Sunday Spring Walk Around Central Kentucky :) (Updated)

 ... and the dogwoods are in bloom :)   Sundays are my only full day off, but the past 3 have been rainy.  However, the rain ended early today, so we visited Raven's Run Nature Sanctuary (Fayette/Jessamine County, Kentucky), as well as visited the grounds of "Ashland" - the Estate of Henry Clay (Lexington, KY).

I'm not sure, but I believe the white flowers below the dogwoods are Autumn Angel Azaleas, which only bloom briefly in spring (and again in August/September, for longer); thus, you have to catch the dogwood/azalea combo at just the right week to see them bloom together - which we did :)

After early morning rain, we decided to take a little hike to the river at Raven's Run Nature Sanctuary :)

Opening trail at Raven's Run ...

Blue-Eyed Marys and Yellow Wood Sorrel  ...

Blue-Eyed Marys and Dwarf Larkspur ...

A wood clearing with Blue-Eyed Marys and Larkspur in bloom ...

Dwarf Larkspur in purple and pink ...

Dwarf Larkspur and Jacob's Ladder ...

Jacob's Ladder (LOVE this wildflower) ...

 Red Columbine (grows only at the cliff around the river) ...

A lime kiln and stone fences (original portions of which were built by Irish indentured servants,1790s to 1840s) ...

Just some other lovely sights along the way :) ...

After our hike, we went downtown for pics of the best dogwoods in town, before they're gone, which happen to be at the homes near Henry Clay's Ashland Estate.

For those unaware, Henry Clay was a attorney, orator, and politician from Lexington, who ran for POTUS three times and lost all 3 times (but very nearly became the 5th POTUS) - and this is speculated to be because though he was a strong Federalist, he believed in everyone having a voice, so he was more or less an independent, trying to understand both sides of an issue - which brought him accusations by both parties of not truly being committed to either cause and disloyal, rather than a more reasonable person lol.

(Yes, from the beginning, people expected you to force yourself fully into 1 of only 2 boxes and then check every single issue box on every single issue your party threw your way, lest you be frowned upon and distrusted by both parties. Except unlike today, virtually no one accused anyone else of being "Satanic" over politics, likely because of the outcome of shameful  Salem Witch Trials, just the the century prior.)

Nevertheless, he was still well respected by both political parties for his ability to negotiate compromise between them (which particularly came into play between the North and South), who bestowed upon him the title of "The Great Compromiser."

He is most famous for negotiating "The Great Compromise of 1850," in which the slave trade was federally abolished, unfortunately in exchange for leaving actual slave ownership laws up to each state to decide - which Clay engineered in the hopes to stave off war (which worked, until he died).

Much like Thomas Jefferson, Clay was a slave-holding emancipationist - which is NOT the same as an abolitionist (I wish).

Essentially, that means that though both Jefferson and Clay felt guilty about slave ownership not being true to "all men are created equal" values (and worked locally to find legal ways to emancipate them, particularly after their deaths) - they were too cowardly to do anything about it and become true abolitionists, because they cared too much what the neighbors thought - so they continued to own slaves due to the social status it gave them, and so as not to lose power in Southern politics  :(

He felt that by working slowly to emancipate slaves in Kentucky, other states would follow suit. (However, he was too slow and too personally conflicted on the issue of slavery himself, so no one followed - thus the war ensued 7 years after "The Great Compromiser" had died.)

HOWEVER, he was best friends with Abraham Lincoln (through Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, also from Lexington), who also once owned slaves, but unlike Jefferson and Clay, had the courage to emancipate them within his lifetime and became an abolitionist.

It is suspected the Abraham Lincoln/Henry Clay friendship is the reason that Kentucky had it's a "middle state" status, despite being the gateway to the South via the Ohio River/Mason Dixon line - and as such, Kentucky residents were given an option to serve either the Union or Confederate side without true military penalty.

(In fact, some members of my family fought for the Union side, some for the Confederacy - and though rare, there were literally cases of brother fighting brother as far as middle state residency, during The Civil War.)

In fact, his "middle state" legacy continued in our state for another 150 years, because until the 2000s (Bush II's administration), our state was roughly 50/50 Republican/Democrat.  Since then, Kentucky has become strongly and angrily red, with just Lexington and Louisville being blue (just the city districts themselves, Fayette and Jefferson counties are not fully blue).  Just like everywhere else in the election in 2016, the more rural you go, the more red you see).

Regardless, here is his Italianate estate, just west of downtown Lexington, just off Main Street/Richmond Road ...

The smokehouse (which currently holds The Gingko Tree Cafe) ...

The ice houses: Before refrigeration, wealthier southern Kentucky slave-holding families would carry ice up from the Kentucky river (roughly 25 miles away) via wagon and put them in semi below ground domes ...

The gardener/groundskeepers house  ...

The sun peeked out just in time for us to snap this pic of the poppies :)

In addition to both walled and free gardens, Henry Clay had a fondness for gardening, particularly trees (Ash Trees, from which the estate gets its name).  He liked to import and plant on his property every kind of tree indigenous to the United States that he personally liked, as well as trees found around the world, to reside on his property.

Dogwoods, Ash, Pear, Silver Maples, Wild Cherry, Elm, Sycamore, and Walnut ...

In fact, Henry Clay was the first person to bring the first Gingko tree to the United States from Asia ...

The Eastern Redbud (note the reddish hue to the bark) ... 

As well as the red flower buds off the main trunks and branches ... 

A silver birch from the the northern United States ... 

A tulip tree ... 

 Though I appreciate his taste in architecture and trees, I'm much more proud of his great-granddaughter, Madeline McDowell Breckinridge ...

... who was a Christian social reformer and suffragette, famous for not only helping to end child labor laws and create a Baby Health Service,  but abolishing residual Jim Crow laws in Kentucky and helping women obtain the right to vote.

In fact, she died just after she saw the 19th amendment ratified by the State of Kentucky, which was due in large part to her efforts :)

Additionally, she was the editor for the Lexington's newspaper, The Lexington Herald (Leader) at a time when most women only dreamed of such things, especially in more rural states :)

Having grown up at Ashland, this plaque in her honor also graces the grounds of Ashland :)

(And from what I understand, there's talk of a statue of Madeline Breckinridge to replace the statue of Jefferson Davis at the state capitol building in Frankfort - please God, let that rumor be true!:)

That's right, you heard me - she was a very feminine, old-school feminist and Christian Social Justice Warrior - ya know, back when the terms "Christian" and "Social Justice" were not an oxymoron (just because politicians told you they were) ;)

(And I dare anyone - especially in THIS town - to to even try to besmirch the saintly reputation of the much-beloved Mrs. Breckinridge as being a "Marxist femnazi social justice warrior" - instead of what she was - a very kind-hearted woman, acting naturally on her Christian compassion :)

And of course, like me, she was also Episcopalian - Go Pisckies! ;)

Mark and I decided if we ever bought a home in Lexington, it would be in the Ashland neighborhood, rather than the flashy, newer communities:  A mix of Italianate, English Cottage and Tudor styles, Irish Stone Cottage Style, American Colonial, Federal and Cape Cods, Dutch Colonial, Spanish Colonial, and Prairie-Style and Craftsman homes, sprinkled with a few Southern-style Antebellum and Greek Revival homes :)

*There are a few German Tudors, but not too many - you will see them more from Northern Kentucky and above into the Midwest.

** Also, there are no Victorians in the Ashland (Downtown/East) area - they are all in downtown Lexington, just north of Main Street, approximately three-quarters of a mile from Ashland.

Spanish Colonial/Italianate mix 

Irish/English Tudor and Federal Colonial mix

Georgian Colonial 

Traditional Dutch Colonial

Dutch Colonial/Prairie Style/Greek Revival mix

Spanish Colonial/Italianate mix

Federal Colonial/Greek Revival/Antebellum mix

Traditional Dutch Colonial/Federal Colonial mix

Irish Cottage/Federal Colonial mix

Dutch Colonial/Federal Colonial/Greek Revival mix

Federal Colonial/Greek Revival Mix

Federal Colonial/Dutch Colonial mix

Federal Colonial/Traditional Dutch Colonial mix

Traditional Dutch Colonial /Federal Colonial Mix

 Ha-ha-ha! JUST KIDDING!

