Election Night of Shadow
Nov. 5th, 2024 10:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ismoOpe! I voted! And have the sticker to prove it. For those unfamiliar with the upper midwest and its quirks, "Ope" is our all-purpose exclamation. The classic usage is in a phrase such as "Ope! Lemme just squeeze past ya" as in a grocery store or while working in the kitchen. To which the proper response is "Oh, you're fine." But it can also playfully express surprise, or be a polite signal for attention. Here in western MI, there was a competition for kids to create "I voted" stickers. They were passing them out like Halloween candy at my polling place, so I took three. They are now pasted in my journal to memorialize this historic day. One is the normal flag with lettering that everyone has. One is the red, white, and blue "OPE I VOTED" as described above, and one is a lovely bass with
"I VOTED" on his speckly scales.
We're just old school when it comes to voting. Wherever we have lived, we've been fortunate that our local polling place has been right in our neighborhood, within walking distance--except for one brief period in Texas when they moved it to a strip mall that we had to drive to. It's become our tradition to take a pleasant stroll to the firehouse, school, or church where we vote among our neighbors. Today was pleasant as usual. The workers and watchers were professional, relaxed and helpful. I was only voter #243, so there had not been a big turnout so far. That surprised me a little, but I think most people voted by mail, and early. The Sparrowhawk wore his "Jerry '76" t-shirt that he bought at the Gerald R. Ford Museum a couple of months ago, but he kept his other shirt buttoned over it, lest anyone think it was electioneering.
It was the first time I went out for a walk in awhile. It was also very pleasant to breathe in the scent of the wet fallen leaves, the mild air, and the restless breeze. The sky was overcast and the clouds in motion. Later in the afternoon, I was compelled to take a nap. I had a very bad night last night. I slept so hard through my nap that I hadn't moved a muscle when I woke up again. When we turned on the TV to see how things were going, there came a torrential rain, and the lights flickered briefly. It would have been pretty bad if we'd lost power on election night! However, the rain passed over and the lights are still on. Not that it matters--we're not going to know anything for awhile. We're going to bed (again).
"I VOTED" on his speckly scales.
We're just old school when it comes to voting. Wherever we have lived, we've been fortunate that our local polling place has been right in our neighborhood, within walking distance--except for one brief period in Texas when they moved it to a strip mall that we had to drive to. It's become our tradition to take a pleasant stroll to the firehouse, school, or church where we vote among our neighbors. Today was pleasant as usual. The workers and watchers were professional, relaxed and helpful. I was only voter #243, so there had not been a big turnout so far. That surprised me a little, but I think most people voted by mail, and early. The Sparrowhawk wore his "Jerry '76" t-shirt that he bought at the Gerald R. Ford Museum a couple of months ago, but he kept his other shirt buttoned over it, lest anyone think it was electioneering.
It was the first time I went out for a walk in awhile. It was also very pleasant to breathe in the scent of the wet fallen leaves, the mild air, and the restless breeze. The sky was overcast and the clouds in motion. Later in the afternoon, I was compelled to take a nap. I had a very bad night last night. I slept so hard through my nap that I hadn't moved a muscle when I woke up again. When we turned on the TV to see how things were going, there came a torrential rain, and the lights flickered briefly. It would have been pretty bad if we'd lost power on election night! However, the rain passed over and the lights are still on. Not that it matters--we're not going to know anything for awhile. We're going to bed (again).
