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 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 (right before “Leave A Reply”) and use the Pages Tool, shown here with 3 pages of comments available.
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COUNTING DOWN THE TIME UNTIL DECENCY RETURNS …
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Puerto Rico
Good Wednesday morning, Moosekind! This is Mucus Moose coming to you from my home office. Partly cloudy here in Ashburn and 30 F. at the moment, climbing to 49 F. today.
Had four hours’ sleep last night. I was paranoid when I tried to go off to sleep because my left hearing aid was missing. My left ear is the worse of the two. I looked fruitlessly in as many places as I could think of before finally retiring. The problem is, having to put on and take off a mask (or in my case, two masks) several times a day is not good for hearing aids. the mask earloops often get caught up in the part of the device that goes over the outer ear. When I thought of the expense of replacing it I wanted to weep.
However, luck was with me this morning. We started hunting around with flashlights after breakfast and I found it! It was right by the shoe bench. We remove our shoes when coming back into the flat and put on indoor shoes.
Anyway, enough about that. I must get ready to get the first of the two vaccine jabs. They’re coming for us a little after 10:30. After that, it’s home to the ongoing horror show that’s called the waning days of the Outgoing Administration.
Wishing a good day to everyone at the Pond.
Good morning. Back from running into the office. It is cold — not freezing, but cold enough for hat & gloves. Got new applications, and I’ll watch Miss Fisher’s mysteries in between making calls. And of course flipping over to the impeachment debate.
It’s 39 heading for 53 and sunny at the moment although the forecast says partly cloudy. We got 7.88 KWHs yesterday (m-t-d is 64.86) and might do it again today. Making progress is all I can say. But making progress is good even if the goal isn’t reached.
My hand is doing better which is good. My Raynaud’s isn’t. sigh. Need to tidy up a bit because the Chimney people had a cancellation and the guy is coming out this morning. A house with 5 cats in it is never going to be neat, but it can certainly be better than it is at the moment.
I don’t trust any R as far as I could throw a Clydesdale – including & especially the ones who are currently saying they’d vote to convict and remove. And if there’s no “remove” – which takes all Dems and Dem-caucusing Indies and 17 Rs – then we get the worst of twitler, which we will anyway plus giving him 2 “acquittals” to be used in any future Court he happens to end up in, but worse, we’ll get future R presidents doing impeachable things and laughing at the threat of impeachment. Which is precisely what I think McConnell is setting us up for.
Rocky night. Somehow couldn’t get warm after my 2nd time up. Sinusitis is fun. Or something. And my wrists are not happy with me. sigh. This too is life. I’ll get better as I and the day warm up. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 46 and partly cloudy in Bellingham. It’s quiet outdoors now but the wind and rain in the night was intense and the sound of branches blowing against the front porch kept me awake and worried. I was surprised to see no damage done this morning, and thankfully we have power. As you all know I love my tall trees but last night was scary!
Best wishes to all as we see what today brings our way.
Good morning, meeses! Thursday …
It is 28 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 36. There is a chance for mixed precipitation in the afternoon and then snow into the evening and overnight. I am hoping it is delayed in arriving as I have an appointment at 2pm that I need to get to and I don’t want to be on the road if it is icy. Fingers crossed!
So Herr Twitler has been impeached a second time, this one for inciting insurrection. The Senate won’t take it up until the 20th and we won’t have a majority until the 22nd so there is not much we can do. The only way he gets convicted is if the Republican Party decides that they have had enough of Donald J. Trump and they want to bar him from future federal offices. That actually could happen especially if the result will not be removal (he will be gone) but simply laying down a marker that they draw the line at inciting mobs to kill Congress members and sitting Vice Presidents and keeping their 2024 primary tRump-free. I see value in it for both of those reasons. It would be nice to think that there is a line that even a Republican president can’t cross and goddess help us if he runs in 2024.
I watched some of the impeachment debate (with my mute button handy for Gym Jordan!) and the post-impeachment analysis. I worry for the safety of the Republican members who chose to vote to impeach and I worry that the violence will become a permanent part of our politics now as one analyst suggested. It will be good to have a Justice Department that is not filled with deplorables – I was aghast that one of the people on the FBI conference call to state law enforcement was the literal pile of human garbage and white supremacist Ken Cuccinelli. I forgot that they had found a way to appoint him to a position in the CBP and bypass confirmation. Gadzooks! January 20th and the purge of the unfit cannot come soon enough.
See all y’all later!
I hate Kook-A-Nelly with a visceral passion and hope that something will knock him out of the political arena. Perhaps a picture of his mistress and eight children receiving SNAP benefits?
The other day six of the Supremes lifted the ban on in-person meetings for women seeking to receive the abortion pill. Previously women had taken it at home. Now they’re back to in-person consultations, Covid or no Covid. But, when ya cain’t do anythang else, y’all kin always hit on women. There’s a lot of benefit to white males for insisting on forced child-bearing.
