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 to view previous pages, shown here with 3 pages of comments available and Page 2 circled.
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Good “morning”, Motley Meese! The week begins …
Morning low of 68 degrees in the Desert Southwest with an expected daytime high of 88. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
Have a great day, all y’alls!!
Sunday Meese. 54 and foggy, here in Kingston NY – going up to 78. Looks like a sunny week ahead.
Keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Philippe:
Good morning. Had a nice day yesterday, rebuilt my stolen & returned shelves, put my plants where I want them, and even acquired a new mint plant I named Westley. At the nursery, I asked the guy if it’s the Charlie Brown Christmas tree of mint. He said no, it’s more like the knight from the Monty Python skit. Not dead. While I was re-potting it, I thought of the Princess Bride. Only mostly dead, which is slightly alive. So, I named it after that character. Anyway, now I’m watching the news and enjoying the smell of my steeping tea.
Did you get all of your stuff back?
Close enough. I think the person who told the main thief she could take them took a couple of pots, but I have pretty much everything. Here’s a picture of Westley:
Good for you, restoring a ghost to life on this plane! October is the month for it.
I named my mint plant Araminta and called her “Minty” for short. She’s getting a little brown around the edges, which means it is definitely getting colder. I snipped off a bit last night to cook with the peas.
Posted
I’m glad that Minority Leader Jeffries is not coddling the losers in yesterday’s government shutdown hostage taking drama. They lost, America won and the “Republicans in Disarray” we saw with 15 votes for Speaker begins again. I hope that we did not promise to help McCarthy keep his seat – his word is worthless as shown by his reneging on the May debt deal. Speaker Jeffries with support from the FedUpRepubulicans Caucus is the only deal he should listen to.
CSPAN: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) held a news conference after the House passed a 45-day continuing resolution (CR) to temporarily fund the federal government. He said the bill protects many Democratic priorities, saying it was a “complete and total victory for the American people and a total defeat for the extreme MAGA Republicans.”
Jeffries (text from unedited live caption):
Katherine Clark:
When the headlines say “Spending bill averting shutdown passes with majority Democratic votes” it is going to be very difficult to put lipstick on the pig of the Republican caucus.
It was 62 when I got up, 72 now so I’ll be closing up soon, heading for 90. Sunny at the moment. We wrapped up September with 295.97 KWHs so now 2023 is the bottom of the heap for the 4K system. I really wish I could afford to get the trees pruned back. Oh well. The best we’ve ever done with the 4K system for October was 308 and the worst was last year’s 228.6 so “it would take a miracle” goal is 309 and the “at least” goal is 229. We shall see what we shall see.
Next 2 days will have highs in the 80s, then we drop down to the 70s mostly. If the widget/forecast doesn’t change for warmer next Saturday will be in the upper 60s and I may actually have my first fire of the season. Definitely more autumnal weather. The quilts will soon quit decorating my walls and go back to decorating my bed. LOL.
Welp, my Sunday housekeeping chores are done so I’d best get to my online boosting ones. To the music in Dee’s diary of course. Holding the Good Thoughts for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good Sunday morning, Moosekind, sure and ’tis a grand immortal day! It’s 66 F. outside, going up to 80 F., or so They allege. The pot roast is comfortably in the slow cooker, along with some baby carrots and celery, as well as a packet of dry onion soup mix and half a cup of red wine. Easiest pot roast recipe I’ve ever found. This afternoon I’ll make an apple crisp (crisp, crumble, what’s the difference?) for afters.
I saw the Moon last night! Went out looking for Her just after 9 p.m. and sure enough, there She was. I bowed, as I always do, and continued to enjoy the sight for a few minutes. She looked as if She’d been on a diet—a bit slender on the right side. Every time I see the full moon I think of this stanza from The Rubaiyat:
I love Omar Khayyam/Edward Fitzgerald.
Yesterday I went for a walk as it was rather nice outside, but I took the way I used to take Monty and became rather weepy. Our walks took longer than they should have because I’d have to stop every 500 feet or so and toss him a chunk of Granny Smith apple or a baby carrot. (At Doggy Play Care the guy said they had to bribe him with a biscuit to get on the treadmill.) Anyway, I haven’t heard any more ghost barks or grumbles, which is a relief.
