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?
…
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.
…
– Page One of Comments is HERE!
– Page Two of Comments is HERE!
Welp, it’s another “misty, moisty morning when cloudy was the weather” in Fay., AR with temp at 37 heading for 47. It is supposed to clear off today. Depending on when it does, if it does, we might make it to 160 for the month. We’re at 154 with yesterday’s 3 KWHs. As signs and portents go, I’m not crazy about this one. I didn’t make for the month what I use in a month and haven’t since October. So not even counting that AEP/SWEPCO countered twitler’s much vaunted $1.50 tax cut with approval from the state utilities commission to raise their maintenance base rate up $4 (this month’s bill is $11.50 instead of the $7 I’ve been paying since that tax cut went into effect), I’m going to have to pay for actual electricity next month. I’m out of carry-over. Sigh. But that’s next month and I’ll worry about it then.
Still waiting for my TIAA 1099 before I can do my taxes. They say they sent it on the 17th. If it doesn’t come in today’s mail I’m gonna call them back and have them resend it. I could download it online but 1) I don’t have many and don’t want any online connections to any of my financial stuff and 2) I don’t have a printer. Even though I use Turbo Tax for my federal returns my state ones are still paper mail in. (AR brags about online filing but apparently that’s only a few categories of filers and I don’t fall in any of those categories.) sigh.
So totally relieved about Amelia. She’s still in trouble but not going-over-the-edge trouble. For now. As of yesterday she’s still hoarse as a frog but she was able to connect by text with her Social Workers. She needs to talk to her doctor about that hospital – but not until she gets her voice back. So for now she goes back in the general group of folks I’m worried about. Like Bobby who’s been asked to leave the facility he’s been in (along with all others who are “volunteers” rather than Federal CJ placements – the facility gets money for the latter) so he’s teaming up with a couple of friends he’s made while there and the three are looking for a house to share. & Aji who’s got so many medical things between her and Wings, not counting some plumbing repairs (& the house has never been finished – she still doesn’t have cabinets or counters in the kitchen), following the worst holiday sales season ever. Even 2008 they got more commissions and sales than 2019. So. Folks to worry about. And it’s always medical or financial or both – usually the medical causing the financial.
Worry about this country too. I think the folks worrying about elections being canceled are wrong. Elections aren’t run by the feds, they’re run by the states and are actually done at the county level. The birchers & MSM may have convinced an unfortunate majority of Americans that only the presidential race – and the president – counts, but every state and community has local people on the ballot and local initiatives to be decided. I worry about the machines being hacked or the vote being so suppressed that only the Rs ever win, but don’t worry about not having elections at all. But hey, I could be wrong. We shall see what we shall see.
Meanwhile, I’m OK. My health is grungy but not serious. My income is enough to live on even if not help others live. My only concern in that respect is if the Rs manage to steal my Social Security. Which of course is possible. That’s been one of their goals since about 1940 when they realized that far from being the failed program they’re still calling it, there was money to steal. And the amount of money to steal has just grown over the years (proving just how successful a program it really is). But I will worry about that if it happens. For now I’m OK and have many blessings to count. So off to get coffee. Healing/Helping Energy to everybody. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good Freya’s Day morning, Moosekind! It’s yet another cloudy day, 37 F. in Ashburn at the moment, rising to 45 F. later.
Today at sunset Imbolc begins. In past years my Circle Sisters and I celebrated this sabbat and greatly enjoyed it. Glad to have those memories, sorry that time, distance, and death have separated us.
It’s also Chinese New Year. Feel bad that there’s little to celebrate in that regard! Dearly and I are hoping that Younger Son and family can join us for dinner tonight as there’s going to be a Chinese New Year’s buffet.
Last night I dreamed there was a puff adder in the house. It was just lying there. I called someone to remove it, but before the person arrived the puff adder slithered out of doors into the grass. Just Googled the meaning of the dream:
I can’t think of anyone who fits that definition.
Still have lingering effects from the cold but I’m trying not to take any more cold meds. This is the second day without them.
The new printer arrived and is so HUGE that it won’t fit on my desk! Why didn’t I check the dimensions? I was going by price and the price seemed very reasonable. Now we’ve got to go shopping for a table to put it on. Soon my tiny office will be too full to get around in. (First World problem, I know.)
The outside world is too awful to contemplate just now. What worries me is the “Thing is a king” attitude. If this is true, will he cancel the November election? No Burismaghazi crap is going to keep me from voting for Uncle Joe a month from now: however, I do mourn the fact that although we started out with several good black candidates and women candidates, it appears likely we’ll end up with yet another doddery old white guy. However, Joe is at least a Democrat.
