off like a herd of turtles

Christmas flew in and out in record speed, and as the old saying goes: "It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles." Went to bed last evening wondering, once again, how all that anticipation, preparation, and excitement can come and be gone so quickly.  Now on to the New Year.   2025 Here we go....

I will spend the rest of this week and perhaps even the first part of next finishing off leftovers, undecorating my house and getting everything ready to begin anew on January 1st with a clean and organized home.  It's a fresh start -- a new beginning that comes once every year.  Sort of nice, isn't it?  Then comes Spring and another chance to start anew. Double bonus.

Never one for New Year's resolutions, I do plan on on a couple of things.  I want to concentrate on mindfulness -- even of the "small" things... and also on personal growth... both of these in conjunction with quality time with family and friends.  I think it is a good plan.   Doable.  Doable is a good thing. Doable is much preferable over "impossible to accomplish" ... or "doomed to failure".  I believe in starting off with the positive.  "I can do this." Fingers crossed. 

Wishing you a Blessed New Year!

Yikes!

Recently I watched Psycho on Turner Classic Movies.  Remember what a stunner it was when first released? Good olde Alfred Hitchcock. Guess I have become numb to the horrors of the possibility of getting stabbed in the shower. I found it to be a captivating and relatively calm movie by today’s standards or lack thereof. I also found it rather amazing that the only two things I remembered about that movie were the shower scene and the one in which the rocking chair spins around and Norman Bates' mother is revealed in all her skeletal glory.  As for the rest -- it was like I was watching it for the first time.  Now I am wondering if Wait Until Dark is still as terrifying. One blind woman against three sadistic men who terrorize her and anyone watching the movie.  As for Deliverance ... the terror lives on a bit.  I still have a problem with banjo music.

To think that I spent years peering through the shower curtain while I showered and disliking to drive through the forests of southern states.  The transformation is astounding when I think about it. Nowadays it is people in hockey masks that scare me in a startling way... or .. anything that even smacks of the opening music of Jaws.  Actually my first encounter with Jaws was the book, and as I sat reading it in my back yard, I picked my feet up off the ground and looked around for fins.  Later on that summer when at Rye beach in New Hampshire, I didn't go into the ocean more than knee deep and even that was scary.  

Obviously, it's been a long time since I have been to a scary movie. Further --  I am totally out of my Stephen King phase - books or movies. It's more than the fact that he is now just way too woke for me. Guess I am at that point where I am no longer in the mood to be terrified.  The real world is sometimes scary enough.  Just watching the news can put me on edge. That's why I frequently go on "news blackouts".  I figure at my stage of the game, I am an easy target in way too many situations. The mere thought of walking through a parking lot to get to my car sometimes makes me sweat.  This nana no longer runs. 

The thing is -- I have not given up hope that things will be better after January 20th... Inauguration Day ... in case you have forgotten.  Things are already better.  I feel like the world is already a safer place than it has been for the past four years. One can feel the sigh of relief. I think of it as the great exhale. Then comes the fresh air. I think that I may even watch the news again -- at some point -- maybe.  

'Tis the season...

Tomorrow my son and daughter-in-law arrive for a long weekend. They are traveling from west of Indianapolis.  Call it Thankmas or Christgiving.  Either way -- good family time together. Just hope the weather cooperates and makes an easy trip for them.  My daughter and her family will be spending time here as well. I think I am ready with preparations, but most importantly -- I am ready for family together time. Trust me -- there is never a dull moment when we are together.  So fun! Time together -- best gift ever.

The tree is up. The food has been planned. The fridge is full. Presents wrapped.  Christmas CD's ready to pop into the olde Bose.  Life is good.  We will celebrate two holidays and then each celebrate Christmas once again in a couple of weeks. Bonus. Actually in my family, as I was growing up, Christmas was always celebrated early -- on Christmas Eve.  Santa even came early.  He had a lot of places to be. Had to start early. No problemo. I have carried on the Christmas Eve tradition.  It makes Christmas Day less chaotic somehow.  Anyway ...   

It doesn't matter a bit to me what day we celebrate.  It is the time together that counts. I am blessed to have time with my loved ones. I don't take it for granted; that's for sure.  Thankful here. 

To others celebrating early -- Merry Christmas whenever!  Ho... Ho... Ho...  'Tis the season....

Moving on now....

Thanksgiving is in the rear view mirror for this year and the Christmas season in barreling in.  Unfortunately some people are having still having a hard time with their unhappiness at election results here in the United States. It's remains, in some cases, a family and friend problem. What a waste of potential good family and friend together time.  If you aren't happy yet, you need to get on board. It may be a matter of perspective that you need to reevaluate or put on the proper shelf. Whatever. Fix it. Don't let another holiday pass without your family and friends-- even those with whom you may have differences of opinion.  Seriously. Talk about something else other than your unhappiness.  We all have our struggles. Hopefully it is as simple as that. It may not be, but trying counts.

The whole situation reminds me of the story of the Cherokee grandfather and the wolf.  I was reminded of this by a "dear friend/sister-cousin" who is often a source of inspiration when it comes to ideas for this blog. She was reminded of the story when it appeared in a Louise Penny novel. Recently I saw it on a Yellowstone rerun as well. It shows up here and there and everywhere these days.  Probably most of you have heard this story from one source or another, but some things are worth a "relook" once in a while ... especially when confronted by the challenges and struggles of living.

The story goes like this: 

"One evening, an elderly Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside each of us.

He said, “My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

“The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, ''The one that you feed.'”

                               (quote from online site:  mindful FAMILY MEDICINE)

Moving on now....

Flashback In Time

 

Some things are worth repeating   ...   Happy Thanksgiving!

                                 Heart Hugs 08/19/2021

Recently my granddaughter was helping me go through a bunch of photos and papers in preparation for having to move a ton of stuff so some new carpeting can be laid. She ran across some old blogs of mine and promptly cuddled down into the big reading chair in my “Book Room” to read them.  The first one that caught her eye was the one I wrote in 2015 about her dog.  It is entitled “I call her the Lovely Luna”, and she laughed out loud as she read my description of Luna rolling in bear meadow muffins while pasture prancing.  Then there was “Stranger on the Porch” in which her Uncle Garrett was featured as the hero who came to my back porch with his blow gun to try to dispatch a rabid fox.  Anyway – as I glanced back through those old blogs, I was struck by how light hearted most of them are/were.  They were pre-damncovid and pre-political unrest of great magnitude and before times of a world struggling perhaps more that ever before with all kinds of concerns.  I realized that, as I reread them, I was beginning to think in terms of the good olde days and yet -- they were really just a little while ago really.

There was “Klutz Factor” and “Klutz Factor Revisited’, “There an app for that….”, and “Presbyterian Bunnies”.  “I Cry at the Parades” was about how much I love small town America. I wrote about Tee-shirts decorated with fun sayings and about unsuccessful attempts at home repair. I wrote about upcoming elections, even including a memo that I sent to Donald Trump a year prior to the 2016 election.  I wrote about “Tchotchkes and Other Assorted Treasures”, “Scammed! Not a good feeling”, and “Mouse in the House!”.  And … I wrote about “Ladies Who Lunch” which was about my sister and her lovely friends sharing lunch with me when I was visiting in 2016.

