A happy Saturday morning to everyone, remember clocks jump forward this weekend. Why it does so is a bit of a riddle. I know, I know, everybody has their favorite tale as to why it we move the clocks around. But, the fact that we are actively discussing to end this bi-annual exercise means that in fact it’s a useless practice.

However, since it’s still dark and my coffee still brewing, let me get you started with a riddle:

” It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.” ~ Anonymous

Thanks to Bubba-Bo and his guest Mr. Ed, to get me to start the morning and get you underway in this fashion.

Chaos & Mayhem – Maybe it should become a permanent fixture on my Ramblings, a weekly Corner-of-Chaos-and-Mayhem update. This week there was a threat of rain, freezing rain, icing, and snow. In actuality, by morning rush hour we had none of it, other than a bit of wet on the roadway.

Though, right at the edge of the intersection now laid a large pile of blue-ish salt. Traffic had gone through enough to where there were now two humps requiring vehicles to come to a complete stop and then slow passage.

Later in the day help arrived in the form of one truck and two tractors. Notice what’s missing? Yup, since your mind has become alert through doing the earlier riddle, you got it easily; the guy with the shovel and broom.

Since the truck driver can only drive and the tractor guy only scoop we heard the call go out; “Houston we’ve got a problem.” But, these folk were trained professionals and soon the tractor-scooper managed to use the curb to load his bucket.

A few bucket side-sweeps to get the excess salt on the curb back into the street, pushed and picked up again, and most of it was in the back of the truck. The truck driver only had to lean on his steering wheel with a bored look; all so simple. All that is, except for the ‘sea’ of drivers who were held up by all the hub-bub.

Vili – the architect, and just in the third grade. He had to make his first oral presentation to his class. His subject? One of the visionary architects who took part in the design of our town’s Union Terminal.

This whole thing was a big doing and Vili immersed himself into it, down to assuming the role of the architect by even insisting on dressing the part. When I saw him I was lucky that I didn’t blurt out; “Why Vili, you look just like Bob Dylan! He was so proud! And, he did just fine, a little nervous (which is good) but fine.

His subject couldn’t have been better. Union Terminal was completed in 1933, is 55-meters across and 32-meters in height and is still the largest dome in the western hemisphere. At the height of train travel 216 trains a day rolled through the place.

It’s a world class example of the Art Deco style. And, the interior space is enhanced by a semi-circle consisting of a 110 foot long/22 foot high mosaic mural depicting the history of Cincinnati and 16 smaller mosaic wall murals depicting the area’s industry.

And, yes you can still catch an (occasional) Amtrak train in the place, although now it’s home to three museums and an Omnimax theater.

Prohibition – meant that the German heritage which  included over 120 breweries was devastated. But now and then there is a re-emerging of one of those old beer names. The newest, now as a large ‘craft’ brewery, is Wiedemann Beer. And, this is amazing; as luck would have it the place is walking distance from our place!

Last weekend Marcia and I went. The place was packed and warm on a cold night. The pub-food perfect (especially the Brussels Sprout sides, broiled with balsamic vinegar and Maple smoked bacon). Plus, as luck would have it, we were seated by the Jazz and Blues fused duo which was outstanding.

A slight error – Marcia discovered a cakery – Nothing Bundt Cakes. A chain which makes individual sized as well as full sized Bundt cakes; she needed two. One to help celebrate Dinah’s Birthday (last evening) and another for a dinner celebration with her lady friends (tomorrow). The latter is to celebrate the life of Janie who passed a few weeks ago. I offer to take care of this simple matter.

When I returned home she was delighted by how the cakes looked and I even got the cake flavor right. I did have one error though. The cake destined for the ‘celebration of Life’ dinner was prominently marked “Happy Birthday” – WHOOPS!

Have ever tried to move icing around after it’s become part of the whole?

Finis – Derek put his engineering skills to use. Again, this year he had to build a bridge from a hundred or so Popsicle sticks. The bridge had to hold a pre-determined amount of weight (around 25-lbs) and a (I believe) create an 18” span. He received 95% for his effort so he did very well. Congratulations guy.

Do well and make it a safe week.
Ciao
Dirk
(PS. The Riddle answer is in the ‘comments’)