CHECKMATE!
Afterschool clubs started up at Longfellow's CLC again where Sarah and Jeffrey stay after school until about four thirty to five most days. Chess Club on Mondays, Yu-Gi-Oh Club on Wednesdays, and Art Club on Fridays. Sarah has currently elected to not join anything (and I try not to push either her or Jeffrey into being a "joiner"; besides, she's already playing clarinet in band -- I have to get her there early for practice on Tuesdays) afterschool, but Jeffrey chose to enter Chess Club. And according to what I heard after I picked up the kids last night, he is doing quite well; or in his teacher Mrs. Evans' words, he's a strategic thinker. Played three games and won all three of them. I taught him to play and he beats me quite often, though we haven't played lately.
Anyway, I liked the "strategic thinker" comment.
There's a passage from The TIME LIFE History of the United States that I own I recall. In the volume about the military aspects and aftereffects of the Civil War, the first chapter's got a sentence comparing Union general Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate general Robert E. Lee (I would have left out the middle initials except you NEVER say "Robert Lee" when you refer to the latter man) who eventually came to command their entire armed forces, field commanders-in-chief as it were. "Perhaps the best that can be said of them was that Grant was the abler strategist, Lee the abler tactician."
Do we remember which side ultimately proved victorious?
Hint: It was the one with Grant. The arguments I've read essentially say that was Lee was most likely the better soldier and commander but with the forces and material he had both before and after he became commanding general of the Confederate armies -- I know there's a more technical title, but just now it eludes me -- he and those he commanded were able to bring about victories but no decisive knockout blows. And after the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg both ending within a day of each other, it was a matter of attrition; who'd be able to stop reinforcing themselves first?
But I digress.
That's my first use of a favorite phrase from The Golden Girls in writing here this year. Watched it every Saturday night while my parents were out at the Moose Lodge when I was growing up. Haven't been able to talk Martha into going dancing yet, there or anywhere else! Besides, Sarah and Jeffrey aren't yet of age to leave home on their own! I'm sure getting a sitter among our own extended family wouldn't be hard -- in fact, I'd like to some more so Martha and I have time ON our own this year.
Date nights. Or date afternoons, date mornings, date nights that turn into mornings!
Can we say an amen for that?
David
Anyway, I liked the "strategic thinker" comment.
There's a passage from The TIME LIFE History of the United States that I own I recall. In the volume about the military aspects and aftereffects of the Civil War, the first chapter's got a sentence comparing Union general Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate general Robert E. Lee (I would have left out the middle initials except you NEVER say "Robert Lee" when you refer to the latter man) who eventually came to command their entire armed forces, field commanders-in-chief as it were. "Perhaps the best that can be said of them was that Grant was the abler strategist, Lee the abler tactician."
Do we remember which side ultimately proved victorious?
Hint: It was the one with Grant. The arguments I've read essentially say that was Lee was most likely the better soldier and commander but with the forces and material he had both before and after he became commanding general of the Confederate armies -- I know there's a more technical title, but just now it eludes me -- he and those he commanded were able to bring about victories but no decisive knockout blows. And after the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg both ending within a day of each other, it was a matter of attrition; who'd be able to stop reinforcing themselves first?
But I digress.
That's my first use of a favorite phrase from The Golden Girls in writing here this year. Watched it every Saturday night while my parents were out at the Moose Lodge when I was growing up. Haven't been able to talk Martha into going dancing yet, there or anywhere else! Besides, Sarah and Jeffrey aren't yet of age to leave home on their own! I'm sure getting a sitter among our own extended family wouldn't be hard -- in fact, I'd like to some more so Martha and I have time ON our own this year.
Date nights. Or date afternoons, date mornings, date nights that turn into mornings!
Can we say an amen for that?
David
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