I just hope with all my might that we can turn more state legislatures Democratic, and that those bodies will affirm and guarantee abortion rights. Anyone not liking guaranteed abortion rights can pick up their hineys and move to the Rethuglic of Gilead.
Good morning from not-quite freezing Austin. Yesterday was…necessary. I am glad that Donnie feelings are hurt, but afraid of what he & his fans might do in retaliation. Today: just work.
It’s 46 heading for 49 and sunny at the moment although the clouds are already starting to roll in. No rain expected. Just multiple days of clouds. Enough of a shift in barometric pressure my Raynaud’s is combining with the carpal tunnel again. So hard to do anything online that requires mouse clicks. Like posting comments once they’re typed or changing tabs. sigh. Yesterday we got 8.4 KWHs (m-t-d 73) which is the best since sometime last November. So there is that.
From the standpoint of accountability, impeaching twitler does nothing. Except give him the giggles and another CT to stir up his cultists to violence. Even convicting him wouldn’t have done much. Only removing him from office would have made an impact on him, been a warning to future presidents – and the Birchers – to be a bit less criminal, venal, & despotic, and actually been the first step towards accountability. Only the first step. Investigation, which hopefully has been ongoing at least at the state level, indictment, trial, and prison are true accountability for the crimes he and his followers have done. We shall see if that’s done.
The chimney guys came yesterday. Inspected the chimney and stove, cleaned the chimney. The good news is both chimney and stove are operating as they should so no expensive repairs on top of the $200 (which I’d already set aside from my $600) for the inspection and cleaning. The bad news is the small but irritating leakage of smoke into the house in the middle of the night is normal. The stove is in the house and tee’d into the chimney instead of going straight up and out. As the fire dies and the chimney cools down, the last of the smoke in the stove oozes out the intake rather than go up the chimney. The only “remedy” is to keep the stove going which is kind of hard to do when I’m sleeping. sigh. I’ll think of something. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
{{{Sorry about the Raynaud’s flare-up}}}. Hope you can have an easy day.
Good Thursday morning, Moosekind! My day is definitely getting away from me. Goddess help me if I ever have to get a real job again that would actually require me to get up early and go to work.
Gorgeous day here in Ashburn, 36 F. already on its way up to 53 F. Took a Pill last night, so actually received 8 hours’ sleep. Makes me feel on top of the world!
After hours of not feeling anything yesterday, the arm that received the Covid jab started feeling tender and a bit achy last night. After a night’s sleep, although I still don’t feel like raising my arm, it’s a lot better.
Nothing much to say except that we’ll record CNN’s program on Kamala Sunday night, unless we can actually force ourselves to stay up. We often start nodding off after 9 p.m.
Wishing all at the Pond a good day and NO snow or icefall before Jan arrives back home from her meeting!
Good morning, 40 and partly cloudy in Bellingham. We’re drying out from the wind and rainstorm but power is still off for a lot of people. Our trees did lose a few branches but no fortunately no damage was done. The maple trees have deep roots so they move with the wind, but the tall fir trees have shallow roots and when the soil is saturated they blow over.
The last of Christmas is finally put away and thanks to Sue’s help our house is clean. So today will be an easy day and maybe I can clear my head from tRump and covid angst and actually get a new project going. Best wishes to all.
Good morning, meeses! Friday …
It is 32 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 34. The weather widget says “freezing drizzle” right now with mixed precipitation and light snow in the forecast. We got some snow yesterday – it held off until I could return from my errands for which I am grateful.
President-Elect Biden’s plan sounds good (although his speeches are too long and too rambling, imo). I am going to assume it will be implemented exactly as laid out and will not stress over how the Senate Republicans – who hold the power of the filibuster – will receive it. If they stonewall, we should make sure that it has everything we will need for 2021 and then invoke reconciliation which is 50+1 (you can only do it once a year, I believe).
Incoming Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco has been designated as a special advisor for inauguration security and is going to make sure that none of tRump’s deplorables are ratfking it like they did in the lead-up to the Capitol riots. It turns out that the FBI had a ton of intelligence that they passed on but local law enforcement leaders and the DC field office refused to believe that white tRumpers would riot and kill. Blast them for all eternity!
I had a bit of a fractured day yesterday and so I need to get my lists organized again. Today is also the 15th of January and there are some accounting reports that need to get out the door.
See all y’all later!!
The Twitter transition plan was announced with an explanation about the institutional accounts. Joe Biden helpfully includes a tweet with the family accounts (see below). You won’t have to re-follow POTUS and VP after you de-followed them on 1/20/2017 – it will be done for you if you follow these. You should also follow Jen Psaki’s account (@PressSecPsaki) so that you get transitioned to @PressSec which no sane person has been following for the past 4 years.
