tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15047576478262125172024-03-19T04:48:14.034-04:00The Frog and PenguINNGrenville T Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06643698108445885160noreply@blogger.comBlogger2871125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-21992342400664112722024-03-15T07:00:00.081-04:002024-03-15T11:44:24.495-04:00Friday Funnies<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Yikes</i></b>, can waiting around too long cause serious weight loss and injury?</span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3-puVHGszMvaAxDW_eaiVkjXbNE2AVchiED35aJ5yy0BiIc3cyEv1Ymg6cJhvciq2N_AC2CpvwKn_6PBMyAleHGR10XbJGxl5og77cEEmWlZuhjWFXGRnvxi52LiRE4ZcPFsGHV5nLeFB_l89ZrETxv_GTITq2k609rYR35DvKZvgG57n_pPGHUxF1fS/s3947/waiting%20too%20long.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3947" data-original-width="2853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3-puVHGszMvaAxDW_eaiVkjXbNE2AVchiED35aJ5yy0BiIc3cyEv1Ymg6cJhvciq2N_AC2CpvwKn_6PBMyAleHGR10XbJGxl5og77cEEmWlZuhjWFXGRnvxi52LiRE4ZcPFsGHV5nLeFB_l89ZrETxv_GTITq2k609rYR35DvKZvgG57n_pPGHUxF1fS/w462-h640/waiting%20too%20long.JPG" width="462" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe that's what happened to this person as spotted outside a mill resident's apt.</span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Friends of the Nashua Public Library holding the annual book & media sale</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">We'll be looking for music CDs and DVD movies @ $1 each, such bargains!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-17390911233600692982024-03-14T19:00:00.009-04:002024-03-15T08:18:36.188-04:0040 Shades of Verdant<div><span><span><i><span style="font-family: Prompt; font-size: 15.4px;">Last fall, we were in a group that traveled abroad on a Shades of Ireland tour, focused on that country. Previous posts have included highlights from a 3-day London pre-extension. (There was also a 3-day Edinburgh post-extension, details to come. As the name of the trip suggests, the major portion of this trip was an 8-day motor coach (bus) tour through Ireland. This post highlights one of the Ireland's most notable features, it's green.</span></i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">If you're at all curious about the post title, it's because many authorities suggest that's how many shades of green can be found throughout Ireland. Even though our tour was short and unfortunately didn't cover so many more parts of Ireland, we agreed that the country </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">is </span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">very</i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> green befitting one of its nicknames, the Emerald Isle.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>That term is thought to have originated from When Erin First Rose, a 1795 poem by Irish writer and political activist William Drennan, in which he refers to Ireland's green landscape as the Emerald of Europe. Drennan wasn't referring to gems, but to the country's lush colors. However, the poem was about political problems in Ireland against British rule. </i></span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">While the nickname is still popular, it's most often used by tour companies to attract visitors.</i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h1ZTU-SFl41Xe__oyglhy5bvoMhni22zlxoI-1TglVekQKjfpwGNChf_iY-N7wQLIfUHR0L6Rpx6TauioaokIumRz0ey-oz82npBN2zeQivuoh0o873yZ4tUCQqIt7QV93wcp__2Hb1_4HTiSlHT8WaktONQCYJVwMlC6lxvUSGBnzq5N5uuIynCC4NX/s4007/fields%20of%20green.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2521" data-original-width="4007" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h1ZTU-SFl41Xe__oyglhy5bvoMhni22zlxoI-1TglVekQKjfpwGNChf_iY-N7wQLIfUHR0L6Rpx6TauioaokIumRz0ey-oz82npBN2zeQivuoh0o873yZ4tUCQqIt7QV93wcp__2Hb1_4HTiSlHT8WaktONQCYJVwMlC6lxvUSGBnzq5N5uuIynCC4NX/w640-h402/fields%20of%20green.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">While describing the Irish landscape as multi shades of green has now become commonplace, the story of <i>how</i> this phrase became popular was new to us. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggwT3R9yfzp17eEh0z76A87AuW5IpiS1fVb4xGTvPhquYGb7TuYUi6JuVS074RLP8h_QKfT5h8F0b-UnPaFISr9c8oTgOSgeAVcluX7n-ghMrqudvA5-_5EbTiPp-getMeSmqRaGhioIzjJMGX07HkdCSn45R19fNTMipFjCW2JXaNFqiYOCphMO2fHRG/s668/40%20shades%20J%20Cash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="546" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgggwT3R9yfzp17eEh0z76A87AuW5IpiS1fVb4xGTvPhquYGb7TuYUi6JuVS074RLP8h_QKfT5h8F0b-UnPaFISr9c8oTgOSgeAVcluX7n-ghMrqudvA5-_5EbTiPp-getMeSmqRaGhioIzjJMGX07HkdCSn45R19fNTMipFjCW2JXaNFqiYOCphMO2fHRG/s320/40%20shades%20J%20Cash.jpg" width="262" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>It's not from any folklore or legend, but stems from a tune written by American country singer, Johnny</span> Cash, who said that he was inspired to write the tune, <i>Forty Shades of Green</i>, while on a road trip in Ireland in 1959 . According to Cash, he was looking at a roadmap of Ireland and while rhyming the names of the towns decided to write about some popular destinations. The song was later included on a 1961 album <i>Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash</i>. In 1963, Cash returned for a 10-night tour of Ireland and 12 venues and played a concert in the National Stadium in Dublin.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div><br /></div><div><span>But, even before this song, the color green was long associated with Ireland. It's the color teamed with St. Patrick's Day, shamrocks and the branding of just about everything Irish. Many names</span><span> for shades of green such as kelly, emerald, hunter, forest, moss, and shamrock green come</span><span> from hedge-bound fields, wild wooded corners, and forested hillsides throughout the country.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><div><span>In answer to the question, <i>Why are so many shades of green?</i>— the answer is simple.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>It rains a lot. Irish weather can be unpredictable as we experienced during the trip. The average number of wet days ranges from 150 days a year along the east and south-east coasts, to about 225 days a year in parts of the west. G</span><span>rass and vegetation have abundant moisture to keep healthy. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk5IoIblrbcNQmR_hDuzxKEtS-QTkSo2wcQ5SUwD5IkJbO9gJDUXUV1CPFceLR476GyVqU2Lt2Lv9ELJ5XedTUDSHzZ4Q1bWX_-vGnSsD62pSLhiE7Yzy1rE06wvGEC6XFsNVo4xkQNJvmTU_K7O9mvzUzX6c4G7zPcIe2NnHlV0AbYC6H8Bb_gz64yg6/s913/Ring%20of%20Kerry%20route.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="913" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNk5IoIblrbcNQmR_hDuzxKEtS-QTkSo2wcQ5SUwD5IkJbO9gJDUXUV1CPFceLR476GyVqU2Lt2Lv9ELJ5XedTUDSHzZ4Q1bWX_-vGnSsD62pSLhiE7Yzy1rE06wvGEC6XFsNVo4xkQNJvmTU_K7O9mvzUzX6c4G7zPcIe2NnHlV0AbYC6H8Bb_gz64yg6/w640-h432/Ring%20of%20Kerry%20route.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Ring of Kerry route covers 111 miles (179 km)</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span>One of the best places to experience many shades of the color green in Ireland is along the Ring of Kerry. </span>The route, one of Ireland’s most famous attractions and considered its most scenic drive, is situated within the Wild Atlantic Way, along the southwest of Ireland. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCid9iTVhjBIyMXqGlrUvG5DHncCBG-bzb76BS4usdx3tn3xS0L3L_A3Ppqs4G0rf1aMsG3BXNWkPPjRXcAjqvW6R2O3XCqwwdNB2DB2IRynVAbJr48IfA2ippQkGLYfeYUDBGOU9ywFj7euajyQRR5EuxpPflWbECwzU3F5BIDZxsqC9UX-nbz-cRWHsx/s4032/autumn%20colors-clouds.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4032" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCid9iTVhjBIyMXqGlrUvG5DHncCBG-bzb76BS4usdx3tn3xS0L3L_A3Ppqs4G0rf1aMsG3BXNWkPPjRXcAjqvW6R2O3XCqwwdNB2DB2IRynVAbJr48IfA2ippQkGLYfeYUDBGOU9ywFj7euajyQRR5EuxpPflWbECwzU3F5BIDZxsqC9UX-nbz-cRWHsx/w640-h412/autumn%20colors-clouds.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>It's known for beautiful landscapes, remote beaches, weather-worn cliffs and charming country towns. The looping route follows the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula and measures 179 km (111 miles) in length. The entire route takes about 3-1/2 hours to drive non-stop. Nearly every tour bus in Ireland makes a ritual loop around the ring, just as our tour bus did during this trip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBNhResjFS4sZdWcNKvsOj2BzOHtM6_qwzknIxVFIas_NBhYReEirgRc62778V2Hi6k0BmLkMotQtNgYxf836k_Cqpu3c2jEwq12Vmg_ptPIj_aMGslmUNPS7MdmnCN8hwZTpX3NkpOv5RbvzRbPjsSUJv4SsWYJE0lwVge5jfIxiu0eqtonv2lxoekb2/s4030/green%20fields.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4030" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieBNhResjFS4sZdWcNKvsOj2BzOHtM6_qwzknIxVFIas_NBhYReEirgRc62778V2Hi6k0BmLkMotQtNgYxf836k_Cqpu3c2jEwq12Vmg_ptPIj_aMGslmUNPS7MdmnCN8hwZTpX3NkpOv5RbvzRbPjsSUJv4SsWYJE0lwVge5jfIxiu0eqtonv2lxoekb2/w640-h412/green%20fields.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzZOICTNMQz7uBcuDnfFGMQFD3Qu01_IoRJ5g1RKSN4Z79iuuboeDhpSrzNM9p5ZtBd7CHbtdcc71-m8zbaqWrEHzk_jocud_y6NVcgMQsiWAeKI4m95cD_HZdE0eXjqrUmQEqYNlKJNrIqyppZEqjiFeI256ECqtTjn6B-0Et9Nl2o7ujAgkBMUaFBEY/s4032/green%20fields-mtns2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="4032" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzZOICTNMQz7uBcuDnfFGMQFD3Qu01_IoRJ5g1RKSN4Z79iuuboeDhpSrzNM9p5ZtBd7CHbtdcc71-m8zbaqWrEHzk_jocud_y6NVcgMQsiWAeKI4m95cD_HZdE0eXjqrUmQEqYNlKJNrIqyppZEqjiFeI256ECqtTjn6B-0Et9Nl2o7ujAgkBMUaFBEY/w640-h412/green%20fields-mtns2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span>The Ring of Kerry</span> has been named one of the most magnificent scenic stretches in the world largely because of its rugged coastlines, rolling countrysides and beautiful scenics. On most trips to Ireland, it's a <i>must-see</i> destination wrapped in stunning visual history with diverse views across lush green hills.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyWUeugrdGLRWRSbCUwc-ujbTmyJQEA5TCm6FLfhFUou4JtN_Q3MYp3sRw23Se95o6uOM1gF_AOAqbJ7tZvIRxhiNmO6qHHjBEwWghqWIvc2COQ3SZ11NsVsmfqSTCJ2ljneTSAt2kqLJZchx20NZokIhppppUJGVJA-5d5yufOY3eiyGTNiVAok35iVP/s3711/ocean%20views.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2105" data-original-width="3711" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyWUeugrdGLRWRSbCUwc-ujbTmyJQEA5TCm6FLfhFUou4JtN_Q3MYp3sRw23Se95o6uOM1gF_AOAqbJ7tZvIRxhiNmO6qHHjBEwWghqWIvc2COQ3SZ11NsVsmfqSTCJ2ljneTSAt2kqLJZchx20NZokIhppppUJGVJA-5d5yufOY3eiyGTNiVAok35iVP/w640-h364/ocean%20views.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The route takes in the towns of Killarney, Beaufort, Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Cahersiveen, Waterville, Caherdaniel, Sneem, and Kenmare. Years ago, Killarney was famously featured on many postcard images. Now that postcards have gone out of fashion it’s become famous as the starting point for the Ring of Kerry.</div></span></div></span></div><div><span><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgQlJ17T0uHF-lSjKQcCvTEjcyS4BGYyHfqv-1AfssyE-YkVPhzh4Fe6pf01TvSGxyQs637hW7lFLy4kaS74FUkX_HhkI3-I8L2bGGJthZfKjVbhClwAerK3Ahgj79CkTE_RKZV2VAb1QPybCv9FwtZyvRWYdysEHZcjM1Dq3yql3oZRzXQCu2svqimQr/s4019/autumn%20colors.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2750" data-original-width="4019" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgQlJ17T0uHF-lSjKQcCvTEjcyS4BGYyHfqv-1AfssyE-YkVPhzh4Fe6pf01TvSGxyQs637hW7lFLy4kaS74FUkX_HhkI3-I8L2bGGJthZfKjVbhClwAerK3Ahgj79CkTE_RKZV2VAb1QPybCv9FwtZyvRWYdysEHZcjM1Dq3yql3oZRzXQCu2svqimQr/w640-h438/autumn%20colors.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Since the roadway is narrow, tour buses all travel counter-clockwise so they won't have to pass each other. And, because these roadways are so tight, there were not many stops along the route. </span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">Nearly all the scenics in this post were taken from the bus window and may appear blurry in spots.</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5b87zO37kv9p_OTpKxDz8LWAcXwobeoxwRuP_IHg3m7fMaHNPzHzVdMrBTgNp1ljNeRxkGInUuy6oRQvHSU-ZewGgE2xRxXkTF-ndw8v_yDGyXKnlE4UbFmXmijoz24snIfu5SwJG66jj6h6h8DdxbjwqWkY4rpmaxe7oOt6BqzxeL2RAYwiWb3ri8SUJ/s3388/kerry%20bog%20village.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3388" data-original-width="2357" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5b87zO37kv9p_OTpKxDz8LWAcXwobeoxwRuP_IHg3m7fMaHNPzHzVdMrBTgNp1ljNeRxkGInUuy6oRQvHSU-ZewGgE2xRxXkTF-ndw8v_yDGyXKnlE4UbFmXmijoz24snIfu5SwJG66jj6h6h8DdxbjwqWkY4rpmaxe7oOt6BqzxeL2RAYwiWb3ri8SUJ/w446-h640/kerry%20bog%20village.jpeg" width="446" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">However, there's <i>always</i> time for a tourist stop like the Kerry Bog Village, where for a nominal fee of less than $1 USD, we had a brief look at how people lived and worked in late 19th century Ireland. This open-air museum is unique as the only one of its kind. It's become a leading tourist <strike>trap</strike> attraction on the Ring of Kerry between the towns of Killorglin and Glenbeigh. <i>Yes, we did take partake of that discount for Irish Bailey's Coffee. It was a dreary day and a very long bus ride.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvws3uS4SsQHlJc6TcQNzg5v4EhYnt1EfzsPvPP9xeLs3hq_h84_jsskfFGwE8FSZHa-bCIH7BW_N14D7dWsG62YbLxZA_EoMf4BOdNUF36z3SSU2OzV0AZzs9d73xLkMybX9HOWtt_B5PEC1HWKs6un9PsiEu7qD4BLnKpchxXclG9b9qIFKIWF7x0i8y/s800/KB%20houses%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvws3uS4SsQHlJc6TcQNzg5v4EhYnt1EfzsPvPP9xeLs3hq_h84_jsskfFGwE8FSZHa-bCIH7BW_N14D7dWsG62YbLxZA_EoMf4BOdNUF36z3SSU2OzV0AZzs9d73xLkMybX9HOWtt_B5PEC1HWKs6un9PsiEu7qD4BLnKpchxXclG9b9qIFKIWF7x0i8y/w640-h640/KB%20houses%20collage.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCOoyXluFsLocBcqPpRLBuUwDGn6RSFQPIxNjVDWW2JUmqfqylBt_xB4N-Z5cfDAPZg4g-f3YLmujlWuWs8dxm_1XsQdry1bPS9PxUXLW4W2ozJ9AJWrgmewMQAqAHqb6F79sOXy5Av6icvrMt-mEWnoP_b2S9YzupjPQRuMCrmwT5gSzumECeNfLGd-G/s800/KB%20interiors%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWCOoyXluFsLocBcqPpRLBuUwDGn6RSFQPIxNjVDWW2JUmqfqylBt_xB4N-Z5cfDAPZg4g-f3YLmujlWuWs8dxm_1XsQdry1bPS9PxUXLW4W2ozJ9AJWrgmewMQAqAHqb6F79sOXy5Av6icvrMt-mEWnoP_b2S9YzupjPQRuMCrmwT5gSzumECeNfLGd-G/w640-h640/KB%20interiors%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Exteriors and interiors of homes at the the Kerry Bog Village</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>The village featured period thatched cottages, furnished with authentic antiques and figurines. The grounds featured an assortment of rural farm equipment, used by turf cutters and farmers of the time period. It's typical of small communities that carved out a precarious living in the harsh environment of Ireland's peat bogs.</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb795q16Th30MKAH7P5MX2I4qwOdLlz_4MgyUWPJg6UGUWVj4teeKolamJJMQrk5L1R-CiwdAHkRdo4DZGWKW999vDHcUMMZ2XgqwGUNjtYiKRY-_DBhCd1ZNXz5_Qh-NXYHEM9QhXu9G6aRkWkVXr7XVuRFrrQlAnOm89m90WgCj-5yE_1No_Gc-AhkVn/s4032/Us%20on%20bus.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb795q16Th30MKAH7P5MX2I4qwOdLlz_4MgyUWPJg6UGUWVj4teeKolamJJMQrk5L1R-CiwdAHkRdo4DZGWKW999vDHcUMMZ2XgqwGUNjtYiKRY-_DBhCd1ZNXz5_Qh-NXYHEM9QhXu9G6aRkWkVXr7XVuRFrrQlAnOm89m90WgCj-5yE_1No_Gc-AhkVn/w640-h480/Us%20on%20bus.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Prompt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Riding in the Collette Tour Bus</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;">While this day trip involved several hours of bus travel with few stops, other days we stopped to tour castles, a couple of which will be hghlighted in a future post.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Here's a link to <i><a href="https://youtu.be/M_W7talYla8?si=TF2jTWK2cJbXcTzL">Forty Shades of Green</a></i> </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">the 1959 song by</span><i style="font-family: Prompt;"> </i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Johnny Cash with lyrics below.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span><div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I close my eyes and picture the emerald of the sea</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">from the fishin boats at Dingle to the shores at Donaghdee</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I miss the River Shannon and the folks at Skibbereen</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">the moorlands and meadows and their Forty Shades of Green</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">But most of all I miss a girl in Tipperary town</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">and most of all I miss her lips as soft as eiderdown</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I long again to see and do the things we've done and seen</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">where the breeze is sweet as shalimar and there's Forty Shades of Green</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I wish that I could spend an hour at Dublin´s churning suft</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I long to watch the farmers drain the bogs and spade the turf</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">to see again the thatching of the straw the women clean</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I´d walk from Cork to Larne to see those Forty Shades of Green</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">But most of all I miss a girl in Tipperary town</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">and most of all I miss her lips as soft as eiderdown</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">I long again to see and do the things we´ve done and seen</span></i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">where the breeze is sweet as shalimar and there´s Forty Shades of Green</span></i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PbVaZ5xCxN1z0BmIkI-proQh7_nzceJK5_erAsAjfok56T7v8AWlgBFmCd1C-y43wYQjWKiIxKFocCWbGlM5KzyR0DxUEv0aop90fDVR-c_pymXiQgQMozcdrjb3NPq9DnDF4iNUqCJqPhXZPoop0Uas0zexTO9anpGikDkm_uiJQWGojJGYmnREKzOO/s1346/Happy%20St%20Pats.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1346" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PbVaZ5xCxN1z0BmIkI-proQh7_nzceJK5_erAsAjfok56T7v8AWlgBFmCd1C-y43wYQjWKiIxKFocCWbGlM5KzyR0DxUEv0aop90fDVR-c_pymXiQgQMozcdrjb3NPq9DnDF4iNUqCJqPhXZPoop0Uas0zexTO9anpGikDkm_uiJQWGojJGYmnREKzOO/w640-h410/Happy%20St%20Pats.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></span></i></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-7017765692587913192024-03-08T07:00:00.027-05:002024-03-08T13:32:13.000-05:00Friday Funnies<div><span style="font-family: arial;">Only a single word came to mind when this truck as seen in downtown Nashua last week.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Can you guess what it was?</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEIWI2RULaRGbT-09rpOISAHqsSQX63OO2pR6MpSTrSB9xvkIVH8iNqUITm9898mFdGPSjJlb-f-8ZgX4fi3ChGkP6wibzMVoUoAayQz8PHHYzJQDewZ88b9cCXBboDrXHwS26LSJ-nWs8CkcxQYcpFET7DpBsDxoZP4Gc1eDIZF8WCwPkqi-Y1mY2Lm_/s3707/overloaded.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2699" data-original-width="3707" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEIWI2RULaRGbT-09rpOISAHqsSQX63OO2pR6MpSTrSB9xvkIVH8iNqUITm9898mFdGPSjJlb-f-8ZgX4fi3ChGkP6wibzMVoUoAayQz8PHHYzJQDewZ88b9cCXBboDrXHwS26LSJ-nWs8CkcxQYcpFET7DpBsDxoZP4Gc1eDIZF8WCwPkqi-Y1mY2Lm_/w640-h466/overloaded.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Overloaded </i>was ours — what was yours?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Very good observation, Boud, yes, the truck did sport a shiny snow plow blade, which looked to be in better (nearly new) condition compared to the truck itself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">We're on a road trip to N. Conway, NH, reuniting with longtime NJ friends</span></i></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-70606147058784555522024-03-06T07:00:00.477-05:002024-03-06T07:00:00.458-05:00Clearing the Air<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As some readers of this blog already know, our current residence is an apartment in a former Nashua, NH, textile mill. Did you know that over the decades, f</span><span style="font-family: arial;">actories have become the top most popular building type to be redeveloped into rentals, now known as apartment homes?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One thing about living in an older repurposed building is the amount of <i>dust</i> that's everywhere. This post is </span><span style="font-family: arial;">about how we've been recently trying to keep it under control in our place.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjsUdAB_ntIQz6ME2pmBnv1M4ckKPuQVpnH7qhgChUFHFTF0NeNd6vrUNRZwbenJbouvO-HhiG6_FaaVcIpLr9aPJ1BVDt5fz6EOEBen-Ae-RvsI6pfQUlx5OhXwP3GoEkNQxLpcFYr74tJKRJAeXznFdnjD5bc_BKokacKGWe-olXHdgnyKKjkLOKJuU/s3893/Clocktower%20Place%20B&W.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2282" data-original-width="3893" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjsUdAB_ntIQz6ME2pmBnv1M4ckKPuQVpnH7qhgChUFHFTF0NeNd6vrUNRZwbenJbouvO-HhiG6_FaaVcIpLr9aPJ1BVDt5fz6EOEBen-Ae-RvsI6pfQUlx5OhXwP3GoEkNQxLpcFYr74tJKRJAeXznFdnjD5bc_BKokacKGWe-olXHdgnyKKjkLOKJuU/w640-h376/Clocktower%20Place%20B&W.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Clocktower Place, Nashua, NH, formerly Nashua Manufacturing Company</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In the 18th and 19th centuries, merchants built hundreds of mills throughout New England which produced paper to textiles. The region became a center of the American Industrial Revolution. As in Nashua, cities in many of these states were established as manufacturing centers. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The mills used rivers and canals for energy. T</span><span style="font-family: arial;">here were few environmental regulations and many production processes released toxic industrial chemicals into the air, waterways and ground.</span></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">By the mid-1900s, the manufacturing sector around New England fell apart. L</span><span style="font-family: arial;">abor was cheaper elsewhere. C</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ompanies moved operations to the South and overseas abandoning operations at the large mills. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Cities struggled to address contaminants at the abandoned mills and find a new use for the buildings as environmental regulations started taking effect. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Redevelopment from factories to housing took hold due to changes in local zoning codes that permitted residential development in formerly industrial areas. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> O</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ld buildings come with historic preservation rules. T</span><span style="font-family: arial;">o defray the cost of cleaning up and renovating these large buildings, developers relied on expanded state and federal tax credits which rewarded them for preserving historical structures and creating affordable housing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Nashua Millyard is known as the center of Nashua’s historic industrial economy. It hosts three former historic mills converted to housing — Clocktower Place, the Apartments at Cotton Mill, and Lofts 34. All are adjacent to the Nashua River and within walking distance of downtown. Mills were built in the time when people walked to work.</span></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Our apartment home is in t</span><span style="font-family: arial;">he former Nashua Manufacturing Company, now </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Clocktower Place, which consists of 5 mill buildings. While l</span><span style="font-family: arial;">iving in a repurposed mill is <i>very</i> unique, and a great conversation topic, there are issues, not the least of which is <i>dust</i> which seems everywhere.</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TGCZqPy4NUxsncg7FAl8d776PJkm7gkVvMQTzKApN1FOeHDSahmupE3KvgDQrhxbCS_eS6xi6_FKo-ZubeKH5kgSh53BQK43P2PXp6zw5yiBauUQ91QEUZWT7_9Xzs1OZ1ulTJWl_4iFa6TInx8ZQwH0uP-yqUsrg3gXYCClnB5LchZw1Cp6fwCUFH0H/s3612/LR-TV%20cabinets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3015" data-original-width="3612" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1TGCZqPy4NUxsncg7FAl8d776PJkm7gkVvMQTzKApN1FOeHDSahmupE3KvgDQrhxbCS_eS6xi6_FKo-ZubeKH5kgSh53BQK43P2PXp6zw5yiBauUQ91QEUZWT7_9Xzs1OZ1ulTJWl_4iFa6TInx8ZQwH0uP-yqUsrg3gXYCClnB5LchZw1Cp6fwCUFH0H/w640-h534/LR-TV%20cabinets.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Dust magnets in our living room, black cabinets and TV</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dust is unavoidable, especially in older buildings. The black cabinets in our living room and the black TV are really dust magnets. That's why, last year, we (finally) bought an air purifier as these units can be effective in limiting indoor dust and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">improving allergy symptoms, which Patrick deals with seasonally.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Among the various</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> filter types, studies have shown that HEPA (</span><span style="font-family: arial;">high-efficiency particulate air) filters</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> can remove many airborne particles, including pollen, mold, and bacteria, so we shopped for one which met that criteria, as so many do now. </span></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0s-W_gmQ1RZlB8zfwrsEto6CKLwDNDFasCkATEaFzZKiMGayhIMDli5FUJ-T1KL4dJGnzPGxHbabHLQU9l4nibo9u-3A8BagFP8h6uzZ0s7x8aGlSjpbKfrXysUaDP6N2FPsXmpj5u8_w9M7AvrVo5NqP5i5sqNzGzeGDYR9CjlPIEROC5GAchjiXguoS/s3700/Computer%20desk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2207" data-original-width="3700" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0s-W_gmQ1RZlB8zfwrsEto6CKLwDNDFasCkATEaFzZKiMGayhIMDli5FUJ-T1KL4dJGnzPGxHbabHLQU9l4nibo9u-3A8BagFP8h6uzZ0s7x8aGlSjpbKfrXysUaDP6N2FPsXmpj5u8_w9M7AvrVo5NqP5i5sqNzGzeGDYR9CjlPIEROC5GAchjiXguoS/w640-h382/Computer%20desk.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>More dust magnets in another room, black computer desk and laptop PC</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, we also had a number of questions since an air purifier is a simple unit, a little more than a fan with a filter or several. Here were a few of our concerns:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Do air purifiers work? </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;">While air purifiers may not directly or immediately improve your health, studies indicate that such devices can help reduce exposure to harmful pollutants, which may have long-term health benefits. We are pet less, but a</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ir purifiers are reported to effectively filter dander from the air. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">According to many sources, a well-designed purifier can capture airborne allergens, like pollen, mold spores, bacteria, viruses and smoke.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;">Do air purifiers stay on all the time? </b><span style="font-family: arial;">The simple answer is yes, the advantages are significant. Running the air purifier all the time, you benefit from the best air quality possible, and the cleaner the air, the better for your health. Both our units are set to auto mode which automatically adjusts the fan speed needed to maintain a comfortable environment. Leaving the units on ensures they are continuously be exchanging indoor air and filtering impurities. That said, we will turn them off for extended periods when we are not at home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;">Do they increase the electric bill? </b><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, a</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ccording to online sources, an air purifier roughly equates to a cost of about $120 annually if the unit runs continuously which it's safe to do. While the amount of energy consumed is small, we turn off most devices when away for longer times.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>How does a HEPA filter work? </b>A fan draws polluted air into the air purifier. The air drawn in passes through the HEPA filter and air-borne pollutants get trapped into the fine meshes of the filter. The purified air is then pumped back to the room as the cycle of air purification continues. HEPA air filters can be costly to maintain. They don’t last forever and require replacement. In heavily polluted areas this can be more often. Also, they don’t eliminate smells from the air. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-XSkZI2tvN8XGOIVMkrRIKIzCtTHJuKQD42pyzkzSeOIlx68Jy-0IUpGlCZoXIQUlqPA22WH3_bizoJJ_d9qh-CamZBXeUHEpU93aY5bJZIUNpzfHrgrMdjq8NtjLFD8RIFhzxVbdywnaktOH4k5xx-7MeCjeufxyNGn9yEo7PLX7EUMWtw1ArGnYlaR/s3701/Winix%205500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3701" data-original-width="2983" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-XSkZI2tvN8XGOIVMkrRIKIzCtTHJuKQD42pyzkzSeOIlx68Jy-0IUpGlCZoXIQUlqPA22WH3_bizoJJ_d9qh-CamZBXeUHEpU93aY5bJZIUNpzfHrgrMdjq8NtjLFD8RIFhzxVbdywnaktOH4k5xx-7MeCjeufxyNGn9yEo7PLX7EUMWtw1ArGnYlaR/w323-h400/Winix%205500.JPG" width="323" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Winix 45500 air purifier</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">After reading far too many online reviews, our purchase decision was this Winix 5500, which was rated for 360 square feet room size, suitable for medium and large rooms. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Placement of this larger floor unit was in a central location, between the living room and dining areas. In general,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> an air purifier takes 30 minutes to 2 hours to <i>purify </i>a room as there are aspects including room size, filter, speed to consider. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">R</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ealistically, it's impossible to eliminate dust entirely, but the combination of cleaning and an air purifier has reduced <i>some</i> dust in our apartment.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><div>Which led to us wondering, better to have one larger unit or several small ones? Many articles indicated that getting a larger air purifier could be most efficient. But, that to determine how many air purifiers were needed, you should consider where and how it would be used, whether for one room or multiple rooms. </div></div><div><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The larger unit was performing well in the area where it had been placed. That's why,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> a couple of weeks ago, we bought a second air purifier. Once again, this was after researching and comparing various brands, models and sizes. We opted to buy another Winix. This unit was larger than many other models, and the buying decision was partially based on our sartisfaction with the previous model.