126 Baseball caps?

Only at the beach!

What is it about baseball caps!!

When did baseball caps become the hat of choice for millions of Americans? I don’t remember when it happened, but there has been a fashion (and I use the term loosely) shift from hats worn for style or a purpose--shading, warmth, hiding bad hair, scalp protection--to the ever-popular caps that appear anywhere and everywhere at any time.

No rules seem to apply--when it is appropriate or allowed. They are seen indoors, at the dining table, in restaurants, doctor’s offices--all places that used to be taboo for head coverings. Men would immediately take their hats off at the door---but no more.

Always the baseball cap!

My husband who is in the midst of his retirement career as a woodworker and cabinet maker wears a baseball cap every day whether he needs it or not. Sometimes he even has it on when he settles in his easy chair and starts his snoozing routine as he watches TV, off and on between the short naps.

Really, he needs that hat on in the house to take a nap! I often look at him in disbelief and remind him between snoring to take it off. The retired school teacher never wore a hat in the classroom and demanded that students remove them when entering the building. Things have really changed.

My father (who was born in 1912) wore a hat his whole life --- a fedora for cold weather and a beige cap with no writing on it for warmer days (it was not a true baseball cap). But he never wore either in the house or any other inside venue. The hat was immediately taken off when entering the door.

There are even shops that sell nothing but the popular caps. I remember hat shops in bigger cities when I was growing up, but all types of headgear was sold – some shops carried only women’s hats, which were required for some religious settings and social gatherings. These shops disappeared as men and women no longer needed a hat to complete their ensemble or for etiquette requirements.

So where did this obsession originate? Research reports that the caps grew in prominence in the 1970s and are often bought as souvenirs when traveling. The billion-dollar industry has prevailed as a more formal fashion scene has evolved, and sports fans show their preferences with the caps that they wear.

Here we are in 2016 and women only wear hats for a purpose often dictated by the weather while men have taken to the baseball cap in droves with no resistance. Some even wear them backwards which appears to defeat the purpose of the hat. Again baseball players are the exception and have reasons for using the caps.

Possibly if spouses, partners, children, or anyone else important in the lives of the cap lovers insisted that they wear a baseball hat, maybe it would reverse the trend--I doubt it but it could be worth a try!

Of course, this could upset the economic stability of the country since many males of all ages have at least a dozen or more of these head coverings. I do have to admit I help the economy by sometimes buying a cap, but I only wear one when there is a real need – glare, bad hair, wind, etc. But I shop for ones that are unique and often have a bit of bling.

One alternative that looks rather dashing is the flat cap often made of tweed material--it is also called the newsboy hat, British cap, or golf hat. It is more appropriate for colder months since many are made of wool. But I don’t think this will hit the market like the baseball cap.

I am not advocating total annihilation of the very popular baseball caps--they are needed for the sport itself—but could we at least cut back on when and where they are worn. Definitely not in the house, in restaurants, churches, theaters, meetings, or other indoor settings, especially formal gatherings, should be a few of the restrictions.

Possibly these few restrictions could restore a little of the decorum and civility my father and his generation practiced and perpetuated by taking off the hat when coming through the door to enter the house or any building. I was recently encouraged at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.--not one baseball cap had entered the premises-–maybe there is some hope!!

Hat savvy Frances      

125a Anniversary compilation

An anniversary compilation

Yesterday, December 18, was our 45th anniversary. 

When you google 45th anniversary, the results seem to be gifts to buy. The gem, by the way, is sapphire. This year is also the 45th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom

When I reflect upon our life together, we have shared so much. And, why not, we have been together 70 percent of our lives! It is amazing.

Over 45 years, we have . . .

Lost four parents.

Had ten different jobs.

Moved seven times.

Renovated six times. 

Went to at least 12 bowl games, two in which our teams battled each other--my Seminole beat the Hokies both times. 

Went to the emergency room three times and had six surgeries.

Had seven dogs, our children!

Opened, operated, and found a new administrator for a museum.

Went through all kinds of hobbies—jogging, sailing, toy trains, flying private planes, coin collecting, Civil War relic collecting, jewelry making, and a few more.

Have not been apart for more than ten days.

So what does it add up to?

