On the Eve of the New Year

In a few short hours, it will be 2009. I've been waiting for this year since George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004, and lordy, it's taken a long time to arrive! His first term was bad enough, but who really knew the destruction this one man (OK--he did have help) could wreak on a nation? Actually, a world? Molly Ivins tried to warn us many times, but who knew the disaster W was in Texas would be magnified when he reached the national and international stage? The next 20 days cannot pass quickly enough, but if we, as American citizens, are smart, we will not only learn from the past 8 years, but we will punish those who have done the most damage. I suggest bringing Dick Cheney and Alberto Gonzales up on war crime charges as a bare minimum--that action alone would go a ways in restoring our standing in the world.
I feel so sorry for Barack Obama. Can you imagine his first day on the job? They will be using a forklift to bring in all the information on all the problems that need his immediate attention. Good thing Obama is smart and has smart people to assist him. He'll need them.
I don't mean to be all doom and gloom. It's just that there are so many things in this country that seem to be going wrong all at once. When I was a kid, I could trust the adults to take care of things, and as a young adult, I could still trust the real adults to take care of things. But now I'm that adult that kids are trusting to make everything all right, and I'm feeling pretty powerless. I used to be able to focus my worry on one or two major problems facing the country at the moment, but now the major problems are so numerous as to be overwhelming--I don't know what to worry about first. I thought the election season was nerve-wracking, but things haven't changed, only gotten worse, and we still have to hold on for another 2+ weeks.
I'm just grateful my own personal life is going so well. I'm not just grateful, I'm very, very thankful for the love and support of my family and friends. Karen and I couldn't be happier, Erika and Peter are doing well, family and friends are healthy, and I have a job and a home and a car that works.
I guess my wish for 2009 is that the peace and goodness in my own life can spread, and when I write on New Year's Eve next year, I'm bubbling over with optimism.

And Tango Makes Three (rant warning!)

I just received this e-mail from my extremely talented, wonderful niece. She's the mom of two elementary age kids.


"Dear AG -

Have you heard about this book?

Apparently, there is much discussion about it in Ankeny - here's the link:

http://www.kcci.com/news/18281401/detail.html

My buddies on the school board have said that they received an email about this from a parent, and certainly hope it won't be in any of our libraries [emphasis mine--gk] - whatever!!! Do I really want to get mixed up in this?!?!?!

love,

marce"

Here's my response to her:

You should absolutely get involved in this issue. First, find out if there is a policy for review of books at the school level--typically, the librarian of the school building would review any complaint. Then, the principal would be involved if the parents continue to have concerns. If I were the librarian, I would hate to have a school board micro-manage my library, and that's just what they are doing. Proper channel would be librarian---principal---superintendent. It is getting to the school board level because it is a hot-button issue.
Here's what I suggest. Read the book, then read the book to your kids ([oldest son] will probably will beg off, but it might open up a dialogue with [young daughter]). Take in their reactions. I read the book to the kids at our church during a Sunday Service. Granted, it is a liberal church, but I did not have any kids react at all differently to this book vs. any others I have read. I introduced it by saying that it might look like a fiction book, because of the drawings, but that it was a non-fiction book--a true story. If you decide to then go to the meeting of the school board, be prepared to speak. Ask them to explain whether the policy for the review of books was properly followed. If not, ask why not? Then, talk about the reaction of your kids to the book. Finally, make note that this is not a work of fiction, that this is a true story. Ask what other non-fiction books might be banned as well, because they present something someone is uncomfortable with. Are the "my mom is having a baby" books in a special section? Are the books on divorce or death in a special section? Books about dinosaurs? Books about "everyone poops"? The list is as endless as the non-fiction section!
Good luck. Please fight the good fight. Let me know if I can help. Your local PFlag chapter is probably all over this. And if it would help, mention that your good old auntie, retired school board member, thinks it's a great book to help your daughter understand that there are all kinds of families.

Love, Auntie Gale
****************************************************************
I've gotta say, it astounds me that this is just now an issue in a school district in Iowa--the book came out a number of years ago, and the controversy was addressed then. I thought we, as Americans, had evolved from there--for goodness sakes, to even have the school board take this seriously is beyond belief. It's the same, old, tired line from the "religious" right--"promotes" the gay "lifestyle", blah blah blah. It's a sweet, true story about two male penguins in the Central Park zoo who just want to be dads--together, as a couple. Heaven forbid if our kids hear a story about any being who wants to take care, and love, kids who need to be loved and cherished. Yeah, that's downright dangerous stuff for kids to hear at such a young age!
It makes me sad too that there are still people out there who see loving couples in commited relationships as such a threat to them and their "way of life". Hopefully the kids will set them straight on this issue (pun intended).

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I'll admit it. I don't always fill up with the holiday spirit right away. When the kids were younger, it was easy, because they were so excited about birthdays (yes, due to poor planning on THEIR part (they were the ones to decide to arrive two weeks past their due dates), they have December birthdays) and Christmas. It was fun, although nerve-wracking, to shop for the one toy they had to have, while picturing their faces on Christmas morning. I always tried to shop early enough, so that those perfect toys were still in stock. One year I stood in line, at midnight, with all these Purdue student geeks for a game system, and it was fun. But it's harder now to get truly excited about the presents I'm buying for them--part of it is that they don't want toys any more (what can I say? I'm a kid at heart), and part of it is that I do a lot of shopping on-line, instead of hitting the mall. Quite frankly, I would rather shave my head and sing Brittany Spears songs than have to go to the mall at this time of year.
Some years, I'm ready for Christmas carols right after Thanksgiving dinner, and I drive the family crazy by playing them for over a month. We nearly always put up the tree right after Thanksgiving, and some years, I just can't wait to see all the ornaments as they come out of their boxes. I'm excited about hiding the spider ornaments on the tree, and I'm happy to see all the handmade ornaments produced by the kids over the years. Some years, I get excited at the prospect of writing a holiday letter to family and friends, and I look forward to the letters we receive as well. Some years, it's Cookie Weekend that gets me in the spirit--being together with family reminds me how wonderful the holidays can be. Some years, my holiday cheer arrives with the first snow fall, particularly when it coincides with the first of December. One year, my holiday cheer arrived with my newborn son, but I'll talk more about that next Friday. A couple of years, my holiday spirit came to me as I was reading "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" to some Kindergarten and 1st grade students.
This year, my holiday spirit has been slow to arrive. Don't get me wrong--I enjoyed watching the kids put up the tree, I had a great time at Thanksgiving, and loved, LOVED Cookie Weekend. But I just haven't felt the spirit. We have dealt with a lot of death this autumn, and I think that has cast a pall over the season. The loss of Karen's dad reminded me of losing my dad 23 years ago, and some unresolved feelings have surfaced--I am mourning his loss a little more than I have in years past. My dad loved Christmas, and to lose him just 10 days before his favorite holiday just seemed extra wrong. I had also just given birth to his first grandchild, overseas, 10 days before he died, and was not able to attend his funeral---that was wrong too, in so many ways. But I digress.
This year, it was a simple act that brought the spirit of the season to me. Last Friday, a bunch of librarians and I got together to bake and decorate cookies for the local women's shelter. As I sat there, frosting cookie after cookie, I thought about the moms and the kids who might get that particular snowman, mitten, or reindeer. I thought about how hard their lives might be at that moment, and I hoped, selfishly, that my cookie would make them smile and forget the bad stuff for a minute. Suddenly my heart felt lighter and I started to hum along with the crazy Christmas carols that Blythe had put on the CD player.
It's hokey but true: my wish is that you too find those little moments to give the holiday season meaning. May your days be merry and light. And may all your Christmases (or Solstices or Hanukkas or Yules or New Years) be bright.

