Spent my day at...

ALLACE LAKE, 

...and it was a nice day sunny but cool.  I enjoyed it, takes me about an hour to get there, an easy drive. to the town of Bennettsville, in Marlboro county.  It's not far from the NC line.   I was happy to see lots of ducks FOY for me,,,Coots, Buffleheads, and Ruddy Duck.  There must have been 1000 Coots...hard to photograph on the huge lake.  I brought a picnic with me, took a nice long walk there and got back home about 5 pm just in time to give the dogs their meal...

I had my own meal and now Im going thru my photos, didnt get many good ones but sure tried.  I hope the camera I returned gets refunded soon, because I am eager to try another one.  I need to track it, should have been delivered today according to the Tracking on Fed Ex.  As I have said before FedEx is my least favorite carrier to ship an item, but Walmart sent the label so I guess they have a contract with FedEx. 

I had a nice long chat this morning with my mailman, I chased him down as he went around the block delivering the mail I just missed him at my box...He is new to my route.  My old mail lady finally retired.  She had been my mail carrier for most of the time I've lived here  more than 40 yrs. 

He has a left had drive Jeep the same year as my sisters, a 2000.  He says he enjoys traveling and  his 6 yr old was asking him if they will ever have a vacation again, it must be hard to be 6 in this world today.

Heck it's hard to be 6 times that...Anyway he told me that 3 people in his family had Covid and all 3 had different symptoms and different durations.  Now the new strains are already in the population so we shall see...Anyways I like the new guy hope he is not a Republican! If he is, no more chats by the roadside.

Tomorrow it may rain so I will probably hang out at home and get some things done it's time to set up my bill pays for the month, and some chores inside need to be done, today I ran the dishwasher but I was too beat to empty it, so I will do that first thing tomorrow I normally run it once a week, and on light wash cycle.  My dishwasher is 32 yrs old...AND still works great when I redid the house it had a tiny leak at the spot where the pump attaches to the inlet hose, so I purchased a new connector and redid that connection and it has not leaked since.  "Knock on Wood." 

Have a good Sunday. Next week Ground HOG DAY. 

Make Hay

HILST the sun shines...

 Is an old saying, so I am not making hay but I want to get in some birding while the sun is out its very hard to ID birds when the sky is dull and no light is on them...So Off I went today back to Lee County and to check the Eagle Nest I've been watching for about 3 years now.  They have at least one chick, last year they had one, and the year before that they had 2 successfully fledge from the nest.  

This is the area I call the Beaver Pond, there was an active beaver there but the US Dept of AG killed him.  I have no power to stop them when I wrote to Trumps Sec of Ag, he said that is the Dept of Wildlife who does that..NO it is not..the notices put up close to the dams  are posted by the USDA.  The pond was high enough due to all the rain we had, but if we hit a dry spell that wetland will drain...the beaver was doing his job creating open space by drowning trees...People are so STUPID...and govt people seem to be the stupidest.

I spent the entire day out until it just got really too cold to enjoy being out...and then home to fed the girls get the heat going and make myself a veggie burger sandwich. 

There is a deer in my pasture who has a malformed or more like an injury that healed all wrong on a hind leg.  The ankle  seems to have been broken, and it healed in a strange way,  it did heal but she has some trouble walking....Poor thing I hope she hangs out in my field cause she is safe there I will get some corn to put in there and put some water and a salt lick she actually goes into the old barn stall it has no roof, I pulled the roof off when it went bad and  did not put  a roof back, undecided as to what I want to do about that I no longer need a big barn I have no horses, a lean to 3 sided shelter is all I need but I have this, the cement walls that are still strong...so I would  have the old one torn down and removed.  A lot of work I thought of asking if anyone wants the blocks they can tear it down and take the blocks...BUT I doubt anyone will want the blocks they're old. 

The South African strain of the Covid has been found in my state, 2 people had it.  They both recovered and they say the vaccine will handle this strain.  The thing seems to be mutating pretty fast.  I am staying away from people as much as possible, when birding I rarely see anyone, let alone speak to someone. 
Soon the trial of Trump will start in the senate Lindsey Graham has assembled a legal team...you can be sure they are the most crooked lawyers money can buy...BOY Trump must have something really big on Graham...some people suggest he is gay and trying to keep in the closet, I would much rather people know Im gay than know Im an jackass and a liar. 

Anyways that's just some of the "gossip" I heard...And now there are all sorts of angry white people riling up the "right wing" who seem hell bent on being mentally disturbed and I hope they find an outlet for their disgusting hatred...One woman Rep Greene from GA, threatens others in the Congress...and they want her out..  I hope they can get her out...she is insane said one of the GA voters when asked. 