So many….  As I was looking through them, the one that struck me the most though was “Heart Hugs” – so much so that I am going to repeat it today.  If you need to, in these days of social distancing -- you can think of these hugs as mental “air hugs”, those symbolic hugs of the damncovid times.  So – here it is – first published on 10/15/2015.  Who couldn’t use a good hug these days? Some things are worth repeating.

We go back in time together....

 I had a wonderful friend who gave what he called heart hugs.  They were the kind of hugs where you wrapped your arms around each other and pressed your hearts together.  They were indescribably wonderful.  He, being much taller than I, sometimes made these hugs hard to manage, but if I could find a step to stand on, they were perfect.  I miss him. 

Recently on Facebook someone shared a copyrighted “Photo” that made me remember these hugs.  It was a scene of Charlie Brown and Snoopy hugging.  The words? “I love the kind of hugs where you can physically feel the sadness leaving.”  I think the source was something like “You are My O2”.  It was sort of hard to see. Anyway – that is the best definition of a heart hug that I could ever imagine.  Perfect…

A wise woman once shared with me that she never passed up a hug.  She was one smart lady as she was definitely a hugger and thrived on them.  Not all people are huggers through.  I think hugging may be a learned behavior and some families are just not into it.  I am from a hugging family and sometimes I am not into it.  I get it.

Hugs are healthy in general.  Not all may be heart hugs, but all hugs are a good thing… even the ones that send your glasses flying.  I have taught my grandchildren the heart hug. Some things are worth passing on from generation to generation.   I consider it a gift from my friend to them.  They never had a chance to meet him.  I think, as he did, that it is important to share the good things, the best things about people who have passed through your life, whose lives have been a blessing.  It’s a poignant kind of immortality – if the best that was them continues on.

Heart hugs all around.

Boycott Lifted

Now midway through my seventies, I find that I like TV even more now than ever ...  and ... although I had boycotted CBS for some reason that I cannot remember at the moment, I have to tell you that some of this season's offerings are wonderful.  I mean they rank right up there with Paramount's Yellowstone. 

I am talking about Thursday evening's offerings of Matlock and Elsbeth ... and I find both to be very entertaining. One cautionary note though.  If you are going to watch Matlock for the first time -- start with episode 1.  You can find it On Demand or streaming somewhere I am sure. Kathy Bates is outstanding in the lead role. The ending caught me off guard and I love that kind of surprise.  Elsbeth is just plain fun in its eccentricity ... although the totes Carrie Preston drags around with her are a bit annoying for some unexplainable reason ... maybe because they look empty.  The annoying meter dings at about a Tony Shalhoub Monk level... just so you know. Entertaining shows -- both. At least I think so.

Winter will be here soon.  Nice to have some fun "watching" when snowed or iced in.  Actually fun entertainment is wonderful even if you don't have real Winter.

In Your Face....

Was working on getting a blog ready to post about the aftermath of the recent election (now that the dust has settled a bit), and suddenly, for no reason, began to think of a phrase that I hardly ever use .. but have been hearing quite a bit in the past few days.  I am torn between the underlying joy of revenge that it conveys and the sort of budding nasty that goes along with it.  

After living under the icky blanket of the woke for the past eight years -- if not longer, it is wonderful to see that common sense is no longer taking a back seat. It is a cultural shift... one that even mainstream Democrats appear to be embracing... and there are a lot of them...obviously.  Good for them.  They are no longer allowing the far left to hijack their political party. The recent election was, in part, a cleansing... a washing away. 

So it is with thought, but somewhat mixed emotions that I say to lying, virtue signaling, elite democrats who have been knocked off your perches:  "In your face!".  Let's see how gracious you can be when you don't get your own way.  Quite frankly, I don't think you will do well. Some evidence indicates otherwise.  Surprise me.  I am willing to meet you halfway ... and that is something you never offered me.  Just sayin'. 

Everyone knows...

Struggling to prepare a blog to post ... my usual Thursday contribution to blog readers across the world is just not coming to mind this week. Plus it is a delayed start.  I usually have at least two written and ready to go.  Not sure why I am so behind.  And then this morning I wake up to see that a red tsunami has swept the country and I am, quite frankly a bit caught up in distracting happiness and hope.  These past few years have been a bit difficult ...  a long practice of patience and a continuing struggle for tolerance. Some people have been mean and I didn't understand or expect that. It was a major disappointment that still rankles more than I would like it to.  And now -- I feel like I can start to breathe again. I am not alone. Others have been in touch.

My sympathies to all who are feeling the opposite. Boohoo.  Trust me ... you will survive. There are very few who will feel sorry for you though.  Some might even say "turn about is fair play".  Be prepared. The only thing is that we of the red tsunami will be nicer about it all the way around. We won't call you deplorable, irredeemable, garbage or fascist.  We won't threaten to send you to a reeducation camp. (Think about that one for a moment.) We won't take your jobs or try to cancel you. We will respect your right to have your own opinions. We know not to expect a mea culpa... ever.  We will let you live in peace. We might even be a friend.  Stranger things have happened.

However... in thinking about both sides of this political situation, there is one phrase I hope to never ever hear again.  What is that, you ask? It is the phrase... "everyone knows..."  That is simply not true.  Everyone does not know and if they do, I would like to know what it is they know, who they are, and how they know. 

Further -- I never met anyone who knows everything about anything or everyone. Is knowing everything a part of the whole everyone knows "thing"?  Must be nice to be that person.  Or -- maybe not. Who is this "everyone"? What is it that they know?  Why don't I know it?  Or more correctly... Who are they?  And ... if they do exist ... I have one thing to say, and that is for the second time in this teeny paragraph ...  "Must be nice"!

Time to move forward.  Everyone knows that, right?

I will find my own way to the door now.  Thanks for reading.

 

   

Let's get this over with...

Election day is looming. Five days and counting.... Are you sick of the politics yet? Let's get this over with and move forward.  Just vote, if you haven't already, and know that you are part of the process and move on. 

We are Americans all.  We are known to be resourceful, determined, independent, and strong.  We can do this. Together we can survive almost anything.  If you doubt that, just look back over the past few months/years.  

Vote. Let your voice be heard.  Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Getting to the polls and voting are actions. Pray for an honest election. Vote and know that you tried to be a part of the American way in the manner it was meant to be. Hopefully disappointed people will not feel the need to throw a lengthy and destructive temper tantrum, call people who disagree with them mean names, or think they are entitled to burn stuff down if they don't get their own way. 

I just wish we could know the results the same day.  Ah... the good olde days. 

One last thought to consider.... 

Let's clean house. Let's put politics back on the high shelf for a while. 

                         Let's "Make America Great Again!"  

Is it a Boomer "thing"?