Coming up this week are a lot of fascinating lectures! I’ll wear my “I’m with the banned” t-shirt to the one tomorrow, about how the Nazis burned books. Tuesday there will be a discussion of “The Bluest Eye.” On Saturday the film, “The Book Thief” will be shown. My late Mum wanted me to read that book. I tried it and found the beginning very slow going, so I didn’t finish it.
I started Ken Follett’s latest book but it’s such a downer that I’m taking a break from it. It’s depressing when life for the working classes never gets better and the evil ones always triumph. IMHO, patriarchal religion is the worst thing that ever happened to the human race.
Listen to me, rambling on. I need to send some electronic birthday cards. Wishing a good day to all the Pond!
Monday Meese. 55 going up to 76 and sunny here in Kingston. Have to go get a tire on my car fixed today – it seems to have picked up a nail – bummer.
Lots of Puerto Rican festivals in the diaspora over the weekend.
Puerto Rico has a Leader :: LUMA wants another rate increase
Good morning. Nice walk, lower 70s — by the end of the week, it might be too chilly for shorts. Monday. In the office. Got my flu & covid shots yesterday, so my arm is slightly sore — but that’s the only side effect. Cannot stop listening to the new U2 song. Happy, boppy, and full of U2-ish wisdom: “Love is god and god is love And if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”
I got my seasonal flu shot 2 weeks ago so I am ready to get my COVID booster this week. I know that they say that you can get them all together but I prefer to spread them out. If I have a reaction, I want them to know what I am reacting to – not just guess! I am still not sure about getting the RSV vaccine yet.
Good morning, meeses! Monday …
It is 61 degrees in Tucson with an expected daytime high of 82. Sunny skies are in the forecast. Nearly perfect fall weather! This morning there were some swirly different colored clouds over the mountains and surrounding the stars and it looked like a Van Gogh painting. The moonrise last night came up through the clouds and created interesting shapes.
The government will remain open until the week before Thanksgiving, creating a scenario for maximum pain if the deadenders in the Republican Party want to shut things down again. I am not sure if the maximum pain scenario is to make people more interested in getting the budgets done or to increase the leverage of the Gaetz caucus. A lot will depend on who the Speaker is. I was reading about the Motion to Vacate and the options that presents; really, he can’t be ousted without Democratic votes and once he is ousted, an acceptable alternative needs to be found. At least at this point we know that McCarthy will cave to pressure, we have no idea what Alternative Republican Speaker would do. And the possibility of having no Speaker and therefore have work in the House come to a standstill would guarantee a shutdown. Even if a deal would be cut with a handful of Republicans to elect Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker, you would have to work with those Republicans on every bill – and have every Democrat vote yes – in order to get it passed. I am not sure that could be done.
I had some projects I wanted to get done over the weekend but I had very low energy and mostly sat around watching sporting events. So now I have to pay the piper – first order of the day is to email people who expected completed projects.
See all y’all later!
It’s 61 heading for 89 and mostly sunny. Mostly. Yesterday we generated 7.7 KWHs which isn’t on track even for the “at least” goal. sigh. I’m going to have to figure out how to afford getting the trees trimmed and that’s that. Climate change/collapse is giving us too many cloudy days that I can’t do anything about. But I can do something about the shade on the panels. Not this year but I’ll work on it for next.
As far as I know everybody is doing pretty much as they have been. Not great or even good in many cases, but not any worse either.
This working 3 platforms is being stressful. I haven’t managed to establish a routine yet so I’m having to think about stuff, and missing stuff and going back to get it, and all that. Once I get a routine it will partly go on autopilot. That will help a lot. But I’m not there yet. So I’d best get to it. Holding the Good Thoughts for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good afternoon, Moosekind. I’m having the day from hell. And it’s so beautiful outside!
First thing this morning the credit card people called to say there’d been a false charge on my card, so the card is now dead. Then my printer refused to print.
So it’s now teatime and I’m as cross as two sticks.
Hope everyone else is having a GOOD day!
{{{Diana}}}
Oh dear! Glad they caught the false charge but I know it’s a p.i.t.a.