Not my words Im just passing it along....

Tomorrow More birding maybe.,,I wanted to check the waste water treatment ponds in Lee county and I ran out of time so that may be next. 
This morning before I got out of bed I turned on the tv to see the weather but Bugs Bunnhy cartoons were on so I watched that instead just like being a kid again...

Thhhhhhhhat's all Folks.

SO Friday is over.

COLD frigid,

IND ALL DAY...

Went birding anyways...I birded in a nearby cemetery.  There is always birds in open grassy areas and lots of trees for cover...So I enjoyed myself.  It was so cold tho...I had to go in and out of the van to warm  up...Ask me why didn't I make a nice thermos of hot cocoa?  

I DON'T KNOW...sure would have been smart...lol. 

I forgot a couple things, I had plans to stop at a post office and mail a letter I had no stamps at home or I would just put it in the box, forgot to go get a stamp...

SO I will mail it tomorrow..

I will never forget one birding trip with the Carolina Bird Club that I once belonged to.  They hold 4 meeting per year as well as many field trips...I normally did go to the meeting each season.  A host hotel, meetings in the evening, with refreshments, speakers, workshops and field trip sign ups...I always signed up for Simon Thompson, and Lex Glover because I knew them...so one field trip Lex Glover was taking us to Huntington Beach.  Nothing is more cold than walking a mile on a beach in February when a stiff wind is blowing.  We got back after seeing very little on the beach...and we were so bundled up...

When we returned to the parking area Lex had arranged a catered lunch for us...and she gave us HOT sandwiches with Hot Cocoa...OMG I've never forgotten how good that was, its so nice sometimes to have someone else take care of you.  BUT tomorrow I will make a thermos of cocoa and I don't know how I could keep a hot sandwich warm but I could try.

Hump day over...

ednesday shopping trip...

Was raining when I awoke, so I really didn't want to do anything  I rolled back over and slept another 20 mins then the rain stopped.  The girls got immediately into their routine of sister play they do that each morning, normally Annie starts it, she walks over to Flossie and starts to play, and they roll around on the floor and they snort and make weird noises, and if I don't get up Annie will come rear up on the bed and basically tell me "its time for breakfast'.  

My dogs are not allowed on the furniture, they have never slept on my bed, or been in my chairs, and they won't get into my seats in the van, they will jump up on the bed in there so I keep it covered with a sheet just for that purpose it gets folded up at night so I don't have a dog slept bed to get into...even Casey who was small was not allowed up on the furniture...I just don't need the extra wear and tear and dirt in my living space.  They are great dogs and they have always been. 

They get their breakfast asa I make my coffee, then out the back door they go.  Flossie stays out most all day but Annie follows me in out and around where ever I am in the yard or in house.  Today tho I got dressed and out the door to grocery shop.  I grabbed my shopping bags, my mask, my pocketbook, keys and gone...

Gased up the van I stopped pumping at $42..that gave me 19 gallons...it holds 25 gallons.  

Then I stopped and got my oil changed, the usual guy he has been in business for a long time just one guy with one lift.  He has 3 goats out back he bought the building next door and rents it out to an antique dealer.  I know his sister who was head librarian at our town library but she retired last year.  When he was a younger guy he used to work with my Mom at BF Goodrich.  He charges me $34 and that included the oil, filter and he fills the fluids under the hood if they need it. He said he will sell soon and retire...Gosh I hope not I will miss him. 

Walmart today, because I also needed an SD card for my camera.  OK I bought another camera did not like it....so I dropped that off at the Walgreens drug store it's s drop off spot for FedEx...I thought I'd be able to return it to the store I bought it via Walmart.com...but not this time I had to rebox it and ship it...they sent me a label to print.  SO when it arrives I get my $500 refund.  I can tell you the 3 factors that made the decision for me..

1. The view finder is too small
2. the zoom motor is too slow
3. the on/off button poor design 

So back it went....I will keep looking.  Im considering a Nikon D3500 

The store was not too crowded today I was able to get what I wanted without too much trouble one lady did blow her horn when she nearly collided with me...OK  It was her voice horn, "BEEP BEEP" we were in the store...lol...

I don't know about some people. 

 

I took my time when I came out of the store, it was raining...Great.  So I got wet.  But by the time I got home it had stopped and now it's cooled down and it's cloudy.  Dinner is over I ate right away because I was hungry.  The dogs are waiting for theirs now.  I have not had to build a fire the past 3 days it's been warm but now I have the gas on it got chilly in here.