Sometimes I wonder if I am speaking the same language as my children and grandchildren and then figure that, even if we aren't on the same wave length sometimes, we manage to communicate somehow. Remember the "generation gap"?  Well this is the generation gap times two. I am speaking primarily to Boomers now in this particular blog, although ...  younger generations might find it amusing. I do know that I do and say things that amuse the younger generations in my family. They may not know that I know this, but I do. (I find it amusing.)

Okay fellow Boomers...  Remember what caps are/were and how they smell(ed)? Not sure the grands would even know what a cap is.  When you think about it -- we didn't even allow our children or grandchildren to play with those red strips of paper loaded with small dabs of unstable explosives. You could even set them off by banging them with a pointy rock. Think about that for a moment. (I confess, however, that I have provided poppers for two younger generations on the occasional 4th of July. Poppers are not the same as a good strip of caps though -- no matter how similar they smell.) I still have my cap gun, by the way.

Then there is the tendency that I, (and other Boomers?), have to send an email and then text that I have sent an email... just so my bases are covered.  Even my grandkids are very kind about my uncontrollable need to do this.  I figure that they figure that is just the way I am.  I am okay with that. I am proud of how tolerant they are -- like I had something to do with that.  Seriously though -- my  kids and grands do not always check their email. They are busy. They will always get to a text at some point. I don't think I am too off base on this one. Plus there are things that only an email will handle properly. Right? Texting is not the be-all and end-all mode of communication. I mean, really, I still write letters to people.  In contrast though -- I hardly ever answer my landline which I keep for emergencies. Landline? Yes, I am that old.

Now -- as far a pop culture is concerned.  Who cares, right?  Would a Boomer recognize Taylor Swift  --  even if she were in front of one of them in a check-out line?  Doubt it. I wouldn't. I am surprised I even know her name. Now if it were Elvis, that would be another story. (I saw him perform once in Las Vegas. Hmmm... that was over 50 years ago... yikes!)

Anyway...  here are a few other things that I have noticed about Boomers that may not translate across the years. We tend

    - to like puns, memes, and bad dad jokes. 

    - to ignore or even dislike QR codes and to boycott self-check out.

    - to love printed receipts and to print things and save them in files. 

    - to enjoy thinking about/mentioning old times.

    - to talk about being survivors... because we are...  so far.

Seriously -- am I alone in this, or are each of these really a Boomer thing? Bet you could add to the list -- if you had time to give it some thought.  Boomers are busy people. I get that. Some of us wonder how  we ever had time to work... and then we laugh ... at least inside our heads.  

       

Watch for the deer....

Years ago when, as a teacher, I was sending high school Seniors off into the world, I would tell them that #1, when going through day-to-day life, is "to trust your gut".  I also told them not to drink the punch at parties and to be cautious of accepting any kind of drink or food ... but that is a whole other area of concern.

Then just last week my son and my daughter-in-law were heading from Indiana into the post-hurricane mountains of Tennessee, and I found myself texting -- Watch for the deer! (I also told them not to pet the bears - or fuzzy dogs as the sign in their cabin reads.) Anyway --  I realized, once again, that I always say that to my kids -- even now that they are grown-up, extraordinarily competent adults.  I stand on my kitchen porch, waving goodbye and yelling "Watch for the deer!". I am compelled to say/yell this.  Every. Single. Time. They don't seem to mind.  They know it means "I love you!" (and that they are the most precious part of my life).

Then again... "Watch for the deer!", in northwest Pennsylvania is good advice taken literally as well -- especially during hunting season when the deer are being herded from place to place by the flame orange people.  But back to the main point - as a phrase - I think it is much like "drive carefully", "sleep well", "put your feet up at the end of a long day", "take care", "I am here if you need anything", or "let me know how it goes".  They all mean the same thing.  It's very simple really.  They all mean "I love you!".  Even grown-up kids should be reminded of that. Everyone should be. Words can be hugs. Everyone needs a word hug once in a while.  

Treasure Hunt

Always on the lookout for word treasures ... I ran across one posted on Facebook by a neighbor of mine that I simply want to share with you.  Unfortunately it is an anonymous word treasure.  Oh how I wish I could have lunch with the person who wrote it.  It seems especially poignant in these times. So many people going through so many difficult challenges.

"When life breaks you, it is because you are ready to be put back together differently. Every piece of you that  feels shattered is a piece that will find a new place, a new purpose, a new meaning.  Trust that the cracks are where the light gets in. And sometimes, in our brokenness, we find our greatest wholeness.

We find the courage to rebuild, to reimagine, to redefine what it means to be strong.

You are not broken; you are breaking through."  (Unknown)

There are an untold number of ways that this might speak to you. I know that, and so do you. We all have our own stories, our bag of rocks ... as my Mom used to say.  Right now, in light of what all is going on in our country weather and ... otherwise, I find this treasure of words comforting. Hope you do as well. 

May we all find our "greatest wholeness". 

Shoes off ...

Saw a photo recently of Kindergartners napping.  The photo had been taken in the '50's, and it got me thinking about those days long ago.  I never napped in Kindergarten because the one I attended at Battles Memorial School in Girard, Pennsylvania was only half a day long so I napped when I got home. However ... I do remember one beloved elementary school teacher at my next school who had a story time after lunch every day when she would read to us, and... we were allowed to lay our heads down on our desks if we wanted.  I don't think I ever fell asleep.  It was a wonderful time of the day. My favorite. 

Now here's the thing.  This gentle soul of a teacher made a bonding and calming production out of the whole experience... starting with removing her shoes and lining them up carefully off to the side in front of her.  She would always whisper that she hoped the Principal didn't drop in to find her without her shoes.  This, of course, make this special reading time even more wonderful. She made it a conspiratorial time just between her and us. I loved it.  

Now here is my hope... that someone out there will remember her name. I remember that she was "old" so ... that probably would have made her around 30 to 40 at that time. (I was 8.) This was at the Wright Street School in Corry, Pennsylvania. It would have been around 1957. Perhaps her name was Mrs. Porter?  She deserves to be remembered by name -- right up there on the list with the First Grade teacher there who let you borrow books to take home to read even if you were not or never had been her student. Miss? She would wrap each book carefully in sturdy brown paper and tie the treasured parcel with string -- the book became a cherished item worthy of gentle and serious care.  I can't remember her name either and am not feeling good about that.  Both schools are gone now. I am quite sure that both of these wonderful teachers are gone too.  Their names should not be. Help?

Officially Autumn

So thankful to have four different seasons here in Northwest Pennsylvania.  Autumn officially began on September 22nd. Yet -- I am still waiting for brisk afternoons and evenings.  The season seems to have the cool mornings down pat, but as for the rest -- too warm for me.  Still waiting, a bit impatiently as well, for the brilliant colors of changing leaves.  Fall is my favorite of all the seasons. I love to walk through leaves and have the occasional evening fire in the patio firepit.  I love to wear thick socks, jeans and sweatshirts, or soft wraps over long-sleeved shirts. I love the comfort of flannel sheets.  I love to warm my home with a welcoming fire in a fireplace. I have one in my living room and a smaller one in my book room where I write every morning in the predawn hours when the world is quiet and calm.  Fireplaces are a double blessing in this neck of the woods when winter hits and sometimes before. They are warm in the comfort sense and they take the chill off as we say around here.

