dcoffee and his latest journal
had me thinking about war and violence. I think that it is something that fortunately, most of the youth in our country today have little experience with. The US war in Vietnam is over. I often wonder how different things would be now if peace activists would have been taken seriously at the beginning of the war. Was there anything gained by our extended bombing and terror campaign in that country? Anything at all?

Do people in favor of war have any clue as to what war is? It is absolutely the most dehumanizing act conceivable. Terror is dehumanizing. We are programmed to think of terror in terms of Arabs, suicide bombing and liquid bombing plots. Terror terror terror. How are we going to stay safe? Frustrated travelers...blah blah blah. These things are all terrifying, but isn't war terror? What would you do if you heard the air raid sirens blaring, knew the bombs were coming, but were helpless to do anything about it? I have had dreams in the past about being in various bombings. At one time I was a woman being hunted down by the Nazis. I had to lay on a cold wet slab of concrete, with many other people, trying not to breath, hoping they wouldn't see us. Another time, I was attending a university in Iraq and bombs were falling everywhere and there was no where to hide. These were only dreams though, still I really don't know the reality of terror. I know, however, that I don't ever want to experience it first hand.

Today I uncovered even more History about the house I am in. Currently the woman Barb, who watches over the house for the Bishop, sold this house to him in 1980. She had purchased the home from the Wards in 1958. Unfortunately, she did not know anything about them. I have been looking for Arlene Ward's obituary (I assume she is dead), but with no luck. Barb's father was the one that broke up the single family house into apartments in 1958. Oh wait, i'm on to a new lead that came in from (e:mike). More of this story to come.

The bishop's lawyer came unannounced yesterday with a new Realtor. They did not call as required by law and common courtesy, but I allowed them into my apartment. Then they went into my neighbors apartment when she wasn't there. I told them that we ask 24 hours notice before our apartments are entered and the Realtor guy says "She won't know we were here." Well actually she will because i'm going to tell her. We have done nothing but cooperate with everyone involved in the sale of this house. I hate that we are being disrespected in this way.

It just so happened to be a free day for me and I have been wanting to clean the wood work in the hallway. The stairs are really beautiful, but they were covered in at least 20 years of dust. All the woodwork is original and most of the stairway was left unpainted. What is wrong with people who paint beautiful woodwork or cover it up with nasty carpeting? Murphy's Oil Soap is so great. ((e:libertad) product endorsement) I wish I could give before and after pics, but I don't want to spend the time fussing with photos.

While I was cleaning, I broke something that was very special to me and Steve. It was this statue of an Asian woman that used to be Steve's Grandmother's. When she died it was one of the things I got to keep from her house. It was the worse feeling to have broken the statue and then have to clean up all her pieces. I called Steve right away to tell him. I am saving her head. Right now it is in the big plant from his grandma's house.

It took me hours to clean all the woodwork and I was happy to do it. I felt like I was restoring this old house! You would have thought that the people that live in this house would appreciate the restored stairs, but no. My neighbor just walked passed me while I was cleaning and didn't say a thing and Steve had nothing nice to say either.

No it is the Prudhoe Bay oil transit line.

So I wonder how the shut down of a major Alaskan oil field will affect the gas price contest?

It seems they need to shut down cause they are seeing major corrosion on the pipeline. I wonder if it looks like (e:pmt)'s heating ducts? Here is the article about the closure.

Here is the obituary (e:mike) and I found today at the Historical Society regarding the Dr. who died in my house. His picture was featured and he is rather handsome. Hope to learn more soon. Primary documents are time consuming! The house was probably built about 1890. Lexington was named Butler prior to 1888.

February 25, 1929

Buffalo Evening News

Funeral services for DR. Albert T. Lytle, director and treasurer of the Lafayette General hospital, will be held Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock in the Buffalo Creamatory chapel in West Delavan avenue. Dr. Lytle died of a heart attack Sunday afternoon in his office, 200 Lexington avenue, where several patients were waiting to see him. He was 68.

A graduate of the medical school of the University of Buffalo. Dr. Lytle was a staff physician at the Lafayette hospital. Active in medical circles, he was a member of the American Medical association, the Academy of Medicine, The Roswell Park Medical club, and the Erie County Medical society having served as a treasurer of the latter group for 15 years. He was president of the eighth district branch of the Medical Society of the State of New York for four years.

In addition he was a member of queen City lodge of Masons.

Dr. Lytle is survived by his wife, Alice Hastings Lytle, and one daughter. Helen H. Lytle.