 Because though they're not the oldest or largest homes in Lexington, these homes built from the 1850s to the 1940s will still cost you $1.5 to $4 million dollars.

Or if University of Kentucky Wildcats Basketball Coach, John Calipari ever decides to sell his renovated Italianate mansion, right on Main Street/Richmond Road (and about 5 houses down from Ashland), make that  at least $5+ million :)

So ... maybe the smaller ones near Ashland?

(Renovated) Federal Colonial

Prairie Style/English Tudor mix

*** The home below is actually my favorite house in the Ashland/Chinoe/Woodlake neighborhood ...

English/Irish/German TudorMix

By the way, out-of-towners - "Chinoe" is pronounced "SHIN-oh-way."

It's supposedly a Native-American word - possibly Shawnee - but nobody can remember where it came from or what it means lol.

English Tudor/Cottage and American Craftsman Bungalow mix

Georgian Colonial/Cape Cod Mix

Georgian Colonial

Original American Craftsman California Bungalow

Just kidding again!

Because even the smaller Craftsman-style homes on the Ashland side of Main Street/Richmond Road will still cost you $650,000-$850,000.

Perhaps the Craftsmans on the opposite side of Main/Richmond Road, then?

Dutch Colonial plan, American Craftsman California Bungalow

Dutch Colonial Plan, American Craftsman California Bungalow/Prairie Style Mix

Original American Craftsman California Bungalow

Original American Craftsman California Bungalow

Maybe - but they're still $375,000 to $500,000.

That is because even though they are smaller and on less land, than those nearest Ashland, they are still only 1 of 3 neighborhoods in the city of Lexington where you can even find an original Frank Lloyd Wright inspired true Craftsman  Bungalow :)

(The other two areas are the Bell Court neighborhood, also near downtown, and the Roselawn/Arcadia neighborhood, nearer to Baptist Health and UK Hospitals).

Can you believe these Craftsman bungalows above and below - Frank Lloyd Wright's California Bungalows and PrairieStyle Homes - were bought via $2000 kit from a Sears and Roebuck Catalog, and the average cost was $2000?  

Here is an example of an original add for a Dutch Colonial style American Craftsman California Bungalow  ...

*I had written here earlier that Sears went the ToyRUs way and bit the dust, in 2018, but upon checking, it appears Sears was saved in the 11th hour in January 2019.

Lastly, though dispersed throughout these photos, just one last peek at the dogwoods before they're gone for the year ... :)

In case you were curious, the house is Dutch Colonial/Federal mix, btw. 

But A Flower Also Bloomed, on Easter Morning - Did You Even Notice?

My dear friend from the UK, Cherie -  whom I've known for 10 years (so I know that she, herself, is a beautiful flower) - shared a flower in bloom with us:  She visited Winchester Cathedral on Easter Morning, and shared a video that she made while the bells were tolling :)   I rarely comment anywhere, we chat in email - but I made an exception for this video.  My comment went to moderation because it had been so long!   Good thing, it needed editing! Thus, I rewrote it and it may go to spam, but shot her an email, so she knows.  Anyway, I'm leaving the link and a copy of my redone comment as a self-reminder: "Notice more flowers blooming when otherwise distracted" :)


Beautiful, Cherie – when I heard the bells, my first thought was the line of the Sanctus – “heaven and earth are full of your glory.”

And heaven and earth are still filled with his glory, we just have to know where to look – seems Winchester Cathedral is one of those places

Love the “Be still and know that I am God” stone pathway carvings. You know, I’ve never asked anyone, but I wonder – do you (or anyone) know if those inscription stone pathway carvings that surround churches and cathedrals have an official name? They’re not memorial stones, so would they be called inscription stones or ?
 
As you know, I am a Christian in worship, but I also think pearls of wisdom can be gleaned from any faith, to help us look at things from new perspectives that help us get through this life.

Thus, after the experiences last week of Notre Dame and in Sri Lanka, I was reminded of something an Indian woman of Hindu faith said to me once.

She said, “When life slaps you in the face, God answers 10,000 other prayers – but you’ll never see them answered if you stay focused only on the slap …”

“… when you plant a flower and say, ‘Oh my God, why won’t this flower bloom?’ that’s a prayer, actually. A few days later, you experience a hardship in another area of your life, and your flower suddenly blooms – you are so distracted by the “slap” hardship, will you even notice God answered your other prayer of your flower blooming?”
 
