Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings posts give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.
Welcomings will be posted at the start of each week (dated Sunday morning). To find the posts, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).
The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.
So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?
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NOTE: The comments page will now split off after 20 or so left margin comments with the most recent comments on the current page. To see the older comments, scroll to the bottom of the page and use the link.
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– Page One of Comments is HERE!
– Page Two of Comments is HERE!
Good morning, 64 and hazey in Bellingham. Smoke from the wildfires burning in California and Oregon is apparent in the skies today. Fortunately there is a light breeze to keep the air moving.
I was reluctant to start another round of physical therapy, but I’m so glad I did. Learning to use a trekking pole instead of a cane is making walking more comfortable. And to my relief, I learned I’m not the only one experiencing fatigue from being in the new pool. It’s smaller than the old one, so the people interactions are more intense and the room is too noisy. Now that I know it’s not just me I can make some adjustments.
We’ll be with our grand girls later today. I had planned a picnic at the beach, but given the smokey air I’m thinking we’ll have lunch at the bookstore instead. Take care everyone.
Ohhh, lunch at a bookstore sounds perfect! I wish we had something like that around here, but I can’t think of a single place within 35 miles. Sometimes living in the boonies has its drawbacks.
There’s a bookstore with lunch on Swan Street in the Richmond area of Melbourne, Victoria. It’s the most delightful lunch place I’ve ever visited. They even have “Baby ‘cchino” (steamed milk in a tiny cup) for little people!
Wednesday Meese
Heade
d to the airport – looks like thunderstorms in NOLA all week
I saw that weather forecast! It looks very wet. :) I hope there are plenty of indoor activities.
Have a great #NN18! I am glad I got to go to #NN12 – it is a cherished memory.
Happy birthday, Dee, lovely Lammas-born lady! Save travels to NOLA!
That is, safe travels to NOLA! (Need coffee)
Happy birthday, Dee!
(Thanks, Diana, for the reminder!)
{{{Denise}}} – Happy Birthday, Happy Lammas (whatever your Tradition calls it), safe travels, and see you Friday evening/night, Goddess willing. moar {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, meeses! Wednesday …
It is 63 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 81. Mostly sunny skies with a change of storms in the evening. High heat index.
Happy Lammas! This is the holiday that always seems to sneak up on me because it is just as the pope’s calendar is turning. :::flips calendar::: Oh my, there’s Lammas! Anyway, there is plenty to be thankful for and lots to be hopeful about. Embrace the day and give thanks for the blessings!
See all y’all later!
Clara Jeffery (Mother Jones editor) does not mince words:
This:
Never EVER let these people off the hook for their enabling of these horrific policies.
That poor little girl! Just read about a six-year-old girl who was sexually abused multiple times by ICE personnel. Wish I could sic alligators on those bastards.
I set up my AIDS Walk page last night & immediately got 2 donations! So excited! Thank you so much, bfitz! They have the lip synch feature again this year & I have a good idea for one. I’ve asked the Walk folks if they have a good long crowd shot — like walking up Congress Avenue, stretching several blocks. Then I need to figure out how to open my lip synch thing with that picture. Anyway, amidst all the awful news, and news of awfulness, I think that’s a bright spot. And today’s song is the one I’m going to use (it’s the 2nd verse):
And on the streets
You can see for what seems miles
Because in your heart
You know they feel like you do
Sound and pulse and volume
Hands just reaching out for hands
{{{ad}}} – thank you for doing the work/walk every year. You are always welcome for what little I can do. Glad I managed to “boost the signal” at just the right time. You’ve chosen and wonderful song for this. moar {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, Meese, and a blessed Lammas to you all. My loaf of frozen bread dough is thawing in a bread pan on the stove. Some time today I’ll bake it.
Currently it’s partly cloudy in Ashburn with the threat of thunderstorms. We had rain last night, actually. The temperature right now is 69 F., going up to 86 F.
Happy to report Miss Pink Cheeks is on the mend from the sudden illness that struck yesterday. It’s the same one that afflicted her younger brother last week. A high fever, sleepiness, loss of appetite, flushed face. We gave her Children’s Advil, tucked her up on the sofa with blankets and a big bowl for the nausea (she didn’t use it after all), and this morning her temperature is down to normal. She might even eat breakfast.
Seems as if The Hatchet Man really has something on Thing. It would be nice to think we won’t have to put up with Thing and his minions six months from now.
Time to get breakfast ready. Hope it’s a good day for all at the Pond!
I saw a news piece that suggested that they have a memo that contradicts the denials of obstruction of justice. In my mind, that is the more important charge – Republicans don’t think that foreign countries electing our presidents is a big deal as long as the electee is a Republican. Obstruction of justice has been used to unseat presidents in the past and there is more legal basis for it. We shall see!