We could not have lived through the good and bad without a strong faith in each other and in God.

Not only is our love strong, but we are best friends who enjoy each other’s company and our mutual wacky sense of humor. We have learned to tolerate (and sometimes appreciate) each other’s differences. 

We are looking forward to our years yet to come!         

        Trish

P.S. Many blogs ago, I messed up the numbering of the blogs so 125a reflects a correction to the numbers. We have written 125 blogs!

125 Alternative Christmas Flix-Picks

Christmas Movies

My Alternative List

Well, dear friends and Facebook fans, I am tired of seeing the same old holiday movies year after year after year as good as they may be. 

Yes, they bring back memories, but I know the stories and I know what happens at the end. I am not much of a fan of reruns of any sort. Therefore, I have taken it upon myself to make another list of movies set during the holiday season. Some of you will question these choices. That’s fine. These are just some movies that I believe do have settings and themes that embody the season along with the traditional holiday listings.

Okay, here goes:

Love Actually 

– starring Hugh Grant along with a famous ensemble cast, it is a countdown to Christmas as Grant’s gloomy character cheers himself up by thinking about Heathrow Airport arrivals for the holiday season and how lovingly they treat each other. (2003)

Trading Places 

– an R-rated (I’m not sure why) story starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. The wealthy Duke brothers make a bet on whether nature or nurture determines a person’s life. Why a Christmas movie? One of the best scenes is a disgruntled Santa at the investment firm’s Christmas party. (1983)

Die Hard 

– this, to me, is the epitome of a man’s man Christmas movie - fighting, guns, blood, and ammo. It also is about a father trying to get home for Christmas. And the clever Grinch villain is Hans Gruber (very clever since Franz Gruber wrote “Silent Night”) and it’s filled with Christmas music. Just replace the chimney with an elevator shaft. It stars Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson and a slew of other known names. (1988)

The Shop Around the Corner 

– this is my oldie, but goody entrant on the list. A 1940 romantic comedy starring Margaret Sullavan*(yes, this is correct) and James Stewart which takes place in a general store in Budapest. At the store, the two constantly butt heads, but each is enamored of a pen pal. Little do they know they are both each other’s enemy and romantic interest. This movie is also the inspiration for the Judy Garland film In the Good Old Summertime, the Broadway musical She Loves Me, and the Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie You’ve Got Mail. (1940) [*Sullivan is a journalist.]

Gremlins 
– a gadget salesman is looking for a special gift for son and finds it in Chinatown. The reluctant shopkeeper sells him “mogwai” but with the warning that it should never be exposed to bright light, water, or be fed after midnight. Of course, all of this happens and a gang of gremlins wreak havoc on Christmas Eve. Gremlin voices include Howie Mandel as Gizmo and a cameo by Steven Spielberg. Listen for “Do You Hear What I Hear” and “Silent Night.” (1984)

Rent 
– one of my favorite shows of all time. This American musical drama is an adaptation based on Puccini’s opera La Boheme. The film depicts the lives of NYC’s East Village bohemians and their struggles with sex, drugs, paying their rent, and AIDS. On Christmas Day, two of the guys are visited by their friends and told they could live rent free for a year. Much pathos and sadness ensures from Christmas Eve 1989 til Christmas of 1990. (2005)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 
- a Los Angeles crime caper set at Christmas. Thief Robert Downey, Jr. is robbing a toy store for both cash and for a toy for his child’s Santa list. This is an irreverent comedy in a twisted buddy-cop film with enough Santa hats to qualify for a holiday movie. (2005)

So, my friends, here are seven alternative movies you might consider during the holidays.

Others you may want to research yourself are Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp!!), Lethal Weapon (look for the coke bust in the Christmas tree lot), Batman Returns (set at Christmas by Tim Burton who has more dark stories about Christmas to come later), and, finally, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in which Harry is given the invisibility cloak for Christmas.

Wishing each of you a happy and safe and healthy holiday. 

Savvy Glenne       

p.s. my sardonic humor can’t wait to see Bad Santa 2!

124 Questions

Questions, questions, 

        and more questions ?????

I never realized how many questions I could ask on any given day or during any conversation. My family has recently made me realize my constant questioning was far more than the average person.