Erm – I’m guilty of that and often:)
 
It’s of course not only appropriate, but important, to grieve losses like Notre Dame, the churches in Sri Lanka, of course – and yet take time to also notice that a beautiful flower bloomed at Winchester Cathedral on Easter morning – and you shared it with us – thank you

Easter Conversation With My Father-in-Law :)

Wonderful conversation with my father-in-law, this Easter Sunday - it was interesting that he was focused on the same "message" about the Notre Dame fire that I had been (here and here), just in a different way  - but we were focused on what survived - like the golden cross :)

This conversation came up because he asked if Mark went to mass.  (My husband and his family are Catholic, my FIL having attended a Jesuit university, with initial plans to become a priest).

Conversely, I was confirmed Episcopal in 2007, after previously a Southern Baptist/Word-of-Faith evangelical upbringing, with a three-year-stint as an atheist in my 20s.  Additionally, I am also Theraveda Buddhist in philosophy.

Yes, you CAN be both Buddhist and Christian - Buddha himself said: "Don't pray to me when I'm dead, I won't hear you - work out our own salvation with diligence. I didn't come to save you from death or sin, I came to teach you a better way to live and end suffering."  

It is only because at the time, much of the prior religion of Asia was ancestor worship, and they incorporated it into Buddhism, such that many sects of Buddhism began to pray to Buddha - the Theraveda sect does not.

Thus, Christ is my actual savior, Buddha is my adjunct philosophy professor, and becoming Episcopal is my Buddhist "middle way" balance between Catholicism and protastantism/evangelicalism -  make sense?:)

I think there's something to be gleaned from all faiths, actually, it's just Jesus is my savior, because he was the only being to ever claim to die for the redemption of our  sin.

Anyway, I explained that Mark wasn't fond of the Catholic churches, here, in Kentucky.

He felt the evangelical hate element was toxic, here, and they had influenced the Catholic church, too much - it had become too political, and not in a good way.

And what we mean by that is, we don't care what anyone says and tries to twist scripture ...

Christ himself was all about social justice.  The man lived his entire life committed to social justice, everyone knows that - and yet the words "social justice" have become bad words - why?

Because some greedy, hate-filled, fear-mongering politicians say so with propaganda, to manipulate votes and control for themselves.

And their doing so - then slapping a makeshift Christian sticker on it for approval instead of the gospel of Christ -  is proof they do not have Christ living in their heart.

So, after my favorite priest had left my Episcopal church, I wasn't fond of the new one. In other words, I agree with Mark - we believe the evangelical-political influence over this general region has become toxic to everyone around (sorry).

Thus, we didn't attend either church.

Instead, we had a makeshift communion at home - because if Notre Dame taught us anything, it's that you don't always need a big fancy "God house" to hold communion, God and communion abide in your heart, surrounded by the people you love :)

Then, my FIL and said, "Say no more, there's too much fear and hatred in the south and always has been, and except for New Orleans and Louisiana, there's strong anti-Catholic sentiment in the South, particularly from evangelicals.  In fact, let me tell you a story about my one trip to the deep south as a child with my parents, for sales trip for my dad's lumber business."

He'd told me another story already, about his trip to Alabama as an adult and the racism, the sundown laws, he couldn't stomach it.

Though I'm a Democrat, my 80-year-old FIL is a Republican, but it works - because he's an old-school Republican, the kind that stuck to less government intervention like glue and meant it and that is where his politics ended - not the Trump kind we see today, after racism jumped ship to the Republican party in 1964 (Civil Rights Act) and gained a choke hold on it, staking their imperialistic claim flag in Christianity and the military for themselves, claiming sole ownership of either ;)

Then, he told me this new story, about another sales trip as a preteen - that his mother asked where they could find a Catholic church for mass at the hotel front desk, and they were shushed immediately and told:  "Shhh, you can't talk openly about being Catholic, here, for your own safety - bad things will happen. 

So instead, the clerk quietly wrote down directions on a piece of paper directions to the "church," looking around to make sure no one was reading.

The "mass" turned out to be held is someone's barn on private property - there was no Catholic church (allowed) in this particular area in Alabama in 1952..

