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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– Page One of Comments is HERE!
– Page Two of Comments is HERE!
Our high of 58 was at midnight. The temps have been slowly dropping since. It’s 40 now and is supposed to stay that way until sundown when it will start dropping again. Drizzling at the moment – with conflicting widgets giving different times for it to stop. Gonna be cloudy all day no matter when the rain stops – the widgets agree on that. sigh. I was right about yesterday – we only generated 1.5 KWHs and the m-t-d is 39. Off track and not really likely we can get back on as far as reaching 200 this month is concerned. Meanwhile I’m gonna try to hold off on the fire until this evening. The temps are going to get into real winter (for us – new normal) next week with highs mostly but not always above freezing and lows in the teens. There will definitely be days I want a fire all day and I am still nervous about how long the wood bricks will last. Woodstove season can run into early May depending on the year.
I love Kamala’s latest policy drop. I was a single parent and my kids were “latch key” for sevreal years. I didn’t worry – and wouldn’t today worry which may or may not be a good thing – about them once they got to mid teens but 9 to 12 year olds shouldn’t be responsible for 6 to 9 year olds. I boost Castro too – he’s got some good plans – but I wish his people would quit claiming “only” for things he and Kamala both have plans. He does have some “only” things and I’m happy to boost that. So does Kamala of course. But there’s a whole lot of overlap in what and how they address serious issues of our times. #KHive boosts him. I wish his people were doing a better job of returning the favor.
Mufftootuff/Melissa has just dropped back into the “trouble” category – after a collector claiming to be calling for AT&T got all their money, their phone service was shut off anyway and her car has an “overheating” message combined with no movement at all of the temp gauge which is scaring the heck out of her. Her next pay check is the 15th – but I don’t have any money to be able to help her. Fineena’s left-eye vision is getting better by the day. She’s scheduled for right-eye surgery on 12/2. Amelia is hanging in but that’s about it. And things for Aji are just bad. And she’s in so much pain.
So. I will tour the internets while Murf is on my lap then go get coffee. Maybe get on the treadmill today. I don’t really like it. I can’t change the angle of incline and I get short of breath within a few minutes when I’m on it. But I haven’t gotten out and walked for days and my back is complaining. Healing/Helping Energy to everybody who accepts it, to their shaping. Bright the Day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning Meese, it’s 49 in Folsom, CA with a high of 78. It’s been a week so far of warm daytime temperatures and cool evenings in the 40s-50s, to the point where I’ve put on a jacket when going to work.
Two more weekends to go before my ragtime festival debut and I’m still nervous… I will definitely need to get in some practice time this week(end) to be more prepared!
Hope everyone has a good day and that bfitz can shoo the cats off her (very comfortable and warm and friendly) lap. ????
{{{basket}}} You’ll do fine. I know you will. I wish I could be there for your debut. ???????????? As to the cats – mostly Murf – if I’m patient there will be an interesting noise to investigate and they’ll hop off without shooing. ???????????? moar {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 39 and cloudy in Bellingham. I have finally sewn the front to the back of the duvet cover, and it fit together, yay! The linen has a loose weave so the size was hard to control, as was matching the window pane check pattern when seaming the pieces together. Today I’ll sew the decorative top stitching around the edges and then it’s done. I have enough linen to make two pillow shams so compared to the duvet cover that should be easy sewing.
I’m pleased Seth Fleetwood will be Bellingham’s next mayor. The county executive race is to close to call, but I hope Satpal Sidhu will be the winner. Given the awfulness of tRump America it’s good to know our community leaders share values we think are important.
Time for another cup of coffee and then to start sewing. Best wishes to all.
Good morning, meeses! Friday …
It is 10 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 27. Sunny this morning and then clouding up.
It sounds like Bevin doesn’t have a path forward to challenge the Kentucky governors election – there is no provision for a recount, he would have to contest it by claiming fraud and the Republican legislature would have to buy into it. They despise him almost as much as Democrats do – because he is despicable – so they won’t be doing any special favors for him. The article I read – from a Kentucky newspaper – said that they are urging him to concede once his recanvass is finished. I think that is happening next week.
