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I once worked with a guy from India.

He went home to visit and brought me back a surprise. He had me close my eyes and he gave me some kind of fruit to take a bite.

Well it turned out to be mango and I had not, in my then 40-something years of life, ever tasted a mango but I knew after that taste that this was an awful-tasting fruit.

I pretended to like it because he meant well.

But mangos should be made illegal.

I wish I understood the concept of laundering money. On a small level I get it but when you are talking billions it overwhelms me.

But hey, really...go with me on this. Because I can’t get it out of my mind and it’s a big deal this past week.

I think there’s something seriously wrong with The Golden Bachelor.

They were married three months ago, now getting a divorce...he lied about this...lied about that.

Just sayin’....

What are we all talking abbreviations today? Who..or what...is DS?

Thank you. That is not a very common name but do we suspect it will be? Let me find out more.

Oh well goodbye. Am too stupid.

Is it Marjorie Taylor Greene?

MTG Looking it up on Google...no idea.

I wish I knew who the hell MTG is.

I found a pair of sunglasses in that manner of someone who never throws anything away.

Because the eclipse is coming!!!

My granddaughter says to me...”Mom-Mom, you got have the sunglasses approved by NASA”.

What does she think I can just call up NASA and ask them to approve my 35 year old sunglasses?

Kids today, growing up on total government control.

Thanks GB.

True story. Memory makes me smile.

The Day It Was Born; The Night It Died

It was 1977.  I was 7.5 months pregnant.  It was the month of March.  The new Francis Scott Key Bridge was scheduled to open.  I was excited.  Myself and my two male riders were happy to use the new bridge and FINALLY be done with that awful Harbor Tunnel we had drive for the prior eight years.

I insert here that obviously I was familiar with traveling under or over some kind of water, and also, for quite a few years lived ON, the Chesapeake Bay.  We all are in Merryland and we get used to it.

But the entry to the new bridge was not yet open that day so we had to drive down, get this, Patapsco Avenue, to get to the new FSK bridge.  There I am, big belly with the  only time I carried a child.  I was driving that day, my turn, and damn was it all so new to me that a dog ran in front of my car and I hit it.

I got so upset, and the cops somehow came, I didn't know how to navigate this avenue and sobbed that the dog might be dead.  My two riders told me to get in the back, they explained to the cops that they would drive...yada, yada.  Damn, no way could I drive over this brand new bridge after almost killing a dog but one of my riders took over.  The dog was fine, btw.

So that baby was born and she is now 46 years old.  The night this bridge fell down, which after hitting the dog I drove over daily for seven years, that "baby"  was sleeping in the bedroom down the hall in the house we now share as adults.

I was drowsy as I awoke, as I do , around 5 am.  Not hardly bushy and bright-eyed, I watched Fox and Friends in early morn as I do.  Eyes blinked sleepily as I watched images of a bridge somewhere totally collapsing until I heard someone on Fox say the Francis Scott Key Bridge had collapsed.

At which point I screamed at the horror and surprise of it.  

I called my daughter, who evidently likes to sleep later than 5 in the am.  It took a while, but she got up and tuned into Fox.  Then she phone HER daughter, my granddaughter obviously, who was already up as was most of Baltimore by this time.

So okay, I did not give birth on the Francis Scott Key Bridge but once I had a VW Rabbit with a hood that flew up in the air as I crossed the FSK bridge.  I drove it halfway by looking through the vent holes.

I did not fall in love on the bridge or meet my soul mate.  And yet, like so many of us around these parts, we all knew that on some level we were looking at a bit of history.

But there is also, now, a future that we can give a peek to and consider how we should now do this different.

Bearing in  mind that I am not scientist or builder.  I am, like most Americans, filled with common sense so allow me to share it those with none.  Also known as politicians.

Take a look at the picture provided.  Notice that the ship that collided with the bridge, is bigger than the tallest building in Baltimore.  This, of course, icould we lay them side by side and even if it were possible.

I'd been hearing right along that when the bridge was built the ships were less than half the size than they are now.  I ponder that, darn, suppose a ship was towing the Empire State Building under the bridge, suppose it gets to the point where logic goes out the window.

No protection around the bridge's legs and braces was built because it was never considered about how big these things could get over the years.  The population grows, more trade is conducted world-wide.  Such as the FSK bridge just weren't built for this hustle and bustle of a future.

No, I don't believe this was planned intentionally, a terrorist attack.  But like I say, I am no expert.

I watch the tape endlessly as the FSK bridge collapses like a toy and I remember how scared I was driving in the wind with my view only there through the motor vents on the hood.  That bridge seemed so DAMN BIG to me.

So it's back to the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel for a while because I have family in Merryland, some business at times.

I leave with this prediction....this bridge will be up and fixed within TWO YEARS.  Fixed and working and better.