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkQ3uzKzqo0OYkWj-Mjw91jmXRlDulK87CyxgwbL9r9VzKOuEKTrZvFOxSh9BWMCRjskr4rDmmnPJrhrT2TIUEGmsJjVulqhSDiZfWaMpTtVnYPg6N35cd2tqYAH0OnGva8-blBJSJF_eJR6NOn0crpFz1su562JyUti9MZnD4UZH9ZlWdE1uSapwd5L2/s3965/Winix%20A230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3965" data-original-width="2999" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkQ3uzKzqo0OYkWj-Mjw91jmXRlDulK87CyxgwbL9r9VzKOuEKTrZvFOxSh9BWMCRjskr4rDmmnPJrhrT2TIUEGmsJjVulqhSDiZfWaMpTtVnYPg6N35cd2tqYAH0OnGva8-blBJSJF_eJR6NOn0crpFz1su562JyUti9MZnD4UZH9ZlWdE1uSapwd5L2/w303-h400/Winix%20A230.JPG" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Winix A230 air purifier</i></td></tr></tbody></table>We bought this Winix A230 tower, rated for a room size of 230 square feet, perfect for our second BR and now computer room. This room has black desks and our computers, including a recent addition, a black laptop computer that replaced an older and now recycled desktop. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>In case you didn't know, you can take older Apple products, especially ones that no longer have any trade-in value, to an Apple store for recycling. Remember to first completely erase the hard drive.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>Both Winix units have a fine mesh pre-filter, a charcoal filter and HEPA filter and feature what the manufacturer calls, PlasmaWave. </div><div><br /></div><div>Smart sensors gauge the air quality and auto mode adjusts the fan speed. Filters, aside from the HEPA filter can be vacuumed and/or washed and should be completely dry before reinstalling. The charcoal and HEPA filters are rated for one year of use before replacement is needed and we recently replaced the one in the floor unit even though the replacement light had not alerted us, yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just to be clear, specifying the brand of air purifier which we purchased is by not means as a purchase recommendation or endorsement, as everyone's needs and preferences differ.</div><div><div><br /></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Since I'm on the topic of clearing the air, here's a few topics related to blogging. All of these choices are strictly my own preferences. You rightly have your own choices.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Avoid hot topic posts. </b>This blog steers clear of many current issues, especially politics, a</span><span style="font-family: arial;">s blog administrator, that's my decision. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">This exclusion applies not only to not posting about such issues, but also to comments which stray into this arena, thankfully there have only been a few. Going forward, I reserve the right to delete comments that I consider <i>off topic</i>, again a personal decision. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Avoid centered text.</b> My career was in the editorial field, perhaps that's why my dislike of centered text is remains intact. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">W</span><span style="font-family: arial;">hen text is centered, the starting place of each line changes. This forces readers to work harder as without a straight left edge, there's no consistent place they can move their eyes when they complete each line. L</span><span style="font-family: arial;">eft justified text has a standard starting place where all lines of text start, so reading is easier for other bloggers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>Yes, as with everything, there's exceptions, for example, i<span style="font-family: arial;">f text fits</span> on a single line in headlines, titles, captions, quotes, short lines of text or poetry. Readers can follow these easily when lines are short, scannable and don’t require repeated eye movements. If there's not a good reason to center text, it's best to skip it.</div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Avoid small images.</b> As a blogger, I want to share imagery, my own and those from Internet finds. When there's something for others to see, why not upsize it? Small photos often can be quite annoying at times. If something is important enough to include, why not make it larger?</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Please recognize that I do not expect agreement on these items. We all</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> have our opinions, beliefs, dislikes, hang-ups, fears and prejudices. The above <b>only</b> applies to <b>my</b> hangups and dislikes. Your decisions are your own, which is as it should be, your blog, your choices.</span></i></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-6135835655085901892024-03-01T07:00:00.297-05:002024-03-01T18:53:11.128-05:00Friday Funnies<div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Duct tape is something that many of us have used at some point for a repair </span><span style="font-family: arial;">when</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> a strong, flexible, very sticky tape is needed</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It's</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> usually silver gray in color with </span><span style="font-family: arial;">a strong adhesive and weather resistance.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> It's used for many things including car body repairs.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCQTYoePD0xi62Y26XJvY2FYwSP5c0-2iJfPPkO0r5GcrL9acrgKCKs9WsFAcn_wfT-zMaKQ5DDMFsUiGS9IDlV7ZCBOSQ_4DX6xINd0-U2d18-2_oMzLB-Q93QTPHCWF0x1JdtGs-RGjfKD_UCC1EMZO19jEWeKQwtZyQnY2slBo-dOeEJHf-2SwUngP/s800/duct%20tape%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCQTYoePD0xi62Y26XJvY2FYwSP5c0-2iJfPPkO0r5GcrL9acrgKCKs9WsFAcn_wfT-zMaKQ5DDMFsUiGS9IDlV7ZCBOSQ_4DX6xINd0-U2d18-2_oMzLB-Q93QTPHCWF0x1JdtGs-RGjfKD_UCC1EMZO19jEWeKQwtZyQnY2slBo-dOeEJHf-2SwUngP/w640-h640/duct%20tape%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you have a silver vehicle, the basic tape color seems to match, almost perfectly.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68nXB_n9HHTj92Z32WAfBZHAA6PzUU3HdeYAlLzgdir8GN3feIgLDv4w57a9px6I7YQD3MsYjAOB0FCX6ZSGfUr1XX3lGcxp2ovp3K7cU9T2uPw06L42EJjwwimAMFShzv6PT-l46b4c3dGYFXAiAHBPhyg3eKKxNeRkjWSgDdu-GBU1Jr23_LSgdcnid/s3799/duct%20tape%20overkill.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3799" data-original-width="2968" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68nXB_n9HHTj92Z32WAfBZHAA6PzUU3HdeYAlLzgdir8GN3feIgLDv4w57a9px6I7YQD3MsYjAOB0FCX6ZSGfUr1XX3lGcxp2ovp3K7cU9T2uPw06L42EJjwwimAMFShzv6PT-l46b4c3dGYFXAiAHBPhyg3eKKxNeRkjWSgDdu-GBU1Jr23_LSgdcnid/w500-h640/duct%20tape%20overkill.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, it's also possible that this vehicle owner overdid the taping, just a bit.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl962GGEWjTiSA4UigdaeZkb_SGSKKMQjY3yT9bHHZlp3tfk5DDhbfYw6rkXpJTVU-K1jm1Bbh7l2J4D17Ujw5aHNYtE-Bw-HFwSXuoB7GO3SK1TEHwbTMF8c-j4k_tFfriTJZLHq9KMXQbdIGQu_5iciD0rqagNDWzawQmNl5kNXudUgNx9Oqr_-lQ8c/s1111/Snoopy%20March2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1111" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjl962GGEWjTiSA4UigdaeZkb_SGSKKMQjY3yT9bHHZlp3tfk5DDhbfYw6rkXpJTVU-K1jm1Bbh7l2J4D17Ujw5aHNYtE-Bw-HFwSXuoB7GO3SK1TEHwbTMF8c-j4k_tFfriTJZLHq9KMXQbdIGQu_5iciD0rqagNDWzawQmNl5kNXudUgNx9Oqr_-lQ8c/w400-h390/Snoopy%20March2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>If you're looking </span><span>for a reason to celebrate this new month of March, here's a list of special dates; it seems there's</span><span> something for everyone. <i>How many will you celebrate?</i></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 1: </b>National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, World Compliment Day, National Pig Day, National Day of Unplugging (first Friday), Employee Appreciation Day (first Friday)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 2: </b>Dr. Seuss's Birthday, National Read Across America Day, Old Stuff Day, World Teen Mental Wellness Day<br /><b>March 3: </b>World Wildlife Day, National Anthem Day, National Mulled Wine Day<br /><b>March 4: </b>Grammar Day, National Pound Cake Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 5: </b>National Cheese Doodle Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 6: </b>National Dentist's Day<br /><b>March 7:</b> Cereal Day, Flapjack Day<br /><b>March 8: </b>International Women's Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 9:</b> National Barbie Day, Get Over It Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 10:</b> Daylight Savings Time (spring ahead)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><b>March 11:</b> National Johnny Appleseed Day, National Napping Day (second Monday)<br /><b>March 12:</b> </span><span>National Girl Scout Day, Working Moms Day, </span><span>Plant a Flower Day</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 13: </b>K9 Veterans Day, Good Samaritan Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><b>March 14:</b> National Pi Day, Potato Chip Day<br /><b>March 16:</b> Ides of March, Panda Day, </span><span>Artichoke Day, Freedom of Information Day, National Corn Dog Day (third Saturday)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 17:</b> St. Patrick's Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 18:</b> National Sloppy Joe Day, Awkward Moments Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><b>March 19:</b> First Day of Spring, Certified Nurses Day, Let's Laugh Day<br /><b>March 20:</b> International Day of Happiness, National Ravioli Day, French Language Day, <br /><b>March 21:</b> </span><span>National Common Courtesy Day, California Strawberry Day, French Bread Day, World Down Syndrome Day, </span><span>World Poetry Day</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 22: </b>National Goof Off Day, World Water Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 23:</b> National Puppy Day, World Meteorological Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 24:</b> Palm Sunday, National Cocktail Day, World Tuberculosis Day<br /><b>March 25:</b> Waffle Day, National Tolkien Reading Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 26:</b> Epilepsy Awareness Day (also called Purple Day), National Spinach Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 27</b>: National Spanish Paella Day, Manatee Appreciation Day (last Wednesday)<br /><b>March 28:</b> Respect Your Cat Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 29:</b> Good Friday, Mom and Pop Business Owners Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>March 30:</b> National Take a Walk in the Park Day, Doctors Day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><b>March 31: </b></span><span>Easter Sunday, National Prom Day, Crayon Day, Tater Day</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Library friends volunteer weekend before mid-March Sale</i></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-997532358437949862024-02-29T07:00:00.976-05:002024-02-29T13:24:11.952-05:00How About That ?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt; font-size: medium;"><span>It's official, again, as </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Merriam-Webster stated in an online post that a sentence can end with a preposition.</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicG7X6Dv0DBVjVhlntHAewCoRJiOGfXR866NhItEb4q45omZOF-yYStQuK1EK8PDmcrTZjgCLsyZRLsyWGitx57FEG_av7EnkoIOqt00zjsiz7VIMTXrvB5vHvppKR3Gosm6PYYIc4QEEMujewrUGlzWriQjso1jU4pE_mDIDVwmbOwsz4UJJBUf1GUsol/s740/MW%20dictionary.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="554" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicG7X6Dv0DBVjVhlntHAewCoRJiOGfXR866NhItEb4q45omZOF-yYStQuK1EK8PDmcrTZjgCLsyZRLsyWGitx57FEG_av7EnkoIOqt00zjsiz7VIMTXrvB5vHvppKR3Gosm6PYYIc4QEEMujewrUGlzWriQjso1jU4pE_mDIDVwmbOwsz4UJJBUf1GUsol/w240-h320/MW%20dictionary.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">As someone who writes a lot, this declaration was much appreciated. Admittedly, I know I've not adhered to the former "rule" about prepositions. <i>How about you?.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Now, the long-held authority on the English language has unleashed writers (as we all are at one time or another) from the constraints of what many have long regarded as a grammatical faux-pas. </span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">To be sure, dictionary publishers like Merriam-Webster are not rule makers nor rule breakers, but rather report how language is used and how people speak.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Among grammarians and lexicographers, Merriam-Webster's declarations are widely accepted. That's because for over 150 years, in print and now online, its been America's leading provider of language information.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span><div><span><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">This isn't the <b>first</b> time the online dictionary has tried to end the end preposition prohibition. As with many long-held beliefs, it's a tough one to dislodge with such a centuries old stronghold. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><br /></div></span></div></span></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Prepositions are common in the English language with over 150 in use, including these common ones: above, across, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, by, down, from, in, into, near, of, off, on, to, toward, under, upon, with and within.</span></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div>If the ending preposition is "permissible" and "not wrong" is it right?</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><span><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">That depends on whether or not you agree with the Merriam-Webster declaration.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In its online post, the dictionary publisher stated: <i>It is permissible in English for a preposition to be what you end a sentence with.</i>" </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The post continued, <i>The idea that it should be avoided came from writers who were trying to align the language with Latin, but there is no reason to suggest ending a sentence with a preposition is wrong.</i></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></i></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>The people who claim that a terminal preposition is wrong are clinging to an idea born in the 17th century and largely abandoned by grammar and usage experts in the early 20th.</i></span></div></div><div><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></i></div><div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXoGTb0Kc0fWK-kN5F5kaQGAE9aVd4OMs1OpUnSAWcM7uo8yt0pLKgOvo2FofEGDkogJeB_nGFPqEW_yTR10QCgByaVKhyuPGhIrAlLB5oBmvn3b-GPBPEQgd-e3WnCYw_tqTxaNfZFiCBF_S-rceHM8pv5klh5HPml0rVM4HtVVbqa1C19vXrjcjg6LK/s838/geez%20F.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="838" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXoGTb0Kc0fWK-kN5F5kaQGAE9aVd4OMs1OpUnSAWcM7uo8yt0pLKgOvo2FofEGDkogJeB_nGFPqEW_yTR10QCgByaVKhyuPGhIrAlLB5oBmvn3b-GPBPEQgd-e3WnCYw_tqTxaNfZFiCBF_S-rceHM8pv5klh5HPml0rVM4HtVVbqa1C19vXrjcjg6LK/w320-h245/geez%20F.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Soon enough, the post ignited emphatic responses. Many of the respondents were steadfast in believing that a concluding preposition was lazy or unusual; others embraced the permission.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div><b>Why such a reaction?</b></div><div>Merriam-Webster touched on a heretofore grammar no-no of ending a sentence with a preposition, a restriction that many, including myself, have grown up with from primary school. That lead to finding ways to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition. </div><div><br /></div><div>Learning there's no such rule was a big deal for some who still cling onto a long-held belief. Personally, I'm delighted to let it go. <i>(Advance apology if you get an ear worm from the song , Let it Go, from the Disney film, Frozen.)</i></div></span></div></div></div></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><div><div><b><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Who Made This Rule & When?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">This grammar issue has been a concern for years. There's dissent on how it became common to admonish those who ended a sentence with an of, to, through or with. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The story dates to the 17th century and involves two Englishmen, grammarian and rhetorician, Joshua Poole, and John Dryden, poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright. Both men along with others wanted to make English more like Latin. </span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: arial;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtJ6GS8YVFDm-LLkfqdYZhGU2WKm4pM-uiS31MwQF2PkfR_hf7Kkyt1fWrbZ0EXbEDBT8rVHYiwQGlALwQXEQjPJUBYYY1dAb7773YzvrUlE7_TNhiacvEuCqI45yBtClDIYBRH2LS6CfPJeXAie81iw_zawHASagoKtQGj2ZBVGNHS2u5jdxeFL7Jtmf/s688/John%20Dryden.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtJ6GS8YVFDm-LLkfqdYZhGU2WKm4pM-uiS31MwQF2PkfR_hf7Kkyt1fWrbZ0EXbEDBT8rVHYiwQGlALwQXEQjPJUBYYY1dAb7773YzvrUlE7_TNhiacvEuCqI45yBtClDIYBRH2LS6CfPJeXAie81iw_zawHASagoKtQGj2ZBVGNHS2u5jdxeFL7Jtmf/s320/John%20Dryden.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">English poet John Dryden</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>In 1668, Dryden was appointed England's first Poet Laureate and, i</span>n 1672, he chastised English playwright and poet Ben Jonson stating: <i>The preposition in the end of the sentence; a common fault with him</i>. Jonson himself wasn't concerned with this criticism, he had died years earlier in 1637.</span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">It's a shared issue as many credit Poole with creating the rule and Dryden for popularizing it. Both men and others wanted to make English grammar more like Latin, a language in which a structurally sound sentence can't and with a preposition.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In the 18th century, some folks decided Dryden was correct and began advising against the end preposition.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Sometimes, the advice was <b>never</b> to end a sentence with a preposition. Other times it was more general, for instance, Noah Webster, in a 1784 book on grammar, advised against separating prepositions <i>from the words which they govern</i>. He conceded that <i>grammarians seem to allow of this mode of expression in conversation and familiar writings, but it is generally considered inelegant, and in the grave and sublime styles, is certainly inadmissible</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Even though there's no reason to suggest ending a sentence with a preposition is wrong. The idea that was a rule became widespread.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">By the 20th century, however, most grammar and usage guides had concluded that there was nothing wrong with terminal (end) prepositions. In fact, there has been, for about 100 years now, near unanimity in this regard from usage guides. The matter must therefore be settled, right?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Apparently, that wasn't exactly the case.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Those determined to hold onto the "rule," no matter how many times they're informed that it really isn’t one, find the end preposition so annoying. According to articles I read, they've gone so far as to contact the editor of a newspaper when they find an occurrence.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: arial;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBUrnP6krbVZBk4SiHPHb8sg-Lx3ODfo1DTcUg4377bYDz-Xa7ShluyyjExqpCLhXnYIbCo7kpN1YCURXnWk9B4bPAmVcMvWiilbUU8fXJrDu3qFUBU815NHBiCbXMMcQTnjsI9SAp34GqhSUI_vdKzkA772cgEFIZwSm89Ct8mJdsL4mUFtatDlT09al/s710/W%20Churchill.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="710" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBUrnP6krbVZBk4SiHPHb8sg-Lx3ODfo1DTcUg4377bYDz-Xa7ShluyyjExqpCLhXnYIbCo7kpN1YCURXnWk9B4bPAmVcMvWiilbUU8fXJrDu3qFUBU815NHBiCbXMMcQTnjsI9SAp34GqhSUI_vdKzkA772cgEFIZwSm89Ct8mJdsL4mUFtatDlT09al/s320/W%20Churchill.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>English statesman Winston Churchill</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In a similar vein, many who like to use end prepositions will give some mangled version of a quote incorrectly attributed to English statesman Winston Churchill, <i>This is the sort of nonsense up with which I will not put</i>. </span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The story goes that when an overzealous editor attempted to rearrange one of Churchill's sentences to avoid it ending in a preposition, the Prime Minister scribbled the single sentence in response. Like so many Churchill quotes, this was almost certainly never said by him, but it does make for a great anecdote.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div></div></div></div></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>What to Know</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Not only <u>can</u> you end a sentence with a preposition, but there's <u>no</u> problem doing it. In many sentences, where it's been avoided, it would have been better to have ended with a preposition. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div>If you don’t like to end your sentences with prepositions, it's OK too, just don’t claim it's a rule. Conversely, if you prefer to end sentences using with or to, that's OK too. But, don’t quote Churchill when someone says that you shouldn’t.</div></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Merriam-Webster captioned its now controversial post: <i>That's what we're talking about</i> which sounds much better than: <i>That's about what we are talking?</i></span></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>Merriam-Webster, Incorporated is an American company that publishes reference books and is the oldest dictionary publisher in the U.S. In 1831, George and Charles Merriam founded the company as G & C Merriam Co. in Springfield, MA. In 1843, after the death of Noah Webster, the company bought the rights to An American Dictionary of the English Language from his estate. All Merriam-Webster dictionaries trace their lineage to this source. In 1964, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., acquired Merriam-Webster, Inc., as a subsidiary. The company adopted its current name, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, in 1982.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDh-9qY9gz6M1yfufaEXuot9ZoTN9zJZMH-iOgbr7U4fnUrYWKQI58-nZy6VBW8K9Vh_9IySYdSYUQwMLIt3yOyZ_tE_DXyknMt7TBsfSA3LfF5OTez-D8QCSbk56GCA9JgqRoDm_-r1MwSsSjwnqVStXzsiZiJjagfboxp3wEgwNecgV9XUDJ1XhMd1s/s920/leap%20year%202024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="920" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDh-9qY9gz6M1yfufaEXuot9ZoTN9zJZMH-iOgbr7U4fnUrYWKQI58-nZy6VBW8K9Vh_9IySYdSYUQwMLIt3yOyZ_tE_DXyknMt7TBsfSA3LfF5OTez-D8QCSbk56GCA9JgqRoDm_-r1MwSsSjwnqVStXzsiZiJjagfboxp3wEgwNecgV9XUDJ1XhMd1s/w400-h285/leap%20year%202024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Happy Leap Year — From Our Pad to Yours</span></i></b></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-64068359942495702752024-02-23T07:00:00.292-05:002024-02-24T13:42:46.338-05:00Friday Funnies<div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Welcome mats have come a long way transforming</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> from functional floor coverings to </span>decorative expressions of personality, interests and sense of hospitality. Today, when you step onto a floor mat, you're not just entering a home, but perhaps a lifestyle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXonJ1XVm4XXK2BHp6EUKO2yS-oN80BOoQIW2OdUBhhOL-0pUE8COPWIX2elylnvN0yNarF4xy-OgNp9KvJtEptgEt0S_rBtVZdt22euljMjs_ZsECgWZaISdhkAQmm4yOclC2qe7EZuWK5acWI8RlyJ5ksy51Wp3WicWlSr0j-jtA3tOs6xlBU_IlFmaR/s3971/your%20text%20mat.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2313" data-original-width="3971" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXonJ1XVm4XXK2BHp6EUKO2yS-oN80BOoQIW2OdUBhhOL-0pUE8COPWIX2elylnvN0yNarF4xy-OgNp9KvJtEptgEt0S_rBtVZdt22euljMjs_ZsECgWZaISdhkAQmm4yOclC2qe7EZuWK5acWI8RlyJ5ksy51Wp3WicWlSr0j-jtA3tOs6xlBU_IlFmaR/w640-h372/your%20text%20mat.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's over 300 apartment homes on 5 floors in Clocktower Apartments, the converted mill where we reside. On walks through the two connected mill buildings, I've seen some fairly average floor mats like this ↓ one ... and then there are others like those below.</div></span></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3rqn5jNSlZs8pCm9em3-8PgVY5EtRFcx3qRqvA81NMTGnl48bnjJ9ywprxzm3VJCH0ap_z9XwcB5CzjZCXFkpImAPudc5Vzc8V_KILptJ99jQmIL0z4xwzF_UMrnfkfcFZqXSdt2e1og2X4GSUF_O6-INFJx0wAGEXETCSwlz2n6Dxep0o1DQYO8qKfX/s3906/home%20sweet.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="3906" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3rqn5jNSlZs8pCm9em3-8PgVY5EtRFcx3qRqvA81NMTGnl48bnjJ9ywprxzm3VJCH0ap_z9XwcB5CzjZCXFkpImAPudc5Vzc8V_KILptJ99jQmIL0z4xwzF_UMrnfkfcFZqXSdt2e1og2X4GSUF_O6-INFJx0wAGEXETCSwlz2n6Dxep0o1DQYO8qKfX/w640-h368/home%20sweet.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Archaeologists believe the earliest portable floor coverings date as far back as 25,000 years ago. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Early humans used grasses, barks and herbs as floor coverings for warmth, to keep the floor dry and to keep out the cold.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQza2Q7lgE909tm3ec8pMshEhHQN9kyo374Obh6myc1SrJhroFSA5FIIDmf7LFwRTo0PkQdkjvp6jpQCXjxhqpnQ_MBK-D_1f6uC2A0jZb0N91SRPmJmKZf9c9T-Udnp4tPB92JX5uaPJ6ZzXUd_h5xUC7vkPyjAVakuoMagM3f-oqMJvkt3-qRZuxsRq/s5225/welcome%20not%20much.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3357" data-original-width="5225" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQza2Q7lgE909tm3ec8pMshEhHQN9kyo374Obh6myc1SrJhroFSA5FIIDmf7LFwRTo0PkQdkjvp6jpQCXjxhqpnQ_MBK-D_1f6uC2A0jZb0N91SRPmJmKZf9c9T-Udnp4tPB92JX5uaPJ6ZzXUd_h5xUC7vkPyjAVakuoMagM3f-oqMJvkt3-qRZuxsRq/w640-h412/welcome%20not%20much.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>The first known floor covering in dwellings dates 25,000 years ago to the Paleolithic period. The earliest records of woven rush mats were found about 6,000 years ago in Mesopotamia western Asia in the area now known as Iraq.</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT0575PD0au65Z5Y1qD5-2-jDL9XVxx2jGBNpgwTUP_mcBZ-WU4Ls0J1ZkB_Ft7twlLWPxxj2gaqjr0bFt8mfyM0eTFmDPXEc369XMnqqXjEYr6PXQOK_cgNpmG1FVH10hJHmxuBAu2fmTarsaFwb9FUkXGLktbPXGzIMlNIEt6XgijpXurKBY102rZ_x/s800/leave%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT0575PD0au65Z5Y1qD5-2-jDL9XVxx2jGBNpgwTUP_mcBZ-WU4Ls0J1ZkB_Ft7twlLWPxxj2gaqjr0bFt8mfyM0eTFmDPXEc369XMnqqXjEYr6PXQOK_cgNpmG1FVH10hJHmxuBAu2fmTarsaFwb9FUkXGLktbPXGzIMlNIEt6XgijpXurKBY102rZ_x/w640-h640/leave%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The term </span><i style="font-family: arial;">doormat</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> emerged in the mid-17th century, derived from the Latin </span><i style="font-family: arial;">doormata</i><span style="font-family: arial;">, which means doorkeeper. It first referred to a person who tended the door and, over time, evolved to describe a mat placed outside the door.</span></div><div><span><div style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OYqAouPCO2IGVjLRfF5wsB1iMmqBC686rjgQJGbeFsWzn3dG14jjer4yVYM83E6RWHu_-32w1PtuO6Q8rpp63lFOH4Xls4ZLXQmnPhbjdNWMuxE3GU3ueQt3cP5QV5M3p7KboGWVuH4wDzcFJfdntdy3K-4Iz1JHZtc1g8FA1XD8EJvFYMRpTIQawIYw/s800/youre%20here-wine%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OYqAouPCO2IGVjLRfF5wsB1iMmqBC686rjgQJGbeFsWzn3dG14jjer4yVYM83E6RWHu_-32w1PtuO6Q8rpp63lFOH4Xls4ZLXQmnPhbjdNWMuxE3GU3ueQt3cP5QV5M3p7KboGWVuH4wDzcFJfdntdy3K-4Iz1JHZtc1g8FA1XD8EJvFYMRpTIQawIYw/w640-h640/youre%20here-wine%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>In the early 20th century, the term <i>welcome mat</i> became popular, emphasizing its function to welcome guests and create an inviting atmosphere. The introduction of synthetic materials like coir, nylon and rubber led to a surge in the production of durable and decorative welcome mats.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7SGEAQbxDrvtnhgGaaDf706_iwnuxaoiLZ0qZAhU3Q34pplXSar3l9JXPSSBXO9FJ870_7a1JrxmaejNrXyxUQrUdfNHYFok4y95RQHcHsdyENYF98dCjYXrRTZ-4NrFRk23evswjHLqvDKTUIF3YXGRG3zj9R90AfMbfNNb3VoVuCumX4diA75dOqjQ/s800/pet%20lovers%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7SGEAQbxDrvtnhgGaaDf706_iwnuxaoiLZ0qZAhU3Q34pplXSar3l9JXPSSBXO9FJ870_7a1JrxmaejNrXyxUQrUdfNHYFok4y95RQHcHsdyENYF98dCjYXrRTZ-4NrFRk23evswjHLqvDKTUIF3YXGRG3zj9R90AfMbfNNb3VoVuCumX4diA75dOqjQ/w640-h640/pet%20lovers%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>Welcome mats hold cultural significance beyond the practical purpose. Placing a welcome mat outside the door is a way to invite guests into one’s home. </div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlo40GmBeKKMI4F-oEpKjuZ5zFlVjrm4SkdFGq6F0itOxXZjtXKO4-tmNwMldI8pqyTV8e54pb7yB9JBX-tPnI_-L-RXbeLlN6Pi55h1VjcCGZ_OwolN4oR2VKTCROXBMvhEDRaZH6J4r46MY_IOQOIPedy1eOlnIowEnUHjje4-zU7BW40NpAw7avfFN/s3753/good%20vibes.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2167" data-original-width="3753" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlo40GmBeKKMI4F-oEpKjuZ5zFlVjrm4SkdFGq6F0itOxXZjtXKO4-tmNwMldI8pqyTV8e54pb7yB9JBX-tPnI_-L-RXbeLlN6Pi55h1VjcCGZ_OwolN4oR2VKTCROXBMvhEDRaZH6J4r46MY_IOQOIPedy1eOlnIowEnUHjje4-zU7BW40NpAw7avfFN/w640-h370/good%20vibes.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: arial;">Sadly, the term has been applied to humans, who are sometimes called a doormat as they let others treat them unfairly, and don't complain. It should never be tolerated.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><i><b>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Rainy Friday but sunny the rest of the weekend </span></i></div><div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Winter is still here, but no ❄️. Recently, there was an overnight dusting, gone within a day. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHpvuISUypeKdNTRVgwkYUBrEM27k8YW2M6g7E54R_xKQ0HvuqseX4dQ60uq7cnz9cwA6AozTrKFh5wBmvBC_H2Ejp77PxrNwxgF0u2O5KpGYuLl4GRhvvlKid8M8RKU5FTsZIvUv6VytSlCQkxv1_x6GU9N3Fg9fwaUKEmW8PjJi0U4tz-jsFigG-cJP/s800/before-after%20snow%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHpvuISUypeKdNTRVgwkYUBrEM27k8YW2M6g7E54R_xKQ0HvuqseX4dQ60uq7cnz9cwA6AozTrKFh5wBmvBC_H2Ejp77PxrNwxgF0u2O5KpGYuLl4GRhvvlKid8M8RKU5FTsZIvUv6VytSlCQkxv1_x6GU9N3Fg9fwaUKEmW8PjJi0U4tz-jsFigG-cJP/w640-h640/before-after%20snow%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-87672847469851753292024-02-22T07:00:00.004-05:002024-02-22T12:18:32.202-05:00Once a Power House<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Last fall we were part of a group that traveled abroad on a Shades of Ireland tour, focused on that country. However, extras included a 3-day pre-extension to London and/or a 3-day post-extension to Edinburgh. We booked </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">London, </i><i style="font-family: arial;">Ireland, and Edinburgh and saw as much as possible. This post focuses on one of the most visited sights in London.</i></p><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs7fCmETJkzkLXN4b8JIxRac_lKmn_TSIArMaMphm6eW3Po4lLIA6OJt1vqanAF5VYx4szpbhYKWAFZvBJXp6-bLG7ufGULOWwyR-XhejCPc2Ma6gRVDYUD8ObjBgbUKTNXL-UuKuPvkIB3tj2BACXMu5-HdUy_osyPxxOhJO9Jdpgzw9mWzvFAbI7QuH/s3513/Battersea%20Now.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2565" data-original-width="3513" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs7fCmETJkzkLXN4b8JIxRac_lKmn_TSIArMaMphm6eW3Po4lLIA6OJt1vqanAF5VYx4szpbhYKWAFZvBJXp6-bLG7ufGULOWwyR-XhejCPc2Ma6gRVDYUD8ObjBgbUKTNXL-UuKuPvkIB3tj2BACXMu5-HdUy_osyPxxOhJO9Jdpgzw9mWzvFAbI7QuH/w640-h468/Battersea%20Now.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Battersea Power Station today </i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames in Nine Elms, Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It was built by the London Power Company (LPC) to the design of Leonard Pearce, Engineer in Chief to the LPC and CS Allott & Son Engineers. The station was one of the world's largest brick buildings notable for its original, Art Deco interior fittings and decor.</div></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi148xaqY395Beez2U483XbOujEQNzqHDL27MGEj0wkmSBqlbNKU8lwJA3Z1oE6jz-ModG_Z7URgvc4NyK2vwgZMoDtEd4DDoVSa9_9cYKNWlPCUTT30iLuVd2MjEiwZrFjfPl71JHDU5BUNKzEshylUNCWu-mGHZeSLaXCahaU8seAfpCUGYPjrjUjqdbA/s4015/Bussells-Us1.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2742" data-original-width="4015" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi148xaqY395Beez2U483XbOujEQNzqHDL27MGEj0wkmSBqlbNKU8lwJA3Z1oE6jz-ModG_Z7URgvc4NyK2vwgZMoDtEd4DDoVSa9_9cYKNWlPCUTT30iLuVd2MjEiwZrFjfPl71JHDU5BUNKzEshylUNCWu-mGHZeSLaXCahaU8seAfpCUGYPjrjUjqdbA/w640-h438/Bussells-Us1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Andrew & Kath, Us at Battersea Power Station </i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;">During our London visit, we were treated to a visit to Battersea Power Station by long-time UK friends, Andrew and Kath. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtKC0OKnFojkXHUj-ZRIQoz3JGpblpL37KnxPSBf5Wekb7aO8TgUSn9ypWIbcD2BlC96xReOhlKVR_oCbduVXFYz02axR2US3lIJFvBMxQNUakWbZhyan5jTVeuJyJL90zNdhklSqEng5PiFSVwf7trV1z4ra3Jzz-UEGQLWMKMJ1t1xHEyLUpk45oViM/s800/BPS%20view%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtKC0OKnFojkXHUj-ZRIQoz3JGpblpL37KnxPSBf5Wekb7aO8TgUSn9ypWIbcD2BlC96xReOhlKVR_oCbduVXFYz02axR2US3lIJFvBMxQNUakWbZhyan5jTVeuJyJL90zNdhklSqEng5PiFSVwf7trV1z4ra3Jzz-UEGQLWMKMJ1t1xHEyLUpk45oViM/w640-h640/BPS%20view%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">We took a glass lift to a viewing platform atop the power station’s landmark white chimneys to see sweeping views across the river from a height of over 330 feet.</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7spABvhPCfrd-uLzZcxwAMcYH9seo2n81RI0Tfl7KQafTX-nnRGlz1DAS241kcdpHJaWc7yRLjYNQVxuUR4UfNnivhqYS9fnOhSlEf18SX_ePig0WW7IqbA88psO_4WlJXD6-3tO92s_eOXwapOIhjqNfXfy_Y4zqqt4UcnuN2jkwY7EWEx7s-8Yf1OL/s800/BPS%20view%20collage2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7spABvhPCfrd-uLzZcxwAMcYH9seo2n81RI0Tfl7KQafTX-nnRGlz1DAS241kcdpHJaWc7yRLjYNQVxuUR4UfNnivhqYS9fnOhSlEf18SX_ePig0WW7IqbA88psO_4WlJXD6-3tO92s_eOXwapOIhjqNfXfy_Y4zqqt4UcnuN2jkwY7EWEx7s-8Yf1OL/w640-h640/BPS%20view%20collage2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Views from Battersea Power Station viewing platform</i></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="font-family: Prompt;">The Start</b></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">For nearly six decades from the 1930s to 1980s, Battersea Power Station was a working power station. At its peak, it produced a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognizable landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The station was one of the world's largest brick buildings, notable for its original Art Deco interior fittings and decor. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><div>Until the late 1930s, electricity was supplied by municipal undertakings, small power companies that built power stations dedicated to a single industry or group of factories, selling any excess electricity to the public. These companies used widely differing standards of voltage and frequency. In 1925 Parliament decided that the power grid should be a single system with uniform standards and under public ownership. Several private power companies reacted to the proposal by forming the London Power Company (LPC) to heed the recommendations and build a small number of very large stations.</div><div><br /></div><div>The LPC's first super power stations was planned for the Battersea area, on the south bank of the River Thames, London. In 1927, a proposal was made for a station built in two stages capable of generating 400 MWs of electricity. The site was a 15-acre plot of land which had been the site of reservoirs for the former Southwark and Vauxhall Waterworks Company. It was chosen for its proximity to the River Thames for cooling water and coal delivery; it was in the heart of London, the station's immediate supply area.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWdZomFMhJ0HWlkmcsII-mo5nuADcUNMx8IY4qgSlzD_XkznKe7izxkRvZpNJCkGJgTiYWSamA3-H0NdELpvnBfaqaR7GpTda9yDERKCWubqXPHKaEkznLBBMyfAsT_HpKWDwt1GRMz4tyM2mJ15zRpuOEAhnE8uVI6VYcgWO72TumyPFbv9bQ34Y1htq/s800/Sir%20Scott-phone%20collage.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKWdZomFMhJ0HWlkmcsII-mo5nuADcUNMx8IY4qgSlzD_XkznKe7izxkRvZpNJCkGJgTiYWSamA3-H0NdELpvnBfaqaR7GpTda9yDERKCWubqXPHKaEkznLBBMyfAsT_HpKWDwt1GRMz4tyM2mJ15zRpuOEAhnE8uVI6VYcgWO72TumyPFbv9bQ34Y1htq/s320/Sir%20Scott-phone%20collage.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Sir Giles Gilbert Scott </i></td></tr></tbody></table>The proposal sparked protests from those who felt that the building would be a large eyesore as well as concern that pollution could damage local buildings and parks. The pollution issue was resolved by granting permission to build the station on condition that its emissions be treated to ensure they were clean and smokeless.</div><div><br /></div><div>The company hired Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to design the building's exterior. An industrial designer, Scott was a well-known architect, referred to in the press as architect of the exterior. He is famously remembered for his design of the iconic British red telephone box, which is still in use today. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>The station was designed in the brick-cathedral style of power station design popular at the time. Battersea is one of a small number of examples of this style of design still in existence in the UK today. The station's popular design was described as a temple of power, which ranked it equal with St Paul's Cathedral as a London landmark. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCSK8A7XeTGOBzZ9yn-kxruFNlEX_PODSQaTx4ez9jCyKrHab_ucNX80Dyhn0qSdg-Ti9O2cnLQlnek0AEVzJrmEg5oySNC77riJDUogcVSGooozAJMOtsC9Wb1bOoTztPRRgF-FETUQmv3x7SCfLxBE6Pm0qt9S0m8nkwVns-1AWj_h470ojbV9JxP9b/s1010/Battersea%201934%20phase1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1010" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCSK8A7XeTGOBzZ9yn-kxruFNlEX_PODSQaTx4ez9jCyKrHab_ucNX80Dyhn0qSdg-Ti9O2cnLQlnek0AEVzJrmEg5oySNC77riJDUogcVSGooozAJMOtsC9Wb1bOoTztPRRgF-FETUQmv3x7SCfLxBE6Pm0qt9S0m8nkwVns-1AWj_h470ojbV9JxP9b/s320/Battersea%201934%20phase1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Battersea Power Station A, 1934</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The first stage, Battersea Power Station A, was built between 1929 and 1935. The second, Station B was built between 1937 and 1941. Construction was halted during WW II.</span><span> </span><span>RAF pilots used the plumes of white vapor from the chimneys to guide them home in fog. The German Luftwaffe also used the plumes for navigation, which many believe is why the power station avoided extensive bombing.</span></div></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div>Station A's control room had many Art Deco fittings. Italian marble was used in the turbine hall, and polished parquet floors and wrought-iron staircases were throughout. After WW II ended, construction resumed on Station B, which was nearly identical to Station A on the outside. Due to a lack of funds after WW II, Station B's interior wasn't done the same, fittings were made from stainless steel. It was constructed directly to its east as a mirror, giving the station its familiar four-chimney layout. <span>The space within the main Boiler House was vast enough to fit St Paul's Cathedral inside. </span><span>There were nine boilers in Station A station, six in Station B, which were the largest ever built in the UK at that time. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFf_j3g99RyJiLXUIYJ61fPpyi0LfAtxAzDqOAoc4orYhKggPLn7TxMEo2Rusb0aLytDYIfDnwRbFlPwAIkLwevRhXG3u5Ysqo7t7Ga5aykutQePbVNJGeFJb4OT_4Bz6pD5-OkMNHvDuKWXkppf0FxQLQlpQK2hwit4406ka6vEbcbpdFGAR4gPZiBNO/s1274/Battersea%20PS%20vintage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1274" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFf_j3g99RyJiLXUIYJ61fPpyi0LfAtxAzDqOAoc4orYhKggPLn7TxMEo2Rusb0aLytDYIfDnwRbFlPwAIkLwevRhXG3u5Ysqo7t7Ga5aykutQePbVNJGeFJb4OT_4Bz6pD5-OkMNHvDuKWXkppf0FxQLQlpQK2hwit4406ka6vEbcbpdFGAR4gPZiBNO/w640-h426/Battersea%20PS%20vintage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Battersea Power Station, Stations A and B</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>The construction of Station B brought the site's generating capacity to 509 MW peak capacity, making it the third largest generating site in the UK then. It was also the most thermally efficient power station in the world when it opened.</div></div></span></div><div><span><div><br /></div><div><b>The End</b></div></span></div><div><span><div><span><div>In March 1975, Station A closed after 40 years in operation. Three years later, rumors began that Station B would follow. A campaign was launched to save the building as part of the national heritage; it was declared a heritage site in 1980. In October 1983, production of electricity at Station B ended, after nearly 30 years of operation. The station's generating capacity had fallen to 146 MW. </div><div><br /></div><div>Battersea's demise was caused by output falling with age, outdated generating equipment, preferred choice of fuel for electricity generation shifting from coal toward oil, gas and nuclear power and increased operating costs.</div></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq40ltxcLBDcac8EDhDxNrCpDNg0FkbHp7pBclYENslsu5w2oDc0DN79gGviy1h2UVkMg2mT5XYXedmh6qq4IwQ99dMoawASGxj3aLbyH5HUi5f80iNb3NqLBEFfT-Qnj04pOzULSPRLdt5LK8Q7MyYtKERpPp6D_OtEgLjK8C5q8sR9WwmmHw8CNkQliY/s1128/Battersea%20demise.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1128" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq40ltxcLBDcac8EDhDxNrCpDNg0FkbHp7pBclYENslsu5w2oDc0DN79gGviy1h2UVkMg2mT5XYXedmh6qq4IwQ99dMoawASGxj3aLbyH5HUi5f80iNb3NqLBEFfT-Qnj04pOzULSPRLdt5LK8Q7MyYtKERpPp6D_OtEgLjK8C5q8sR9WwmmHw8CNkQliY/w640-h426/Battersea%20demise.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The power station's roof was removed in a plan to convert it into a theme park</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg92A6eO3hbUzaIV38fH3v7j5Zo_hkPnPZnqKcm9HKRuzAP0xCFbEzDjr5BN6WOwKIDHh2ax-NQ73VS7P-dHgefrF7c5T5Ald8UN1fV2jkv1jVZBuLYpzV8VL2suBaoD3lVcVOkOPDkZcmuzgIlwdB0L1qvU__ClbHXZ91JtyImIMv5cWK8wGMEvmnARsa/s1430/Turbine%20Hall%20B%20before.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1430" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg92A6eO3hbUzaIV38fH3v7j5Zo_hkPnPZnqKcm9HKRuzAP0xCFbEzDjr5BN6WOwKIDHh2ax-NQ73VS7P-dHgefrF7c5T5Ald8UN1fV2jkv1jVZBuLYpzV8VL2suBaoD3lVcVOkOPDkZcmuzgIlwdB0L1qvU__ClbHXZ91JtyImIMv5cWK8wGMEvmnARsa/w640-h348/Turbine%20Hall%20B%20before.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Former turbine room in ruins after station was decommissioned</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>After being decommissioned, the power station</span><span> fell into serious ruin. It</span> condition was described as <i>very bad</i> by English Heritage, which cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites, and which included it in the Heritage at Risk Register. <span>Various proposals to renovate the building included a theme park, shopping mall, football stadium all fell apart. In 2012, a Malaysian consortium bought the 42-acre site to develop</span><span> it with residences, restaurants, office space, shops and entertainment spaces. </span></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuQaiKYoMxSfud75gvPw8Seo63f8A8hwVOd81-eeNr5APou3RWhYY39vIyrLBR3jFyfcszChLiht8Tpb4mrhDxqXXyWc6Oj5ZIoGednRfpUSnV6DmzX0KUtTjqy7i6j-7hyphenhyphen8YDgAAWOqFqOIJBwBscKpJc5fIqJRcwfEFn1TniVV3GKq_ZOBjV38gA43-/s800/BPS%20int%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuQaiKYoMxSfud75gvPw8Seo63f8A8hwVOd81-eeNr5APou3RWhYY39vIyrLBR3jFyfcszChLiht8Tpb4mrhDxqXXyWc6Oj5ZIoGednRfpUSnV6DmzX0KUtTjqy7i6j-7hyphenhyphen8YDgAAWOqFqOIJBwBscKpJc5fIqJRcwfEFn1TniVV3GKq_ZOBjV38gA43-/w640-h640/BPS%20int%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span>Plans were approved and redevelopment started in a few years. </span>Most of the building's interior scaffolding was removed with work done to refurbish the original 1930s features. Original chimneys were replaced with replicas, two have steam emitted from a new gas-powered energy center.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRpSxFzQyVhRE7XkbBCmh1PgvZgOeOQIzrtgg0nvGfetC8we_nF42pkUeELu56fzZySnpdO7lMB-j0Ca1x-byacjbnc9_2eEsN7_7Zlht7zcvCOWOw-QWGzTpQypmkcQn9eRa2RDs5HMRs51VbFJSt8vKcCABpQAvF335tgQGkrTPjjZaJ63prIBaZXKG/s800/interiors%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRpSxFzQyVhRE7XkbBCmh1PgvZgOeOQIzrtgg0nvGfetC8we_nF42pkUeELu56fzZySnpdO7lMB-j0Ca1x-byacjbnc9_2eEsN7_7Zlht7zcvCOWOw-QWGzTpQypmkcQn9eRa2RDs5HMRs51VbFJSt8vKcCABpQAvF335tgQGkrTPjjZaJ63prIBaZXKG/w640-h640/interiors%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Station B Controls at Battersea Power Station </i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The Redo</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In October 2020, after 4 years of construction, nearly 40 years after the lights went out, Battersea Power Station opened its doors for the public to explore the iconic building and its first shops, bars, restaurants and leisure venues, including Electric Boulevard, a pedestrian street. </div></span></div><div><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi8j6Yp4O6oOaDhiaUCPwzC3YaxZLNvghtVaNRRT24UiaO1Tbsr0XyfjMxVf99y1BIU2uh3HNtEkqHA5Cme_FBR0WCjcx9pHdK0ylfj2perK6w4b0mptIk3yUA3xZmpCRsQQRJNnC3mbzf0GI1LgyzF8BWXCR-1Zbk_kQ5Wlv6ZXFemfg4P89idezlqbX/s800/apts%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi8j6Yp4O6oOaDhiaUCPwzC3YaxZLNvghtVaNRRT24UiaO1Tbsr0XyfjMxVf99y1BIU2uh3HNtEkqHA5Cme_FBR0WCjcx9pHdK0ylfj2perK6w4b0mptIk3yUA3xZmpCRsQQRJNnC3mbzf0GI1LgyzF8BWXCR-1Zbk_kQ5Wlv6ZXFemfg4P89idezlqbX/w640-h640/apts%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Apartments around Battersea Power Station today</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Today, Battersea Power Station has been featured in or used as a shooting location for films, TV programs, music videos, video games as well as for sporting, cultural and political events. One of its earliest film appearances was in the 1936 Alfred Hitchcock film, <i>Sabotage,</i> made before construction of Station B. Scenes from the 2008 Batman film, <i>The Dark Knight</i>, were filmed at Battersea. </div></span></div></div></span></div><div><span><div><div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GzRHLRlxHeifHAPa9S_HXhIfwO4M_SktuYipYEDK_pKkINDX0SCZhBbrqmU3lL3-7SgZnaW0eohkLewgBPNfKKvp5S0sl8FUDawKihzFSXEhuZdmt5xCUY3ioz-_uDWQKUOoElu6NQ93pUKgjwJ9fypH7Nz_WR9rH7R2oiNC2rWxVmPFxYScS3t8Se7k/s1160/pink%20pig%20Dawn%20Oconnor.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1160" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9GzRHLRlxHeifHAPa9S_HXhIfwO4M_SktuYipYEDK_pKkINDX0SCZhBbrqmU3lL3-7SgZnaW0eohkLewgBPNfKKvp5S0sl8FUDawKihzFSXEhuZdmt5xCUY3ioz-_uDWQKUOoElu6NQ93pUKgjwJ9fypH7Nz_WR9rH7R2oiNC2rWxVmPFxYScS3t8Se7k/s320/pink%20pig%20Dawn%20Oconnor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Photo by Dawn O'Connor</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>One of the station's most memorable uses was for the cover photograph of Pink Floyd's 1977 album, <i>Animals.</i> It sold millions of copies worldwide and was officially launched at an event at the power station. A December 1976 photo shows the power station with an inflatable pink pig floating above it. The inflatable tethered to one of the power station's chimneys broke loose from its moorings and drifted into the flight path of Heathrow Airport.</div><div><br /></div><div>Touring this iconic power station was definitely a highlight of our brief visit to London. We are thankful that our friends suggested this outing, which might have been one we would have overlooked.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6ojiS7F7QWn4CICVw6PolzzQ032oa3MugfhflkxcX307SpEPVXkAVGRqmvpdGm2wfjU_eKx8_K7DoLMgejtU1nFX26ONs0G-O6ZCgIlqYAOX0SMn2ScSMi7bsXu-jCLvlrJOVme2bBMmLcakrhH9bACC1M6XHmTJ8lGRxWtwEe_Nti0e5sHzLDRbeu7u/s800/BPS%20towers%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6ojiS7F7QWn4CICVw6PolzzQ032oa3MugfhflkxcX307SpEPVXkAVGRqmvpdGm2wfjU_eKx8_K7DoLMgejtU1nFX26ONs0G-O6ZCgIlqYAOX0SMn2ScSMi7bsXu-jCLvlrJOVme2bBMmLcakrhH9bACC1M6XHmTJ8lGRxWtwEe_Nti0e5sHzLDRbeu7u/w640-h640/BPS%20towers%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>If you have a London visit planned in your future, Battersea Power Station might be a site to include for the views alone. There's a cost to access the tower viewing platform, but the 360-degree views were wonderful on the <i>thankfully</i> clear day of our visit..</div></div></div></span></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-72429149652969752902024-02-16T07:00:00.001-05:002024-02-16T07:00:00.160-05:00Friday Funnies<div><span style="font-family: arial;">Last October, I did a Friday Funnies post about vehicular vanity plates with examples of some spotted in and around NH. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">More have been spotted since then, so here's another post showing a couple more.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's a couple of fun ones that seemed to go together.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9AotzqEQOdXNSlSMqIQKrNu9UU1r-AnhV2HltTffFfgDVLowHjp0mdnOkUD2j_Nt3qpsYUjecGPMX5cU5V74g7MfEUue6AmOMK4uizGzWuktfD2av4h4JPg5v9QLWi4Pl5LNQEJTzStBprhJexEtTKp8A0fHqKOmg8OvV4dBp2LMG6N9NsCyXc1-Fv0k/s800/delicious%20collage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9AotzqEQOdXNSlSMqIQKrNu9UU1r-AnhV2HltTffFfgDVLowHjp0mdnOkUD2j_Nt3qpsYUjecGPMX5cU5V74g7MfEUue6AmOMK4uizGzWuktfD2av4h4JPg5v9QLWi4Pl5LNQEJTzStBprhJexEtTKp8A0fHqKOmg8OvV4dBp2LMG6N9NsCyXc1-Fv0k/w640-h640/delicious%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Vanity plates are issued by every U.S. state and the District of Columbia. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Virginia leads with the highest number of vanity plates per capita of any state or commonwealth</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There's no doubt as to who drives these vehicles according to the plates.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMug4uh4GPLSEc-3YM_QkiGPsu_EcRes_dSwITj9PEqXWIibLx4PDf7Fmb9CgTTV-XQt5XZOF8Dcc1tsNRYs8Z-4ThUKp3Xjg2EUS-lAN5zdgXvRzBBLSSBWyEMDGafxDaBuw5QJXpVTh-IJDYBShAHBXfTmj1j5I4OZ3LGz2qIESH0QTvVHFTz6T1rCDt/s800/nana%20platescollage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMug4uh4GPLSEc-3YM_QkiGPsu_EcRes_dSwITj9PEqXWIibLx4PDf7Fmb9CgTTV-XQt5XZOF8Dcc1tsNRYs8Z-4ThUKp3Xjg2EUS-lAN5zdgXvRzBBLSSBWyEMDGafxDaBuw5QJXpVTh-IJDYBShAHBXfTmj1j5I4OZ3LGz2qIESH0QTvVHFTz6T1rCDt/w640-h640/nana%20platescollage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">If it seems like there's an unusually high number of vanity plates here, it's because New Hampshire is ranked second in the country for its percentage of vanity plates. Another New England state, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Maine isn't far behind and is ranked sixth in the country</span><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As these plates clearly indicate, that's all for now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZhqmfhiFPOZGUZZNnySFFI0FsL1mYSAsEl-4t1ChZJ7D0oJku1KJwRj4ya2fDxwDzOyBYfq3I1BtWEDZ9jWXTksNLy7ikgngRSCq0AVhlyP_GfsW7cvANZD7y2A0xz2eEfAZzhUiGWSY6vuRQQllCrrVo9ziSlLJKwWUqq9vZkwLChSJPRqsAd0Gmtan/s800/thats%20all%20collage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZhqmfhiFPOZGUZZNnySFFI0FsL1mYSAsEl-4t1ChZJ7D0oJku1KJwRj4ya2fDxwDzOyBYfq3I1BtWEDZ9jWXTksNLy7ikgngRSCq0AVhlyP_GfsW7cvANZD7y2A0xz2eEfAZzhUiGWSY6vuRQQllCrrVo9ziSlLJKwWUqq9vZkwLChSJPRqsAd0Gmtan/w640-h640/thats%20all%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The quality of most of these images isn't optimal. Many were taken on the road while behind the vehicle with a vanity plate, always when I was the passenger (not the driver).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3yIxKeMnKrb5-LU_xx1wuV9lqYnbv7BdUwjV0AROWYdGKpdMbU0ZhuI9JnOBdTiIA1Zk-rvGiD5VEVZmEJuvPjSpNvNH9qZ9tFZriTuL9ZJMkNkrdpRt7g-zFBgJdBc209wJFf69rrCV6wAJuv_lK-d0h5Rthr4uC2JO1sgBOTg2shD8pLh6pU9yft7C/s3169/Mallards%20F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2883" data-original-width="3169" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3yIxKeMnKrb5-LU_xx1wuV9lqYnbv7BdUwjV0AROWYdGKpdMbU0ZhuI9JnOBdTiIA1Zk-rvGiD5VEVZmEJuvPjSpNvNH9qZ9tFZriTuL9ZJMkNkrdpRt7g-zFBgJdBc209wJFf69rrCV6wAJuv_lK-d0h5Rthr4uC2JO1sgBOTg2shD8pLh6pU9yft7C/w640-h582/Mallards%20F.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Valentine's ❤️ Day was celebrated earlier this week. This Mallard duck couple were seen while out for a stroll along the Nashua River.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><b>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</b></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>A quick moving storm may bring 1-3 inches of ❄️</i></span></div></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-51427804649716480162024-02-15T07:00:00.605-05:002024-02-15T09:14:16.473-05:00Something Old & New <div><span style="font-family: arial;">These are the familiar first and second lines of a traditional rhyme detailing what a bride should wear at her wedding for good luck. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The entire rhyme mentions five items:</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA51BAypxdDO-e8m2cTEMRSyfsTKsus7YFqvASrgvlew9KP_IVG1UjqzDT-ylYjsajh1iy9vnKTBcas6gq-q9gz38Dd87_e22a3KPykM_xBD1qUIF3KRzX3CC8Gi-K80pNaYUupDlQDlIfd6y4NqR9nDpNi1D_GJ6WW5FO2dp5-erqPMQnVuZRVe4VuHQA/s294/something%20old.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="294" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA51BAypxdDO-e8m2cTEMRSyfsTKsus7YFqvASrgvlew9KP_IVG1UjqzDT-ylYjsajh1iy9vnKTBcas6gq-q9gz38Dd87_e22a3KPykM_xBD1qUIF3KRzX3CC8Gi-K80pNaYUupDlQDlIfd6y4NqR9nDpNi1D_GJ6WW5FO2dp5-erqPMQnVuZRVe4VuHQA/w259-h213/something%20old.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Something old, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">something new, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">something borrowed, something </span><span style="font-family: arial;">blue, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and a sixpence in her shoe.</span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>It dates to the late 1800s during the Victorian Era and comes from an English rhyme. The objects were considered necessary to include on a wedding day with the belief they would ward off the evil eye and lead to happy marriages, a superstition still popular today in the UK and US.</div><div><br /></div></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Something old</i> is a family keepsake carried or worn by the bride to symbolize continuing her past life in her marriage. <i>Something new</i> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">offers optimism for the future. <i>Something</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> borrowed</i> is believed to transfer luck from one marriage to another. <i>Something</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i> blue</i> is a sign of purity and fidelity represented in something blue worn by the bride. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>A sixpence</i> is a silver British coin, about the size of a penny, no longer in use. It's meant to </span><span style="font-family: arial;">symbolize a life of wealth and prosperity. Traditionally, the bride's father would place the sixpence in her shoe for good fortune. The custom derives from a time when the bride would gift silver coins from her dowry to the groom.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But, as usual, I've digressed and here's why. When thinking about a post title, this rhyme came to mind, so off I went to learn more and, of course, opted to share here. However, this post is <b>not</b> about any upcoming wedding and, no, we</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> didn't include any of these traditions at our own nearly 25 years ago and it's lasted regardless.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That said</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, there <b>is </b>something <b>old</b> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> something <b>new</b> to post about, a bit of an extravagant and overdue holiday and birthday gift from myself to myself. <i>Do you ever treat yourself? </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1IZmFm6I1TAnlTQ9Yefwg_hWvMaRWcznYCg7OZgHM53GIlQh44Q8QXN9MB_MDSDduydFKhy8oA9kA07IPD1tFcZzsmX8NqgqgCqU2bbYSXXLi1WjQyMKh-671VRjn8aaAPRhp3zkOe1zAvMWYd044sKvs8KTVymHEWPREzu97X3bFZgAQU9MNe2DRI_e/s3582/iMac.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2481" data-original-width="3582" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1IZmFm6I1TAnlTQ9Yefwg_hWvMaRWcznYCg7OZgHM53GIlQh44Q8QXN9MB_MDSDduydFKhy8oA9kA07IPD1tFcZzsmX8NqgqgCqU2bbYSXXLi1WjQyMKh-671VRjn8aaAPRhp3zkOe1zAvMWYd044sKvs8KTVymHEWPREzu97X3bFZgAQU9MNe2DRI_e/w320-h222/iMac.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Older iMac desktop</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The <b>old</b> is a nearly 10-year old, 21-inch desktop iMac computer purchased shortly after we'd relocated to NH. This was my first Apple computer, aside from an iPad and iPhone. Before buying the Mac, I'd always used HP computers based on Windows (Microsoft) operating system, switching to Apple meant learning to do things differently. I admit to still learning, overall it continues to have been a good decision to switch. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The desktop is still working, but l</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ike most things, equipment tends to get slower with age, and with mine it was taking longer to open mail, documents and multiple tabs. All of these are not unexpected, as some issues associated with aging computers include:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Less reliability which can mean unplanned down time if they malfunction.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><i>Expired warranty which can lead to unexpected expenses.</i></div><div><i>Slower running with more waiting for applications to load.</i></div><div><i>Older computers often become incompatible with some software.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3hgXrF1xF4KxuY06Ul7qMbfkuSHSmv-zk4ajN7cfha9vLQUiOZtYJivMY7Jjhw2PnBmUUmQcSOJDP1blAaKR23MX_EMfCsFENVeJ9_5sgU72QIqzRx4LRxQrVvj0igqaBvhG-XMCX97gOflfPLKK8ptwQhKP_MJxVYrV-8UMjwID8VD8pZZ2NCfUKt80/s548/old%20computer%202.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="498" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3hgXrF1xF4KxuY06Ul7qMbfkuSHSmv-zk4ajN7cfha9vLQUiOZtYJivMY7Jjhw2PnBmUUmQcSOJDP1blAaKR23MX_EMfCsFENVeJ9_5sgU72QIqzRx4LRxQrVvj0igqaBvhG-XMCX97gOflfPLKK8ptwQhKP_MJxVYrV-8UMjwID8VD8pZZ2NCfUKt80/w182-h200/old%20computer%202.jpg" width="182" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Internet source</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>How long do computers last?</b></div><div>That's what I wondered as well. According to many experts, desktop computers generally have a <i>healthy </i>lifespan of five years, some longer, especially if well maintained. Laptops are estimated to have a lifespan to three or four years. </div><div><br /></div><div>The good news is that according to experts, Mac computers have a reputation for lasting longer. Apple offers a strong maintenance and support system. There's an added cost, but AppleCare is an available option that extends the warranty for an additional 2 years. Speaking from experience it has always been worth the added cost to buy the extra protection.</div><div><br /></div><div>My computers are well past these estimates, not only is my desktop older than its expected lifespan, but so is a 2017 MacBook Air notebook computer, which is not being replaced now. It's mainly taken on road trips and still functioning quite well enough for that purpose. Perhaps, its replacement will come in a couple years.</div><div><br /></div><div>In an earlier post, when I noted that plans were in the works for a new computer gift to myself and invited comments from fellow bloggers. Several responded they preferred a notebook. That's exactly what I was considering based on the limited size of my desk. The iMac consumed much of the available desk space.</div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSnkcBv8eQkNUaE-PVzRJHQzUb25FZdegjci4PJ2XVngIpGGEdU1_sptKWDQ2Z4Bd4JVos7ZSknCHM7PLAkUtXDMYAjyBVo9yCgtdihuqoXZHCDZ07uyBzD_CIml2oXUeo-Z52My3WWMAOnbs0jti55bWRtzeVxXRBplkq3NTdnKDENzCQi3N3MiaQxi8/s3330/MacBook.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3330" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSnkcBv8eQkNUaE-PVzRJHQzUb25FZdegjci4PJ2XVngIpGGEdU1_sptKWDQ2Z4Bd4JVos7ZSknCHM7PLAkUtXDMYAjyBVo9yCgtdihuqoXZHCDZ07uyBzD_CIml2oXUeo-Z52My3WWMAOnbs0jti55bWRtzeVxXRBplkq3NTdnKDENzCQi3N3MiaQxi8/w320-h291/MacBook.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>New MacBook Pro</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>This MacBook Pro notebook is <b>new </b>with<b> </b>so much more memory, faster processor and other features<i>,</i> too many to list. True, its 16-inch screen is smaller than the 21-inch desktop, but having more desk space is a good thing for me. And, hopefully, it will last as long as its predecessor.