It was about 20 degrees and very windy today but the wind calmed down for us for the stand up. YAY!! I've had the flu all week, leaving me watching the Iraq debate in the House, so I was glad to be out there.

Now I'm gonna go tell you about my great-aunt, the milliner! Look for it down diary.

I threatened everyone within a 10 mile radius with a horrible, painful death if such a photo was taken. In hindsight, it would have been "interesting" to have a picture, but, at the time, I was young (one month shy of my 21st birthday) and intent on not having my "perfect wedding" spoiled in any way...it was bad enough that it was pouring down rain that evening.

I am now able to laugh about it, as well, but, at the time, I was completely mortified.

My mother was always giving me a hard time, wanting to know where all my "peace and justice crap" came from. (My parents were both very conservative but they taught us to think for ourselves.) You can imagine my joy the day I got to call her and tell her the "peace and justice crap" came directly from her line -- my great-great grandfather, the lawyer, who married my great-great grandmother, the Quaker, both of whose families were heavily involved in the underground railroad. Mom tended not to bring up the peace and justice crap after that. :)

And, if it weren't for genealogy, I never would have found the topic for my first book. (shameless plug for a worthy cause) And that's a really long story.