I have been working in the pasture cutting up downed branches to use as firewood and have cut back all the wild geranium and weeded around the house. I am letting the rest of last year's Spring cleanup go until next year.  Ready for snow here. Even Margaret, my trusty old Bush Hog Trail Hand utility vehicle has been serviced and stored for the season - although am going to keep her in the garage this winter instead of the barn ... just in case I decide to put her in 4-wheel drive and head to the mailbox on a snowy day, use her to take the garbage to the road, or decide to take a trip around the pasture to see what is going on.  Ready here.  Yet -- the days are still in the 70's, low 80's. What's with that? I am sick of this nice weather.  I would move south if I wanted to sweat. I live here because there is usually more cold/cool weather than hot/warm. Some years are just weird.

Maybe Fall will come tomorrow and set in to stay for a while.  Hope to have a few days to enjoy my favorite season before the snows hit ... breezy open window days between AC and furnace days.  Just sayin'.  We will see. Before we know it, it will be time for hats, gloves, scarves, heavy coats and time to move from flannel to fleece sheets.  Mother Nature has a mind of her own.  Sometimes one just has to go with the flow.  I remember putting snowsuits over Halloween costumes -- more than once. It's a common practice in these parts.

 

A letter to the Vice-President

Note -- this blog was written prior to the 2nd assassination attempt of Donald J. Trump. Had it been written after, the questions may have been different.

Dear Madam Vice-President,

The following questions are asked with all due respect for the office you hold. After careful deliberation over the past week, I ask them because I need to know your answers and thought for sure that the ABC news team moderating the recent debate would ask them.  They did not. (I am boycotting the entire ABC network and Disney now, by the way.  Their obvious bias and one-sided-only fact checking was shameful and ... inaccurately misleading with obvious ill intent.) I have many questions, but have limited them to my top ten or so concerns. My confusion stems, in part from the clips I have seen of you saying one thing and then saying the opposite in current time. Some call it flip-flopping. Others call it pandering for votes. It's confusing. Anyway --  following the debate, I also watched what I could stand of your campaign stop in North Carolina to see if you would be more specific about your "plans".  Alas you did not find your way there.  I am hopeful that you are able to understand my confusion. Saying you have a plan is too vague for me.  It seems like your solution to everything is to throw more taxpayer money at it.  Throwing money at something doesn't work -- our educational system is an obvious example of that. I might also suggest that you go a bit lighter on the glad hands, dancing on stage, loud laughter and hugging. It's a bit much. These are serious times. Pretend joy doesn't cut it. Plus this "act" blatantly contradicts your nastiness toward your political opponents. Okay -- here we go...

Are you at all embarrassed or remorseful that you repeatedly reassured the American people that President Biden was fit to be President - alert and "with it"?  You lied. You covered up. Have, you, in fact, been running the country for the past almost four years? Or ... are you a puppet of some sort? If so, who is your real boss?

Do you find any crisis in conscience, as a former prosecutor, that you encourage illegal entrance of millions of unvetted migrants across both the southern and northern borders? I don't understand why you did and continue to do that. I can't seem to find exact numbers of how many people have entered our country illegally under your watch ... not to mention "got-a-ways", but... even if 11 million encounters does not equal 11 million people, estimates are that it is at least 9 million plus another million or so of "got-a-ways" who have crossed our borders illegally under your leadership. We have no idea who they are or where they are. That is a lot during 3 1/2 years. It's a lot to handle for American communities. Too much really. Schools, hospitals, social services --- overwhelmed. You never even mention that hundreds of thousands of children are missing. It's shameful! What's your plan?

And related to that...  Do you see that you are prioritizing illegal immigrants over American citizens and, to add insult to injury, that you are making American citizens pay for all the goodies you offer to those who disobey the law? To be more specific -- do you understand that the American tax payer is concerned about paying for things like phones, food, housing, debit cards, etc. for illegal aliens?  They also have concerns about their tax dollars paying for gender reassignment surgery for illegal aliens or the incarcerated -- both groups have broken the law and hurt others in doing so. As you say, "Let me be clear". Our objection, in this case, is not to their gender preferences, but rather to their criminality.  These are people who have broken the law. Do you not see that?  On to the next question .... Are we no longer a country of law and order in part because of you? i.e. no cash bail / defund the police.

Do you realize that you do all the things that you accuse former President Donald Trump doing?  i.e.. name calling, acting on self interest, lying, fear mongering, etc.?  Must mention also, that you, like Biden, are also a plagiarist -- low in my book for sure. Do you not see that this is shameful, wrong, deceitful and just plain lazy? Does that not matter to you either?

Is it really true that over 90% of your White House staff have resigned -- perhaps, as suggested by some, because you are mean, intolerant, short tempered and do a really bad job of it and ... they really don't want to work with you or ... have their experience with you on their resumes? Some say you do not do your homework? Is this true? It appears that you did not in your selection of a running mate. Who are you really?

What do you love more than power? 

And finally (asking for a friend) -- does it feel weird that no one voted for you to become the Democrat party's nominee for President?  Does it make you feel like a cog in a machine or a token?  Do you find it insulting that people may vote for you because of your gender or race rather than any demonstrated accomplishments or simply because they have been led to believe that your opponent is a big meany sometimes? Are you aware that some find you to be the dangerous one? 

Thank you, Madam Vice-President for your response to my concerns. I don't really think that you will respond to this or even see it, but sometimes questions need to be asked. Anyway -- just in case... mine is a small audience with some readers from other countries, but each of the American readers' vote counts, and I am sure that others across the globe may be interested in your responses as well. We are, after all, The United States of America. The world is watching you now ... and all Americans come November 5th. We would like to know who you are before we have to vote. How can anyone vote for you if they don't know what you stand for or details of your plans? You might be the opposite of what people hope you are. Do you hate Donald Trump because he will not play the politician games and because he actually gets things done? What have you done?

P.S.  You may not buy back my guns or anyone's, for that matter. Check the Constitution. The Second Amendment. I am embarrassed for you that you think you are able to do this. Thinking you can control my rights in this or elsewhere is a serious and the real threat to Democracy. You might want to reverse your position on this as well.  Obviously you know how to do that.  Oh wait -- maybe you have already put that promise of a mandatory gun buy-back on hold.  I get confused. Are you able to understand why?

TMI

I am sure you have noticed that over the past several decades our mother tongue has suffered an infestation of acronyms that sometimes seems to threaten the fundamental vocabulary of all Americans -- or else it's a new vocabulary sort of like no punctuation is becoming a trend and confusing everyone.  Anyway -- I am not sure where it officially started, but I recall the use of LOL in the 80's. Then again AWOL probably came before that .. as well as SOS.  Who knows? Does it matter? Is this happening in other languages? 

