Personal Notes

This has been one of those weeks when everything has come together at once. The demands on time have been unrelenting. First, the time had come to stop resting on my laurels and get the roof on the deck before winter. I probably had been reluctant because it required placing large very heavy pieces of green treated lumber in position well over my head. The temperature went well over 90º and that didn’t help much.

I was then interrupted by my duties at the golf course. It’s not a hard job but it does take time and, of course, requires I get up very early in the morning to start the early birds on their way. Personally, I prefer to play after 9 am, but other golfers have their personal preferences and my job is to keep them happy—and fed.

Due to some recent rains, for which I thank God, the grass here on the ridge has grown beyond belief and needs attention. Four acres to cut and since it is out of control, it also has to be swept as well. For the gardening impaired, that means dragging a lawn sweeper and picking up clippings, leaves and sticks; in other words, covering the ground twice. The reward for doing this is sitting on the front step/deck/porch and admiring what God has provided for my stewardship..

These things in themselves would make for a busy week but wait; there’s more! As a self-confessed political junkie, I feel obligated to not miss a word of the national political conventions. Since this week was the quadrennial madness for the Democrat party, they held my attention when I was not involved with the above. You have heard all the critical announcements and no doubt heard the significant speeches (?) and come to some early conclusions. Pro or con, they made some sort of impression. Obviously, like the upcoming Republicans will, the Democrat politicos found much to praise about their candidates, their history and their programs.

Personally, I am far more interested in the accompanying shenanigans “off the tube” and reading the comments on the blogs in reaction to both the doings in the hall and in the smoke filled rooms. Most of the truly critical decisions are made well out of sight. I am convinced, after reading some observations, they should be. After all, don’t we all prefer to do our dirty laundry in private?

One curiosity in Denver, which will no doubt be repeated in Minneapolis, is the press presence. Allegedly 15,000 folks with some sort or other of press credentials showed up for the convention. Officials, party delegates, and other authorized personnel numbered roughly 3,500. That amounts to about 4.2857 press for every person on business in the Pepsi Center. That would include ushers, secret service agents, vendors, janitorial people, musicians, senators, wives and an ex-president or two. If the states were indeed equal that would be 300 press passes per state. Were they rewarded with any event worthy of that sort of coverage? I can only assume that with that huge blanket of coverage, you are completely up to date on everything that happened.




One more curiosity came out of the Pepsi Center. Above is a picture of the happy candidates and their families. Is it just me or is the youngest of Obama’s kids the only one who seems normal in the picture? The Bidens look like a toothpaste ad or possibly a shot one would use to advertise the departure of a luxury cruise ship. The members of the Obama family seem to have some sort of rictus which results in a tight lipped grimace with little apparent joy. The little one who is not the least phony or self conscious is the only one pictured who shyly offers the viewer a tiny wave of recognition. Bless her heart..

To wind up a way-too-busy week, we were treated to one of the finest examples of political finesse I have ever witnessed. McCain’s staff demonstrated their grasp of security and managed to provide a national surprise this morning which wiped away any affect the Obama acceptance speech might possibly have generated. Suddenly, the official nomination was completely overshadowed by the announcement of Sarah Palin as his running mate. In today’s world of lightning fast communications the name Palin came away from the shadow of the mountains and glaciers of Alaska and became a household word—before noon!

Regular readers know I have followed elections since Eisenhower and have never seen such an electrifying event. I now fully understand the expression “caught flat footed.” The Republican faithful are asking, “Sarah who?” Many are overjoyed to see their man’s choice of a “conservative to the core” executive. The Democrat party seems to be completely flummoxed by the event. In their pleadings of protest they have largely sought to establish lack of experience on the only principal with actual executive experience in the race. This has been a golden day for a political addict.

Next week, Gustav permitting, the Grand Old Party will convene in the twin cities. Several more nights of “a man (or woman) who…” will prevail and we will all get a look at them. I wouldn’t turn down a full night’s sleep but I shall make every effort to keep Zion Beckons up in better shape than I have this week. Please forgive me.


In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon