rounds of golf. It lived a long and useful life, long enough to warrant a page in the book of rare digital watches, a fitting accolade for a 37 year old digital watch. And now it is gone.

Farewell old friend. You served me well. I hope you enjoy your rest.

death, humor, weather

A Potpourri of Odd Things

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Yesterday could have been called Black Sunday in these parts. A friend’s mother passed away in the morning. And then one of my uncles lost his battle with cancer in the afternoon.  My sympathies to both families as they deal with death and Christmas in the same week.

Then we come to today. The temperature was close to 60 degrees and much of the snow and ice melted away. But … the weather critters are now predicting a big snow for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (In fact, one of the weather critters is predicting a blizzard on Christmas Day for here and the area to the east.) Would it have been too much to ask for the nice weather to hang in there for a bit. Now the most reliable of the weather critters is predicting snow starting tomorrow evening and continuing all day Wednesday and then blowing and snowing for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Oh and a glorious 18 for the high on Christmas. Guess I’d better quit hoping for nice weather or it will be 20 below and blizzarding.

Now that I have been all gloom and doom and caused glazed eyes in those of you still reading, it is time for some humor. I subscribe to a great little paper full of sarcasm, humor and snark called Funny Times. It features everything from essays by the likes of Dave Berry, political cartoons, and just plain fun. One of my favorites is Jon Winokur’s Curmudgeon column. Each month he choses a topic and then presents a number of quotes pertaining to the topic. Usually I know about half the quotes, but sometimes it is a complete skunk. So I herewith present 5 quotes that I actually knew from this months column on the topic of Washington, D.C.:

Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm. – John F. Kennedy

Washington is a very easy city for you to forget where you come from and why you got there in the first place. – Harry S. Truman

Being a Chicago Cubs fan prepares you for life – and Washington. – Hillary Rodham Clinton

After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood. – Fred Thompson

The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn’t for any religious reasons. They couldn’t find three wise men and a virgin. – Jay Leno

So what is your favorite quote about Washington, D.C.?

death, misc

An Olio Of Items Both Good And Bad

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This weekend was filled with yard work for the most part. I mowed the lawn and worked on the sprinkler system. Maybe you can explain to me why in-ground sprinkler systems always seem to need working on to make sure the water actually covers the lawn? My theory is that there are little lawn gnomes that hate water sprites and so go around with little hammers beating on the sprinklers. Have you got a better theory?

Saturday was nice as the temperature only hit the mid 80s. A nice break from the 100s of the day before. I didn’t even break a sweat while mowing the lawn. I could live with summers that never got much warmer than that. The only places I have found that fit the bill are near ocean coasts, so unfortunately don’t have the real seasons I like. Guess I’ll just have to hang on through the heat.

Today as I was working on the sprinklers, the little itty bitty bloodsuckers were rampant. The little mosquitos rose in the hundreds as a walked in the lawn. I figure that is our punishment for all the rain we’ve had this summer. Even though we (the city) spray/fog once a week, the mist only kills those that are fresh in the hatch. Usually that does a pretty good job when there just isn’t a place for the little beasts to breed. But with all the summer rains, breeding points abound and the mosquitos are thick and hungry. The worst part is that they are all little tiny beasts that easily fly through the window screens. And like most bad things in the universe, the welt is inversely proportional to the size of the biter. Likewise the degree of itch.

In very sad news, a high school classmate’s son was killed this weekend. The classmate is a local MD and we visit from time to time. His son was a year or so older than the Son. I can’t imagine how hard it has to be to go through the loss of your child just as they are blooming into full adulthood. Here’s to the happy memories I have of golfing with his son and talking about his future, now sadly cut way too short. My condolences to the family and friends.