Other (non - gala) Things

How’s that bracket looking?  I hope Boilermaker fans are hiding someplace or looking for another coach..

anyway, back to reality..

Toot of the Horn..

Anyway let’s start out with a very nice note about MFO.  A couple of weeks ago, she received a letter from the County, informing her that she had been nominated (by the SMC Historical Society) for “Women of the Year”, an annual award bestowed through the St. Mary’s County Commission for Women to recognize women’s achievements during Women’s History Month.  The awards banquet was this past Wednesday, and we were to attend.  Typical of MFO, she did not expect to win. All of the seven nominees were exceptional, including two from Historic St. Mary’s City including Ms. Becky McDonald a real county treasure.

Since we’re kind of (vicariously) wallowing in self aggrandizement, I include a small paragraph that was part of the application.  As you go about your daily grind, you kind of forget the paths taken.  Quite the trail for her:

“Ms. Moody has been both a paid employee and a volunteer at the following county organizations: St. Mary’s County Historical Society, Historic St. Mary’s City, Friends of the Library; St. Mary’s County Historic Preservation Commission, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s History Book committee member, Friends of Newtown Neck (FNN) group member, county War of 1812 commemoration committee (War of 1812) member, and she assists county residents in the preservation of family and other records – whether or not the records are donated to the Society”.

Amazing what she has accomplished.  Most of the time she spends her time in cramped quarters (and in the case of HSMC) many friends with six or no legs.  And, although it mentions “paid employee” the hours spent as a volunteer far, far, far, outweigh the paid portion.  She does it because she is passionate about our County’s history and wants it preserved for future generations.    Archival storage materials are not cheap, and she supplies most of them because it is the right thing to do.

Anyway, after reading the accomplishments of all the nominees, when the announcement of the winner was made, it was none other than MFO!  What an honor.  She does all of this stuff, mostly unknown to a vast majority of county residents, and never seeks a thank you.  So, it was gratifying to see her accomplishments recognized.

Since then, however, I have been often referred to as the servant of “Woman of the Year”.

That’s okay, she is, and in my mind every year!

Mary – land Day

Tomorrow is the celebration of Maryland Day to commemorate the founding of Maryland in 1834 through a charger to George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore.  It is always a fun time, but tomorrow will be kind of special. I think you have heard me speak of the “Lead Coffins” that were discovered under the floor of the Chapel of 1667.  They were a significant find as lead coffins were rarely (never?) found in eastern North America.   They have been featured in a two year exhibit in the Smithsonian, and more recently the Maryland Historical Society.  Well, they finally have “come home” to their original location under the Chapel floor. a fine exhibit has been made to allow people to see them where they rested for hundreds of years.

There will be a “ceremonial” opening of the chapel shortly after the conclusion of the Speechifyin’  portion of the program in the tent, which this year is near the Chapel itself.

6012

They will be on display for anyone who attends the Maryland Day program, and in addition to the coffins, there will be the “Orb” that will sit atop the (replica of) “Carroll Tabernacle” that sat on the alter during the Chapel’s active period from 1667 through the early seventeen hundreds.  There are also two special documents on load from the Maryland Historical Society, a diary of Father Andrew White’s account of the journey from England on the Ark and Dove, plus a letter by Leonard Calvert in which some details of the original colonists fort upon their arrival.  Archeologists have yet to locate it’s remains, but they keep looking!

Anyway, it will be a special day, free to all of course.  And right now, typical Maryland Day is expected (chance of rain, highs in forties).  Stuff begins at one in the tent shown above.  I’s be there! 

Brackets

And given the time of the year, I can’t not mention the NCAA basketball tournament, the premier amateur athletic event in the Nation.  My Spartans are predicted to have a nice run (no jinxing predictions here), and day one produced the expected unexpected “upsets”.   Purdue put on a classic collapse in the last five minutes of their game blowing a 13 point (or so lead, to succumb to Little Rock from Arkansas.  Always something.  MSU, Maryland, Michigan, and Maryland all play today.

We’ll be staying in this evening, so no need to 

DFD