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 48 degrees in the Desert Southwest 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 73. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
Have a great day, all y’alls!!
Sunday Meese. 10 degrees here in Kingston.
Puerto Rico
“Our people have woken up and are going to take back their country. La Parguera will once again belong to the Puerto Ricans. In Puerto Rico, the beaches belong to the people. To the police chief… a very bad start”
Good morning. I had an interesting day yesterday, didn’t end up running at all. Did do kickboxing; and made it to my running group in time for breakfast tacos. Today: church and cooking. It’s going to be warm today, winter is moving off.
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Good cold gray Sunday morning, Moosekind! Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow, apparently, so we’ll have winter until the Ides of March. Right now in Ashburn it’s 29 F., going up to about 40 F. We briefly saw blue skies and sunshine this morning, but now the clouds have rolled in. This coming week we’ll have roller coaster weather, cold one day and warm the next.
Yesterday’s Imbolc ritual went off well, considering it was (a) freezing cold and windy, and (b) put together very quickly (for good reasons). Before the ritual I went around to each covener and rubbed Jergens healing lotion into their hands, saying, “May you have peace, love, and healing,” as I did so. Betsy, who was in charge of the ritual music, brought ginger beer for the Cakes and Ale portion of the ritual, quite appropriate since Brigid was the Goddess of brewing! By the time the ritual was over and I produced dinner for Dearly Beloved and myself, I was absolutely wiped out.
There were just seven of us in all, including moi, the friendly neighborhood priestess, but we had a good time. I led a meditation, asking them to think about the buried part of themselves that they wanted to bring into the light to grow and flourish. Then we each breathed our intention onto a little piece of flash paper, set fire to it, and released it into the universe. I want to be the best, most fulfilled person I can be, because who knows what’s going to happen? As Jan pointed out, he’s already done more horrible things in a much shorter time than anyone expected!
Just ate the last fresh blackberries I’ll be able to afford, I guess. Will buy some freeze-dried berries at TJs next time I go. Even the pampered residents of this affluent community can grieve for, and donate money to, the persecuted immigrants. For Troglodyte to try to end birthright citizenship is so hateful I can’t believe it. I don’t the courts will allow it, anyway.
This morning I must do a huge wash and then scamper to the gym. I couldn’t believe what I weighed this morning, but it’s my own fault. I let myself go, far too much, yesterday. Have added Bfitz, princesspat, and Basket to my prayer list.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!
It’s 60 heading for 68 and while we started out sunny it’s clouded up now. Yesterday we started the month with 10.4 KWHs. That’s not on track for 300 but is on track for something good. A good omen, I hope, since it happened on Imbolc.
I haven’t heard from basket but he did “like” the DM I sent him before going to bed last night. Hoping for the best, whatever that is. Did my Sunday chores and of course my hands and back are protesting. Nothing new there. I need to go get milk but I’ll do it after I’ve done my first round of boosting. Which I’d best get to. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Monday Meese. It snowed here last night but thankfully we only got about 2 inches. 25 degrees here in Kingston going up to 42.
Puerto Rico/Puerto Ricans
May Thor’s Hammer descend on 47.
Good morning. Didn’t walk because my heel hurts & coach said to take a couple of days off. Still at the office super-early. Hope the tariff war gets straightened out, I really like avocados, would like for them to not be $5 each.
Start growing your own! When I think of California in the 70’s, I picture a huge avocado seed growing in a pot, hanging by a macrame rope in the sunlight, and the vine stretching all the way across the living room floor.
I’m going to contact the Garden Club about getting a plot, even if it’s only half of one. I must have tomatoes.
No place to put a tree, because condo. Also, I think avocados are one of the ones that you need 2, so especially not for me.
Good gray Monday morning, Moosekind! It’s 32 F. in Ashburn right now, on its way up to 55 F. I ask you! Rollercoaster temps are not good.
Need to wrap up a few things this morning before going to my interview at 11. There’s a writer in my group who organizes a gathering of residents (all women, I’m sure), who knit, crochet, and sew caps and blankets and other things for newborns. After that, lunch at home, reading through the play again, and practicing dancing for tomorrow night.
The story for this musical must have been written by a MAN. One of the speeches of Irene, the character I’m playing, involves calling a male character names to his face, then in the next breath demanding that he marry her. How realistic is this? True, in the play she’s just been jilted by the man she thought she was going to marry, but isn’t her reaction a “rebound”? And would you call a man “rude and uncouth” and then demand in your next breath that he marry you?
Of course it may be that she thinks, “Here’s a guy who clearly doesn’t like me. Can I get him?” That’s been known to happen, but probably not this fast.
Oddly, he does marry her in the play. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she’s rich and he owns a hotel!
