Morning everybody! It's looking like a good reading day here in New Hampshire, although it's early yet!

The Bookeaters had an excellent meeting at the Exeter Inn last night, where we broke bread and discussed The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage. We all loved (and most of us read) the book, and I would highly recommend it as a portrait, not only of a marriage but of a period of time.

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Still no women's bracket, so far as I can tell, from the Prez. Come on, Barack - where's the women's hoops love? Seriously, write to the President here and let him know that he's sending a skewed message but just doing the men's NCAA Tournament bracket. Maybe remind him that he has a wife and two daughters . Click to continue reading...

Saturday morning ... last morning before we go back to daylight savings time.  I'm having some smooth, dark coffee and catching up on the news of the world while the sun comes up here. Scary times, as the economy's woes seem to be accelerating with no end in sight.  Maddow had a great explanation of the [. Click to continue reading...

Sounds ominous, I now ... but I'm just talking about the beginning of the end of the month, here.  It's been a frozen, snowy January - in fact I can't remember the last time I saw bare ground here in NH.  Not that I'm complaining.  So long as it's mostly snow (as opposed to ice) [...] Click to continue reading...

Yesterday President Barack Obama repealed the Mexico City Policy - the infamous gag rule that pulled funding from health care providers who offered (or even just talked about) certain health care options for women.  Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.  Obama's Day Three ... was a mixed bag, reminding me that change is a process [. Click to continue reading...

In case you hadn't heard ... yup ... the Eagles were declared the winners up in Minnesota yesterday ... kinda like Al Franken, except there won't be any lawsuits to follow (so far as we know).  Next up?  They might be Giants.  And the Giants have to be bummed, as the birds are "the wild [...] Click to continue reading...

First off, get well wishes to HollyCornblog who is recovering from a bad ankle sprain sustained in a nasty fall at work.  Keep it iced and raised ... and, as we like to say to Willie (and to Ruby - but with much less effect), "Heel!" [sic] Between HollyCornblog and Hope Solo, things have been a [... Click to continue reading...

First the soccer news, which includes Angela Hucles' 100th cap (in a career year for her) and another win (over South Korea) for the USWNT.  With two more games left in their post-Olympic Tour, it woulds like the team is pleasing Pia! The NESCAC  Soccer Tournament is over for another year.  (Oh yeah, that's the New [. Click to continue reading...

Another Halloween has gone by with no trick or treaters on this hill (and now we have a hefty basket of chocolate to work our way through).  It's November and we're at four days and counting.  As the sun rises, for the last time in Daylight Saving mode, let's see what's going on out there [...] Click to continue reading...

There's lots to be said for symmetry!  Indeed, back in '80, the first time the Phillies won it all, yours truly was about to turn 28 ... and now here we are 28 years later!  Yeah, symmetry!  :)  On a chilly night in Philly, they did it again! That training Scene from Rocky 1 still [...] Click to continue reading...

Guess we missed out on the basil this year!  This morning there's serious frost everywhere.  Stern frost.  Dour frost.  A layer of it whitens the windows and powders the ground.  The nasturtiums still look miraculously green, but the zinnias and cosmos are brown.  November brown.  This frost will disappear as the sun rises and warms [. Click to continue reading...

I, for one, can't wait for tonight's debate and Obama's response when McCain goes after him.   How Big Mac will work his fringe issues into the format should be interesting to see.  The GOP has been thrusting Ayers and Acorn at us for too long to let this last debate pass by without trying [...] Click to continue reading...

To my mind, this was one of the finest moments in quite a collection of 'em over the past couple of days.  Bill came through last night, too. The historic milestone that Obama's nomination represents is both cause for celebration and cause for sadness ... because in 2008 we should be well beyond celebrating this [. Click to continue reading...

Just take a look at these images from McCain's week (so far) ... in comparison to the bits and bytes on the airwaves featuring Barack Obama. Almost makes me feel sorry for the Straight Talker. But then I see this video, and that changes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ieHwOm4ljA Meanwhile, here's an article from Scripps News Service about the newly-configured [. Click to continue reading...