The True Bush Legacy

The true legacy of Pres. George W. Bush begins with a shoe. Thrown at his head.
Bush has spent a lot of time in the past few weeks rewriting....er...polishing....his legacy. What he seems to forget is that, no matter how he, Karl Rove, and Karen Hughes WANT certain things to have happened and been said by him, that doesn't make them true (both Rove and Hughes have come back to the White House to help him begin to spin, I mean, craft his legacy). In the 21st century, the internet has become histories' archive, and it's very hard to say you said one thing, when YouTube can prove you said the exact opposite. More than once.
The memory of George W. Bush in Iraq will be quite similar to that of the previous man in power in the country--Saddam Hussein.
While Saddam Hussein did not have shoes thrown at his head, people did hit and kick his statue with their shoes after it was toppled. Why shoes? Shoes are a symbol of dirt and degradation in the Arab world; it's the ultimate insult to touch someone with the bottom of your shoes. Bush must have forgotten that part of Arab Etiquette 101, because his response to the shoe incident was along the lines of, "So? So the guy threw his shoes at me--so what?" So what? Let me try to explain, Mr. President. A man felt so strongly that you and your government had violated his country and its citizens that he risked imprisonment to insult you in the worst possible way. He probably felt he was speaking for many thousands of Iraqis when he made this gesture--much like the lone citizen who faced the tank in Tienanmen Square. And as that image has been burned in the memories of countless humans, so too will the image of the flying shoe be forever remembered. No matter how you try to spin it or discount it, your legacy will now forever be tied with the clip of you ducking a shoe in Iraq.
To me, this begs the question: who else would you throw a shoe at? Here's my list:
1) George Bush: I would love to throw my shoes at him too. Maybe we should all roadtrip to DC and throw our shoes over the fence at the White House. Could you imagine? Millions of shoes on the lawn! The dogs would have a field day. I'm mad as heck at this president for all the damage he's done to our country in the past eight years, not to mention the havoc he's been responsible for overseas. Beginning with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and ending with the economy, he's easily the worst president ever.
2) Dick Cheney: shoes to him for being the evil brain behind the man in power. Cheney didn't care what he did as Vice President, because he would never be running for office again. So, he could implement all sorts of things, and he did--deconstruction of the Constitution, waterboarding, increasing the power of the vice presidency, and so on and so on. We will probably never know the extent of the damage this man did to our country. Too bad he will never face a War Crimes Tribunal
3) Rod Blagojevich: shoes upside the head of this guy for abusing power so blatently. He's one corrupt governor, which is saying alot, since he's from Illinois. What an arrogant SOB.
4) Henry Paulson: actually, I think all of us would like to kick this guy in the butt for all he's done to damage the economy. First, he doesn't see it all coming apart, then he doesn't have a plan in place other than "give me unlimited power", and now he can't explain where the money has gone!!! Meanwhile, people are losing their jobs, nobody can get credit from the financial institutions who HAVE been bailed out, but at least the Mets still have their new stadium: Citifield. Geez. Here was my plan from the start: all CEOs and other "managers" of all failed financial institutions will be required to give back all "bonuses" and salary earned from the start of this year. No other "bonuses" or salaries will be earned by them until their institutions are financially sound. I mean, come on--how much more than $3 million do you REALLY need? The other part of my plan involved submission of a detailed budget for any funds being requested from the US government. Do you think that was even a requirement? Appears not. Shoes at all their heads!!
5) Rush Limbaugh: the man spreads poison. He allowed Dick Cheney to come on to his program earlier this week, and basically re-write the history of the vice presidency for the last 8 years. Shoes through the air at Limbaugh for spreading his conspiracy theories and outright lies to gullible Americans who don't think for themselves.
6) Sarah Palin: I almost feel guilty for aiming some pumps her way, but then I remember how she campaigned, riling up the far right with her speeches. She's dangerous, divisive, and has not learned any lessons from the defeat of the McCain/Palin ticket. We haven't seen the last of her, but YouTube has already recorded her hate-filled speeches for reference in two years.
I'm sure there are others I would love to heave shoes at, but for now this is my list. Who's on yours?

