Accomack Arson, Ocala Horses, & the Pope

Last week, there were ten new fires that were attributed to the Accomack County arsonist. So far this week, the Whispering Pines Motel on US 13 and an empty restaurant near Onancock became victims of this pyromaniac. I never stayed at Whispering Pines, but seeing the billboards for the motel along the highway, and then finally seeing the buildings and neon sign itself, always meant I was near home (Chincoteague) and that I was finally in Accomack County. The Whispering Pines has seen it's ups and downs over the past 70 years, but it was, at one time, a very beautiful, well-run motor court (and well known restaurant and bar) for people travelling up and down the Eastern Shore, or for those who couldn't decide whether to stay on the Bay or the Ocean side... The reward for turning in the Accomack arsonist is till at $25,000.

  In Ocala, Florida, the Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Ocala Breeders Sale had a breath-taking moment yesterday. Hip number 333, a grey or roan colt, sired by Smart Strike and out of the Pulpit mare Mini Sermon sold for a whopping $1.8 million. The next-highest price for a 2-year-old was $600,000.

  So the Roman Catholic Church has a new Pope - "il Popa." As soon as it was announced that he would be using the name "Francisco," I wondered if it was in reference to St. Francis of Assissi. I was correct, which really surprised me, because I am not a Catholic... The new Pope Francis was the Cardinal of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He lost one lung to a nasty infection as a teen-ager, was a history teacher, and is a member of the Jesuits. His parents were Italian immigrants to Argentina in the late 1920s. He is 76 years old, wears glasses, cooked his own meals in a tiny apartment in Buenos Aires, and rode the bus for transport. He seems to be an interesting man, but I don't expect any new and sweeping church reforms from him.

Arson, Gold and Guns

Lovey and Nedi allowed me to stay in bed until 7:30 this morning - after I showered and dressed, fed them and cleaned their litter boxes, I headed off to the PO to send a package to Michele in Wisconsin, and I picked up a couple of boxes so I can send stuff to Carolyn and Greg and my granddaughter. I stopped at the store on the way home and got fresh fruits and veggies for today's meals. The kits are chasing each other through the melting snow in the back yard and enjoying the sunshine, and I am looking forward to seeing Person of Interest this evening. I also have two different research projects to work on, as well as all of my new books to read... I'm in heaven!
  At the beginning of this week, another arson-caused fire destroyed the forty-third building in Accomack County, Virginia. The first fire happened on 12 November; generally they occur at night and the buildings are not in use and without occupants. This is getting to be a little crazy. I realize that there are hundreds of old farm sheds, cow barns and out houses scattered throughout all of Accomack County. It's an old, established farming area and there are many wooden buildings falling into ruin. However, I would think, that after 43 instances of arson, The Fire Marshall and Sheriff of Accomack County would have some idea of who is using what to start these fires....
  It was announced yesterday that a ninth golden wreath has been found in a tomb/crypt during excavations along the route of the Thessaloniki subway to the new Republic station. This wreath was found encircling the head of a woman in a 2,500 year-old Macedonian grave. The wreath is made in the shape of an olive branch, with leaves and berries. I suppose it's an everyday thing to find ancient treasures in excavations in Greece - but I had not previously heard of the other eight wreaths, nor of the necklaces and earrings found in other graves that lay along the subway route. ... In Dublin, Ireland, during the renovation of an ancient pub, a thicker concrete pad was needed for supports during an enlarging process. In digging below the previous slab, the construction foreman found a cache of 81 gold coins from the reigns of Charles II, James II, and William and Mary. The coins were declared and handed over to the closest Gardai post. They are now being evaluated at a local museum.
  Yesterday, too, while ex-Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was testifying before a Senate Judiciary Hearing on Gun Control, it seemed surreal to hear of multiple shootings occurring at the same time in Phoenix, as well as the shooting of a Deputy (in the hand) here in Denver during the delivery of a warrant. Having been shot in the head by a gunman in 2011, and having to learn everything all over again - walking, talking, reading, etc. - it was extremely moving, to me, to hear her state, "Too many children are dying" and, "This must stop." I hope that the Committee will listen to her, and judge her words as being weightier than those of the President of the National Rifle Association.