Trivia

Rarely does a day go by that I don't say, "I didn't know that!" Today was no exception. In purusing our town's newspaper, I learned these things:

Our country's eighth president, Martin Van Buren, born in Kinderhook, N.Y., is credited with the word okay, or, OK, which are shortened terms for his nickname, "Old Kinderhook."

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president, dubbed the residence in Washington, D.C., the "White House."

And from a quarterly rural magazine, I learned that some farmers and ranchers use llamas as guardian animals, because they chase and kick dogs and coyotes away from livestock. I've seen llamas in pastures around our state, but thought their owners just kept them as novelty animals.

I also learned that glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are given to performance dogs to help keep their joints lubricated for running and jumping. Hubbie and I take daily doses of it in hopes of keeping our joints in good working order, but I never thought about it being good for our four-legged friends, too.

I can't think what I need this information for, but it's interesting, anyway.

Zap Those Commercials

Today, Hubbie asked if we'd seen the new green bags that are supposed to keep veggies and fruits from spoiling so fast in the fridge. He'd seen the bags on TV.

Mother commented that she hasn't seen any commercials since we've had the DVR, because I videotape shows for her as we watch them, which means I zap the commercials. So all she sees is a blur of ads that I've fast-forwarded through.

We suggested she might need to start watching more daytime TV, so she can stay up-to-date on new commercials.

I think that at least she's seeing the shows and movies in their entirety now, though. When I taped things for her pre-DVR, she'd press the fast-forward button to eliminate commercials and then doze off, finger pressed firmly on the FF button. When she woke up, she'd find she'd fast-forwarded halfway into another show or movie and would have to rewind to the point she was watching when she drifted.

Dozing off in front of the TV is something we all do around here, but Mother is the champion at it. She said that when she's home and wants to be sure to see the weather report before going to bed, she stands in front of the TV to keep from nodding off.

Ballet and Bible

Last night, we attended a ballet performed by a faith-ministry touring company. This is the fourth year that the troupe has visited our small town, and the house was packed, as usual.

This ensemble of professional dancers, in modest but effective costumes, illustrate Bible stories. Sometimes, as with last night's performance, they set the story in contemporary times. It's safe to say last night's audience was overwhelmingly Christian, but even for those who might not be, this was a strong and commanding performance that could be enjoyed not only for the message it sent, but for the artistry of the performers.

The event is an annual fundraiser for a local organization, and we expect our town will be on the company's touring calendar for next year.