Playing For Change: Song Around the World

Wonderful musical interlude

Rest and Have Peace, Kim

When a friend of yours dies at age 48, it's a shock to everyone who knew her. When it's someone who seems to burst with energy all the time, there are no words for the disbelief that everyone is experiencing.
Kim was THE mom. The supermom. We first met shortly after I arrived in West Lafayette, when our daughters were in preschool together. Kim did not have a slow speed; pregnant with her second (or third) child, she was always organizing something--Family Day at the preschool, end of the year parties, whatever needed to be done. But my first realization that she was THE SUPERMOM came late in the year. Her daughter's birthday party was a pool party in their backyard. All the kids had an amazing time, and when Erika came out after the party, she was carrying a new towel: her name was quilted in big letters on this towel! I thanked Kim profusely, and she replied, "Oh, it's really nothing. Easy to do." We still have it--it's a faded, but still lush, pink towel. Truly, Kim was in a class by herself, and I was in awe.
Throughout the years, Kim stayed the same committed bundle of energy and organization. She was on the Parent Council, organized Book Fairs, headed the committee for Teacher's Luncheons, and it seemed like she was always at the school, volunteering in the office or in the classroom. Her commitment rubbed off on other parents, including me--it was hard to say "no" when Kim asked you to do something, because you knew she was doing the same thing and more.
Maybe she just liked to stay busy; I guess I never questioned her motives. But I think the deep love she had for each one of her children also motivated her. They were the most important things in her life, and she appreciated the teachers and coaches they had, the secretaries, janitors, and support staff at the schools--she remembered to take time to thank them and support them in any way she could. Imagine the awesome education system we could have in this country if everyone was like Kim!! Imagine.
Kim died while on a trip to a college her daughter was interested in attending next year; it's not a surprise that she was involved until the very end. What is surprising, tragic, absolutely unbelievable is that she was only 48 years old. Too young and too full of energy to go. It's hard to think of Kim, "resting in peace", but now she can. She raised three amazing people, and could certainly have said, at the end of her life, "I did all I could."
This can be the challenge to the rest of us--at the end of every day, we should ask ourselves, honestly-- "Did I do all I could today--for my family, friends, and community?" Kim did. So can we. For me, this will be Kim's lasting legacy.
We will miss you, Kim. Our community mourns.

Harvey Milk Speech

Random: Bill Clinton, Purdue Women's Basketball

Where to start with this randomness?

1) Bill Clinton should be appointed to the US Senate, to fill Hilary's seat when she becomes Secretary of State. There have been other former Presidents who have gone on to the Senate after leaving office, and I should think the citizens of New York would be thrilled to have someone of his caliber working for them. It will keep him busy, AND think of the great things that could be accomplished by someone who has no political agenda--i.e. a real statesman (hmmm.....could be a great role model for the rest).

2) The Purdue women's basketball team will be in the Final Four. IF Fakara can find a way to hold on to the ball. I really, really want to book my tickets for St. Louis now.

3) I cannot wait to see the movie, "Milk", about the late, openly gay politician Harvey Milk. The clip I'm posting may move you as it did me. I will elaborate more later, but it's time---time for ALL gays and lesbians to come out. Show the world your face; it's a lot harder to hate someone you know.

Here is a thought-provoking blog

I hope you take a moment to read this post by Tom Ackerman, and think about it. A simple and yet powerful bit of role-reversal.

Happy Thanksgiving from Pollyanna (updated)

Top Ten Things I am Thankful for:
1) My kids and Karen. My kids are wonderful; they are such cool, responsible, caring, loving individuals, and I am so very proud of them. Karen makes me so happy in so many mushy ways. These three are the biggest reasons for my blissful life, and I am grateful every moment for them.
2) My family and friends. Those long-suffering relatives who have stuck by me no matter what. They laid the foundation for the person I am today (but don't blame them entirely). Without their love and support, I would be lost. My friends, who I think of as my family of choice--they have been with me so long and have been so faithful in their support of me. We will be spending Thanksgiving with some of them tomorrow, and there's no place on earth I would rather be than with them. I am so thankful to have each of you in my life; you each bring something unique and loving to our relationship, and make me want to be a better person.
3) My health. I will be forever grateful to the health care professionals who have kept me alive all these years. From the first pediatrician who really had his work cut out for him (without the aid of modern drugs, he kept me alive through multiple pneumonias), to my first allergist, Dr. Teigland, to the doctors and nurses in England who so expertly did lung surgery and gave me some hope, to the doctors and nurses who help me today. Thanks.
4) The recent election results. The election process itself was long and at times nasty, but the youngest generation of voters helped us elect a new president who gives us all hope for the future. And we who voted for Barack Obama and other Democratic candidates sent a clear message to the Republican party--the era of dirty tricks and hate speech is over.
5) The place I have called home for over 18 years--this city is one of the coolest in Indiana; very safe, and very accepting of other cultures, religions, races, and sexual orientations. Our city has sent a very clear message through its Human Relations Ordinance--discrimination will not be tolerated in this city. The church I go to reinforces this every day of every year, and the members of the congregation make me feel so welcome every time I walk in the doors.
6) I am grateful I live in the United States; while our laws are far from perfect, and our leadership needs a swift kick in the pants sometimes, at least we have the freedoms we so often take for granted. I know that in other countries, people are killed for no other reason than they are who they are.
7) Chocolate and Rachel Maddow. 'Nough said.
8) My jobs. This should probably be higher on the list, because it allows me a good quality of life. I love the people I would with, I love the places I work, and I appreciate the benefits my employers secure for their employees. Health insurance is at the top of my list!
9) I am grateful I have leisure time. I can exercise, read, watch movies, go hiking, travel, spend time in the backyard, and just be with my family and friends.
10) Nature. I am thankful there are people who work so hard to keep areas of this world as untouched as possible; who believe in preserving natural resources for future generations. I am grateful for the parks and nature preserves in Indiana.

I couldn't sleep last night, and as my thoughts were pinging everywhere, I realised I needed to add an 11th thing to my list. I say this with sincerity and without sarcasm:
11) I am thankful that Bristol Palin will have both parents with her in the last few scary weeks before giving birth. It's probably the most frightening thing she has ever faced in her young life, and she needs them there to support her. I do hope Sarah Palin can spare the time.

What's on your list?

Kitten afraid of remote control mouse

This is all I've got energy for today--enjoy!