So (shrug), we have to go with the likely nominee we have, not the nominee we want to have.
Wishing a good day—at least on a personal level—to all at the Pond. I know it won’t be a good day on the national level. Blessed be.
{{{Diana}}} dreams are messages from your subconscious – mostly a “check in” on how things are going. So everything in a dream is you. The puff adder, the house, the phone you used to call the person to remove it, the grass it ultimately slithered off into – all you. Off hand I’d say there is a part of you – and only you know what puff adders represent/mean to you – that was potentially dangerous because it was in the wrong place (your house, which is also your body – as you perceive it) but has now moved to its appropriate place for your good mental, emotional, and physical health. If that sounds right, well and good. But everything in your dream is you, so if what I guessed doesn’t sound right, it’s not. moar {{{HUGS}}}
Bfitz, thank you for this highly interesting interpretation of that dream! Puff adders represent danger to me because their poison is extremely toxic.
However, both puff adders and gaboon vipers (even more toxic than puffies) are extremely placid snakes, as snakes go. They don’t even mind being picked up and handled by children.
They’re only found in Africa, unless they’ve escaped from some idiot’s private collection or a zoo, so the danger is pretty remote.
It could be as simple as the cold virus that’s been plaguing you moving out. Especially if it’s actually a light case of the flu (quite deadly as history shows if not treated properly and timely) rather than a cold.
(Perking up) Well, I’m down to one box of Kleenex a day now, although I did have to spend last night in the green recliner. Kept coughing, so did not want to wake up Dearly Beloved.
I came home from work, I think I have a cold. Watching Dr. Who & waiting for lunch I ordered to get here. $25 for an omelette is outrageous, but if you need someone to bring you food….. And, taking a nap till the groceries I order come between 4-5. I won’t sleep the whole day, but for a while at least.
{{{anotherdemocrat}}} Healing Energy and rest well. (& yes, $25 for an omelette is outrageous.) moar {{{HUGS}}}
I just didn’t have the strength/intellectual capacity to take a frozen dinner out & heat it up. And now the $10 fee plus 3% extra on each item to have groceries delivered. But I need cold medicine & oranges, and I’m not gonna drive.
Modern AmeriKKKa – battens on the vulnerable. sigh. 60 years back you’d have had a neighbor who’d have brought you dinner and “run by” the store for you. Those kinds of neighborhood communities were going away by the late 1960s. But I still have the little-kid memories of what they were like. moar Healing Energy. moar {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, meeses! Saturday …
It is 34 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 36. Mostly cloudy skies are in the forecast. The isolated flurries from yesterday never materialized – or perhaps I was not in their immediate area! It certainly felt cold and snowable. Tomorrow it is going to be in the 40s.
I made the mistake of listening to the impeachment “trial” on my way home from an appointment yesterday. I heard Adam Schiff and thought “okay, one of the good guys, how could this hurt?” I think it felt worse hearing him describing how our system of government is changed forever when there is no accountability, no rebuke for a president’s corrupt actions than it was hearing the baldfaced lies of tRump’s defenders. I hope to hell that our side realizes that the Republican vision for the presidency means that there are no limits to the power we can wield when we regain the presidency. You know damn well minority Republicans will try to rein in a Democratic president. If we do anything other than laugh in their faces, we will be guilty of political malpractice.
I have a days worth of work today so there may not be a Fighting Back post today. Tomorrow I will recycle my Imbolc post because I celebrate it on the 2nd (there is some flexibility in most of the holidays, which suits me quite well). Halfway from Winter Solstice to Spring Equinox!
See all y’all later!
Good Saturday morning Meese. 35 going up to 39 here in the NY Catskills.
The Senate
Woke up early to the hot mess of Rashida Tlaib trending.
Sis, I am MAJORLY pissed off that Tlaib did that! And look at the others on the stage with her! Pramila Jayapal, of all people! I used to respect her.
It was Ronnie Ray-Gun who said, “Never speak ill of a fellow Republican.” Democrats would do well to never speak ill of fellow Democrats (Saint Bernard of No Accomplishments excepted, he being an “independent.”)
What is especially distressing is how hard HRC has worked all her professional life to make things better for other women and their children. She doesn’t deserve this sh*t!
I hope the Squad is voted out. Also hope bernie is roundly defeated.
Seeing that video makes me mad, sad, and very worried about the upcoming election. Jayapal knows better. We need a committed coalition of voters to defeat tRump and derisive disrespectful booing doesn’t get us there. grrrrr!