So it's just a Wednesday, Im trying to stay clear of most political talk for a couple weeks, I am letting Joe, Kamila, and the New Democratic Senate handle it all for me...lol Im so happy to know they will do what is in my best interest and the best interest of the country and not what makes them richer or shows some favor to some big donors, or to some crap media mogul.  It has freed up a of space in my head. 

Hope the sun comes out tomorrow. 

I have to ask...

ILL CAPITALISM EVER BE FAIR?

The storm that is giving us rain yesterday and today  gave Alabama a tornado overnight..,A tornado ripped up the regional high school here last year, and they are about to start construction on a new one now.  Hopefully it was insured and we tax payers don't have to fork out even more money to build super covid spreader schools...it's a waste of money to sink millions into school buildings  while the education being offered is below standards.  I for one do not and have never voted for the school referendum.  THEY never lower the tax rates once they build a school they just keep adding more charges on top.

How are we supposed to keep up? AND yet the minimum wage in this state is $8.50 an hr....how the hell can anyone buy and keep up a home and raise kids and put them in those schools at that rate? They are creating a ghetto...trailer parks are springing up all over because people can't afford standard housing.  We have the highest electric rates in the country...the failed Nuclear plant is a good example of why.  They spent $9 BILLION dollars "To dig a hole in the ground and then fill it back in" is how one headline put it. 

Our rates were raised to PAY for the building as it went along not after receiving energy from it ....and due to wasteful spending,  delays, and government and regulatory oversight the project collapsed when they ran out of money and had nothing to show for it...AND they just asked for another rate hike and the Energy Commission denied it...

There was a law suit.....they were ordered to pay rate payer back....they gave me $60 back, they gave Mom $197 back (a check I can't even cash  because I closed her bank account and I could get into trouble cashing a dead person's check?) and there is supposed to be 3 more checks coming.  AND they will ask for another rate hike by the end of this year mark my words...

SO let us look at BARE minimum living expenses...

People living in cramped house trailers making $8.50 an hr and receiving $250 electric bills for a winter heating month... how does that work out?
8 hrs per week of your pay is going for your electric bill in winter 
8 hours per week of your work goes for food,
3 hours per week to gas your car,
2.5 hrs per week goes to your car insurance, 

2.5 hrs per week goes to pay your property tax 

7 hrs per week for  rent
If you don't own your own home or pay for a mortgage, and honestly people who make $8.50 an hr will not qualify for a mortgage they may have a trailer payment...of about what low rent would be or a little more....but most do NOT own their own place. 

So 31 hours of your 40 and lets face it most minimum wage jobs only give 32 hours to these employees to keep from ever paying OT wages...and taxes takes the rest if you get 40 hrs. 

That pretty much adds up to your entire paycheck going to base living expenses now where is the left overs for emergencies, health insurance, savings, entertainment, phone and internet, the boot strap money?  A $380 check by the time you get it is probably $290...And yet congressmen who send their kids to private schools pay the same rates for groceries, for gas, for electric, for taxes...how is that fair?

I pay 0.93 cents per kwh up to 750 kw, but after that I pay 7.55 per kwh.  And a base rate of $25 per week.  My research shows the average homeowner uses 914 KWH per month...And it depends on the time of day  you use that Kilowatt...if you get up in the morning and turn on the heat it's gonna cost you more than if it turned on in the middle of the night...when you're in bed... charging your more for it. when  you really need it.  They call that Peak...a sweet little word for you pay more during these hours, like in Summer it's 4-6pm and in winter it's 7-9am  Okay that when you get home from work, and when you wake up to go to work..SO when you are actually home enjoying your house it costs you more to live in it.

A man who earns $350,000 a year is making $167 an hr...did you wonder WHY they don't announce those salaries in the form of Per Hour?? Because it's completely vulgar that is why.  This man pays the same rate for electricity that I do...or that the single mom of 2 living in a single wide house trailer does.  A college football coach makes $7.2 million per yr, thats $20,000 per DAY...more than most people earn in a years time. 

She works 8 hrs to pay her entire living expenses for the day...it takes all her pay to do it and she probably goes in the hole some months.  The man pays his expenses for the week in just 2 hours of working. This is using the same base of a week of gas, a week of food, a week of rent altho his is more so I could tweek my formula, and he pays more in taxes, for sure...but she brings HOME for week in what he makes in 2 hours of work.  Her rent may be $400 a month, his mortgage may be $2500 a month...still he is making $29,000 per month, swinging that $2500 for rent is a piece of cake for him.. He earns more in one month than she will probably bring home for the entire year. Actually she makes  half his monthly salary for the entire year...her loaf of bread cost $4 his loaf of bread $4..