I hope your Tuesday is better than your Monday. :(
Good afternoon, 56 and raining in Bellingham. Sorry to be so absent, but caring for Ron and family means I’m both very busy and preoccupied. He is moving better today and we have an online doc visit this afternoon to try to get some help with the general feeling of “not being well.” His hip is healing but his mind and body are still struggling with the after effects of surgery. I know he will recover, just going to take more time than we thought it would. Best wishes to all.
{{{princesspat}}} Healing Energy flowing westward. moar {{{HUGS}}}
Tuesday Meese. 52 going up to 81 here in Kingston. Got very little sleep – my next door neighbors had a huge quinceañera (15th birthday party) yesterday – with a dj and music blasting till very late. The bass notes made my bedroom windows vibrate. Ear plugs didn’t help.
Sigh. They are very nice people but I wish it had ended earlier (I’m old)
Puerto Rico
Good morning, meeses! Tuesday …
It is 61 degrees in Tucson with an expected daytime high of 82. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
I am looking forward to seeing Laphonza Butler, another smart Black woman, sworn in to represent California in the US Senate. The primary will sort itself out and people who were disappointed that Newsom did not put his thumb on the scale for their preferred candidate will be happier in the long run, or should be. State your case and take your chances.
The House is a mess and the failure of Congress to provide money for Ukraine was a victory for the Putin caucus. I hope the promised separate bill to provide aid moves quickly.
I have many things to do today and very little interest in doing them. This is a beginning of the month phenomenon – I see the entire month stretched out in front of me and “plenty of time” to get projects done. The problem is that I need to work on last month’s projects so it is an illusion.
See all y’all later!
Good morning. I was going to sleep in and actually take a morning break to walk, but I woke up at 5:30 so I walked then. Sigh. A nice morning for it, though — my computer says it’s 66 degrees. At home, watching astronomy — got a surprise evening of it last night, as well.
It was 60 when I got up, 72 now, heading for 84, and sunny at the moment. We generated 8.4 KWHs yesterday and the m-t-d at 16.2 is on track for the “at least” goal.
I’m running late because of multiple derailing things involving cats or baking but the apple-walnut muffin bread is in the oven right now and the house is beginning to smell most sentimental. The handyman was here yesterday to paint the new siding course and trim on the sunporch that he put on last Friday (he’d waited for the caulk to “cure” before painting it) and for another $95 he caulked around ALL the windows, not just the sunporch ones. They haven’t been done in 10 to 20 years, depending on the window in question, so that was a good thing. They were starting to leak a bit and that’s taken care of in time for winter.
Fineena is doing the best she can to hang on, manage everything, and keep unpacking/throwing stuff out. But she’s also in a lot of pain, some of it for reasons not considered appropriate conversation in polite society, and every time she turns around she’s hit with another bill she thought she’d taken care of. (The latest is the electric bill for the old place. She paid it. She really did. Except the power company took $200 of that $350 payment and turned it into a deposit for the new place. So she still owes $200 on the old place right now as well as the $128 for the new place that isn’t due til the 16th.) sigh.
I guess I’d best get to my boosting. Holding the Good Thoughts for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Wednesday Meese. 59 here in Kingston – going up to 83 and sunny.
Am keeping an eye on Philippe in the Caribbean.
Puerto Rico
Good morning. I had a difficult night, so I slept in and I’ll exercise later. Watching astronomy & eating breakfast. So grateful for the 2 wfh days.
Good morning, meeses! Wednesday …
It is 59 degrees in Tucson with an expected daytime high of 86. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
McCarthy is out and the ahole McHenry from North Carolina’s first step as Speaker Pro Tem was to kick Nancy Pelosi out of her office near the House floor. Since she was out of town attending the Feinstein memorial, it was left to House Democrats to box up her office and move her personal belongings so that the Republicans did not just put it in a dumpster and throw it away. Fk them with a rusty anvil. I hope that Jeffries continues to play hardball with these awful people. The only hope for a functional House at this point is for 5 Republicans to put their constituents and their country over their party, declare themselves Independents and caucus with the Democrats. This sad chapter, unfortunately, will not deter people from choosing Republicans to run the country. :(
I have two projects that need to get done today. One I have already missed being able to work on in the early morning window when I can connect to client computers so I need to pivot to the other one in order to have any hope of having a productive morning.
See all y’all later!