All my life I have asked questions to satisfy my natural curiosity to find out all the important information and then determine how it all made sense and fit together or didn’t.

I decided at a young age that news reporting was one area that proved successful for this obsession of always asking the details. You could ask any number of questions, and it was perfectly acceptable. The problem is when you are off the clock (which I don’t think you ever truly are), then the questions may seem excessive.

A simple social encounter can turn into an intensive interview before you realize it! Often you start to get strange looks and raised eyebrows, and you start to back off a little but not completely. You just have to know the details!

Teaching also afforded me the opportunity to feed my obsession. Questioning is a vital part of any classroom, so the students were my unsuspecting targets. I loved when they returned the favor with inquiries that spawned more questions from me.

Retirement from both of my professions brings this home to roost as you realize you want to find out more, get the whole scoop, or interrogate wholeheartedly. But you have to suppress it and ease into meeting socially accepted norms like not interviewing at a cocktail party.

Being inquisitive is an asset in most situations but can be viewed as prying in others. Sometimes answering questions is not what some people want to do especially in situations regarding public issues, when the answers are vital to making good decisions. I have to ask what are they hiding or don’t want the citizens to know. Okay, I will get off my soap box.

When respected journalist Gwen Ifill died recently, a quote was circulated on why she got into the news profession, which really sums up my feelings.

“I wanted to be a journalist, because I like to ask questions,” Gwen said in interview for the Explorations in Black Leadership Series, posted on PBS website. “And I like the idea that someone might feel responsible for answering them.”

My first questioning assignments began as a reporter in seventh grade when I helped organize a school newspaper. Our science teacher was forward thinking enough to turn us loose with the motivation to fulfill our goal – a newspaper for the entire junior high school.

This direction stayed with me--high school newspaper, local community newspaper, and then college where I majored in journalism and was on the school newspaper. I kept working at the local paper in the summers during college. The questions just kept coming!

I moved in the direction of public education, but I stayed close to journalism --founding and advising high school and middle school papers, working part-time at the local paper, writing for education journals, always thinking how events, people, and experiments would be great stories with many questions to be asked. 

When my career veered into school administration, questions became crucial especially when getting to the bottom of an episode that no one would claim credit or blame. Again I had the drive to ask many, many questions. Often the students and parents were not fond of this drive when the answers were sometimes incriminating.

My grandchildren have given me hope for the future. One of my granddaughters recently had a sign on her bedroom door that warned to knock first. If not, you may be subjected to answering questions!

My son, and sometimes my daughter, will call me out for asking too many questions--saying I have used up my quota! I will cool it for a while until I feel I can squeeze in a few more.


Just keep in mind when someone like me greets you with how’s it going, what have you been doing, or any interrogative greeting, they really mean it and want details!

Savvy Questioner Frances      

123 John Brown connections

John Brown--Interesting Connections

I am so immersed in the Civil War that every once in a while I have to write about it! Right now I am doing research on Judge Richard Parker, who was the judge at John Brown's trial.

Quick Historical Recap: On October 16, 1859, John Brown with a force of about 20 men seized the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, VA; took several hostages with their slaves into the fire-engine house of the arsenal; and killed several people in their attempt to start a slave insurrection.  

Interesting Connections
Yes, Harper's Ferry was in Virginia. West Virginia became a separate state in June 20, 1863 during the Civil War.

The first man killed by Brown's men was a free black man, Heyward Shepherd, the railroad station baggage handler. Shepherd lived in Winchester with his wife and eight children. According the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield's website: "News of Shepherd’s death at the hands of John Brown’s raiders infuriated many of Winchester’s townspeople. The town’s inhabitants organized a special relief fund for the care of Shepherd’s family. Militia troops and citizens of Winchester accompanied Shepherd’s body to its final resting place in the colored cemetery on the outskirts of Winchester."

Lee in the early 1850s

Townspeople and local militia forces held Brown, his men, and the hostages under siege in the engine house until a federal force led by Robert E. Lee arrived and attacked the building on October 18. Lee happened to be on leave from the federal army in Texas and at home in Arlington when Lt. J.E.B. Stuart brought him a message to appear at the War Department in Washington immediately. Stuart just happened to be at the War Department when the news of Brown's raid arrived. He accompanied Lee to Harper's Ferry.




