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 (usually Saturday night with a Sunday date). 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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33 feels like 28 and overcast – again – but actually better than yesterday. For one thing, it’s above freezing and the streets are safe. Yesterday generated .9 KWH – the m-t-d is 2.4 – most certainly not a good start for the month or year. But we’re supposed to get sun on Saturday – it actually is possible to catch up and have a good month. On this and many other things. So I will keep on keepin’ on, hope for the best, do what I can to help things get better. We shall see what we shall see.
I’m at work again today but keeping the tabs up to check in when I get a breather. The Dem House is more than a candle in the darkness but definitely not full sun either. This is wonderful and I have been celebrating over it – but I know exactly what the House can do by itself and how much it can’t. I hope our folks are prepared for reality and we don’t have too many unicorn-fantasizers because we’ll need all hands on deck, staffing the battle stations for every single election at every single level from here on out to get our hands on enough power to really get stuff done.
Meanwhile, coffee. Healing Energy to everybody everywhere shaped to their need. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, Meesefolk; I have no idea what the temperature was when I got up, other than cold, and it’s 30 now and cloudy now. Last night we had a precipitation mix which made the roads treacherous; I was ever so happy to see the salt trucks had been out by the time I was leaving work. I was even happier when I got home and discovered Hubby had switched nights with a co-worker so he didn’t have to go out in the mess last night.
Crazy busy day at work today; according to Team Pelosi, they expect the gavel hand-over to happen at about 12:45 eastern. The way things are going, I doubt I’ll be able to watch, but I’ll catch the moment sooner or later. And now it’s back to work, because that’s the kind of day it is…I’m actually going to earn my pay today.
Good morning, 49 and pouring rain in Bellingham. I’m going to stay cozy and watch Nancy Pelosi assume the gavel, and then I need to brave the rain and go to the lab and do a few more errands.
Now that the holiday is over the deferred maintenance list is creeping back to my attention. We need to replace the kitchen radiator but finding a cast iron one that will fit the space, has affordable shipping costs, and will connect to the existing pipes is proving difficult. The wires are in place for a long needed electrical plug box, but that can’t be finished until the radiator issues are resolved. This old house has taught me a little bit about a lot of things! We have a great electrical/heating contractor and he will have the final say, but need to find the choices.
Good noontime, Moosekind! Still gray at 11:45, with a current temp. of 47 F., and that’s the high for the day.
We’ve returned from errands so we’re getting ready to watch the House at noon. Had another Night from Hell last night—really, this has to stop—so was running on two cylinders rather than six this morning. Also, this is the first day of the Grapefruit Diet, so I had to cook an actual bacon-and-egg breakfast. Ugh.
Well, one can only suppose that the state of one’s health depends on which doctor one sees. Whereas the doctor who saw Dearly Beloved last week and exhibited signs of alarm (“I can’t make up my mind whether to send you to the hospital or not”), the doctor yesterday chortled his approval. “You’re in great shape! Great! Don’t need to see you again for months!” Sehr gut.
I know I shall crash after lunch. Thing makes me ill. I can’t believe he’s cut off funding for HIV, depression, and the other illness Denise mentioned. Of course, I suppose crazy persons never experience depression.
Wishing a good day to all!
It’s cool and sunny 64 degrees out here in Costa Mesa. Still having fun here- we’re short staffed and one of the houries called in sick. Thank God it’s really slow in the library during intersession or we would be having problems. Boxes of books have arrived and in a couple of weeks I’ll be up to neck in cataloging ’em. Love seeing NDP sworn in as Speaker of the House.
Friday Meese
29 degrees going up to 48 here in NYS.
Spent most of the day yesterday watching the new 116th Congress and the vote for Speaker Pelosi – which included many touching and uplifting moments.
Thank you for all those tweets! Perfect summary of the days events. I also spent yesterday afternoon in front of my TV and watched everything – the gaveling out of the Paul Ryan 115th Congress, the voting for Speaker, the speeches, the swearing in, and the first few roll-call votes. I muted McCarthy and Liz “Dick” Cheney and, of course, all the CSPAN callers.
