Fashion 9-1-1

Note: What you are about to see may contain images unsuitable for children's eyes. The suspect's faces have been hidden to protect their identities. Remember, fashion crimes are not a joke. Take the shoes, call a cab, take a stand. Friends don't let friends look like hobbits.

My brother likes to wear socks with his flip-flops and my wife likes to wear men's shoes. Jenne's correct. It's time for an intervention. Bev, Banks, put down the bottle. We need to talk.

The History of Blair

It's official: I'm addicted to this genealogy stuff now. I've recently been digging on the internet and at the local public library for ancestral information about our Blair family and, more generally, about the history of the Blair clan itself. Here's a taste of what I've found:

• Granddaddy's (Thom Williamson Blair's) great grandfather -- William Blair (1820-1880) -- was the first Blair in our lineage to come to America. William came to America from Ayrshire, Scotland, married Henrietta Emmons of New York, and settled in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
• Although I've yet to substantiate it, I've found information suggesting that William's parents and grandparents (dating back to the mid-18th century) also lived in Ayrshire, Scotland, specifically the town of Dundonald.
• A quick Google search indicates that Ayrshire has long been the seat of the Blair clan in Scotland.
• The name Blair comes from the Gaelic word "Blar", which means an open field cleared of woods. In other words, a battlefield. The first Blair is believed to date back into the latter part of the 11th and early years of the 12th century. After William the Conqueror captured England in 1066 he marched north establishing his throne as he went. Norman warriors remained in Scotland to protect the peace. It was the grandson of one of these Norman warriors -- one Jean Francois -- who first established the lands of Blair (named for the terrain) around the end of the 12th century and upon whom Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) (1165-1214) conferred the Barony of Blare. Jean Francois's descendants adopted the surname "de Blare (Blair)", as was tradition when one inherited a Barony.
• The first truly famous Blair is Sir Bryce de Blair (no lie), who was knighted by Alexander III but spurned the English king and supported William Wallace (yes, Braveheart) during the Scottish Rebellion. Sir Bryce supplied Wallace with food, arms, and clothing, and in 1296 he eventually captured at Ayr and executed by English King Edward I (Longshanks) for his treachery. Sir Bryce de Blair's nephew, Robert de Blair, was knighted in 1314 by Robert the Bruce/King Robert I of Scotland for his valor at the Battle of Bannockburn.
• The ancestral home of the Blairs, dating back to the first Baron of Blare and reputed to be the oldest continually inhabited mansion house in Scotland which has not been rebuilt, is available for lodging and private events. I'm sensing a grand old party, Blair-style. We'll even drink Scotch Whiskey instead of Virginia Gentlemen.

The Michaux-Raine-Sydnor Geneaology

It's amazing how much information you can find on this new internet thingy. I was googling names of family members (you know you've done it too) and I came across a fantastic genealogy site compiled by one of Dad's first cousins, Syd Landis Dickinson. The website traces the descendants of Charles Anderson Raine (1841-1902), my great great grandfather on my dad's mother's side. (There's also a similar page tracing Charles Anderson Raine's lineage back to one Abraham Michaux (1672-1717) of Champagne, France.) Charles Anderson Raine lived a fascinating life, as detailed in a brief autobiography he wrote in 1897. He fought for the Confederacy in Stonewall Jackson's brigade; survived Gettysburg, the Battle of the Wilderness, and life as a prisoner of war; started a successful tobacco manufacturing company in Danville, VA; and raised 12 children. One of his daughters, Rochet Venable Raine (1881-1956), married Clement Adkisson Sydnor (1875-1949), who descended from Fortunatus Sydnor (1640-1682). Clement and Rochet's 11th child (2nd daughter) is my grandmother, Rochet Raine Sydnor Blair. There are some excellent photos of the Sydnor family and even some family recollections of life in the Sydnor home. These sites are well done and absolutely fascinating. And the family names...WOW! Finding this website has sparked quite an interest in family genealogy, so don't be surprised if future posts further detail the history of the Boston Blairs.

We Will Prevail. We Are Virginia Tech.

What an inspiring and defiant speech! In the context of the day, the "Let's Go Hokies!" chant at the end was cathartic and nearly spiritual.

Don and the Jerry Are At It Again

There's nothing better than listening to Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy get carried away on a tangent during a long Red Sox broadcast. The Rem-Dawg usually notices something out of the ordinary happening in the stands, and inevitably Announcer Boy ends up in tears trying (unsuccessfully) to hold back his laughter. Case in point: Patriots Day 2007. I don't know what the bigger tragedy is in this video, the spilled beer or the wasted pizza?

An Unspeakable Tragedy Touches Close to Home

Our hearts are with the entire community of Virginia Tech today, as our entire society reels in the aftermath of yesterday's deadly attack on the school's campus. VT and Blacksburg is a place we know all-too-well and that has always been associated with great pride in our family. We continue to be proud of our connection with the school and hope that our prayers and sympathy can help strengthen the community, so that many more generations of people can experience the wonderful qualities Virginia Tech embodies. GO HOKIES!!!

The Local Costs of War

We promise not to make this blog too political, BUT ...

Brian McGrory wrote a great opinion piece in yesterday's Globe about the lack of local funding for public safety projects in Boston. Crime and homicide are escalating uncontrollably on the streets of Boston, and Governor Deval Patrick can only offer $900,000 to fight the problem. To put that number in perspective, Patrick spent $72,000 of state money to hire a personal aide for his wife for one year. Where is the state's extra money going (aside from funding personal assistants and office redecorations for Patrick)? Abroad. Using the website Costofwar.com, which calculates the cost of the war in Iraq in "real time," McGrory points out that $416 Billion (and counting) has been spent on the war. Of that total, the city of Boston has contributed nearly $857 million. (Use the website to calculate the costs of war to your own city and state, it's fascinating.) Imagine if just a small percentage of that total had been diverted towards public safety. Imagine the poverty and anti-violence programs that could be funded, the after-school and workforce development programs that could be initiated, the community centers that could be built, the number of police officers that could be hired. Diverting state money to protect our soldiers is one thing (it's not their fault we're irreparably immersed in a civil war). Diverting state money to fund a preemptive and unjust war is another. As McGrory says so effectively in his editorial, when did the order and safety of Baghdad become so much more important than that of Boston (and countless other troubled communities in the U.S.)?

