Tomorrow's high temp here is supposed to be close to single digits. Now to friends in Maine, that's nothing special, but down here, that's almost 30 degrees below normal, and with a wind chill (wind at 20 mph), and many people whose houses aren't properly insulated, or don't have cellars, we'll see hundreds of homes with burst pipes if people don't prepare.
Most homes here don't have alternative sources of heat -- we have a kerosene heater, but that's all. There are times I wish we had a wood stove, like I had in Maine, but that's not an option right now. At least we can take advantage of any sun that comes through our five large south-facing windows during the day.
County and city schools are closed tomorrow, as is the case in much of the state, as the wind chill will be well below zero, about -9 by 10 a.m., then "warming" up to the positive single digits Thursday.
Weird part is that by Monday, we'll see highs of about 62 with lows in the low 50s, then dropping back below freezing by Thursday.
And that, my friends, is the lesson of "Climate Change." It's not that the earth is warming up evenly -- some areas are cooling significantly. It's that we can expect more EXTREME temperatures and precipitation. The past twelve months have been the wettest on record for Kentucky, and the green growth on the north side of my vinyl-sided house can attest to that.
"Snowflake" our "outside" cat has decided that the blue chair in the living room is much preferable to her "nest" out on the porch. We went grocery shopping today and when we came home, she was yowling very loudly to go in. Used to be we had to catch her to come in on cold nights. Now she comes in on her own, but don't get in her way or she'll run you over. In any event, we sleep better knowing that she's inside when temps get below 32 at all, and especially when they are as cold as they'll be Wednesday and Thursday.
And I just found out that Stacey Abrams, who lost a close race for governor of Georgia (Republican cheating probably cost her the election), will be giving the Democratic response to tRump's state of the union. I am friends with her sister, who is a professor at Centre College, and one of my hopes is that if Stacey ever comes to Danville to visit, I can get a chance to meet her.
Otherwise, politically, we don't need another billionaire non-politician running for president. I'm open to ANY Democrat right now, though I have my favorites -- Warren, Harris, Beto, either of the Castros, and many others. We do not need Hillary, Joe, or Bernie, though I respect, love, and appreciate all three. They tried and failed (often through no fault of their own), but it's time for new, younger blood in the party.
And in a completely weird note, by completing the McDonald's surveys on the receipts, we've saved well over $100 this past year on food we would buy anyway.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
Potpourri -- from the Bible, to the Gym, to the Polar Vortex...
Today, a potpourri of my thoughts...
I'm seeing so many posts regarding religion and morality lately. My thoughts? Morality precedes religion We KNOW in our hearts and minds what is moral. Religion attempts to codify that. In my opinion, humans had an inbred sense of morality long before religion entered the picture. We KNEW the difference between right and wrong before we were forced to believe one thing or another. That is why even those who do not believe in ANY "gods" can still be moral beings. "God" was created by people, not the other way around. And from that point on any religious discussion of "God" became a discussion of "my" God vs. "your" god. So many people who claim to be "Christian" are so far from the basic tenets of Christianity, that they can no longer legitimately claim to be Christian.
Trump wants the Bible taught in public schools, as do many others, including our "christian" governor. As long as it is an elective, and is taught as literature or history, and as long as the Torah and the Quran are also taught, I don't see a problem. But we all know that some of the more evangelical "christians" are going to use that as an excuse to proclaim "The Word" in a public school. And at that point, teachers who do that should be fired, and the courses taken out of the curriculum.
I once taught a unit on comparative religion to my 7th graders. I wrote a 20 page booklet in which I compared all the major religions, from leaders, to sacred texts, to basic beliefs, to basic practices. Before teaching it, I sent a note home to parents letting them know what I was doing. I received (as far as I know) 100% approval. I even had parents asking for THEIR copies of my booklet. My first statement when I began was that ALL religious beliefs are private and personal, that no one's beliefs are superior or inferior to anyone else's, and that absolutely NO, and I MEAN NO criticism will be tolerated. Then to test the kids, I told them I was a Black-and-Deckerite, that my altar at home hosted a drill and a circular saw, and that I worshiped the Twin Gods. I could tell right then and there who was going to have trouble understanding the religious beliefs of others -- not one student grinned, giggled, or otherwise made fun of my B&D-ism. And from then on, they learned, open-minded, ABOUT religious belief systems. We used the proper terms, i.e., "(Church of Jesus Christ of) Latter-Day Saints", instead of "Mormon" and "Society of Friends" instead of "Quakers." Some of my colleagues were horrified that I dared teach about religion -- at which time I showed them a letter from the Clinton White House encouraging the teaching ABOUT religion without actually TEACHING religion. I guess I was on solid footing.
And finally, I went to the gym (Planet Fitness) for the third time in a week. I was very sore the other day, so I waited two more days before going back today. Barry is using many of the upper body machines, as his knees are inhibiting his walking as much as he'd like. We used to be members of our local hospital's fitness center, but $37 a month was just too much. I have full membership for $20, his reduced membership is $5, and the only thing we do NOT have that McDowell has is a pool -- which we CAN use any time we want for $7 a day.
With my diabetes, I need to do a better job of exercising and watching the carbs in particular, which is horrible as I could just eat pounds and pounds of mashed potatoes, pasta, bread -- though I'm not that keen on sweets, so that's a good thing. But the exercise is really important.