Enough about the play. Have just realized that I will miss the Drama Club meeting on the 15th because I’m going to a memorial service that afternoon.
Suffered horrible Tech Terror yesterday. Why do we have to use a QR code to do anything? How do we even know we’re doing it right? I needed my form 1099-R from Social Security because they haven’t sent it to me. Decided to go to the site and print it out. Changing my login was blood-curdling and I had to download something called Authenticator to my iPhone, because apparently it’s not enough to simply have SS send you a text. We old people are intimidated by all this, why do they make us go through it?
Even more terrifying: Melon Husk and his minions apparently brought bedrolls and spent the entire weekend at the Treasury Department, going through ALL our Social Security and financial information. Is he going to stop our Social? Who elected him, a foreigner? Why doesn’t Zeus get busy and zap HIM with a thunderbolt or two? Is he the real president and 47 merely the painted orange face of the highest office in the land?
If I think about this too much I’ll go mad, so I won’t. Wishing a good day to all at the Pond.
It is dangerous to use QR codes because you have no idea where they are sending you. Behind each QR is an Internet link and behind every Internet link is someone potentially stealing your identity or credit card. I hope you set up a Login.gov account and not an Id.me account. Not that it matters – Melon Husk has all our account data now. :( The Treasury Secretary should be fired – he is in the job less than a week and has already compromised the data of millions of Americans including every single Social Security recipient who has a direct deposit of their benefits. Bastid.
Thanks, Jan, I did set up a login.gov account. And thank Goddess! Not only for the reason you pointed out, but also I grabbed my SS 1099-R so we can do our taxes. Who knows what Melon will do to SS?
It’s 64 heading for 74 and sunny at the moment. We’ll see how long that lasts. Yesterday we generated 10 KWHs and the m-t-d is 20.4 – still looking good but there’s a lot of month to get through.
Basket’s home with 2 lists of foods to avoid – one for gallbladder and one for kidneys. Apparently all their “observation” didn’t tell them which kinds of stones/gravel he’s dealing with and this time they decided to err on the side of caution. Anyway, we’ll see if he manages to stay out of hospital.
Everybody I know, including myself, who’s dependent on Social Security whether it’s Disability or Retirement is freaked about twitler giving Treasury to a multi-billionaire fake-money purveyor who is neither elected nor hired into the government. Today is when a lot of disabled folks – including earicicle/Amelia – get their payments so we’ll find out/have already found out I just haven’t looked yet whether he’s blocked/stolen them. And can get ready to deal with our own not being there when it’s supposed to be. My son said if it’s true the revolution will happen right now. Many of those Proud Boys and other MAGAts are on Social Security. And they’re armed. I hope it doesn’t come to that. Way too many innocents get killed in revolutions.
Meanwhile, I’ve seen the moon for a few minutes the last couple of nights & that’s comforting. Off to start my boosting day and then try a recipe for making cookies that uses flaxseed meal instead of eggs. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
The most frightening thing about Melon Husk having the codes is that billionaires really don’t care if the government and the global economy crashes because they will suffer no harm. If their wealth goes from $400 billion to $100 billion, they still have plenty to live on. If our income goes from $700 a month to $0, and the stock market crashes, wiping out our retirement savings, we will die. Bastids.
Double frightening because EM doesn’t care if he crashes the govt & the dollar drops in value to a penny because he’s invested in Doge fake money. In fact, he’d like it because if fake money is the only money there it, it becomes real money.
Good morning, 23 and light snow but icy roads so schools are closed in Bellingham today. I can breath better now but needed the asthma inhaler in the night so today will be another quiet recovery day. The news is awful so I’ll turn the music on and focus on healing. Best wishes to all.
Good morning, meeses! Monday …
It is 70 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 81. Mostly sunny skies are in the forecast.
I’ve been on my computer too long, I need to go bake in the sun.
See all y’all later!
Good morning. Our weather is more like May than February — 66 already this morning. I’m totally shocked that tfg’s tariff thing was not actually anything. Gee, I wonder if the point was to blow up our relationships with our allies? Anyway, wfh today, going to log off early and go to kickboxing.
Good Tuesday moaning, Meese! It’s already 52 F. in Ashburger, but fear not—we cannot go out topless (even if it were allowed) because of the cold, cold wind.
Breakfast has been had—English muffins with butter and jam, even though Dearly is not keen on them. Texted Great-Nephew yesterday, whose birthday it was. He is now 15. He’s the only one of his generation who “gets” his weird old Aunty, as he’s an actor himself. Now that he lives down the street from Warner Brothers Studios, I expect we’ll hear interesting news one of these days.