Happy Lammas to everybody! It’s a crazy for August 60 right now – slept under a quilt the last 2 nights, I’ve got a sweater on & the Raynaud’s is flaring. sigh. At least we’re not chilly enough to need fires yet. Wrapped up July with 491.4 KWHs so squeaked ahead of 2016’s 489.9 – at the moment we’re generating in watts rather than kilowatts, still establishing the August grid. My highest for August so far is 2015’s 533 KWHs so that’s my meet-or-beat target. We shall see what we shall see.
Too wrapped up in the coming trip to be paying attention to much else. Just as well. The news is, if not uniformly bad, exceedingly depressing. I have momentary flashes of rage when something hits the twitterverse, but since it’s always something I expected to happen the flash is only momentary. Doing what I can. Postcards, a little cash here and there (more to people and causes to help people than political right now – as badly as our candidates need it, food/lodging/healthcare comes first), and boosting signals on twitter.
Need coffee. Gonna celebrate Lammas by getting a haircut. ????Later going out for ice cream with a friend I met through twitter. Healing Energy to everybody. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
LMM saying things to help you through the day, again:
Good morning, 62 and cloudy in Bellingham. It feels good to be breathing cool moist air again. I love the sunshine, but after so many years of living in the PNW a grey cocoon of fog and clouds is “normal.”
After our bookstore lunch yesterday we decided to do our annual school clothes shopping with the girls. They managed the complexities of choosing sizes, the right cut and styles for their bodies, and the budget very nicely. But it’s a challenge to sort through so many sleazy items that are just inappropriate for anyone, let alone school kids. The words “think of your personal privacy” were spoken! It was easier when they were little, but we have years of treasured memories to keep building on.
I’m tired today so I’m hoping for a nap. Take care everyone.
Dee, isn’t this your candidate?
Good morning, meeses! Thursday …
It is 64 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 72. Partly cloudy skies are in the forecast. A storm rumbled through just before midnight that cooled things down and unsettled the dog!
I am not sure what is worse – watching the dotard destroy the rule of law and every established standard for presidential decorum or seeing the Republicans brush it off as a toddler smearing feces on the wall “well, that’s just Trump being Trump!” Of course his tweets are not “orders” – except when they are!!! Sheesh.
President Obama came out with his list of candidate endorsements and it was fun retweeting people acknowledging them. Our focus – less than 100 days out – should be on choosing candidates, supporting candidates, and then voting in good government in local, state and federal elections. Another poll in Wisconsin shows that Scott Walker is beatable and that helps with enthusiasm, if nothing else. There will be a TON of money dumped into every race in the state and I am going to need a remote control with a bigger mute button!
I hope everyone made it safely to their destinations. Someone was sharing the keynote lineup for NN18 and it looks like there will be some excellent speakers. I might try to find the Cory Booker one online after it posts.
See all y’all later!
Good Thursday Meese.
Waving from muggy NOLA – thunderstorms all week
Headed out to find
some coffee
Had a really bad night’s “sleep”. Woke up several times, gave up at 4:35. Of course, now I’m terribly sleepy (where was this feeling at 4??) & my tea won’t be strong enough. I watched the news last night & I’m sure they talked about important stuff, but I have no idea what anyone said. Have some happy, poppy Snow Patrol. I like this version, with the really tall (6 ft 5) singer bopping around, a happily awkward dancer.
{{{ad}}} Healing Energy. moar {{{HUGS}}}
Hi, another, sympathies with the loss of sleep! Wonder if the remedy I use would help you. It’s a cream containing lavender, chamomile, and melatonin. I rub it into my face at bedtime and it usually works like a charm! The amount needed is so small (half a teaspoon) that this jar will last for a very long time.
Good morning, Meese, and welcome to gray, gloomy Thor’s Day. We had a thunderstorm at 10 last night, quite noisy, with heavy rain. This pattern will prevail for some days. One does get tired of it. The current temp. is 69 F., on its way up to 83 F.
Miss Pink Cheeks’ illness preoccupied me yesterday: her temperature was up and down, she was still flushed, sleeping a lot and eating little. Grandpa took her home yesterday afternoon, as planned, and DIL reports she is eating and playing this morning. So relieved!
This morning I’ll meet my new doctor, who works here in the community. This afternoon there is yet another party—I think it’s to do with the opening of the pub, which is just down the hall. I need to focus on several things today, tidying the place, taking care of some business, and doing some cleaning. After years of having cleaners twice a month I’ve completely forgotten how to do it myself! Bummer.
Have signed up to go canvassing Sunday morning. We’ll see how that goes.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!
Glad to hear that Miss Pink Cheeks is feeling better!
Are you anywhere near where the epic flooding is? There was an alarming tweet on Twitter last night about a dam getting ready to overflow.
Hi, Jan! No, actually, the flooding seems to be happening in Arlington and Reston, where we used to live. It’s been terrible.