AND FINALLY, for real this time, today marks a year, 365 days, one revolution around the sun, without a cigarette. Last January, Barry had back surgery, and I needed to take care of him. Well, several days after we got him back from the hospital, I came down with a cold that was so bad, he ended up taking care of me. I coughed very badly, and just couldn't stand smoking a cigarette, so I stopped. Just.Like.That. After smoking on and off since junior high, just like that. My Dad, who did the same thing, would be proud of me!
So now, to prepare for the Polar Vortex -- temps supposed to get down to 0 here, which is, for my Maine friends, a nice summer day, but for Kentucky, it's DARNED COLD. Outside cat is in for the duration, and we're in good shape here.
I'm seeing so many posts regarding religion and morality lately. My thoughts? Morality precedes religion We KNOW in our hearts and minds what is moral. Religion attempts to codify that. In my opinion, humans had an inbred sense of morality long before religion entered the picture. We KNEW the difference between right and wrong before we were forced to believe one thing or another. That is why even those who do not believe in ANY "gods" can still be moral beings. "God" was created by people, not the other way around. And from that point on any religious discussion of "God" became a discussion of "my" God vs. "your" god. So many people who claim to be "Christian" are so far from the basic tenets of Christianity, that they can no longer legitimately claim to be Christian.
Trump wants the Bible taught in public schools, as do many others, including our "christian" governor. As long as it is an elective, and is taught as literature or history, and as long as the Torah and the Quran are also taught, I don't see a problem. But we all know that some of the more evangelical "christians" are going to use that as an excuse to proclaim "The Word" in a public school. And at that point, teachers who do that should be fired, and the courses taken out of the curriculum.
I once taught a unit on comparative religion to my 7th graders. I wrote a 20 page booklet in which I compared all the major religions, from leaders, to sacred texts, to basic beliefs, to basic practices. Before teaching it, I sent a note home to parents letting them know what I was doing. I received (as far as I know) 100% approval. I even had parents asking for THEIR copies of my booklet. My first statement when I began was that ALL religious beliefs are private and personal, that no one's beliefs are superior or inferior to anyone else's, and that absolutely NO, and I MEAN NO criticism will be tolerated. Then to test the kids, I told them I was a Black-and-Deckerite, that my altar at home hosted a drill and a circular saw, and that I worshiped the Twin Gods. I could tell right then and there who was going to have trouble understanding the religious beliefs of others -- not one student grinned, giggled, or otherwise made fun of my B&D-ism. And from then on, they learned, open-minded, ABOUT religious belief systems. We used the proper terms, i.e., "(Church of Jesus Christ of) Latter-Day Saints", instead of "Mormon" and "Society of Friends" instead of "Quakers." Some of my colleagues were horrified that I dared teach about religion -- at which time I showed them a letter from the Clinton White House encouraging the teaching ABOUT religion without actually TEACHING religion. I guess I was on solid footing.
And finally, I went to the gym (Planet Fitness) for the third time in a week. I was very sore the other day, so I waited two more days before going back today. Barry is using many of the upper body machines, as his knees are inhibiting his walking as much as he'd like. We used to be members of our local hospital's fitness center, but $37 a month was just too much. I have full membership for $20, his reduced membership is $5, and the only thing we do NOT have that McDowell has is a pool -- which we CAN use any time we want for $7 a day.
With my diabetes, I need to do a better job of exercising and watching the carbs in particular, which is horrible as I could just eat pounds and pounds of mashed potatoes, pasta, bread -- though I'm not that keen on sweets, so that's a good thing. But the exercise is really important.
AND FINALLY, for real this time, today marks a year, 365 days, one revolution around the sun, without a cigarette. Last January, Barry had back surgery, and I needed to take care of him. Well, several days after we got him back from the hospital, I came down with a cold that was so bad, he ended up taking care of me. I coughed very badly, and just couldn't stand smoking a cigarette, so I stopped. Just.Like.That. After smoking on and off since junior high, just like that. My Dad, who did the same thing, would be proud of me!
So now, to prepare for the Polar Vortex -- temps supposed to get down to 0 here, which is, for my Maine friends, a nice summer day, but for Kentucky, it's DARNED COLD. Outside cat is in for the duration, and we're in good shape here.
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Religion vs. morality
Today, a potpourri of my thoughts...
Two great articles on the front page of the Danville (KY) Advocate-Messenger this morning:
(1) Ex-felon sues governor to get voting rights back. Kentucky is one of only two or three states that denies felons the right to vote after they have paid their dues to society. Why continue to punish them for life? They have paid their debt to society -- they should get their civil rights back.
(2) Restricting or ending cash bail. Cash bail specifically harms those who have little ability to pay (mostly black and minority) it because they can't come up with the money, so they stay in jail, lose jobs, lose property, can't pay child support, and if they are not guilty, their lives are ruined. The wealthy can simply go to the bank and get thousands to pay cash bail. And by the way, most of those who are hurt by cash bail are minorities. This is NOT "liberty and justice for all" which SHOULD be our objective.
Maine state highway flaggers, who dropped out of high school, and worked for the state for 20 years get 100% of single payer health care paid for. I, as a 39 year teacher with the equivalent of six years of college, get 45%. This needs to be changed.
Religion v. Morality:
I'm seeing so many posts regarding religion and morality lately. My thoughts? Morality precedes religion We KNOW in our hearts and minds what is moral. Religion attempts to codify that.
