I could talk about the wonderful wedding I attended last night, and the kindness of Youssef, the courteous cabbie, but that would take us far afield. The Ceremony that joined two extraordinary young people was held at the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square near the White House, and I confess that I […]

(Left Coast Guy and I did some exploring when we were at Pearl Harbor earlier this year. The anonymous door in the middle of the picture leads down to what had been The Dungeon in the war years, and where the analysts of Station Hypo broke the Japanese Codes. Photo Socotra) If you have followed […]

I was down in the garage at the Farm earlier in the week, going through the mountain of debris that arrived in three geologic ages: when I bought the place, when I sold the condo in Arlington, and then when the “need to look at this stuff before disposal” stack. Consequently, the 1940s lie atop […]

So, the plan was to rendezvous at Refuge Farm, Pete motoring in from the Great Dismal Swamp, and Mike from his daughter’s outpost in the Terrapin State. We live in such disparate places that regular gatherings of old shipmates are rare, though we bat the great issues of the day around with zest each morning […]

(Syclone at Uncle Dick’s funeral in 2002. The restoration and tires were new then. Photo Socotra) I want to thank Marty McFly and Doc Brown for the automotive theme for the week. I was busy getting ready all day yesterday for the celebration this afternoon. “Back to the Future” Day has finally arrived. It has […]

(Culpeper Tire and Auto on Poor Farm Rd. Photo by Chris the owner). I don’t know if there are more birds of prey down in Culpeper than there used to be or not. My local memory only goes back to 2008. But it certainly seems like there are a lot of hawks and turkey buzzards […]

(The indoor pumpkin. If I leave the seasonal decorations on the porch overnight their flesh will freeze and they will blacken and get mushy. Photo Socotra). I had a hard time getting out of Arlington yesterday. I had to answer several inquiries about what happened Saturdy afternoon in Ann Arbor, and I am stoically not […]

No, I am not talking about the marvelous diner on historic East Davis Street in downtown Culpeper. Though one of their #3 breakfasts might have been good this morning. And I am not going to do a review of the local watering holes there, though that too might be useful I will have to check […]

OK, so we were going to meet up to celebrate The Lovely Bea’s **th birthday at the Boulevard Woodgrill in Clarendon. Bea’s partner in crime, Placid Jamie had arranged the soiree, but her fiancee’s father was diagnosed with an incurable illness earlier in the day, and they were flying to be with him. When Jon-without […]

(Under the new Social Credit System, what Chinese shoppers purchase will help or hurt individual ratings. Customers shop at a supermarket in Shanghai. Photo Reuters). You have heard me rail about the husband of US Ambassador Samantha Powers before. Birds of a feather and all that- both members of the power couple are archetypes of […]