respublica

Trick or Treat 2009 version

Everyone in a good mood because there is no rain with an extra hour of sleep as the real treat.

First!

A monkey

Look at Ferdie laugh!  Click picture

They just kept coming

Wha'cha got in that bag

The littlest pumpkin and her princess sister

Getting ready for Michigan

Tomorrow we head north for our annual week on the shores of Lake Michigan.  We'll spend the night with Dale's sister (and brother) and then drive the rest of the way on Saturday.  We're heading for Arcadia which is near the top of the lower peninsula.

Sunsets are beautiful up there on the lake, but we gather the weather may be chillier than normal this year. 

The Inn at Camp Arcadia, right next to the water.

The patio.

What about Ferdie?  He's going to doggie camp at Kennelwood Village where he will have his own room complete with bed and a flat screen tv.  Plus he will have doggie day care during the week in which the dogs get to play with each other for 4 hours a day.  I think he'll enjoy this.  I hope he enjoys it.

Back to school shopping

It's July 14th and somehow we're in a back to school shopping mood.  According to the Sun-Times families will be spending about 7 percent less on back to school items this year.  Except for college student families, they will increase their spending.

I don't know how researchers know this, the paper did not say which research group did this survey, but after being in a Wal Mart yesterday, battling my way past many parents and kids who, with school lists in hand, were digging through the bins of paper, pencils, markers, notebooks, crayons, Kleenex and whatever I doubt the claim.  The bins were already half empty.

And, the story claims that over 20 percent of school families will get their school supplies in drug stores.  Drug stores?  I find that hard to believe.

Oh no. Merry Christmas in July

Sears has opened an online holiday store and has begun putting Christmas boutiques in hundreds of its stores.

I'm dreaming of a consumer free Christmas.

4th of July for history buffs

On the 4th of July we celebrate the Declaration of Independence which was actually approved by the delegates of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 2, 1776.

On July 4, 1776, the delegates voted for the Declaration a second time, gave a public reading on the 8th and officially signed on August 2.

The final draft of July 4, 1776 saw 9 of the representatives of the 13 colonies vote yes, 2 vote no-Pennsylvania and South Carolina, Delaware voted undecided and New York abstained.

There were approximately 2.5 million people living in the 13 colonies. 

John Adams, believing the 2nd would be the anniversary date, wrote to his wife, Abigail,  "The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America.  I am apt to believe it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.  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 shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more."

The first Independence Day celebration was held on July 4, 1777.

Calvin Coolidge was the only American president to be born on the 4th of July, however 3 others died on the 4th of July-John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe.

Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Souza, written in 1896.

June 21, 2009 is...

A Sunday

Father's Day

The first day of summer

And...

National Nude Hiking Day.

Funniest line describing nude hiking day comes from Fark.com:

"Watch out for bares."

DC A list vacations

The Politico has a throw away post giving its readers a look at where Washington DC politicos plan to vacation this year.

John Podesto:  "I am going to my condo in Truckee [Calif.], like I do every year — will sit on my porch and do conference calls 50 feet from where the Donner Party ate each other."

CNN talking head, Margaret Carlson plans to head for East Hampton to read and bake bread make ice cream.

Etc etc.

Happy Mothers Day

On May 8, 1914, Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mothers Day.  Earlier manifestations of Mothers Day were small observations revolving around an issue of the day, anti-war demonstrations-1872 and Temperance Movement-1877.

In 1905, Anna Marie Jarvis began her campaign to make Mothers Day an official national holiday.

Ah, Spring

A day trip to Ahner's greenhouse in New Baden this morning.  Everything is in bloom and the customers are beginning to pile in on one of the few nice days this spring.  Everyone is anxious to get out in the yard, plant some pots, make a garden.

Ahner's has some nice planters for sale.

And beds and beds of impatiens, geraniums, etc etc etc.

Even a lone robin is happy to be in the colorful greenhouse.

Happy Easter

From Sam the bunny, Riley's pal.