In my opinion, humans had an inbred sense of morality long before religion entered the picture. We KNEW the difference between right and wrong before we were forced to believe one thing or another. That is why even those who do not believe in ANY "gods" can still be moral beings. "God" was created by people, not the other way around. And from that point on any religious discussion of "God" became a discussion of "my" God vs. "your" god. So many people who claim to be "Christian" are so far from the basic tenets of Christianity, that they can no longer legitimately claim to be Christian.
It saddens me that many of my "Christian" friends seem to think that they are the only ones who understand "God's" message. They are so ready to condemn those who differ with them to Hell, or at least Facebook purgatory.
I am totally against abortion except in the cases where the mother's lives are in danger. But so many are concerned with the unborn fetus, but unconcerned with that fetus once it is born, that it makes their "pro-life" stances simply a political opinion.
Two great articles on the front page of the Danville (KY) Advocate-Messenger this morning:
(1) Ex-felon sues governor to get voting rights back. Kentucky is one of only two or three states that denies felons the right to vote after they have paid their dues to society. Why continue to punish them for life? They have paid their debt to society -- they should get their civil rights back.
(2) Restricting or ending cash bail. Cash bail specifically harms those who have little ability to pay (mostly black and minority) it because they can't come up with the money, so they stay in jail, lose jobs, lose property, can't pay child support, and if they are not guilty, their lives are ruined. The wealthy can simply go to the bank and get thousands to pay cash bail. And by the way, most of those who are hurt by cash bail are minorities. This is NOT "liberty and justice for all" which SHOULD be our objective.
Maine state highway flaggers, who dropped out of high school, and worked for the state for 20 years get 100% of single payer health care paid for. I, as a 39 year teacher with the equivalent of six years of college, get 45%. This needs to be changed.
Religion v. Morality:
I'm seeing so many posts regarding religion and morality lately. My thoughts? Morality precedes religion We KNOW in our hearts and minds what is moral. Religion attempts to codify that.
In my opinion, humans had an inbred sense of morality long before religion entered the picture. We KNEW the difference between right and wrong before we were forced to believe one thing or another. That is why even those who do not believe in ANY "gods" can still be moral beings. "God" was created by people, not the other way around. And from that point on any religious discussion of "God" became a discussion of "my" God vs. "your" god. So many people who claim to be "Christian" are so far from the basic tenets of Christianity, that they can no longer legitimately claim to be Christian.
It saddens me that many of my "Christian" friends seem to think that they are the only ones who understand "God's" message. They are so ready to condemn those who differ with them to Hell, or at least Facebook purgatory.
I am totally against abortion except in the cases where the mother's lives are in danger. But so many are concerned with the unborn fetus, but unconcerned with that fetus once it is born, that it makes their "pro-life" stances simply a political opinion.
Friday, January 25, 2019
A Great Disappointment
When I first moved to Danville and Boyle County, one of the things that attracted me here were all the events that were going on. Norton Centre for the Arts, for example, at Centre College, had some wonderful performances advertised. There were all sorts of attractions, from music to theatre to museums.
Today on my Facebook page I noted two upcoming events. One is $75 per person for a dinner celebrating the anniversary of a local organization. The other is for a distillery tour with samples for $50 per couple.
Another new distillery and restaurant just opened, and the meals seem to start at $25- $30 for extremely gourmet meals (which usually means ingredients you can't pronounce, and quantities that would fit on a postage stamp). We have had three restaurants in town close, one after another, owned by the same person, because there just weren't enough rich customers to keep them going. Each one was an upscale version of the previous one that went belly-up. When drinks and dinner for two is well over $100, one doesn't do that very often. And if one is ME, I don't do that AT ALL.
And those events at Centre? I've only attended two. One was free (the Air Force Band), and the other came courtesy of a student who didn't need her tickets, so that was free, too. When tickets are nearly 20% of my monthly pension check, I don't get to many performances.
Don't get me wrong. These are great for the top 20% who can afford to blow a couple of hundred on one evening, and do that several times a month, and then jet off to the Caribbean for a week. But what about the rest of us? I guess we're consigned to staying home and watching TV. Even going out to the movies would be a treat once in awhile!
The Great American Brass Band Festival is, for the most part, free, so we attend that. The Harrodsburg Beef Festival is $5 or maybe $7 so we attend that. The Soul of Second Street Festival (with which I am involved) is free. Some of the other street festivals in Danville are free, so we attend those, and maybe buy some food and a beer, at minimal cost. If it weren't for those, we'd probably never go anywhere except to medical appointments!
There are many activities at the library, but few of them are designed for my age group. And the Community Arts Center has many as well, but again, only the 20% can afford the cost.
When I'm invited somewhere, I usually turn it down -- it's embarrassing asking all the time, how much does it cost -- so people assume I'm either anti-social (I'm not) or dirt poor (sort of). And when someone says, it's only $50, that's our water bill for two months!
So, I guess that's the way it is. The upper classes have all the events, and the rest of us just stay home and create our own entertainment -- which we do! Research, writing, reading, I've never done as much in the past. I've read more books in the past 2 years than in the previous 20; I've even written more than ever before, and been published several times. And at times, I don't WANT to go out because that takes me away from my writing.
OK, enough here. Time to get back to organizing death records for African-Americans!
Today on my Facebook page I noted two upcoming events. One is $75 per person for a dinner celebrating the anniversary of a local organization. The other is for a distillery tour with samples for $50 per couple.
