Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Wilson M. Page's Journal for 1857

Nearly a year and a half ago, I was cleaning my grandmother's closet, and found a stack of journals. The earliest one was written in 1857, by my great-great-great grandfather (I think that's enough greats...). It was really exciting of course; it was 150 years old! This June, I was over at my grandparent's, so I typed up the first ten entries of the journal. If you find it interesting, I might take it to myself to start another blog comprised completely of my great - whatever grandfather's entries.
Some of the words and names I had to guess on, because his handwriting isn't the neatest, but for the most part it was legible. Pardon the occasional mid-sentence question mark.
By the way, I want replies from my followers -- ALL of my followers! *evil eye* --if you would be interesting in having a separate blog for this, where I would try to post one of his entries for everyday of the year...probably starting January, to give me enough to time to amass a database.



Jan 1. I was up last night until after midnight, awaiting the departure of the old year, and the commencement of the New. As I sat there musing, many mournful thoughts presented themselves to me. I reflected on the time mispent on the many good resolutions with which I had commenced the year and the small number of them which I had regarded, and while I felt grateful to my Heavenly father for having so graciously watched over me, I resolved with his help, to live more to the glory of his Great name during the year to come. “Then lets' be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.” I have now kept a journal of my life during the past two years. I intend to continue doing so this year, but in a fuller form than hertofore. I think that in after years that it will be pleasant to look back upon my younger days. This morning while at breakfast I formed a plan of driving down to Flushing to call on my friend Austin B.Page who is teaching school there, and take dinner with him. So after breakfast, I went to Elizabeth Millets and borrowed their wagon and harness and invited her son Willie to accompany me. My horse that I wished to drive, “Nellie Tremont”, being laid up by a sprain, I harnessed Jenny. We left Westbury at 10.15 a.m. And arrived at Flushing 15 miles at 12.30 pm, just as they were setting down to dinner. The day was very warm and we had a very pleasant drive. After dinner we went to take a stroll around Flushing. We went through Parsons' nurseries, and on our return went to see the house wherein George Fox resided, when in this county. It is in a good state of presentation and on the end towards the street bears the date in ___ letters. Immediately opposite the house on the other side of the street stands a noble oak under which George Fox is said to have preached. We left for home at 3 P.M., where we arrived at 6 after a very cold ride. I have never spent “New Years” more pleasantly.

So...what sayst you? Reply, reply, reply! ((preferably to my other posts as well...*glares*))

Sunday, September 27, 2009

I Feel Fantastic!

Jonathan Coulton, software engineer turned musician, sings awesomely amazing songs. You know this, Gracie. :) However, I'm not sure that everyone else has gotten exposed to the incredibleness that are the songs he writes.
This is the song "I Feel Fantastic". Be forewarned, it is very, very weird. And funny. But weird. Link

I've been thinking. I think that I'm going to choose St. Sithney as my saint for confirmation this year. I know he's male, but, how can I resist? He's the patron saint of mad or rabid dogs. He's a lot more interesting than all of the humble, altruistic saints who live lives of poverty and then are stabbed by pagans.
Yes, I know, a little sacrilegious. But think, he still has a much more interesting story than, say, Saint Alice. Oh, wait, Saint Alice has a good story, too. She went to a convent at seven, and was humble and kind, and then got leprosy, had visions, and then, presumably, died. Though they left that bit out of the saint listing.
*headdesk*

Sunday, September 20, 2009

...And I've Never Been To Boston In The Fall

When I was little, let's say around six, we were living with the grand parental units while our house was being made. My grandmother had a bunch of Veggie Tale videos that I would watch. It always bothered me about the easily avoided trouble that Junior Asparagus would get into, but I liked it, all the same.
Another thing I liked about Veggie Tales were Silly Songs with Larry. These are really my kind of songs -- they make no sense whatsoever. This is one of my favorites. (I also like the one about the water buffalo).

And I've never been to Bawston in the fawll...

Friday, September 18, 2009

Wool: It's Sheep Fur!

So, my friend and I were exchanging notes, and she challenged me to write a poem. This is what I came up with. I have only one thing to say in my defense: It's harder than you think to write a limerick, okay?

Wool: It's Sheep Fur!