This only worsened his mother's fear/disdain for protestants, whom his mother ironically already disallowed him to play with.

I said, 

"Oh my gosh, that was 1952? After the way Catholics were treated in Nazi Germany and all? I'm soooo sorry, and embarrassed - because those were probably my 'kinfolk' or former church brethren, in some way. This is why I'm not evangelical anymore, haven't been since childhood.

"Let me tell you what I think now; insulting Catholics and/or Jews is like slapping your grandparents and great-grandparents in the face - we may not always agree with them, but in the end, without THEM there would be no US :)"

Then I told him, that being raised evangelical, it was likewise as a child for me - except in reverse - I wasn't allowed to Catholic homes (except briefly) and disallowed from Catholic church - ever.

I was told Catholics were "of the devil" and that their ceremonies were actually rooted in Satanism and paganism, that they had secret pagan ceremonies with live sacrifices, that they were greedy, they were all drunkards and connected with mafia murderers lol.

Then, we had a good laugh about people's ignorance - what people don't know and have no personal experience with themselves, they make up -  simply out of fear and hatred of anything different from they way they do things.

Eventually, considering about 40% of my suburban Cincinnati high school was Catholic and 25% were Jewish, I began to realize by age 11 that most of what my mom and her church said was total BS - these people they propaganda-ed were actually wonderful people and my friends, too  :)

(Except my mother always had a heart for Jewish people, there's one good thing.  Not so much people of color, unfortunately, but she did have a heart for Jewish people, she disagreed with many in the South on that.)

Regardless, I ended up sneaking out to both a Catholic mass, and later attended a temple service - my first Catholic church visit is another hilarious story, about how clueless and scared I was, which I've told before and will tell another day.

Most teen rebellion is about sex, drugs and drinking - but then there's me, the weirdo - who rebelled by going to a Catholic church and a temple! 

Oh, what a shameful, wayward, adulterous communist "witch" am I, for reading books I wasn't supposed to, listening to music I wasn't supposed to, and attending other types of church/temple services, eh? ;)

Hehehe - ain't I a stinker ;)

So, we talked and laughed about all of the absurd propaganda we heard about each other as children, but how it had been revived recently due to politics.

Great conversation - my FIL has become one of my favorite people in the world, actually - one of the smartest people I know and the wisest.

I don't always agree with him, but he does realize and understands that all of the propaganda about faith is simply an effort to use fear to gain our votes, as I do.

And most importantly, he said, "I think if there is a message to be gleaned with the burning of Notre Dame, it's not about this faith or doctrine being preferred by God -  it's for us to stop the fear and hatred, we're tearing each other apart with fear and hatred - we're destroying places of worship ourselves, with our fear and hatred of one another" - exactly the same thing I said on my blog, though we hadn't spoken about it yet - and that we were both actually inspired by the end results.

Amen :)

Because what was intended for evil, God, in turn, can use for good :)

Notre Dame - Absolutely Heartbreaking :(

Always wanted to see it, now I never will :(  I've said it before, Holy Week is increasingly volatile - coincidence?  Too 'out there' to wonder if "something" - call it negative energy/evil/"the devil"/whatever - wants us to lose faith in Christ's true message of love? (NOT merciless OT law crap selfish politicians in power are peddling, slapped with a superficial Christianity sticker on top).

First, there was the parabolic wolves in sheep's clothing, saying and doing the most shocking, horrible, merciless, uncompassionate things I've ever seen in my lifetime - done in the name of Christ -  that caused many of us to question modern Christianity and little ones to stumble away from Christ.

Now, the loss of one of the Western world's most iconic houses of God - Jewish, Muslim AND Christian.   

 So, let's don't - don't let darkness win by losing faith and hope, because that's what "it" wants - and don't be fooled, though it currently hides behind a bible and a cross.

True sheep will always know their master's voice :)

Because as horrible as the above image is, do you know what Talmud/biblical story these images eventually ended up reminding me of?

Judah Maccabee, watching the flame continue to burn for eight nights, despite little oil and the temple having been destroyed in the warfare between Jews and Greeks for control of Jerusalem.

(In fact, both sides did it to themselves - their hatred, fear and zealotry for one another led to war and that result - a burning, destroyed temple.)