The thing is that acronyms seem to have become a little on the out of control side with their use on social media and in texting. Did you know that internet acronyms are also called "universal strings"? TMI? I bought a little dictionary of acronyms a few years ago so I could figure out what people were talking about, but ...  it appears to be hiding somewhere in my book room. I sometimes struggle to know what people are talking about, but I do try to figure it out.  I also use punctuation as I think it is helpful. Call me OF (old fashioned? old fart?)

ASAP, LOL, FYI, TTYL, OMG, BFF are pretty well known.  BRB (be right back), GMTA (great minds think alike), IMHO (in my humble opinion), and MTFBWY (may the force be with you) are somewhat less popular, but I have run into them more than once. Current in the political arena are MAGA (Make America Great Again) which triggers those with TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome). SMH (shaking my head).  Do you have a favorite? ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing)? POS (parent over shoulder)? What is your point of view (POV)?

The thing is acronyms are getting longer and longer and harder and harder to decipher.  Received a meme in a text a bit ago. JOGAYOP If it had not had an explanation with it, I don't think I would have "gotten it"  I will share.  The joy of going at your own pace.  I like JOGAYOP.  It's what I do. IWID. (I just made up that last one. I think I like it. (ITILI). Actually it probably already exists. (AIPAE).  Like I said -- an infestation.

Perfect ... Not Perfect ...

My sister once wrote to me about perfection and talked about all the effort wasted in trying to attain something that was impossible to reach -- ever --- that sometimes good was good enough. Oh how I wish she were still around so that I could ask her about it. She said it so well -- much better than I can relate the idea to you. Anyway --  I sometimes have to remind myself that the effort for perfection can be a waste of time ...  so that I don't keep on keeping on when I could have stopped whatever it was and it would have been okay -- just fine really and much less stressful.

A favorite refrigerator magnet reminds me of this every day.  "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful." Neither do you...  nor do I.  Nice; isn't it?  

My grandson seeded a "repair patch" the other day that covers a new drainage pipe the runs the length of my front yard.  We were walking the "pipeline" and checking out every little thing when I heard myself telling him that grass is nice to have, but weeds are just as green. Guess I wanted him to know that I wasn't that concerned with or interested in perfection.  I am okay with a good effort. Weeds, after all, have a certain perfection of their own.  Plus the fact...

Imperfections are sometimes the most fascinating characteristics of something or someone... at least I think so. Imperfection and/or uniqueness are things that make life truly interesting sometimes. Effort counts, but sometimes it is important to relax a bit.

You Deserve Better

Ever fascinated with language, I am finding it particularly interesting to see the evolution of descriptive phrases and terms within the "progressive" branch of the Democratic party. 

Within a short period of time we have seen a hidden-away President Biden transformed from "sharp as a tack", through mentally in decline, into beloved harmless old man supposedly running the country from his beach chair. We have seen a most unpopular Vice President evolve/drop into the position of Presidential "candidate by placement" and suddenly she is moved from an inept DEI appointment that few can stand to work with, to savior of the country.  She is no longer "radical", but now "moderate". Good grief she is even mimicking some ideas of Donald J. Trump.  Who would have thought? Does this smack of desperation?  Is it just more lies?  Is it an attempt to rewrite history?  Do the "Woke" need to wake up? Are they and others allowing themselves to be lied to and manipulated?

Further -- the mainstream media has helped the progressive Democrats in this transformation for sure.  I have seen/heard the exact same descriptive phrases or words repeated on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and MSNBC.  It's like all received the same memo with instructions such as ... these are the words you need to say....  Who is the puppeteer? (I have been asking this question in this blog, off and on, for almost four years now.) Repetition of favorite words does not make them true. Progressive Democrats hope you will forget what they were or what they said before and latch onto their catch phrases of the moment. It is their modus operandi.

            Recent favorites: Sharp as a tack. Weird. Joy. 

Pitiful and shameful really.  It's what people do when they are weak, and lacking in the ability to formulate strong, independent thoughts.  But then again -- we have become used to slow-to-react, short-sighted, stupid, inept and weak responses from this progressive Democrat leadership. (The rapid and chaotic departure of Afghanistan was just the beginning.) I keep waiting to hear/see something of  wisdom and substance. Saying someone has accomplished things without details of what those accomplishments are doesn't work for me.  Please... give me a list of things accomplished that have helped all Americans during the current administration.  They have had almost 4 years to prove themselves.  We have all been waiting now throughout those 4 years. I don't know about you, but I am sick of it. I am sick of all the lies. We cannot survive another four years of the downhill same. There is only muck at the bottom of that hill. Plus ... I don't vote for someone because of their gender or skin color.  I vote for someone who can get the job done and has a proven track record of doing so. For me  -- that is not Harris as Border Czar in name only. It is the track record of Donald J. Trump. I could easily give you a list of accomplishments during his term of Presidency starting with, energy independence, stronger borders,  peace in the Mid-East and Europe, and strong status and respect for our country throughout the world. Plus... I felt safer.  Did you?

Please do not let "progressive" Democrats and the mainstream media erase the past four years of history. They are trying to cover blatant errors of the Biden Administration. The United States under Biden and Harris was not at its best. Google has already started to control and manipulate their search results in an effort to support progressive Democrats in denying these weaknesses and errors.  Scary times and Kamala is laughing at you all the way along her path of "transformation".  (That laugh, by the way,  is another whole concern. Laughter is not always the best medicine nor what one wants to see in a leader who will be negotiating with other world leaders. Picture her talking with Putin or Xi Jinping...and bursting out into a cackle? We need to take a look at that laugh. What are the "root causes" of that? Whatever they are ...  it's disturbing.)  

Kamala has not spoken to the press or answered questions of significance in almost 6 weeks now.  It is not enough to say what she will do for America as she reads a prepared speech from a teleprompter. I need to know the who, what, when, where, why and how of all her future plans for America.  Does she know the answers to these basic questions? Can she talk without notes?  How well does she think on her feet? People voted for an incompetent, silent basement dweller once before and look what happened. Do not be duped again. You deserve better. 

Reach out...

Am trying to avoid the DNC this week -- just as I tried to avoid the RNC in July. I understand Ronald Reagan's concerns when he said,  "The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." I am a small government kind of person. I am not a fan of politics.  I like independence and a bit of isolation from the outside world. The rolling hills and woods of Northwest Pennsylvania are, therefore, a great place for me to live.  I live here on purpose -- sort of out of reach and even ignored. Must mention though that I am not totally out of touch. I do keep track of things including some of the insanity.  I do, however, consider being remote (living in the sticks) a good thing. People tend to underestimate you and therefore put themselves at a distinct disadvantage when thinking they are special and above you. People who live in the sticks also tend to have their feet planted firmly on the ground.  If you live around here you know what that means.  It's a good thing.

