Author: Vic Socotra

Cold Case

It is early here at the farm, the light is not yet up and the stars wink down impassively on our little world. People are flooding into the city for the inauguration, and I am happy to be away from it. They say the crowds will not be as big as they were last time, […]

Day of Service

I was going to flee the capital late yesterday, after the Admiral’s retirement. It was great to be part of it. Norm racked up a series of “firsts” in his 31-year career, which he enumerated. He was the first African American to be selected for a host of key Naval Intelligence jobs- Detailer, Number Fleet […]

Pax

(I was still teetering on crutches when Bill made his remarks at Raven and Big Mama’s funeral. His remarks were inspirational.) I got the word when I arrived at the office. My cousin Bill- we knew him as Billie when we were growing up- had passed peacefully the morning before. We had a sense that […]

The Tarantino Factor

(Famed director Quentin Tarantino whose hyper-violent comic book movies have inspired a generation. Photo AP). There is cold weather coming this way. It is snowing in Mississippi, they tell me, and in between, the Ninjas may take advantage of the drying air mass to slap more paint on the balcony at Big Pink. It will […]

The Maid Brigade

(I opened up the door on the left side of the media cabinet to stow more junk before the maids arrived and found this. WTF? Photo Socotra). I wasn’t worried that much about whatever it is they are going to do at the White House later this morning. I was prepared for this contingency long […]

Something About Mary

(Old Jim’s long suffering bride Mary with a special birthday cake. Photo by the pretty Jamie.) The good thing about Tuesdays are that the morning normally follows a decent night’s sleep, because of Monday, Monday evening at Willow. I was ready for it. The Monday wonderful world of Work was weird. Anyone who depends on […]

No Country for Old Men

Or women, for that matter. Or the poor kids. The Flu gets us all, sooner or later. Mostly it is just a rough spot with fatigue, dehydration, soar throat and congested lungs and that delirious in-and-out chills and fever thing best ridden out in bed. (A ward at Camp Funston, Kan. showing the many ill […]

Tin Foil Hats

(Natasha’s tin-foil hat sports a nautical theme. It is very useful for avoiding the rays projected by black helicopters and other useful Government programs. Photo Socotra). Sorry, Gentle Readers. This is going to be late and not filled with passion, except of the lesser sort. Not my fault, or at least not completely. The Russians […]

Heart of Winter

(Willow Group at the Amen Corner in the Heart of Winter. Photo by The Lovely Bea.) Can’t and won’t do the rant again today. I took my aluminum helmet off when I got back from Willow, exhausted from the week. Things have been both busy and slow as the artificial crisis continues. Certainly stressful. It […]

By the Numbers

I have to insert the caveat here, up front: “I am no member of the GOP; I am opposed to a long litany of things, to include murder, particularly the murder of children; exploitation of same; gender and orientation bias; littering; pollution, generally speaking; crime; lies and the oppression of minorities. Further, I am in […]