This Is the Way the World Ends

It's still better than eyeless in Gaza, but it's not a happy situation.

Hubby called to say our car died while he was on the interstate on the way to work. Died? Committed suicide is more like it. At the very least it's going to need a new engine.

Looks like I'll be riding the bus for a while, which I don't mind too much except that it just doesn't go everywhere I need to go.

"I'd like another." That's the chant that greeted Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another when he arrived at Pimlico for The Preakness Stakes. Today, after the conclusion of that thrilling race, which he won, I expect to hear "I'd like one more!"

Yes, once again we have a shot at a Triple Crown winner, a situation that always leaves me in a quandary. When I first started watching horse racing, the last Triple Crown had been won before I was born (Citation, 1948). It eventually ended up being 25 years until Secretariat won in 1973. By that time I had become superstitious about the TC, especially believing that if I was rooting for a horse to win, he wouldn't. So I wasn't exactly rooting for Secretariat, though in my heart of hearts... I had a bad moment when he first pulled ahead of his competitors. "Too soon, too soon," I worried. Until he went on to win by, what? 31 lengths, and I was utterly gobsmacked. Then Seattle Slew won the Triple in 1976 and Affirmed in 1978 (and this time I was rooting for a winner. (It didn't seem so mystical anymore.)

Then the longest drought began. It's been 34 years. We've had some close calls, most notably Real Quiet who lost the Belmont by only a nose. (I comforted myself at the time with the thought that Victory Gallop, the winner, had run and won at Colonial Downs, the closet thing we have to a local track). Perhaps the most heartbreaking for me was Smarty Jones' defeat in the Belmont, though I also feel a sore spot for Afleet Alex. Alex never had a chance at the Triple Crown because he lost the Kentucky Derby, but he does share in common the fact that he won two-thirds of the Crown.

The superstition has returned as well. I was going to post this morning with my thoughts/predictions. (If I had stuck to my guns, I would have had an IHA/Bodimeister exacta! And I was not at all surprised by Creative Cause's third.) However, I couldn't bring myself to admit to favoring I'll Have Another for fear it would jinx him, yet I couln't bring myself to name another horse.

I'll be crying June 9th. I just don't know yet whether it will be happiness or despair.

Today was our wedding anniversary. We've been married twenty-seven years. I don't even know what to do with a number like that. It doesn't seem quite real. It also doesn't feel as if it's been that long although it does fell like a good while.

We really did our celebrating yesterday, as that's the way our scedules work out, by having lunch at T.G.I.Friday's. He got brave and tried the new Korean tacos. I stuck to a more tried-and-true pulled pork sandwich. We split a new dessert: sweet and salty caramel-toffee cake. A la mode. That might not be the actual name, but it's a pretty fair description, leaving out only the vanilla pudding filling (which was my favorite part).

Tonight we exchanged cards and watched the season finale of "Person of Interest" on tape. Maybe not ultra-romantic, but it suits us.

They've been saying disco is dead for quite a while now, but today it lost its queen, Donna Summer. Although always strongly associated with the disco era, I think it shortchanges Summer only to think of her that way. With a strong background in gospel, she could handle R&B, pop, and dance. Nor did she exactly fade away when disco did. "She Works Hard For the Money" became an anthem for working mothers in the 80's. Her last album was released in 2008. She was still a solid performer as late as 2009's Nobel Peace Prize concert. She had more dance hits than anyone other than Madonna. (Try to keep your body from twitching when you head "I Feel Love.") She also wrote or co-wrote some of her hits, such as the big hit from the film "Thank God It's Friday" (in which film she also appeared onscreen).

Well, maybe not. We didn't have monsoon rains, but we did have thunder and lightning and a real gully washer. Our street flooded for about the fourth time ever in all the years I've been here. The flood waters made it about two feet up our driveway and lawn. my husband couldn't get to our driveway but parked in the credit union lot and hiked home. The rain had stopped , and the waters were receding by then. They were pretty much all gone in the space of an hour.

Nearly forgot. Before I do so again, let me wish all the mothers and people who serve in a mother's capacity:


H A P P Y M O T H E R S D A Y


It's also my mother's birthday; well, would be if she were still alive. That used to be a kind of bonus: two celebrations on one day. Her birthday also fell on Friday the 13th sometimes, probably why that day doesn't concern me.

Tonight's "Fringe" (the season finale) was nigh well perfect. Astrid survived, Walter even called her by her right name, Broyles got a promotion, Nina Sharp got a job offer, Peter found a house in Brookline, Olivia got some good news (for a change), William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) popped up (ok, he did that last week, but he had more to do this week), September showed up, and this time Walter saved the universe, pretty much all by himself. Woo hoo! Also, unusual for "Fringe," everyone was smiling at the end. Well, not the very end, but that was a set-up for next season.

Yes, there will be one more (truncated) season. It was touch and go for a while, but Fox finally greenlit 13 episodes. I read commentary recently that said that people who gave up on this show after the first (or even second) season don't realize how much heart is in it now. I know my heart was bursting with love and pride tonight. If it had been the end, I could have accepted it, but I'm glad we'll be getting more Fringe=y goodness.

My husband and I finally got around to watching the first show of Season 2 of "Sherlock." Oh my goodness. It seemed just packed with wit and repartee, much of which zinged by so fast I couldn't really retain it. I'm pretty sure I heard this line or something close to it.

Watson to Holmes:

"I frequently hear 'Punch me in the face' when talking to you, but it's usually subtext."

Maurice Sendak died today. Can there be anyone, in the U.S. at least, who hasn't heard of Where The Wild Things Are? I didn't read it myself until my twenties, in a Children's Literature class, but I thought it was great.

2012 Kentucky Derby order of finish

1. I’ll Have Another
2 .Bodemeister
3. Dullahan
4. Went the Day Well
5. Creative Cause
6. Liaison
7. Union Rags
8. Rousing Sermon
9. Hansen
10. Daddy Nose Best
11. Optimizer
12. Alpha
13. El Padrino
14. Done Talking
15. Sabercat
16. Gemologist
17. Trinniberg
18. Prospective
19. Take Charge Indy
20. Daddy Long Legs