I was struck, as many were, by the contrast when the cameras panned the Republican side of the House – all white men wearing dark suits looking like they were at an undertakers convention – and then the Democratic side – splashes of color, laughing, hugging, women, men holding babies, native clothing. What a day for America!
Yes! The visual contrast between the two sides of the chamber – was stunning.
Good morning, meeses! Friday …
It is 34 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 37. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
I was delayed checking in this morning because I wanted to get Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her swearing in on our front page. Since January 2017, when President Obama’s term expired, I have been highlighting House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi as the head of our party, the one person who continued to promote Democratic Party values and who had an active, engaged newsroom reminding us of who we are. Now, she is second in line to the presidency and has real power not just moral power.
I am not going to read any bummer stories today about what we can’t do – I am well aware of the limitations of having only one House of Congress and not having the presidency. But what we can do is show people what decency looks like, what respect for the Constitution looks like, holy mackeral – what America looks like! I am sure that right-wing heads were exploding with all the wimmins and people of color in the People’s House.
I am going to try to get a head start on end of year accounting projects that were waiting for the calendar flip. There are lots of hard deadlines in January and I don’t want them weighing on me as get ready to focus on organizing client projects.
See all y’all later!
For only a 3 day work week, this has sure felt long. Next week is also short, I took off for my birthday. In fact, I don’t have a 5 day week till the last one in January. Watching Nancy Pelosi get that gavel yesterday was amazing — all the diversity among our people was beautiful, and knowing that there is someone with power, who will look Trump in the eye & say “No.” is heartening. Today’s song: Nina Cried Power from Hozier’s set at ACL Fest.
It’s not the wakin’, it’s the risin’
It is the groundin’ of a foot uncompromisin’
It’s not forgoin’ of the lie
It’s not the openin’ of eyes
It’s not the wakin’, it’s the risin’
Good morning, Moosekind! It’s another gray day with rain expected just in time for evening rush hour. Currently the temperature in Ashburn is 31 F., going up to 45 F.later.
Miss Pink Cheeks is with us, apparently believing that no school vacation is complete without visiting her grandparents in the home for the aged. LOL! It’s nice that she still wants to associate with us. Mr. Paw Patrol, her four-year-old brother, nearly had a meltdown when Younger Son and DIL were ready to leave last night—he wanted to stay too.
Today I’m leaving after breakfast for a long visit to my friend 30 miles away. It’s time to get on to the cooking of breakfast, actually, so I’ll make this short.
Yesterday was GREAT! Now, let’s see what happens. If Thing and Deal are removed from the White House, we will have a President Pelosi. (Well, a woman can dream, can’t she?)
Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, goodbye, Gowdy and Ryan and all the other departing Rethugs!
Another dark, damp, chilly day in Fay., AR – 35 feels like 26 and drizzling. We generated 1.8 KWHs yesterday and the m-t-d is 4.26 – about half of what one good sunny day generates this time of year. sigh. But there is sunshine in the forecast and that’s good.
Although diddly sunshine yesterday there was definitely Light! I don’t have sound at work and was at work anyway so I’ve only seen tweets/clips of what went on yesterday but the Light was absolutely shining. Got tied up with some house stuff last night and didn’t go back to watch the whole thing which I need to do. And Aji finally got a referral so she can try to find out what the heck is actually wrong (14 months out, which says something everybody here already knows about healthcare in America). So some warmth and Light even if not of the physical kind.
Meanwhile since I’m at work I’d best get back to work. And coffee. Healing Energy to everybody everywhere shaped to their need. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning meese, 33 with predicted high of 57. Cloudy, but I still woke up when the sunlight hit my eyes even though I had about 3 hours sleep. Must resist the temptation to go back to sleep…
THE SUN JUST CAME OUT!!! W0000T!!!!! – haz a sunshiny day, y’all ????????????????????