Was low 60s at daybreak, still 68 and heading for 86 – global weirding – and sunny. Yesterday was sunny, too. Some 20.9 KWHs worth which since yesterday was the first is also the m-t-d. A good start on a month that has 500+ as possible. ???????????? that it become actual. We shall see what we shall see.
Travel nerves. They’ll be here to take me to Enterprise to pick up the car at 4 this afternoon. I’m planning on stopping by the Co-op on the way home to get some almonds for the trip. None of my coolers are tall enough to take the water bottles I have and I’m not gonna buy cutesy plastic 8-oz bottled water for the trip, so I’m rethinking the food I’m packing and making sure it doesn’t have to be refrigerated. My grandson will be over sometime after lunch for a last run through. The last time was only 3 days but this one is almost 2 weeks and there’s stuff he’s gonna have to replenish while I’m gone. I’m not as young as I used to be and I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to get out the door as early as I used to do for long trips. We shall see what we shall see on that too. I am so not looking forward to the drive but I am so looking forward to seeing Denise tomorrow!
Depending on when I manage to get up and ready to roll, I may or may not check in tomorrow morning before packing the laptop. (Definitely not if I pack it tonight. LOL) Need some coffee – trying to stave off a headache. Healing Energy to everybody. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Safe travels, bfitzinAR. <3 <3 <3
{{{njm}}}
Good morning, 60 and cloudy in Bellingham. Another slow and sleepy morning for me. Time for some coffee and to hope a thought or two enters my foggy brain!
Wishes for safe travels and a peaceful day to all.
Good morning, meeses! Friday …
It is 63 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 82. Mostly sunny skies are in the forecast.
Media Twitter is filled with stories about themselves (“oh woe is us who started a dumpsterfire in the Oval Office – now the flames are lapping back on us!”) when the stories of baby caging and sexual assaults in detentions centers go unremarked. By the way, who could have predicted that separating children from their caregivers and putting them into detentions centers where the clear message is “These Kids Aren’t Important” would result in their abuse??!! Curse everyone who enabled this and curse those who continue to talk about Sad CNN when our country is in a shambles with no one in power interested in stopping the bleeding.
Busy day here – I have to get projects organized for the weekend and a travel day put me behind. The good news is that tomorrow is the weekend and quiet time!
See all y’all later!
Hi Folks – I’m almost out the door – sun’s not quite up but close enough. I think. Anyway, as soon as the coffee finishes I’ll be gone. Hopefully I’ll be seeing Denise in about 10 hours. Healing Energy to everybody. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Safe travels!
Safe travel vibes coming to you, dear!
I was so sleepy yesterday I left work early & went home & took a nap. I have got to reset my digestive system, this waking up at 4 has got to go. Or, I’ll use it too my advantage & start walking before work again. Meanwhile: oatmeal, and tea that will never be strong enough — even just eating instant tea straight out of the jar wouldn’t be strong enough.
Here, have acoustic U2 at a beach house in Cape Cod, doing Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way. Love the line: “write a world where we can belong too each other & sing it like no other”
Good gray Freya’s Day, Meese! Will this dratted weather pattern ever end? Goddess knows I love rain, but too much is a pain. When I took Monty Beagle out at 6:45 this morning there were occasional droplets of rain and we couldn’t see the planes flying overhead—we could only hear them. Right now in Ashburn it’s 71 F., going up to 79 F. today.
Yesterday I was as cross as two sticks. It was one of those days that made me wish we’d never moved. When I was trying to take a nap in the recliner after lunch, the unearthly thuds, bumps, and knocking noises overhead made me wonder whether an entire troupe of circus elephants were rehearsing their latest act upstairs. Eyes bulging, hair sizzling with displeasure, I went up the stairs to knock on the door of the apartment immediately above our own. The Ashby Ponds handyman was there, banging away on a chest of drawers with a hammer.
“Did I wake you up?” he asked.
“You did,” I said tersely, and then gave my little speech about expecting to see elephants up there. The owner, a woman of a certain age, was sitting at the breakfast bar. She explained that she had run into her “Chiengmai chest” (so called because she’d bought the chest of drawers in Chiengmai) with her mobility scooter and that Milton the Handyman was repairing it. With considerable presence of mind she ignored my white, set face and blazing eyes and cheerfully invited me to come see her again.
I slunk downstairs, resigned to the fact that I wasn’t going to get my nap (which I needed owing to waking up too early and anyway, I’m as old as the hills) and crossly started reading a book that was so riveting that pretty soon I was in WWII Denmark, learning to fly a Tiger Moth. Damned scary, the thing was made of cloth and wire.
As soon as Dearly awoke from his nap and made me a cup of tea I recovered something of my former spirits and we went to the “open house” party at the pub across the hall. It’ll open for sure week after next. The “light refreshments” were so substantial that we didn’t need to go to dinner.
That’s enough from me: we are going to pick up Mr. Preschooler today so he can have a “sleepover at Grandma’s house.” Wish us luck!
May it be a good, quiet day at the Pond with beneficial outcomes for all here.