Starters

Via SN1…a quiz about one of my Hot Buttons…

You Scored an A

You got 9/10 questions correct. It's pretty obvious that you don't make basic grammatical errors. If anything, you're annoyed when people make simple mistakes on their blogs. As far as people with bad grammar go, you know they're only human. And it's humanity and its current condition that truly disturb you sometimes.

The It's Its There Their They're Quiz

Now I could have cheated and taken the quiz over (object: perfect score), but we’re all about honesty and integrity here at EIP. I knew which question I got wrong when I chose the answer, but chose falsely just to see what would happen. (Ed: I thought you said something about “honesty?” Oh, Shaddup.)

Whatever. Still and even, you’d think otherwise intelligent folks would learn to use apostrophes correctly, though. To quote one of my favorite grammar sayings: “The purpose of an apostrophe is NOT to announce the imminent arrival of the letter ‘s.’” Or, in other words…don’t frickin’ use an apostrophe to indicate the plural, OK?

/irritated school-marm voice

Further on Wreaths Across America… a video, produced by the Worcester Wreath Company, that explains why the company’s owner does what he does.

(h/t to Cynthia @ Gazing at the Flag, who did a much better job on her “Wreaths Across America” post than I did on mine.)

One more thing before I put this lil bit of rambling up and finish making the rounds… We had the (nearly) full gamut of all possible December weather last night. A fairly strong storm blew over The High Plains last evening, visiting us with a significant amount of rain, sleet, ice, and snow. And thunder. I counted at least four lightning flashes last evening just before the freezing rain turned into full-blown sleet. Now I’ve heard and read about thunder-snow but don’t believe I’ve ever experienced it…until last night. And it’s a strange-bordering-on-weird sort of phenomenon, too. I mean ya just don’t expect to hear thunder when it’s 26 degrees outside now, do ya?

I awoke this morning to about an inch of fresh white snow on the ground…which was beautiful. Even more beautiful since I’m secure in the knowledge it will ALL be gone by about 1600 hours today. The best sort of snow: Saturday morning (no place to be), not much of it (an inch…or less), and a guaranteed half-life measured in hours. It could be worse. A LOT worse.

Back in a bit…