Another new distillery and restaurant just opened, and the meals seem to start at $25- $30 for extremely gourmet meals (which usually means ingredients you can't pronounce, and quantities that would fit on a postage stamp). We have had three restaurants in town close, one after another, owned by the same person, because there just weren't enough rich customers to keep them going. Each one was an upscale version of the previous one that went belly-up. When drinks and dinner for two is well over $100, one doesn't do that very often. And if one is ME, I don't do that AT ALL.
And those events at Centre? I've only attended two. One was free (the Air Force Band), and the other came courtesy of a student who didn't need her tickets, so that was free, too. When tickets are nearly 20% of my monthly pension check, I don't get to many performances.
Don't get me wrong. These are great for the top 20% who can afford to blow a couple of hundred on one evening, and do that several times a month, and then jet off to the Caribbean for a week. But what about the rest of us? I guess we're consigned to staying home and watching TV. Even going out to the movies would be a treat once in awhile!
The Great American Brass Band Festival is, for the most part, free, so we attend that. The Harrodsburg Beef Festival is $5 or maybe $7 so we attend that. The Soul of Second Street Festival (with which I am involved) is free. Some of the other street festivals in Danville are free, so we attend those, and maybe buy some food and a beer, at minimal cost. If it weren't for those, we'd probably never go anywhere except to medical appointments!
There are many activities at the library, but few of them are designed for my age group. And the Community Arts Center has many as well, but again, only the 20% can afford the cost.
When I'm invited somewhere, I usually turn it down -- it's embarrassing asking all the time, how much does it cost -- so people assume I'm either anti-social (I'm not) or dirt poor (sort of). And when someone says, it's only $50, that's our water bill for two months!
So, I guess that's the way it is. The upper classes have all the events, and the rest of us just stay home and create our own entertainment -- which we do! Research, writing, reading, I've never done as much in the past. I've read more books in the past 2 years than in the previous 20; I've even written more than ever before, and been published several times. And at times, I don't WANT to go out because that takes me away from my writing.
OK, enough here. Time to get back to organizing death records for African-Americans!
Interesting day...From Roger Stone to Chinese take-out!
1. Roger Stone has been arrested. Tick, tock, tick tock.
2. Trump is claiming credit for ending the shut-down he started. Fool. He'll back out of any eventual deal if Ann Coulter tells him to.
3. Went to Planet Fitness, walked nearly a mile, then worked with Barry on some of the weight machines. His knees won't let him walk as much as he would like, but the weight machines will help -- as long as he doesn't overwork his lower back, where he had surgery a year ago. However, even with this limited workout, he WILL feel it tomorrow.
4. Kroger has chuck roast for $2.99. We bought two, and will definitely grind one into great quality hamburg. The other, we're deciding, do we try to roast it, then slice it thin, or what? The last time I roasted a piece of beef, it was SOOOO terrible, I dropped it into the food processor and used it for roast beef hash, and roast beef salad, both of which were really good. But at $2.99 a pound, we can afford to screw it up, and still rescue the results. I once did a Chicken Kiev, 45 minutes in the oven, but I left it in for 3 hours while I lost track of time while I answered a nasty letter from my ex. Burned the edges, but the food processor saved the rest for a great chicken salad.
5. Kroger also had sea scallops on sale. Now, when I say "sale" I don't mean $2.99 a pound. So I told the man behind the counter that I am spending my child's inheritance -- give me a pound. At $14.99, we will really enjoy them in a "Fruits de Mer" (Fruits of the Sea) -- a Québecois concoction with a mashed potato crust, and scallops, fish, and shrimp in a cheese sauce -- we had it at a restaurant in Beauceville, where none of the wait staff spoke English, but I managed to read the menu, and figured out what it was. It was WONDERFUL, and I make it for VERY special occasions. THIS occasion is simply "because." The cod was also on sale, which is an additional benefit, so I bought two packs of that.
6. Stopped at our favorite Chinese restaurant for take-out. We used to go there more frequently, but budget constraints have reined us in somewhat. Still, it was good to see the owner, who is always pleasant, whenever we come in.
2. Trump is claiming credit for ending the shut-down he started. Fool. He'll back out of any eventual deal if Ann Coulter tells him to.
3. Went to Planet Fitness, walked nearly a mile, then worked with Barry on some of the weight machines. His knees won't let him walk as much as he would like, but the weight machines will help -- as long as he doesn't overwork his lower back, where he had surgery a year ago. However, even with this limited workout, he WILL feel it tomorrow.
4. Kroger has chuck roast for $2.99. We bought two, and will definitely grind one into great quality hamburg. The other, we're deciding, do we try to roast it, then slice it thin, or what? The last time I roasted a piece of beef, it was SOOOO terrible, I dropped it into the food processor and used it for roast beef hash, and roast beef salad, both of which were really good. But at $2.99 a pound, we can afford to screw it up, and still rescue the results. I once did a Chicken Kiev, 45 minutes in the oven, but I left it in for 3 hours while I lost track of time while I answered a nasty letter from my ex. Burned the edges, but the food processor saved the rest for a great chicken salad.
5. Kroger also had sea scallops on sale. Now, when I say "sale" I don't mean $2.99 a pound. So I told the man behind the counter that I am spending my child's inheritance -- give me a pound. At $14.99, we will really enjoy them in a "Fruits de Mer" (Fruits of the Sea) -- a Québecois concoction with a mashed potato crust, and scallops, fish, and shrimp in a cheese sauce -- we had it at a restaurant in Beauceville, where none of the wait staff spoke English, but I managed to read the menu, and figured out what it was. It was WONDERFUL, and I make it for VERY special occasions. THIS occasion is simply "because." The cod was also on sale, which is an additional benefit, so I bought two packs of that.
