Labor Day

I enjoyed Hillary's speech but didn't watch a lot of the convention--they all seem too conventional, without surprise, same old truck night after night. Of course, growing up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland which shares the Delmarva peninsula with Delaware we're quite familiar with Sen. Biden, who I think is a great VP choice, actually. I think I recall that his hair is all transplants from elsewhere on his body but if vanity is his worst vice I think that's OK in a VP. Far better, I think, than Gov. Palin. It will be interesting to hear the different commercials I hope in Iowa/NE/SD; I'm sure we'll be tired of the Va-Md ones by then.

We had a great time on the weekend with Allison. She stayed at a B&B then went to our place and surprised us with food and a full fridge, which was great as we wanted to see the UVa-USC football game, though we knew we would be crushed. It was on national TV and Darby is in the band (though they showed the USC band a lot, they never showed him, sigh but you can see him practice at http://picasaweb.google.com/alwootten/CavalierBand#
). Saturday we went for a cruise on the Miss Ann (see http://flickr.com/photos/24104502@N06/2478782657
) with my thesis advisor Paul and his wife Rachael, who were celebrating their 47th anniverary on 31 Aug. Although the day began with clouds, rain and a brisk NE breeze, by the time we cast off for our brunch cruise up the Corrotoman River it was beautiful. We had watched the ship's Saturday sunset cruises from our front deck for years; we had run out on the jetskis to circumnavigate it, but we had not been on it until this year.
http://picasaweb.google.com/alwootten/IdaLeeBirthday#
for Ida Lee's birthday. After we had returned home we visited a friend from U. Va's home a few miles away, very close to the home our cousin Put Rosenberg had lived in many years before (Cousin Edie Foster's daughter, Jennifer Scheid, still lives nearby). When we arrived to surprise them, they were just returning from the afternoon tea cruise on the Miss Ann (it leaves the area after 52 years next week). Then we went on to Paul and Rachael's new house--they had torn down all additions to the 1844 farmhouse and were building an ultra-modern new wing designed by Paul's son Tom, a NYC architect. It was amazing--lots of work to do (electricity in only one bathroom so far, for instance) but sits on a point surrounded by a creek about 150' across known as Horn Harbor--great sunset views. We had Ti Ponche (sort of daiquiri with extra lime and sugar) and watched the sunset--wonderful views! Next day we mostly relaxed before heading home, where I met my son Nate to go see Batman. Certainly a well put together movie but all effect and too little craft went into its making, I think.