Returning to the Snow in DC

Shane works on our steps.


We were at my Mom's celebrating Christmas over the weekend. She lives in Rising Sun, MD, near the Pennsylvania line in the northeast corner of the state. We made the trek down I-95 this morning to see what the snow situation was at our house. It was deep. We were able to dig out a parking space and dig out the front steps and sidewalk. We then had to dig the drifting snow off the roof (we are afraid too much weight up there will cause a catastrophe) and dig snow off our back deck (also afraid of a possible collapse). After helping my Mom dig out yesterday and this morning and then coming home and digging for a large part of the day, my back is killing me. They said we got 16 inches in DC, but I think it all drifted over to our house!

SNL's Debbie Downer -- The 12 Days of Christmas

Santa gets depressed after surprising Debbie Downer in this sketch from Saturday Nightl Live.

Vomita Lives!!!

You may remember Vomita from an earlier post in June. My sister was looking for a home for this cat with a hard-luck story. My sister didn't find anyone willing to take Vomita, so she still has her. The cats name now is Emesis, which is a medical term for throwing up. The cat had a tendency to throw up a great deal in her youth. She doesn't throw up anymore and everyone refers to her as "Emmy."

Poor Emmy isn't right in the head--a bit downsy I think. She can't stop herself from climbing up on counters and tables. She knocks things over and gets into food. It is a constant battle to keep her out of things she shouldn't be doing. She loves to climb the Christmas tree. She is a very high maintenance. If we're having a family dinner, Emmy has to stay in the basement or she would be walking on people's plates and on the food. Emmy is lucky she was found someone willing to put up with her craziness.

Saturday Evening Snow Accumulation

This was taken at dusk and you can see the foot and half of snow higher on the fence (compare to the photo below taken this morning). I did some shoveling, so some of the snow on the left side of the fence is from piling of shoveled snow. It was certainly a snowy day. We are going back to DC to shovel our house out tomorrow.

The Snow Storm Begins

Bing's Dream Comes True -- The 12 Days of Christmas

Although Christmas is 6 days away, Washington DC and the metro area is getting walloped with a HUGE snowstorm today. Accumulation of 2 feet is expected. Shane and I are about 2 hours north of DC, at my mother's house to celebrate an early Christmas. We are flying down to Florida on Christmas Eve to spend the actual holiday with Shane's family. We hope to be able to drive home to DC on Sunday, but we'll have to wait and see if that is possible.

The song is by Bing Crosby and from the holiday classic Holiday Inn. Enjoy!

SNL Finds Lost Ending of It's a Wonderful Life -- The 12 Days of Christmas

Dana Carvey does an amazing Jimmy Stewart in this Lost Ending "found" to It's a Wonderful Life from Saturday Night Live. "He's not even a cripple!"

Should the Government Use Baby Jesus for the 2010 Census?

I don't think so. Do you? How many people who see this are going to think because there was a census in a bible story, that it is something that is very sacred and we should go along with it? I don't have anything against the census, and I plan to participate in being counted, but using the bible as propaganda is not a good idea. It isn't that I think it is disrespectful to religion. That is the least of my concerns. I just think it is tacky. Next thing you know, Health and Human Services will have a foot washing campaign featuring Jesus spraying anti-fungal medicine on the 12 disciples.

DC Mayor Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Scenes from Elf -- The 12 Days of Christmas

Cha Cha Heels -- The 12 Days of Christmas

This is a scene from the John Waters film, Female Trouble, starring Divine as Dawn Davenport who just wanted some cha cha heels for Christmas.

Update on the Florida House

We are still in the process of buying a second house in Florida. There has been yet more complications. As I blogged about earlier, we had to notify the neighbors about a getting a waiver from the city because our survey showed the house was built over land the city requires for utility use. The normal procedure is that the they send out notice, the city makes an exception, and it is no big deal other than the delay of getting it all done.

The variance notice was suppose to expire this Friday and then it just had to be recorded by the city, which could take up to 2 week, but there was hope it could be done sooner so we could close by the end of the year. We had plans to drive down starting on New Year's Eve and spend the first week of the new year at our new house.

We just heard that the orthopedic surgeon that owns the house next to the house we're trying to buy has made an objection. Some neighborhoods have the Welcome Wagon -- this neighbor wants our house to be bulldozed. Because the fine doctor thinks our shabby house is an eyesore compared to his mansion and is detrimental to his house's value, he is asking the city to require that the house be torn down. That seems reasonable, doesn't it?