6. Stopped at our favorite Chinese restaurant for take-out. We used to go there more frequently, but budget constraints have reined us in somewhat. Still, it was good to see the owner, who is always pleasant, whenever we come in.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
The Good?
Barry is making beer can chicken but he's doing it with an imported Italian orange soda. It smells and looks really good! He's fixing carrots a "different way" -- not sure what he means by that, but it WILL be good!
The Bad?
Another gloomy day of rain. I can't remember the last time we saw the sun here in central Kentucky. At least it's not all snow. Temps are supposed to plummet tonight and tomorrow though.
The Ugly?
Students from Covington Catholic High School, wearing "MAGA" hats, harass a Native American Vietnam veteran. The video has gone viral, and is giving Kentucky a bad name all over the world.
Well, I want people to know that not all people in Kentucky feel that way.
I have good friends who are Trump supporters. When they post pro-Trump memes I want to respond, but out of friendship I bite my tongue. When they go low, I stay silent, because I don't want to lose their friendship. Is that OK or am I like the person Pastor Martin Niemöller wrote of when he said, "First they came for the ..."?
Wanting to shout from the roof, "How can you people support Trump?" I just look at their posts, and continue to post MY sentiments. But I am totally conflicted. I'm living "blue" in a "red" state, but I DO have liberal friends, too, and maybe it's not worth my time to argue with my Trump supporter friends -- they won't change their mind, and it will just piss them off, and cause my blood pressure to rise.
They don't listen to facts -- those are fake.
They won't listen to centrist news media -- those are fake too.
They only listen to FOX -- the ONLY source of "truth."
They deny everything that Trump has been PROVEN to have done -- liberal media "witch hunt" they say...
But nothing, NOTHING, I can do will cause them to change their minds. So I go on not responding to their ridiculous posts and memes, while my blood pressure rises.
And I wonder, where and when will this all end?
But I really don't want to know the answer.
Barry is making beer can chicken but he's doing it with an imported Italian orange soda. It smells and looks really good! He's fixing carrots a "different way" -- not sure what he means by that, but it WILL be good!
The Bad?
Another gloomy day of rain. I can't remember the last time we saw the sun here in central Kentucky. At least it's not all snow. Temps are supposed to plummet tonight and tomorrow though.
The Ugly?
Students from Covington Catholic High School, wearing "MAGA" hats, harass a Native American Vietnam veteran. The video has gone viral, and is giving Kentucky a bad name all over the world.
Well, I want people to know that not all people in Kentucky feel that way.
I have good friends who are Trump supporters. When they post pro-Trump memes I want to respond, but out of friendship I bite my tongue. When they go low, I stay silent, because I don't want to lose their friendship. Is that OK or am I like the person Pastor Martin Niemöller wrote of when he said, "First they came for the ..."?
Wanting to shout from the roof, "How can you people support Trump?" I just look at their posts, and continue to post MY sentiments. But I am totally conflicted. I'm living "blue" in a "red" state, but I DO have liberal friends, too, and maybe it's not worth my time to argue with my Trump supporter friends -- they won't change their mind, and it will just piss them off, and cause my blood pressure to rise.
They don't listen to facts -- those are fake.
They won't listen to centrist news media -- those are fake too.
They only listen to FOX -- the ONLY source of "truth."
They deny everything that Trump has been PROVEN to have done -- liberal media "witch hunt" they say...
But nothing, NOTHING, I can do will cause them to change their minds. So I go on not responding to their ridiculous posts and memes, while my blood pressure rises.
And I wonder, where and when will this all end?
But I really don't want to know the answer.
Friday, January 18, 2019
Historic Site Saved!
Since moving to Kentucky, we've been concerned about saving endangered historic sites. As with everywhere else, we have so many historic homes and other places that have been lost over the years. I remember in Portland, Maine, when the old clock tower of the Union Station came down, and the station was destroyed to put up a strip mall. At about the same time, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's birthplace was destroyed to put in a filling station.
Well, here in Boyle County, we have lost many homes. One, a pre-Civil War mansion, was torn down to put up storage units. Another pre-Civil War home owned by the namesake of the county was torn down because the new owners didn't want to deal with the issues of preservation -- it's easier to build new.
So, when the Boyle Landmarks Trust, dedicated to preserving our county landmarks, came to me last year and asked what African-American landmarks were in danger of being lost forever, I suggested Meadow Lane African American Cemetery, and did a write-up for their "Landmarks to Watch" brochure.
Since April of last year, a group of us have been working at that cemetery. As work at the Shelby City African American Cemetery has slowed (we've nearly completed restoration there), Meadow Lane took over our interest and time.
The cemetery is probably the oldest identifiable African-American cemetery in the county, being established as early as 1830 by Lawson Moore, an early landowner. We have traced several burials in Meadow Lane to the list of slaves that Lawson's son owned in 1860, and we have documented death records on at least one of them.
But the cemetery has been neglected and overgrown since at least the 1950s. An effort by Centre College students and a professor about every other year for one day was about all that was being done. And we all know what our lawns would look like if we only mowed them once every two years.
Well, through our efforts, and again, Centre College students, Meadow Lane has been saved. We had it surveyed, and today, 18 January 2019, we recorded the survey and the plat with the County Clerk's office.
There is more to do, but Meadow Lane will not be lost. We've seen to that.