Death and Dying, Life and Living

I returned yesterday from Texas, where I attended one of the nicest memorial services I can remember. As a matter of fact, after it was over, I pulled one of the "locals" aside and asked if this was a typical service. For if it was a typical service, I'm moving to Texas before I die.
There was a little bit of religion; a couple of prayers led by one of the best friends of the deceased. Mostly it was story-telling about the deceased. Those old guys in Texas know how to tell a tale, so there was a lot of laughter and a few tears. There were stories about Larry's childhood, about his children, and about a recent trip he took with the guys. There were testimonials about his character, and the life he had led. I learned so much about Larry, and it was gratifying to know that these men, some of whom had known him over 60 years, felt the same way I did about him. Larry was a kind man. He was always willing to lend a hand, and expected nothing in return. He didn't talk a lot, but at the same time, you didn't hear him speak negatively about anyone. He married just one woman, and they raised three children (of whom they could be proud).
I've thought alot about death and dying recently. Larry and my dad were the same age when they died, but their deaths were very different. Larry was the "lucky" one. Larry died at home, surrounded by his family and friends. He was able to meet, hold, and touch his granddaughter, who was 3 months old when he died. Larry knew he had cancer, and held on for as long as he could--almost 2 years from the initial diagnosis; this allowed him time to travel a bit and to see people he needed to see. He and his family were helped through the process of death by hospice caregivers, and were grateful to have that guidance (hospice workers are a gifted bunch--it takes a special person to be able to do what they do). I think his family took comfort in the fact that they had time to say what they needed to say, and be with him right until the end.
My dad died in a hospital, surrounded by some of his loved ones. I was in England at the time, having just given birth to Erika 10 days earlier. I did not know he was dying, and did not have the chance to say good-bye. I have regreted this for years, but I know that he died knowing how much I loved him, and that's some comfort (I learned at an early age that people will not be with you forever, and it's important to tell them often how much you love them). I think our family could have used some guidance from hospice caregivers, but I don't think that was an option 23 years ago. Dad's death was not especially sudden, but I don't think he had time to prepare. If he had, I think our last conversation would have been very different. My biggest regret of all was that he never met his granddaughter; he knew she had been born, but shortly after that he slipped into a coma. I often wish I could have been there with him; I know I would have had the closure I needed. I needed to hear other old men tell stories about my dad, I needed to hear his favorite song, and especially I needed to know where he was buried (to this day, I have trouble finding his gravesite, and I get angry about that).
As I said before, I've recently had time to think about death, and I've come to some conclusions. First and foremost, it's true what they say--what's important is how you've lived. Perhaps the best measure of the impact your life has had is that you're missed. That you're remembered. That in 20 years, someone still talks about you, wants to tell someone about your life. You don't need to have done great deeds that will be written of in history books, but you do need to have had an impact (for the good) on the lives of others. And that as you die, you know you've been loved. I think one definition of Hell on earth would be to know for certain, as you're dying, that you are not loved, nor will you be missed, by anyone.
Larry and my dad were good men. They were loved by many, and they are missed. Twenty years from now, people will still speak of them fondly, will say, "I once knew a guy...." The stories told about their lives will bring smiles and laughter to others. Surely they rest in peace, knowing they lived good lives. And that we loved them, very much.

"Separation of Church and State" part II

I've just got to get this all out--if you're reading, thanks for bearing with me. You're wonderful.

Part II of this blog is about language, and the emotions that can arise from the use of language. First of all, I just want to remind all of us of this, the beautiful 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States (ratified in 1868):

"Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

So, we all have equal protection of the laws? Um....we're supposed to. And we're getting there. In some states. A few. States where religious dogma has not clouded the basic sense of fairness that I believe we all feel.

Remember when you were little, and something happened, causing you to exclaim, "But that's not fair!" We are all born with some sense of fairness, but some of us have that core belief stripped away, sometimes at birth, sometimes when our parents respond, "But life isn't fair. Get used to it." Sometimes we learn that we can make things unfair for others so that we get more power....wealth....stuff....and we are taught that this is good. Others of us are fortunate to hang on to the feeling that certain things are not fair, are not just, and work to undo those things. I believe that's why so many people--straight, gay, religious, secular, of all nationalities, are outraged at the passage of Proposition 8 in California ( "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."). They may not even know they know a gay person, but they know discrimination when they see it. Over 18,000 gay couples have married in the past few months in California, and it's possible that the rights they have will be taken away for really no good reason. I mean, come on--what horrible things have happened since giving couples the right to marry in California? Ummm...........But the list of great, wonderful, happy things that have happened are too too many to list. For instance, these two were allowed to marry:

And Phyllis, the one on the right, died knowing she was finally married to the woman she had loved for so many, many years. I gotta ask how this couple, the love they had for each other, and the life they lived during the short time they were married, can in any way negatively impact the "sanctity" of marriage any couple may have? If anything, taking the positive feelings you have while in a committed relationship, and using them in some way to make this world a better place, should be the way to measure "sanctity", which is defined as: "1. holiness, saintliness, or godliness. 2. a sacred thing." AND, if you're arguing for the sanctity of marriage when voting for something like Proposition 8, whose sanctity? Christian sanctity? Muslim sanctity? Because honestly, religious terminology has no place in political discourse (see "Separation" Part I).

I think this whole argument of "gay marriage" or "marriage rights" really boils down to semantics. Here is my radical proposal:

DO AWAY WITH STATE-SPONSORED MARRIAGE. FOR EVERYONE.

Get the government out of the marriage business--it doesn't belong there anyway. Replace the current state by state system with a nation-wide system of CIVIL UNIONS--this has worked, with great success, in many, many countries around the world (some of whom have based their Constitution on ours). In this system, two people, regardless of gender, would go to their local courthouse. They would fill out the necessary paperwork, submit blood test results, prove they are not already related by birth, are of age, and get a certificate. This certificate could be signed by a judge at the courthouse, after a suitable ceremony, if desired, or---here's where my proposal gets good--it could be taken to a house of worship to be blessed by the priest, rabbi, minister, priestess, family, friends, whatever is holy. But no matter how it's signed and blessed, this civil union between two people would be legally binding under the laws of the United States, and would allow this couple all the rights and privileges of every other couple so joined in the United States (and would allow gay couples the same 1,049 protections, benefits and responsibilities currently extended to married couples under federal law) . If it's important to you, your religious faith could bless the union and call it a marriage. If your religious faith would not allow such a union to take place, it would not have to bless the union--that would rightly be left up to the religion (see US Bill of Rights).
Simple and easy, and the word "marriage", which seems to rile so many in so many different ways, is taken out of the legal process.
There. I've had my say, put in a plug for a radical idea, and now I have a request to make. Please, if you are reading and listening to the debate about "gay marriage", and a little voice in the back of your head is saying, "But that isn't fair!"--listen to it. Talk out about it. Write to your legislator, your newspaper, your relative who lives far away. Speak up. Please.