But let us not forget, in that story, that the flame of God continued to burn for eight days, despite little oil - despite their hatred and fear for each other, despite their zealotry, and in fact, the flame continued to burn despite all reason as well. 


Proving that the God does not need a lavish, palatial structure - the temple of God is wherever God and Christ abide.

Today, of course, the war is between Christians and Muslims - but the song remains exactly the same.

"Destroy this temple, and in three days, I will rebuild it" Christ said. (John 2:19)

Of course, he wasn't referring to an actual structure, he was referring to his own death and resurrection.

We will rebuild the temple of God - maybe not in three days, maybe not an actual structure, but we will rebuild the temple of Christ the right way - hopefully having learned our lessons about hatred and zealotry by the time it's completed :)

Peace be with you :)

All Prior Posts Parked in Draft, Except for Documentation

All my posts are parked in draft, except documentation of escalated stalking/impersonation/harassment/terroristic threatening. I considered deleting, but when I deleted a prior blog, another impersonation appeared at the URL; thus, this is a placeholder ;) This has gone on for years, but this blog is only from 2015.  I returned to blogging (with comments closed), then FB, thinking it was safe. Nope. And it's harder to prosecute than you know.   Regardless, I'm off for good. Plus text communication often causes misunderstandings, and social media really has become the bathroom stall of the world.  Peace be with you xo :)

My Claim to Fame: The Six Million Dollar Taught Me How to Sled - In a Garbage Can Lid ;)

Once upon a time, Lee Majors pushed me down the hill, in the snow, in a makeshift sled of garbage can lid lol.  No, seriously. I don't remember it because I was 2 years old, but true story.  No one has any pictures of it, but this family story is corroborated by just about everybody.   Allow me to explain :)

I'm almost finished parking all my old posts in drafts, but in the meantime, an absurd but true story.  (Do I have any other kind?) :)

So, yesterday, a friend from Mark's work drove us somewhere due to car trouble (Thank you, B!) and I asked where he was from originally.  He said "Middlesboro, Kentucky" - which is fairly close to where my dad grew up (Harlan, Ky).

This reminded me of my Dad's best friend from college at EKU - Harvey Lee Yeary - better known as Lee Majors - better known as "The Six Million Dollar Man" - who is also from Middlesboro, Kentucky.

In 1970, right before he skyrocketed to TV fame, he visited us in Cincinnati and apparently, he and my Dad wanted to show us how you went sledding "old school and mountain poor." Thus we tossed our fancy new sleds and Lee and my dad pushed my sister and I down the hill - in garbage can lids lol.

God, I wish I remembered that.  Not only because it was Lee Majors, because this momentous occasion reminded me my Dad actually fun once. 

Anyway, thank you, Six Million Dollar Man, for teaching me how to rock it old school in the snow :)

My First Post in a long time...from Mark

I am looking at Chrystal's blog stats and decided it is time. Guess what....I can see you...I know who you are by name...there is no anonymity at this site...and I know what you're up too.....sucks to be you eh?  I know the history of each and every one of you and how totally mental you really are...and not just from my wife. I am shocked any of you are still alive knowing what I know.

It's always the same story ... the problem that you ...or anyone... ever has with my wife is always the same story ... either she held up a mirror to your pointing finger or she stood up to you ... usually not on behalf of herself,   but for the others you were hurting ... and you couldn't handle it.  You love her directness and boldness to speak truth ... until it's about YOU, eh?

Then she gave you chances to turn it around and do the right thing, but you didn't.....and in my opinion she was direct...but still too nice.

Being a Detroiter, I wish she had done what I would have told you all from the beginning and what you should have been told a long time ago, and I wish we were face to face so I could tell you now.. ...FUCK OFF AND DIE.

Received an Alert From Facebook To My Phone, Unauthorized Login ...

I left this post:  Just a note, I received a text to my phone, this morning, that there was an unauthorized log-in and I was reactivated? I've been deactivated since July 2017, but this is the second time in 3 months. I don't even know about it until I get an alert like this, then friends' status updates via text, or someone texts me and asks if I'm back. 