Just what we needed, another billionaire spoiler – and old white man – entering the Democratic primary!! Someone suggested that the personal wealth of Steyer and Bloomberg will really scramble the field by upping the ante in the March 3rd contests and that there will be no clear-cut winner next summer. If they cause a brokered convention that elevates the voices of the most rabid – cough cough berners, thanks for nothing Tom Perez – we are screwed. Bernie Sanders will not beat Donald Trump, Elizabeth Warren will not beat Donald Trump. And we will not survive a second term with any Republican in the White House. :(
The impeachment hearings are sorting out the winners and losers. One question is if Giuliani will turn on Trump now that he is facing federal charges or if he will be a willing fall guy, safe in the knowledge that he will always have jobs catering to Trump’s fans after he gets out of prison. I vote “willing to be a fall guy.”
I need to get a few things done this morning now that Diana has pointed out that Monday is a holiday. I don’t think my clients have that day off but the bank and post office will be closed so I need to get some accounting projects done today.
See all y’all later!
Friday Meese.
27 (brrr) here in the NY Catskills, going up to 37.
Go Tish!
I remember when a whole crew of Burners and other fauxgressives trashed her endlessly and supported her opponent Zephyr Teachout.
Under-reported
Puerto Rico
Sis, I’ve heard people trashing Cuomo over at Orange, but to me he seems like a pretty decent guy. At least he appears to remember Puerto Rico! What’s the scoop?
And good for him, spending Thanksgiving in PR. Glad the power grid is being rebuilt.
Andrew Cuomo often has to be forced to do the right thing and he enabled and encouraged the people who kept the NY legislature in Republican hands for years – they got bounced in 2018 – but he is perfectly fine as governor of a state that has some conservative areas. He has always been a supporter of Puerto Rico. He would be a terrible presidential candidate and has a birther for a brother but that is hardly his fault.
Yup Jan. I voted for him. He knows NYS is not blue – and deals with that. He grew up with Puerto Ricans and black folks – and I prefer him to the flaky progressives.
Checking in before I’m away from the computer all day for staff development day. Rachel Maddow read from Anonymous’ book last night. For me, the thing about Mr/Ms A is: they’re a Trump supporter, they supported his agenda. So what exactly about what’s going on now do they object to? Trump said he’d wreck the government, let polluters dump all the shit they want, eliminate protections for minorities….. All the stuff he’s doing now. So what is their problem with him? Anyway, my Scottish friends have released a cover of U2’s The Refugee, re-imagining it for what’s going on at the U.S. border. Give it a listen: The Refugee by December.
Their problem with Twitler is not that he’s doing that stuff, it’s that the bad stuff he’s doing is impacting them and not just “Others”. All this “let’s go back to the 1850s” was supposed to make them wealthy slave-holding, Indian-killing, plantation owners. That’s the underlying myth/appeal of the KKK, Nazis, Birchers – making America great “again” is supposed to create the WASP male supremacist fantasy land. They’ve only turned on Twitler because life doesn’t work that way.
Good Freya’s Day morning, Moosekind! Whew, it’s already 9 a.m. and here I sit, still en dishabillé. It’s sunny, but a cold, windy day, not at all nice for walking. I’ll walk inside the buildings when I go to the gym, which I badly need to do. Currently it’s 38 F. in Ashburn, going up to 43 F., with winds of 15 miles per hour.
Today I have to check out where my table is going to be for the bazaar, go to the gym, and accompany Dearly to Costco. This afternoon I have to design and print a flyer for my table tomorrow and make two batches of brownies—one with walnuts and one without. Those will be for the Bake Sale table at the bazaar.
At the Communications Committee meeting yesterday I received a couple of leads on whom to interview for my “Women Who’ve Made a Difference” article. So far that one looks as if it’s going nowhere. Bummer.
Won’t be able to check in tomorrow morning as the bazaar starts at 9 a.m. If I succeed in selling my booklets to help the Benevolent Fund, you’ll all hear about it, fer sure, fer sure!
Question for princesspat and Jan—what do teenage girls want for Christmas? One year it was easy, they all wanted the latest book in the “Twilight” series. I want to put something in the “Toys for Tots” box specifically for teens. I’ll leave the dolls, trucks, and teddy bears for other people to contribute.
