Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Up, Up And Away In A Beautiful Balloon...

I couldn't help but recall those lyrics from the classic Fifth Dimension song, as Sarah and I went chasing hot air balloons across the Ribble Valley yesterday evening.

After finding that the gardens of nearby Stonyhurst College were closed in preparation for an upcoming event, Sarah and I decided to drive down the road to the DeTabley Inn. This was a very fortuatous decision on our part, as a local hot air balloon sightseeing company was preparing to launch two of it's bulbous craft from the inn's adjacent cricket field. We quickly discovered that one of the individuals preparing to climb into the balloon's passenger basket was a long-time friend of Sarah's, who was given this ride as a surprise 40th birthday gift.

With camera always in hand and at the ready, I captured on film the roar of the flaming burners as hot air transformed limp fabric into ever-growing, symetrically beautiful and colorful shapes. Towering above us and filled to stretching, they strained to be released for their ascent into the heavens.

With the support vehicle leading the way, and additional photo ops on the horizon, we gave chase as the two balloons drifted across the skies over Lancashire. Eventually, one balloon landed not too far from our very home, while the second one startled some of the unsuspecting patrons exiting our village's Italian restaurant, before once again attaining a reasonable altitude. After a pursuit that lasted almost two hours, our impromptu adventure finally ended in the middle of a grazing field, which was gently being lit by the rays of a sun setting itself to rest.

How did you spend your Monday evening?

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Deep Throat

A thirty-year mystery has finally been solved. Former FBI official Mark Felt has stepped forward and identified himself as Deep Throat, the legendary informant who guided Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in uncovering the facts and political intrigue that is euphemistically referred to today as Watergate.

Burglaries, illegal wiretaps, money laundering, and other criminal subversions of the American political and justice systems were authorized by then-president Richard M. Nixon and carried out by White House operatives. Using clues provided by Mr. Felt, the Washington Post published a series of now-famous news articles that would contribute to the eventual collapse of a scandalous presidential administration.

Not surprising, former Nixon Administration speechwriter and failed presidential candidate Pat Buchanan has already publicly branded Mark Felt as a traitor. That is a badge of honor that Mr. Felt should proudly wear.

Calendar Girls & The Prince

I have made reference in the past to those members of the Rylston Women's Institute who shot to worldwide fame eleven years ago for posing nude in a very tastefully produced calendar, in their effort to raise money for leukemia research. Six of our original Calendar Girls, including ringleader Angela Baker, have been invited to attend a special reception being held in their honor at Clarence House by the Prince of Wales.

Prince Charles has apparently been a longtime fan of these ladies and wanted to celebrate the fact that their efforts had hit the 1 million pound mark. The six friends who continue to be involved in fundraising have dubbed themselves the Baker's Half-Dozen, and the money they have raised has helped to open a pioneering cancer research institute at the University of York.

Even happier news is that Angela Baker will soon wed the Rev. Charles Knowel, the long-time family friend that consoled Mrs. Baker after her husband's death from leukemia. I wish her and the vicar much deserved years of happiness together.