Wool is a great thing here 'round to keep
Especially nice cuz it is so cheap.
My skirt's short and pleated
Who'd a thunk that it once bleated?
That's right: wool is made out of SHEEP!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Weekend


Yes, I know that it is a tad late to be writing about my weekend on Wednesday. Believe me, I know.
So, Nine o'clock Saturday morning, I went into town for the Community Fair, at which Interact (my junior Rotary club) had a booth. We were to be selling popcorn, nachos, generic sodas, and squishy toys. We also had to march in the parade that went through town, and excitingly (sort of...) we got to march in front. Of course, there was no one to actually watch the parade, because the majority of our town was in it, but that's really a minor, minor thing. I was walking between my friend and the president of the club, who really bugs me. He's kind of funny, kind of jerkish. I'm pretty sure that alll elections are popularity contests.
Anywho, I'm pretty sure that he's come to the conclusion that I have mental issues because I kept humming and staring off into space during the parade. I am a little spacey sometimes, so maybe he's not completely inaccurate.
Eleven people showed up to work our booth (though one went home because she was sick), including yours truly. I think we got a pretty good profit, since our business was relatively steady. Though I don't think we sold even one of the squishy toys.
For the second half of the day, after it was done raining, I monitored the kids games that the Rotary booth next door had. Little kids are kind of hard to communicate with, I've noticed.
The entire time I was there, there was a booth that was selling cookies and fudge, and it was really hard not to think about. I eventually broke down and bought fudge during a slow part.
The fair ended at four. I got to go home for precisely one hour before heading off to babysit Emme, Harriet, and Elisa. .
So it was a nice evening. The girls were in the hay barn, and there was this huge pile of grain they were playing in, which was admittedly pretty cool. It was like a giant, two foot deep sandbox full of grain. Then they wanted to show me their chickens, and I'm proud to say that I've entirely overcome my alektorophobia. Chickens are cute and very soft. (Well, it was only roosters that I was afraid of, for good reason). Also, if you throw them up in the air, they'll fly! For about three seconds. But it's still very cool, and funny.
No, the chickens don't mind.
After dinner, we made popcorn from an air popper. We didn't have any butter, so I used vegetable oil. It wasn't that bad, actually. Then they watched The Parent Trap, which is a weird, unrealistic, but kind of sweet, movie.
Well, that's Disney.
Sunday night I was talking to Gracie (that'd be my third blog-follower) on IM, and we came up with a brilliant idea to make anti-Twilight pins. Twilight is the scourge of teen literature. It's a fad, which is always annoying, but it's doubly so when the fad is about a poorly written book about an average girl who is obsessed with her creepy, non-human stalker. So Gracie and I made pins that read TS: RGVB which stands for Twilight Sucks: Read Good Vampire Books. The good vampire books that are referred to are the Den of Shadows Quartet, which is an amazingly written, deep, and meaningful series about a variety of complex and layered characters.
I exaggerate not at all.
By the way, we wore these pins Monday. I was kind of sad when no one asked what they meant, and kind of relieved not to get into a fight with a die-hard Twilight fan -- though we did have a brush with Sarah, didn't we, Gracie?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

School...Got to Love It

...perhaps in the same way one loves a very pretty, fatally poisonous, rather creepy insect: very far away.
Sadly, tis not to be. Back in school today. Sitting at the table in the morning before the first bell rings, it was almost surreal to be back in that building that I've tried my hardest not to think about all summer. It felt almost like I'd never left.
The day was filled with introductions and almost nothing interesting. It's going to be a looong year, that will probably feel very fast in retrospect. (that's the way it works). Anywho, I'm taking digital Photography this year, which should be really interesting and wildly complicated. I also have an actual studyhall this year, in place of Horticulture (which took up my studyhall last year). In some ways, I actually find myself missing the chaos and familiarity and messiness of it. In other ways, I think it might be better off just in memory.
Oh, and something joyful to look forward to: I have coed gym ALL YEAR!!! Yay!!!!
That was sarcasm.
I can't stand coed gym. Playing sports is bad enough, but take away all friends (I have none in that class), and make me play with the boys, who are less forgiving and play too rough, and it is made into a recipe for H-E-double hockey sticks.
Tirzah and Gracie are missing from our lunch period. I find this very sad. I will hardly get to see them at all this year.
I strongly dislike the bus. It's too loud. Too smelly. Too child-infested.
Hate is not a bad word.
And on a parting note, never put Mojito dressing on a vegetable sandwich. It just doesn't work.