Judge Richard Parker lived in Winchester and Clarke County.  He rode the judicial circuit that included Jefferson County, Virginia. The circuit court opened October 20, 1859, in Charlestown, the county seat, which is where Brown and his men were tried with Parker presiding. 

Parker inherited the Retreat at Cool Spring in Clarke County from his father Richard E. Parker. Although the building the Retreat is privately owned, Shenandoah University now owns the adjacent River Campus at Cool Spring where the university preserves the Civil War heritage of the campus and has trails open to the public as well as being a living classroom for SU students.

Parker's wife, Evelina T. Moss Parker, inherited a house at 307 Washington Street that was built by Judge Hugh Holmes sometime in the 1790s. The house occupied an entire block, bounded by Washington, Stewart, Clifford, and Cecil streets. It was demolished sometime in the 1920s. Parker told a reporter that the house was built from designs from Thomas Jefferson and was a twin to one in Staunton built by Archibald Stuart, whose wife was the sister of Hugh Holmes (Eleanor and Elizabeth Briscoe, respectively). The description of the Holmes house is very similar to that of the Stuart house that is still standing. However, the experts say the house does not resemble any work by Jefferson and was not built from his plans.

Brown's trial began October 27, 1859. He was found guilty on October 31, sentenced on November 2, and hung Dec. 2. Parker was criticized for rushing the trial, but also for allowing a month to elapse between sentencing and hanging. He states that he did not want Virginia justice to be criticized, but also there were fears that individuals from the North might come to try to free Brown and continue his insurrection. 

Modern day historians feel that Parker gave Brown more latitude to speak during the trial than was legally necessary. Brown's impassioned speeches in the courtroom and his letters and interviews with the press during the time between sentencing and execution greatly contributed to a change in attitude among many Northerners. They no longer saw him as a fanatic criminal but as a martyr. Brown told his supporters, "I am worth inconceivably more to hang than for any other purpose," and his spent the last month making certain of his legacy.

The 1st Virginia Regiment, from Richmond, was among the troops sent to maintain peace at Brown's execution. One temporary member of the regiment who witnessed the hanging was future Lincoln assassin, John Wilkes Booth. The 1860 photo of Booth to the left is from the Library of Congress: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print




As he was being led from his cell to the gallows, Brown handed a note to his jailer, "I John Brown am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land would never purged away; but with Blood. I had as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed; it might be done."

Trish       

122 T-Day Fun +/- Facts

THANKSGIVING Fun (and not-so-fun) Facts 

Here we are – gearing up for another holiday. Seems to me that it is no wonder people gain weight in the fall and winter. We’ve just finished off the Halloween candy.

Now we are preparing for Thanksgiving – turkey with all the high carb and high fat content that tastes so good! According to the Calorie Control Council, a
typical Thanksgiving meal has about 4500 calories! 

Yep! Two to three days’ worth of calories in one meal. That Campbell’s recipe for green bean casserole accounts for only 150 calories of the total. This is a not-so-fun fact I almost wish I didn’t know.

And with Christmas holidays only one month away, the calorie count continues upward. [I love holiday cookies!!] BUT it’s all okay: walking 45 miles will get rid of the 4500 calories. Un-huh!!!

If one does not like to cook and is alone with a super big screen TV for all the football games, a Swanson turkey TV dinner may still suffice. First put on the market in 1954, the tray had turkey, stuffing, peas, and sweet potatoes. Swanson came up with the idea when the company found they could purchase surplus frozen turkeys at a good price. The retail cost was 98 cents.

Fun fact: Since 1934, the Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving. This year the game against the Vikings starts at 12:30.

Another fun fact - one that surprised me: Thanksgiving eve is the biggest bar night sales of the year. Yes, more than New Year’s Eve. Pundits think perhaps it is because there is no high priced New Year’s Eve cover charge and that many college aged folks want to meet up with their old friends when they come home for the holiday. 

Just a fact: The first Macy’s Day Parade (originally called the Thanksgiving Parade) was in 1924. Along with a few floats and balloons, live animals from the Central Park Zoo were the featured. The estimated crowd was 250,000.


