Friday, July 6, 2012

there's that guy again...

so when we were in Greece I laughed because there was this "chef" welcoming people into a place for people to eat... I think on Mykonos but I could be wrong...

it was the same guy - LOL - that I had seen in a number of other places... sometimes he sports glasses and sometimes not (I know I have a photo of him from Kotor in Montenegro)

tonight I was going through some photos from a trip to Portugal because recently someone had asked about travel in Portugal and guess what - there he was again

it was weird - like I had been photo bombed - LOL

now I suppose every time I see him when I am traveling I will have to take his picture and it will be a scavenger hunt thing of sorts....

I will add the Kotor guy later when I am at my regular photo computer but so you know what we are looking for - here is the Portugal guy....


LOL- back later with his "brother" and if I come across any more of them in my photos I will post those as well - I know I have seen him probably a half dozen times or more....

So here is the one from Montenegro- if I come across more I will post them - but notice their glasses are different- so they must only be brothers - not one guy traveling like I do....LOL

we're not saying...

we are not JUST saying it is hot here in Chicago... we have the proof -

a photo of my computer screen at 3:30 PM


and- a picture of the road in front of the city buckling from the heat-

news reports said that the buckle rose to three feet in some places...


so I just keep going out and watering the plants and hosing down the AC units to try to help them out a bit....

and we just keep hoping that eventually the heat will diminish- over night lows are predicted to get to 84*.....

I really have no clue how they deal with this in Phoenix...

Thursday, July 5, 2012

happy birthday

America!

I think I mentioned we are taking a class on forgotten US presidents at Northwestern this summer.  And an interesting side affect of the information we are getting in the class is a greater understanding that our situation these days politically is really not new - there have been other periods of great divisiveness (is that a word?) in our history and it has given me better perspective on the whole awful mess we have for politicians and political parties today.

so maybe things are not as broken as we think they are and so let's celebrate America's birthday with pride in the good things and hope that over time we become a more tolerant society - generous of spirit where people really get the concept of united we stand... we are a country of vast wealth and resources - we really CAN  afford to take care of our own -

this small excerpt comes from  NYT column that makes a similar point:

Given the nature of our founding and the documents that created this country, we seem destined to quarrel endlessly about who we are and who we’re supposed to be. This sounds like a flaw, but, in fact, it’s a peculiarly American virtue. Our history may read like a narrative, but it’s really a debate, sometimes bloody, usually peaceful, but always unresolved. We remain divided on nearly all the major elements of our constitution: the role of religion, the balance between federal and state authority, the risks and consequences of unlimited opportunity, the boundary between self-reliance and shared responsibility.

so maybe we still have hope that "the better angels of our nature" will prevail and we can come to some consensus on how provide the American dream for one and all and truly make this the land of opportunity.

and in celebration of the day - we went to friends for an annual picnic/BBQ and fireworks viewing... just like John Adams said we would all those years ago...

"It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."

so just a few photos from the dessert table- the lovely young women who are the daughters of our friends really outdid themselves in the cake baking department for the celebration- thank you Carol and Ali for your wonderful spirited efforts for our enjoyment on the celebration of the USA birthday!




so back to class today in nearly 100* heat... thinking about the "founding fathers" in Philly in the summer - and feeling blessed for their efforts on our behalf.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

doing nothing

well you haven't heard much from me lately because- I am doing nothing- which of course isn't 100% true but is true in general...

I have been doing regular work around the yard and the house and getting caught up on paper work and the mail but mostly I am staying inside to beat the heat... Chicago has been incredibly hot the last few weeks and isn't expected to cool off soon- today and tomorrow 100* is predicted... this is too much for me- I am a cool weather person... and to top it all off the weather in Bradenton (home of River Cottage and next year's Pelican Point rental home) has been more than ten degrees cooler than we have every day!

a friend posted this on her facebook page and I found it completely appropriate for the current situation-

I am pretty sure the popped guy's expression is what I look like when I come in from outside work- I know it is Phil's expression when he comes back from being out in the "field" for his job...

we are scheduled for a BBQ for the 4th of July tonight (the fireworks night) and I am hoping no one expects us to be friendly or anything...LOL