Ranka

Happy Saturday Morning – Last night Marcia and I had a delightful hand-folded Potsticker dinner with a choice of two sauces, Yee-mama’s: Scallion Sweet Soy or Garlic Sweet Soy. The whole ‘kit-and-kaboodle’ I purchased at Findlay Market last Sunday. As a bonus Marcia got a dish of French with real-vanilla ice cream for dessert. The net result being that she was in bed well before 7.

This allowed me to watch a little TV along with some Tortilla Chips and chunky Salsa.

All the above set the stage for a solid and restful sleep. So now this morning, I am looking forward to the coffee to finish brewing even more than usual. Let’s get started!

Another reason I’m glad to be in a condo.

The War – is chugging along. Competing with NASA‘s Artemis II manned moon mission launched early Wednesday evening was a Nation-Wide address by President Trump on the status of the Iran war.

Sometime during last month I read a description of a wartime fistfight which, at least for a while, brough both battling sides to a complete standstill. Here are the details in short form.

The Confederate and Union Armies were ‘duking’ it out at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864, in Saunders Field, Virginia. To avoid the flying bullets, a Union and a Confederate soldier had both jumped into a gully.

These two guys, alone together got to argue as to who had captured the other. Soon ‘words’ were exchanged and it was decided to go onto the open road and hold a “regular fist and skull fight” — a hand-to-hand duel where the winner would take the loser prisoner.

Next thing you know, all fighting ceased, guns stopped, and nearby men from the Union and Confederate army gathered to watch. HistoryFacts reports that; “According to Confederate soldier John H. Worsham’s account, the Confederate soldier quickly subdued the Union man, who then surrendered as agreed.”

US Grant at the Battle of the Wilderness

HistoryFacts also report that Worsham who reported the ‘mini-truce’ much later while giving a talk, was a Confederate.

I believe it would have been a hoot had President Trump inserted this 1864 bit of fighting war history into the current Iranian fracas speech.

April Fools Quotation – “The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.” Mark Twain, from “Pudd’nhead Wilson and Other Tales”

Ranka – I got reminded what a wonderful thing the mind is. While the kids stayed the early evening with Marcia and I had the opportunity to head out for a three or so mile hike.
Cutting through neighboring St. Bernard I spotted a young family enjoying a children’s playground park, mom, dad, a couple of ‘kiddos’, and a dog.

It was the dog!

In a nano second, I was transported to my years as a toddler in the Netherlands. Neighbors had a dog (not many around due to the war years) which fascinated me. It was what I now know was a Welsh Wire-Haired Terrier they called “Ranka”.

For many years, oh say seventy or more, the name ‘Ranka’ hadn’t crossed my mind. Now here in little St. Bernard, there playing was a rust-red with black Welsh Terrier and ‘WHAMO’, the name Ranka sat front and center. As I said, the mind is a wondrous thing.

Black Box Theater – is alive and well here in the ‘Nati. For 28 seasons Know Theater of Cincinnati has existed, founded by a troupe called the Tribe. The performances located in a theater in the heart of the Over the Rhine area have brought original, cutting edge, theater to life.

Last weekend Kirstin was in town. It also happened that the Know Theater was introducing original World Premiere by Derek J. Snow called; The Ravenside Occurrence. What made this even more interesting is the fact that Derek Snow happens to be the father of a 10# ‘child’ named ‘Spud’ and that our Kirstin was the mom.

What?!

Here’s the story. Snow and Kirstin were classmates at the city’s School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). I believe it was in economics class at SCPA where the idea of experiencing what all it takes to raise and manage a family took place. Students formed pairs, had to buy a 10# bag of potatoes, decorated this ‘baby’ in swaddling clothes and cart it around for an extended period of time while recording all of it.

Hence, we have Derek and Kirstin the parents of ‘Spud’. Now around 30 years later, whenever these two catch up the first question asked is “how’s Spud?”

You might be asking two things. First, was the play any good? Yes, it was wonderful. Set in late 1800s in a village outside of London. It revolves around four women, escapees from a facility called Bedlam who hole up in an old, abandoned gathering place remembered by one of them. It’s a gripping tale of hauntings and family.

Second, did Spud’s ‘parents’ get to meet again? No, they did not. Our decision to go was at the last minute and Snow was at another event. What actually did happen was some busy and fun back and forth texting between those two.

Me, in the role of Spud’s grandfather had a lovely evening at the Theater. We also brought Spud’s uncle Jason, while aunty Cathy stayed at the condo for a chat-up evening with Marcia.

Dinah Update – The Syracuse University’s Rowing program has a total of 48 women athletes in their program. This past weekend Dinah was on one of the three 8-crew boats sent to the invitational regatta at Rutgers in New Jersey. They came second to Rutgers.

But, here is what’s new. Syracuse’s nationwide coaches’ rankings just moved the program from being ranked 12th nationally to 9th place. Second, it was suggested to Dinah that she boost her daily caloric intake to 6,000 calories. Not an easy task for a vegetarian.

Good grief!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Probably beginning with a game you received when you were just entering Kindergarten had you play a game which contained dice. It appears that the idea of and subsequent creation of dice goes back a long way. Which is the correct answer?

1. Indigenous people in US invented dice over 12,000 years ago
2. Vikings, dice were found tucked in a sunken Viking long-boat.
3. China, archeologists found dice by a watchtower at the great wall.
4. Uncovered graves of sacrificed children in Tenochtitlán, Mexico contained dice
5. A trove of fancy Dice is kept at Versailles, France.

Last week answer – #4