"Separation of Church and State" part I

We, the people, often talk about the "Separation of Church and State", and we attribute it to the Bill of Rights. The Article actually reads:

"Article the third [Amendment I]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Our Founding Fathers (with a little help from the Mothers no doubt) had the wisdom, based on actual experience, to write a Bill of Rights that specifically forbade the establishment of a state-sponsored religion. Furthermore, and arguably more importantly, the citizens or the United States were free to worship how and what they wished. You were free to worship a God, Goddess, Allah, or any of the thousand names for a deity, AND you were free to NOT worship if you so chose. You were free to use whatever resources you needed when developing your own sense of morality; the government might be charged with teaching you to read and write, but you were not going to be taught how to think. Don't you just love America? I do.
You only have to look around the world to see the horror that happens when religion and politics mix--today and historically (let's save that for another blog). The Taliban misuses the Holy Koran to keep women enslaved and uneducated, and lately, throws acid on school girls who have the audacity to want to learn to read.
Let's fast-forward now from the 1700's to the 1980's, at the time that Ronald Reagan was running for office. Remember that he was running against President Jimmy Carter, a man who was deeply religious, knew his Bible, but also knew his Constitution. Carter was a Christian who was President, but that wasn't good enough for some people--they wanted a Christian President, and a Christian nation. The election of Ronald Reagan ushered in trickle-down economics, and gave rise to the Christian Right. The people who, in the early 1960s, were afraid that President Kennedy might be guided by the Pope were now demanding that our nation be a Christian Nation, controlled by Christian principles--oh, but only the Christian principles that they believed in. No abortion rights, reproductive rights (especially not to teenagers!), no rights for gay people, no gun control--the list was full of issues that were sure to polarize the nation. Divide and conquer has been used in every winning military campaign since the dawn of time, and it certainly worked in present day America, finely-honed and tweaked over the past 28 years. Why, we even thought it was OK to ask the Republican candidates this year if they believed every word of the Bible--where was the outrage that this question was even asked, let alone answered as it was? We became an even more divided nation, the Us vs. Thems grew, and in 2008, the Republican candidates littered their stump speeches with hate language, but by now we were so used to it, we let it slide. Or did we? Did we, as Americans electing Barack Obama, finally say, "Enough is enough. No more hate speech and scare tactics. We want to unite as a nation. A secular nation."

Yes and no.

For while our country was saying a leader should not be judged on the basis of the color of his skin or the church he attends, citizens in three states were voting discrimination into their State Constitutions. Many of these citizens were voting this way because their church leaders told them to. From the pulpit. Via e-mail. With fliers. With television commercials, using children to raise fear among their followers. These churches felt it was their right, their duty to interfere with the government of the United States of America. The Roman Catholic church, the Mormon church, and a whole host of "independent Christian churches" poured money into the campaigns in Arizona, Florida, and California. The Mormon church leadership and followers gave over $8 Million to get Proposition 8 passed in California. To put into the Constitution of the State of California these words: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Why? Because their church believes it. The leaders of the church believe it, and they've told their followers to believe it. Somewhere in the Holy book of their religion, they think they can find words that tell them to believe this (note to those reading the Bible--Jesus said absolutely nothing about homosexuality. Guess it wasn't high on his list of priorities). And now they think the government should believe it.
But the beauty of the United States is that our Bill of Rights allows us to have our own personal belief system and be free of the dogma of any one religion. Some religious people thought slavery was OK, others thought interracial marriage was an abomination, and still others believed women were not human enough to be allowed to vote. But the government thought otherwise, thank goodness, and gave legal protection to these minority citizens through various amendments to the Constitution--GAVE them rights, didn't take them away.
Our country has risen against discrimination before, and I hope we can do it again--soon. As an eternal optimist, I believe we will rise against injustice, hate and bigotry, and leave this world a better place than it was before. Regardless of our religious beliefs.
That being said, I believe these churches broke the law, and I believe they should be punished.
The following is the Internal Revenue Code for a 501 (c) 3 organization:

"(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition ... or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. "
We should revoke the tax-exempt statuses of these churches, if for no other reason than to send the clear, understandable message that our nation is a secular nation, reflecting the views of many, not few. Our founders did this for the protection of all of us, and for the protection of the country we call our home. We would be wise to uphold their wishes.

Sometimes It's the Right Thing to Do

This is Samantha. She was loved and cared for by our neighbor across the street until he died 10 days ago. My first day in this house, I met Sam and her owner out by the mailbox--he was in a bathrobe, smoking a cigar while Sam sniffed around at his feet. They were quite the elderly pair, and made me instantly love the neighborhood. Another neighbor told me I must introduce myself to Samantha, and she greeted me with a wagging tail.
After his death, I watched a constant parade of relatives going in and out of the house, and knew Samantha's quiet life had been disrupted. Slowly, the relatives left, and earlier this week, we realized that Sam must be there alone. Someone was coming in a couple of times a day to feed her, but otherwise she was on her own. That made us so sad, to think of a dog alone in a house when she's got to know her beloved owner was not coming back.
Karen and I talked it over, and yesterday, I went to get some information from the caregiver. Samantha, at age 14, was healthy and lovable and sadly, unwanted by the family. None of them could give her a home, so they were looking for a place for her.
What could I do? She's a sweet dog who has devoted her life to a couple who are now gone. She's done the best she could, and through no fault of her own, she's been...well....abandoned. She deserves to live out the rest of her life with people who will care for her and love her--not as her previous owners did--I know they loved her the best she will ever be loved. So, I asked to speak to the family, and as of today, Samantha lives with us.
I know there will be some adjustments. She seems fine with the cats, and she and Kiki are already partners in begging. She's got to get used to us, and we to her. But she already loves the back yard. Her bed, complete with the bathrobe worn by her beloved owner, is in our dining room. And I think tomorrow she will like us a little more than she does today, and vice versa. And an elderly dog will find that there are rewards for doing the best you could.

Oh What A Night

Our new president and his wife! It makes me happy to see a couple, who truly love each other and their family, being the face of the American people. I can only believe that people who love and respect each other as these two do will love and respect our country and our people. America is in good hands for the next...dare I say...8 years.
Woo hoo! I live in a Blue State! All of my family live in Blue States! I never thought I would see the day when Indiana would be one of the last states called in an election, let alone see its' color as blue. But more importantly, I live in the United States, ready to live under a leader who knows how to unite, not divide us. As Barack Obama said last night,
"It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America."
I am hopeful that this nation, under the leadership of President Obama, will become the great united nation it once was. Truly, we cannot doubt that the American people spoke with their votes yesterday, and said they rejected the hateful speech of the Republican party and their candidates.
But while I am elated we elected Barack Obama last night, I am also sad and troubled. Three states, California, Arizona, and Florida, have voted discrimination into their state Constitutions. They have said, by the slimmest of majorities, that same sex couples should be discriminated against; that they should be held apart as separate and not entitled to rights enjoyed by every other adult citizen of their states. Indeed: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness only for certain people. This is so very wrong, and makes me so very sad and disappointed. It's why I'm smiling on the outside today, and yet my heart is heavy.
I am the eternal optimist though, and I take hope from the election yesterday. I look at the amazing turnout of young voters, and I am hopeful that we have moved from the "Me" generation to the "We" generation; from the generation that, for good reason (Kent State, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy, Watergate), believed government could accomplish nothing, to the generation that believes in a leader named Barack Obama. This is the generation that will convince its' elders gay people deserve the same rights as anyone else, that it does not matter who you love; what matters is that you love. They will look to President Obama, take his words of wisdom to heart, and begin to build a better nation than the one we have now. The generation that heard, during the first election they could vote, and responded to the candidate, "Yes WE can."

