A Few Lovelies

Today, D-friend L and I went to the orchid show at Mobot. Lunch at Schlafly's, a little Crate and Barrel and some Trader Joe's and what a day it was!

Another Great Adventure Underway

I'm not a big fan of marriage, but weddings are fun.

Saturday, I watched these two beautiful people get married. I wish them well. I thank them for a wonderful day. I will remember this wedding when others are long forgotten.

Not in small part to Liv who, in addition to PhD candidate, can now add ordained minister to her CV.
She gave an excellent introduction to the couple. It was a non-traditional wedding to say the least, but the job got done.





And the little kid dancing with Melissa sure had some moves.

This time last year

Liv's wonderful past reflections reminded me (albeit, I'm a day late posting this) that last year this time, I was making a drive from Grosvenor Arch to Beaver Dam, with a stop along the way at a veterinarian, who supplied us with this....Jake was a champ about the splint, but it was his own fault, after all. He was the one who decided to roundhouse Jack. Silly rabbit.

A Tradition Few Understand

When you are a Kentucky native, today is a special day.

It's the high holidays.

The first Saturday in May is the Run for the Roses. If one lives in Kentucky, the week is marked by parades, by a great deal of Kentucky pride, a tradition of really bad hats that never see the light of day the other 364 days of the year, and planning for a day-long party with friends and family. Parties include mint julips, friendly betting, barbeque, and great food.

It is fantastically great fun. Thoroughbred horses are something that makes every Kentuckian verklempt. Attending the Derby is a rite of passage for every college-age Kentuckian. I have attended twice. I'm too old for that shenanigans anymore.

I don't live in Kentucky anymore. My day is marked by a 2-hour online investigation of the horses, their owners, their trainers, and most importantly, their jockeys. I then have to inform my family of my picks, trash talk theirs, and then we all watch the race on television. We seldom win. It doesn't matter. We all choke up when they the University of Louisville marching band plays the state song, My Old Kentucky Home. We deplore the celebrities who think they are "honorary Kentuckians" for a day. There is no feeling like being a native Kentuckian on Derby Day.

Last year, I missed my first Kentucky Derby of my adult life. D-fav Liv and I were on the road in the second leg of our Wild West Adventure. We had it planned to hit Roswell, NM, just in time for the race. Unfortunately, we had fubared the time change. The race had already run. I tried not to appear crushed. But it was like someone had stolen Christmas from me.

I know that no one else gets it. That's part of the attraction.

I picked Desert Party, Chocolate Candy, and Hold Me Back. My horses came in fifth, twelfth, and fourteenth. It's all good.

Mine that Bird went off at 50-1. It payed $102 for a $2 bet. The horse itself only cost $9500. The trifecta paid $500,000+. By golly, Kentuckians love that kind of rags to riches stories. Too bad the horse is a gelding. Best of luck to them as they head to Maryland.

Hereafter a Name Change

I was bitching about how my name on a grant app is the kiss of death, so Sylvia, the departmental administrator, suggested that I simply change my name.

Compliments of Sylvia, I will henceforth be known as Yellowstone Saunders. Has a sort of Indiana Jones feel to it. And as Liv pointed out, I could abbreviate it Y. Saunders. So I'm also considering changing my middle name to Naught.

Oh, Sylvia also suggested I bleach my hair Billy-Idol blonde. You know, Yellowstone and all.

Heh.

Y. Naught Saunders. I'm kinda digging it.