Last night’s rehearsal was kinda weird. Irene (moi), Lottie (Paula) and Margie (Louise) discovered to our horror that we are expected to SING during the Finale! Eek! Moreover, we have to sing soprano! Yesterday evening we all clustered round the piano on stage, and discovered that many of us can’t read musical notation. To us it’s like Mandarin or Egyptian hieroglyphics. Clearly, I’ll have to bother YouTube for Voice Therapy, as I don’t want to pay lots of money for that purpose.
Tonight is “Open Mic” night, and many fellow actors are singing. I’m dressing up in a red dress, red French knickers trimmed with two inches of red lace, red fingernails, and a red sparkly headband. I’m hoping to bribe the pianist to announce a “Ladies’ Choice,” so I can dance with a certain gentleman. I only hope the gentleman in question will brush his hair before the event begins. Last night he gave every appearance of having rolled off the living room sofa after a nap. It is beyond strange how human males never seem to worry about their appearance.
Fresh horrors await us every morning when we wake up, as in “What has President Husk done NOW?” I’ve stopped doom scrolling on my phone during breakfast, it’s not good for the liver.
Hope the vibrations and prayers for better health reached everyone this morning! Wishing a good day to all at the Pond.
I laughed out loud when the USA Today front page said “Musk puts employees at USAID on leave.” I wonder when the idiots who voted for tRump realize that there is nothing normal about an unelected billionaire with connections to nazis and other white supremacist groups essentially running the government?
It’s 42 heading for 57 – so back to more winter-ish weather. Sort of. Yesterday we generated 10.5 KWHs and the m-t-d at 31.2 is still on track. It’s cloudy today, for the next several days according to the widget, so how long we stay on track (like even through today?) is the question.
Basket seems to be getting better. This is good. Everybody else seems to be about the same as usual. Not necessarily good but at least not worse. It was warm enough yesterday I didn’t have a fire in the evening. My hands and feet were not and are not happy about that. But I’ll have one this evening. Made cookies (oatmeal raisin walnut) yesterday. Saw the moon for a few minutes last night. Thinking about calling my Evil R Senators about Social Security. Still thinking. Meanwhile I need to be about my boosting day. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Energy for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
I didn’t see the moon last night before I went to bed but the Evening Star was very bright in the western sky. I think I will start seeing her in the morning soon.
Good morning, 21 and partly sunny, with several inches of snow on ground. I have a long overdue haircut scheduled for noon today so I hope I can get there. I finally feel well enough to go but if the roads are icy I won’t risk driving. I’m still recovering from this miserable flu but I need to keep the inhaler right beside me because the asthma spasms are intense. They aren’t as frequent now and every bit of progress is most welcome. Best wishes to all.
{{{princesspat}}} Healing Energy. Moar {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, meeses! Tuesday …
It is 73 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 82. Mostly sunny skies are in the forecast. Shorts weather again, at least for now.
I can’t look at the news, it is too depressing. The Senator from Louisiana was given the choice of bowing to his king or upholding his Hippocratic Oath and he decided to put an anti-vaxxer into the HHS position. I am going to move to Mexico where public health is not run by lunatics and people are immunized against deadly diseases. Speaking of Mexico, I am glad that someone convinced tRump that destroying the U.S. economy by cutting off imports and exports to the two countries who we do the most business with was stupid. It says there is a 30 day reprieve but my guess is that it will just disappear like most tRump bad initiatives where he claims victory and then moves on to the next terrible idea.
I worked as much as I possibly can today and now I am going to get off my computer.
See all y’all later!
Good morning. Setting reminders to log off work today because I missed out on my workout yesterday. Hope I get as many new library users set up today as I did yesterday. We still have way too warm weather for February, but it looks like winter (the Texas version) will come back next week.
Wednesday Meese. cold and windy here in Kingston. No Puerto Rico news today atm.
Good Wednesday morning, Moosekind! ‘Tis an ugly-cloudy day, 34 F. in Ashburn this morning. We’re expecting sleet tonight. As the weather people only make wild guesses as to when something actually will begin, I’d better run to Trader Joe’s this morning, before the weather really gets going.
Have an appointment with the podiatrist at noon, but luckily it’s here on the campus so I needn’t travel.
Had a fantastic time at the “Open Mic” last night. The usual people got up and sang old-time hits (rock-n-roll), and I danced—oh, dear, one gentleman wanted to do the cha-cha and I don’t know how to do that, and another wanted to do the Twist, which I haven’t danced since 1964 or thereabouts. However, after all that dancing I was down 1.4 pounds on the scales this morning, so alles ist gut.
The news is so horrifying I can’t bear it. Also, Bfitz and Jan are lucky to see the moon, I haven’t seen Her since She was waning. We’ve had umpteen cloudy days. Sure, one might as well be in Ireland.
Have lots of desk work waiting for me, so will say cheerio for now. Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!