Swiss Guards
I’ve only been to Rome and Vatican City once. That was in 1962 and I remember seeing some of these uniformed gentlemen in St. Peter’s Square and the Basilica. Their purpose is to guard the Pope and they were founded in 1506. The competition is intense for inclusion in the Swiss Guards. New recruits must be unmarried, a Roman Catholic male with a Swiss citizen and be of age 19 and 30 years of age. They must be at least 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall and complete basic training with the Swiss military. On ceremonial occasions, they don the colorful Renaissance-era uniforms for which they are famous. A Swiss guard must serve 5 years of service and if he wishes to marry he must be 25 years old. You can view some neat ceremonial video by going on the web.
Canned Applause
I do not like faked applause on TV. I just saw (heard) it again on a live speech that Vice President Vance gave on apportion. I have no problem with his view on the topic, but every time there was applause, which was many, it sure sounded fake. The applause from beginning to the end sounded exactly the same.
There’s a new Weed in Town
Well, I’m not sure it’s in this county of Illinois, but it has been recently found in areas of Illinois. It is an invasive weed and was found in both corn and bean fields. They were found last year during harvesting. In 2016 the weed was found in eight central and western parts of Iowa.
Climate shift not good for Corn Belt
According to a study by the University of Illinois, rising temperatures will reduce the world’s capacity to make food from most crops. It’s about temperatures. A recent research team projects that the U.S. Corn Belt, has outstanding climate and soil conditions for excellent crop production, “but” it stands to lose a lot from future warming of the earth. Oddly enough, the northern latitude locations like China, Russia and Scandinavian will benefit from being warmer.
Somewhere out There
So, what can we expect from outer space this year of 2026? We’ve already had one “Supermoon” which was Jan 3rd. Don’t fret! There are two more to be seen on Nov. 24 and Dec.23. During the early hours of March 3rd, we can see a total lunar eclipse in the western sky. On Aug. 12-13th we should be able to see meteor showers, providing Mother Nature doesn’t intervene with clouds. She sometimes “moon-tee!” Get it???
Christmas Cards
Of course, Christmas 2025 is history, but I’ll mention about sending cards. In a way, it’s a pain in the (beep). I sent out 71 cards and the year 2024, 64. I send the same cards year after year. I rarely add a new person to the list. At 78 cents for a Forever stamp I’m sure others feel the same. Of course, as a retired postal worker, I’ll continue the practice. Besides the card itself, I include a “Dauw Christmas Letter.” Lorna’s job is to proof read it before making copies. While the sending of Christmas cards is way down, it seems to me the parcel business is done well. I’m not sure I’ll be around whena stamp hits a buck, but the powers-to-be seem fast to raise rates. Still, Jen, our letter carrier, does a great job and we tip her and our newspaper carrier. I always thought about writing a book on my 17 years as a Moline letter carrier.
Humor
I recently joined Jehovah Witnesses. I see it opening a lot of doors for me. Lorna lost our dog last night while she was making a salad. If anybody caesar, lettuce know. What did the pickle with a big ego say? I’m kind of a big dill. If animals kept zoos, would they keep men and women in separate cages?
Quotes
“The flower that follows the sun does so even in cloudy days!”- Robert Leighton