Barack Obama votes

I don't know why, but this video made me all teary-eyed. Maybe it was seeing him with his kids on this historic day, but I think what got me came at the end, when he said, "I voted," and everyone burst into applause.

This Is It

Today's the day. The day we Americans elect a new leader. Brand new. No more Bush--now that's something to celebrate no matter what. The whole world is watching--not that we need any more pressure, thank you very much. My friend Sarah in England has been anxious for days about the election; perhaps the media could have done a little bit better job talking about the impact a US leader has on the rest of the world, and the anxiety this causes?
But I digress. It's a beautiful day here; the temperature will be in the 70's all day, and the sky is blue (an omen?! If the sky were red, now that would be an omen!). Linda and Kay are working at their polling places, and lots of my friends will be doing voter turnout activities. I knocked on doors for the Obama campaign on Sunday with my friend Cindy, and it made me feel hopeful in a few ways--first and foremost, the people who said they were voting for Obama in the very working class neighborhood cut right across all racial lines. That was very cool. The other uplifting thing for me was seeing how organized the Obama campaign was--if it's like this across the nation, Obama will be tough to beat. I have voted, my parents have voted, my kids have voted--one by absentee ballot, and one came home from college to vote, and Karen cut short a visit with a very ill relative to come home to vote--it's that important. A lot of my friends have voted early; we had multiple opportunities to do that here in Indiana, and it was so helpful. I have worn my 3 different "Vote" shirts to work over the past 3 weeks, so I'm even prodding strangers to do their civic duty. About all that's left to do today is pray, meditate, hope that the American people will be wise enough to elect a leader who can inspire Congress and the American people as we ALL try to tackle the garbage heap of problems left by the current administration.
While I'm worried and anxious about the election today, tomorrow and for many days to come, I'll be worried about the ability of our next president to get us out of this mess--can anyone undo what Bush has done? How long will it take? If not one term, will the American people have patience to allow the next president two terms to solve the problems? Will we finally have a Congress that realizes it's time to set aside partisan politics? Will we finally have leaders who stop running for the next election long enough to get something accomplished? Health care reform anyone?
I hope to go to a very big celebration party tonight, and for a few moments at least I hope to see my new leaders as the superheroes I need them to be.
Then tomorrow, we'll all get to work.

Things that Keep Me Awake at Night

In addition to the usual worry about family and friends, this election has kept me awake at night. As a matter of fact, what will keep me awake tonight is at least two Letters to the Editor today that say Barack Obama is the anti-Christ and that the end of the world is upon us. I'm disturbed that people actually think those things, that ministers actually preach that garbage, but I'm equally disturbed that our local newspaper prints this stuff. Given the current state of the world, I'm not so sure that our current president isn't going to end the world for us well before January 2009, but I keep those thoughts to myself (mostly).
The second thing that keeps me awake is the worry about what will happen on Wednesday if John McCain actually wins this election? There have already been instances of voter intimidation, malfunctioning machines, etc. If this election goes to McCain in a squeaker, I am afraid that there will be widespread rioting--people of every race, creed, persuasion will finally get riled up enough to say, "I'm mad as Hell and I won't take it anymore."
I just had to get this out in print--sorry if it causes you some lost sleep too.

The "Infomercial"

The 30 minute Barack Obama commercial was not aimed at me; I made up my mind who to vote for a while ago. I know the "infomercial" was aimed at the undecideds among us (how many of those can there be? Maybe choosing between a major and a minor party candidate?). But I thought I should watch it nonetheless.
I could not watch it in prime time because I was out getting bits for my awesome Halloween costume, so I tried to find it on the internet (how hard could that be? It was on a number of major networks.). About 15 minutes and at least 4 different websites (including the official Barack Obama site) later, I found it on YouTube, where it had been divided into multiple parts. I'm not sure I watched it in order, but I don't think that influenced what I thought of it.
I thought it was very well done. Yes, I had heard most of the information before, but again, I was not in the target audience. But what I was most amazed at was how I felt while watching the commercial. For the first time in many weeks, my stomach started to unclench. Perhaps it was the background music, perhaps it was the photography, but I felt myself relax. I relaxed as I heard a thoughtful person speak softly but clearly about his ideas. I heard other articulate Americans, from many walks of life, talk about their problems and their dreams. What I didn't hear (and didn't miss) were attacks on opponents, hate speech, or people booing their fellow Americans. The faces I saw were not sneering, not fake in any way. I am getting so tired of the RNC ads on television. I am getting so tired of the John McCain stump clips on television, where he appears to be talking to us as if we were grade school kids. I am tired of feeling such negativity coming from the box in the corner. Barack Obama's commercial made me feel good; happy that there was such a thoughtful individual speaking to me.
Those feelings were reinforced last night, when Rachel Maddow interviewed Barack Obama.
Here were two very bright, very articulate individuals having a great conversation. Maybe one or two campaign lines, but mostly Obama went into greater deal regarding foreign policy, especially Afghanistan. What struck me most was Obama's remarks about the Republican party and why he is not attacking them while on the campaign trail. Duh--he wants to work with them come January (too bad John McCain missed that thought, as he attacks EVERYONE in Washington as elitist). I had to smile when later Rachel called Obama "Mr. Bipartisanship Pants"--she was kidding. She knows he's right and he's the one who can pull it off.
So, I have a little bitty bit of hope for the outcome on Tuesday night. I just hope my stomach unclenches on Wednesday morning.

RNC: Do they support the right for 8 year olds to be armed with Uzis?

My heart goes out to the mother of this little boy; does she know what the father was up to? Maybe just a bit of male bonding time.

