quote of the day

What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

who wants to be a millionaire?

what i'm reading now

This is the third novel in the Border Trilogy written by Cormac McCarthy. It takes place in New Mexico and Texas in the 1950's. It's a depiction of the life of the last of the old cowboys of the west. This will be the last book by this author that I'll read. Although I enjoy stories about cowboys and their struggles against the forces of nature, man, and animals, I'm done with graphic scenes of violence in books and movies. I think I'll go back to Louis L'Amour.

quote of the day

A good relationship comes down to conversation and sex and good manners, I suppose. And if you can continue your conversation and your bawdiness and your good manners for more than ten years, then you're doing awfully well. Conversation is the truest barometer in a relationship, and when you're not moved to open your heart to your lover, something's wrong that needs fixing. We all know that. And yet it's a fabulous gift, true conversation. The world is full of cant and rote and reflexive chatter; good talk is pure gold, and it's what lovers need from each other.

--Garrison Keillor

my first car

In 1963 when Dorothy and I were kids we would cruise around La Puente, California in a '57 Plymouth.

quote of the day

Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions.

- - Albert Einstein

here's the deal

OK, here's the deal. A lot of friends and family members have expressed disappointment in the demise of the Resident Curmudgeon. The blog has served well over the years in the capacity of keeping loved ones around the country updated on the news of the Blue family and keeping recent photos of the grand kids posted. I'm going revamp the site. I really don't qualify as a curmudgeon so I'll go back to the original title of my first website: "Life on Peach Eater Creek". I'll post quotations that particularly move me, book reviews (because I read a lot and like to share with people), and a funny story once in awhile. Only when I feel inspired. So you may have to wait out a word drought from time to time. OK?

the end of the road

This is the end of the road. I'm not going any further. If you want to keep up with the family check out Kelly's blog Life With Kids from time to time. See ya.

what i'm reading now

Whenever I need some escape reading I always turn to Nelson DeMille. The Gatehouse is the sequel to the novel Goldcoast, and brings back the characters from the first novel to tie up all the loose ends in their lives. In Goldcoast John Sutter's wife has an affair with a Mafia boss with catastrophic results. They divorce and John spend several years sailing around the world. This book begins 10 years later when John returns to the Gold Coast to attend the funeral of an old friend and is reunited with his ex-wife Susan. He learns that the son of the man his wife had the affair with lives next door to the gate house where he is staying. If you haven't read the book it's based on don't worry; this book will bring you up to date with all the characters. If you like Nelson DeMille and the quick wit of his lead characters you'll like this one.

quote of the day

Every single one of us can do things that no one else can do -- can love things that no one else can love. We are like violins. We can be used for doorstops, or we can make music. You know what to do.

--Barbara Sher

quote of the day

Most people live, whether physically, intellectually or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness, and of their soul’s resources in general, much like a man who, out of his whole bodily organism, should get into a habit of using and moving only his little finger.

-– William James

quote of the day

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.

-- Thomas Jefferson 1802

1st snow

This is what we woke to this morning.

quote of the day

Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.

--Hermann Goring at the Nuremberg Trials

thanksgiving

Our first Thanksgiving in our new dining room

We set up a table in the old dining area for the youngsters.