Today was an immersion day for me–watching America install a new president. This event has taken place every 4 years since 1789, a commonplace day and day for miracles. That is what they called it. And that is the way it came across to me.<\/p>\n
The pageantry, and the precision of each event, I enjoyed the parade. One journalist said, “Tractors? I have never seen a tractor as part of a parade.”<\/p>\n
“What?” I said to myself. I live in a farming community and every parade held here has the biggest and the most impressive tractors manufactured. Huge tractors<\/strong> with tires as big as a house! Every parade. Rural America has more tractors almost than cars. And I waited with anticipation for the tractors. And although they were not big they were new and shiny and impressive.<\/p>\n But the marching bands, waves of marching bands. And military units walking in formation. Full uniforms. Bagpipes. Drummers with flashing batons. And drum majors and baton twirlers. And music. I loved it all.<\/p>\n Every four years since 1789, the American people have inaugurated a new president and his administration peacefully with pageant and patriotism. And I am proud to be an American.<\/p>\n I also tried to calculate just how many people it takes to put on an inauguration–clergy to say the prayers, singers and bands, technicians, security personnel ( including 70,000 police officers), news media, sign makers, designers, and artists–and on and on and on. Where are the work applications and security clearances and payrolls? Think about it.<\/p>\n Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle\u00a0 http:\/\/arleneeakle.com <\/a><\/p>\n PS It snowed another four inches yesterday and one inch today. Snow is predicted every day through next Thursday! Already I am walking between 4-foot snow banks to get to my drain to keep it clear. I shoveled myself a walkway when it first snowed and I have cleared the path with each new storm. The rest of Utah does not have snow like this–just us. And if we didn’t need it so badly, I would complain!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today was an immersion day for me–watching America install a new president. This event has taken place every 4 years since 1789, a commonplace day and day for miracles. That is what they called it. And that is the way … Continue reading