WESTFIELD, Mass. — An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair.

The boy lost control of the weapon while firing it Sunday at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, police Lt. Lawrence Vallierpratte said.

Police said the boy, Christopher Bizilj (Bah-SEAL) of Ashford, Conn., was with a certified instructor and called the death a "self-inflicted accidental shooting."

As the boy fired the Uzi, "the front end of the weapon went up with the backfire and he ended up receiving a round in his head," police Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. The boy died at a hospital.

The boy's father and older brother were also there at the time, a gun club member and school official said. Francis Mitchell, a longtime member and trustee of the club, said he was told the boy's father was supporting his son from behind when the shooting happened.

Although the death appeared to be an accident, officials were investigating.

It is legal in Massachusetts for children to fire a weapon if they have permission from a parent or legal guardian and are supervised by a properly certified and licensed instructor, Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. The name of the instructor helping the boy was not released.

The event ran in conjunction with C.O.P Firearms and Training

"It's all legal & fun — No permits or licenses required!!!!" reads the ad, posted on the club's Web site.

Messages left on answering machines for the club and the C.O.P. group were not returned Monday.

We Did See This Coming, Didn't We?

With Sarah Palin still doing her best to stir up the bottom feeders, we can't be surprised by this, can we?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Law enforcement arrested two men in Tennessee who had plans to rob a gun dealer to shoot Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and "as many non-Caucasians" as possible, an official said on Monday.

An official from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said police found the men in the Jackson, Tennessee area with a number of guns, including a sawed-off shotgun, in their car.

"They wanted to go to a place where they could shoot as many non-Caucasian as they could," the official said, noting that the men first planned to rob a gun dealer. "They also had a plot to assassinate Sen. Obama."

Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, is leading Republican John McCain in opinion polls ahead of the November 4 election.

This is Our Future

These very special images come courtesy of this website. I don't know about you, but it makes me feel very good about our future.

How I Spent My Autumn Vacation, Part 2

Yes, I'm a dork.

Saturday dawned, I think (who the heck gets up at dawn on their vacation?!) as a bright, glorious autumn day. Karen and I were ready to get out in all its splendor at....oh.....about 10, but were unsure of how to dress for the day. It was, of course, October, so that usually means sweatshirts or at the very least long sleeves, but this day was promising to be a warm, Indian Summer day. So layers it was.
I was navigating, which meant a lot of backing up and turning around. But soon enough, we were on Old Mission Peninsula, described this way: "A delicate finger of breathtaking beauty, Old Mission Peninsula (OMP) extends northward from Traverse City into Lake Michigan's Grand Traverse Bay. Nineteen miles long and 3 miles across at its widest, the land was historically devoted to growing cherries, one of Traverse City’s claims to fame. This unique micro climate situated precisely at the 45th parallel (exactly halfway between the North Pole and the Equator) also happens to be the ideal environment for growing varietal wine grapes. A lakeside location holds the summer heat in check, while preventing temperatures from dropping too low in the winter. The result is a short but virtually frost-free 145-day growing season perfectly suited for the production of excellent handcrafted Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, as well as specialty fruit wines, cherry port and sangria, and methode champenoise sparkling wines." We couldn't wait to check out some of those vineyards!
Evidently many other people had the same idea, because the first vineyard was jam-packed and the second, Two Lads, sadly, had sold out of wine We meandered out to the point, thinking we could hit a few vineyards on the way back. Oh yes, and we stopped to take photos!

This is the Old Mission Inn, and judging by the decor, a place we want to stay next time we're in Michigan!
And this is a view from somewhere on the peninsula--we said over and over again how lucky we were to be in Michigan at this time of year.

I think both of us were eager to get out to Old Mission Point, because we were a little tired of being in the car and were looking forward to walking out in all this splendid nature. I was looking forward to seeing the lighthouse, and was also hoping to see a sign for the 45th parallel (the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole)--for no other reason than to get a photo of Karen in front of it (she's a map geek).





The lighthouse was different from what I expected, but was still very cool.












Here is the bonus--we both were able to pose in front of the sign! The problem with traveling as a couple is: one of you has to take the photo, so you get none of the two of you. But I have found that if you just ask, strangers are very willing to help you out. How cool is that?
At last, we were able to hike out in nature. And what spectacular nature it was! We decided, because we needed the exercise, to walk out as far as we could on the point.






The view from there was glorious, and we were happily surprised to spot a family of white swans off the point.












Karen, of course, climbed way out on the rocks and scared me again, but we made it safely back to civilization and headed for the vineyards that were, by now, calling our names quite clearly. We stopped for lunch at Bad Dog Deli and immediately felt sorry for the overworked woman behind the counter (turns out she was the owner); I guess they weren't expecting the amount of business they were getting for a weekend in October--usually by this time, the weather had turned colder and less inviting. However, while we were there, we were entertained by the bicyclists and their funny outfits.
We realized that every vineyard was going to be busy, so chose three that were easy to get to from the main road: Bowers Harbor, Black Star Farms, and Peninsula Cellars.




These grapes were growing on the vine at Bowers Harbor.




The last vineyard, Peninsular Cellars, was our favorite, because the tasting room is in an old school, and the wine, Detention, is very good. Plus they gave out Hersey's kisses (who says I can't be bought?). I was struck by how patient and polite all the servers were at all the vineyards; they have to repeat themselves over and over, and yet treated us as if we were their only customers for the day. Tasting was fun, and although I usually prefer red to white wine, I found the opposite was true for these vineyards. I was also looking for a good cherry wine, and finally found one at Peninsula Cellars.
We left Old Mission Peninsula, but we promised to return and to bring some friends. After a stop at the hotel, we ventured off to see a couple of places in Traverse City that we just couldn't miss.



This is a store in Traverse City that sells t-shirts and "A Hermit Crab with the Purchase of a Cage". Sadly, no Hermit Crabs this late in the year, or Kiki and Charlie would have had a new playmate. Isn't the bear incredible? We thought it might have been vandalized by paintballers, but the clerk said the bear was attacked by paint balloon-welding teenagers. Anyway, this was a photo for Suzie.



Next stop was Twisted Fish Galleries. Unfortunately, they were closed, but we got some great shots of the artwork outside:




Of course, Karen and the chicken for Liz, Karen's friend who loves chickens a little too much.






This is an amazing sculpture of a bear, made from old metal parts. He is holding a fishing rod.