Well, here in Boyle County, we have lost many homes. One, a pre-Civil War mansion, was torn down to put up storage units. Another pre-Civil War home owned by the namesake of the county was torn down because the new owners didn't want to deal with the issues of preservation -- it's easier to build new.
So, when the Boyle Landmarks Trust, dedicated to preserving our county landmarks, came to me last year and asked what African-American landmarks were in danger of being lost forever, I suggested Meadow Lane African American Cemetery, and did a write-up for their "Landmarks to Watch" brochure.
Since April of last year, a group of us have been working at that cemetery. As work at the Shelby City African American Cemetery has slowed (we've nearly completed restoration there), Meadow Lane took over our interest and time.
The cemetery is probably the oldest identifiable African-American cemetery in the county, being established as early as 1830 by Lawson Moore, an early landowner. We have traced several burials in Meadow Lane to the list of slaves that Lawson's son owned in 1860, and we have documented death records on at least one of them.
But the cemetery has been neglected and overgrown since at least the 1950s. An effort by Centre College students and a professor about every other year for one day was about all that was being done. And we all know what our lawns would look like if we only mowed them once every two years.
Well, through our efforts, and again, Centre College students, Meadow Lane has been saved. We had it surveyed, and today, 18 January 2019, we recorded the survey and the plat with the County Clerk's office.
There is more to do, but Meadow Lane will not be lost. We've seen to that.
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Lexington, Two Days in a Row?
Yeah, this time it was MY appointment in Lexington, and neatly enough, while driving, Barry received a call from UK Chandler Hospital about scheduling a test. So after my appointment, we walked over to Chandler to set up his appointment. Convenient, and no wasted phone-tag that way.
My horror-scope yesterday said to be adventurous today. So instead of coming straight home, we drove over to Tate's Creek Road to Fresh Market, just to look around. I had been there before, and it was the ONLY place in Kentucky that I know of where I can buy MOXIE! So we wandered around, and picked up a few things.
One thing we noticed was that the prices are SOOOO high both here and at Whole Foods (where we stopped yesterday), that people will pay an arm and a leg if anything is labeled "organic." I mean, $5.99 for a pint of "organic" strawberries? I don't believe in surviving on junk food, but it seems to me that advertising "organic" or "gluten free" can double or triple the prices.
And the whole "gluten free" thing is such a farce. Potato chips are gluten free because they aren't made of wheat. String beans are gluten free because they aren't made of wheat. It's like an ad I remember from Ithaca, NY, talking about "free range cheese" -- which supposedly cost twice as much as the standard cheese. Now if it were "organic" or "gluten free" AND "free range" they could charge 2x, 3x, or 5x more for it. And what do the purchasers get? Cheese (or strawberries, or whatever) that are probably no better than the produce and products we "peons" buy because we can't afford $6 a pint for strawberries.
On the way home, we stopped at Marksbury Farms -- just over the line from Boyle County into Garrard County. Again, only the 1% can afford their products -- please shoot me if I EVER pay $18.50 a pound for beef, or $6.50 a pound for ground beef. I don't doubt that their products are good, but at their prices, my pension would need to be 3-4 times what it is now just to be able to afford enough food to survive.
So, yes, I eat at McDonald's because I won't pay $9.95 for a hamburger. I eat non-organic because I enjoy eating. I know that probably there is glyphosate in almost everything I eat, but if I stopped eating, would I be any better off?
OK, off to dinner soon. And no, it's not totally unhealthy either, but neither is it organic or gluten-free.
My horror-scope yesterday said to be adventurous today. So instead of coming straight home, we drove over to Tate's Creek Road to Fresh Market, just to look around. I had been there before, and it was the ONLY place in Kentucky that I know of where I can buy MOXIE! So we wandered around, and picked up a few things.
One thing we noticed was that the prices are SOOOO high both here and at Whole Foods (where we stopped yesterday), that people will pay an arm and a leg if anything is labeled "organic." I mean, $5.99 for a pint of "organic" strawberries? I don't believe in surviving on junk food, but it seems to me that advertising "organic" or "gluten free" can double or triple the prices.
And the whole "gluten free" thing is such a farce. Potato chips are gluten free because they aren't made of wheat. String beans are gluten free because they aren't made of wheat. It's like an ad I remember from Ithaca, NY, talking about "free range cheese" -- which supposedly cost twice as much as the standard cheese. Now if it were "organic" or "gluten free" AND "free range" they could charge 2x, 3x, or 5x more for it. And what do the purchasers get? Cheese (or strawberries, or whatever) that are probably no better than the produce and products we "peons" buy because we can't afford $6 a pint for strawberries.
On the way home, we stopped at Marksbury Farms -- just over the line from Boyle County into Garrard County. Again, only the 1% can afford their products -- please shoot me if I EVER pay $18.50 a pound for beef, or $6.50 a pound for ground beef. I don't doubt that their products are good, but at their prices, my pension would need to be 3-4 times what it is now just to be able to afford enough food to survive.
So, yes, I eat at McDonald's because I won't pay $9.95 for a hamburger. I eat non-organic because I enjoy eating. I know that probably there is glyphosate in almost everything I eat, but if I stopped eating, would I be any better off?
OK, off to dinner soon. And no, it's not totally unhealthy either, but neither is it organic or gluten-free.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Today's Trip to Lexington
So today, Barry had a doctor's appointment in Lexington at the Gill Heart Institute at University of Kentucky's Chandler Medical Center. He's concerned about sleep apnea and other issues, and wants to get it checked out. Seems he stops breathing many times during the night, and the doctor today noted a couple of possible issues -- to be further analyzed by a follow-up stress test in the near future.
