The month I met two Presidents

So it's been quite a month for this Democrat.

I'm pretty sure everyone knows by now that President Clinton came to West Virginia early in October and President Obama was here last Wednesday. I attended both events, and had "a moment" with each of them.

And I still can't quite believe it.

I want to record it here so I never forget it. You never know when Alzheimer's is going to hit. Heh.

The annual West Virginia Democratic fundraiser – the Jefferson-Jackson dinner – was held October 2, and President Clinton was the keynote speaker. Our county executive committee had selected our Outstanding Democrat of the Year, but she was unable to attend, so the committee voted to send me instead.

Am I a happy girl! You bet!

After what had happened at the WVFDW Annual Meeting the previous weekend, I wasn't sure how it would go, but I'd never been in the same room with President Clinton, so I was happy to represent my county.

I had a fabulous time, in the end, and when the event was over I went to the front of the room to talk with a friend. Who was standing at the VERY front of the room and urged me to "hurry, come here, quick!" Because President Clinton was coming down the "rope line," shaking hands and taking selfies with anyone who wanted one.

What. A. Thrill.

I didn't know until the night before President Obama's visit that my name was on the guest list. That friend in the President Clinton selfie? Her husband arranged for my ticket. (THANK YOU, TIM!) She didn't know she was going to be in the audience until the morning of the event. And of course, dropped everything to be there.

There were others from my town going, so I rode with them. I sat in the back of the room, breathing the same air as the President of the United States, for almost two hours, with no hope of meeting him. One of my friends texted me and said to come to the front of the room when the forum began winding down.

Another rope line.

No selfies this time, but … pictures were taken.

Waiting to get in. My friend's
husband arranged for my ticket.

We got to keep our tickets!

On. A. Cloud.

My favorite picture from the day. Totally unexpected shot. 

President Obama was in West Virginia to learn about our prescription opioid problem. West Virginia's death-by-overdose rate tops the nation's. I left the event thinking maybe, maybe this time something will be done. Over and over and over, the words "we need more treatment" were spoken. The Charleston, WV, chief of police said, "We can't arrest our way out of this problem."

Given my volunteer work at a federal prison camp, in which the majority of inmates are drug-addicted, I was most impressed by his attitude.

So October has turned out to be a pretty good month for a political junkie.

I'm approaching a significant sobriety milestone in a couple of weeks. It's simply astonishing to look back on my life and see that I've gone from a hopeless, helpless, poor excuse for a human being, to a woman who tries to give back, savor the moment, and be the person I was meant to be. I'm so grateful to be alive, grateful to know the people I know, grateful for both of you who still read this sadly neglected blog.

Thanks for indulging me.

Soaker. Or not.

Looks like another all-day rain today, and I will definitely be hitting the rowing machine. There's enough water out there I could probably row through some of the ditches around here, if the ditch was wide enough. And if I had a rowboat.

I cleaned the garage yesterday. Didn't really de-clutter it much, but moved things around and swept. It was quite Halloween-y at times. I would move, say, a box and a dozen of those big black spiders would leap around, indignant at my disturbing their sleep! They are TRULY CREEPY, especially when a dozen of them start skittering around in front of you at the same time.

ICK.

Actually, another look at the radar shows it will probably stop raining, but it doesn't seem like the clouds are going to disperse. A cloudy-day walk is fine, though.

Either way, I'll be doing some kind of intentional activity today and I will enjoy it. Not for what will happen eventually, but because I truly do like how I feel when I move and use my limbs and muscles. Working in the garage yesterday was most satisfying. The amount of pine straw and dirt and dead bugs in there was disgusting, and each swish of the broom made me feel good.

Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV03). AND ME!

Last night was fun – West Virginia's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Charleston. Three of my very good friends received awards and I swear I knew half the people there. SO DIFFERENT from my first 10 years of living here in the Mountain State, when I didn't know a soul and couldn't figure out how to meet anyone.

My gratitude to our local group of Democratic Women knows no bounds. The woman who was president in 2009 had to step down and the group voted me to be the new leader of the pack. I went to district and annual meetings, got to know women at the state level and was elected to a state board position last year. Being a small cog in this wheel of Democratic politics in West Virginia is rewarding and gratifying and gives me purpose.

Believe me, Democratic women get things done. And I know it's the same in your state, as well.