Wishing a good, quiet day to all at the Pond. Oh, and BTW, I don’t think Kellyanne is “Anonymous.” She’s neither sufficiently intelligent nor sufficiently articulate to have written either the letter or the book. Whoever it is (not Jared, he’s too evil), he or she is a coward. I will not buy a book that helps a Trumpist. That is all.
Diana, my grand kids wear t shirts and sweatshirts every day. An environmental and/or book themed t shirt should appeal to both boys and girls. Patterned socks are fun for them too.
Thanks, princesspat!
My daughter is not a teenager any longer – she achieved “twentyness” this year! I think once they get to college, they just want cash – it has been years since I bought her any gifts that she has not already picked out. So I am definitely not the one to ask for advice. :)
It’s 24-feels-like-19 at the moment in Fay., AR. At least it’s sunny. The last 2 days together generated only 3 KWHs and the not-on-track m-t-d is 40.8 – sigh. But sunshine is good for the spirit as well as the electricity generation. I most certainly need the latter as so far this month I’m using more than I’m making. This being a cloudy year altogether I’m afraid I’m gonna be paying for electricity come March. But you never know. We shall see what we shall see.
I need the “good for the spirit” today. The “Hillaryazation” of Kamala Harris is going apace – the Evil Ones basically took their Hillary playbook and replaced “war monger” with “cop” – and I saw a bit of that crap regurgitated from someone I’m following and thought would know better. Kept me awake all night. Well, the sinusitis was probably some of that, but the Kamala situation was the biggest part. There are two people in the race who understand how key healthy communities are. That they were both raised by single moms, one’s grandmother immigrated here and the other’s parents did, may have something to do with it. Castro and Harris have spent their adult lives trying to working within the system to make things better. They both are paying attention to the foundation of our party and our nation’s well being. They both are intersectional and include all people in their plans. Kamala’s is more kid-focused, as Hillary’s was, and from my reading of both candidates’ plans Kamala’s in the most integrated – everything fits together, she doesn’t leave out a single piece – towards making things better. Which is why she’s my number one while Castro is my number two – nobody else is even on my list. The consortium who targeted Hillary in the 2015-16 cycle started with Kamala then, too. Working to break up natural alliances. The woman who worked with Native LE on #MMIW, who not only supported and complied with ICWA but had a study done to see who wasn’t complying, should have the backing of the Indigenous community allying with the Black community – but they been sold an “anti-sovereignty” bill of goods. The woman who got rid of the “Gay Panic” defense & ordered same-sex marriage “start immediately” should have the backing of the LBGTQ – but they’ve been sold an “anti-Trans” bill of goods. The woman who prosecuted rapists, sex abusers, child molesters, and trans-national sex rings should have the backing of every single human being who has been abused in their lives – but they’re being sold a “cop who likes to lock people up” bill of goods. It’s effing depressing. But to a certain extent it’s much more depressing that people I know, like, and used to trust don’t check their sources’ sources. I take mine back to plans, recorded actions, full speeches, and transcripts. I would never trust twitter or the MSM for anything except a subject to research. It’s just depressing. I’ve got friends and family who’s health and well-being (& potentially lives) depend on us getting someone with Kamala’s or Castro’s plans into the White House. And some of those people are pushing the “evil Kamala” meme.
Anyway, now Murf’s gotten off my lap, I guess I’ll go get coffee. Healing/Helping Energy to everybody who accepts it, shaped to their need. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
My one and two in the same order – for the same reasons.
Good morning, 43 and partly cloudy in Bellingham. It was in the 30’s earlier and my toes were cold. I finished the duvet cover yesterday, and the planned linen shams will be pillow cases instead so today’s sewing should be easy. I’ll send flowers to our daughter today, and we’ll have a birthday dinner here on Sunday for our son and dil. Hard to believe our twins are going to be 48 yrs old!
Best wishes to all on this sometimes sunny fall day.
Good morning, meeses! Saturday …
It is 28 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 39. Mostly cloudy skies are in the forecast.
