Our neighbor across the street was just taken away in an ambulance–something about the flu and not being able to breathe, so we’re hoping that she’s mostly okay. I’m still seeing flare in my eyes, though, from the plethora of flashing lights out there–even though they’ve been gone for an hour. Watching them get her down the steep driveway was almost scary. We got some extra snow tonight, just a dusting, but it’s obviously slippery out there. The ambulance driver more or less skiied down, and two of the three people steering the gurney almost landed on their knees. They ended up backing the ambulance partway up the driveway so that they only had to wheel the gurney halfway down, but … that was a little scary. We’re sending good thoughts, though.

Chappy’s been fidgety ever since–doing a lot more barking and pacing than is usual at 9:00 at night. But, he’s in Watch Dog Mode, so, it’s to be expected, right.

So–be careful. He’s watching you!

You know my good friend Susan at the Martha’s Vineyard Fiber Farm, right? Well, she’s got a brand-new, fancy-schmancy website. Go check it out! (Though, unfortunately, they’re having technical difficulties with the LambCam for live action flock excitement, but, well, they’ll get that fixed.)

You also know, of course, that as of tomorrow, we’ve got a new President. (You may have heard?) I’m planning on taking an early, long lunch tomorrow so that I can actually watch the swearing in at noon … and see the Inaugural Address right afterward. He gives such good speeches, and Inaugurals are traditionally HUGE and moving and historic. I really, truly don’t want to  miss it and, darn it, the office can manage without me for a little bit.

You realize, of course, that–barring any terrible, unforeseen accidents–this means that the Curse of Tippecanoe truly is broken? You know, the one that meant that every U.S. President elected in a year ending with zero since 1840 has died in office. William Henry Harrison (1840), Abraham Lincoln (1860), James Garfield (1880), William McKinley (1900), Warren Harding (1920), Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1940), John F. Kennedy (1960).

It had been said, of course, that the curse had been broken by Ronald Reagan’s having survived his assassination attempt in 1981, but … who was to know? You couldn’t really say one way or another until or unless the President elected in 2000 survived his full term. And since we’re into the last hours of George W. Bush’s presidency … I’m willing to say that it looks pretty promising.

See? We’re seeing all SORTS of new history tomorrow!! And, frankly, seeing this 160-year old tradition die is much better than seeing more Presidents die. (Because, no, even though I have not been fond of George Bush, there’s no way I ever wished him to fall victim to this curse. I wouldn’t have wanted Al Gore to die, either, and I didn’t like him any more than Bush.)

Oh, and folks? Send good luck my way, would you? I’ve got an interesting prospect for my freelancing business … as in, really interesting, fun, and I WANT this job! So … if you wanted to send along some good luck, um….

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