My son’s high-school graduation is tomorrow, but with large gatherings still prohibited because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be no in-person ceremony. Instead, we’ll all watch a virtual event from home on television or the internet. Still, a group of parents wanted some sort of socially distanced in-person celebration. We’d thought of a carContinue reading “Photo Friday: March of the MVCS Titans”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Friday Five: Best Trips Ever
I was going to do the Friday Five (a weekly blog prompt) because I like the questions this week, which are all about travel. But I started writing and realized that my entry would be way too long, partly because one of the questions asks about my favorite trip ever, and I couldn’t narrow itContinue reading “Friday Five: Best Trips Ever”
May 27 Writer Birthdays
1652 – Elizabeth Charlotte (Madame Palatine), German/French princess and writer who married Philippe I, Duke of Orléans; her vast, frank correspondence provides a detailed account of the personalities and activities at the court of her brother-in-law, Louis XIV, for half a century. 1819 – Julia Ward Howe, prominent American abolitionist, social activist, and poet whoContinue reading “May 27 Writer Birthdays”
And the Shutdown Continues
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a phased-in plan for easing pandemic-related restrictions, beginning this week. But we won’t be taking part. Here in Northern Virginia, the number of cases is still rising. We have nearly 1,500 in Alexandria alone. One of the criteria for beginning the reopening process is that the numbers have to haveContinue reading “And the Shutdown Continues”
May 10 Writer Birthdays
1911 – Bel Kaufman, American teacher and author best known for her 1965 bestseller Up the Down Staircase. 1915 – Monica Dickens, English author who wrote both adult and children’s books and was the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. 1919 – T. Berry Brazleton, American pediatrician and author of parenting books. 1927 – Nayantara Sahgal, IndianContinue reading “May 10 Writer Birthdays”
April 13 Writer Birthdays
953 – Al-Karaji, Persian mathematician and engineer who pioneered the theory of algebraic calculus and wrote groundbreaking works on mathematics. 1743 – Thomas Jefferson, 3rd U.S. President and author of some of the most influential documents in American history, including the Declaration of Independence, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and A Summary View of theContinue reading “April 13 Writer Birthdays”
Fasten Your Seatbelts; It’s Going To Be a Bumpy Time
A few days ago, I did not personally know a single person with a confirmed case of COVID19. Now I know a half-dozen people, all over the country. And we are still in the early stages of this. Yesterday the government reversed its earlier advice, recommending that we wear face masks in public (just theContinue reading “Fasten Your Seatbelts; It’s Going To Be a Bumpy Time”
Neighborhood Controversy
I had an unpleasant conversation on a neighborhood listserve recently, and I can’t seem to let it go. Someone posted that there was a petition for keeping the local farmer’s markets open during the pandemic. The state has classified them in the same category as restaurants, which are closed, rather than grocery stores, which areContinue reading “Neighborhood Controversy”
And Just Like That, High School Is Over
The governor of Virginia announced today that state K-12 schools are closed for the rest of the school year. I don’t fault him for making the decision. Our schools were already closed through the end of spring break in mid-April, but anyone who thinks this global coronavirus pandemic will be over by then is, well,Continue reading “And Just Like That, High School Is Over”
March 19 Writer Birthdays
1084 – Li Qingzhao, Chinese writer, poet, essayist, artist, and lyricist; she is considered one of the greatest poets in Chinese history. 1721 – Tobias Smollett, Scottish poet and author best known for his picaresque novels and for his work’s influence on Charles Dickens. 1821 – Sir Richard Francis Burton, British explorer, translator, and travelContinue reading “March 19 Writer Birthdays”
