There was a total lunar eclipse this morning. The last one that will be visible here for the next three years. I got up to pee at three. The eclipse had already begun, and the moon looked like a bite had been taken out of it. Much like the top half of this highly photoshopped image of it. Falling asleep again, I awoke again before five, when Anne had closed the front door and driven our one and only car out to work the polls. I went outside, grabbed the paper, and looked up, hoping to see the total lunar eclipse, which should have been at totality then. Where the moon was supposed to be there were only clouds.
So, not blood moon for me. I could not get back to sleep, made coffee and began surfing the net. Not much new was going on, except everyone and their brother was advocating everyone else to get out and vote. I eventually did. I walked to the polls. On the way, I met a neighbor and former Boeing coworker. He was raking his lawn. He must have taken the day off, because he is still working there. He is thinking more and more about retiring. I offered him some free advice, for what it was worth. He also told me that Little Flower, our neighborhood Catholic church is in danger of being closed. This would be part of an archdiocese wide parish closure program that is needed due to declining numbers of parishioners. Continuing to the polls, I voted, got my sticker, and headed home again. It was almost lunchtime by then, so I walked up to the grocery store. After lunch, I took a much-needed nap. In a few hours the polls will be closing and then soon afterwards Anne will come home again, exhausted. Maybe tonight, most likely not for days to come, we will come to learn if the Democrats have managed to stave off defeat or not.
Ann, this day of rest is for you. You, and your poll worker comrades are what keeps this fractious republic democratic. Without you, and the work your colleagues do, this country would truely be run by competing oligarchs bowing to whatever kleptocratic tyrant managed to intimidate his way to the top. Thank you! Rest well. Take the day off. Don’t read the papers, watch the news or mainline the Internet.
And Mark, treat this defender of democracy with the defference she deserves, but is unlikely to get.
Anne here. Thank you, Chris for your kind comments! We had a good day, fairly steady flow of voters all day long. 1,372 votes cast. I got to see some former students or their parents, and some former colleagues. Allow me to preach for a moment. You too, could be pillar of support for our democracy. Sign up to be a poll worker. It’s a long day, but only 4 times a year, or so.