Today

Mama stayed home with a nasty cold.

I pondered Veterans' Day, always a challenge, as I deplore the military-industrial complex and blood-for-oil and Western imperialism/colonialism/revenge, as well as the creation of an underclass of very young, often minority, soldiers serving the needs of the upperclass 1%.  I don't buy that the majority of battles fought today are to protect our freedom (or not the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but the freedom, for instance, of unlimited oil and its petroleum by-products so fundamental to our capitalist first-world society or freedom to make money for the war contractors or even freedom to exact some kind of large-scale revenge for September 11.)  I believe the jingoistic patriotism that is the dominant cultural comment on the wars and soldiers, especially today, belies (and might even be primarily made to distract us from) the ugly truths.  And so I am cynical.  Though, I do realize our freedoms have been protected by veterans now and in the past.  My grandfather fought in the European theater of WWII; my current hospice patient is a female veteran (possibly like the WWII code-breaker women on the BBC's "Bletchley Circle.")  I just don't think all wars are the same and I worry that all of our "I support the troops" blinds us to these problems.   Though, I can't blame our current soldiers and veterans for where their leaders send them, or why; even in such situations, so many soldiers show bravery, strength, and compassion  and offer up (along with their families) great and sometimes ultimate sacrifices that aren't tainted by the causes of the war or motivations of politicians.  For this we should raise them up as heroes and thank them.  See, conflicted.  Maybe friend Karen was right and I should look into Veterans for Peace.

Mama Teacher, my friend, was home recovering from yesterday's migraine but could come over for coffee and a chat.

We saw emergency vehicles up the street in the morning.  Tonight, I learned that the 22ish year-old young woman in that house had died overnight, probably of the heart condition she's had since birth.  It is devastatingly sad.  I cried tonight and hugged the kids tighter, especially when I thought of Christmas and her new baby niece.  She always waved at us from the steps of her house and talked to me when I shopped where she worked; she was friendly and lively.  I know she will be missed.  I hurt, almost physically, for her parents and older sister.

I ran errands to the craft store, finding yarn for teacher gifts and fleece for my hospice patient's project.  Lots of shoppers today.  Got yummy Chipotle lunch.  Couldn't find a bread machine I liked.

I received email that the Filippino pen pal of the youth in our church was not on the island with the most devastation but still hasn't been heard from.  Our thoughts and prayers are with her, her family, and her nation.

I learned that my in-laws like my sweet potato casserole and green bean casseroles.  I'm not sure we'll be changing any of our traditional Thanksgiving dishes!  Though, I've been looking for vegan appetizers to please us all.  Not easy.

I finished my binge of the new "Battlestar Galactica," with Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell.  I loved all four seasons and the ending--the original BG, science fiction, war, torture, the military, alliances, politics, spies, zealots, religion, fanactism, angels, spirituality, cults, death, afterlife, cancer, technology, AI, love, sex, romance, parenting, truth, memory, hope, peace.  Wow.  I could watch it all again.  The character Kara Thrace was a space-aged Xena.  And the love story of Adama and Roslin was one of the best.

I crocheted 5+ more rows on my new prayer shawl, in LB Thick and Chunky "Colonial" blue.

Mama and I have started to watch "Orange is the New Black."  And we like it.

Sis came home exhausted and missed gymnastics; I watched her all night for fever.  None yet and she got a second wind.

The kids made pandas on their Rainbow Looms; we listened to "Zoom Gully Gully" on the computer.

I skipped my Girl Scout meeting.

Bud just solved a completely random Rubik's Cube in 3 minutes and 34 seconds.

Now they are both reading books in the Percy Jackson series before bedtime.

Snow is in the forecast tomorrow morning, no accumulation.