Looking back on a Decade of Unexpected Conflict

Firecrackers, bottle rockets, etc. kept me holed up with our dogs (all once refugees from the mean street life) in a little room as the New Year started. Even normally fearless Little Buddy joined us when the explosions started coming fast and furious. The dogs all barked bravely at the noise from the media room, where the sound of explosions was pronounced. They made a show of defiance. Maggie, especially, acted like she wanted to go out to confront the evildoers, but when given a chance, she backed out. They really wanted to get away from the confusing sounds. So we all moved to the little office facing the vacant house next door to wait out the shooting.

I clicked over to a post by Jules Crittenden, reviewing the decade just past. He started his reminiscence on the last day of 1990s, as the "Vacation from History" (George Will's term, I think) wound down for him at the Mount of Olives. He then went to Bethlehem for a "New Decade" celebration that seemed sort of prescient. Interesting stories and reminders.

"It was a perverse decade. . . "

That's for sure.

"It forced me to take sides. I never wanted to do that, and generally, like most, had successfully avoided doing so. . . ."

Read the whole thing.

I'm going to look for some more positive developments in the coming decade. Here, the fog has ended the shooting of fireworks. The geriatric dogs are O.K. The cats are hiding. Maggie and Little Buddy were anxious to return to guard duty outside. Troy is still in the house with Lucky, relieved to have a time of calm. Me, too. David slept through the whole uproar.

Hope the coming year is a good one for you.