❤️❤️❤️
Good afternoon, Meesefolk; I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to make it here! The boss was in all morning, and while he has no problem with me spending downtime on the internet, he does tend to read over my shoulder. It drives me crazy, even when it’s work-related, so I was just using my phone to catch up on the news of the day. I’m still basking in an afterglow from yesterday; I was able to stream enough of it on my phone to feel the enormity and historicity of the occasion.
Tomorrow’s big plans are to drive 35-40 miles to pick up a piece of furniture I purchased on Ebay for The Kiddo. I’ve never done local pick-up through Ebay before and was a bit nervous about it. I suggested to the seller that we meet at the police station in her town, and she was happy with the idea. It turns out she was nervous too, so this should work out well for the both of us. The piece is a vintage piecrust tiered table, and it looks like it will just need some restoring, rather than full refinishing. Kiddo had mentioned wanting something like this for either their LR or her office, more for displaying some of her tchotchkes than anything else. I stumbled across this, and not only was the price right, but it is by the same maker as her coffee table and will match nicely. My plan is to clean it up and give it to her for her birthday in September, but I may give it to her sooner so I’m not storing yet another piece of furniture for her. I’m supposed to be decluttering, not recluttering!
Good day to and for all!
Good morning, 49 and cloudy in Bellingham. I’m sleepy and slow this morning. Watching Speaker Pelosi and the Dems resume control of The House was a wonderful but intense day, so no surprise, I didn’t sleep well last night. And my deferred list stayed deferred so I need to go to the lab asap!
Best wishes to all.
I see that RonK left us another important photo diary. I missed it because I was focusing on getting the House Speaker swearing in posted.
When I see projects like that, I hope that the government shutdown does not interfere with the work being done.
Saturday Meese
35 degrees here in NYS and raining going up to 45.
Puerto Rico
Good morning, meeses! Saturday …
It is 28 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 41. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
I am still not ready to come down from my Swearing in the New House sugar high so I only lightly skimmed the news. The orange pustule in the White House has decided that a shut down of “months or even years” is fine with him. He is really getting bad advice, thinking that he holds the upper hand. TSA screeners are calling in sick (I am glad they waited until after the holiday travel period) and people are going to have to start quitting their federal government jobs in order to pay their bills and eat. SNAP only has enough money to pay 100% of benefits through January 31st then 67% until February 28th then there is no money. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), the head of the Freedumb Cacas, expressed surprise that food stamps are cut off – “I did not realize that!” – but insists that it will be the Democrats fault if people starve to death. Er, no. Not with your party’s leader going on TV and tweeting every day that he is proud to shut down the government for a border wall that no one except his 30%ers wants. I don’t think there is a fig leaf big enough to cover this gigantic self-own, maybe someone more clever than me can think of a way he can back off now and sign the bill reopening the government. The Republicans in the Senate – and those left in the House – will have to decide if their constituents matter more than the fragile ego of the man whose tiny hands they put their future in.
The tempest in a teapot over bad language and disrespect for Trump is ridiculous. Nancy Pelosi chose the right tone:
Exactly. Each member has to answer to their constituents not Mother Superior Pelosi. Republicans in Congress disrespected Barack Obama from the moment he was elected and John Boehner and Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell were never asked by the media to denounce their members – or their president’s! – comments. Meh.
There will be no Saturday morning Fighting Back. The Democratic Party Weekly Address is the Senate’s turn and there is no indication on their web site that they are doing one. They are really useless in more ways than one. I will add some comments to the Speaker Pelosi post from yesterday and call it a day.
I am working this morning on finishing 2018 year end reporting and building new computer and paper folders with “2019” on them. I also have some long-neglected stacks of paper that I am going to make a concerted effort to sort/shred/store this year. Life feels a little safer – the Fed Chairman soothing stock market jitters helped, also – so it is time to turn to draining my swamp!
See all y’all later!
Good rainy Saturday morning, Meese! It’s dripping steadily here in Ashburn, with a current temperature of 31 F., going up to 50 F. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny.
