We've voted!

Sheila and I drove by the Elections Center yesterday to find a VERY long line out the door around the front of the building and way out into the parking lot. So we decided to wait and vote today. We were surprised to find a line again at noon today. But it seemed to be moving well. So we joined the throng. It was nice to fid ourselves with Tommy Bright and Bob Steinbruegge. Tommy joined the McHenry faculty on the same day that I did in August of 1971. Bob is the hubby of my co-worker/frioend/fellow teacher Kathy. A chance to catch up again with these two made the time pass quickly. Sheila estimates that it took us about thirty minutes from getting in line till we exited the center.

I also enjoyed seeing other friends there including Virginia McChesney, Tony Pope and Sylvia Garrett who are poll workers.

The noon sun greets us as we exit the Elections center having exercised our franchise to help save the republic. 

 

Now we must get out the vote. In my book it would be tragic to lose Raphael Warnock -- not only would Georgia lose a principled and articulate leader in the Senate but we would represented by a laughing-stock, an ignoramus, wannabe fascist whose only qualification is his former prowess in running with a football.

Grandgirls Photo Shoot

How this ol' Grandshaw has enjoyed these pictures from a November 13 photo shoot. 

Ruthie & her Mom.

Clemmie walk a rail -- just like Bud & Jim in my Skinny-dipping story.

Sue with Dad.

Sue with Dad

Clemmie, airborne.

Clementine

Sue with Mom.

Suzie is ready for a nap?

Polkadot Clem

Clem & Ruth

Mom

Ruth

 

A Long Line for Sunday Voting. Yay!

Wow! We got to the elections center about 2:15 to find a line extending WAY out into the parking lot. We decided, as retirees, we can go anytime; no need to add to the congestion today; We'll vote tomorrow. It's great to see so many people out exercising their franchise. 

Be sure you voice is heard. 

You can vote today (Sunday) till five. 

OR you can vote here (or at the Anthony Center near Garden Lakes School) any day Monday through Friday this week (Nov. 28-Dec. 2) 8 am-5pm. You are not likely to run into lines like this on a work day... though I wouldn't put it off till Friday. 

Of course you could wait till Dec, 6 and vote at your regular precinct from 7 am-7 pm. 

Why wait. Go ahead and plan your vote this week.

And please vote for Senator Warnock!

Happy Birthday Vada!

 Our great niece Vada celebrates her eleventh birthday this week. Since we could not be there then we celebrated with a mini-party during our Thanksgiving visit to Tallahassee. Vada seemed genuinely pleased with everything about it. Here are a few pictures.

Sheila and I got Made a gift card and a couple of magazines- one of Christmas recipes for kids and the other about animals.

Lillian and Jordan got her a blanket and other goodies ...

from Buc-ees of all places.

Then we all headed off to The Fat Cat Cafe...

...whiuch is not actually a cafe...

...but rather a place for inter-species recreation...

...where humans and felines...

...can interact.

Lillian likes to provoke cats into mind boggling aerial displays.

The place is a non-profit which makes cats available for human adoption.

I was worried that Lillian might leave with several.

But who could choose?

Here is our entire party (L-R) Lillian, Sheila, Me, Nora, Vada, Jimmy, Sally, and Jordan.

Anxiety 1943; Voting Today.

I can only imagine the anxiety experienced by my Mother and Father's entire generation. I have relatives and friends who have experienced similar anxiety in my generation and among the millennials in my family, but in the age of an all-volunteer military, that anxiety is not shared universally. 

My sister-in-law Sally Maxwell Matthews keeps this photo of her father (whom Sheila and I knew) and this framed letter on a chest in the bedroom we used during our Thanksgiving stay.  Can you imagine receiving such a message as this concerning your son or daughter? Mr. Maxwell was held for two years in a German prisoner-of-war camp but survived the war and, we are thankful, lived to raise two daughters, one of whom is our beloved sister-in-law.

Just as today we have the authoritarian sympathizers who nevertheless shout "America First" there were Americans in the forties who used the same slogan while they supported Hitler and the Nazis. But others stood up for the real American principles of the Declaration, the Preamble, the Gettysburg Address, the ever-perfecting Constitution -- majority rule and minority rights.

So among the many things I must express thanks for -- on this holiday devoted to gratitude -- are young folks like Sally's Dad and mine who risked all to save the world from authoritarian rule. When I cast my vote today it will be done very seriously and in honor of these men and all who have helped preserve our very right to vote, so that "...government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Update of Our November 13 Post

The Rome News Tribune used our Buffalo Bisons pictures from 1925 as their main feature article in today's paper. 

Click the image above to read the article online.

Here is our original post on the topic.

Happy Thanksgiving in Tallahassee

 The four years since we last visited Tallahassee mark the longest period since 1970 that I have been away from Tallahassee. It is quite an emotional thing to drive into this place after such a long absence. I feel keenly the absence of those who will not be with us. 

I remember that first time I drove into Tallahassee and found my way out Buck Lake Road toward little dirt Highland Drive, wondering if this would be a frequent trip for the rest of my life. (I was already plotting to ask Sheila Matthews to share my life though it would be a few more weeks before that proposal was made.) 

What a warm welcome I got from Sheila's Mom. I immediately fell in love with her family and with that beautiful little four acres of garden and tall pines and Spanish moss and ... azaleas! How I miss Mavis and Jay Matthews, Sheila's parents. I truly loved them. They would be 110 and 111 if they were still living; we lost them in 2002 and 2004.

So we remembered them today as we bowed around this beautiful and sumptuous table, along many others we miss so.

BUT how wonderful to be here again with these loved ones. Vada will be eleven next week! We enjoyed meeting Cliff, Nora's friend; he seems like a really good guy.

Sally -- despite medical problems recently -- put together monstrous and absolute delicious meal --

• turkey
• dressing/gravy
• green bean casserole
• scalloped potatoes
• mashed potatoes
• fresh cranberry relish
• Mac and cheese
• pineapple casserole
• biscuits
• pecan pie
• apple pie
• sweet tea
• coffee
• roasted/sugared pecans
• tea cakes
• ginger snaps

I probably left something out.

We've cleaned up the kitchen now and are sitting around looking at our electronic devices and talking and trying not to succumb to post feast stupor.

Sally asked me to tell a story so I told my Yellowtail tall tale. Then we all shared some stories for a while. Jimmy told about little Vada's eloquent commands at about 12 months when Jimmy couldn't find the diaper bag: "Doh!" We learned of several falls: from beds, chand=ging tables, and trees. We retold Jimmy's mistaking butterscotch pudding for salad dressing. We remembered Jay's first experience with fortune cookies -- he ate his fortune! And more.

I am a very thankful man. I have so much to be thankful for, but somewhere near the top of my list is the family I married into.

It was a beautiful table and it was loaded with wonderful foods.

Sally has decorated with miniature Christmas trees, china cups, and ornaments.

An added attraction was Sally beautiful African violets all descended from the same original cutting.