We may be behind in style here.  Don't care.  We may not be considered with it or cool.  Don't care about that either.  I just want to live my life in peace and be able to reach out to those with whom I am able to interact directly.  It's simple really.  Remember that old AT&T jingle from the late '80"s-- "Reach out and touch someone"? I am comfortable with that.  It isn't always possible to sit down at the kitchen table with people or even to get them on the phone, but ... with texting and some forms of social media nowadays, it's even easier to stay in touch than in the "olden days". (Even writing a blog works and... I have been known to use snail mail as well.)

Back in the day when I was young, feeling helpless, and seriously concerned about saving the world, my Mom said to me -- "... just reach out to the ones you are able to touch.  That may make all the difference... even something as simple as a smile counts."   I think she was right.  Then again....

Note.  I am reaching out here... this time without a smile. Having said all the above, I find that I just can't leave my mentioning of the DNC without asking this question.  Does anyone else find it disturbingly odd that a Planned Parenthood mobile van, all the way from St. Louis, is parked outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in order to give free medical abortions, emergency contraception, and vasectomies?  Reports indicate that all appointment times have been reserved and that medical abortions and vasectomies are occurring at a steady assembly line pace. I couldn't find any information on the quantity of emergency contraception that has been given away for free.  Wonder if St. Louis Planned Parenthood are paying for their parking? 

Seriously... here I had been thinking the attending Democratic Delegates went to Chicago to gather with like minds, clap together, and perhaps to brag when they got home that they survived long speeches, late nights and a trip to crime ridden Chicago.  Guess I was wrong at least in part. I think I would be especially disturbed by this if I were a member of the Democratic party who did not believe in abortion. Did the DNC or pro choice Democrats invite them to Chicago, or did St. Louis' Planned Parenthood just assume they would be welcome and roll in uninvited to snuggle up a bit? There are conflicting answers to that question. Apparently neither Planned Parenthood nor the DNC have answered directly ... as of yet. Either way The Pope and pro life Dems cannot be pleased. 

 

Autumn is a comin'....

It must be almost Fall (my favorite season).  I see a touch of red in a far off tree and the bottom of my driveway is covered with gnarly apples as it is every other year or so. It's time to clean them off before I break my neck stepping on one of them when I get out of my Jeep to get the mail. (I almost did this the other day. Managed to grab a door handle on the way down.  So graceful... not.)  Actually there are way more apples this year than normal.  I wonder if that means we are in for a real winter. (That reminds me -- I need to purchase a 2025 Farmer's Almanac.) We haven't had an old fashioned winter in several years now.  Anyway -- think I will pick up driveway apples until they stop dropping and move them to the back pasture to feed the deer, bears and maybe the wild turkeys (not sure if the turkeys eat gnarly apples -- not sure if bears do either but the deer that hang out in and around my pasture definitely love them.  If I dump them in the right place, I will be able to watch a few of them dine every evening until the apples are gone or under deep snow. It's a peaceful sight.) 

Thinking of wild animals who seek haven in my back pasture -- it is also blackberry time ... and ... I seem to be in competition with what I call the neighborhood bear(s) because he/she/they have been around quite a lot this summer. One of my pasture neighbors has wonderful photos of at least one of them. It looks quite tall in the photos as he/she/it reaches up toward their bird feeder.  Let's say there is only one just to make the pronoun thing easier.  Anyway ... this particular bear does not share well. I have been trying to get enough berries for even one pie.  It's taking way too long. This bear hogs all the best berries.  I just hope I don't run into him/her while on a mission to get a few more.  For now, I just try to make a lot of noise and to have my trusty garden/yard/pasture vehicle nearby for a quick escape. Ah life in rural NW Pennsylvania.  I so love it. I really do.

It's simple really...

I didn't even consider voting for Joe Biden because, among other not so good characteristics, he is a self-confessed plagiarist (thief of words and liar), and because he just sort of makes my skin crawl and overall gives me the creeps. He is not worthy of my trust. 

I will not vote for Kamala Harris because she, too, has proven to be a liar and also because her behavior is disturbing and makes me uneasy.  It's simple really. I don't trust her either, and now that she is trying to remake herself in front of my eyes, I trust her even less.  As far as I am concerned she ranks right up there with main stream media on the "lack of truth" meter. 

        Harris has repeatedly said: "We have a secure border."  I heard her. 

     Harris repeatedly said that President Biden is a strong leader, sharp, healthy, and competent -- capable to serve as Commander in Chief of the United States. I heard her. So did you. She helped hide him from the American people.  Where is Biden now? Have you seen him lately? So it is that Kamala Harris is a liar who puts our nation in jeopardy with her lies. 

Now, all of a sudden, she says that she has changed... that her radical beliefs are now gone with the wind. Why would I believe anything she says?  She has already lied about important things... very important things. I only mentioned a couple of the obviously blatant ones.   There are a lot more, but I am trying not to be too wordy.  Then again -- I can't help but go a bit further. 

     Harris is now telling you (or her aides are "leaking"), primarily in pandering for your vote, that she is no longer a leftist extremist. She will tell you now, all of a sudden, that she will secure the border.  She will tell you now that she has changed her views on a lot of important issues, including energy independence and defunding the police. I must mention here that one of my nephews is a fine Police Officer who risks his life every single day to protect and serve. I will never support anyone who has ever supported and/or called for defunding ("reimagining") the police. Harris is no fan of police or of law and order -- or of a working justice system. Look at her record in California. Look quickly. She is trying to erase those facts as well. You may have noticed. 

There is that old saying that it is the prerogative of a woman to change her mind.  Be careful with that.  Kamala Harris is changing hers -- conveniently with no explanation of why. Perhaps she is only pretending. She is trying, at least for now, to erase her radical past.  She will lie and laugh... over and over again.  Perhaps she is laughing at you.  Don't be fooled .... Check her record of past deeds before it mysteriously disappears. Look at what she has not accomplished that she said she would. Look at how she has been forced upon the Democratic party as candidate for the Presidency. Poof -- and magic  -- she is the Democratic candidate for the President.  How did that happen? No Democrat voted for her.  She is the product of the leftist political machine. ..second generation puppet perhaps? Of most recent concern... take a look at her choice as a running mate. Walz fiddled while Minneapolis burned ... that among other very bad things. It will all come out. Radical both.

I am so tired of the lies. Americans deserve a leader who tells the truth to them, a leader who is present and talks to the American people directly, one who answers questions truthfully. Americans deserve a leader who is visible and accessible, one who does not turn his/her back on them and walk away. Americans deserve a leader who does not laugh at them. Americans deserve to choose their leader, not to have one forced down their throats as a possible contender. Americans deserve leaders who do not try to buy their votes by illegally cancelling student loans and forcing other hard working Americans to pay back money that others borrowed.  It's an upside down world.  It's got to stop.

People may not like "mean tweets", brutal honestly, or someone who refuses to play the games established by old school politicians, but at least you know who you are voting for.  I do not want a world of war and inflation to continue.  I want a world of peace and prosperity back again. I do not want a world of chaos in which politicians try every trick in the book to eliminate their competition. (It even makes one wonder who is behind the ineptitude of the Secret Service. How awful is that?) I do not want to live in a DEI world. I want competency rewarded. I want to live in an America that is energy independent once again and that does not enrich enemies under the table. I want to live in a world that firmly condemns anti-Semitism and racism of any sort.  I want a world of calm.  Plus .. I am not sure that the United States can withstand another four years of a weak and embarrassing president. I will vote for strength... for an established track record. I will vote for the return to a strong United States of America that is respected throughout the world.