Check them out. Plug in. Get involved. Change America, one county/parish/district/state at a time.

What I wore to the J-J Dinner

Those of you who've known me a long, long time might remember a knitting workshop in Blacksburg several years ago where we learned to make a cardigan called the Carolyn Jacket. The class was taught by the designer, Carolyn White, a lovely woman from Kentucky, I think, and the jacket I made ended up being very dressy. Dressy enough to wear to the J-J Dinner. I got SO many compliments on it, and I was very happy to finally get to wear it.

The pattern was published in 2001. I've searched the interwebz for a link to buy the pattern, but have only found a photo of one other finished jacket. Which is kind of surprising, because it really is a stunning piece and the construction is ingenious.

It begins with a fabric vest-like piece, to which you add knitted sides, sleeves and button bands. The pattern includes a formula for calculating how much of each different yarn you'll need (three colors, to coordinate with the fabric) and, of course, knitting instructions. It comes together pretty quickly, since you're not knitting the back and front.

I'd originally planned to wear a short sleeveless dress with a wrap, but it really was too cold after the dinner had to be postponed. I probably could have gotten away with it, but the wrap never got finished and the jacket was just hanging there, waiting to be worn.

It never looked right when I was heavier. I think I've only previously worn it twice in all these years.

I think it will be a wardrobe staple from now on.

Welcome to those of you who are new readers from BlogHer's NaBloPoMo. I hope you'll read the archives and stick around. My posts tend to be all over the place, but this year have focused on my pursuit of a normal weight before I get too old and decrepit to move easily. I was heading in that direction last year, when I saw a terrible-awful number on the scale Christmas morning.

The numbers have been looking pretty good ever since. I've had the single-minded goal of getting this job DONE, for the last time, and I'm well on my way.

Thanks for stopping by.

November 4 - Table

One more memory: The program book from Saturday's J-J Dinner (on my coffee table).

November 2 - What I did today

What did I do today tonight? Had dinner with Senator Jay Rockefeller and
Vice-President Joe Biden. Among many others. Oh, and from the cheap seats. Heh.

Here she comes

So Sandy (I'm assuming Sandy is a girl name, although I worked for a man named Sandy for many years once upon a time), a tropical storm of which I knew nothing until Thursday, is scheduled to drop a lot of precipitation over the northeast next week. We will get an outer band of it, beginning this weekend. Probably. One never knows with the weather.

If temperatures remain moderate, we will get rain and more rain. But it could be snowing by Halloween.

At least today will be temperate. My husband and I are headed to the state capitol for the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, the Democratic party's annual fund-raising event. We've never been to one before, but since our county Democratic Executive Committee picked me as their Democrat of the Year, well, we're excited to be going. More hobnobbing with politicians! Who doesn't want to do that 10 days before a major election?

President Obama spoke at the West Virginia J-J Dinner when he was still a Senator. Our friends who went predicted he would one day live in the White House. I don't think any of them thought it would be so soon, though. 

We're going to do a little party shopping on our way to Charleston. Yes, we're having an Election Night party and yes, I'm going to do it up right, with favors and Electoral College maps and food, oh my.

We're going to repeat a previous tradition of giving out M&Ms in pill bottles (my husband is a retired physician). In 2008 we created a new drug called Dematlast, which was supposed to relieve election-induced anxiety disorder. (Last election – actually convention – party posts are here and here.) This year we're dispensing Obamacillin.

We're also giving away little sponges which will be labeled as Fox News bricks – something to throw at the television that won't break the screen. I'm sure I would already have thrown more than a few of those if I watched Fox News. Which I don't. It seems like men watch it more than women, even Democratic men. They all say it's the mob-mentality strategy of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. I wonder, though. Fox News anchors are mostly blonde and pretty. It's election season: You decide! Heh.

If you have any ideas for funny, inexpensive, election-themed party favors, please speak up in the comments. They're going to be presented in brown paper lunch bags, sealed with an Obama sunrise sticker, so they can't be too big. Printables are great, but I'm running out of ideas. Everyone who leaves a suggestion will get their name tossed in the random-number generator hat, and I'll send one winner their very own goodie bag. It'll be like you were here with all of us on Election Night! Or not, since you won't get to eat the food.

Ready? GO!