But by far my favorite was "Hunting Dog". Note that there appears to be a very large stag, just behind this canine, and I think he's going to get away. There were just too many sculptures to capture on film, and I highly recommend you stop by next time you're in the neighborhood. Bring lots of cash.




We were beginning to think that dinner would be a good idea, but not before a stop at a waterfront park in Traverse City.

Karen was really, really sad that the city was so strict about where you could and could not walk in their city. Those bastards! Keeping poor Karen off their rocks!








On the other hand, I was relieved to not have to call an ambulance to scape her off of said rocks.




Next decision was where to have dinner. We were craving burgers, and of course, wanted to try some more beer (the alcohol from the wine had worn off hours ago--really!). We wanted to patronize a locally-owned business that was not very touristy. After a mistaken drive up the coast to the land of no restaurants, we started back toward Traverse City. Karen, in a brilliant move, turned right then left and there we were--right in front of Little Bo's.




Lil Bo's has been family owned and operated for a very long time. I highly recommend the Olive Burger (hamburger, sliced green olives, mayo, Swiss cheese), but I must say their menu has a lot of variety and it will be tempting to try it all.









Nancy, the owner (took over from her father) made us feel very welcome, and the great salesperson she is, made us try the cannoli's for desert. Wow! And, in a pure serendipitous moment, she and I realized we were both in the San Francisco Bay area during the earthquake of 1989. We will definitely be turning into the parking lot of Lil Bo's next time we're in Traverse City.


The next question was: how do we cap a terrific day on Traverse Bay? By going to the casino, of course! There was one near Traverse City, so off we set with $40 in our pockets (OK, we actually had to turn around and go back for the money--we each thought the other one had it!) to play the slot machines. I am happy to report that we returned to the motel with $40 in our pockets, because luckily Karen won $30 on the Quarter Slots, while I proceeded to lose all of my money. The casino parking lot was jammed; it looked like Christmastime at the local mall. I admit I do like all the glitz and lights and waterfalls--it doesn't make me spend more money, but it does dazzle me. It took only 15 minutes to break even on the slots (thank goodness Karen was there to pull me away, because dammit, I hate to lose and I would still be there, trying to win--just one more quarter......). We spent the rest of the evening wandering around the casino, watching them play roullette and blackjack, and being amazed at the high stakes tables that were full. The casino was a depressing place for me in the end, because I looked around and saw people I know who couldn't afford to be there, gambling on that one chance they would actually win. It was a lot like our government credit crunch without the expensive suits. But it was fun to do something different with Karen, and know she has more self-control than I do (a good quality to have in a partner!).
The next morning dawned (you know the rest), and we were told the temperatures were to be in the 80's, so figuring out how to dress was not a problem. We left Traverse Bay behind (promise to return!), and headed out toward Sleeping Bear Dunes.





I highly recommend you pay the money, enter the park, and do the driving tour--there are plenty of scenic stops (like this one), and plenty of places to hike.










How many times can I say it? The scenery was just spectacular!














This is a shot for Sarah--local fauna on the dunes. We did the 1 + mile loop and it was grand.












This is the spot where Karen said she would leave me if I didn't stop taking so many photos of leaves! Honestly, we were pretending to be the first white settlers, and this is where she decided to leave me after I complained once too often about leaving Boston for this. It was fun.





Finally we arrived at Sleeping Bear Dune.




Here Karen faced twin disappointments. She was not going to be allowed throw rocks, AND there was no way I was going to go to the bottom of this dune! As an aside, when we returned home, we were telling Peter where we had been, and he said that he and his friends had also been there this summer. Of course, idiots they were, they went all the way to the bottom. Glad I didn't know it until months later.





As we were wandering around the lookout area, we spotted this little bit of artwork in the sand. Really, who makes little bricks out of sand and water?!!! Extraordinary!














If you look really closely, or click on the image for an enlargement, you will see the people climbing up from the bottom of the dune. You will probably not see where they have thrown up. I am really, really so glad I didn't know Peter had gone to the bottom of this dune!







Here we are, safely at the top of Sleeping Bear.














As we began our drive to Saugatuck, we made the great decision to stay on the less-traveled roads. The scenery was, again, spectacular, and we found ourselves, more than once, stopping to try to capture it on film. These photos just don't do it justice.










We were starving, but sadly did not eat here.















This place, in Grand Haven, boasted it was the largest pumpkin patch in the area. It WAS pretty impressive, and had the best carmel apples I've ever eaten.










They also had some weirdly cute wall art.










Our ultimate destination for our last day of vacation was our favorite Michigan town, Saugatuck, and our favorite Bed and Breakfast,

The Newnham Suncatcher Inn, run by Nancy and Barb and their boss, Abbey the terrier. We were fortunate to get the guesthouse for our stay, and this is the view from our front door. The Inn is currently for sale, so I recommend you book a stay soon--you will not want to miss the hospitality of Barb and Nancy.
We love Saugatuck because it's quaint, has lots of cool shops, most importantly, welcomes with open arms the LGBT community. Karen and I could really be ourselves there and not worry about snide remarks or worse.







I also spotted the prettiest Obama sign I have seen. It was nestled in this peaceful front garden, next to a little waterfall.












This one is for Sarah. There are still black squirrels in Michigan!!!!









Our time in Saugatuck passed way too quickly, and before we knew it, we were heading home. The beautiful scenery helped cheer me a little, as did a burger from here.



Redamak's is an institution in New Buffalo, Michigan, and for good reason. They are closed for the season now, but I recommend a visit if you're close to Michigan City and feeling a bit peckish. Great burgers, great atmosphere.









We got back on the Interstate for just a few miles, and wow--it was worth it just to see this car! The back window is covered with little antennae and wires. What the heck are all these for?! Perhaps some geek can explain?










As I've said, it's great to get off the major roads and just meander home. About an hour from home, we came across this sign.













This bar was just across the street; maybe you could kill time here while your deer was being processed? You've just gotta love bars like this one; I'm sure there are lots of stories to be told from time spent here. I'm just not sure I want to go inside to hear them.




We also stopped near the Jasper-Pulaski Nature Preserve and saw some sandhill cranes out in the cornfields. It was a little too early in the day to enjoy the cranes as they fly into the Preserve for the night, but it was cool to see them out in the fields.


And finally, some more damn leaf photos!















Karen is one of the best traveling companions to have (ranks right up there with Mom, Kila, Erika and Peter, to name a few). I can't wait until our next adventure.