Where's My Fife and Drum?
If I sound a wee bit peeved it's because I am. I'm a patriot. I love the promise of this nation. When we fall short of that promise, especially when we don't even seem to be trying to hit the mark, it breaks my heart.
I've been having chest pains for nearly 8 years.
Today, this 232nd anniversary of America's official birth seems like a good time to celebrate the rebels and radicals who called BS on the powers that were and said "there has got to be a better way". Then they went off and first they wrote The Declaration of Independence which is full of stirring, edgy language:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men* are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"....
("I know this, says you...geez, you don't think everyone is quoting this ad infinitum today?"
"Hush, says me, I'm getting to the good part...the part people forget...the part that sounds as fresh today as it did back then.")
"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness".
The right of revolution? Hello? Let's say a person running for office went on Larry King and let's say that individual declared, "Oh, yes, Larry, I absolutely believe that if government isn't working, the people have every right to make changes and, failing that, to throw out the whole thing and start all over again". What do you think the headlines would read the next day?
And if the Declaration of Independence weren't enough, then they go and write the Constitution. I don't know when you last read it but really, you oughta take a little time and do it soon. It's not that long. But it's a good idea to know what is in it so you can tell when the current administration do yet another thing to try and weaken it.
Maybe it's because I'm a words gal, but I think the Declaration and the Constitution are stirring, incredible documents that laid the foundation for a terribly interesting experiment. And that experiment is facing some major challenges right now, mostly from within. For those of us who are true, patriotic Americans, those of us who really love this country and remember the greatness of which she's capable should remember how much we have in common with Tom and John and George and that firebrand Patrick, et al. Those chappies had some grand ideas and did something about it. Today would be a good day for us to remember that.
And really, that's part of what I like so much about Obama. He isn't just talking about what he would do as President. He's been challenging people for months to reawaken to the fact that we are the government and we can be the change this nation so desperately needs. I like a leader who strives to remind us that "the governed" is us and our consent is required and the power to right things is in our hands.
We are the children of the revolution.
Happy freakin' 4th of July, kids. Mind your sparklers.
T-Rex "Children of the Revolution"
Labels: Jukebox Friday, Obama 08, political theater


After breakfast we poked around some (mostly Tibetan) shops and scored some very fun jewelry. The Hat bought a hat.
I regaled The Child with tales of the student left in the 60s. She was more interested in acquiring mementos for the Mead St. Gang. So be it.
We did stop from time to time to rest in cool shade

Early in the evening we were back in Oregon, at Aunt Sharon's. We went out for superb Thai food and then The Child and I relaxed in the hot tub and while the warm water worked out my driving kinks, we looked at the stars and talked about God. It was a glorious night.

There would be things to fill our day, I told myself. Myriad photo ops, for one; including a particularly lush garden down the street with a gorgeous orange tree spang in the center. I could start negotiations to buy my house. Plus, Alameda is, in fact, an island and that implies a beach somewhere. We'd be suitably entertain one way or another, although The Child was less convinced.
It should also be noted that The Child talked frequently all week about the fact that she intends to go to college in "Cali". Somehow, it makes sense.









The Hat was going to enjoy a quiet, restorative day alone in our borrowed flat. The Child and I walked up to the bus stop, passing the house I found in Alameda that wants me to live in it.

There are olive trees growing along the streets. Fancy that. There was a branch on the street and I really wanted to take it with me but decided that might look really odd, not to mention borderline
We wandered around City Light Books for a while (I bought The Naked Lunch, a couple of book bags and a bumper sticker that reads "Howl if you love City Light Books"). I totally neglected to take a picture of The Child in front of that noble institution. But I got these:
We started down the street and she decided that sushi for lunch would be a good idea. It was fabulous.
We poked our way through Chinatown, The Child in search of
We wandered into one shop that had some 

Sling liked that picture. He did some tweaking of it in Photoshop and voila!
I told you it looked like something out of Van Gogh.
A great many of the farms had set up roadside stands. 

That settled, the focus was on getting to Alameda. My dear f
Somewhere in my head there were faint strains of a Journey song. I shook it off and we climbed back in the car for the last leg.
We settled in, then Hat arranged the fruit and protein on a platter, while I toasted some bread and poured the star thistle honey over chunks of feta cheese. One word: ambrosia. We uncorked some 

Then Sling and Co. climbed into LK's big new shiny truck and we girls back into our little Fergie. LK led us out to the direction of the freeway and with a wave the boys turned to home and we were wending our way toward Alameda.

Newt, as you can see, wasn't that impressed.
Was it magical? Yes.
Was it fun? Yep.

There was a quick visit to the Salvation Army so Hat and I could buy appropriate summer clothes. People in Seattle don't have summer wardrobes and the coolest things we brought weren't quite sufficient for the heat.

The Child said it reminded her of "Gilmore girls". It was all very pastoral and made me want to sing selections from "The Music Man".


Oh, they were delicious. (
(I'll have you know that Sling was exceedingly put out when he discovered that his local wine and spirits emporium didn't have any Triple Sec. "By
Entertainment on Saturday evening consisted of play Guitar Hero with 