Bot on a good note, every time we have an appointment in Lexington, we always stop at one of several places.
1--Trader Joe's. We always stock up on their coffee and "British muffins". I like to keep 6 packages of the muffins in the freezer -- they're SOOOO good.
2--Good Foods Co-op. We get our fresh-ground peanut butter with no salt here. They also have B&M Brown Bread -- friends outside Maine will have no idea what that is, but Maine friends will understand that every time we go there I buy out the entire stock. Fresh Market in Lexington also has Moxie, but we don't get there very often.
3--Whole Foods. We aren't in the 1% so we really can't afford $9.99 a pound for free-range gluten free GMO-free organic cheddar cheese. But we CAN afford a container of frozen clams, all shucked for only $7.99. And the brisket on their "salad bar" is $8.99 a pound, so there. Today, we picked up some tapioca flour to make Pao de queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread that is like popovers. They're in the oven now.
I have an appointment in Lexington tomorrow. But we already have our coffee, British muffins, fresh-ground peanut butter, B&M Brown Bread, shucked clams, brisket, and tapioca flour. So maybe it will be a less expensive trip!
Lexington, a city of 250,000, is about 35 miles, or about an hour (depending on traffic) away. We have virtually everything we need here in Danville but Lexington has so much more that we don't shy away from doctor's appointments there because we get to explore the city. It has over 800 restaurants, of which we have sampled maybe 30...so a long way to go on that front.
OK, got to check on the Pao in the oven, then the news, then working on my book, We Were Here: A History of African Americans in Boyle County and Danville, Kentucky for awhile before settling down to watch MSNBC, Chris, Chris, Rachel and Lawrence!
Bot on a good note, every time we have an appointment in Lexington, we always stop at one of several places.
1--Trader Joe's. We always stock up on their coffee and "British muffins". I like to keep 6 packages of the muffins in the freezer -- they're SOOOO good.
2--Good Foods Co-op. We get our fresh-ground peanut butter with no salt here. They also have B&M Brown Bread -- friends outside Maine will have no idea what that is, but Maine friends will understand that every time we go there I buy out the entire stock. Fresh Market in Lexington also has Moxie, but we don't get there very often.
3--Whole Foods. We aren't in the 1% so we really can't afford $9.99 a pound for free-range gluten free GMO-free organic cheddar cheese. But we CAN afford a container of frozen clams, all shucked for only $7.99. And the brisket on their "salad bar" is $8.99 a pound, so there. Today, we picked up some tapioca flour to make Pao de queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread that is like popovers. They're in the oven now.
I have an appointment in Lexington tomorrow. But we already have our coffee, British muffins, fresh-ground peanut butter, B&M Brown Bread, shucked clams, brisket, and tapioca flour. So maybe it will be a less expensive trip!
Lexington, a city of 250,000, is about 35 miles, or about an hour (depending on traffic) away. We have virtually everything we need here in Danville but Lexington has so much more that we don't shy away from doctor's appointments there because we get to explore the city. It has over 800 restaurants, of which we have sampled maybe 30...so a long way to go on that front.
OK, got to check on the Pao in the oven, then the news, then working on my book, We Were Here: A History of African Americans in Boyle County and Danville, Kentucky for awhile before settling down to watch MSNBC, Chris, Chris, Rachel and Lawrence!
Monday, January 14, 2019
OOPS -- Did I LOSE the back entries? Luckily, no.
When I went to check previous entries, I found there WERE NONE back beyond July 2013. Now I haven't written a blog entry since then, so I didn't expect to find anything from 2019 back to 2013...
But I didn't expect that all the previous blogs back to Sep 2007 would be gone too.
So, just in case anyone wants to check out past blogs, here are the links for each yearly batch.
Thank goodness Barry had saved the URL for an entry from 2010 -- that enabled me to "find" all the others, except for the very first ones which I wrote in the summer of 2007.
But I didn't expect that all the previous blogs back to Sep 2007 would be gone too.
So, just in case anyone wants to check out past blogs, here are the links for each yearly batch.
- 2007 - http://mdenis46.blogspot.com/2007
- 2008 - http://mdenis46.blogspot.com/2008
- 2009 - http://mdenis46.blogspot.com/2009
- 2010 - http://mdenis46.blogspot.com/2010
- 2011 - http://mdenis46.blogspot.com/2011
- 2012 - http://mdenis46.blogspot.com/2012
Thank goodness Barry had saved the URL for an entry from 2010 -- that enabled me to "find" all the others, except for the very first ones which I wrote in the summer of 2007.
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Wow, It's Been Some Time...
since I last posted. I had all the best intentions of telling everyone what we were doing on a daily basis, but frankly, it was the same thing much of the time, day after day, and as we had settled into a routine, I didn't really want to record all that.
However, over the long term, some things have changed significantly.
In 2016 I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Nothing critical there, but watch the food intake, exercise (Yeah, like that's gonna happen) and take my meds. So far, after three years, it seems to be under control and my eating habits have definitely improved.
I have become totally involved in the Boyle County African American community. I am doing research on black families and writing a book on the history of African Americans in the County, and have participated in several historical confabs both here in Danville and in Frankfort, for the African American Genealogy Group of Kentucky. I don't want any black person in this county to say they can't trace their ancestry. And I must add that county officials have been very supportive of what I'm doing. It's not a stretch to say that my best friends here now (other than Barry of course, and Cindy) are African Americans. I feel truly welcomed in the community.