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What happens to the old computer?</b></div><div>This week, files were migrated from the desktop to the notebook using Apple's built-in file migration system and Patrick's help. As soon as I'm sure the notebook is working with no issues, the desktop will be recycled at the Apple store in Nashua, NH. </div><div><br /></div><div>Last week, we went there not only for me to check out the available models and purchase a new computer, but to recycle Patrick's even older-iMac desktop. It had been replaced it with an Apple notebook over the holidays because it was also time for an upgrade.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What about donating older PCs?</b></div><div>Yes, we did consider the possibility of donating both desktops to a local organization in need (after first removing all personal data). However, that's easier said than done it seems. After calling a number of volunteer organizations and not finding any takers, we decided recycling was the best alternative. Some reasons given when declining the offer were that the organization did not use non-Windows computers, there was no need and, of course, the age of the computer even though it remains functional, just a bit slower.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Computers, monitors and other peripheral devices often contain toxic materials, such as lead and mercury that don't belong in a landfill. Just like Apple, many manufacturer and retailer-sponsored programs (like best Buy) will take drop-offs and then dismantle the computers for materials recycling. While Apple offers a credit toward purchase of another device or gift card, both our computers were <i>too old</i> and so no credit would be offered toward another purchase, so they would be recycled at no cost to us, win-win.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>If and when you’re also ready to retire your old equipment through donation or recycling, make sure to completely erase the hard drive first. Then, donate or recycle the hardware whichever works best for you. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7a0_bHXX3LwDQtLnTzQz-Ex5q-94heTdSpWGCVg-QK_qBoAxE_n-H41lK1XhgAgFZypCDuCAPbyNPi_DGgGuuHmwyVUKGhh1Chw8_qF8tR-sbj6I7i8XzF1ssrQokyTxJ4kN_5rrETkfK6dHG0GMn2PNQ4uxHlCnSKzO0Wd7ZzHqfG4EKh9wq0IJnG6A/s4032/0212%20sunset.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2544" data-original-width="4032" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7a0_bHXX3LwDQtLnTzQz-Ex5q-94heTdSpWGCVg-QK_qBoAxE_n-H41lK1XhgAgFZypCDuCAPbyNPi_DGgGuuHmwyVUKGhh1Chw8_qF8tR-sbj6I7i8XzF1ssrQokyTxJ4kN_5rrETkfK6dHG0GMn2PNQ4uxHlCnSKzO0Wd7ZzHqfG4EKh9wq0IJnG6A/w640-h404/0212%20sunset.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Sunset over the Nashua River earlier this week</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-53731722489644053382024-02-09T07:00:00.173-05:002024-02-09T17:32:38.729-05:00Friday Funnies<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i>It's official: spring is right around the corner.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week on Feb. 2, a well-known weather predictor, who happens to be a groundhog called Punx</span><span style="font-family: arial;">sutawney Phil didn't see his shadow. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">His annual appearance before</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> a crowd of onlookers at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, PA </span><span style="font-family: arial;">was part of the Groundhog Day tradition celebration.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Not seeing his shadow means, according to legend, that it will be an early spring. This was </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the first time since 2020 that Phil has predicted early spring, the 21st time since records were kept.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>ut, while many were very happy about this prediction, <b>not</b> everyone was overjoyed at the news, like this snowman.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyHSiEPogYwuR8I0Q8PYnNqJ7WZqwWSG3uGUaklNCKQk7DiXOkUtJci5rM0keXLaOatD2SAX4eI-Dp0G3dytm3gRaXcltAl_qO44fdQKz__tL8RXj-fGejlq9OviC3DIiT8hHBbKTWaTL7e2mIPJJT3ApKi5-R76gEyNZGcL4SWPztosKKgWiOO6Md7YT/s3913/snowman%20down2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3913" data-original-width="2748" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwyHSiEPogYwuR8I0Q8PYnNqJ7WZqwWSG3uGUaklNCKQk7DiXOkUtJci5rM0keXLaOatD2SAX4eI-Dp0G3dytm3gRaXcltAl_qO44fdQKz__tL8RXj-fGejlq9OviC3DIiT8hHBbKTWaTL7e2mIPJJT3ApKi5-R76gEyNZGcL4SWPztosKKgWiOO6Md7YT/w450-h640/snowman%20down2.JPG" width="450" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Seen last week, this snowman looked <i>very</i> dejected as he surveyed the melting snow all around or maybe he was unhappy due to winter weight gain?</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-DE748TZQ2GWpL_T2kF5mlSBegXpkWhhwJpemwq4DYAdJAwTR4vziuGBDJQJoOE-Z3a-qnsrm0UxUJOfHBbSSf64as3_O95i6iKkISy6X3elQIzrMOfmPFOjdzW7d7EjPijJJ0HG2jryUIjytfKDdvdIIGPmB0UrPXv8lEWV0U9jrEL1LDaUNrvOLa8V/s800/CTP%20snowmen%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-DE748TZQ2GWpL_T2kF5mlSBegXpkWhhwJpemwq4DYAdJAwTR4vziuGBDJQJoOE-Z3a-qnsrm0UxUJOfHBbSSf64as3_O95i6iKkISy6X3elQIzrMOfmPFOjdzW7d7EjPijJJ0HG2jryUIjytfKDdvdIIGPmB0UrPXv8lEWV0U9jrEL1LDaUNrvOLa8V/w640-h640/CTP%20snowmen%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Some snowmen were oblivious to the forecast, most likely as they reside indoors and ignore weather predictions, like these outside some of the mill apt residences. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnTRHMUBVGPEsgJhnqh3m5qkTUA9oGpUE_qlQwLFj6r23rFMnRJ3mkmwtmWnFmMwfSpdaBOJi1dgLu5KOy_6vx4ifOKz5x3hjJfiUPDhcoXcVjBgJgRaxwqahIP0QBJL7WWpg4a141mO0cOW546wihR5b3t5SLgLgDRjK__elFMsSMyD880BQGjcndUgu/s800/bday%20dinner%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnTRHMUBVGPEsgJhnqh3m5qkTUA9oGpUE_qlQwLFj6r23rFMnRJ3mkmwtmWnFmMwfSpdaBOJi1dgLu5KOy_6vx4ifOKz5x3hjJfiUPDhcoXcVjBgJgRaxwqahIP0QBJL7WWpg4a141mO0cOW546wihR5b3t5SLgLgDRjK__elFMsSMyD880BQGjcndUgu/w400-h400/bday%20dinner%20collage.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><i>Cheers 🍷 and Thanks for the birthday well wishes last weekend. It was a stay-at-home celebration with dinner at a downtown restaurant capped off with a piece of the signature dessert, tall cake. The flavors change monthly, this was lemon. Yes, I shared with Patrick.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>60-degree temps forecast in Nashua, NH, on Saturday</i></span></div></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-57092163124825821242024-02-08T07:00:00.079-05:002024-02-08T07:00:00.273-05:00Mah Jongg Anyone?<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbaIEByS75jCf5pmnriMiQGHdwRO_fgm2gLWwRIT_AhF3Wwi64aVvAR3h2Eg1KbHupxKRt9bJ5QYuJSsWKJf215tqPQ2kkwnENUFfjzEAC2h2DUNhuCOmnZDW5ivhlCh59Z8svYqhypOlgleq4iZUvW3M-yxeAFSQlNL-9VDMHqM_dnJSgVvokItVQsC0/s836/Did%20You%20Know%20blurb.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="836" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbaIEByS75jCf5pmnriMiQGHdwRO_fgm2gLWwRIT_AhF3Wwi64aVvAR3h2Eg1KbHupxKRt9bJ5QYuJSsWKJf215tqPQ2kkwnENUFfjzEAC2h2DUNhuCOmnZDW5ivhlCh59Z8svYqhypOlgleq4iZUvW3M-yxeAFSQlNL-9VDMHqM_dnJSgVvokItVQsC0/w200-h178/Did%20You%20Know%20blurb.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">That the game of mah jongg (Americanized name) supposedly sharpens memory, improves concentration, and challenges the brain. It's</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> known by various names: m</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ah jongg, m</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ah jong, mahjong or m</span><span style="font-family: arial;">aahj and t</span><span style="font-family: arial;">here are two versions, Chinese and American<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Since I celebrated a milestone birthday recently, I thought that if learning the game would help in even one of those areas, then why not?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Even better, the public library here in Nashua, NH, was offering a series of four free lessons for American mah jongg with a request that those at the first session commit to attend all the weekly sessions. That's understandable as the two sisters teaching the class were also volunteering their time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So given an opportunity to possibly improve my cognitive abilities and get at least an introduction to a game that has always fascinated me — what's not to like. After all,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> <i>free</i> is good as well.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijKBAA0lfAcLAVv2bXLJfl892gk389FgBPFw7fmE_vOJlrS_NZr-kBfMKqv30bnSUYymLFQB0Vb6MrJ6W4kAwXhGuQOAnmK0Evr3Vit4Rs27r8XbHKg5_7TC9QgZwFvNXrOtbmMci9d2F2Iyj3NEG58WmRMHWs67u789CsxDI0zlOM0-l4GDNT22RW2KR/s527/games%20&%20mind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="435" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijKBAA0lfAcLAVv2bXLJfl892gk389FgBPFw7fmE_vOJlrS_NZr-kBfMKqv30bnSUYymLFQB0Vb6MrJ6W4kAwXhGuQOAnmK0Evr3Vit4Rs27r8XbHKg5_7TC9QgZwFvNXrOtbmMci9d2F2Iyj3NEG58WmRMHWs67u789CsxDI0zlOM0-l4GDNT22RW2KR/w165-h200/games%20&%20mind.jpg" width="165" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><i>Internet source</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>If you're wondering <b>why</b> learning this game is good for your mind, it's because it requires a player to be calculating and decide on every move using strategy. These variables must be balanced together in a short time — before another person wins. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>OK, not to target specific age groups as I'm also in the seniors category, but researchers, who studied the effects of playing the game on human brains, concluded that compared to non-players, the minds of mah jongg players were sharper with longer lasting memory. A conclusion was that regular playing could improve short-term memory, attention, and logical thinking in middle aged and elderly adults. Studies have also shown that stimulating intelligence through game playing and puzzling solving could even prevent or delay dementia.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Hmmm, now where was I? (just kidding)</i></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaw5QwFtkiSc6Q_Ub3nIHANQosBngjYYEL34jUjs_kdm9L1edzGm30qW_5Mh_s1UZjuwaAQBdUE_QFoDI9CjZxaABSofrtn1U0XbnS4vbX3iqaN327hT7rK9POwuHqAE4KUkWep7S5DqE-Rjdk5i0B6ctmS0uhFWlDe6FtJzTLl5N_Y-pUnMTdZ8ERLC3/s459/brain%20workout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="459" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaw5QwFtkiSc6Q_Ub3nIHANQosBngjYYEL34jUjs_kdm9L1edzGm30qW_5Mh_s1UZjuwaAQBdUE_QFoDI9CjZxaABSofrtn1U0XbnS4vbX3iqaN327hT7rK9POwuHqAE4KUkWep7S5DqE-Rjdk5i0B6ctmS0uhFWlDe6FtJzTLl5N_Y-pUnMTdZ8ERLC3/w200-h160/brain%20workout.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Internet source</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Experts are mixed on whether games have long-term brain benefits. Some counter that, while games stimulate the brain in important ways, other beneficial and scientifically proven ways to improve brain health, include physical activity, diet and social engagement. Research has not proven if these might actually prevent cognitive decline.</div><div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>In short, there's agreement and disagreement even among aging experts. Regardless, most agree there’s more good than harm done playing games, doing puzzles or brain games. A<i> good thing to know.</i></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWsMQ_FPnjgntfbjG6pDK5oTk780fCqN0tRP7BCDvprlodE1HA-gKa9l0m53Eb6DbGZ3s8HKAXlKkn4WtauU6z74AA14O0N9626-CqKDk_3Vb1WZWTz7xkV_g__rpOjWR1emel2wXzQNF7EHQLJcAnbaTX69cOd7ZUnTiY-PjKxXekcUrSZsvo7tM6bUu/s696/mah%20jongg%20app%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="696" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWsMQ_FPnjgntfbjG6pDK5oTk780fCqN0tRP7BCDvprlodE1HA-gKa9l0m53Eb6DbGZ3s8HKAXlKkn4WtauU6z74AA14O0N9626-CqKDk_3Vb1WZWTz7xkV_g__rpOjWR1emel2wXzQNF7EHQLJcAnbaTX69cOd7ZUnTiY-PjKxXekcUrSZsvo7tM6bUu/w320-h240/mah%20jongg%20app%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><i>Maj jongg solitaire</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The mah jongg game that many play through online apps is a single-player matching game,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> often referred to as mah jongg solitaire. It</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> uses the same tiles as in traditional Chinese mah jong.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I've played some of these versions without knowing that it was <i>nothing</i> like playing the actual game.</span></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The traditional Chinese game, mah jong, which translates to <i>sparrows</i>, is a four-player game with rules similar to the card game of rummy. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Sparrows are shown on traditional sets of tiles. Theories as to why mah jongg is so named are that the moving of tiles resembles the noise of sparrows. (<i>To me, the moving around of mah jongg tiles doesn't sound anything like bird sounds, just clatter.) </i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As noted above, mah jongg is a rummy-like game that's played with tiles not cards. While it started in China as a variant of card games, its exact origins are shrouded in story and myth. Some claim it was the game of Chinese royalty, played in secret to keep the knowledge private. Others claim it was invented by a Chinese general to amuse troops during long months of battle. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><div style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq46YXDP5tQtBEtIvwfA-bvwiCmjeZ7FlFqybqPgn2k1lrRgv6OCG-ZgvteJ2FW7A_QB715zfBrhBx6cQ5FHnq7IvcGVWGv_ioP8vDXdaQlwf6XYd2DJhZQKhFnPyBEkv1kjRaQswUgZuPfRv9ow1rrvRv0DBPSuhlq1anDhphYktlw4LgnP1rIr_7BSKG/s714/J%20Babcock-game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq46YXDP5tQtBEtIvwfA-bvwiCmjeZ7FlFqybqPgn2k1lrRgv6OCG-ZgvteJ2FW7A_QB715zfBrhBx6cQ5FHnq7IvcGVWGv_ioP8vDXdaQlwf6XYd2DJhZQKhFnPyBEkv1kjRaQswUgZuPfRv9ow1rrvRv0DBPSuhlq1anDhphYktlw4LgnP1rIr_7BSKG/s320/J%20Babcock-game.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Joseph P. Babcock</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Its introduction in the U.S. was through Joseph P. Babcock, an engineer who worked for the Standard Oil Company in Shanghai and Beijing in the 1920s where he and his wife enjoyed playing a Chinese tile game. He created a simplified version of Mahjong with a goal of introducing the game to America. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;">He trademarked the spelling <i>Mah-Jongg</i> and began exporting sets to the states. Since the game could be confusing to Westerners and to increase interest, Babcock added Arabic numerals and Western letters, simplified, published rules that became the American standard and invented racks to facilitate playing. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;">When the game was introduced in the U.S. and incorporated into an American version, it was eagerly enjoyed by not only the American public, but also by European game players. As the sets became popular, Babock, ever the promoter and salesman, advertised the game as a cerebral pursuit. He fabricated a posthumous endorsement from Confucius, odd considering that Confucious had died some 2,000 years before the game was ever played.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="301" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvlbfKTJoNFIQMe28Pr8Q2NUUxsjGhmCV0teQNlhbIvKfryycEazzpkhSw45WK_H90fjwyJlxqkp_nFSyH2zwzbFGaG-sBAPBzMXQM9uwW_Ql-Xt7xrifh8VW9zL72Cyps_ZxA6GI04QtWMvDp1I8In69vgSiwdSqBenFTZIDB8UzDb-3Y6hjIOpv-Pom/w470-h640/Parker%20Bros%20game.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="470" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mah-Jongg trademark advertisement page<br />Toys and Novelties, September 1924 </span></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: arial;">The main difference between American mah jongg and Chinese mahjong, the traditional game established in China, is that hands allowed in American mah jongg are listed on a card. These hands change on an annual basis, but the allowed hands in Chinese mahjong never change. Another key difference is that in American mah jongg, <i>The Charleston </i>involves the passing of three unwanted tiles from one player to another. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div>A Chinese mahjong set has 144 tiles, an American set has 152 (with the inclusion of 8 joker tiles) and can cost more as it has more tiles and includes a set of racks to hold them. More tiles, the addition of racks, and a larger box makes the set more expensive. Many manufacturers also include added extra tiles to replace any lost ones.</div></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>Playing the Game</b></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrCMPzs6S4AvUQLIEqdpRVoxC-r4V0xrf0tYhKAcqJeTPuVLPo9uq71dSPaWrHaQw854PMj-cIBXHbc-QyGl-hYU9_TIx5lYcGp68hUiHzKRh-49ce4au3C7jyIacV-K0Dfd_UPrcPTKS49cJzc2G8S88Po3tF1QUCxOrM7AcX2D-A1c0iiyxhLpnp9RT/s550/mah%20jongg%20tiles1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="546" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrCMPzs6S4AvUQLIEqdpRVoxC-r4V0xrf0tYhKAcqJeTPuVLPo9uq71dSPaWrHaQw854PMj-cIBXHbc-QyGl-hYU9_TIx5lYcGp68hUiHzKRh-49ce4au3C7jyIacV-K0Dfd_UPrcPTKS49cJzc2G8S88Po3tF1QUCxOrM7AcX2D-A1c0iiyxhLpnp9RT/s320/mah%20jongg%20tiles1.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mah jongg tile suits</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Mah-jongg tiles consist of three suits of one through nine referred to by specific names: Craks (called characters, wan, or ten thousand), bams (called bamboos or sticks), and dots (called balls or circles). Special tiles are: winds (North, East, West, South), dragons (red, green, white), flowers and jokers. In American Mah-Jongg, season tiles are referred to as flowers.</div><div><br /></div><div>The game is played with four players seated around a table. Tiles are shuffled, die are cast, and rituals involving the allocation of tiles and then the exchange of tiles begin. The first person to match a hand of 14 tiles and call <i>mah jongg</i> ends the game. How fast a game is played depends on the level of the players experience (newbies tend to need more time). With experienced players, a game finishes in less 10-15 minutes so many are played in the course of a few hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>Many variations exist, most have some basic rules in common such as how a piece is drawn and discarded, the use of suits (numbered tiles) and honors (winds and dragons), how to deal the tiles and the order of play. Beyond the basic common rules, regional variations may have different criteria, different scoring or extra rules. A group of players may introduce <i>house</i> rules that change the feel of play.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, there is <strike>quite a bit</strike> a lot more to the game playing procedure. As a beginner (newbie) I'm still learning about the its intricacies, which will take more than the 4 lessons. The library hosts a mah jongg playing group, which everyone has been encouraged to join.</div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><b>Who sets the rules in the American playing community?</b></div><div>The National Mah Jongg League headquartered in NYC standardizes the American version rules. In 1937, a group of female Jewish mah jongg enthusiasts met in New York City to ensure that they were all playing the same game with the same rules and winning hands. Soon, the group developed a card with winning hands and took it when traveling. Women they played with adopted the card, taking it back home. Within a couple of years, the card went viral with women countrywide using it and rules set forth by the newly established National Mah Jongg League which today is headed by David and Larry Unger, whose late mother, Ruth, was a founder.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW1gnmlqJMCJuInc1pSREeeEEuZADVy8wB-eeXnz2pqhGYTfW5u6A_ey00L7qxD0idIZ_EVW-Djx3iNaMblmIf1Z2ys_uJ3wFsEwn8C19JI2GHCZgv0E8hK9EY8ieDv5HrQkMYb88l2QCzex2DqR1fi1B0krIKugtHbd-5Q7jMhanSIUe4K_PuR-6vDm6/s606/2023%20rules%20card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="606" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfW1gnmlqJMCJuInc1pSREeeEEuZADVy8wB-eeXnz2pqhGYTfW5u6A_ey00L7qxD0idIZ_EVW-Djx3iNaMblmIf1Z2ys_uJ3wFsEwn8C19JI2GHCZgv0E8hK9EY8ieDv5HrQkMYb88l2QCzex2DqR1fi1B0krIKugtHbd-5Q7jMhanSIUe4K_PuR-6vDm6/w320-h248/2023%20rules%20card.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><i>Current 2023 rules card</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Each year, the League changes the hands and rules. An official rules card issued annually contains hands for the current year. The 2024 card will be available in April; there is a $15 cost.</div></div><div> </div><div><div>Creation of the rules card is a volunteer-led process that's continued for over 8 decades years. Starting in August, a group meets to discuss the new card. Collectively, group members have over 500 years of combined playing experience. They play variations and improve the winning hands and in November finalize the card that will be used in the coming year.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Last year over 350,000 members ordered a card to see what hands they would be playing in 2023. Proceeds from sales of the card benefit charities.The organization has supported various organizations including Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Deborah Hospital, Epilepsy Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, American Heart Association, Make A Wish Foundation, Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, Muscular Dystrophy Association and others.</div></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZEUN6HZUE7i_wxkNEhhMeuI-GTNnJkrBu6RRgaqmZ6DrOv0y9I-l4sW-e9XZJXFxVHX0xsl-gvRQg43xvP7PeQE8mpzL3XHi947_PEiEeoejjyf0UF9qLfpnJ6HzaXzFG8Bq7grkIVDDRlRe_owLrvQ5ePXaP5nanSMmUDBLk618ACvhIshtReCgoT76/s1189/Jos%20Babock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1189" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZEUN6HZUE7i_wxkNEhhMeuI-GTNnJkrBu6RRgaqmZ6DrOv0y9I-l4sW-e9XZJXFxVHX0xsl-gvRQg43xvP7PeQE8mpzL3XHi947_PEiEeoejjyf0UF9qLfpnJ6HzaXzFG8Bq7grkIVDDRlRe_owLrvQ5ePXaP5nanSMmUDBLk618ACvhIshtReCgoT76/w320-h237/Jos%20Babock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Formal dress not a play requirement</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The game surged in popularity in the U.S. until the 1950s, followed by a decline. Today, mah jongg is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with millions of dedicated players worldwide and various Internet and computer versions. </div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div>Soon, I hope to be counted among them.</div><div><i>Your turn — do you play?</i></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-48373554194984159502024-02-03T07:00:00.057-05:002024-02-04T08:26:05.314-05:00Waltzing Through<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>The post title is a reference to waltz music being in 3/4 time. </i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Today my age is best described in a similar way. Yes, once a year this date comes around whether welcomed or not. But, I am in not complaining. As a famous statesman famously said. "It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years . . ." (Abraham Lincoln)</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>It's hard for me to fathom that today marks a major milestone in my life, three-quarters of a century to be exact, and perhaps wishing it were a bit less.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Satisfy; font-size: large;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-cn7OAqZ5CGrlpKNEjfOtK8Uz4F98y5jqkHbCSkhAI8UH7axQ4d5czrmBG5a-lONwYE3SQQOz_8yuEJHYOQcyVSZJnIRxpA-bTlmF9EHhWpRCep2CUErkO-wsCqOF96gy9X8iqU-qnK7jHq4LlMuTAGsbx6p9Gdf6qaK5hz6Dj6ookmvduYbzMIS-oQh/s800/75%20collage.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-cn7OAqZ5CGrlpKNEjfOtK8Uz4F98y5jqkHbCSkhAI8UH7axQ4d5czrmBG5a-lONwYE3SQQOz_8yuEJHYOQcyVSZJnIRxpA-bTlmF9EHhWpRCep2CUErkO-wsCqOF96gy9X8iqU-qnK7jHq4LlMuTAGsbx6p9Gdf6qaK5hz6Dj6ookmvduYbzMIS-oQh/w320-h320/75%20collage.png" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">As a toddler and today</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Satisfy;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>During a phone chat with my (slightly) <u>y</u>ounger<u> </u>brother this week, we were reminded of the words our late mother, and certainly others, have cautioned: "Don't get old."</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>And, the alternative is?</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Let's not go there, we both agreed, while noting that longevity seems to run in our family. He laughed when reminded that our age difference is just 3 years.</i></span></p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Personally, I'm thankful for many things in my life, especially the love and support of my best friend and husband, Patrick, and for friends, near and far, who have sent well wishes by mail, text, email or phone call. Birthday cards received to date are displayed on bookcases in our apt as is our usual habit for cards. It makes me happy to see them every day. Friendship is not only the best gift, but certainly a priceless gift, to be remembered is even nicer and much appreciated.</i></span><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>Some fellow bloggers asked in their comments if I was doing anything "special" today. A fellow resident who is 93 years young, and my Scrabble playing partner here, invited us to a homemade crepes breakfast, which was delicious. Patrick is treating me to dinner at a downtown restaurant after he was told (politely) that no gift is needed. That said, my future gift to myself will be a new computer to replace my aging (and getting slower) desktop. The big question is another desktop or a notebook PC with all the "bells and whistles" to last a few years (or longer). Opinions welcomed in a comment.</i></span><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Satisfy;"><span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vuWNxFpcqa6OY4kXrUpl5r83W0DFiBwL860J3jKBMZb6xs5B7YYLQneE4dsdUl6oYcv6HvF-1c4zkAT-7LOlJif3JvunDMr6TnIXLvhETuPiunJESfAV0o-rrb3DgrLN05I-PUoA0piHIrxNXVADbupbulYMCpFsvoevHFE3UQk3Xkiph5-tDm9YwLsP/s800/bday%20card%20collage%201.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vuWNxFpcqa6OY4kXrUpl5r83W0DFiBwL860J3jKBMZb6xs5B7YYLQneE4dsdUl6oYcv6HvF-1c4zkAT-7LOlJif3JvunDMr6TnIXLvhETuPiunJESfAV0o-rrb3DgrLN05I-PUoA0piHIrxNXVADbupbulYMCpFsvoevHFE3UQk3Xkiph5-tDm9YwLsP/w640-h640/bday%20card%20collage%201.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Birthday wishes on the bookcase included duplicate cards (a fun coincidence)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>And, while on the subject of a waltz tempo, my favorite 3/4 tune is The Christmas Waltz, but only the version done first by Frank Sinatra. It's been covered many times by a number of popular artists and, while it's an oft played popular holiday tune, it's never been #1. </i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: large;"><i>The backstory (of course): The song was written for Sinatra by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne and recorded in 1954. During a hot spell in Los Angeles, Cahn received a call from Styne who told him: 'Frank wants a Christmas song." Cahn initially resisted, but Styne was emphatic that Sinatra wanted a new Christmas song. Styne had been working on a waltz to which Cahn added the lyrics and Sinatra recorded A Christmas Waltz. </i></span></p><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><i><span>So in honor of my own 3/4s today, here's a link to <a href="https://youtu.be/ZA_ZWQICe_4?si=B-0g1oe6JPafqY1y">The Christmas Waltz</a>.<br /></span><span>Maybe, it's one of your favorites as well, no offense taken, if not (smile).</span></i></span></div></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-36771102007128459192024-02-01T07:00:00.529-05:002024-02-03T15:38:11.876-05:00Towering in London<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Last fall we were part of a group that traveled abroad on a Shades of Ireland tour, focused on that country. However, extras included a 3-day pre-extension to London and/or a 3-day post-extension to Edinburgh. We booked </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">London, </i><i style="font-family: arial;">Ireland, and Edinburgh and saw as much as possible. This post focuses on one of the most visited sights in London. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-oXJDG-eKjLEianS_SC8whjboRuHzPmWQztkDiZYIoqkFlyv6BZtrknKx5uJZEFEa_97ddvDqv4eJcvMq0dkJJGhfho6Le_HxNYoGFIEyj1oyi2ya_FepYaQJeaMTl8KsNrZAUlj_xXlgmc_8CVM3ea3qZyqeQVEPHtuHvMB4nf4LfFiN329D8H16mvT/s4015/Tower%20of%20London.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1866" data-original-width="4015" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-oXJDG-eKjLEianS_SC8whjboRuHzPmWQztkDiZYIoqkFlyv6BZtrknKx5uJZEFEa_97ddvDqv4eJcvMq0dkJJGhfho6Le_HxNYoGFIEyj1oyi2ya_FepYaQJeaMTl8KsNrZAUlj_xXlgmc_8CVM3ea3qZyqeQVEPHtuHvMB4nf4LfFiN329D8H16mvT/w640-h298/Tower%20of%20London.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">As anyone who has visited London knows, 3-days here is not enough. We were a small group (7) and attempted to see a few highlights, including the formidable Tower of London, a </span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>royal fortress and London landmark, that's an imposing structure even when seen from a distance. This</span><span> complex of several buildings is set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a former moat. It's situated </span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">on the North bank of the River Thames on the border with the central City of London. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqxt6No3BR_2s9OMbE43Vol2mOaTQTbmcPNcPaYAYznF7x8L4od7cD8U_oZ2dZShBQidRxVvdVuJgR7RZ0ZeodkvPPXbpT2SPOU3kFQk_YFXR6OBvrPJQL89tn0wCrMjEGbspPerxdD17D8RBQfXKjjCPbF6i5ChyrVemcpsVzm9pc7R3TorTtzsVCWyf/s3670/tower%20of%20london%20map.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2555" data-original-width="3670" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqxt6No3BR_2s9OMbE43Vol2mOaTQTbmcPNcPaYAYznF7x8L4od7cD8U_oZ2dZShBQidRxVvdVuJgR7RZ0ZeodkvPPXbpT2SPOU3kFQk_YFXR6OBvrPJQL89tn0wCrMjEGbspPerxdD17D8RBQfXKjjCPbF6i5ChyrVemcpsVzm9pc7R3TorTtzsVCWyf/w640-h446/tower%20of%20london%20map.