Resident Scholars of the A.P.I.
Home Again, Home Again, Jig-a-Jig-Jig
I am home from vacation and ready to resume my "Dishpan" post watching national and world events through my kitchen window. We arrived in furnace-hot Southern California on Thursday, the 25th, and have been gradually adjusting from eastern time to west coast time.
Our trip began with three wonderful days in Boston and ended after seven peaceful, happy days on Harsen's Island in the Blue Water Area of Eastern Michigan. Experiences and adventures included family, new friends, good food, good company, Mr. Peanut, historical museums, art museums, tractors, antiquing, a vineyard, freighters on Lake St. Clair, sheep, swans, ducks, seagulls, boating, terrific hamburgers at "the Raft", a blue heron, and two unique coincidences.
The first occurred in Boston where upon returning to our lovely hotel, the Bulfinch, we were suprised to discover "Hollywood" had taken over the parking lot in front of the building across the street. Our granddaughter was delighted when we met two of the productiuon crew in the elevator who informed us that they were working on a film directed by Martin Scorsese which starred Leonardo DiCaprio! The three of us had "front row seats" as we watched Scorsese direct DiCaprio in "The Departed" from our seventh floor window. It will be released in 2006. Our granddaughter was excited that when she flew home to Germany, she would be able to tell her friends about watching Leonardo DiCaprio being filmed in a movie.
The second coincidence occurred on Saturday evening, August the 20th, at my aunt's house on Harsen's Island. She had called before we left California (to begin our trip) and asked me to throw my copy of the film, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" in my suitcase as she had not been able to find a copy to rent. So I did. We watched it together on that Saturday night without knowing that simultaneously in Woody Creek, Colorado, the ashes of Gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson, were launched by rocket from a 153 foot tower into the sky! A firework spectacular accompanied him on his final journey followed by what had to have been one hell of a wake. What a way to go!
We had inadvertently, in a cosmic sort of way, paid tribute to the dedicated American Patriot while watching "Fear and Loathing" on a big screen TV and munching homemade cookies. Catfish and I had intended to do just what I described but hadn't heard when the the explosive last hurrah would take place. Oddly, it all ended up just flowing into place anyway, and how wonderful to share the experience with my aunt who had been the catalyst.
During my time away many things have gone down on the national and international politcal fronts. I have spent some time catching up. Cindy Sheehan, despite difficult personal situations has continued her courageous vigil, John Bolten, like an infantile "bull in the china shop", has implemented the "divide and conquer" strategy to further his and PNAC's plan to destroy the United Nations, Pat Robertson, while feeling his Christian fundalmentalist Cheerios, called for the assassination of a democratically elected head of a foreign country and then lied about it, the White House ignored Robertson's crime, the poll numbers of the worst excuse of a president ever have plunged to sewer-like depths, and Donald totally-out-of-his-mind Rumsfeld has influenced the base closing commission to shut down the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The last time Rumsfeld was allowed to "streamline" our kids lacked kevlar vests and armor for the sitting duck humvees, and died.
All across the country childen have or are about to return to school systems "dumbed down" by Bush's NCLB program. Vacation is over so I will rejoin my fellow bloggers in the trenches. The radical right-wing extremists who make up this administration are a far more dangerous threat to American Democracy than Bin Lauden could ever hope to be.
I hope that everyone is well and can't wait to catch up on what you have all been writing.
........Kitchen Window Woman.............
Our trip began with three wonderful days in Boston and ended after seven peaceful, happy days on Harsen's Island in the Blue Water Area of Eastern Michigan. Experiences and adventures included family, new friends, good food, good company, Mr. Peanut, historical museums, art museums, tractors, antiquing, a vineyard, freighters on Lake St. Clair, sheep, swans, ducks, seagulls, boating, terrific hamburgers at "the Raft", a blue heron, and two unique coincidences.
The first occurred in Boston where upon returning to our lovely hotel, the Bulfinch, we were suprised to discover "Hollywood" had taken over the parking lot in front of the building across the street. Our granddaughter was delighted when we met two of the productiuon crew in the elevator who informed us that they were working on a film directed by Martin Scorsese which starred Leonardo DiCaprio! The three of us had "front row seats" as we watched Scorsese direct DiCaprio in "The Departed" from our seventh floor window. It will be released in 2006. Our granddaughter was excited that when she flew home to Germany, she would be able to tell her friends about watching Leonardo DiCaprio being filmed in a movie.