Since last posting, I have had the wonderful chance finally, to teach on the college level. Eastern Kentucky University offered me a chance to teach "The Appalachian Experience" for two semesters, until they decided that I was not qualified, and needed a teaching mentor (after 39 years of teaching and 3 advanced degrees).
Then, I was given the chance to teach "The African American Experience" for three semesters. The first semester was fantastic -- about half the 20 students were African-American, all over 65, so they could really add to what I was teaching, to the benefit of the 20-somethings in the class. The second semester contained some of the brightest and most engaging students I have ever taught. The third semester, well, let's say it was a job.
But during that time I was able to really research African American history and issues, to the point where I understood what was going on in the black community better than many of my black friends -- and I was able to HELP them to understand what had happened and what was happening.
Retirement is often a time of extensive reading for teachers, and mine is no exception. I can't say I have bought more than half a dozen books since retirement, BUT I have discovered the joy of reading on my phone or my tablet, so my "Kindle" account has many books in it, and I have read (or am reading) every one of them.
Isabel Wilkerson's "The Warmth of Other Suns" and James Loewen's "Sundown Towns" are my most recent. Both explain much about the "Great Migration" of blacks to the north in the 20th Century, and problems they faced there (it seems odd referring to the North as "there" but I AM after all, in the south.
With increased prices and expenses, travel has not been much of an option for us.
1. Sep 2013, Xenia, OH, to present the Buster story -- a slave from Monticello, KY, who lived in Boyle County, purchased most of his family and moved to Xenia, OH -- presented to the Buster family.
2. July 2014, Yellow Springs, OH, to present the Buster story to the Greene County chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, and visit friends in Yellow Springs.
3. Oct 2014, Knoxville, a favorite city, wandering around and finding a British pub, having "Bubble and Squeak".
4. Apr 2016, Columbus and Springsteen -- the concert of a lifetime for me -- it cost me much of my hearing, but it was, quite frankly, worth it.
So now, as 2019 is here, I'm settled down at the computer, pleased at what I've accomplished, and feeling a sense of contentment, because all of my work is up on the Internet, where anyone can access it freely.
And now, maybe, I'll write some more. But it probably won't be about daily life here, because that doesn't change much. I will write about politics, because I am disturbed by what is happening to my country.
In the meantime, I'll get caught up on past events.
However, over the long term, some things have changed significantly.
In 2016 I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Nothing critical there, but watch the food intake, exercise (Yeah, like that's gonna happen) and take my meds. So far, after three years, it seems to be under control and my eating habits have definitely improved.
I have become totally involved in the Boyle County African American community. I am doing research on black families and writing a book on the history of African Americans in the County, and have participated in several historical confabs both here in Danville and in Frankfort, for the African American Genealogy Group of Kentucky. I don't want any black person in this county to say they can't trace their ancestry. And I must add that county officials have been very supportive of what I'm doing. It's not a stretch to say that my best friends here now (other than Barry of course, and Cindy) are African Americans. I feel truly welcomed in the community.
Since last posting, I have had the wonderful chance finally, to teach on the college level. Eastern Kentucky University offered me a chance to teach "The Appalachian Experience" for two semesters, until they decided that I was not qualified, and needed a teaching mentor (after 39 years of teaching and 3 advanced degrees).
Then, I was given the chance to teach "The African American Experience" for three semesters. The first semester was fantastic -- about half the 20 students were African-American, all over 65, so they could really add to what I was teaching, to the benefit of the 20-somethings in the class. The second semester contained some of the brightest and most engaging students I have ever taught. The third semester, well, let's say it was a job.
But during that time I was able to really research African American history and issues, to the point where I understood what was going on in the black community better than many of my black friends -- and I was able to HELP them to understand what had happened and what was happening.
Retirement is often a time of extensive reading for teachers, and mine is no exception. I can't say I have bought more than half a dozen books since retirement, BUT I have discovered the joy of reading on my phone or my tablet, so my "Kindle" account has many books in it, and I have read (or am reading) every one of them.
Isabel Wilkerson's "The Warmth of Other Suns" and James Loewen's "Sundown Towns" are my most recent. Both explain much about the "Great Migration" of blacks to the north in the 20th Century, and problems they faced there (it seems odd referring to the North as "there" but I AM after all, in the south.
With increased prices and expenses, travel has not been much of an option for us.
1. Sep 2013, Xenia, OH, to present the Buster story -- a slave from Monticello, KY, who lived in Boyle County, purchased most of his family and moved to Xenia, OH -- presented to the Buster family.
2. July 2014, Yellow Springs, OH, to present the Buster story to the Greene County chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, and visit friends in Yellow Springs.
3. Oct 2014, Knoxville, a favorite city, wandering around and finding a British pub, having "Bubble and Squeak".
4. Apr 2016, Columbus and Springsteen -- the concert of a lifetime for me -- it cost me much of my hearing, but it was, quite frankly, worth it.
So now, as 2019 is here, I'm settled down at the computer, pleased at what I've accomplished, and feeling a sense of contentment, because all of my work is up on the Internet, where anyone can access it freely.
And now, maybe, I'll write some more. But it probably won't be about daily life here, because that doesn't change much. I will write about politics, because I am disturbed by what is happening to my country.
In the meantime, I'll get caught up on past events.
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