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>Touring the Tower of London was included </span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">as a self-guided tour </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">on our London pre-extension option. Upon submitting our entry voucher, we received the above map. This large complex of buildings is spread over 18 acres. We explored as much as possible on a rain-free morning learning that the </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">buildings and grounds historically </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">served a</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">s a royal palace, political prison, place of execution, arsenal, royal mint, exotic animal menagerie and a public records office. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-l1z1Is5nsVB7cVjdutFJ-sF14Mrq2z7s7L6fL7Eq2ZwsbOzVicypUX_S0xs3zRM_gFTPcMj1K_8naRzZYKGV-2pBUUI9bRFYozOHJ87WifH32CpJhahD9ahm4gSFpafT2k7c5_ULv610ZQ-Hr4ItB0tlmuuoYOG5BK3T735zHDabMSXV7Z-iETvZ-se/s918/Wm%20Conqueror%20Nat%20Port%20Gally.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="656" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK-l1z1Is5nsVB7cVjdutFJ-sF14Mrq2z7s7L6fL7Eq2ZwsbOzVicypUX_S0xs3zRM_gFTPcMj1K_8naRzZYKGV-2pBUUI9bRFYozOHJ87WifH32CpJhahD9ahm4gSFpafT2k7c5_ULv610ZQ-Hr4ItB0tlmuuoYOG5BK3T735zHDabMSXV7Z-iETvZ-se/w229-h320/Wm%20Conqueror%20Nat%20Port%20Gally.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;"><i>William the Conqueror<br />National Portrait Gallery</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Following his 1066 coronation as the first Norman king of England, William the Conqueror, </span><span>Duke of Normandy,</span><span> built the White Tower as a demonstration of power after invading England and defeating Harold, the last Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The tower was sited strategically on the River Thames as a fortress and gateway to the capital. It was quite unlike anything before in England. It was built to awe, subdue and terrify Londoners and to deter foreign invaders. Over</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> 1,000 years later, the Tower still amazes those who visit, including ourselves. <i>(Entry to the tower is by a steep set of steps along an outer wall. We did not go in; it was late in the day, we were tired from walking the grounds.)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The central keep, better known as the White Tower was begun around 1078 and built of white limestone from Caen, France, from which it derives its name, </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">and a local building material, Kentish ragstone</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><div><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>A keep was built </span><span>by European nobility</span><span> within castles as a fortified tower during the Middle Ages. It was used as a refuge or last resort if the castle was overtaken.</span></span></i></div></div><div><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr></tr></tbody></table></span></i></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOyd9RHAVmHxTgMvAZPBEFHm9-HjbCpm5S2aUhtkO6NOBzmVPkbhTKMK-ZkVDcpQC-cVNU0dAUhrFXpGEehTXwMQGgggky_3tjv1YmuMLUhwfIN56Xigk75v5Xd016o7Zht_ebLOCH5AJVblMHT6p2kOj4QuxumqB8rRTysIHXhBcnszprolXBvpO1d8w/s4032/white%20tower%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOyd9RHAVmHxTgMvAZPBEFHm9-HjbCpm5S2aUhtkO6NOBzmVPkbhTKMK-ZkVDcpQC-cVNU0dAUhrFXpGEehTXwMQGgggky_3tjv1YmuMLUhwfIN56Xigk75v5Xd016o7Zht_ebLOCH5AJVblMHT6p2kOj4QuxumqB8rRTysIHXhBcnszprolXBvpO1d8w/w640-h480/white%20tower%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The White Tower is the most famous castle keep in the world</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">It was designed by Gundulf of Rochester, a Norman bishop. Masons from Normandy brought stone, most of the actual labor was done by local Englishmen. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">It</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> took 20 years to build. William I didn't live to see it completed; it was first used by his son, William II.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><div></div></div><div><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLhePMcBCPl5PaEfH0dwvgqs0Dke06YgJ2xvSMht0enMZGIDUrCzV46mjkZ2KMSPdorIz2gLdCXFaxbTWMPaGJgWI5TkpgGsqEJaRJ1hicephDZviHiK0bZRk8TEDFM42dmLTriZgP_PaOoRcBbGRf2-W3nNZy4XMeVUeAmjnzvuU0wPLqg2SW-wPg5AN/s800/tower%20views%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLhePMcBCPl5PaEfH0dwvgqs0Dke06YgJ2xvSMht0enMZGIDUrCzV46mjkZ2KMSPdorIz2gLdCXFaxbTWMPaGJgWI5TkpgGsqEJaRJ1hicephDZviHiK0bZRk8TEDFM42dmLTriZgP_PaOoRcBbGRf2-W3nNZy4XMeVUeAmjnzvuU0wPLqg2SW-wPg5AN/w640-h640/tower%20views%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Structures within the Tower of London complex</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The Tower of London encompasses more than the White Tower, which is the core of this fortress. The walls of the White Tower are up to 14-feet thick in places. It has three floors, each connected by a spiral staircase located in one of the four corner turrets. During the 12th and 13th centuries, when fortifications were extended beyond the city wall, the White Tower became the core of a series of concentric defenses enclosing an inner and an outer curtain. </span></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBHIKmJxA_5TX0bHPR4KyzYupr3YcdhaP8gjDm4X7sW09w-TkGPDFO34fjJZKLhZ80kq8hSvW5RGJOSWUL7oenFPKnfKXg-FMVQ_FKVHWK3p1Dzwj1ee5DmEvHed56Hrg7V0lC3EurLUeu7hsYY8vZdcAUSE5ymmwMoAa8WDTWaLwIyyO-0VysXq9CMVi/s5472/tower%20of%20london2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="5472" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJBHIKmJxA_5TX0bHPR4KyzYupr3YcdhaP8gjDm4X7sW09w-TkGPDFO34fjJZKLhZ80kq8hSvW5RGJOSWUL7oenFPKnfKXg-FMVQ_FKVHWK3p1Dzwj1ee5DmEvHed56Hrg7V0lC3EurLUeu7hsYY8vZdcAUSE5ymmwMoAa8WDTWaLwIyyO-0VysXq9CMVi/w640-h326/tower%20of%20london2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The inner curtain at the Tower of London has 13 towers surrounding the White Tower. Best known are Bloody Tower, Beauchamp Tower and Wakefield Tower. The outer curtain was surrounded by a moat, originally fed by the River Thames but drained since 1843. The wall outside the moat has openings for cannons; next to them, modern artillery pieces are fired ceremonially on state occasions. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>The curtain, a feature common to most medieval castles, was a set of walls that surrounded and protected the interior. Walls were often connected by a series of towers adding strength and providing better defense of the ground outside the castle.</i></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBtEZMJdvrVH1LEcF-lwagcVq1cvHL0RYtFN1PDDVwbHDG39vFE3MsKlnRNPHvY8glVvOgYWmm4AvKXZDsSc5C14cIrOwUZHLesbJ1G5xRM0I2NCkBY3M7ToIeQw6Mhzxwr4Nny3vcNjzSurspRxszp6HD8DkcCuxCZJ6vaY09j_ADeBU1HI8LECXcN-H/s5022/tower%20of%20london%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2581" data-original-width="5022" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBtEZMJdvrVH1LEcF-lwagcVq1cvHL0RYtFN1PDDVwbHDG39vFE3MsKlnRNPHvY8glVvOgYWmm4AvKXZDsSc5C14cIrOwUZHLesbJ1G5xRM0I2NCkBY3M7ToIeQw6Mhzxwr4Nny3vcNjzSurspRxszp6HD8DkcCuxCZJ6vaY09j_ADeBU1HI8LECXcN-H/w640-h328/tower%20of%20london%202.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">As the most secure castle in England, the Tower guarded royal possessions and even the royal family in times of war and rebellion. For 500 years, monarchs used the Tower as a luxurious palace. Kings and queens imprisoned rivals and enemies within its walls. Stories of prisoners are still said to haunt the Tower.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfB_cfGDMy3TfnYYHHK0ZUi_3Z9UfDcWyPvkX-bo-qZP830H-bzuG2GZt6qXk0nNXwoWscZoFHkQCuMK0sK6Q1JzMxnpeI6dgnAS4VKcMmoCBkxoHD_PJqdYxfop5-9-Dcf0fd3cqqVaOc5PuNZh7EC2HnvD8MFmzmw2B5Rtyc48R-1uoikvr8BTKOmb0z/s4016/traitors%20gate%20entry.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2858" data-original-width="4016" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfB_cfGDMy3TfnYYHHK0ZUi_3Z9UfDcWyPvkX-bo-qZP830H-bzuG2GZt6qXk0nNXwoWscZoFHkQCuMK0sK6Q1JzMxnpeI6dgnAS4VKcMmoCBkxoHD_PJqdYxfop5-9-Dcf0fd3cqqVaOc5PuNZh7EC2HnvD8MFmzmw2B5Rtyc48R-1uoikvr8BTKOmb0z/w640-h456/traitors%20gate%20entry.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Entry to Traitors gate from River Thames</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The whole complex of buildings covers 18 acres. The only entrance from the land is at the Southwest corner, from the City. When the River Thames was still a major highway of London, a 13th-century watergate, </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Traitors’ Gate was</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> in use. Prisoners were brought through it to the Tower, which was used as a state prison. A political prisoner conveyed through the gate awaited either a long period of incarceration or a usually public spectacle of execution.</span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The site became notorious as a site of torture, but records show that few people were tortured there; executions, </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">however,</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> were different and more common at the Tower of London. Prisoners were executed on Tower Green or, outside the castle, in public on Tower Hill, by means of beheading, firing squad or hanging. Initially not intended as a prison, the Tower of London housed those accused of treason or religious infractions. It witnessed </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">22 executions, the last in 1941. </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQTEBQfS4lR_j94xan5Z7nfIDiIIBL5ZWBB97tWnukgq7PahmDT_2Bf2kJGjgZieSiaZ3N2FlqGtdHF5hOMrPylcXp5k89mxtvJC3JuLNKnokNpwq0b-LnUq9eP3DP2_Xk0afMc49sKPBOmzkBPZP7IKbRjLBpbZ3F4ue5deAEo-YxOPXN7om2H9g6we9/s520/Two%20Princes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="334" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQTEBQfS4lR_j94xan5Z7nfIDiIIBL5ZWBB97tWnukgq7PahmDT_2Bf2kJGjgZieSiaZ3N2FlqGtdHF5hOMrPylcXp5k89mxtvJC3JuLNKnokNpwq0b-LnUq9eP3DP2_Xk0afMc49sKPBOmzkBPZP7IKbRjLBpbZ3F4ue5deAEo-YxOPXN7om2H9g6we9/w413-h640/Two%20Princes.jpg" width="413" /></span></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;">Princes Edward & Richard by John Everett Millais, 1878</span></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In 1483, Princes Edward and Richard, 12 and 10, sons of the late Edward IV, were last seen in the tower before their disappearance and suspected murder by their uncle, Richard III, who claimed the throne. In 1674, two skeletons were unearthed. The bones were re-examined in 1933 and proved to be those of boys the same ages as the princes when they disappeared.</span></div><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo44AU0pLwVp9A4ax7mwIx-MjFsOakoIBUnxg9murTELXfjoK4JWgLr8q2KxPaAHBF63cnqdNk25SdY_MsS-bNgz5u7hpkk8oBCFwK7xEZCimcTM5S3ow_uCyuo-i8983vGJSiUCSzLxfw8d5LD1tWPElQ-iufHmgLGjwSyFk6WWImAD9o3BJV9B0Rn5XR/s800/tower%20victims%20collage.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo44AU0pLwVp9A4ax7mwIx-MjFsOakoIBUnxg9murTELXfjoK4JWgLr8q2KxPaAHBF63cnqdNk25SdY_MsS-bNgz5u7hpkk8oBCFwK7xEZCimcTM5S3ow_uCyuo-i8983vGJSiUCSzLxfw8d5LD1tWPElQ-iufHmgLGjwSyFk6WWImAD9o3BJV9B0Rn5XR/w640-h640/tower%20victims%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Thomas More, Guy Fawkes, Catherine Howard, Ann Bolyen were all executed</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In 1535, writer and statesman Sir Thomas More was beheaded after refusing to recognize King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England. A year later, Henry VIII ordered the beheading of his wife, Anne Boleyn and in 1542, he had his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, executed at the Tower of London. In 1554, Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley were beheaded on Tower Hill. Political prisoner Guy Fawkes was executed in 1606 after found guilty of guarding explosives and gunpowder in a 1605 plot to blow up Parliament,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">German spies (11) were executed at the Tower of London during WW I when London underwent numerous attacks, only one bomb was dropped on the Tower and landed in the moat. The facility didn't fare as well during WW II suffering significant damage during multiple bombings, including the destruction of several buildings. It was later restored for public access.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08W4hyrQXD_1o-6lcvNLLV1I-xpfRr-8MTwHDP-R_BilGOQEEaV7pN7sBJ97hoigGUva6u8n3veO1i_yjyRFZ3BGLIrylmeMn8b_9cycyZHU4pllws6ejQ6rgo2gaq0Fpr7_MN4wOelUAaNPUedS5zi1EhyphenhyphengB_cqIQia1-zjvgPYKtJJ-10CKh3ndWCIP/s800/yeoman%20warder%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08W4hyrQXD_1o-6lcvNLLV1I-xpfRr-8MTwHDP-R_BilGOQEEaV7pN7sBJ97hoigGUva6u8n3veO1i_yjyRFZ3BGLIrylmeMn8b_9cycyZHU4pllws6ejQ6rgo2gaq0Fpr7_MN4wOelUAaNPUedS5zi1EhyphenhyphengB_cqIQia1-zjvgPYKtJJ-10CKh3ndWCIP/w640-h640/yeoman%20warder%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Yeoman Warder who provided us with much historical background</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Since 1485, security at the Tower of London complex has been maintained by a special order of guards called Yeomen Warders, originally part of Yeomen of the Guard, the monarch’s personal bodyguard. They are informally known as </span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">Beefeaters</i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">, a name allegedly based after a 17th century Italian nobleman commented they were given a large daily ration of beef. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Recognized worldwide as symbols of the Tower of London, the Yeoman Warders were originally part of the Yeomen of the Guard, the monarch’s personal bodyguards who travelled with him. Henry VIII (1507-47) decreed that some would stay and guard the Tower permanently. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Today, the group of over 30 men and women are all drawn from the British military and each must have at least 22 years of active service. </span></div></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Yeomen Warders provide free guided tours within the Tower of London and carry out ceremonial duties, which include the oldest military ritual, Ceremony of the Keys, the nightly gate locking at the Tower for over 700 years. Red state dress uniforms are worn for special occasions and special events, such as Gun Salutes and the firing of the huge cannon on the Wharf.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WNadXpO1Ku_O_STzecsTIakRMZCUVzqBOzCbTAICiSkNVgRmkDr1KKJIBxpRMzuz8IEwUjIxaNtpWwbE4FPs_87qaQ174da3DdNC-BaT2LXl9KmBHKIr7xYv8n5wNwojqfrHNSRJZNkiK9vnYpav6vVnZk0Ujz3YojFMZmFT77f3_847ozuWrt84wiSe/s4473/fusiliers%20museum.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3140" data-original-width="4473" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_WNadXpO1Ku_O_STzecsTIakRMZCUVzqBOzCbTAICiSkNVgRmkDr1KKJIBxpRMzuz8IEwUjIxaNtpWwbE4FPs_87qaQ174da3DdNC-BaT2LXl9KmBHKIr7xYv8n5wNwojqfrHNSRJZNkiK9vnYpav6vVnZk0Ujz3YojFMZmFT77f3_847ozuWrt84wiSe/w640-h450/fusiliers%20museum.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Fusiliers Museum was originally used to house officers</span></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div>The armories that now occupy the White Tower, as well as a later 17th-century brick building alongside, house arms and armor from the early Middle Ages to modern times. Arms and armor were made, tested and stored here until the 1800s. The Fusiliers Museum is housed in a building originally built as officers' quarters. The building still houses the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' Regimental Headquarters and the Officers' Mess, used for formal dinners and ceremonial occasions.</div></span></span></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>The Tower once controlled the supply of the nation’s money and produced England's coins for five centuries. All coins of the realm were made at the Tower Mint from the reign of Edward I until 1810. </span><span>Initially handcrafted, the mint introduced modern coin-making techniques and eventually relocated to a purpose-built facility in the 1800s.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddl7i8kC_XHzb8Mg5HpkxY6YSCO3TFsgWpeHlHTDnVHJqJbI7FhDofREQ2R9dInbb8WW_DIecsa2AwFRPpsn_o4NaCa43d0eUKvvPLJm4erdnln-8YZiA6e5Z5i-PijwgYPmHGBChhqkF8PSnKXRkU06tomJE34PWNIoOHr2Hrs4UmI8qgNKB57i6NmmS/s800/royal%20jewels%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddl7i8kC_XHzb8Mg5HpkxY6YSCO3TFsgWpeHlHTDnVHJqJbI7FhDofREQ2R9dInbb8WW_DIecsa2AwFRPpsn_o4NaCa43d0eUKvvPLJm4erdnln-8YZiA6e5Z5i-PijwgYPmHGBChhqkF8PSnKXRkU06tomJE34PWNIoOHr2Hrs4UmI8qgNKB57i6NmmS/w640-h640/royal%20jewels%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Top: Imperial State Crown (1937, Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross (1661), </i></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Bottom: St Edward's Crown (1661)</i><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"> Queen Elizabeth's Crown & Koh-i-Noor diamond (1937)</span></i></div></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Kings and queens used the Tower to safeguard themselves, their valuables and their jewels. Today, the crown jewels </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">comprising more than 100 objects and over 23,000 gemstones </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">worth over $30 billion </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">are among the most popular attractions. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDw0KJUV1yOOlg-eW5LU5YKp5g5gZw-fuktkTZALHjL2NsBDX7PHaSi6F35k_H7k6z-UfAl1qwKpKHzeIgllax9VRSHUjGsU1JGgB2vBAgOv3WZv5ru_1TSq9ryuQVBs7_GJ8VVbJHIQ7bmzvKVO8b4BXSodBzGcVsv7PBj7Dixhy6P1kVk8Oibjt5FUK/s3782/crown%20jewels%20line2.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="3782" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDw0KJUV1yOOlg-eW5LU5YKp5g5gZw-fuktkTZALHjL2NsBDX7PHaSi6F35k_H7k6z-UfAl1qwKpKHzeIgllax9VRSHUjGsU1JGgB2vBAgOv3WZv5ru_1TSq9ryuQVBs7_GJ8VVbJHIQ7bmzvKVO8b4BXSodBzGcVsv7PBj7Dixhy6P1kVk8Oibjt5FUK/w640-h478/crown%20jewels%20line2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">Line-up of people waiting to see the Crown Jewels</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Housed in the Waterloo Barracks they include the platinum crown of the late Queen Mother (Elizabeth) set with the 106-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond in 1937, and the Imperial State Crown, worn by the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament. These jewels are kept under armed guard; no photographs are permitted. </span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">(The photos above are from the Historic Royal Palaces website.)</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbTd6JH7NZNOwYNv71TR9fvsDWOaNiCAJi0UBT-e1jPFLOpkgvUubmVZAI68VYbfpzGMNA4ECGzlYQgS7uwesNy0NKMuSdnt-EjqSlBRvt6JizDmZ_bReoTi-CCgQo0CrJBTTzUMhIoacL7Gjd-xqEWfA80bdvACfaspkxZffAESjTk8Jt6ACyn7kdJPN/s4777/raven%20on%20grounds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="4777" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbTd6JH7NZNOwYNv71TR9fvsDWOaNiCAJi0UBT-e1jPFLOpkgvUubmVZAI68VYbfpzGMNA4ECGzlYQgS7uwesNy0NKMuSdnt-EjqSlBRvt6JizDmZ_bReoTi-CCgQo0CrJBTTzUMhIoacL7Gjd-xqEWfA80bdvACfaspkxZffAESjTk8Jt6ACyn7kdJPN/w640-h372/raven%20on%20grounds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">A flock of ravens are permanent Tower residents and are cared for by the Yeoman Warder or Ravenmaster. The highly intelligent birds have a flight feather trimmed to deter them from flying off. Free to roam within during daytime hours (as shown in the photo) and are caged overnight. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">According to legend, the tower and the monarchy will fall if ravens ever leave the fortress. The raven-keeping tradition dates to King Charles II (1660-1685), the first monarch to insist that the birds be protected. When the royal astronomer complained that ravens were leaving droppings on his telescope, King Charles moved the Royal Observatory to Greenwich.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YxhPgTqkO-IvclMo4NQONdTGGjxMxEzrKHNFW4xq93jI6KQLic3WY0Jayq0XGJoIOMeWWfhHNjFgRJZiPAJ4yef1Vakwivrc3as1H6DYXA5DWb2i29zIsXQzFlSr9_FqBsOw5ZMpYfrmfoJJeSFcEgBoU8GBCTmz6UbQh3FAAhzGa6LVZzXVPqNw0zpr/s5238/moat%20&%20statues.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3258" data-original-width="5238" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2YxhPgTqkO-IvclMo4NQONdTGGjxMxEzrKHNFW4xq93jI6KQLic3WY0Jayq0XGJoIOMeWWfhHNjFgRJZiPAJ4yef1Vakwivrc3as1H6DYXA5DWb2i29zIsXQzFlSr9_FqBsOw5ZMpYfrmfoJJeSFcEgBoU8GBCTmz6UbQh3FAAhzGa6LVZzXVPqNw0zpr/w640-h398/moat%20&%20statues.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Statues of animals once in the Tower of London complex and remains of the moat</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>For over 600 years, the Tower of London was home to an exotic collection of wild animals that had been received as royal gifts. In 1230, King Henry III had lions, elephants and a polar bear in his collection. In the mid-1830’s, the animals were relocated to a new home, now known as London Zoo, by the Duke of Wellington.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div>As protector of the Crown Jewels, home of the Yeomen Warders and its legendary guardians, the ravens, the Tower of London attracts over 3 million visitors annually. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, it is an exceptional example of a medieval structure, remarkably intact that retains its historical significance. When gates are locked and visitors have left, it embraces a thriving community within as home to the Yeomen Warders and their families, the Resident Governor and a garrison of soldiers. There is also a doctor, chaplain and, of course, a pub (after all this is the UK).</div><div><br /></div><div>The Tower of London is owned by The Crown Estate, which belongs to His Majesty The King in ‘the right of the Crown’ by virtue of being the reigning monarch. It is not the private property of the crown, and therefore cannot be sold.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>This is not a final post about our UK travels from late 2023. We experienced so many new-to-us adventures. I hope you will travel along as more highlights are shared in future posts. </i></span></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-42864663709149982072024-01-26T07:00:00.521-05:002024-01-26T09:04:49.356-05:00Friday Funnies<div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Cold feet?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Surely for most humans, but what about these ducks?</span></div></span></div><div></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaxaQhCo5328JRg3kRVWZLM0lCawV80UQYYQEpXM9CGzNKk1wgG1FLA8J8APWWidPK2WHcNdzCfZUDiev9ATYWfalZELDt4WKcNkegmIjY5qda11-BH-2_65AQ8xcutamI__G1XglOvNLkjANxOXmEzTXcjjHRhYAJerVn2YArDFKGQ-bN38nWLvrtux2/s800/ducks%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaxaQhCo5328JRg3kRVWZLM0lCawV80UQYYQEpXM9CGzNKk1wgG1FLA8J8APWWidPK2WHcNdzCfZUDiev9ATYWfalZELDt4WKcNkegmIjY5qda11-BH-2_65AQ8xcutamI__G1XglOvNLkjANxOXmEzTXcjjHRhYAJerVn2YArDFKGQ-bN38nWLvrtux2/w640-h640/ducks%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">On Tuesday, there was a scant snow fall in Nashua, NH. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">During an early morning walk by the Nashua River, I watched these Mallard ducks and Canada geese and wondered . . .</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;">Does a duck get cold feet when swimming in icy water?</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVrxxOuQbIuZgvBtAHXXyqiKYSlKqeWpjjE1sw89bj13FVWcuYTZwtzNZvSaZDBlpazMXsvK1MxJKrPJhNzJInswsCDSGucpbZmjqUZ9CzY1ud-P6hwuvKdw1YdT9f2L-_SK4Km-6Yt7Gp-0aqyClU88bRTmXfUJW7xfYeRa-A6mOYTlIqYldr9TI7LH7/s800/ducks-geese%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVrxxOuQbIuZgvBtAHXXyqiKYSlKqeWpjjE1sw89bj13FVWcuYTZwtzNZvSaZDBlpazMXsvK1MxJKrPJhNzJInswsCDSGucpbZmjqUZ9CzY1ud-P6hwuvKdw1YdT9f2L-_SK4Km-6Yt7Gp-0aqyClU88bRTmXfUJW7xfYeRa-A6mOYTlIqYldr9TI7LH7/w640-h640/ducks-geese%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></span><div style="font-family: arial;">Good to learn that they don't. Good to learn as the river looked frigid and the riverbank was snow-covered. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>Why?</b></div><div style="font-family: arial;">It's all about how blood is circulated through their feet. Ducks' feet aren't equipped with insulating layers of fat or feathers, which means they have to be able to minimize how much heat they lose through their feet through blood circulation.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWLpPz0u8_TN8-_OjxIbtP381fo8-yXUl6vH31PjCY9w50Bihoq-GXvGJbYZeC-x3pkzD7IgpR4eosRdEy5xwca3lKedGjjwJVAKJ_2o-M4RZNBG9u9awKCfCbFdf9n2HNcloSgqZWIRkOAaNdwNEhGWJ0-Ji6i4nDAy3_UMPn3k-99LHZzNa0HygwqPF/s800/m-f%20duck%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWLpPz0u8_TN8-_OjxIbtP381fo8-yXUl6vH31PjCY9w50Bihoq-GXvGJbYZeC-x3pkzD7IgpR4eosRdEy5xwca3lKedGjjwJVAKJ_2o-M4RZNBG9u9awKCfCbFdf9n2HNcloSgqZWIRkOAaNdwNEhGWJ0-Ji6i4nDAy3_UMPn3k-99LHZzNa0HygwqPF/w640-h640/m-f%20duck%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Mallard duck's bright orange legs have a counter current exchange system,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> this unique alignment of blood vessels, with veins and arteries lying next to each other, allows for the exchange of heat. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Warm blood from the body, in the arteries, going into the duck’s feet is used to warm blood coming from the feet and back into the body in the veins. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aG95so6OzDxTdZG5pFIOfzWAGp1MG2Oa-NKC1gZA0arjVxhMc0VpO_yD3WbFBu3nFsf9jUoZ5JiQ-uUYvREcmeLx0mDv8afAlldF3A_BZd64J6Av9hQTHgV1r_Oh7eh293sMvUW8e8ov4xfcAPjY-py8j7OWuEZjlkL1KZSFvHKrv8iJ54oIgmOLMNDJ/s3182/female%20Mallard.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2339" data-original-width="3182" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-aG95so6OzDxTdZG5pFIOfzWAGp1MG2Oa-NKC1gZA0arjVxhMc0VpO_yD3WbFBu3nFsf9jUoZ5JiQ-uUYvREcmeLx0mDv8afAlldF3A_BZd64J6Av9hQTHgV1r_Oh7eh293sMvUW8e8ov4xfcAPjY-py8j7OWuEZjlkL1KZSFvHKrv8iJ54oIgmOLMNDJ/w640-h470/female%20Mallard.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The reduced temperature difference results in reduced heat loss, so ducks are not </span><span style="font-family: arial;">losing large amounts of body heat while dabbling bottoms-up for food in the water. A duck's feet can</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> get cold, several degrees colder than the body, but its body stays warm. W</span><span style="font-family: arial;">aterfowl like ducks, geese and gulls further conserve body heat by standing on one leg or sitting down.</span></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjT53gopHI9Q5Ukw94qOIm1NYDEcnz5UoX6Ab7AU1dgnrA6Pmct_Uxg5Y0uqVCbpa0ykFQAxxT4BzBnOi7CFGCvef9SVb7koEA4pQedzNJlv-nKcOtwTPTPYHccND9dHnNLnuKjOrrYOyVhNsk0q5PozSjxf-h0hqrpCiU6l2NQg1sxccdk6wwl6wFhyf/s800/geese%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjT53gopHI9Q5Ukw94qOIm1NYDEcnz5UoX6Ab7AU1dgnrA6Pmct_Uxg5Y0uqVCbpa0ykFQAxxT4BzBnOi7CFGCvef9SVb7koEA4pQedzNJlv-nKcOtwTPTPYHccND9dHnNLnuKjOrrYOyVhNsk0q5PozSjxf-h0hqrpCiU6l2NQg1sxccdk6wwl6wFhyf/w640-h640/geese%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Canada geese have certain biological features to keep warm too. Their fluffy down feathers also regulate their core temperature. They have so much down underneath their feathers to keep their bodies warm. Also, like ducks, geese can tuck their feet below their bodies to prevent the loss of body heat as well.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Now, I know (and so do you) that ducks and geese <b>can </b>have warmer feet than our own.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This recent snowfall was scant and short-lived, but beautiful as it </span><span style="font-family: arial;">clung to trees. I</span><span style="font-family: arial;">mages below were taken in</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> the French Park (Parc de Notre Renaissance Française)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> behind the Clocktower Place mill apartment buildings</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdDy1MLYD-72G8x5hHxmD2DnqzEdOveWenNKVRDbmW-yOQ9H1dsX5XgiJC4RkndCUUFnMFg8t9QpV6VQNdTwRce27E-J0OqrydhvxoIcHzlB33TRX12fLXxDWS6p-IXDBf-mbG0GTVCc6cSfNeVbAv6N9reKd1PFV0giduehaDff6iNLO-5EF-KIIElQz/s800/bldg%20rear%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdDy1MLYD-72G8x5hHxmD2DnqzEdOveWenNKVRDbmW-yOQ9H1dsX5XgiJC4RkndCUUFnMFg8t9QpV6VQNdTwRce27E-J0OqrydhvxoIcHzlB33TRX12fLXxDWS6p-IXDBf-mbG0GTVCc6cSfNeVbAv6N9reKd1PFV0giduehaDff6iNLO-5EF-KIIElQz/w640-h640/bldg%20rear%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hopefully your own weather wasn't too frigid or severe this week; Nashua, NH, temps have been in the mid 30s with weekend rain in the forecast. </div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Enjoy your weekend, Everyone</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">This weekend is amateur radio Winter Field Day</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Patrick will be participating in this nationwide event</span></i></div></div></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-20400876163631908802024-01-24T07:00:00.010-05:002024-01-24T18:01:25.840-05:00Are You Lonely?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>First, a few words to say Thank You all for your comments on the recent post celebrating the 14th anniversary of this blog and so it continues. </i></span><i style="font-family: arial;">And, now so does this post.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: arial;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1nTFBDUTQLInFd56h-rJoLgTpIcc_gQeaWNC4qvQxoAGLXl-mnK0v4DQ90-xq1umAU3PrIQi04h0qTLoknv-zu6g1WBm37Yr62zDZ3Ff3HN0IsRTpGA5BOigNIbLGD7xDa_K2KoZ1LDrIz8AJmhYmDc_v-FyXtkolutROitwyZg9ZElzrm_zQaqSLGQS/s529/lonely%20emoticon.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="529" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1nTFBDUTQLInFd56h-rJoLgTpIcc_gQeaWNC4qvQxoAGLXl-mnK0v4DQ90-xq1umAU3PrIQi04h0qTLoknv-zu6g1WBm37Yr62zDZ3Ff3HN0IsRTpGA5BOigNIbLGD7xDa_K2KoZ1LDrIz8AJmhYmDc_v-FyXtkolutROitwyZg9ZElzrm_zQaqSLGQS/w200-h199/lonely%20emoticon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Internet source</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The post title may seem rhetorical, but the world is becoming a lonely place.<i> Maybe you have noticed that as well.</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><br /></div><div>Writing about loneliness, I thought of song titles with <i>lonely</i> in them. <i>(Feel free to test your memory, then check out a list of songs at the end of this post. Some trivia included to lighten up a serious issue.)