One last thing.... Democrats in leadership roles have called me a lot of things. I take it personally.  I have been placed in a basket of deplorables. I have been blamed for the pandemic because I refused to take an experimental drug, and the President of the United States even tried to threaten me into submission with a looming possibility of a concentration camp of sorts for the unvaccinated. This is America today. Democratic party elite lunacy lumped me in with fascists and horrible people.  None of that worked apparently. Most recently they have changed their approach. I like that they, in imitation of Walz and the main stream media, are now just calling me (and others who disagree with them) weird.  I figure I am in good company. A dear friend of mine, who also happens to be weird, suggests that perhaps we weirdos should come up with a theme song.  Being weird sure beats being dishonest and manipulative. I may be weird, but I am not a plagiarist or a liar... or power hungry at the expense of others. Further -- I do not try to erase my past. I say "Dare to be Weird!".

I will vote for Donald J. Trump ... again.  Needless to say, I hope you will consider doing so as well. You do still have that choice. You do have the power of your intelligence, strength, and courage to stand against the manipulation and deceit of those who wish to mislead you. Ask yourself a couple of questions.  Is the world better off now than it was when Donald J. Trump was in office?  Are you better off? Ask yourself those questions after you have listened to the news, or been to get groceries. Ask yourself those questions after you have filled your vehicle with gasoline, or after you have seen people living on the streets. Ask yourself that when you read the statistics of what an open border has done to the American people or when you see a report of the current crime numbers. Ask yourself those questions while thinking of what WWIII may mean to humanity, you, your family. Think of trying to leave a better world for them and for future generations. 

These are a few of my favorite things...

Never a huge fan of The Sound of Music, but... I do love the song about favorite things.  It's the small things that sometimes bring the deepest joy.

Because of my continuing efforts to stay on the bright side as much as possible, I am listing my personal favorite things and thinking that you may share some of them (as that song runs through your head). 

At the top of the list of course are ...

• Time with Family
• Time with Friends

Then in no special order ...

• The aroma of lilacs or honeysuckle
• Sounds of children laughing
• Amusing old words of the English language like balter which, I recently learned, means "to dance gracelessly without particular art or skill, but perhaps with some enjoyment".  It fits me. I balter sometimes.
• Communicating with eye contact with someone across the room who gets it... no words necessary.
• Spontaneous laughing like the kind that hits until the coffee you are drinking comes out of your nose.

And then there is the change of seasons in NW PA

• Spring green
• Blue skies of summer
• Fall foliage and the smell of burning leaves
• First snowfall of substance and the quiet of winter 

The more I think about favorite things, the more I think of important items to add.  Life is good sometimes.  Hang onto that.

Communication in the Twilight Zone

 The English language has fascinated me for a long time.  I wonder if all languages have their own little quirks that drive people nuts when trying to learn that language.

The other day two phrases came into use next to each other in an email exchange I was having.  "Play it by ear" and "Fly by the seat of your pants".  Basically they both mean the same thing.  Both describe ways to approach things that "come up" unexpectedly during one's day.  Not sure which expression I like better and I have no idea how they came to mean what they mean.   I just know that one is related to music and one to flying a plane.  Hmmm... I just hope I never have to explain either to someone who is learning English as a second language.

I think maybe I will just stick with other phrases like "wing it", "go where the wind blows", "hang on to a wing and a prayer", or "speak off the cuff", and be thankful that English is my native language and I am used to its idiosyncrasies -- its "off the wall", sometimes "too much" characteristics.  

Sometimes I wonder how we ever communicate effectively with each other. People need to try hard to maintain a healthy sense of humor through it all. A good sense of humor especially helps when one is entering the Twilight Zone of communicating through the "smoke and mirrors"  and "dog and pony shows" of an election year.

Okay, "I will show myself out" now.

Times may be a changin'...

I had written a light-hearted blog to post for this week, but I am not feeling particularly light-hearted following the events of this past week in my own Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  So -- with thoughts on the future of our country -- a few words on upcoming decisions and the future of the United States of America.

I am going to vote, once again, for a strong man, one who has not let himself be beaten down by those who have tried to undermine his previous presidency with lies and false accusations, and who now continue their desperate efforts to destroy him --  to try to bankrupt him, imprison him and discredit him with further fear mongering lies.  I am going to vote, once again, for the strong man the current "president" recently suggested should become a "target" - a most unfortunate choice of words - all things considered.  We all saw the attempted assassination. Most of the world saw it. The strong man I am voting for come November is former President... Donald J Trump. 

It seems to me that every single thing the former President has been accused of doing was actually done by the accusers who think they are so special that they can get away with anything. The truth is coming to the surface more and more every day for those who are willing to examine what evidence is seeping to the top of the swamp and oozing its dank, smelly way forward. 

I am going to vote for the man who is for all American people and who has proven himself to be so while in office for four years -- a previous track record. He is a man who gets things done in spite of adversity ... perhaps that is why those who oppose him, hate him. He does in a short time, what they have spent years never accomplishing. Were they even trying?  He is a man who cares more about your freedoms and quality of life than about your pronouns of choice or other woke concerns.

I encourage you to vote for the man who has been there for you, the man who has been shot, knocked down and stood up strong ready to fight for you and for the future of your country.  He can do the job. He has done it before in spite of devious opposition.

A year before the 2016 election I wrote a memo to Donald Trump and posted it as a blog in From Pencilbox to Keyboard.  The memo ended with these words: Please don't become one of "them". Please know that there are those out there in the world who have come to dislike politicians, who have learned to identify and to distrust all the false rhetoric and promises, who are disillusioned and apathetic -- rightfully so.  You, seemingly a non-politician, appear to be asking all the right questions and at the same time making media, government, and some big business edgy and afraid.  Some of us like that a lot and think that their discomfort is way overdue and well-deserved.  Please be the answer for us.  Give us hope. With you, even as arrogant as you are/can be, maybe some of us will become more trusting, less disillusioned and less apathetic.  Maybe we will get to be a part of the new American dream.  ...  Go for it,  Donald. Although you sometimes seem to carry things a bit too far, there are those out here who are watching -- maybe even daring to hope again."

During the past few years, I, among many others, have been thrown into a "basket of deplorables", threatened with interment in a camp for the unvaccinated ... treated like I have cooties because I refused to take an experimental drug.  I am one of many.  Time to let all that slide into the past now and to stand together for a better future for all.  Hopefully we have learned important lessons. Hopefully we will have a strong leader to usher us into that future.  I see that in President Donald J. Trump.  There is a man who commands respect.  We need that in this world.  Look what the weak, wishy-washy and hate filled have brought us. Look how they are now beginning to eat their own to maintain their power over you. Beware of their fear mongering... aren't you tired of it?  I think they do that because they have nothing good to say about themselves or what they have accomplished. Isn't it insulting that 
"they" think you will fall for it again?  Show "them" you will not. Let's move forward together and make a better world for our children and grandchildren.

