Friday, January 19, 2007

Happy 200th birthday to Robert E Lee

Just in case you where not aware, today is indeed the 200th birthday of the late great General Lee, who was one of the most noble and Godly soldiers that this country has produced.
Being far to fond of quotes, I have collected a few in remembrance of a truly great American:

“My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian.”

“Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.”

“I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity.”

“I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.”

“The war... was an unnecessary condition of affairs, and might have been avoided if forebearance and wisdom had been practiced on both sides.”

“We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers”

“They do not know what they say. If it came to a conflict of arms, the war will last at least four years. Northern politicians will not appreciate the determination and pluck of the South, and Southern politicians do not appreciate the numbers, resources, and patient perseverance of the North. Both sides forget that we are all Americans. I foresee that our country will pass through a terrible ordeal, a necessary expiation, perhaps, for our national sins.”

“We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing.”

“So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that Slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have lost by the war, and have suffered all that I have suffered to have this object attained.”

“Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.”

-Robert E. Lee

Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Years.

Well, we brought our new year with a bang. Literally. I have never heard so many bangs in all my life as we heard last night. We are all burned, bruised and swollen, but we had lots of fun. For all of you who think that I am preppy, you are in for a shock.

Last night a friend from church invited us over for their simi-annual firework war. Now, I come form a family that is very cautious when it comes to anything involving fire. When you light the fireworks you instantly get at least ten feet away. And ABOVE ALL, if something lands in the dry leaves you must track it down and stomp it out. Well, I now know that you can shoot off 2000 bottle rockets in a three hour time frame and that nothing worse than catching one or two people on fire is likely to result.

When we where changing before heading out to the White’s I asked Mom if she thought if was okay if a certain pair of jeans got damaged. “Damaged? What are we going to do?”

“Um, shoot fireworks... at each other”

“Ooohkay” was the tentative reply.

I think that about the time the first bottle rocket headed in her general direction Mom headed inside, not to emerge again until the war was over.

I can claim the first, if not the worst injury of the night, which involved a Roman Candle that was a little too close and resulted in a swollen lip. I retreated to the house for a few minuets just to make sure that I was not really hurt. I wasn’t, so the first thing I did when I came out of the house was go after Mr. Randy with a bottle rocket. As he headed back to the other side of the house I heard him say “Well, I guess she wasn’t hurt too badly.” At which point I told Brooke that I might be a wimp, but I didn’t intend to announce it to the whole world. I wondered aloud last night what I’m going to tell all the little old ladies at the dress shop tomorrow... I think that I’ll leave it at “I got hit with a firework.”

We ended with the rather unfair division of guys vs. girls, their being six guys and five girls, one of which retired to the safety of the basement after about fifteen minuets. But I have to say that in spite of the unfair odds we almost held our own. I hit more people than I was hit by, so I felt that I had accomplished something.

At one point we where in the basement loading our rocket launchers and when we opened the door that lead up the stairs and out of the basement we discovered that the boys had put down the awning over the exit leaving us in something of a predicament. If we opened the trapdoor the boys would be waiting outside for us, no doubt with ammo ready, but there was no other way out. So Brooke resorted to “You guys, it’s not FAIR!” Cole took pity on us and let us out without a barrage of Roman Candles aimed at us. (If you want to talk about not fair, I’m not sure that claiming girl privileges is precisely fair, but hey, whatever works...)

And be on the lookout for Robin’s adventures in the firework war... it will be worth reading.

And to assure those that are worried about the safety of all this, we where wearing goggles. Just in case you where worried. ;-)

We spent the afternoon at the Walkers eating the New Year’s musts: black-eyed peas and cabbage, and after Lunch we broke out Taboo, which proved great fun. At first the guys did very badly, but the ended up beating us by about five points. Did I mention that none of the guys had ever played before? Yep, they really enjoyed that one.

So, I hope that your New Years was a happy as mine was.