Fun fact: There are about 250 million turkeys raised annually in the U.S. (For comparison the U.S. population is approximately 325 million.)
Not-so-fun fact: Thanksgiving was planned as a fast, not a feast. The early settlers gave thanks by praying and abstaining from food. That is, until the Wampanoag Indians joined them for a three-day feast. History says there were 50 male Pilgrims, 90 Indians, and, perhaps, five women at the 1621 meal. The feast included NO turkey – no mashed potatoes, no corn. The menu included venison, duck, geese, oysters, and eel. Pumpkins and cranberries – but not sweetened and not in pie! Also remember that the fork did not become popular in the mid-1700s, so fingers, knives, and a few spoons were the utensils.

Fun historical facts:

· Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird, not the eagle

· George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving Day proclamation in 1789.

· Abraham Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863 setting the last
Thursday in November as the national day.

· Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving a week earlier to make the Christmas shopping season longer and stimulate the poor economy of 1939.

· Congress passed an official proclamation in 1941 declaring that Thanksgiving would always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

· The President, each year since 1947, has pardoned a turkey and spares its life. One of the recent turkeys was flown to Disneyland and was grand marshal of the park’s Thanksgiving parade.

And now some fun cartoons for Thanksgiving!

Happy and safe

Thanksgiving to all!

                                        Glenne

121 Alluring waterfalls

The allure of waterfalls

Waterfalls have a magical appeal that draw people from far away or close by to the bubbling, majestic cascade trickling down the mountainside. There is something so therapeutic about the sounds and vision of this flowing water. It soothes the soul as well as makes a visual impact on our senses.

We still have time to feast on these wondrous visions even though we are in the middle of the autumn season. But one of the bonuses at this time is the beautiful colors we can see as the trees give way to winter and drop their vibrant leaves. Also, Thanksgiving feasts await at lodges along the park but reservations are a must.

Getting close to one of these amazing sites is not difficult in this area of the Shenandoah Valley. But if you can’t make it this fall, put it on your list for sure for spring or summer. The attraction will not diminish for sure!

Overall Run Falls in the Shenandoah National Park is one of nine major waterfalls in the park and is the tallest. It is the first to dry up in the summer since it is fed by a small stream, but the views of the wilderness are still an attraction for this trail. Plus, views of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain are a bonus.

Another popular waterfall hike in the park is Whiteoak Canyon. The Skyline Drive Trailhead for this hike is at mile 42.6 near Skyland. This trail has a series of six waterfalls, with the uppermost fall being the highest at 86 feet. The lower falls is about a one mile hike. The upper falls is a much longer and steeper hike. Both offer water pools and beautiful cascades along the trail.

Hikers can traverse along side the waterfall for many miles, taking in the views, resting on the rocks, or slowly manipulating the journey of sounds that cascade down the beautiful terrain.

Hikes to the Overall Run Falls can be varied depending on the walkers preference of difficult or easy treks in the woods. The trailhead is located in the North District at mile 21.1 on Skyline Drive. There are two hikes that can be accessed at this spot – Overall Run Falls and Traces Trail. 

Waterfalls have a reputation of being therapeutic — balm for the eyes and sound for the ears and cooling temperatures in summer, and these waterfalls in the Shenandoah National Park will not disappoint.

Walkers must be cognizant of the type of terrain, wearing appropriate gear. Walking sticks are also recommended for climbing ease as well as downhill treks. Even though there is plenty of water in the falls, hikers should take a supply of drinking water as well as snacks to sustain the walk whether short or long.

Getting an early start in the morning is a good idea so daylight assists in finding the trails marked by colorful blaze signs often on trees and sometimes on rocks. Taking it slow and easy is totally up to the walker who may want to soak in all that nature has to offer while others appear to be in a hurry to finish or stop at the top. It is truly a personal preference.

There is a fee to enter the park but there are many options for a day pass or year pass. It is up to individuals to decide which is the best for them. Senior citizens are rewarded with a lifetime pass for $10, and most take advantage of this rate.

Be prepared before you take off to find the waterfalls with food and water supplies, walking gear, insect spray, and anything else that will make you more comfortable. Just don’t get bogged down with stuff that could be left in the car. Read up at nps.gov/shen and virginia.org.

Waterfall Savvy Frances