Wisdom Teeth...

My grandson is scheduled to have his wisdom teeth removed and when talking about it, I  wondered about the origin of the term.  I mean why are they called that?  They obviously don't make you smarter if you keep them or dumber if they are removed. Right?

As often happens with me -- I found that a bit of research was necessary to satisfy my curiosity, and what I found out is not at all exciting.  The term wisdom teeth originates in ancient Greece. Doesn't everything?  It simply means that that they are teeth you get when you are older and supposedly wiser. Really?  You get them usually between the ages of 17 and 25.  I guess in ancient Greece that was quite old considering that life expectancy was 25 during the Roman empire which came after the decline of ancient Greece.  

Get this -- by the middle ages life expectancy rose to 33.  By the early 1900's it was up to 55 and today in the United States life expectancy is almost 80. Wow!  Makes me tired to think about it. My, how things have changed.

I figure at almost 75 I must have moved beyond wise into the next level, at least in the perspective of ancient Greece.  Not sure what that is exactly, but I do know that I will need my glasses to read about it. 

Garage Sale

Anyone who has ever had a garage/yard sale knows that it is a lot of hard work.  There is digging out, sorting, cleaning, pricing, etc. and... the aftermath.

So anyway ... my son, daughter-in-law and I are planning on having such a sale next week while they are "home" for a visit. My daughter's family and other close "partners in crime" are also involved.  It will be a happening.  My son is determined to clear his "stuff" out of my basement.  Just recently six large tubs of Homer Simpson (still in the box) collectibles and a tub of hockey and basketball cards went off with an expert who sells such things online on a commission basis.  Yay!  It's a start.  That leaves odds and ends of his growing up, including his '80's baseball card collection, along with some of my "treasures".  I have an old desk, a mended futon, three of my grandma's dining room chairs, an old trunk that lacks a key at the moment and assorted leftover toys from young grandchildren. I know we will find a ton of other things in the actual garage as well, and ... I need to remember to check my small barn. As for my daughter -- she may have a few things but I think most of her treasures are now to be found in her own basement. Plus she is way better about not hanging onto things "just in case".

Now here's the thing.  I have two rules for garage sales.  First -- nothing comes back into the house.  Nothing.  Second -- there is always a large Free pile that grows toward the end of the sale (that helps with rule number one.)  Here's hoping for a nice weather day or two. We are thinking of running the sale rain or shine next Thursday (11th) and Friday (12th).

I have no idea what I am going to do with an empty basement. About the only things that will be left there are two rocking chairs, wedding dresses, canning jars in waiting for harvest season, two empty bin warehouses, some Christmas decorations, and dog crates for visiting pets. I suppose I could dance there and have room for twirling....  Picture that....  More likely though is that the spiders will just take over in between basement cleanings that are few and far between.  The spiders have been trying for years to claim that area.  I care less and less... may even let them win for a while.

Stop by if you are in the area... maybe bring a truck.

Enough is Enough

 

Didn’t watch any news yesterday, but I imagine the dust is still settling after what I call the debate debacle.   No doubt the dems will find some way to spin it so that the declining Joe will come off sympathetic or something.  They will come up with excuses in an effort to deflect and to keep people from wondering who the hell is running the United States.  I find it so scary really. The America people are sitting ducks for those taking aim at the US … this because of power hungry, despicable people in government and media who place personal power above the welfare of all Americans and of our nation.  No doubt some will make a futile attempt to blame it all on Republicans or Trump --- but this is not about Republicans or Trump; is it? It's all about Biden and those who prop him up.  Questions of the day... Who is running the country?  Who has been running the country? All Americans have the right to know what has been going on.

One further note ... and it is an important one.  My heart goes out to all who have been deceived - Democrat, Republican or whatever.  We are talking about good, honest, intelligent people.  If I were them, I would be more than a little bit angry and want to cry out for justice.  We will see what happens on that front. My suggestion -- let your voice be heard now and in the voting booth. 

Hang on.  "But in the end truth will out."  (William Shakespeare)

Too old for a tree house???

These are stressful times in so many ways. Even though it isn't always easy to do, I do try to concentrate on finding happy things -- things to feel good about... things to make my heart smile and that might spread smiles to others as well.  They are out there ... sometimes closer than you might think. They are around in the small moments often easily overlooked.  I think it boils down to mindfulness... and sometimes to remembering.  

Just the other day I was thinking about growing up and about how much of my life I spent in trees when I was a kid running around in worn out  Keds. I think I have always had the tendency to try to avoid crowds, and there is a lovely peaceful quietness about trees.  I had favorite trees here and there... sturdy friends all. There were some scary moments in the climbing up and down, but the time spent reading while having a snack -- leaning up against the main trunk while high up ... too good to ever pass up... so worth the scratches and bruises.  Fellow tree climbers will understand how the world even sounds different while high up in a tree. It's peaceful and comforting somehow. You never forget the sound and feel of the wind moving through the leaves.

A while back there was a fun television show about tree houses -- adults having remarkable tree houses built -- homes really. I think it was called Treehouse Masters. I loved that show. Wish I could find reruns of it right now. What always concerns me most now though, when thinking about a tree house, is the ups and downs.  I don't even use a step ladder in my own kitchen very often. There was even a period of time that I accused my adult children of hiding my bigger ladders, but then I ran across them in one of the back stalls in my barn and had to apologize for the false accusations ... something I still find amusing in a twisted sort of way.  Anyway --  I think it is time to leave the tree climbing and tree houses to those under the age of almost 75.  I confess I have thought more than once though about having a tree house built in my back pasture.  The trees there are perfect for one, but methinks I missed the age related deadline.

The thing is now may not be the right time for tree climbing (or tree houses) for me, but ... there are the memories of once upon a time.  I will settle for that.  I have good memories of then. Actually I never had a tree house per se; the tree itself was more than good enough.  Now... I do think that I am too old for one. Tree houses rank right there with mini skirts and parachuting.  Life is like that sometimes.  I do, however, have a truly magnificent kite. That is a whole other story yet to be told. 

Laptops and Snapping Turtles

 So many important topics to write about these days:

"Elder Abuse Awareness Day: A commitment to protecting our seniors" was just "celebrated" on June 15th.

 Juneteenth and the meaning thereof...

Hunter's laptop and assorted or perhaps other sordid current events...

The national identity crisis of 2024...

The chaos of the world...

I will leave them all for others.  Today I am thinking about snapping turtles laying eggs in my mulch again, whether or not I should sow wildflower seeds in my entire pasture, and if we will ever have more than two days of low humidity in a row.  The thought has also entered my head wondering if there is anywhere else in the world that you need your furnace in the morning and ac in the evening.   That's all.  Ignoring important topics works for me. Sometimes the little things are also important.  

"In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these." (Paul Harvey)