Just a hint of Fall in the air this morning... it was fooling with me I know... Fall is a long way off here in Charleston, but it was a nice change. Getting everything together in case Earl comes our way... instead of heading to North Carolina... here he comes..Everyone say a little prayer that Earl stays off shore and peters out before making land fall.
My friend Heike runs the kennel at her house near Cottageville SC, with a big doggie play yard that includes a pond, and horses too. My dogs always love going to 'Camp Heike' which is our name for her place... they come home tired and happy.
I find Arlington Cemetery a very moving place to be... the resting place of heroes, men and women of courage and honor.
We got home around midnight... tired by glad to be home.
We got to the rally 3 hours before it was supposed to start... and were surprised to find the area totally packed with people... we got stuck outside the fence of the overflow area... but we could see a Jumbotron and hear everything that was going on... so we were luckier than a whole lot of people that arrived closer to the actual start time. I was touched most by the first speaker, the mother of a young Special Ops soldier, that at the age of 5 decided he wanted to be a Ranger... it was his life long dream... he left 4 young children when he died... it was a heart breaking story... I was inspired by the speakers and the people around me everyone was so upbeat and positive. There were a few park police with snotty attitudes, but most of them were helpful and courteous.
We left Charleston very early this morning in a downpour... our luggage had to be put into garbage bags... while we go soaked in the process... it was a long uneventful ride to Washington DC... this trip our driver was obviously an experienced safe driver. We excited about the rally tomorrow.
At 7am... the crowd was already huge... we couldn't get into the main field because of the fence... younger people climbed over... this old lady... NO WAY
Ron took this shot, I was too pooped to walk down there ... this was taken almost 2 hours after the rally ended
On the other side of those trees is the reflecting pond... we never actually saw the pond today.
Just about packed up and ready for our trip to Washington tomorrow... just last year I went to Washington for the 9/12 march, alone on a bus full of 60 other people from Charleston... how a year can change things... this year Ron is going too, but this year I know probably more than half of the people that will be on the bus... we are friends now... last year we were strangers. I expect to be inspired and encouraged... I will post photos, but probably won't be able to update my Journal until I return on Sunday. Everyone play nice while I'm gone.
Bordie Collies are such delightful dogs, smart and obsessive compulsive workers, if you don't give them a job to do they will make up their own... and I can almost guarantee you won't like what they come up with. They excel at agility and obedience and they love to herd sheep or ducks or small children... they can be very protective of their 'sheep' and so can be fine personal protection dogs too. I love the breed and so enjoyed my years with my guy Crispin UDX TD NA AD ... completely devoted and always eager to please, the exact opposite of my little knot headed terriers.
This fellow looks a bit like Beauregard when he was a baby... he's a dignified old man now at 13 years old... but he can still give you that 'look' that'll melt your heart.
It is so humid that you could slice up the air with a knife... the heat just saps all your energy. Even the afternoon thunderstorms don't bring any relief from the heat. Still practicing drawing cats... can't get the eyes right yet.
Had dinner with friends, they have a Maltese... so I had to draw one for my journal and for the sketchbook project. Beautiful little dogs... smart too.
I heard someone say this today, they were talking about the OBamaCare bill. It brought to mind some other government beasts that need to be starved, like the Dept of Education, the Energy Dept to name two. It set me thinking... what are the beasts in my life that I need to starve? Cancer is the big ugly green beast in my closet... but I have other beasts too... I've starved the smoking beast finally...there are others that need to be put on serious diets.
More funny dogs for my sketchbook and in my journal too... did this one in the journal first, then a bigger one in the sketchbook project book... I think the dogs are ahead so I need to do some cats really soon. School started today, and with them a surge in traffic? Why is that? I didn't pass a single school, nor see a single school bus, but the traffic volume was triple it's usual level today... one of life's mysteries.
Got a bone scan today, I should glow in the dark for a while... it's disconcerting to see a digital image of your bones... but it's the only thing to watch while they are doing it. I don't know the results, my only clue that it's probably ok, is that they didn't feel the need to redo any of it (which they do if they see something). This is a pretty expensive test, wonder if I'll ever have another?
It is a powerful image, faith can move mountains....and boy do we have some mountains that need to be moved.
Spent a good part of the day in search of new earrings... couldn't find any that I liked. Guess I'll head down to my jewelry desk and make some... I've got some new beads I want to make into a pendant... so my lazy self should just do it. The clown has no particular meaning, just wanted something easy and bright on a grey rainy day.
It was an off the cuff question and answer session, both men did a very good job fielding questions from the crowd... good food, and good friends, with a bit of politics thrown in for good fun... do people in other parts of the country do the same? I wonder?
There's a flock of about 8 or 10 birds that hang out at my office building only 1 of them is brown. I've been wondering if the brown bird was a female and the white ones males... coworker was sure the brown one was the male and the white ones the females... finally looked it up on the internet ... and found out the brown one is a young bird after his first molt, he'll get white feathers... mystery solved... it's a baby :-)
If dogs made protest signs, what would they say? "More Tennis Balls, Less Leashes", "No Fat Cats" ... mine would probably say 'I'm a house dog, not a yard dog"... they all love being inside in the air conditioning.
There's been a lot of talk in the news of late about the Imam that wants to build a Mosque at ground zero in NY.... I'm a big believer in freedom of religion, and the free market... I just think that a Bar-B-Q place right next door might help them learn to be tolerant of pork lovers... BAM!
I have never owned a Siamese Cat, I think they are very elegant looking cats... I have mostly shelter cats... I blame my daughter for me having cats now... I never had cats or even liked cats... but she insisted on a cat for a pet as a child... and well I've had cats ever since. I have vowed when the cats I have now pass away, I will not get any more cats... I have vowed this before... you see my daughter hasn't lived with me in a very, very long time... and I still have cats... but this bunch is it... really.
As a little girl, one of my favorite movies was 'Big Red'. I always wanted an Irish Setter, I still would love to have one some day. We had a neighbor on the next block and they had an Irish setter in a big fenced pen, that bordered the sidewalk, I used to walk up there just to pet and talk to that big red dog.
I've always liked Bearded Collies, and if it weren't for all the grooming involved I'd love to have one.
Bought myself a new desk today, now I need a new keyboard for my laptop and I'll be set. I love this new desk, it works so much better for my scanner.
Today is my Mom's birthday, I called her tonight, she had a big birthday lunch with all her grand kids... she sounded happy when I talked to her.
After the monsoon last night, we had a cool cloudy morning. The SC afternoon quickly went to hazy, hot, and humid. We moved our chairs under the shade of the huge live oak trees on the state house grounds to listen to all the speakers. We met some courageous people today it isn't easy being a black conservative these days and these folks deserve our support.
We just had a 'Frog strangling' rain/thunderstorm... whew... it seems to be over, but I tried to go get some gas in my car... and the filling station electronic gas pumps are not working... so no gas tonight.
This evening slipped away so fast... I just looked up and it's 9pm and time to get ready for bed... Some days are like that I suppose.
It wasn't a cheepo shoe, it was an expensive leather one... kind of funny what will make absolute strangers stop and talk to each other... wonder if it was a candid camera stunt to see what people would do?
Powerful eating and swimming machines... I find sharks fascinating and frightening at the same time. Great series on TV this week about them.
Dalmatian's have long been a favorite breed of mine. They are very smart, which makes them tough to train... they get bored with repetition. Love those spotted bodies :-)