That $250 electric bill will eat up her entire paycheck for that week...YET the man will cover his in 2hrs of work....see when you compare Apples to Apples you can see how unbalanced the system is and how wage inequality is the driving force to discontent. 

 HE pays $1.99 a gallon for the gas for his 2020 BMW and she puts it in her 2001 Dodge Caravan.  She works 10 minutes to pay for that one gallon...he makes $3.47 per minute..so his one gallon is paid for in less than a minute...his 10 minutes pays for his entire fill up WHILE  her fill up is nearly 3 hrs of work.

So do you see how this is so unbalanced?? Now my math may be off a little but it's in the ball park. 

A capitalist system is set up only for a few to prosper and the rest are supposed to keep them going...iron their shirts, shine their shoes, cook their meals, repair their cars, keep their  yards, make sure their appliances work, give them a place to spend their wealth...and the ones supporting all that luxury living... make pnuts....go home to a trailer full of needy children who get educated in schools that do not teach them the real meaning of life but teaches them how to keep up the needs of the wealthy, by working a meager job. 

Soooo....

That is how I see our system...the haves and never will haves...My husband and I were very smart and we cut corners anyway we could to eek out a living, we both were self employed and could set our hours and our price per hour but we both worked to keep up the life style of the wealthy.  I was in the re-upholstery business making their homes lovely and he was in the horse shoeing business keeping their horses in tip top shape.  But we were not able to go buy the kind of place we wanted we had to do it from the ground up we bought some land, we couldn't afford to build a new house so we bought an old house and had it moved...and little by little we made it into an acceptable home. It took us 15 yrs to pay off the loans we made to get our home realized...and I had to buy it back from him at twice what we paid  for it..when we divorced, and it took my entire life savings ....so there you have it.  That's why I burn wood, that's why I scrimp and DIY most everything, and that's how it goes for some of us. 

I pay property tax rates at the Same rate as the man who made $350K per year and retired with a nice package from his employer and who makes good in the stock market because he can afford to lose...he bought a 2 story mansion at the Lake, and probably has a second home in the Mountains or at the Beach...So then you probably could come back with ....well he got an education worked really hard climbed the ladder...yes he did.  

SO do millions of others and yet they won't succeed....they will be fired, they will be laid off, their loans will be denied, they will go down instead of up and they will live in poverty.  There is only so much room at the top! 

Capitalism is not working for the majority of people in the world.  

Get

ith the program...

I didn't really want to but had some chores to take care of laundry, wood, bird feeders, etc all needed my attention, I just wanted to play.  But adult playtime is not always allowed.  I had to take my recyclables to the center they open at 1 pm on Sunday so after that I tried to do a little birding but it was pretty much Bust certainly not worthy of a mention.

I did enjoy being out in the sunshine and got in some walking, so that was good...back home now with my dinner over, fire burning, and the afternoon has turned to evening...the clouds rolled in just about 5 pm and now it's completely socked in I guess it's going to rain. 

Today was my sis's birthday so I phoned her and we had a nice chat...she is getting a new roof, I think they start this week or next.  I need one also...I hope to be out of credit card debt by May of this year...and if I can get a grant I will try but if not I will have to make a loan. 

I am still going thru and looking for and organizing photos from 2008 to present...much is missing.  Did I mention I bought a new camera? It has shipped but not arriving till 27th.  Another Bridge camera....I have purchased DSLR before but honestly didn't like it...so went back to a bridge...and now I've had my last purchase for a year or more..and so I found one that is 20 mpx and 65x zoom.  I look forward to using it.  Think I will get a new SD card also start off with all new and HOPE I can get a crisp clear image, Im tried of thinking I got a nice shot only to find it's fuzzy and not crisp.  I bought a Kodak...I've always loved Kodak.  I've had 4 previously. I wear out camera's like other people go thru shoes...

Last night we watched the Ray Bradbury Theater...one episode was called the Crowd.  This guy had a car accident and within seconds he was surrounded by a crowd looking down at him, "is he alive?"  Then he realized the same people showed up at each car accident...he found old news footage, old newspaper photos and he found the same "crowd" each time..so he began to try and find out why...then he found out they all had died in a car accident...

Kind of weird...

That's was my day in a nutshell...Monday is just another day to me.  

Cool and Breezy so...

AS BUNDLED UP TODAY

A cold wind blew all day...I got my van back yesterday afternoon so I went out in nature today looking for birds, found a few but it sure was chilly mostly I birded from the window in the van, I did take a couple short hikes. It was a good day. 