Puerto Rico
Ugh, I feel awful. Why do they make cold medicine that you have to take every 4 hours? “Overnight” my @$$. I think I’m going to have to miss church tomorrow, which kills me because it’s our anniversary as a Reconciling congregation. Today: guess I’ll just doze between doses of cold medicine.
So sorry – miserable colds are miserable. Feel better soon Sis
I hope dozing all day does the job. Healing Energy & {{{HUGS}}}
Sorry you’re feeling so awful, another!
Good morning, 51, raining, windy, roads are flooded in the county, but a quick check tells me our basement is dry and the branches are still in place on our old maple trees. tRump angst is merging with Bernie angst so my night was fretful.
Some good news……my legs/knees are much better today, yay! It was a pleasant surprise to just walk down the stairs for coffee this morning. It’s good to finally have some progress.
Best wishes to all as we start a new month.
{{{princesspat}}} healing is good. Being able to walk downstairs without pain is very good. more Healing, moar {{{HUGS}}}
Happy week of Imbolc – the actual mid-point between solstice and equinox falls in here somewhere. ???????????? Here in Fay., AR were at 35 heading for 55 and sunny. I didn’t have to turn lights on to feed cats or fix breakfast! We wrapped up January with 159.6 KWHs as it didn’t clear off early enough to get to 160. sigh. Not sure what February will bring. The best we’ve done is over 300 KWHs, the worst under 200. We’re getting off to a good start today but the 10-day forecast is about evenly split between sun and clouds so we shall see what we shall see. I’ll hope for 321 (to set a new record), be happy with 275 (2nd place), and take what we get – with gratitude.
I don’t know why anybody was surprised by the “acquittal” and the “nanny-nanny boo-boo” from the Rs. I knew that was gonna happen from the getgo. It’s why I was initially against impeachment. But having the impeachment does a few things – shows Dems are not complicit nor compliant about the tyrannization of America and puts the evidence of the crimes into the official record where they can be revisited at a later date should we ever manage to get back into power. I do expect the birchers/fascisti to take twitler down soon and hand things over to Pence. That will calm wypipo down enough that cabal started in 1958 will complete their goals and the “Confederate” takeover have been accomplished. I also expect this will trash the economy to the extent that either the Dems will be brought back in (like Charles II after Cromwell) or we really will deteriorate into a failed state. Hoping for the former of course.
Everybody in my immediate circle of concern is OK – most have miserable colds, but nothing immediately life threatening. I’m gonna count that as a blessing. And keep praying/invoking/Channeling Healing/Helping Energy to everybody. Now for coffee. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Saturday morning and a blessed Imbolc to all! It’s cloudy AGAIN in NoVa (bfitz, have you been sending us your weather?), and at the moment it’s 36 F. The high will be 43 F., and evening showers are predicted.
Guess what, the WaPo pointed out that tomorrow’s date is a palindrome: 02/02/2020. Moreover, it’s a palindrome whatever country you’re in. European countries write 19 March 2020 rather than March 19, 2020, which makes far more sense to me. The month is relatively constant while the date varies. However, I’m outnumbered.
I’m down to one box of Kleenex a day now with the cold. I’m so sick of being known as Our Lady of the Tissues that I took two daytime cold pills this morning. Perhaps that will lessen the symptoms.
I’m feeling EXTRA stupid, not to mention Old and Clueless, this morning. You know how I ordered that El Biggo printer (not quite realizing how huge it was) because my dearly loved little desktop printer wasn’t working? I even ordered a printer cart for the new printer yesterday afternoon. Well, after Younger Son, DIL, and Mr. K. came over for a Chinese New Year dinner with us in one of the restaurants here, we all came back to the flat afterwards. Younger Son, in less than 10 minutes, fixed the paper jam and got the printer working! (Dearly and I couldn’t even see the paper jam with the aid of a flashlight.)
Naturally, I’m overjoyed but feeling idiotic. (This is what comes of being impulsive as a squid.) I just couldn’t stand being printerless. I’ve canceled the printer cart and am about to call Canada, of all places, to ask how to return the printer. Luckily, we never even took off the orange tape it arrived with, nor did we open the bag containing the cable and manual. I’m hoping they’ll tell me how to return it and that we’ll get our money back.
Have the usual chores ahead but Goddess knows whether I’ll get any of them done. Someone reminded me that if we’re feeling pessimistic about the election, consider this: think of 2018, when we flipped the House. Think of Virginia, where last November we flipped both the house and senate! People are riled up and ready to vote!
And with that, I will close. Wishing a nice Saturday to all at the Pond.