Good luck, Mr. President

This is a most amazing day, in my lifetime, I never thought we would have an African-American president. Although I grew up in the north, I was aware of prejudice. No person was immune to it. In the 1940's when I was in grade school, there was such bigotry. I was derided for being Jewish. That was a moment that I have never forgotten. I was just 12 years old. My sister brought her classmate home for lunch, the little girl was black and poor. She didn't have enough to eat. Even though we too were poor, our parents had a small corner grocery store and we had enough to eat and to share. My sister got a lot of grief for doing this.

In my memory I cannot remember a comment being made by our parents about a person's race or creed. Why would anyone feel intolerance against someone for something about which they had no choice? What a gift my parents they gave us, not to implant small-mindedness and bias in our developing minds.

I have been a supporter of our new president since I first saw him on Oprah's show a couple of years ago. He was such a personable, intelligent young man. He was down to earth, unlike other politicians who were so impressed by their own celebrity. This was a man who didn't exude entitlement. He spoke with such sincerity, he reached me as a human being. He made sense. He did not brag about his accomplishments. I admired Senator Obama for being a community organizer. It was those skills which helped him develop his campaign strategies. Millions of ordinary people like me contributed to his campaign. I haven't been so excited about a candidate since John F. Kennedy, the first president I voted for.I was a precinct committee representative to the Clark County Democratic Convention. With my friends, I was able to cast my vote for our future president. I was enthralled to hear him speak live in Las Vegas where thousands waited in the rain. I registered voters and knocked on doors. Never have I been so invested in a presidential candidate. Today, I feel so much joy. I wish President Obama godspeed and good luck Please inspire us as I know you can.

Expanding Horizons

We hosted a family from Denmark last week. The daughter of the family is an exchange student staying with my cousin in San Diego. Eva visited with us for Thanksgiving and we really enjoyed her company. When she told us that her family was coming to visit and they wanted to spend a few days here, it was only natural to invite them to stay with us.



Near us is a National Recreation Area called Red Rock. It is a favorite place to take vistors since it is so different from the usual perception people have of Las Vegas. We piled into our minivan on New Year's Day and off we went. There are spectacular views and an easy 13 mile drive. Usually the visitors center is open, but it wasn't on New Year's Day. That was disappointing. There is a great display of the flora and fauna of the area. A newly renovated display of the geology of the area makes Red Rock all the more interesting.


We even found the remnants of last weeks snow. Not that they don't have plenty of snow in Denmark. Along the drive is the highest observation point and a favorite rock for taking pictures. There is always another willing tourist to wield your camera for a group shot. I'll bet thousands of pictures have been taken at that particular spot.
We really enjoyed talking with our guests, it was fun to learn about life in Denmark. Over the years our guests often offer a thank you gift. Our Danes were no exception. They brought these lovely angels designed by Georg Jensen all the way from Denmark. Every time I look at the angels, I will remember our visit with warm thoughts, knowing we have friends in another part of the world.