Yesterday I visited my friend at the Erickson community in Springfield. I was absolutely shocked to see her condition. She’s pretty much okay and able to talk while sitting, but when she gets up, she can hardly walk or move around her kitchen without stopping to fight to take a breath. She’s had a bloody awful two years, and the weakening of her lungs from the ‘flu of a year ago didn’t do her any good.
Miss Pink Cheeks is still with us, so I’m going to take her swimming at the club house this morning. A couple of days ago I walked Monty Beagle up to the swimming pool. It’s glass-enclosed, so the lifeguard, an attractive, balding man in his early 40s, opened the door to pat Monty on the head. (Monty loves people, but not other dogs.) “I never see you in here,” the lifeguard said, gesturing toward the pool. I explained that my hearing aids precluded my using the pool. He said I could do water-walking if I couldn’t do water aerobics. So perhaps I’ll try it.
Not much to say except that I hope sanity will prevail and that even Rethugs will realize their constituents are suffering because the government is shut down. My own family will be powerfully affected if the shutdown continues, as Younger Son and DIL, who works for the government, just bought a new house. I hate Thing. I hate Rethugs with their sociopathic disregard of people’s suffering. I’m starting to feel as if I need to check the prices for pitchforks and torches.
Wishing a nice quiet day to all at the Pond.
Watching the news & eating breakfast. Got another 3 day week next week, so I don’t have to do a lot of cooking. Will get in a walk today — the rain is gone & it’s warming up. Listening to Snow Patrol’s Wild Horses.
It was 28 at dawn – a real dawn! – is 37 now and heading for 60 of a bright sunshiny day in Fay., AR. Yesterday the sun came out just before lunch and stayed out – we generated 7.25 KWHs (almost double the 3 previous days combined) and the m-t-d is currently 11.5 – early days yet. We shall see what we shall see.
I know the House can bring bills to the floor with a discharge petition whether or not the Speaker wants that but I don’t remember if the Senate has any kind of workaround like that. If not, the Rs are gonna have to do something about McConnell to save their own hides. If so many people weren’t being hurt – and always the most vulnerable first – it would be interesting to see how long this could go without really shutting things down – as in folks can’t pay their rent or buy groceries on “gonna be paid when the govt reopens” so they’ll have to find something and whether or not they’re considered “essential” if they aren’t there the job isn’t getting done. Since the Rs either don’t notice that a job is being done or think it’s being done by brownies and fairies, it’s gonna take a really big hit for them to notice anything’s wrong. But people are gonna die, if they haven’t started dying already, because of this shutdown so to protect the innocent we must and will bring the R experiment in anarchy to a close before it gets more deadly. We need a chyron or whatever they call those things showing how many dollars federal workers are not putting into their local economies because they aren’t being paid. See if we can get some of the 1% up in arms here. How many millions aren’t being paid in rent, aren’t going to the grocery stores (Waltons – Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets) buying chicken (Tyson), & other food (Con Agra, ADM), keeping the malls open, and all the rest of living that trickles up into wealthy pockets. Or doesn’t.
I need some coffee and to check in a few places before I start doing my Saturday stuff. I need to shift the wood – all of which is “green” (as in less than 2 months cut) – from carport to porch then from RR ties to carport. I also need to find another supplier as the one who brought my last lot is currently unavailable. sigh. Healing Energy – or whatever kind of Energy needed – to everybody everywhere shaped to the need. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning meese, it’s 36 going up to 50. Another brisk winter’s day, with rain in the forecast for tomorrow. Mountain travel across the Sierra is not advised due to snow.
I’ve been making progress on unpacking boxes, but keep getting stuck on reading (or re-reading) books that I come across! ???? Last night it was Barbara Michaels’ The Dancing Floor, a mystery set in the English countryside with a bit of horror (and romance!) that had mazes, magic, historical witchcraft and Mother Goddess / Diana as its themes.
That’s not getting stuck; that’s reaping the reward of all the hard work you put into packing. (When it comes to procrastination, I can spin anything…!)