11/4 Hangover

The election is done. I heard a story on NPR Wednesday night that Kenya had declared Thursday a national holiday because of the election of Barack Obama as president of the U.S. One segment reported that people went to the grave of Obama's father and chanted that he had sired a king. I didn't think the popular vote margin was quite that large, but I do believe that it's a good thing for America's image around the globe.

Congratulations to Auntie Bucksnort!!! Her granddaughter Paloma Luz had a tropical storm named after her---Paloma is bearing down on the Caymans and Cuba as I write this Thursday evening. Way to go Dove Light!!!!!!!!!!! But now the Pirate Dogs want to storm NOAA---their idea is to get the National Weather Service to name hurricanes from the BACK of the alphabet. Some muttering from the Captain about Weetzie being more potent than a Dove..................Gotta let those dogs out more during the day.

Watching MSNBC post-election. I can't believe the stories coming out about Sarah Palin. I may not be a fan of hers, but to state that she doesn't know the countries in North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), the ones that make up NAFTA, or that she doesn't know Africa is a continent, not a country, all that seems a little over the top. She obviously doesn't care to share what knowledge she might possess---witness the Katie Couric interview question about what magazines or newspapers she reads---all of them, whatever they put in front of me was the response. I don't think anybody (Keith "Big Head" Olbermann excepted) would laugh too hard if she admitted to Fins and Feathers Alaska or the Anchorage Daily News. Maybe US, People, Time or Newsweek. But everything?? Come on. This woman is a master politician and apparently quite the manipulator. Really says something negative about John McCain's campaign that they pick her to be "a heartbeat away" from the presidency and then throw her under the bus when they lose. Shame on the McCain campaign and aren't we glad we didn't elect such a pathetically poor decision maker as our leader?

Random Thoughts

So my brother from Washington state was here for a visit. He brought the western WA weather with him. It's been rainy and sorta cool the last week. Not at all what one would expect in New Mexico in August. So we'll blame my brother. Why not? Just to let you know how cool it was, my niece-in-law, stopping on their trip from Maine to California, commented on the weather. She expected it to be much warmer!!! And she's from Maine!!!! I think there's still snow on the ground there.

The chile harvest is in. I spent the requisite hour or so getting my chiles and having them roasted. I can relax for another year knowing that I have these freezer bags full and ready to go. Most of the fun is standing in the roasting line chatting with other shoppers and exchanging recipes. And when you get home, peel a chile, stuff some cheese in it, wrap it in a tortilla (preferably a fresh one from the local tortilleria) and microwave it.....culinary heaven.

I see politics as usual is firing up as the Olympics wind down. There was a piece tonite on BBC World News America about the Russian freeze of the Czech spring 40 years ago. The Democratic party convention starts Monday in Denver. I wonder what the cable and network news will have to say about the Democratic convention in Chicago in 1968. Remember Crosby and Nash---"Please come to Chicago....We can change the world."

I wonder if we did.............................And if so, for the better??