Well, well, it wasn’t some pseudo doctor who woke me up this morning, nor was it some political pundit, but the guys from the Great Outdoors radio show. The first thing I heard that about a month ago, on McKarns Lake in Williams County in northwest Ohio someone caught a 22.78 pound Northern Pike (45 inches long and 19 inches in girth). For Marlene and Marcia, a Berkley Crazy Legs on a casting rod was used.

While I start my coffee, you contemplate on that catch.

“Politicians and diapers need to be changed often – lest the stench quickly becomes unbearable”~ author unknown.

Actually, many years ago politics did creep into this day – Guy Fawkes Day. November 5, the anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot, a conspiracy to blow up the English Parliament and King James I in 1605, the day set for the king to open Parliament.

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot…

The plot failed, the fireworks stayed.

30-years of progress – It took two full days of work to install our new Furnace and a new AC unit (complete with cage).  The cage was at my insistence – we live close enough to The Hood that I thought it was warranted.

Looking into the ‘guts’ of the two furnaces it’s the difference between working on an old ’65 VW ‘bug’ or any current model car. Anyway, it was a masterful installation. And now it’s already day three of a warranty period which extends and extends and extends.

College Football – is so much more enjoyable than watching the NFL. All the nit-picky rules and the time-outs to review every other play is obnoxious. College football has an atmosphere and energy level that blows right by what the NFL offers.

Then, don’t get me started on the prima-donna behavior of some of the pro players.

In full disclosure, later today I’ll be off to watch the University of Cincinnati Bearcats take on Brigham Young University. I’m psyched!

Early Voting – in Ohio it starts 26-days prior to Election Day. Some states it begins as early as September 23rd. And I am surprised at how many states offer only a vote on Election Day or by ‘reason’ for obtaining an absentee ballot.

I’ve had discussions on the whole early voting business. The primary reason for it being not to; “exclude”. So far so good. But, how far back is it good? One reaches a point where it’s so early that it becomes ridiculous.

A week early is probably no problem, while six months early becomes idiocy. So, where is the happy medium? Unless a voter really doesn’t care and is so issue/party bent there has to remain room to allow for an infamous; October Surprise. If not, then it’s really much akin to the old grade school bit:

Now, maybe we should begin to look at a rule to allow active campaigning to begin at maximum three months out. That would be something I could live with.

The Joy of Bread – For those who’ve been following these posts, it’s become a bit of a habit. Actually, truth be told, we’ve become Bread snobs! We buy one really great loaf of wood-oven baked bread which then lasts us for the week. Last week Marcia and I stopped by the Blue Oven farm bread stand at Findlay Market. Our choice for this past week?…….drum roll please; an OLIVE FOUGASSE [Mild Sourdough] it weighed 2lb.

Finis –Vai and the NAM Rockets, success on doing great in the regional tournament – starting today.

So, for those of us who have not yet voted, or who’ll wait till Tuesday, please vote. As I read yesterday, in the words of a retired Navy Seal; this is one of those ‘sliding-door’ opportunities to step through and change the course of history.

Cheers.

Dirk the Deplorable