A lot of stuff
Merry Christmas
Sher and Maj wish you all a very Merry Christmas
Christmas lights
Roadtirement Happy Thanksgiving
Right out of the oven
A bountiful start to the meal
Sher and Maj wish you all a loving and peaceful Thanksgiving day.
Starbucks for Seattle errands
You can’t run errands when you’re in Seattle until you stop at Starbucks first!
Covid-19 lockdown: remembering March 2020
This is a post we published in March, 2020, after the Indiana Governor’s Executive order to shut down the state.
When the sound of a mower is relished
Our local NBC station showed a video on their noon news of the city of Indianapolis. The video was in black and white and showed scene after scene of the city with no people, cars, buses or any sign of life. Totally empty streets and parking lots made the shots look like they came right out of the last scene of the movie “On the Beach”, an apocalyptic movie from 1959.
Carry out only
Sher and I and our son were commenting on the video which led to the discussion of the quiet nature that has become our neighborhood. It seems as though most of the neighbors are paying attention to the Indiana declaration of “stay at home and work from home”. Very little traffic, even the guy with the extra loud Harley is not to be heard recently.
Then we heard someone starting up their lawn mower. Wow who would ever think that the usually obnoxious noise from a Briggs and Stratton engine would provide a twisted sense of normalcy to this COVID -19 pandemic abnormal situation. Thus the title of this post.
At times the pandemic lockdown feels like years ago, at times it seems like yesterday.
Abe Lincoln’s home in Springfield, Illinois
The formal parlor in the Lincoln home
During our travels we have enjoyed some of the sights and historic attractions in Springfield, Illinois. The only US National Park in Illinois is the four block area that includes the home of Abraham Lincoln and his family. Lincoln only owned one house during his life, and it was this one in Springfield.
Today the home is completely restored including what is touted as original Lincoln family furniture and other items. You have to go on a guided tour of the Lincoln home. Tickets are free but you do need a ticket. The tickets are available at the information center. There were not a lot of people there today but there were a couple of bus loads of tourists. We did have to wait a couple of hours before our tour. On a real busy tourist day it might take a while to be able to take the tour.
The tour was quick, maybe a half hour at the most. I would have liked to really look at some of the furnishings of the house, but those NPS Rangers kept you moving, and by golly you better not even touch the walls or even the door jambs! I understand not wanting things worn out but to yell at a fellow who puts his hand on a painted wood door jamb? Oh well, it was still fun to see the Lincoln house.
A ‘classic’ view of the home
These parlor chairs are said to be Lincoln’s in this house. The NPS guide said they went into storage after Lincoln moved to DC. and were recovered.
Lincoln’s desk in his upstairs bedroom. Legend says he wrote his debates with Douglas at this desk.
Lincoln’s dresser with wash basin and pitcher and shaving gear.
When it is too cold to go to the outhouse…
The four block historic area around the Lincoln home on the left
There are lots of displays in the info center as well as a couple of short films. And of course the gift shop was packed with just about everything Lincoln you could imagine.
Two Englishmen fight it out in 1870 Louisiana
Here’s two neat little tidbits of history from a Mississippi River town, Kenner, next to New Orleans. Check it out…
We noticed a neat park on the Mississippi River levee at the town of Kenner, Louisiana. I turned into the parking lot because I saw an interesting statue. It was, in fact, a statue of a couple of men in boxing stances. I had to see what this was all about. Here is a picture and a little history.
Bronze statue portraying the 1870 boxing contest
On May 10, 1870, a trainload of about 1000 people left New Orleans for the little town of Kenner, a few miles from NOLA. The purpose of the trip was to visit an old sugar house near the banks of the Mississippi River. In that house was a makeshift boxing ring. In that ring a fellow from Beeston, Norwich, England named Jed Mace was the victor over another Englishman named Tom Allen from Birmingham. The 10 round bout was a bare knuckle affair. What made…
View original post 117 more words
Only Washington, D.C. has more war memorials than Indianapolis
Indy is known for honoring its veterans and active servicemen, as this post shows. The strands on the tall monument are Christmas lights strung each year for the traditional “Circle of Lights” displays.
The city of Indianapolis has more downtown acres devoted to honoring our servicemen and veterans than any other U.S. city. And yes, as the title states, only Washington, D.C. has more war memorials and monuments than Indy. Start at the Soldiers and Sailor’s Monument and walk north to enjoy the other memorials in the immediate downtown area. You can spend a relaxing and inspirational day taking in the beauty and solitude of these structures and holy grounds honoring those who served so we may be free.
At the center of Monument Circle, the Soldiers and Sailor’s Monument honoring the troops of the Civil War
The Indiana War Memorial honors Hoosiers killed during WWI. It also contains a free museum and records of Indiana servicemen from WWI to the present.
The Obelisk in Veterans Memorial Plaza is centrally located in the 7 block war memorial district listed in the National Register…
View original post 139 more words
American Shorthair Tabby cat
Breaking Good News!! One of the neighbors has adopted the cat.
Just this week a stray tom cat has been hanging around our house and neighborhood.
He likes to peer in through the screen in the back door
A cute face and a sweet little meow