Erm ... I'm not ... believe me. I wish you all the very best, but FB wasn't for me :)

Leaving this note up for 48 hours, so it's clear what happened, then deactivating again, so in case this happens again, it will be visible - so you know I have no intention of returning. All my love xo

PS - Yes, My Husband Knows About My Celebrity Other Husbands; In Fact, Here's His Celebrity Other Wives ;)

(Update, 11/7//2021 - in light of Aaron's falsely entitled, cuckoo rant about vaccinations and "the woke mob," I've changed my mind - I'm totally betting against Aaron Rodgers and filed a fantasy divorce from him as one of my fantasy co-husbands ;)

In fact, he has his own celebrity "other wives:" Aishwarya Rai Bachchan  - though he can never remember her name: "That girl from Bride and Prejudice," but many consider her the most beautiful woman in the world), Megan Fox, Michelle Yeoh, Angelina Jolie, Kate Beckinsale, Olivia Munn, Lucy Liu, Holly Hunter - I know that last one seems weird in the mix, but he likes her spitfire Southern-liberal personality ) lol - Plus he loves "The Last Kingdom" more than me!

I get it and I approve.  I also was trying to find the common thread between his crushes?

In case you don't know they all are, here they are, in his order  ...

 Aishwarya Rai  Bachchcan (age 46)

Michelle Yeoh (age 56) from "Tomorrow Never Dies" but he thinks she's sexier older, especially in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (Though she normally plays noble characters, more recently you can see her as the MIL from hell,  in "Crazy Rich Asians")

Angelina Jolie (age 43)

 
Megan Fox (age 36)

Olivia Munn  (age 38)

Kate Beckingsale (age 45)

Lucy Liu  (age 50)

Speaking of sexy older women, he likes   Holly Hunter - who believe it or not is 60 YEARS OLD.

The common thread? 

Besides the obvious - he prefers brunettes - all I can find is that they are all well-educated/intelligent and outspoken - and although all very feminine with slight builds, they can be (reluctant) bad-asses, verbally or physically - but only when pushed?

 (Well, we don't know about Megan Fox as far as intelligence, but she can be outspoken and a bad ass - but she doesn't even need those other things, I mean, look at her - she's absolutely stunning ...)

Megan Fox (is the youngest in his "other wives" group at age 36)
...  so I shall try to aspire to be more like his dream girls in attitude (since I'm never gonna compare looks-wise) lol.


As for mine, see if you can guess the common thread?

In addition to Alexander Dreymon from "The Last Kingdom" ...

My real husband knows that Sting is my musical husband ...

Stephen Colbert is my comedian husband ...

Aaron Rodgers is my sports husband (though not a football fan, I dig him as a person and athlete) ...

...  and Anthony Bourdain was my food critic/author celebrity crush (RIP, Tony, we still miss you) ...

... and Mark approves of them (except he's iffy on Sting) -  so he just laughs at me and shakes his head. He knows I am totally committed to him and love him, it's just for fun :)

What are the common threads in mine, can you guess? :)

All of my celebrity crushes are super smart, slightly edgy, spiritual/deep thinkers (not sure about Bourdain on the spirituality part, but he was searching/trying), as well as nature  and animal lovers 

(Yes, even "pretty boy" Alex - he speaks 3 languages fluently and passed the MCAT to be a doctor, but changed his mind and became and actor.)

I think there's an intensity in the eyes that give away intelligence/deep thinkers, in both of our crushes - in fact, right after I typed that, my husband came home for lunch and said that's  what he thought the common thread was - interesting, huh?

And I like the hypersmart warrior with the spiritual soul of a poet types :)

Check, check, check and check - my husband's got it all :)

Attempted Facebook Hack ...

Mark received an email morning that someone tried to enter his Facebook account, which is weird, because we both deactivated in July 2017.  Weirder, because on checking my page, he noticed my account was active -which is especially weird, because I logged in a couple of weeks ago because I was getting a lot of traffic from Facebook, but I deactivated again immediately, even got the deactivation notice.  

It wasn't me, I know his FB password and it wouldn't be an attempt, I would get in lol - but I haven't.

It's probably just a random hack attempt, but just in case it's not - I will not hesitate to contact law enforcement - especially if it is the same person (and friends) - and you realize this would be considered documentation of escalated stalking and probable jail time, this time. Just an FYI.