</i></div></span></div></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;">While loneliness isn't new to the human experience, experts say it's worsened in recent years and today has become a serious issue affecting young and old, not only in the US but worldwide. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;">Recent news articles have liked it to a public crises, some calling it an epidemic. Yes, another one that's ongoing it seems.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Besides making some feel miserable, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">l</span><span style="font-family: arial;">oneliness also affects</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> mental and physical health, a lethal combination</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">L</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ike illnesses that prove deadly (heart issues, dementia, stroke) loneliness can have the same effect and has even led to early deaths. </span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>What is loneliness?</b></div><div style="font-family: arial;">According to some experts, loneliness occurs when the connections a person <u>needs</u> in life are greater than the connections they <u>have </u>in life.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Lum_vHSb9fRCoESTqoQiaMVoG8Fd4PYSfeb8VZcw6ds7i0FsJBtIcp8y2lwjzz1QTzgX_QSEVFE7IJKHVqCoSpNGJ9qRHSj38NDeEGM5Hddz4WOwUs8HXTyrPu9Uv3NhJYiiTRQPGprjSsnVid7k5P0nHms6bA99HjyRJW19nrWdjvuXsRWhMPHckRiJ/s497/lonely%20A.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="437" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Lum_vHSb9fRCoESTqoQiaMVoG8Fd4PYSfeb8VZcw6ds7i0FsJBtIcp8y2lwjzz1QTzgX_QSEVFE7IJKHVqCoSpNGJ9qRHSj38NDeEGM5Hddz4WOwUs8HXTyrPu9Uv3NhJYiiTRQPGprjSsnVid7k5P0nHms6bA99HjyRJW19nrWdjvuXsRWhMPHckRiJ/w176-h200/lonely%20A.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Internet source</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Not everyone feels loneliness the same way or for the same reason. Because it’s subjective, it's believed to be experienced at various stages throughout a person's life. Also, it can change due to trauma, illness or the effects of aging, sometimes more than one of these.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div>Interestingly, younger people have reported the highest rates of loneliness accelerated by social media replacing human interaction. While "likes" and "followers" can make someone feel good in the moment, they don't foster genuine connections with others. </div><div><br /></div><div>Other populations reporting a high prevalence of loneliness and isolation include those with poor physical and mental health, disabilities, financial insecurity, those living alone, single parents and senior adults. That last group came as no surprise to me.</div></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div><div>Struggling with loneliness doesn’t mean that you’re broken or that something is <i>wrong</i> with you. Experts say recognition and awareness are important first steps to escaping loneliness and that building social connections is to be a vital importance.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes that can be easier said than done, especially among older adults with friends and family at a distance, which includes myself. In my case, reading, cooking, exercising, getting outdoors and blogging are all great connectors for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>And, I know firsthand how much pleasure correspondence and phone calls can bring folks who are older and/or living alone as I keep in contact with several folks older than myself. Here at the mill apartments, I play Scrabble regularly with a 93-year old resident who <i>often</i> wins. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFfmOEB256smj8ctGoiHNpWyoLXaclgdxvlZ8Fw1OL0NyWaXp-OIzZ76oA2TIcxZttLL8qO5-v8GTy3NPb0-m9JTFV3TcxZNh0mggokG7YjyDhCtY9yz2Mj9HOHC9hBsWq8vwx8-ao7B_aBnZWwGiVoe9cu3ocUKlfX5om4drJi4Kcr82YC50KyXFQHnC/s1549/LAI%20flyer%20F.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1549" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFfmOEB256smj8ctGoiHNpWyoLXaclgdxvlZ8Fw1OL0NyWaXp-OIzZ76oA2TIcxZttLL8qO5-v8GTy3NPb0-m9JTFV3TcxZNh0mggokG7YjyDhCtY9yz2Mj9HOHC9hBsWq8vwx8-ao7B_aBnZWwGiVoe9cu3ocUKlfX5om4drJi4Kcr82YC50KyXFQHnC/w310-h400/LAI%20flyer%20F.png" width="310" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Current LAI Flyer</i></td></tr></tbody></table>That's why when recently, another blogger said she was writing letters for this organization, <a href="https://www.lettersagainstisolation.com">Letters Against Isolation</a> I wanted to learn more. I've always enjoyed handwritten correspondence from high school days of writing to pen pals and now.</div><div><br /></div><div>According to the website, during the Covid-19 pandemic, two sisters, Shreya and Saffron, supported their isolated grandparents through daily phone calls. Soon, they realized that other seniors deprived of the ability to see visitors or interact with others were lonely too. The sisters began writing handwritten letters to residents of assisted living facilities and care homes. </div><div><br /></div><div>When the growing demand for letters outpaced their ability to keep up, they started LAI which has since expanded to serve thousands of seniors in five countries: US, Canada, UK, Australia, and Israel. There's something special about receiving a letter as many seniors grew up with this method of correspondence.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since April 2020, LAI has sent over half a million letters and cards to over 20,000 seniors worldwide. Over 22,000 volunteers belong to the LAI community. These volunteers come from over 15 countries worldwide and all 50 states. The organization has been featured in major news outlets: <i>The Washington Post, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, ABC, The Drew Barrymore Show, Good Morning America</i> and <i>MSNBC</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVEfy5OB61UdbqGXJrNxhTEolH7de6_tqayCmwZJTE5MYxSIdJdOyCauEGLjBruFuYB20gWTY_zwCDcglIg1Qk_NC2ifaoDTaW2VP5EdFXE1djdMBwgau8Q5pe71GnMSNqHqYPQ_mO0egfOg5KJaEyUAkJKxHKbpg2MbMXj8oRrd4hBD328uihxJpU5Qu/s475/letters.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="475" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVEfy5OB61UdbqGXJrNxhTEolH7de6_tqayCmwZJTE5MYxSIdJdOyCauEGLjBruFuYB20gWTY_zwCDcglIg1Qk_NC2ifaoDTaW2VP5EdFXE1djdMBwgau8Q5pe71GnMSNqHqYPQ_mO0egfOg5KJaEyUAkJKxHKbpg2MbMXj8oRrd4hBD328uihxJpU5Qu/w200-h183/letters.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Internet source</i></td></tr></tbody></table>How LAI Works</b></div><div>If you decide to participate, every other week, LAI will send a portal where you can sign up to send letters to care homes in the five countries it serves. You can write as many letters as you want, keeping in mind that the letters will be brightening days. Keep them cheerful and creative: postcards, jokes, word games, artwork is always good to include, but no gifts. Stumped for ideas on how or what to write? The LAI website and blog has lots of suggestions, many from volunteers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Letters are sent in physical form, not email. Last week, I sent letters to facilities in TX, MN and IN and expect to send more in the next couple of weeks and beyond. It's one way of helping others feel less lonely, truthfully it helps me feel connected as well. <i>You might feel the same.</i></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Helpful Tips: </b>Buying stationary supplies can be costly (and we won't even talk about postage), but Dollar Tree stores and perhaps other stores sell packages of blank note cards. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, if there's a senior center you attend, <i>very </i>often there's an excess of donated blank cards with colorful fronts. This week, I shared details about LAI to the coordinator of the senior center that we're attend in NH. She invited me to <i>take as many as you would like</i>, which I did. Several blank cards contained heart images, perfect for Hearts ♥️ Day notes.</div><div style="text-align: center;">❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️</div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>As for popular songs that include Lonely in the title, how many could you name? </i></div><div>I named less than 10 on this list. There's more I'm sure. Feel free to add any in a comment.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><i>Only the Lonely</i> (Roy Orbison), <i>Lonely Teenager</i> (Dion), <i>Mr. Lonely</i> (Bobby Vinton), <i>Lonely Teardrops</i> (Jacke Wilson), <i>Lonely Man & Are You Lonely Tonight </i>(Elvis Presley), <i>I've Been Lonely Too Long</i> (Young Rascals), <i>Lonely Man Am I </i>(Temptations)</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Hey There Lonely Boy</i> (Ruby & the Romantics), <i>Hey There Lonely Girl </i>(Eddie Holman), <i>Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band</i> (The Beatles), <i>Ask the Lonely</i> (Four Tops), <i>More Lonely Nights</i> (Paul McCartney), <i>Lonely Boy</i> (Paul Anka), <i>Lonely People </i>(America), <i>So Lonely</i> (The Police), <i>One Lonely Night </i>(Reo Speedwagon), <i>Love or Let Me Be Lonely</i> (Friends of Distinction)</div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight </i>(Isley Brothers), <i>Lonely Man & Are You Lonely Tonight </i>(Elvis Presley), <i>Have You Ever Been Lonely </i>&<i> Seven Lonely Days </i>(Patsy Kline), <i>Ask the Lonely</i> (The Four Tops), <i>Lonely Weekends </i>(Charlie Rich), <i>The Lonely Bull</i> (Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass), <i>Lonely Days</i> (The BeeGees), <i>Only the Lonely</i> (The Motels)</div></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-74609688017716924242024-01-17T07:00:00.585-05:002024-01-25T20:37:19.562-05:00Blog-iversary #14<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_8JB4ekqo1R-rbUnROB94xgn_uo4J7WP2Z9QBFdtLXnILmrsvAdC2GPjanoDEU07XIbzoAalYVRT7ajgJvTpqkWa38U3Zor4VK3CBP5tF0dWIF6QfhmZYhPSdqp_qwCMZxGYo4Hli32vsSR2BuRuKdWmbUt2FSp4w3wTHSauIcv3sLXWGU0xZU4zX4ni/s532/14%20year%20anniv2R%20F-P.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="532" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_8JB4ekqo1R-rbUnROB94xgn_uo4J7WP2Z9QBFdtLXnILmrsvAdC2GPjanoDEU07XIbzoAalYVRT7ajgJvTpqkWa38U3Zor4VK3CBP5tF0dWIF6QfhmZYhPSdqp_qwCMZxGYo4Hli32vsSR2BuRuKdWmbUt2FSp4w3wTHSauIcv3sLXWGU0xZU4zX4ni/w200-h196/14%20year%20anniv2R%20F-P.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Of course, the title isn't actually a word (blog-iversary or blog-aversary?), but was cobbled together to announce a milestone</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">—our blog celebrates its 14th-year anniversary 🎉 today</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">—</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">time that's gone by very fast.</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The aptly titled <i>First Post </i>on Sunday, January 16, 2010</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> was written by Grenville, who most now know as Patrick, my husband and co-blog administrator.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In that post, he wrote: </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>Have you ever wondered what others think of your life? Is it interesting? Sound like fun? Wish they could be living it? Think that you are wasting your time and theirs? Wonder why they are still reading about the stuff you are doing?</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">He further explained that the blog would be about our home, the town we lived in (back then</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> a small town on the VA eastern shore), what</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> we were doing, adventures taken and/or dreamed about, friends </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">and a little (or lot) of our ramblings about life in general.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">That first post elicited a scant three comments, two of which were from a friend who lived nearby. Next, it was my turn to post</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> and that post explained that the blog name, <i>The Frog & PenguINN</i>, was what</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> we had <i>christened</i> our VA home a</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">fter learning that other homes in the area also had names. We went for a bit of fun with ours based on a collection of frog and penguin items</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">. The INN part of the blog name happened as we briefly had thought about it being a B&B; however, after talking to a NJ friend who ran one, soon decided that would not be an option, but we kept the name. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-c_AaSJuEiJ7A4O7qcNMOO7MQ6doYP-5KYN8KW676RDwwFK5cZdkmitG_N-HA9kTgRqgWV6zOGQZcjPdGI1PKlzl7p4NrYRyLQeOwYAYo97QbLv8FMoMbcs7ltgiFUuAP6ASzGIRdDcR4_w50rzCNYGvNMuPWcBDysn3ysGTjd8Tf0HayRb9Gwfd9siK/s800/House%20then-fin2%20collage.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-c_AaSJuEiJ7A4O7qcNMOO7MQ6doYP-5KYN8KW676RDwwFK5cZdkmitG_N-HA9kTgRqgWV6zOGQZcjPdGI1PKlzl7p4NrYRyLQeOwYAYo97QbLv8FMoMbcs7ltgiFUuAP6ASzGIRdDcR4_w50rzCNYGvNMuPWcBDysn3ysGTjd8Tf0HayRb9Gwfd9siK/w320-h320/House%20then-fin2%20collage.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Frog & PenguINN, VA, before & after</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Our VA home was an older one needing makeovers which kept us busy for several years after we had relocated from our native NJ in 2004. Our new town had a total population of less than 500, starting a blog seemed a fun way to reach out to others. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Back then, we were avidly posting abou</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">t everything. That first year some months had more posts than days in the month. In the fall of 2010, we went on an extended road trip to New England, not suspecting that it would become our future home in 2017 when we relocated to NH. This was the first of our future road trip posts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjoSj28ZaYWhe7ajzeQtdA51xpS4GI80xx-hdIyvoPR62tnDoNLgF707vdqXRZPBK88FEObrXlulQjLRfR-5c8HcBFmd-dJAVV6UVMHsUhto8OZqSSiGGvQrv3aJxrVESxp3dqHJ_0SDDsJp_kPKwAYW_QFT9sxmOWPpcxBlM4GGIzWQlQH__WSyUU2jx/s800/Welcome%20mat%20collage.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjoSj28ZaYWhe7ajzeQtdA51xpS4GI80xx-hdIyvoPR62tnDoNLgF707vdqXRZPBK88FEObrXlulQjLRfR-5c8HcBFmd-dJAVV6UVMHsUhto8OZqSSiGGvQrv3aJxrVESxp3dqHJ_0SDDsJp_kPKwAYW_QFT9sxmOWPpcxBlM4GGIzWQlQH__WSyUU2jx/w200-h200/Welcome%20mat%20collage.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In time, comments grew, up to a high of 10 and recently over 30. That number has never mattered, then or now. We've enjoyed sharing our lives and adventures and will continue to do so. Over the years,</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> several folks whose blogs we've read or who read ours are no longer blogging, some by choice, sadly a few have passed. We're grateful that some bloggers <i>(you know who you are)</i> not only still comment, but have kept blogging as well. W</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">e appreciate all who stop in to visit — the Welcome mat is <i>always</i> out.</span><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In case you're curious, like me, here's what was happening 14 years ago in 2010.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivX4bZ8B-EiRa0l-VNsKcd46XPqC8dA-C6yi8EcxKcCSyd7S9YCdoyF0-F6usXQYtURRfd4orkV2hZxNuOEGGKUpWRLHVsOmNYOXkoZ4tMyNqhvWYBI4EblssM_UAf6vmgrg99UCHVePIt4l44W4ki4_z48yF1HKtaJdPCE-VlbNWo0aH1JJVewAfXHeHE/s820/Back%20in%202010-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="699" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivX4bZ8B-EiRa0l-VNsKcd46XPqC8dA-C6yi8EcxKcCSyd7S9YCdoyF0-F6usXQYtURRfd4orkV2hZxNuOEGGKUpWRLHVsOmNYOXkoZ4tMyNqhvWYBI4EblssM_UAf6vmgrg99UCHVePIt4l44W4ki4_z48yF1HKtaJdPCE-VlbNWo0aH1JJVewAfXHeHE/w546-h640/Back%20in%202010-2.jpg" width="546" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Internet source</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Take note of the price of a USPS First Class stamp when it was 44 cents. As of January 21, 2024, the price for a First-Class Forever Postage Stamp increases from 66 cents to 68 cents<i> (still time to stock up). </i></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Notice too that the</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> federal minimum wage was $7.25/hour which it was increased to in 2009. This year, it's going up to</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> at least $16 an hour in a few states. In other states, new minimum wages will range from $10 to $15. Also,</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> this was the first year for the Apple iPad. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Prompt;">As you can see, in 14 years, a lot has gone on our lives and worldwide. A <b>BIG</b> thanks to all who have been along for our blog adventures . . . <i>to be continued. <br /></i></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_KPn2Dns6n0i4VE_5gGIc_FD7ITwFrY6t94KCrrnX_cHM0-lb1tRDNiypdGFrMz0R6zUeH1TceEB3UVmB5ale-ihl9Qf0DcqVEErdrPkwkQm_WnbgNMG8rRFnm-nLFLxwQlwDnVj_UFwc_ZUM1NDTs7A7qvWk4ZP1pamCCz6zKMuDYMYDeA7_OVNcw6c/s3366/Bear%20with%20Us%20R1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3366" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_KPn2Dns6n0i4VE_5gGIc_FD7ITwFrY6t94KCrrnX_cHM0-lb1tRDNiypdGFrMz0R6zUeH1TceEB3UVmB5ale-ihl9Qf0DcqVEErdrPkwkQm_WnbgNMG8rRFnm-nLFLxwQlwDnVj_UFwc_ZUM1NDTs7A7qvWk4ZP1pamCCz6zKMuDYMYDeA7_OVNcw6c/w400-h359/Bear%20with%20Us%20R1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Dorothy & Patrick (aka Beatrice & Grenville)</i></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-57341325285308395232024-01-15T07:00:00.029-05:002024-01-15T13:34:32.784-05:00Appreciation<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEFlDbOM7W4oMGV_454gmMhORC21gu-7QXWoL_qVPXjJGbWK8KTHalSN4nna-ExRpKeKZVSTCTQBQswzHwL5zTVHAvKDavaDZj2tlD3ihpOvxoilTXDmjDOalRS1FETw-uW39vMcUxju3l0LBx4kHbPNuBz64oOSypXAxaYdsF_nPF7LMLwyoBUAWr2uZ/s760/appreciated.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="760" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEFlDbOM7W4oMGV_454gmMhORC21gu-7QXWoL_qVPXjJGbWK8KTHalSN4nna-ExRpKeKZVSTCTQBQswzHwL5zTVHAvKDavaDZj2tlD3ihpOvxoilTXDmjDOalRS1FETw-uW39vMcUxju3l0LBx4kHbPNuBz64oOSypXAxaYdsF_nPF7LMLwyoBUAWr2uZ/w320-h146/appreciated.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The number of comments on a previous post about a change for future posts was overwhelming. Quite simply </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>thank you</i> to everyone for the comments which were appreciated as I was uncertain about sharing details in the post. Thanks also to those who shared similar situations.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Certainly, the situation described was uncomfortable, and as stated there was no right or wrong. Despite no harm was intended, some folks were rankled at what they perceived was an error on my part. Although at first resisting</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> a reversal, I soon realized that taking a stance wasn't worth any further discord. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">As stated, family have never read our posts except when sent a link. So, another l</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">esson learned was not only exclusion, but to not send a future link. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Thankfully, there's been no repercussions.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In sharing my own situation and hearing about those of some others, I learned, once again, that bloggers are a wonderfully supportive community, who leave positive and uplifting comments when most needed. <i>You </i></span><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">rightly </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">should be proud of yourselves.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nZoQPYRuDLl4VkQAJoY4DpPXx6hXcntYIhmK7hdvvDXp7BVnhh5KrMSJATrPij_nykPWOi7N1v5f9l2ENVvbRjXvs7rbaC2S97Zo99qcTOLanajcmki6ZO-X1KRJRs7gAqMHzTR54I-yQnIxM8ubH8-Whp63cWv6zGF-3O_8CdC9043ntXoOUtvukEZK/s493/words%20matter%20F2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="493" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4nZoQPYRuDLl4VkQAJoY4DpPXx6hXcntYIhmK7hdvvDXp7BVnhh5KrMSJATrPij_nykPWOi7N1v5f9l2ENVvbRjXvs7rbaC2S97Zo99qcTOLanajcmki6ZO-X1KRJRs7gAqMHzTR54I-yQnIxM8ubH8-Whp63cWv6zGF-3O_8CdC9043ntXoOUtvukEZK/w200-h133/words%20matter%20F2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>However, recently there have been a few instances in which a fellow blogger (other than myself) has received some disparaging comments following a post. It was heartening to read that after sharing the incident that other bloggers rallied to offer their support.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Acceptance and understanding without being derogatory is what it's all about for myself and others. We</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> all have differences, not every post will generate a response. In which case, it's far better <b>not</b> to do something akin to what Alice Roosevelt Longworth famously said: <i>If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvmUd1gDsHTWg2oWPqzgkeRb1B-8NV4sYMVE2-hpjmbx6pLZx8MjyhQefW1He4ZWv62tECxc_iLdVBy8wfIURzIjt7N7UCZlA2GTLSgh9-Kw0CQGwNZlgbbtImGCSGFDtOe_VsMDJL1L1Tf193O4cRKbzpSkz3EJQe3sp-cFEDoGbaDgEdFCgWtDIOuED/s522/Alice%20Roosevelt.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="344" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvmUd1gDsHTWg2oWPqzgkeRb1B-8NV4sYMVE2-hpjmbx6pLZx8MjyhQefW1He4ZWv62tECxc_iLdVBy8wfIURzIjt7N7UCZlA2GTLSgh9-Kw0CQGwNZlgbbtImGCSGFDtOe_VsMDJL1L1Tf193O4cRKbzpSkz3EJQe3sp-cFEDoGbaDgEdFCgWtDIOuED/w132-h200/Alice%20Roosevelt.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Alice Roosevelt</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>These words have long been credited to the</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> long-time Washington socialite known for her caustic remarks. Alice Roosevelt</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> was born in NYC in 1884 to Alice Hathaway, a banking heiress and Theodore Roosevelt, a New York State Assemblyman and later a U.S. President. Two days after her birth, her mother died of undiagnosed kidney failure. Her father remarried in 1886. She was raised by her father and stepmother and later had five half-siblings.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div>Of her quotable comments, the most famous reportedly found its way onto a pillow on her settee. Other quotes often attributed to her include: <i>You can't make a soufflé rise twice;</i> <i>The secret to eternal youth is arrested development </i>and perfects most aptly, <i>My specialty is detached malevolence. </i>She was seemingly not the kindest individual.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwdnX_hruLSbSY2OPioMPVv7bKe2JYLxM7aoqNsIl-kmiy8pMlAt2lPP-z-dYmNn476g7ra3lAeeMIHzG8IqML6m1G45gBHD6i0_jVcrYBxRYxVAnuzLyr5jn6afrU0M3_hqSiTX45O3tpc1gF_xsDc_-LgomWllKLTfba8ts-r5v79PWDx8uGbyB783g/s708/thumper%20nothing.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="708" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwdnX_hruLSbSY2OPioMPVv7bKe2JYLxM7aoqNsIl-kmiy8pMlAt2lPP-z-dYmNn476g7ra3lAeeMIHzG8IqML6m1G45gBHD6i0_jVcrYBxRYxVAnuzLyr5jn6afrU0M3_hqSiTX45O3tpc1gF_xsDc_-LgomWllKLTfba8ts-r5v79PWDx8uGbyB783g/w320-h219/thumper%20nothing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Thumper in 1942 film, Bambi</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Perhaps, a much better quotable saying is this one: <i>If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all</i>. These words have various sources, but are best known as coming from the fictional cottontail rabbit character, Thumper, in the classic 1942 Walt Disney animated film, <i>Bambi</i>. It</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> was released by RKO Radio Pictures, based on the 1923 novel </span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">Bambi, a Life in the Woods</i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> by Felix Salten. In the film, characters are Bambi, a white-tailed deer; his parents, his friends Thumper, a skunk, Flower, and his future mate, Faline.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In the film, there's a scene when Thumper, is corrected by his mother after he makes a rude comment about baby Bambi. In reply to his mother asking, <i>Thumper, what did your father tell you this morning?</i>, Thumper bashfully replies, <i>If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say nothin’ at all.</i> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vXoOSX-d8x8prtN9wzpmZYKPm_Lh6piEiwR0kNui7pes_Qy9T4kwNi3rHpIBRf45ENrPK2FzcjZxp3MuWx5XAXF4PidafZtO536tKMNAwTXAjvB0IBmiRwBF-A02RqnTtAaA5s-mappJTDXF1Zub1NccFyNSvEnvgw9RtbgQ8tfE4WlOeRquTKwnWQ6O/s277/Charlie-Snoopy.gif" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="238" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vXoOSX-d8x8prtN9wzpmZYKPm_Lh6piEiwR0kNui7pes_Qy9T4kwNi3rHpIBRf45ENrPK2FzcjZxp3MuWx5XAXF4PidafZtO536tKMNAwTXAjvB0IBmiRwBF-A02RqnTtAaA5s-mappJTDXF1Zub1NccFyNSvEnvgw9RtbgQ8tfE4WlOeRquTKwnWQ6O/w172-h200/Charlie-Snoopy.gif" width="172" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Charlie Brown & Snoopy</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Good advice that seems harder to follow in a digital age when it is easier to be </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">abusive to others online. Especially when the interface between people is a computer screen. In some cases, it has caused some people to abandon all social media, fearful of others’ harsh terms they've found it easier to give up.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">It's sad when thoughtless words negatively impact others. Hopefully, we can continue to be supportive with thoughtful comments — or silence when nothing meaningful can be said.</span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-34217104219568941852024-01-12T07:00:00.090-05:002024-01-12T09:01:13.631-05:00Friday Funnies<div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">While nearly all the snow from last weekend's first 2024 storm in Nashua, NH, has gone on streets and walkways, this group <i>still</i> remains optimistic about winter fun.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEAWADLAldghojNDex690Zy9SVQOeHyiDkC7cYEvC26WM9tmVXmi896BpG-FYBNcZRN7y6UbNfo8s8ApyTRXK0O8belQU529FRXXgcllk-ZQXOEyUUVQZ7JbDZFoM-MPWpPGh_eFikCuJXZjjiNU_negHq78PYBT8H3tsduTrG_TshPS2WgwJRyxQJdXX/s3628/snowmen%20shelf%20F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3628" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEAWADLAldghojNDex690Zy9SVQOeHyiDkC7cYEvC26WM9tmVXmi896BpG-FYBNcZRN7y6UbNfo8s8ApyTRXK0O8belQU529FRXXgcllk-ZQXOEyUUVQZ7JbDZFoM-MPWpPGh_eFikCuJXZjjiNU_negHq78PYBT8H3tsduTrG_TshPS2WgwJRyxQJdXX/w640-h534/snowmen%20shelf%20F.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Snowmen are a regular seasonal display outside our apartment entry. All of them hibernate in storage during warmer months, along with the snowball supply.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ByRp-2vWLPJ7MtRfAAVeSqeHwi9ioXSqyZq4J6AwU5Zw8sRpvC2yU3ON81U3W4veejERINfDMyMZ5rbawPXZV6bZ4uEGikVzKV_6yUb4RyEahq125EOGRpjBZyt7VJkM173PxYH6jFEy9TSxkOt7RXAHQpWZ4XQ1GOTGaHGUTn73kWWl2zq4c2yeiHuv/s3534/penguin-snowmen%20F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2945" data-original-width="3534" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ByRp-2vWLPJ7MtRfAAVeSqeHwi9ioXSqyZq4J6AwU5Zw8sRpvC2yU3ON81U3W4veejERINfDMyMZ5rbawPXZV6bZ4uEGikVzKV_6yUb4RyEahq125EOGRpjBZyt7VJkM173PxYH6jFEy9TSxkOt7RXAHQpWZ4XQ1GOTGaHGUTn73kWWl2zq4c2yeiHuv/w640-h534/penguin-snowmen%20F.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The penguin and frog are <i>always</i> visible by our door in all types of weather and seasons, a few winter "friends" have joined them for the next few months.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yUfkPJxdZYxSVxMKooQKZ1_q6jESHUx_fZhW0hHcuvlT7NHND7qf4F5fVsv3qatqXPaaorDyPlYSbj50tfpSgmTPZ_as6vO4J8Tqv2YpBIIoVS58Ofo_I6ePn2WEm42aP5r-8AAt6HM0M7m5qSfnZ5WJWPEAyCVBAzvUCO2s18ttx4Pdrph-Z14UoNpk/s800/winter%20flag%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yUfkPJxdZYxSVxMKooQKZ1_q6jESHUx_fZhW0hHcuvlT7NHND7qf4F5fVsv3qatqXPaaorDyPlYSbj50tfpSgmTPZ_as6vO4J8Tqv2YpBIIoVS58Ofo_I6ePn2WEm42aP5r-8AAt6HM0M7m5qSfnZ5WJWPEAyCVBAzvUCO2s18ttx4Pdrph-Z14UoNpk/w640-h640/winter%20flag%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div>'Tis true that we enjoy winter and are hopeful for more snow. That's unlikely to happen for a while as temps remain in the mid-40s and low 50s with rain on Saturday.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i><b>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Homemade soup & pizza plus Scottish ale will be enjoyed</span></i></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-77573304452799525852024-01-11T07:00:00.315-05:002024-01-11T07:00:00.140-05:00Change This Year<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGz2A37DGitBAojIWaBBbV1xoxzoZZY2uMg_88SVoBLqlPF8MJolAGpgMxoCFDLxln0G2RvcdLYAc2gfY4qnXVc_V9dRnvE8RbCn1lnxCbdSXOtMPxngAnmGsY_FVJFT5CSXqzaRJuzfVA-rRB4xCWZiWCrcTBooRjri0KaWJJBb3z-R0idAra_DDrXEN/s480/change.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="480" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBGz2A37DGitBAojIWaBBbV1xoxzoZZY2uMg_88SVoBLqlPF8MJolAGpgMxoCFDLxln0G2RvcdLYAc2gfY4qnXVc_V9dRnvE8RbCn1lnxCbdSXOtMPxngAnmGsY_FVJFT5CSXqzaRJuzfVA-rRB4xCWZiWCrcTBooRjri0KaWJJBb3z-R0idAra_DDrXEN/w200-h143/change.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It's been said that change is good.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>Change will affect this blog going forward. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>Future p</span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>osts will neither name nor show family or d</span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">etails about family celebrations and milestone.</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> While earlier posts showing family haven't been removed, names have been changed to granddaughter, grandson, daughter or family.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><i>Why? </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>To make a long story short, this action resulted from the reaction of some family members to a since deleted 2023 post. </span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Showing and naming family members wasn't new on the blog and has</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> been done as long as this blog has existed. When family was shown, a link was sent to those included, if not, they would remain oblivious to posts. There was never any kickback.