Plowing Through Monday

Today is the first Monday following the traditional date for the Epiphany. In the British Isles, this would have been the end of Yuletide celebrations, and the start of the agricultural season. Thus it became known as "Plough Monday."

Closer to home, most people have taken down their Christmas decorations. I have too, but I haven't put them away yet. I admit I put off things sometimes, especially when I get to concentrating on a project to the exclusion of all else. This is an anticlimactic time of year for some, but here in Washington, the big Obamapalooza event on the 20th has everyone stirred up. This is probably the most media-hyped Presidential inauguration since that of John Kennedy in 1961, perhaps the most media-hyped in history.

Of course, the crowd estimates have been sliding down ever since they were reported. First they said to expect between 4 and 6 million visitors to DC, then it was 3 to 4 million. Last I heard, it was 2 to 2.5 million. Then there's all those people with empty houses they were hoping to rent out for the occasion, that are going to sit empty on that day. Even so, there are people going to great lengths to be able to attend the offiicial events. But perhaps the saddest part is all the cheap imitation "official" tee-shirts being sold by vendors. They feature the image of Obama, or Obama with the wife and kids, or Obama with Martin Luther King (who was said to vote Republican) and John Kennedy.

Personally, I'd rather be "molly dancing."

In lieu of that, I'm looking for an excuse to get out of town for a day or two. Maybe head up to Philly for a dance, or to western Pennsylvania for a hike in the mountains. The annual March for Life is on the 22nd, and there are tentative plans for a get-together for local and visiting Catholic bloggers and their readers. There is also the possibility of a special guest. You'll hear about it here first. Stay tuned...

(IMAGE: "Plough Monday," from George Walker's The Costumes of Yorkshire, 1814. Used without permission or shame.)
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