My adjustment to daylight saving time is not going well – I can’t sleep past 2:30am and part of that is because I am going to bed too early. But I am tired at 7:30pm because I was up at 2:30am!! I need to get back on my schedule that included an afternoon nap but lately I have been dragged back to my computer in the afternoons because I can’t get connected with the people I need to communicate with in the morning. I need to retrain my clients. :(
I am sick of politics, sick of the way it is a game where the winners feel that it gives them license to crush and destroy their opponents. I see that crap going on in Wisconsin and North Carolina and dozens of other states where Republicans have suspended fairness in order to gain an advantage. And I am barely keeping from despair over what is happening with the courts – it will take decades for the terrible Trump judges to get shat out of the federal court system even assuming that we can take back the presidency in 2021. Even if we were to take back the Senate, we will never block Trump judges because of the Comity Clause – when Democrats are in charge, they respect the minority, when Republicans are in charge they neuter the minority. We are chumps and we look weak because we are weak. We need a president who will take the Republican destroyers head on, not attribute imaginary “epiphanies” to them and assume that they care about the country and the rule of law; they don’t – they care about one thing: pleasing their donors by cutting taxes, shredding the social safety net, and repealing regulations. I want a president who can see clearly who she is up against and who will take the fight right to them.
So there!
I am going to make a quick scan of the news and then call it a blogging day. The House was not in session so Speaker Nancy Pelosi had no Thursday news conference and the only thing coming out of her office was her statement on the orange orshole’s Paris Climate Agreement withdrawal which underscores the Trump Administration’s entire purpose – destroy as much as possible and especially destroy the legacy of President Barack Obama (those who sat home in 2016, peeved about one thing or the other, have a lot to answer for). The Democratic Party Weekly Address is an impotent generic Senate Democrat banging his tiny fists about Mitch McConnell blocking legislation. That’s not “Fighting Back” and I won’t pretend that it is. I might put Kamala Harris’ “Justice is on the ballot” video up if I can find a transcript.
See all y’all later!
Saturday Meese.
Yikes – it’s 19 degrees outside here in Saugerties NY. Going up to 41.
Kamala spent time with the powerful Culinary Union in NV – I doubt there will be much coverage – am re-tweeting as many as I can
Puerto Rico
Rebellion continues in Puerto Rico
Eating breakfast & watching the news. Yesterday’s workshops were interesting. Liked walking around the Capitol grounds looking at trees, and in another one, I got to see the places where they do archival preservation work — which was cool. And they showed us the letter from Sam Houston telling his people to come to Austin & take the archives. Today: I swear I’m going to the gym.
Kamala 2020 posted – from noweasels
Happy Saturday, Meeses. It’s sunny, which is nice, but the wind is more than nippy. It’s 37-feels-like-30 although it might actually get up to 60 today. Maybe. Yesterday we generated 7.3 KWHs and the m-t-d is a not-on-track 40 thus far. Been out shopping – my last trip to the Market probably although it will be open next weekend – the Jonathans are done for the year but I got a 1/4-peck of Granny Smiths which are my 2nd favorite apple. I’ll probably do citrus for a bit, since it’s in season even if not local starting about now – as in we should be seeing FL, CA, & TX oranges & grapefruit in the markets soon if not already and going through January – then start on my frozen local blueberries.
The world situation – micro and macro – is still Deplorable. Some of it we can make better and get on the life-affirming track by winning WH and Congress back. Some we’re just going to have to learn to live with. (Climate change is here. Maybe we can stabilize it at the “new normal” and maybe we can’t – and it’s very possible that whether or not we can, we won’t. So…) If we can stabilize the economy then those of my friends who are in financial (& health) trouble because of lack of sales – and Aji’s not the only one by a long shot – can get their lives back on track. If we can get decent people with decent workable plans into power those of my friends who are over the edge and barely hanging by teeth and toenails and that only with help from their friends can get back onto solid ground. IF.
OK, now to tour the internets and check in with folks. Healing/Helping Energy to everybody who needs and accepts it, shaped to their need. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 50 and raining in Bellingham. Looks like I’ll be outdoors collecting greens for birthday flowers in the rain. Yesterday was sunny but I procrastinated so now I’ll be wet. Oh well, I do live in the PNW and I’m not shrinking!
Time for a shower, some coffee, and an attempt to get this day going. Best wishes to all.