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: Prompt;">What Changed?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEH7Yqsyz3-7-KBnJYCnrXVZymUjZZptirOz6obFm6eQ4FiS2YhwSR0BY_Apnzd0w5-yWrt2c_pdgBubyggQ4hMnZxRe02n3T35Gu0caqqfgD5zknIN0rh1G1XkosZxuOegaNxs8EFdkOHD2zzxI2IN-24c5tz6iZCpgNW98k8vVB20lZfB-SDYCTGRax/s442/backlash.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="442" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEH7Yqsyz3-7-KBnJYCnrXVZymUjZZptirOz6obFm6eQ4FiS2YhwSR0BY_Apnzd0w5-yWrt2c_pdgBubyggQ4hMnZxRe02n3T35Gu0caqqfgD5zknIN0rh1G1XkosZxuOegaNxs8EFdkOHD2zzxI2IN-24c5tz6iZCpgNW98k8vVB20lZfB-SDYCTGRax/w200-h194/backlash.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>This time there was a dispute about said post that named and showed family members gathered for Thanksgiving and December </span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">birthday</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span>s. Particularly as it included a senior family</span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> member who had driven a distance to visit. Later, a family member, who was also there, suggested that details of this visit remain quiet. Concern was that other family would be upset he had driven alone. In </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">short, silence was expected and I did not follow suit.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The after-holiday post contained photos and names and a link was shared with the family who were there. Next came a </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">backlash of a</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">ngry texts</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> and emails from several who berated me for going public and asked/demanded the post be deleted.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Their reactions seemed extreme. T</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">he family member in question when contacted, confirmed other family knew of the trip. This detail was shared,</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> but failed to mollify the complainants as the post had <b>not</b> been deleted after their initial texts/emails. In hindsight, a rather stubborn reaction on my part. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>What to Do?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Let go of my stubbornness, delete the post,</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> send an apology t</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">o avoid further conflict, explain that earlier posts would be edited to remove names and</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> that family would be excluded from future posts. All actions needed to soothe tempers and tensions, theirs and mine.</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IFKQY1iS30UDiTLHTFyLgCBHyd5Vd38XLJFGAAIb2Tm9L0r8sUyxL0XELT1uvTiik3jSitFqrln0hSEzzfilwJRircnp010FipYQ4yGkQ5hKSu4jqGjM3tyur-pQAyZy5nlDtYkkcuEV1evU_2NjsZQvbFU48igRgUBq9Dlyf6DSnNXwJtJ1PFsDsd3h/s2979/Best%20Friends%20F.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2979" data-original-width="2833" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IFKQY1iS30UDiTLHTFyLgCBHyd5Vd38XLJFGAAIb2Tm9L0r8sUyxL0XELT1uvTiik3jSitFqrln0hSEzzfilwJRircnp010FipYQ4yGkQ5hKSu4jqGjM3tyur-pQAyZy5nlDtYkkcuEV1evU_2NjsZQvbFU48igRgUBq9Dlyf6DSnNXwJtJ1PFsDsd3h/w190-h200/Best%20Friends%20F.jpg" width="190" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">Beatrice & Grenville Boyd</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">In an aside, a comment was made that we hid behind online aliases. So, if any new <b>or</b> long time readers of this blog are unaware, my name is Dorothy, my husband is Patrick. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The b</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">logger names, <i>Beatrice & Grenville</i>, were chosen</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> years ago af</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">ter</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> two Boyds Bears figurines from our collection</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">. </span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">The blog name, </span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">Frog & PenguINN</i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">, was a fun name for our former VA home in which we had many frog and penguin figurines. We still do, but not as many. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9ux5yE_ZP_K1ArfizpjxAkgIHSEsUT034qJURemvVTfkaBY3oWQuC6nQbqzJsP8cdEwcZmfPNeywJrwaCmws24IzMW3Fin-pkAOUbsfLpSTcdp-U3c_GVRGdVhficpIgGDrf4eWPL2FauWcfg_BsNQHst6u-gyDNui0qbLF451IdeKoi7e4lhNnCOEM0/s842/Whats%20Next%3F.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="842" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9ux5yE_ZP_K1ArfizpjxAkgIHSEsUT034qJURemvVTfkaBY3oWQuC6nQbqzJsP8cdEwcZmfPNeywJrwaCmws24IzMW3Fin-pkAOUbsfLpSTcdp-U3c_GVRGdVhficpIgGDrf4eWPL2FauWcfg_BsNQHst6u-gyDNui0qbLF451IdeKoi7e4lhNnCOEM0/w200-h163/Whats%20Next%3F.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>Moving Forward </i></span><i style="font-family: Prompt;">— </i><i style="font-family: Prompt;">It's all good.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">While the reactions were surprising, change is not an issue. This</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> blog started as a way to recount our experiences, travels, adventures, home life,</span><i style="font-family: Prompt;"> </i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">so</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> it returns to that focus.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">If you've read this far, thanks</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;">. </span></i><i>There's no right or wrong. After hesitating to </i><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;">share this reason for change, full disclosure seemed the best approach. </span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><br /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">Change happens all the time. For example, a Tuesday post earlier this week</span></span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> showed photos from a weekend snowfall of nearly 15-inches in Nashua, NH. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvOglche-ElAsTq-yqhUzfhydJPiCa3HTFx1t8RQS4-2-6RswEV-E2MXZCXtXL8QXuDXrvJTxm0pzOrymuMRQLcbBvHQx8ABG3ZryD_rPaBsYiF2jsWb-41lPMb2hZ1CLcAMXdU3zV3fos_6dH2XagiPSL5e-UVwmqZ-dG4vueWDv4JiXw5ZwXr3acaE_/s800/0110%20snow%20gone%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvOglche-ElAsTq-yqhUzfhydJPiCa3HTFx1t8RQS4-2-6RswEV-E2MXZCXtXL8QXuDXrvJTxm0pzOrymuMRQLcbBvHQx8ABG3ZryD_rPaBsYiF2jsWb-41lPMb2hZ1CLcAMXdU3zV3fos_6dH2XagiPSL5e-UVwmqZ-dG4vueWDv4JiXw5ZwXr3acaE_/w640-h640/0110%20snow%20gone%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div>These views were from our apartment early Wednesday after an overnight rain and most of the snow had been washed away</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhl2evXdBT69HAusaCPcETjuHdoYv9lccPZu_Hu4DwN2ee0CwYTHUSQDEWMJIx-ZCBD7kkU-KOBhJljhaeSLixKYDAf8D2kbSvJzQISFQhcuJRRcAV2mcRfUt7R5-59J5TsfCm3PiCcigshrhVrkvZ3xslxsFfArQtWRiJhbaT8U34RogTicnREIZXCO-/s3739/0110%20rainbow.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2804" data-original-width="3739" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhl2evXdBT69HAusaCPcETjuHdoYv9lccPZu_Hu4DwN2ee0CwYTHUSQDEWMJIx-ZCBD7kkU-KOBhJljhaeSLixKYDAf8D2kbSvJzQISFQhcuJRRcAV2mcRfUt7R5-59J5TsfCm3PiCcigshrhVrkvZ3xslxsFfArQtWRiJhbaT8U34RogTicnREIZXCO-/w640-h480/0110%20rainbow.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Another change by Wednesday mid-afternoon when, after</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> a nearly 50-degree day not</span><span style="font-family: Prompt;"> only was most snow gone, but a rainbow was viewed after a few rain showers.</span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-54908017847955752952024-01-09T07:00:00.264-05:002024-01-09T17:16:58.292-05:00Let It Snow (Finally)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Yes</b></span>, it did, even if it</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> took nearly two years until we finally got a major snowstorm not only in Nashua, NH, but in most of southern New England.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2D0E5gHNB5WPi8y_IEs6KM7URYiMmEkJ_6yMTK6C1-kIEf8bv0o_p6e9ANE0MRIcI-zjaxkL0EN5ClIt26TAZpAYnVZRUSB5RR5NHONob1EMX1r8hiMNb5ugxRxSVskzp_ALXRKf5oZ5C_Bsnw-G7An4aiV0EO6yucwlvu2McRd4kjMxh65oTKiBFNqt/s800/durting%20storm%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2D0E5gHNB5WPi8y_IEs6KM7URYiMmEkJ_6yMTK6C1-kIEf8bv0o_p6e9ANE0MRIcI-zjaxkL0EN5ClIt26TAZpAYnVZRUSB5RR5NHONob1EMX1r8hiMNb5ugxRxSVskzp_ALXRKf5oZ5C_Bsnw-G7An4aiV0EO6yucwlvu2McRd4kjMxh65oTKiBFNqt/w640-h640/durting%20storm%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The first significant snow of 2024 started</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> late Saturday night and continued into early Sunday evening, about 15 inches fell here in Nashua, NH, over last weekend. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The tall castle-like structure in the bottom right image is the Odd Fellows building on Main Street in downtown Nashua. Its first cornerstone was laid in May 1891. Odd Fellow meetings were held on the fourth floor of the building from its early days up until 2007. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9peVW5aOe170HJTq75MQQ3MT-spumCnHFqkRYCugi7h6U8WGCRcUXvniL88NN2XLMwpRoePorJwC2nUWWY5e4dIQnrV4E2p1bsoSloTbJZ_nxmz09J90zPqgg3Wb7kTVU9vdCe-aqdujplbnG3bb-mn80sdFRNQo-KhEHWrEAe9SmEUz76xFp_GiVSLXz/s800/lot%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9peVW5aOe170HJTq75MQQ3MT-spumCnHFqkRYCugi7h6U8WGCRcUXvniL88NN2XLMwpRoePorJwC2nUWWY5e4dIQnrV4E2p1bsoSloTbJZ_nxmz09J90zPqgg3Wb7kTVU9vdCe-aqdujplbnG3bb-mn80sdFRNQo-KhEHWrEAe9SmEUz76xFp_GiVSLXz/w640-h640/lot%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The 24-hour+ storm produced a heavy wet snowfall; lot plowing continued for several hours at the mill apartments. The upper lot parking area is plowed in sections. Residents who park outside need to move their cars starting at 7:30 a.m. to designated snow-cleared areas. Cars are to be moved in an a.m. and p.m. shift. There's also paid underground parking, which is where we park our vehicles, thankfully no need to scrape off or shovel out.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJaRsH0uSrJ1tK7qTPvpUhCqPrNc79sP2H5i7D_MqdfpEVJj50tsHARpkuRGKqmtmV9b1ozHR49VYDuihvRj8yug_Vmm-0i1YDsFkH-axEcg9k6-VJ47VzE-FZb3o53tMV0a3Rdc637F2beT5jKfs7VkPse2x7wW-nODN_MIrxKpgi3S0b1aTJNUfClJ1/s800/am%20after%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJaRsH0uSrJ1tK7qTPvpUhCqPrNc79sP2H5i7D_MqdfpEVJj50tsHARpkuRGKqmtmV9b1ozHR49VYDuihvRj8yug_Vmm-0i1YDsFkH-axEcg9k6-VJ47VzE-FZb3o53tMV0a3Rdc637F2beT5jKfs7VkPse2x7wW-nODN_MIrxKpgi3S0b1aTJNUfClJ1/w640-h640/am%20after%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a now familiar early morning view from our apartment windows. Similar scenes have been posted in the past.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7DY-kS-7kV5Ym1Q5Ln810_QvbErnrfFdSHzGruacWK18RLnDbaQO4hNaJ5NRrsD4Rh2ead4chv20mCqM0Jeyfp4IH-lUjV6q_06zFB7onnuy57d4SSJDQb4GoQwxD9sogsmpLX2VIM9oBnj28SSNM0fNg8myilLBiFbHPCQgx9qPethUBJaoFdXrlvH_/s5472/bridge%20in%20snow%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3610" data-original-width="5472" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7DY-kS-7kV5Ym1Q5Ln810_QvbErnrfFdSHzGruacWK18RLnDbaQO4hNaJ5NRrsD4Rh2ead4chv20mCqM0Jeyfp4IH-lUjV6q_06zFB7onnuy57d4SSJDQb4GoQwxD9sogsmpLX2VIM9oBnj28SSNM0fNg8myilLBiFbHPCQgx9qPethUBJaoFdXrlvH_/w640-h422/bridge%20in%20snow%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This view shows the pedestrian walkway across the Nashua River, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">also viewed from our living room windows.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ADpB7zSx168DlRRACqVN_AGVFpOyCvHp8JyIwtybzYnEp8K-ceF5HvAsM2azB9zWDSL-mhsqAiRjRLAWKNbTNGyFjlPPhcPz67P3RQhW6PBBBhOFercivpdQ5iVKe3yvFzh6i2mH9l1Y_CvJf4GCEVCHAVdT_Wz_2PH2Bhrg8m2z4tZTxHZNSbI7qJZ_/s800/snow%20covered%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ADpB7zSx168DlRRACqVN_AGVFpOyCvHp8JyIwtybzYnEp8K-ceF5HvAsM2azB9zWDSL-mhsqAiRjRLAWKNbTNGyFjlPPhcPz67P3RQhW6PBBBhOFercivpdQ5iVKe3yvFzh6i2mH9l1Y_CvJf4GCEVCHAVdT_Wz_2PH2Bhrg8m2z4tZTxHZNSbI7qJZ_/w640-h640/snow%20covered%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sights seen on grounds around the apartment complex include the bell that once hung in the mill's tower cupola and rung out for mill workers many years ago, a newspaper box, fire box and a resident's bike. Unlike a car, the bike did not have to be moved.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUKjQ1Bdhe67udNzhVVCAB0BQZU_HTK1z2BmgfFpvlpYZXl2VGXEzrHIMKY3MzN30fmFthtXUsT7sN9_3SWrl1ujELjN_yikL7cSw5Hu6Roy5rwjxXOPPUvSGpgvWw20qKe0cVhu83HuKXBTuK0uIBngpYXCr3XdNtWUA3v4pmp0yxnNVWIMvrj8kiy2j/s800/cold%20seat%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUKjQ1Bdhe67udNzhVVCAB0BQZU_HTK1z2BmgfFpvlpYZXl2VGXEzrHIMKY3MzN30fmFthtXUsT7sN9_3SWrl1ujELjN_yikL7cSw5Hu6Roy5rwjxXOPPUvSGpgvWw20qKe0cVhu83HuKXBTuK0uIBngpYXCr3XdNtWUA3v4pmp0yxnNVWIMvrj8kiy2j/w640-h640/cold%20seat%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX_UW_niUQCxg6FJnAD-6gSs6p76PUm7ll728PzZc1CcePIVRXOjGbJpknU_LC4xdF0q77rRfb_46yfrAB6aakcXT1JNcEoqUO0G04FGAFFp-mtv2lS_MYJ3PdSHESjWjg54V5ttWoG0tob6s-E_6zE55FuDdFENiLPYhYpw7iM1zErrNzfsjxx-AT__y/s5472/seat%20with%20view%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3034" data-original-width="5472" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiX_UW_niUQCxg6FJnAD-6gSs6p76PUm7ll728PzZc1CcePIVRXOjGbJpknU_LC4xdF0q77rRfb_46yfrAB6aakcXT1JNcEoqUO0G04FGAFFp-mtv2lS_MYJ3PdSHESjWjg54V5ttWoG0tob6s-E_6zE55FuDdFENiLPYhYpw7iM1zErrNzfsjxx-AT__y/w640-h354/seat%20with%20view%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Cold seating was available on the apartment grounds and with a view by the riverside. The brick building closest to the right side houses another former mill now apartments, Lofts 34.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0kc9rm541HTUDJMSFLeEZ9NzB_mKJwIznvDIRGujWvVoNc9Zpicc9Pc5KmD84DpTYPue70QL7EoBn8UDTAsJ-SjdLVYS2aTsQFl6_PwptHRMuyMEyCrHvv_uiIIi2KTGgX9rneL94_G-5PQpWDP1_YAYSapnuDPuPsQjs_aIPOFTSPkWXlymU5aKsBM0/s800/leaves-berries%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0kc9rm541HTUDJMSFLeEZ9NzB_mKJwIznvDIRGujWvVoNc9Zpicc9Pc5KmD84DpTYPue70QL7EoBn8UDTAsJ-SjdLVYS2aTsQFl6_PwptHRMuyMEyCrHvv_uiIIi2KTGgX9rneL94_G-5PQpWDP1_YAYSapnuDPuPsQjs_aIPOFTSPkWXlymU5aKsBM0/w640-h640/leaves-berries%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9MWcw1sgTWmiM2qmwWzVjWDfwd7r1v7p3d-EEvqlwfGn18GomD6Ma9_VhuNyGE7_xFFITp4ib7rBcj6zUlQMKwu4LIEOhKXBtcuq3uSa0h8gHUat03KCduPkXaB8r7jwJHDGrFH1TwMuqjY-NiNXilR4tLHMSXIzuFk6DWwVr4Zowxmer1peWWQ7GpXN/s800/trees%20collage1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9MWcw1sgTWmiM2qmwWzVjWDfwd7r1v7p3d-EEvqlwfGn18GomD6Ma9_VhuNyGE7_xFFITp4ib7rBcj6zUlQMKwu4LIEOhKXBtcuq3uSa0h8gHUat03KCduPkXaB8r7jwJHDGrFH1TwMuqjY-NiNXilR4tLHMSXIzuFk6DWwVr4Zowxmer1peWWQ7GpXN/w640-h640/trees%20collage1.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5htb2QfW74M7PNvujS02derYxlwU0sQjmWG7C4t8Vf3PxWUiadQ0MZkx3TnGKQLbpunUgAGmAf3-yyC00r2qSMVLnqXrNo8_AbR60RAvH8SbgwzcGARjDzS2E4up1e_pj_Qj-GRXNdBp8a9VL_3DG4r-M2Ejzh24AQLZWinw04SUBToN3i85dt2RRyCvL/s800/trees%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5htb2QfW74M7PNvujS02derYxlwU0sQjmWG7C4t8Vf3PxWUiadQ0MZkx3TnGKQLbpunUgAGmAf3-yyC00r2qSMVLnqXrNo8_AbR60RAvH8SbgwzcGARjDzS2E4up1e_pj_Qj-GRXNdBp8a9VL_3DG4r-M2Ejzh24AQLZWinw04SUBToN3i85dt2RRyCvL/w640-h640/trees%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRn-Po5tEm-gaRzOUUcEbv5xD1gA9Jp2PTwGa0Vlt_FXBrCr2FwcWr4_kIgppl-hAbnivUSMkghXwI1R8z7NmJBwiu2lLUFc4AZ9BB5Qxx0CWd83p-jIbS5dwqqTL0uHBHmAGx5Kdv6ZqvMuTBxUz4ZRT0qVBdzuINQkXUos8-CIYe7pYKrrOj08kV24k/s4032/snow%20bush%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRn-Po5tEm-gaRzOUUcEbv5xD1gA9Jp2PTwGa0Vlt_FXBrCr2FwcWr4_kIgppl-hAbnivUSMkghXwI1R8z7NmJBwiu2lLUFc4AZ9BB5Qxx0CWd83p-jIbS5dwqqTL0uHBHmAGx5Kdv6ZqvMuTBxUz4ZRT0qVBdzuINQkXUos8-CIYe7pYKrrOj08kV24k/w640-h480/snow%20bush%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Because this storm produced a wet snow, trees and buses remained snow-covered for several hours. We went walking in the mill yard and along the river front but kept to a street area as the river walkway had not been cleared.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKKHIMhkLg45kKL6VD_yZHNMd2W7G24yAjzCyzhTAQRQAC1N08WuPYq9gDhRq2TGfivK4k0oFgdtOqfDRVaPJIYnIKsw_QIXv60lVpvz0-HLrczIsaQuhec2_mUkg8eOR9YG1rk2z2NtHTmWtIlbbNh4c5-WVUyy7uo-1XPjYv6albI-654JHNAslSNaj/s4032/large%20tree%20snow%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKKHIMhkLg45kKL6VD_yZHNMd2W7G24yAjzCyzhTAQRQAC1N08WuPYq9gDhRq2TGfivK4k0oFgdtOqfDRVaPJIYnIKsw_QIXv60lVpvz0-HLrczIsaQuhec2_mUkg8eOR9YG1rk2z2NtHTmWtIlbbNh4c5-WVUyy7uo-1XPjYv6albI-654JHNAslSNaj/w640-h480/large%20tree%20snow%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This very large (and old) tree is directly behind the mill apartments close to the river.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCoOfAlBbNSuLYaQp20Tizbf8G3yuBD_5JrxzyxXH0SAMApq_X9uDfzz_AlNtDi8EXhz0w4KD0s71Uj_1KE957ECEGnmBKGrJrX0u-y9ehCz_Je6Woi-aj4WLXtPdMw_5PRxSi0EovPVwDqxpvGi9BIXi1Nniwu0f_h3wAykmcWS96VPWbs4Ebz3eraf9/s4032/statue%20in%20snow%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCoOfAlBbNSuLYaQp20Tizbf8G3yuBD_5JrxzyxXH0SAMApq_X9uDfzz_AlNtDi8EXhz0w4KD0s71Uj_1KE957ECEGnmBKGrJrX0u-y9ehCz_Je6Woi-aj4WLXtPdMw_5PRxSi0EovPVwDqxpvGi9BIXi1Nniwu0f_h3wAykmcWS96VPWbs4Ebz3eraf9/w480-h640/statue%20in%20snow%20F.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Beautiful even when covered in snow, this bronze sculpture of a young mill worker and her son, La Dame de Notre Renaissance Française, stands in the center of an area known as Le Parc de Notre Renaissance Française (</span><span style="font-family: arial;">Renaissance Park</span><span style="font-family: arial;">) along the Nashua River.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPRCcQWSc0xt_rq9AwOcKX1_ZFykXsvah4ilEqEgme0PEDUDoP9g7oCj2EZ0-UK3oLbftfPh_FeKOVqykntBjxgU73XQR5B5KLT4_icsRAm8w279Q6eH-pVhtm1PgFIcY01pyvo2nBUUlr9TJVGA4jclFv95EZk710KCEAgN6TV1TDO6axykHvFvNoEGF/s5472/statue-millyard%20view%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPRCcQWSc0xt_rq9AwOcKX1_ZFykXsvah4ilEqEgme0PEDUDoP9g7oCj2EZ0-UK3oLbftfPh_FeKOVqykntBjxgU73XQR5B5KLT4_icsRAm8w279Q6eH-pVhtm1PgFIcY01pyvo2nBUUlr9TJVGA4jclFv95EZk710KCEAgN6TV1TDO6axykHvFvNoEGF/w640-h426/statue-millyard%20view%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This area is dedicated to French-Canadian immigrants who arrived in Nashua between 1870 and 1872 and worked in the city's textile mills. By 1936, about 14,560 of Nashua’s 31,938 residents were French. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsduIugvtiMILzQieMuBW0ACqfen3xT9eoQhyphenhyphenaFqnlKWkySztwjnrGFhWxfOCPJ07UA0IaasaHDQLSKYQWBXQHbkjgQgcnW_ueI7qDyWaKds328VpUtESJNRDuOFphU8pKmoKGrOorbn-wVrnC532e2p7scDoR131FBVf6Ix1Zrp97-mnxt0sXuGvPqe7q/s4816/snow%20pile%20F.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2296" data-original-width="4816" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsduIugvtiMILzQieMuBW0ACqfen3xT9eoQhyphenhyphenaFqnlKWkySztwjnrGFhWxfOCPJ07UA0IaasaHDQLSKYQWBXQHbkjgQgcnW_ueI7qDyWaKds328VpUtESJNRDuOFphU8pKmoKGrOorbn-wVrnC532e2p7scDoR131FBVf6Ix1Zrp97-mnxt0sXuGvPqe7q/w640-h306/snow%20pile%20F.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The average snowfall for Nashua is between 50 to 55 inches, but that snowfall amount has not even come close in recent years. That could change this year with</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> another chance of snow this week. Forecasters are warning about a northeast storm starting Tuesday night, but switching to rain on Wednesday; flooding could be an issue in many snow-covered or low areas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>How about your area — got snow? ☃️</i></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-3831389453940512372024-01-05T07:00:00.196-05:002024-01-05T07:00:00.148-05:00Friday Funnies<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is the first, but not the last, Friday Funny for 2024.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Most of us have heard the expression to <i>eat your word(s)</i> as it applies to admitting that you were wrong about something.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Not only can I do that now, but the words will be enjoyable. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Let me explain.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Scrabble is a game I often play here with another resident. She's 94 years young and an avid player who often wins. She</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> gifted me with this ↓ at Christmas. Because of the small box, I thought was a travel version, at first. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01dcAZdVM8Zgth7gHQpI96qsvwhzzPfEloin7Xg-s5PvbwbrJHeZSpKxll0nwNhIBpCsQurJv-Hs04ETKYeedLkdA3DmIAghCMFpQ9Ulpf5xYlnseGekGQj9Q-yumqCtUmTbOJXFFosSK5rS1i3cs4YaiDb0uT0FVrb5zWowuX1ZciTTZssMcDsXzW1m3/s2828/Scrabble%20choc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2828" data-original-width="2782" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01dcAZdVM8Zgth7gHQpI96qsvwhzzPfEloin7Xg-s5PvbwbrJHeZSpKxll0nwNhIBpCsQurJv-Hs04ETKYeedLkdA3DmIAghCMFpQ9Ulpf5xYlnseGekGQj9Q-yumqCtUmTbOJXFFosSK5rS1i3cs4YaiDb0uT0FVrb5zWowuX1ZciTTZssMcDsXzW1m3/w630-h640/Scrabble%20choc.jpg" width="630" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It was not, instead it's a Milk Chocolate Edition in which players can <i>really</i> eat their words.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMrEgQvE2ZFdx9VklniLk5RHDIlrA1RfergIYmgqt3ORcYyDAiN9_f_lyDgafPkQ-CCzxtjP-s3CHkk7dF-F3azHX-B7eQzNpFhPKCY0qn35DR9YtnuY6Ut6latl2s7ueNoIaXgEssOj9-s-tnG9ESNS59J3pzbiDEOfmEqKpUEKqTL39KsfneqYP56K0/s4029/Scrabble%20int.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4029" data-original-width="2765" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMrEgQvE2ZFdx9VklniLk5RHDIlrA1RfergIYmgqt3ORcYyDAiN9_f_lyDgafPkQ-CCzxtjP-s3CHkk7dF-F3azHX-B7eQzNpFhPKCY0qn35DR9YtnuY6Ut6latl2s7ueNoIaXgEssOj9-s-tnG9ESNS59J3pzbiDEOfmEqKpUEKqTL39KsfneqYP56K0/w440-h640/Scrabble%20int.JPG" width="440" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">My friend and I will be playing and enjoying this version very soon. However, <i>unlike</i> the regular game, this one has consequences in the form of calories.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMk7MMlPcJ25kNOIx3UiBYMAKP3vJboKThw_hyN-3jiE3zACtyFpMZVixP5yU6ejWLl25VX1InNnhY5lyPZl5K3qMBAC7TBydk0qa8JCDmOosvwbdum5bHepjJXluhRy7SqKRhz_CmlQM4gqePhTqmaooFIEH-FqWs8FfmU-m22sZu86YJTTKmCF79IXK/s3314/Scrabble%20choc%20cal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3314" data-original-width="1876" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMk7MMlPcJ25kNOIx3UiBYMAKP3vJboKThw_hyN-3jiE3zACtyFpMZVixP5yU6ejWLl25VX1InNnhY5lyPZl5K3qMBAC7TBydk0qa8JCDmOosvwbdum5bHepjJXluhRy7SqKRhz_CmlQM4gqePhTqmaooFIEH-FqWs8FfmU-m22sZu86YJTTKmCF79IXK/w226-h400/Scrabble%20choc%20cal.JPG" width="226" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">I received another game, a non-edible Mexican Train Dominoes game from</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Patrick who gave me this travel set before Christmas. We've taken it on a couple of recent trips and played <i>without</i> fear of gaining weight.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpgSED9UtXUINZR067hjLGfJI1IssFmqnUnmY4IWi3uEXYtZO8UKMdQI_2NHntrRn6MEt3FuN72D9pLNcgZhK9u1H-UAANpts5ssW6jUQe5eysDceYUW_k168N5LJM-ZJA_lqJ6w6BVTPrcnCwQoXSCD4fTnuO27ZjVL1FPXUxVyBEWNB9SJkkekBsBNP/s800/dominoes%20collage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGpgSED9UtXUINZR067hjLGfJI1IssFmqnUnmY4IWi3uEXYtZO8UKMdQI_2NHntrRn6MEt3FuN72D9pLNcgZhK9u1H-UAANpts5ssW6jUQe5eysDceYUW_k168N5LJM-ZJA_lqJ6w6BVTPrcnCwQoXSCD4fTnuO27ZjVL1FPXUxVyBEWNB9SJkkekBsBNP/w640-h640/dominoes%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes, it is much easier to play with numbers vs. dots although we have full-size sets of both.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Your turn — Anyone else enjoy playing Scrabble or dominoes? </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Winter storm watch here; total snow accumulations over 6 inches possible</i></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-15558052184005146192023-12-31T00:00:00.364-05:002023-12-31T13:36:45.453-05:00Auld Lang WHAT?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">It's that time of year when you hear this tune, <i>especially</i> today, New Year's Eve. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><span><b>Why</b> it it typically heard only then. </span><b>What</b> does it mean?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">We're not New Year’s Eve </span><span style="font-family: arial;">celebrants</span><span style="font-family: arial;">. Our get together will be at home watching movies that include New Year's Eve festivities <b>and</b> some include this tune — </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Auld Lang Syne</i><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And, like us, you may not be the only one(s) curious about its history. Some may recall this exchange in the final scene of the 1989 rom-com film, <i>When Harry Met Sally.</i> It's<i> </i>when Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, as Harry and Sally, reunite at yet another New Year's Eve party.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><b>Harry:</b> [about Auld Lang Syne] <i>What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'. Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances? Or does it mean that if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot 'em?</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sally:</b> <i>Well, maybe it just means that... we should remember that we forgot them, or something. Anyway, it's about old friends.</i></div></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s a <i>classic</i> film <b>and</b> a wonderful way to spend New Year’s Eve. It's on our watch list along with <i>An Affair to Remember</i>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fellow blogger David G. asked <i>what makes a movie a classic and who decides and also what makes a film epic?</i> So, of course, I did some research, there's a lot more info online.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>According to some critics, criteria for what makes a movie classic or epic varies and can be a matter of personal opinion. </i><i>A <u>Classic </u>film is considered one that has passed the test of time with lasting power over the years and decades (Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, Citizen Kane). These films often deal in emotional issues that people identify with, no matter how much time has elapsed; many contain lines that are remembered and quoted. An <u>Epic </u>film (Ben Hur, Star Wars) typically include spectacular settings, specially designed costumes, perhaps a sweeping musical score and ensemble cast. These are considered the most expensive films to produce. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>About Auld Lang Syne</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssFhVFo38BMgndflar8XAKWruOuJPMAT7puXhFbhE2FUSnP_5NiMQvATOTAUwX6mNXbqidmn9007Izyvdg4p-aGqI-xI02DeyMutMda87fma1xkC97QV5t_Nx-A0ibVDzKRxtByTNSfwWwFp0QghL6oUpHWXe0g68kx_DlZV8PMg8LHmXg3oD_mUWKOc6/s434/Robert%20Burns.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="328" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssFhVFo38BMgndflar8XAKWruOuJPMAT7puXhFbhE2FUSnP_5NiMQvATOTAUwX6mNXbqidmn9007Izyvdg4p-aGqI-xI02DeyMutMda87fma1xkC97QV5t_Nx-A0ibVDzKRxtByTNSfwWwFp0QghL6oUpHWXe0g68kx_DlZV8PMg8LHmXg3oD_mUWKOc6/w151-h200/Robert%20Burns.png" width="151" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Robert Burns</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Credited to Robert Burns, the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">national poet of Scotland,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">this oft-sung tune is set to a traditional Scottish folk melody. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Burns never claimed the song as his own. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">In the latter years of his short life (he died aged 37), Burns had become an avid collector of Scottish folk songs and ballads. He described the words to the now classic tune as having been taken from fragments of a tune sung by a "old man." </span><span style="font-family: arial;">In collecting and writing songs to provide words for traditional Scottish airs, Burns regarded his efforts as service to Scotland. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">He never claimed</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Auld Lang Syne</i><span style="font-family: arial;">, which he described simply as an old fragment he had discovered.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In 1788, Burns transcribed and embellished the lowland song, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">but the poem didn't appear in print until shortly after his death in 1796. It's since</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> become a timeless classic in the English-speaking world. Every year it's the tradition tune ringing in the New Year; sung, but not fully understood, by party goers worldwide.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The title, translated literally into standard English, is <i>Old Long Since, </i>which loosely translated from Scotish means ‘<i>in remembrance of old times.</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> The words have been interpreted as <i>since long ago</i> or for <i>old times’ sake</i>. The lyrics tell a tale of old friends who have parted and then meet again celebrating their long friendship with a drink. They reminisce and recall adventures and memories from long ago. Ironically, there is <b>no</b> specific reference to the New Year.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJizZyvoaazBHpg-3RMoD6oBeUPRAIh0rf-Oro0mjCdfypp8JNZpURg6fDJ-03WMN1wBdwAvZwmhoQq-kBbzeXs05mpQHwB6hC43eIZ1F1-jxfI8T86xgYUfnAMI_R-_4Y_plTMD23eFK5fJ_c8sviIlBQQmyErymccGEu35A7_qob6vO-pRCBDpMrudRd/s259/Guy%20Lombardo.png" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="222" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJizZyvoaazBHpg-3RMoD6oBeUPRAIh0rf-Oro0mjCdfypp8JNZpURg6fDJ-03WMN1wBdwAvZwmhoQq-kBbzeXs05mpQHwB6hC43eIZ1F1-jxfI8T86xgYUfnAMI_R-_4Y_plTMD23eFK5fJ_c8sviIlBQQmyErymccGEu35A7_qob6vO-pRCBDpMrudRd/w171-h200/Guy%20Lombardo.png" width="171" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Guy Lombardo </i></td></tr></tbody></table>As Scots immigrated around the world, they took the song with them, and it's believed that's how it became known worldwide. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The version sung today was popularized by Canadian bandleader Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians band. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Their performance of <i>Auld Lang Syne</i> was broadcast nationally from the Roosevelt Grill in NYC every New Year’s Eve from 1929 to 1976. <i>Variety</i> named Lombardo <i>the only Canadian to create an American tradition</i> and </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Life </i>wrote that if Lombardo failed to play it<i>,</i> the American public would not believe that a New Year had arrived.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><div style="font-family: arial;">Additionally, the song was used in films as early as the 1920s. As our plans include watching movies that include New Year's Eve, this post has a <i>New Year's Eve Trivia Quiz</i></div><div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>Spoiler Alert —</b> this quiz is a bit <b>harder</b> than the <i>Christmas song trivia quiz</i> earlier. It's all fun, no prizes, just braggin' rights. Answers below, you can see how well you fared <i>(no peeking)</i>.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-family: Prompt; font-size: medium;">Movie Trivia — </span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;">New Year's Eve</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>1.</b> What movie and its sequel (starring Renée Zellweger) begins and ends on New Year's Eve, both times with a blank diary? </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>2.</b> What 1972 disaster movie involved a luxury cruise ship capsized by a rogue wave on New Year's Eve? </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>3.</b> What 1936 film had a married couple, based on characters by Dashiell Hammett, who wind up solving a mystery on New Year's Eve? What were their names and who played them?</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinowH2m2RgB_BpIAlkqIKxgxUiVsvp-cwww0F5wzVdF3e_qIQjQjLSwjUFo2l2YqHRFrvDKTsWocdeoS36fBpqXxnuGi4GJTVmpVJFfCDaswSupBjfrl9f3jrz2LtUw68gRSYQ2gDnYuZOvYmxaefNfEY8ep_4kXBtm-GP9KpkP3hbhd3ESI2JSu1iLlP2/s800/NYE%20moviecollage.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinowH2m2RgB_BpIAlkqIKxgxUiVsvp-cwww0F5wzVdF3e_qIQjQjLSwjUFo2l2YqHRFrvDKTsWocdeoS36fBpqXxnuGi4GJTVmpVJFfCDaswSupBjfrl9f3jrz2LtUw68gRSYQ2gDnYuZOvYmxaefNfEY8ep_4kXBtm-GP9KpkP3hbhd3ESI2JSu1iLlP2/w200-h200/NYE%20moviecollage.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>4. </b>What film has a woman seemingly stop aging beyond 29? She attends various New Year's Eve parties throughout the years; January 1 is her birthday in the film. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>5.</b> This 1957 classic had two main characters (Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr) engaged to others, kiss on New Year's Eve and agree to meet up six months later atop the Empire State Building. Years later, it inspired a 1993 film with a similar theme that referenced this one. <i>(Bonus points if you name both films.)</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>6.</b> The plot of this Sandra Bullock rom-com begins on Christmas Day, and reaches a climax on New Year's Eve.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>7. </b>What classic musical film celebrates <i>every</i> holiday, including New Year's Eve? <i>(Hint, it's the one in which White Christmas was introduced.)</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>8.</b> This 1995 movie has a female cast that included Whitney Houston and Angela Basset. It starts <b>and</b> ends on New Year's Eve and follows four women dealing with deal with love, life, and friendship over the year.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvT07MkRoD-eUJT_YyvYtZFfZdvE19MS-lvhLUq6SQX2w08-FW0Zo2W96O6grT56doQpIRq0pWtNq2tBQzcb0iG08lb6-lKncAnwPqqgI3-jO_5mZRFz5eflY4mgjPlnwxpWOHrWR16sgJhGsIbSwqgsgGVanpMBDhKF3cZ9tH0OnjwFJfNIg4RDAN7rK/s800/NYE%20moviecollage2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvT07MkRoD-eUJT_YyvYtZFfZdvE19MS-lvhLUq6SQX2w08-FW0Zo2W96O6grT56doQpIRq0pWtNq2tBQzcb0iG08lb6-lKncAnwPqqgI3-jO_5mZRFz5eflY4mgjPlnwxpWOHrWR16sgJhGsIbSwqgsgGVanpMBDhKF3cZ9tH0OnjwFJfNIg4RDAN7rK/w200-h200/NYE%20moviecollage2.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>9.</b> This rom-com film features two women (played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet) who find love when least expected. Considered a holiday film, the final New Year's Eve is one of the movie's best parts (and a favorite of ours).</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>10.</b> Both the 1960 and later 2001 remake of this film involve a casino heist on New Year's Eve.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>11. </b>This classic silent film starring Charlie Chaplin included a New Year's Eve party. Starring as The Lone Prospector who welcomes in the New Year by sitting on the streets alone listening as excited crowds sing <i>Auld Lang Syne</i> at a party.</div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>12.</b> The 1989 sequel of this popular film is partially set on a New Year's Eve when NYC citizens come together and sing Auld Lang Syne to banish evil from the city. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>13.</b>This comedy (1983) starring Eddie Murphy spans Thanksgiving to year end. One of the film's crucial scenes happens on a train during a New Year's Eve party. <i>(Hint: it involves switched identities between Murphy and Dan Ackroyd.)</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99wgswQ-dRz0ytW9-hhyCIjANywPLN43L0cX6obao77FIbSzALAjt2KrWv_yYGdTAcuWoTa6pY6C1pR9C35gdcmeq3vd4-qJSy-91o_eLPH7pxR59QlESLqKV-87zxiQOd5bMr5cKgsKasZcAPbVLkwH6Oot_7yQyklVkHx9o813roDKRkcEa-9cT3xtX/s800/NYE%20moviecollage3.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99wgswQ-dRz0ytW9-hhyCIjANywPLN43L0cX6obao77FIbSzALAjt2KrWv_yYGdTAcuWoTa6pY6C1pR9C35gdcmeq3vd4-qJSy-91o_eLPH7pxR59QlESLqKV-87zxiQOd5bMr5cKgsKasZcAPbVLkwH6Oot_7yQyklVkHx9o813roDKRkcEa-9cT3xtX/w200-h200/NYE%20moviecollage3.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>14.</b> A Christmas movie classic has the entire town singing a tune usually associated with New Year at the movie's end. <i>(Hint: think Bedford Falls.)</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>15.</b> This 2011 film wasn't a box office hit, but has a large ensemble cast and a title that befits the evening. It was entirely shot in NYC and directed by Garry Marshall and features stories of a number of New Yorkers on the celebrated night. </div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><b>16.</b> This film, set in a fictional CA hotel, has interlocking tales that occur on New Year's Eve. A bellhop in his first night on the job has four different encounters. <i>(Actor Bruce Willis is uncredited. He violated SAG (Screen Actors Guild) rules by acting free as a favor to director Quentin Tarantino. SAG agreed not to sue Willis if his name was omitted from the credits.)</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-family: Prompt; font-size: medium;">Movie Trivia Answers</span></b></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>1.</b> Bridget Jones's Diary (2001 and 2004), <b>2. </b>The Poseidon Adventure, <b>3.</b> After the Thin Man (Nick & Nora Charles, played by William Powell & Myrna Loy), <b>4.</b> The Age of Adaline (2015), <b>5.</b> An Affair to Remember, Sleepless in Seattle, <b>6.</b> While You Were Sleeping (1995), <b>7.</b> Holiday Inn (1942), <b>8.</b> Waiting to Exhale, <b>9. </b>The Holiday, <b>10.</b> Oceans 11 (1960 and 2001), <b>11.</b> The Gold Rush (1925), <b>12.</b> Ghostbusters II (1989), <b>13.</b> Trading Places (1983), <b>14.</b> It's a Wonderful Life (1946), <b>15.</b> New Year's Eve (2011), <b>16.</b> Four Rooms (1995)</i></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><i><br /></i></div><div><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><b>How did you do and are you planning to watch any films this weekend?</b></span></div></div><div style="font-family: arial;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: georgia;"><b>🎉</b></i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><b>Best wishes to Everyone </b></i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><b>for 2024</b></i></span></span><i style="font-family: georgia;"><b>🎊</b></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: georgia;"><b> </b></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TKI0ZVCAcYPQN-WG-QHuDcBT4FTLoeJWzDpq5XBq7IB9-YvoX-H1s0IiqWjqfS6nyMt7WPI7VlLm5eJdk1lQaOw929vqYRGydEE4TeHNoTXBgX563ZTrslYKjI4fzixlL5AfnXLjySZVePUo2XD_WK6HffeYumFE7PdcObAJO2w7J7rP2f7p0EBVD703/s3051/gnomes%20HNY1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3051" data-original-width="2745" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TKI0ZVCAcYPQN-WG-QHuDcBT4FTLoeJWzDpq5XBq7IB9-YvoX-H1s0IiqWjqfS6nyMt7WPI7VlLm5eJdk1lQaOw929vqYRGydEE4TeHNoTXBgX563ZTrslYKjI4fzixlL5AfnXLjySZVePUo2XD_WK6HffeYumFE7PdcObAJO2w7J7rP2f7p0EBVD703/w360-h400/gnomes%20HNY1.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Prompt;"><i>Thanks from Patrick (aka Grenville) for your comments regarding the New England village. He appreciated all and wanted to share that it will remain through mid-February should anyone be in Nashua, NH, and want to see it.</i></span></div></span></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-85737361884490260462023-12-27T07:00:00.620-05:002023-12-28T22:52:33.955-05:00Christmas in Nashua<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">'T</span></b>is true that Christmas Day is over, however, this week is still holiday time. So, in keeping with the season this post features holiday decorations seen in downtown Nashua and within the halls of Clocktower Place, the mill apartment building where we live. These escaped an earlier posting; I opted <b>not</b> to hold off for a <i>Christmas in July</i> post. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Come along for a look at decorations in downtown Nashua and our residence building before all of Christmas disappears until at least next October.<i> (It gets earlier very year.)</i> </span><i style="font-family: arial;">This is a <b>long</b> photo-laden post with a multitude of decos.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The city of Nashua, NH, doesn't have a large downtown with more restaurants than retail stores. There are some other businesses: several barber shops, a tobacco shop, craft store, two thrift stores, a Persian rug store, pharmacy, two jewelry stores and a couple of boutiques. We walked downtown, a week before Christmas on an overcast day, and saw these holiday decorations.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RTTVpflnG95I4bihqyMDEGLvXYLgkyVCV0dcIKj1N61JSfTo03r9DxdrAOUqsbqFE5zHr2X5ksk5f_k7QDzLd-YGhfeJrPpI3OBbVCCbaVCzopBskW1g_gfE94WsOrhpqGsuTRTubqTmgFY-emRQmGv-nygVU66sxh37XNseiMcEXn9468iFyK1UAv0T/s800/storefront%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RTTVpflnG95I4bihqyMDEGLvXYLgkyVCV0dcIKj1N61JSfTo03r9DxdrAOUqsbqFE5zHr2X5ksk5f_k7QDzLd-YGhfeJrPpI3OBbVCCbaVCzopBskW1g_gfE94WsOrhpqGsuTRTubqTmgFY-emRQmGv-nygVU66sxh37XNseiMcEXn9468iFyK1UAv0T/w640-h640/storefront%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrU7KLX74z3W9yUy3JeChyFhyN1LRZ7_doE68fI6Fhag_0YlaYGmSgUyPUMtCWnQdslryLYaQSWSlDhkHIWR8LcQdxH1fct57aloFsmwJ0ONFPk8nOMy9-E-GJJgoGUaBdP27sQwBpJAGFlLi_XHdvvBlyiOf0DvbcTL1LMVzDW1ZoeQy4csycxycbh62i/s800/wreath%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrU7KLX74z3W9yUy3JeChyFhyN1LRZ7_doE68fI6Fhag_0YlaYGmSgUyPUMtCWnQdslryLYaQSWSlDhkHIWR8LcQdxH1fct57aloFsmwJ0ONFPk8nOMy9-E-GJJgoGUaBdP27sQwBpJAGFlLi_XHdvvBlyiOf0DvbcTL1LMVzDW1ZoeQy4csycxycbh62i/w640-h640/wreath%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div>Capturing store window displays is always problematic because of reflections. The use of a polarizing filter can help minimize or eliminate many of these. However, my camera doesn't have the capability </span><span style="font-family: arial;">for add-on filters. The mouse figurines below were featured in a </span><span style="font-family: arial;">jewelry store display. Yes, they are very small.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVw-ySYNi5bqQhyphenhyphenQ4fPjyotpCU_KGOuIfCHUevwoC-vyQk3cYgZscK0hdAXk0jWNOI0_LLMgbeWcbJUeQKUncywK9y3HO5xYtxDLQ8aYik-u6-fSwV6WZEkndBOAUTQ6-wCNZgNw5VL3Xont99cAQBQQDPW2KdjIzGA61GH-4EaNl8fTjqbISz7Zc-Ekt/s800/mouse%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVw-ySYNi5bqQhyphenhyphenQ4fPjyotpCU_KGOuIfCHUevwoC-vyQk3cYgZscK0hdAXk0jWNOI0_LLMgbeWcbJUeQKUncywK9y3HO5xYtxDLQ8aYik-u6-fSwV6WZEkndBOAUTQ6-wCNZgNw5VL3Xont99cAQBQQDPW2KdjIzGA61GH-4EaNl8fTjqbISz7Zc-Ekt/w640-h640/mouse%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRqftBDfkkht-oSJkyUk4wGYhXumJ5kjD3_LE8QdFZ48uDoZwGbbrgC6kx5s5_zi3ubllZZLvJa2AENBgf8mXT3ZptCz4Qnn1OxNBGaBVP4hzVqG_lmmMRhC3OBKvVCNdY8xadZzoSo_BFnRhbgUxwtJprxkrBAhqFxBcRrV81V4-VYncC038a36FsEn0/s800/windows%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRqftBDfkkht-oSJkyUk4wGYhXumJ5kjD3_LE8QdFZ48uDoZwGbbrgC6kx5s5_zi3ubllZZLvJa2AENBgf8mXT3ZptCz4Qnn1OxNBGaBVP4hzVqG_lmmMRhC3OBKvVCNdY8xadZzoSo_BFnRhbgUxwtJprxkrBAhqFxBcRrV81V4-VYncC038a36FsEn0/w640-h640/windows%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Santas and snowmen were featured in several of the storefront windows, along with a few elves. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm2l8JIIK2kFdcOl7wj75tvEugr7zA2bDD4Lq3rc5PHQIdWasi51b2M9qRKOextYutnBrWJRpUf4dbdFBkPzYNoL8nTYAg_KDQLE5-brGmXUSetWo8UDqAa1QiF0RvC6x6XwzP_2So6TKm4RHe6ufIDZ-TCWBTE9STnqWCvXEUoOKuNf1Zq25VyDuIOSN/s800/Santas%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm2l8JIIK2kFdcOl7wj75tvEugr7zA2bDD4Lq3rc5PHQIdWasi51b2M9qRKOextYutnBrWJRpUf4dbdFBkPzYNoL8nTYAg_KDQLE5-brGmXUSetWo8UDqAa1QiF0RvC6x6XwzP_2So6TKm4RHe6ufIDZ-TCWBTE9STnqWCvXEUoOKuNf1Zq25VyDuIOSN/w640-h640/Santas%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Santas in a barbershop, pharmacy and restaurant</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu51Nhdg_oM7SqvXXHpepwreDHOhdMZ1jk8vqLqvWdA8hIlR4RDQIFUMQzPGvwT9TFK-R4ULpkHaQo38Q8WGeP6XlOVpFoClxHQorFzulmEnCNN5dxZ8wsvlURJhbHAbCmVMGLnnuIld_DUhYcFrAktsTFl06aRez3hWB-cOF1dOO9phFtD6fvEUjuNgJ2/s800/snowman%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu51Nhdg_oM7SqvXXHpepwreDHOhdMZ1jk8vqLqvWdA8hIlR4RDQIFUMQzPGvwT9TFK-R4ULpkHaQo38Q8WGeP6XlOVpFoClxHQorFzulmEnCNN5dxZ8wsvlURJhbHAbCmVMGLnnuIld_DUhYcFrAktsTFl06aRez3hWB-cOF1dOO9phFtD6fvEUjuNgJ2/w640-h640/snowman%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Snowmen and elves in rug and jewelry storefronts</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Clocktower Place apartments encompasses two 5-story buildings that house a total of 325 apartment homes. Many of these featured exterior door wreaths, some included live greenery.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGaGUfUhPrKWa_-iBcH0y5Hwq3Q6INEREPp99vgTE76kuqurd9HXfmKYcVU7RRVU2k__zgu9x71U8cxgvhg-reSw9I79hIN4mYIs8PdLeyWsT7G4Obv-Rro6MPqxr2o6rWGMy9gOHfoC3FzqAlXuZwunlV5XhUfkgKRnB7H-m47t3UyYBzcbrmU1E-P41/s800/wreaths%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGaGUfUhPrKWa_-iBcH0y5Hwq3Q6INEREPp99vgTE76kuqurd9HXfmKYcVU7RRVU2k__zgu9x71U8cxgvhg-reSw9I79hIN4mYIs8PdLeyWsT7G4Obv-Rro6MPqxr2o6rWGMy9gOHfoC3FzqAlXuZwunlV5XhUfkgKRnB7H-m47t3UyYBzcbrmU1E-P41/w640-h640/wreaths%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Some wreaths in Clocktower Place, none of these had live greenery</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;"><div>Live trees are no longer allowed inside the apartments due to safety regulations. When we first moved here 8 years ago there were no such restrictions. Ironically, a couple of years ago when we were planning to have a cut tree, the policy changed <i>(bah humbug indeed)</i>. </div></span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSKrXPs7wF3T6YxC05v3lij5EDaJ7g0JAVzq_i1wWJaQXiBoan85A2qiEHzhS84PRQG-43B3ERFGnfp4YvAs1UV4vO3nlh5kPlkW20QVyvsp9dCc_yC1trNvSx8rErYAfm04ITeXMvYiT_rAeN3x8XAvCnPCDS5ZRgFYbPivB4tKrazrI6aREy-eIXaU1/s800/CTP%20trees%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnSKrXPs7wF3T6YxC05v3lij5EDaJ7g0JAVzq_i1wWJaQXiBoan85A2qiEHzhS84PRQG-43B3ERFGnfp4YvAs1UV4vO3nlh5kPlkW20QVyvsp9dCc_yC1trNvSx8rErYAfm04ITeXMvYiT_rAeN3x8XAvCnPCDS5ZRgFYbPivB4tKrazrI6aREy-eIXaU1/w640-h640/CTP%20trees%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Trees displayed in the two lobbies at Clocktower Apartments</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_Em34zuOf00zvkQrlK3tokNw-aCsaT05zrPTLwSENbhi7SImZAWKvh2exeHEHovJrVMTDwh46JzZgIGbbsU8-KiqF5daoCR2k1uMw0v_mRX-6dZ1Gex9TAvDOUEruKsL5vJc8kQeoQT103VBm5kCu90rID2_3HmoU61IY34rnuLl1sH-aZ9VrnHFUg1v/s800/xmas%20trees%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_Em34zuOf00zvkQrlK3tokNw-aCsaT05zrPTLwSENbhi7SImZAWKvh2exeHEHovJrVMTDwh46JzZgIGbbsU8-KiqF5daoCR2k1uMw0v_mRX-6dZ1Gex9TAvDOUEruKsL5vJc8kQeoQT103VBm5kCu90rID2_3HmoU61IY34rnuLl1sH-aZ9VrnHFUg1v/w640-h640/xmas%20trees%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Trees displayed outside individual apartments</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Decorations included outside some apartment entries had a single theme, others had Santas, snowman, gnomes, and Nativities. Here's a sampling of some.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplT9MH1xjrEudnnGMX7fLHiqsFpBvqqUbk1KwF_s7O2Ptciw3QSxPMoVSQoHYJMcYXYDVWdBZa0f4zYcRYzR8ZRRvwCCXar4xm3IViBezmb1KGIjDffLL0KOqCm8HJNWy38c18jgc5ADtSOH5OMJ_wQEsZ6-iBr8RkPBqyyKFiqLIw1fuS9g8QRx8a0dq/s800/xmas%20misc%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgplT9MH1xjrEudnnGMX7fLHiqsFpBvqqUbk1KwF_s7O2Ptciw3QSxPMoVSQoHYJMcYXYDVWdBZa0f4zYcRYzR8ZRRvwCCXar4xm3IViBezmb1KGIjDffLL0KOqCm8HJNWy38c18jgc5ADtSOH5OMJ_wQEsZ6-iBr8RkPBqyyKFiqLIw1fuS9g8QRx8a0dq/w640-h640/xmas%20misc%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1uMGcJmEHkCROspKnErLKhiv3a8maEkCXyLLvAg8g878gGxR2YNpkk4REKs4uUY5BbKvRApWpFYlGKMx3b6ktn8w3RxRpAKwIeZMa5snaES-HjrfDyYnMCM1otKm9Qp5_yC5tEsE1pS_phpo3D9uPmsVnrhLIk9qyHE6gPi_AUCsOA5tInjP48Vc2bpG/s800/Santas%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1uMGcJmEHkCROspKnErLKhiv3a8maEkCXyLLvAg8g878gGxR2YNpkk4REKs4uUY5BbKvRApWpFYlGKMx3b6ktn8w3RxRpAKwIeZMa5snaES-HjrfDyYnMCM1otKm9Qp5_yC5tEsE1pS_phpo3D9uPmsVnrhLIk9qyHE6gPi_AUCsOA5tInjP48Vc2bpG/w640-h640/Santas%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Santas in various forms of dress</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJHUtuFUYI1_yDVIk1uOmkzD7BgM611uBuJcXtgpVVKCyN-iy0Flq8N_9q7_OUqZZBqhnvek7b530bBEGf5T6xlfXhvQH9T5BsCKFugxy2FnE_UB-1XUYHv1Z4TbYmFpQx4BHhwxsvVbL2yl7jWfehpKxoP1kvhbx7xMXsV_bU9gXn3Br5YaG65qv1xB9/s800/nativity%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJHUtuFUYI1_yDVIk1uOmkzD7BgM611uBuJcXtgpVVKCyN-iy0Flq8N_9q7_OUqZZBqhnvek7b530bBEGf5T6xlfXhvQH9T5BsCKFugxy2FnE_UB-1XUYHv1Z4TbYmFpQx4BHhwxsvVbL2yl7jWfehpKxoP1kvhbx7xMXsV_bU9gXn3Br5YaG65qv1xB9/w640-h640/nativity%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The reason for the season was displayed outside some apartments</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">In recent years, gnomes have become very popular holiday decorations. The tradition of gnomes at Christmas is derived from Scandinavia. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Unlike elves, gnomes were thought to come out on Christmas day, but these appeared much earlier.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UI5IKA003s-AjBYLWaGFhyphenhyphenhYVnvNyQx3F5xXkh903257321zPYpmImMU5852fNwHBDU1oP57e2KDUAunBfr_2jD2vcAc1UTwYjrbUNiKrvzNK5PiGcrfx7bxgTwbB7kQwQsaDt8AGmTafR5cyQSPmH7bJvEZ9bvTp-TisnE8A08K0Jb1mCp1TZ6dJIHG/s800/gnomes%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UI5IKA003s-AjBYLWaGFhyphenhyphenhYVnvNyQx3F5xXkh903257321zPYpmImMU5852fNwHBDU1oP57e2KDUAunBfr_2jD2vcAc1UTwYjrbUNiKrvzNK5PiGcrfx7bxgTwbB7kQwQsaDt8AGmTafR5cyQSPmH7bJvEZ9bvTp-TisnE8A08K0Jb1mCp1TZ6dJIHG/w640-h640/gnomes%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Gnome place like home ? </i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Like gnomes, snowman have become increasingly popular as holiday decorations. And, while they are associated with the entire winter season, many are displayed only at this holiday.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl07NAPEIK56z_9hRCNZu9iGmPv7jBOekjGV-vuH1A5Fow9GnEUS4ovu5nlbVcoIKV1VJXBui7AnrI5l-xtgwK1WmUVYOG26nO94i2rwqDUEaXxdr3wYXU0yTmEYz4iD4jjejvfuehLvR04i8kD7QT2rgt_FkKOFTN-MvkASVyEz5OJyBeB3VAfcWzqJY_/s800/snowman1%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl07NAPEIK56z_9hRCNZu9iGmPv7jBOekjGV-vuH1A5Fow9GnEUS4ovu5nlbVcoIKV1VJXBui7AnrI5l-xtgwK1WmUVYOG26nO94i2rwqDUEaXxdr3wYXU0yTmEYz4iD4jjejvfuehLvR04i8kD7QT2rgt_FkKOFTN-MvkASVyEz5OJyBeB3VAfcWzqJY_/w640-h640/snowman1%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Snowmen found no white Christmas in Nashua this holiday</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Decorations outside our apartment ⬇ featured most of the usuals from the past several years. The penguin and frog were joined by Santa and a couple of elves.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCtGGflvhzi_KGwZNowpQmXoeY1RASqHiHDc3oe7Y6S7Uw-XO-P1ane1basmwDdhmzI-ucQnOUJDDxsdmdVYSwEoumvHvn0alzdsvQaLd7bykaII5d5atZ3VQ_fkVzmlslnjKrjlguPdGlIz6-OEqUop8SdGpNIIO6Fdzy10FNIOz3wK_BCQvOPSLC3UX/s800/ext%20decos%20collage.png" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCtGGflvhzi_KGwZNowpQmXoeY1RASqHiHDc3oe7Y6S7Uw-XO-P1ane1basmwDdhmzI-ucQnOUJDDxsdmdVYSwEoumvHvn0alzdsvQaLd7bykaII5d5atZ3VQ_fkVzmlslnjKrjlguPdGlIz6-OEqUop8SdGpNIIO6Fdzy10FNIOz3wK_BCQvOPSLC3UX/w640-h640/ext%20decos%20collage.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Decorations outside our apartment entry</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">Because of limited space we didn't put up a tree inside the apartment this year. We bought an artificial one, the same year that cut ones were permanently banned. It stayed in storage and the New England holiday village was set up adjacent to the living room windows. Grenville installed new LED lighting in all the houses and the covered bridges.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6ZqHGh16vcf9jEkiU81uLETc_xbmMEjzkSxr66fNdUKraJ_TqQwTOKU3hVE0dQHHnKjyMi6eCM7pR4N1sLm4lbfT_EaM4awpiRjRBiOh5wXyQS9CQuaIqWhvki0QB094m6ca9mUCtOEtQX6Kq82ekB7Cfar8iTVHZkjlHWKEEUKgoa5MItEYfZptZkEF/s800/village%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6ZqHGh16vcf9jEkiU81uLETc_xbmMEjzkSxr66fNdUKraJ_TqQwTOKU3hVE0dQHHnKjyMi6eCM7pR4N1sLm4lbfT_EaM4awpiRjRBiOh5wXyQS9CQuaIqWhvki0QB094m6ca9mUCtOEtQX6Kq82ekB7Cfar8iTVHZkjlHWKEEUKgoa5MItEYfZptZkEF/w640-h640/village%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Dept 56 New England village by day and night</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">The village can be considered a winter scene when all the Santas and decorated trees are removed and that will most likely be done next week. It takes a week to carefully unpack and set everything in place so plans are to leave it up through all of January.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDMlnxB535m7D0b1rB9EeDfkpQOGbn_1nGEbcHjgz-4CZpbFb2RCSV_zJusvNpfOf34V5ajhPJD_P0-n2QCoUijTANmHitVbT1NWYzfrcOmaqA2Abts5aVZTYrRZO0mCIFmJ9F2l2PbaoZncgxCXl2bFoDQCeujqzpwYJ7bgBtbabGPKkK-eWxMVWwCCC/s800/santas%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDMlnxB535m7D0b1rB9EeDfkpQOGbn_1nGEbcHjgz-4CZpbFb2RCSV_zJusvNpfOf34V5ajhPJD_P0-n2QCoUijTANmHitVbT1NWYzfrcOmaqA2Abts5aVZTYrRZO0mCIFmJ9F2l2PbaoZncgxCXl2bFoDQCeujqzpwYJ7bgBtbabGPKkK-eWxMVWwCCC/w640-h640/santas%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Santas, snowmen and penguins were included in our interior decorations on a more limited scale than previous years. Many others are stored with the tree which wasn't put up.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gLVWJz95HU7WbgktsH3a6ocsvh3WS2IpzYwjs7FSJMvp55TbtEM744pB_kYPizlDprh2_QvMpz9NnL2QXK7iSwy02Nd7YECLL4xMcxK0XHSF6QMOvyM4_T095DkQZ_ZD-5GToe7x-k2NNkd7HHqUt5kM9XgWPBbeP65VGYHOmmNWMTqT-2Twd-pO0yJz/s800/decos%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gLVWJz95HU7WbgktsH3a6ocsvh3WS2IpzYwjs7FSJMvp55TbtEM744pB_kYPizlDprh2_QvMpz9NnL2QXK7iSwy02Nd7YECLL4xMcxK0XHSF6QMOvyM4_T095DkQZ_ZD-5GToe7x-k2NNkd7HHqUt5kM9XgWPBbeP65VGYHOmmNWMTqT-2Twd-pO0yJz/w640-h640/decos%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia;">Snowmen & penguins are in our apartment year-round</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHGy1m4cAyk4Y2wdtRbEs_Ve59U-mrVK6lZj8zgmFZM2BD6ZrP8OjeMXyCWOORp2pz7EKAfTW6_9gmtvD8IZrmXvFmvGpqqJSeLOSlwQkZND5yIip7sNFItXlRbsCG8l-IjsqGxJSjqFV1nywZM5fic7hgoaelNbNvNu3PZte7C9rLXUGwDdSm7vzAlZO/s800/xmas%20cards%20collage.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHGy1m4cAyk4Y2wdtRbEs_Ve59U-mrVK6lZj8zgmFZM2BD6ZrP8OjeMXyCWOORp2pz7EKAfTW6_9gmtvD8IZrmXvFmvGpqqJSeLOSlwQkZND5yIip7sNFItXlRbsCG8l-IjsqGxJSjqFV1nywZM5fic7hgoaelNbNvNu3PZte7C9rLXUGwDdSm7vzAlZO/w400-h400/xmas%20cards%20collage.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Holiday cards displayed in our apt</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">There's been an absence of a Friday Funnies post for the past couple of weeks, so here's a few year-end holiday signs posted within Clocktower Place.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj530l3Pw7strj6FPc_n0auPFj-5Fmjxb4pr9mpKhV9Fhe-a-uSU_vC5huSjLJxH6bp8ZdcOWiofsOAXdWysB1adtv5nYlx9jNSa9zfc9eLSJEHNo0G_br4ELIOsKvY7qYOn2pTWCrGZx_dZ3sDxqxiaaetfH7V1ljRi5UPsKcbh7BCLB-8WiRa6irbDEFb/s800/fun%20signs%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj530l3Pw7strj6FPc_n0auPFj-5Fmjxb4pr9mpKhV9Fhe-a-uSU_vC5huSjLJxH6bp8ZdcOWiofsOAXdWysB1adtv5nYlx9jNSa9zfc9eLSJEHNo0G_br4ELIOsKvY7qYOn2pTWCrGZx_dZ3sDxqxiaaetfH7V1ljRi5UPsKcbh7BCLB-8WiRa6irbDEFb/w640-h640/fun%20signs%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #fbfafa;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The wording on this ⬆ sign is part of the <strike>monologue</strike> rant that Clark Griswold delivers to relatives in the 1989 classic film, <i>National Lampoon's Christmas</i> <i>Vacation</i> as they try to leave his home<i>. </i>Some may remember this part, <i>Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here . . .(there is more and it can be found online).</i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu9u4pchVD1_VYTmHdGOP9oL_pTG7JxfC5VjzFK9RAWLvEogye28y2j_HckF5gNxENbma8cdG3cJoC2zLsy77bR4FEyE88lNb6zpQw6BZsi2Fke8hTarhVn6zmefODfuoatRZaXj_BEnHwWwL-Q1TochEd8-5JXqlHU_gGRa7nv5NvYj_scYNLmlHh6Jy/s800/fun%20signs2%20collage.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu9u4pchVD1_VYTmHdGOP9oL_pTG7JxfC5VjzFK9RAWLvEogye28y2j_HckF5gNxENbma8cdG3cJoC2zLsy77bR4FEyE88lNb6zpQw6BZsi2Fke8hTarhVn6zmefODfuoatRZaXj_BEnHwWwL-Q1TochEd8-5JXqlHU_gGRa7nv5NvYj_scYNLmlHh6Jy/w640-h640/fun%20signs2%20collage.png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGZMfTRl4QS_LEqcdVDnFriPc2RPyCVg2SySoDRo3VFHAlN52caz7Zq3_xNOjnVHHkHOaZvevYVDs0CzTDBnULyPIo747bqoUf9xGI1QRwcPIav_QZcNGPEv8wQ-mCPDrgu_kq3O5TJ-4fjGbPRTiDAnAqCBkEu65ynyyY6h4_2qU7wdkqzzvc0jx3oCN/s4819/we're%20miserable.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="4819" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGZMfTRl4QS_LEqcdVDnFriPc2RPyCVg2SySoDRo3VFHAlN52caz7Zq3_xNOjnVHHkHOaZvevYVDs0CzTDBnULyPIo747bqoUf9xGI1QRwcPIav_QZcNGPEv8wQ-mCPDrgu_kq3O5TJ-4fjGbPRTiDAnAqCBkEu65ynyyY6h4_2qU7wdkqzzvc0jx3oCN/w400-h150/we're%20miserable.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The wording on this ⬆ sign is also from <i>Christmas Vacation</i> and is said by Clark's wife, Ellen, to her teenage daughter, Audrey, who's upset that both sets of grandparents staying over for the holiday. Only thing is the wording is <i>wrong. </i>The line from the film is: <i>I don't know what to say, except it's Christmas and </i><u style="font-style: italic;">we're all in misery</u><i>. </i>Seems someone didn't know the film well.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b>Thanks</b></span> to everyone for comments on our Christmas post. Your good wishes were appreciated. This week </span><span style="font-family: arial;">we're in our native NJ visiting family and friends before year end. We're home before New Year's Eve which we'll spend at home watching movies together 🥂.</span></i></div></div>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1504757647826212517.post-89363442739379282422023-12-25T00:00:00.116-05:002023-12-25T09:28:49.132-05:00Christmas is Here<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCDlqo3i-Pd_jhVWjneSoXejlqkdAcHWIhLAC8718CGB0TbqdrYZhzv6t-UmYx2JOtBlRZKL1qKo4zFgFsDdrjGGl_SSfFEtHjU_CayP0kZiCJwsJNRQflKto3jl8D7ZwOovS7CeQkujt_DdTFC0ZTm9LqQwtdFRajVcTmN65VCchL8UivjMsBcecD4Z3/s3434/Merry%20Xmas%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2862" data-original-width="3434" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCDlqo3i-Pd_jhVWjneSoXejlqkdAcHWIhLAC8718CGB0TbqdrYZhzv6t-UmYx2JOtBlRZKL1qKo4zFgFsDdrjGGl_SSfFEtHjU_CayP0kZiCJwsJNRQflKto3jl8D7ZwOovS7CeQkujt_DdTFC0ZTm9LqQwtdFRajVcTmN65VCchL8UivjMsBcecD4Z3/w640-h534/Merry%20Xmas%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Courgette; font-size: medium;"><span>It's here today and from our Nashua, NH, home to all your homes, the</span> penguins, snowmen and Santa wish all who celebrate this special day the happiest 🎄holiday.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZyqHIpzWwmjF-BTXwFZNUJH-K0PdwQj-4NJH2neNs_Jkbm34dW5RwUEcJ3GNn0OXF1vmc7_Zsg7cb4tofeMhAO33gX0iuaMOX62vzY9DmJHpLxXyCEvUgiSPHWbVB0qLvXJdWxVh0hD_9KJCIc4QyWsS7Sbnzjkcr3badXlgEgZou7S7Q19GmZSNiIw3/s3628/plaid%20shirt%20xmas.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3628" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZyqHIpzWwmjF-BTXwFZNUJH-K0PdwQj-4NJH2neNs_Jkbm34dW5RwUEcJ3GNn0OXF1vmc7_Zsg7cb4tofeMhAO33gX0iuaMOX62vzY9DmJHpLxXyCEvUgiSPHWbVB0qLvXJdWxVh0hD_9KJCIc4QyWsS7Sbnzjkcr3badXlgEgZou7S7Q19GmZSNiIw3/w640-h534/plaid%20shirt%20xmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Flannel favorites taken at the Woodstock Inn, VT, earlier this month</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courgette; font-size: medium;">And, we do as well, with best wishes to everyone for the coming New Year. Thanks for the gift of your blog friendships through this past year and all the years before.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courgette; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28UDWxtaUQmYGjMeqlIWiZud8cxXckDgSMgKG_cYwOtoXnT6k1mHVgpne2pcDHmXo2f6Lcioof89szvGaoeYYzYfW1iY8whfPZyVAC8a9ECE-_D6M7TKGW2W6RWtil8MfLty17jXxjS676v4wUVCwMr01O-Ml04ORIJu8ZfLuA7x0t2rftPOV1s_ORAdl/s4280/warm%20wishes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4280" data-original-width="3343" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28UDWxtaUQmYGjMeqlIWiZud8cxXckDgSMgKG_cYwOtoXnT6k1mHVgpne2pcDHmXo2f6Lcioof89szvGaoeYYzYfW1iY8whfPZyVAC8a9ECE-_D6M7TKGW2W6RWtil8MfLty17jXxjS676v4wUVCwMr01O-Ml04ORIJu8ZfLuA7x0t2rftPOV1s_ORAdl/w501-h640/warm%20wishes.jpg" width="501" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>This sign is outside our apt entry annually</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div></div><p></p>Beatrice P. Boydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08281239556392874979noreply@blogger.com19