The second coincidence occurred on Saturday evening, August the 20th, at my aunt's house on Harsen's Island. She had called before we left California (to begin our trip) and asked me to throw my copy of the film, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" in my suitcase as she had not been able to find a copy to rent. So I did. We watched it together on that Saturday night without knowing that simultaneously in Woody Creek, Colorado, the ashes of Gonzo journalist, Hunter S. Thompson, were launched by rocket from a 153 foot tower into the sky! A firework spectacular accompanied him on his final journey followed by what had to have been one hell of a wake. What a way to go!
We had inadvertently, in a cosmic sort of way, paid tribute to the dedicated American Patriot while watching "Fear and Loathing" on a big screen TV and munching homemade cookies. Catfish and I had intended to do just what I described but hadn't heard when the the explosive last hurrah would take place. Oddly, it all ended up just flowing into place anyway, and how wonderful to share the experience with my aunt who had been the catalyst.
During my time away many things have gone down on the national and international politcal fronts. I have spent some time catching up. Cindy Sheehan, despite difficult personal situations has continued her courageous vigil, John Bolten, like an infantile "bull in the china shop", has implemented the "divide and conquer" strategy to further his and PNAC's plan to destroy the United Nations, Pat Robertson, while feeling his Christian fundalmentalist Cheerios, called for the assassination of a democratically elected head of a foreign country and then lied about it, the White House ignored Robertson's crime, the poll numbers of the worst excuse of a president ever have plunged to sewer-like depths, and Donald totally-out-of-his-mind Rumsfeld has influenced the base closing commission to shut down the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The last time Rumsfeld was allowed to "streamline" our kids lacked kevlar vests and armor for the sitting duck humvees, and died.
All across the country childen have or are about to return to school systems "dumbed down" by Bush's NCLB program. Vacation is over so I will rejoin my fellow bloggers in the trenches. The radical right-wing extremists who make up this administration are a far more dangerous threat to American Democracy than Bin Lauden could ever hope to be.
I hope that everyone is well and can't wait to catch up on what you have all been writing.
........Kitchen Window Woman.............
posted by Kitchen Window Woman at 5:40 PM
7 Comments:
Heh... I think you give the right-wing bloggers far too much credit. They're only dangerous when they can influence other people.
I have been almost constantly preoccupied with my trip to Houghton, and the spectacular Santa Monica Beach (west coast Keweenaw.) L'Anse, even-I never before realized how much I actually despise civilization.
I think everyone has a spiritual "home," a place where one feels one belongs. I could easily spend the rest of my life in or around Houghton, or Munising, or Marquette-even Escanaba (home to the only ship junkyard I know of.) Although I love Lake Huron, and Lake St. Clair (my stopover in Port Huron was a highlight of my trip,) I believe the northern side of the Mackinac Bridge is the place to be, where one actually feels like one is close to the "answers" for the questions we all have.
kww,
so glad you're home safely!! sounds as if you had a great time, but you've been sorely missed around these neck of the woods!
Glad you had a great time. Welcome back.
LONNY, I don't think I can help. It seems that everything on the Long Island Child Museun website is well under control. It looks good.
J. YATES UK.....Americans are some of the most uninformed, gullible people in the world. They lack the historical experience of most Europeans and find questioning unnecessary, boring, and too much of a mental strain. They prefer FOLLOWING to THINKING like most herd-like creatures.
The Bush administration is in the process of destroying the freedoms that so many Americans take for granted. We are returning very rapidly to the old world form of feudalism; that which is practiced by a parasitic, privileged aristocracy.
Americans need help. So far it seems that Europeans are standing up for their rights.
JOLLY ROGER...I am not familiar with some of the places that you have mentioned but I agree about spiritual homes. Mine is near the water in Michigan although the high nountains in California exert a strong pull.
While in Micigan, we journeyed to the city of St. Clair along the St. Clair River to the where my Dad's ashes were scattered years ago. He had requested Lake St. Clair to be his final destination. He loved it.
We also went up to Port Huron. I had never been there before. We visited the lightship "The Huron" and really enjoyed the freighters going under the Blue Water Bridge. I have never been to Mackinac, but I know that I would like it.
I would like to retire in Michigan.
JANE...I did have a great time. Gee, I am not used to being missed, or at least, I haven't thought about it. The little dog was real glad when we came home!
TOM...It was a much needed "great time." I am glad to be back, but it seems that I evidently have to rev my "little grey cells" up gradually as I am still a little "vacationy".
>Pat Robertson, while feeling his Christian fundalmentalist Cheerios,
LOL. Hey and don't forget, more dumbing-down via un-Intelligent Design in science classrooms.
Glad to hear you had a good trip.
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