Because that same technology that may have effectively caused its demise, this same technology will allow it to be build amazingly fast, better and safer.

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TIME FOR A SMILE

Greetings, Happy Easter.

Have my granddaughter and her boyfriend down although, ahem, they drove around Baltimore and down through Wilmington Del to get here.

Because, you understand, they live one mile from the Francis Scott Key bridge.

Fortunately, Baltimorons pretty much know their way around bridges, tunnels, even bay-bridge/tunnels. I drove over the FSK bridge for five years and through the Harbor Tunnel eight years before that.

Kids got here and I guess they’ll figure their way back home.

Folk, it might sound kind of corny, but as I was awake at 5 am in the morn when Fox was televising that bridge collapse. I normally arise, slowly and sleepily, around that time. But my sleepy mind watched that bridge fall and break apart like a toy and finally I screamed, jumped out of bed, called my daughter, who evidently still sleeps at 5 am. She watched Fox in her room and called up my granddaughter.

Granddaughter was already up as it would seem that everyone in Baltimore was watching all of this, even as MSNBC showed Biden kissing little girls.

At any rate folks, I’m no Bray and doubt I’d successfully verbalize how this event has affected so many of us.

Why....and how?

We have little piers on bayside fuel stations that have concrete pads to protect against errant boats.

My summation of it all as I type?

This is a case where technology outgrew the reality based on a much older technology.

In other words, we have to take a close look at our infrastructure around the world.

But don’t worry. We have Biden, with Hunter’s help, and Buttigieg.

Hiya AB,

I was watching TV at 4 in the AM, something I do quite often as I lay, dozing but slightly awake. I was watching Fox News and the story was on, a video of the bridge collapsing and I would open my eye once in a while and in my doze I’d wonder what the hell is going on with the Francis Scott Key bridge.

Took me about half hour to realize what was going on. My granddaughter is coming to visit us this weekend-Easter-and she needed to go over that bridge.

Once I realized that the horror of that picture was the complete and utter collapse of that bridge that I once drove over every day for seven years. I was horrified and screamed for my daughter.

My daughter sleeps in another bedroom and it took a while but she got up and she too had to awake enough to know the FSK bridge was gone. We both watched Fox news in horror.

Of course we had to call the granddaughter, who was up and aware, evidently. She only lives about a mile from that bridge and Dundalk and Essex were awake.

Kaitlyn assured us that she would take the Harbor Tunnel over the Bay and I cross fingers it will be okay.

This is horrible and who knows how worse it will get?

Because, I will shut up here...but folks, Joe Biden has already got Hunter and his brother on the phone and DEALS WILL BE MADE!!!

Merryland is a totally corrupt state, loved by DC....it’s why I moved to Delaware.

If the Republicans don’t step up and take a look at Biden closely....

...well all the more a reason to vote for Trump.

Oh there are plenty of other bridges, tunnels, bridge-tunnels and ferries if need be for folks to traverse these rivers and lakes and bays on the eastern shore.

I drove the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel for 8 years and this Francis Scott Key Bridge for my last 7 years at Western Electric...now the CIA.

:essee///there was mighty Bethlehem Steel, a Chevrolet plant-or maybe Ford...getting old...western electric...subsidiary of AT&T....all kinds of industry used either a bridge or a tunnel to get from west to east and such.

But Lord it will be a mess.

And also....what with all these bridges and tunnels all about, should we do something about them? Maybe re-inspect them, give them another lookover.

But hey, we have Buttigieg so I worry not.

I lived in Anne Arundel county Maryland for most of my life. I now live in Delaware.

I worked, for 15 years, at Western Electric, now...get this...part of the CIA!!!

I mention this because this bridge collapse, only about a mile or two from this enormous collapse...will cause this CIA to shut down.

I drove the Harbor Tunnel for anout 8 years then switched to what had been a wonderful bridge for workers from Baltimore, AA country and surround to the Industrial areas around this bridge. Once the Bethlehem Steel company was there.

My granddaughter lives about a mile from this bridge but in Baltimore county.

I’m telling you people, this bridge collapse is going to affect this economy enormously.

Granddaughter supposed to come visit...VIA THIS BRIDGE....me on Easter weekend. She says she’s still coming but by the tunnel.....THEN the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to get to my house in Delaware.

I screamed when I saw this on FOX last night. I am still sobbing. So, so, so , so many lives will be affected by this.

But don’t worry...we always have Pete Buttigig.

My granddaughter lives about 2 miles from that bridge

The whole bridge collapsed. My daughter was coming to visit us this weekend. She needs that bridge. Oh it’ll be OK for her but this is a horrible horrible event.

Why do you say William is a jerk?

Seems to me he is generally well-dressed, quiet and well-behaved.

Well, that’s what I wanted. I wanted your input.

Knowing your concern I’m going to keep a wide eye open. They really did sell her as the new Nikki Haley.

I had the same problem