The result is that the city council now has to vote on granting the variance, and the earliest it can be scheduled is February 17. We were suppose to have this house before Thanksgiving. Of course, we're worried that something else could go wrong and the bank will not want to extend our contract and the whole deal will fall through. We assume the city will eventually grant the variance, but it has frankly become a huge pain in the ass. We just have to keep our eye on the prize and remember that this will all be worth it when we finally get this house... Won't it?

Same-Sex Marriage in DC a Done Deal?

The DC Express newspaper, the free paper version of the Washington Post, seems to think that same-sex marriage in DC is a done deal.  Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sign the bill, passed the second time yesterday by the DC Council.  However, the bill must then survive a 30-day review period.  To block the bill, the House, Senate and President would all have to sign off on a disapproval resolution in the 30 days. The paper says advocates of the bill do not think this is likely to happen in a Democrat-controlled Government.  The only other way this could fall through is if there is a Maine-style voter referendum, which so far has been denied as a violation of the DC civil rights law.  Same-sex marriages could begin in the spring.  I wonder if anyone will ask for my hand in marriage!

Delicious Schweddy Balls -- The 12 Days of Christmas

Another classic Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Alec Baldwin promoting his delicious Schweddy Balls on National Public Radio's Delicious Dish. Good Times!

Feliz Navidad by Charo -- The 12 Days of Christmas

If this doesn't make you happy, you are clinically depressed. Who doesn't love Charo? This is also from Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Special (the whole show is available for free at www.peewee.com). Feliz Blah Blah Blah!

The Del Rubio Triplets Sing Winter Wonderland -- The 12 Days of Christmas

Today is the first entry for my 12 Days of Christmas. Each day, until December 25th, a new posting will celebrate the season. Today is the amazing Del Rubio Triplets as they performed Winter Wonderland on the Pee Wee Playhouse Christmas Special for 1988. I have this special on video, but you can watch the whole show for free on Pee Wee Herman's website at www.peewee.com. There may be a few more clips from this special here before the 12 days are up! I love that show!

Guess Where I Was -- 10 Years Ago

I was going through some old photos today and found this one of me in Laos. Technically, I was in Laos, i guess, since they were flying the flag of Laos, but it was really an island in the Mekong River. Shane and I were touring the Golden Triangle area of Thailand in 1999 and we took a boat ride that took us to this island so we could say we were in Laos.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

House Committee Passes Partner Benefits Bill

The Advocate reports: The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday voted 23-12 to pass the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which would extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal government workers.

The bill is now likely to move to a full House floor vote, which many anticipate could take place before the end of the year.

Debate over the bill split along party lines with Democrats emphasizing the concepts of fairness and equality and Republicans objecting to the legislation on the basis that it would begin to redefine marriage or would create special rights for LGBT people.

DC Doing Same-Sex Marriage Right

The DC Board of Elections and Ethics ruled yesterday that a measure to let voters decide whether to ban same-sex marriage in DC cannot go on the ballot because it would violate a city human rights law. Bravo! This makes me proud to be a DC resident. Why can't other places get the fact that voting on civil rights doesn't work? Would there even be interracial marriage in many southern states if it required a vote? I don't think so.

The DC Council is expected to approve same-sex marriage in a vote on December 1, but it has to be voted on twice before passing. Apparently, DC can't be trusted with just one vote. We need an "Are you sure?" vote. Then, because DC government apparently rides the short bus to work, the U.S. Congress can override the vote.

The DC Council seems to be standing up to the Catholic Church threat of leaving a third of the city's poor in the lurch if the bill passes. The church has threatened to abandon its charity and adoption work in the city because gay marriage would violate the institutions core values. As we all recall from our bible studies, "the Lord said, feed the poor and clothe the naked, unless the gays can get married. In that case, let them go to hell." With all the gay priests out there abusing children, isn't it a bit self-righteous of the church to take such a hard line? I'm happy, at least, to see the tactic not working. I wouldn't think it is helping make the church look very Christian.

UPDATE: 11/19/09 -- Lawyers for the Alliance Defense Fund and Stand4MarriageDC have filed a lawsuit in DC Superior Court to get the initiative on the ballot.