Today is Dr. King’s Birthday
Friday Meese. 31 degrees here in Kingston NY going up to 38.
Puerto Rico
Woohoo, Friday! How a 3 day work week can feel so long is beyond me. Next week is short, too — MLK Day, then I put in for a vacation day on Wednesday. Today: just working till 3:30.
It’s 35 heading for 39 and windy. We started sunny but the clouds are starting to move in. I hope it’s like yesterday. While mostly cloudy we did get enough chunks of sunshine during peak generation times to get 6.6 KWHs (m-t-d 79.7) which at least covers usage. Change in weather always messes with my joints and hands. Nothing new. Not comfortable but not new. (The cat bite is almost totally healed. I can still see it and it feels like a bruise if I touch it, but otherwise healed.)
I’d say we had a bit of excitement this morning except I haven’t a clue what’s going on. They’re starting to leave now, slowly, but even an hour ago there were 2 big firetrucks, 5 other FFD vehicles, 2 police vehicles, 1 ambulance, a SWEPCO truck, and several vehicles I couldn’t identify at the end of my street. Also a whole lot of smoke in the air (and my house, sigh). But it smells like brush fire smoke, not house fire smoke. I looked up the FFD/FPD log but it only says “CD meter” which sounds innocuous for that much equipment rollout. So absolutely no obvious reason for it all to be there. But I certainly wasn’t going to go up and ask. LOL. (I just checked again. All that’s left down there is 3 of the smaller FFD vehicles, 1 cop car, and 1 of the unidentified lot.)
If Joe & Nancy work together to get everything he wants into the budget, it can’t be filibustered. And if we’re still working on continuing resolutions, that budget could start immediately. I truly think that’s the only way we are going to get things done – slim majority to give us the leadership and bills that can’t be filibustered, like the budget. If we can make a big enough change in how things are going fast enough and somehow force the MSM to tell people who is responsible for it happening, we might make gains in 2022. If not, well, we’ve got 2 years and we’ve got an incredible mess to clean up in those 2 years. And we’d better put as many locks on what we do as possible so it will take the Rs a whole lot of time to undo them. But Joe does have a lot of experience in the Senate so he knows how things work – as in legally, not just the gentlemen’s agreements that the Rs have been blowing off starting with Clinton. Kamala’s got more recent experience in the Senate. And Nancy, I doubt there’s ever been as competent under fire Speaker of the House than Nancy. We shall see what we shall see.
I need to do some baking this morning. Also some tidying. Clouds hide stuff that the current sunshine is showing me. LOL/sigh. I’m going to do cocoa-cherry-walnut muffin bread. That’ll make the house smell a lot better. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, Moosekind! Dearly is at the doctor’s office in Tyson’s Corner. Monty is waiting for me to take him for a walkies. I’ll do that when the temperature gets a little warmer. The longed-for winter coat arrived for Monty yesterday but turned out to be a tad too small. Dear Goddess, by the time the new size reaches us, winter will be nearly over!
Right now it’s cloudy and 43 F. in Ashburn, on its way up to 51 F. Light rain is expected tonight.
I have no accomplishments to report as yet. I keep telling myself, “One of these days.”
Feeling apprehensive about next Wednesday. Would like to plead with President Biden (as far as I’m concerned he’s already Prez) NOT to hold it outside. He’s wanted to be President for most of his life. If he were to be…naw, won’t go there.
Today is Dr. King’s actual birthday. Thinking good thoughts about him, mixed with gratitude. Also remembering his (sadly) prescient remark when referring to the Promised Land, “I may not get there with you…”
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond and respectful, grateful memories of the freedom fighters who went before us.
Good morning, 47 and partly cloudy in Bellingham. My knees are in revolt today so I’m going to have to stay off them, like it or not. Good news though…..Emma and her mom just got their covid vaccination, yay!
With our sort of assistance our son set up the patio pavilion yesterday so I’ve got a shelter from the covid storm. To my relief I measured right so it fits the space and looks just fine. It’s good to know we now have a rain or shine place to be outside because covid numbers and high and increasing here. Best wishes to all.
Best news I’ve had all day
He will NOT take crap from anyone and won’t be cowed by the Q Congresswoman from Colorado and her Glocks.
Saturday Meese. 32 degrees and snowing, which will turn to icy rain later. Finally broke down and decided to have my groceries delivered. Given the COVID-19 updates, safer not to go to the store, even double masked, and even though my supermarket is limiting the number of people who can go in at one time.
They are saying the peak – the absolute worst it will be – is about to happen. The problem is that calling it “the peak” is probably based on vaccinations and as we are finding out, the entire rollout is a pack of trumpian lies. They don’t have the vaccine supplies they said they had and they are totally fking up the delivery.
I am going to think about grocery delivery as well, using my $600. I found delivery options less than satisfactory when I used it back in March but getting sick would be even less satisfactory!