Take Me Home, Country Roads...

It's April 10 and still bitterly cold in Boston. About this time of year, my mind usually drifts farther and farther south until I can almost see the dogwoods bloom, smell the fresh-cut grass, hear the junebugs chatter, and -- of course -- taste the BBQ. Sure, the lobstah is wicked fresh (and expensive) up here, but is there anything better than a BBQ sandwich (North Carolina style) loaded with slaw, hushpuppies dipped in honey, and a tea so cold and sweet it makes your teeth numb? Where's the Silver Pig or a Smithfield's when you really need them? Mick Jagger had it right. Sweet Virginia, indeed.

Michael Scott -- Regional Manager, Information Scientist

Who needs librarians when you have the internet?

So Long to a Good Drinking Buddy

The 200th episode of The King of Queens airs tonight at 9:30 on CBS. This is also the beginning of the end for the show, since there are only 7 episodes left. Bev and I first started watching KOQ the summer we moved to Boston. It aired on UPN38 at the perfect time -- happy hour. We'll always associate KOQ with a warm summer evening, a cold gin and tonic, and the sounds of Fenway outside our window. Personally, I've always thought KOQ was one of the more underrated shows on TV. It was a throwback to those old-school sitcoms, an innocent situational comedy (light on irony and dry humor) in which you looked forward each week to seeing what kind of mess Doug and Carrie would get themselves into. Sure, KOQ relied heavily on slapstick humor, but the writing was great, the characters were unique (Arthur Spooner -- need I say more?), and the cast had a chemistry that most shows can only hope to attain. I think the show's longetivity is a testament to that chemistry. Tune in tonight and give the King a good send-off!

Shrimp Casserole

This is the recipe we tried last night. Since it still feels like February here in New England, a casserole was in order! It's from Southern Living Magazine and quite tasty! Watch out though, it calls for a fair share of butter :)

• 1.5 cups uncooked long-grain rice
• 1.5 lb. medium-size raw shrimp
• 1/2 cup butter (8 tablespoons)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 (1o oz.) cans cream of shrimp soup, undiluted*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar-colby cheese blend
• 1/4 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

Prepare rice according to package directions. Peel shrimp and devein, if desired. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add bell pepper and next 4 ingredients, and saute 10-12 minutes or until tender. Stir in soup, shrimp, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Do not overcook. Combine shrimp and rice. Pour mixture into lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup shredded cheese and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*Can substitute 2 (10 oz) cans cream of celery soup, undiluted.

Now pitching for the Harrisburg Senators...

Our good friend, Josh Hall, is now pitching for the Harrisburg Senators, the Double A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. I had the good fortune to be both a groomsmen at Josh's wedding and his battery mate at EC Glass for many years. Rumor has it that Josh was also Bev's first boyfriend at Linkhorne Elementary School. Oh, the scandal! Josh made his big league debut in 2003, when he pitched in six games for the Cincinatti Reds. That season he gave up a homerun to one juicer (Barry Bonds), but struck out another (Sammy Sosa). Josh has been slowed recently by some arm and shoulder troubles, but it's only a matter of time until he makes it back to the show. The Show -- where you hit white balls for batting practice, the ballparks are like cathedrals, the hotels all have room service, and the women all have long legs and brains. Bev and I hoping to watch Josh pitch this summer when the Senators play in New Britain, CT or Portland, ME. Unless, of course, he's pitching in Washington by then.

Historic Photos of Charlestown

We told you Bev's commute to Somerville would be shortened dramatically! Look at this photo from 1855, titled "View of Charlestown, Mass., as seen from Somerville. " If they can do it by horse, the Jeep should be able to handle it in no time. For a great collection of old photographs, postcards, and maps of Charlestown, check out the link. Who would have known the elevated Orange Line used to crawl down Main Street? Also, look at this postcard from 1900 of St. Francis de Sales Church on the crest of Bunker Hill. Our new place will be on the same side of the street, just one block to the right of this picture.

The Family Returns

We're very excited about the return of The Sopranos on Sunday. It's hard to believe the show is ending. HBO has truly created two of the most unforgettable TV families in the Fishers (Six Feet Under) and the Sopranos. What will happen in the final episodes? The Sopranos has always reveled in the moral ambiguity and willful blindness of its characters, so I doubt we'll be left with any real sense of closure. I came across this list of most memorable Sopranos moments. Any notable omissions? One of my personal favorites was Carmela's bedside vigil while Tony was in a coma. Such raw emotion and incredible acting. If that list didn't get you excited, check out this whirlwind recap of the show. See you at Da Bing on Sunday!

One Shining Moment

Our beloved Tarheels were knocked out of the NCAA tournament a couple of weeks ago. No need to worry, though. Provided that Tyler Hansbrough comes back to school, Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated has picked the Heels to be the top team in America in 2007-2008. Carolina will return a unique mix of upperclassmen and battle-tested youngsters. The last time we had a starting five like that it worked out pretty well.

The Blairs are moving to Bunker Hill

We are excited to announce that we are moving to Charlestown this June! It's about time we leave Waltham behind and get back to the city life we love, Boston-style. Here are a few pictures of the new place.






Dog Not Included...darn!





Price is anxious to pick out bar stools!