I did get emotional when I went to a spot my Mom loved...and it made me really sad...somedays I just have to let it out.  One line in a Sarah Mc. song came to mind, the line goes like this. 
"you did what you had to go, and I just don't know to let you go."

So in my mind, she did what she had to do...she left this Earth her body all used up..

But I don't know how to come to terms with it yet I can't do what I have to do...I mean even tho she was 95, she got unwell 4 days before she passed...so it was so sudden and it blew my mind. Im more in healing now than 6 months ago, but some days it  hits me like a ton of brick. 

The Great British Bake Off is on TV I really enjoy this show...Paul and Mary are great this looks like an old one, don't know if they are making new seasons of it...hope so. 

They  are making a savory pie, Some of the creations are amazing some are total flops..

Ive been mostly staying away from Politics click on a You tube now and then but turn them off quick as I start to get annoyed with the stupidity of some people. 

My Internet server is throttling me...Too many movie streams I imagine.   Its amazing  how greedy a company can be, AT&T is my provider. but I think Google has something to do with it also,..when I used Firefox it's faster...

Well not much else for the day...and don't know exactly my plan for tomorrow, if its NOT cold and windy I may go to Santee to see if I can spot the Short eared Owls that have been there a couple months now...Only a few have gotten photos of them as  the main access to the area is off limits until March 1, so you can go up on this tower and scan your heart out but you cant get close to the action...

MY sisters birthday tomorrow...I made a video for  her and Im trying to upload, it's taking forever..

Enjoy your Saturday Night...I don't know if Svengoolie has anything good on...I love him but my son does not. Oh well it's about the only thing we do together I'd love him to come out on some of my day trips if he would.

 

OH my the custard is sticking...lol OH poor bakers. 

Line in the Sand

HEN YOU DO THE WRONG THING.

When I went shopping I put 2 unbaked pie shells in my cart, because I had some apple pie filling I wanted to use...the pack had 2 shells in it for $0.96 cents.  By the time I was heading to check out, I had talked myself out of that pack of pie shells...so I put it back..

An hour ago I had flour all over my kitchen, had dough on my fingers, and under my nails, the shell was too small and it has thin and thick spots, it took me 30 minutes...all to save  48 cents...the cost of one of the shells...LOL BUT I did it for the rain forest. 

Let me explain...so they are clearing the rain forest at the speed of light to make room for palm tree plantations...why? Because everything has freaking palm oil in it.  So when I checked the ingredients there was palm oil...so that was the main reason I put it back.

Sometimes I just do the wrong thing...today I put my cousin on 30 day snooze on FB... why? She is a Trump voter, she put up a Anti Liberal sort of post so I know I was going to say something I shouldn't so I decided to answer, "really"?   That was snarky I really wanted to respond to each one of the issues the post pointed to...

Like it said any Immigrant who crosses the border illegally  in Cuba goes to jail

But in our country you get a job, a drivers license, and food stamps.  
Cuba is a communist country...soooo the residents have NO say in any of the laws, they also cant leave their country, they are hostages. I went to Canada, all I did was show my passport and answer 2 questions...took me 5 seconds. I want to be welcomed with open arms...A Democratic Country has elected officials in office to represent OUR wishes, this is why it's so important to make sure what they represent is WHAT we want. 

But her post had like 15 issues, It would take me all day to type out a response...but I had one for each issue...I may do it and put it up later....when I have time to not do it with no snark in my tone, Because setting the record straight is the best argument. It was supposed to be quoted from Jeff Foxworthy the comedian...the thing is it was about poor people and immigrants, he bashed them and incorrectly make statements about the life they lead...HIS family originated in Essex England, Immigrant roots.....he  is the son of a well to do family his father was an IMB executive, Foxworthy got his first job via his father giving it to him...yep he worked on a mainframe computer at IMB so looks to me like he got quite a hand up from his family OH and did I mention he is worth 100 Million Dollars??? Hypocrite. 

She lives in another state we don't spend time together so  I think a cooling period as tempers are high now; one lost - one won...last yr I unfriended my neighbor, BUT I had been considering doing that for like a year and the whole thing came to a head when I took my flag down after Trump won, she told me in public on a FB Post that he won and I should get used to that and get over it.  So I told her I don't need her to tell me what I should think, feel, or say.  And I unfriended her on FB and in real life.  

So do I regret that? NOT one single day...I was fed up with her.  She told me she had an abortion when she was 38 because she just didn't want to raise another child...Ok, that is HER decision to make...but she pretends to support the Right to Life movement.   That only made me question what else is she lying about? I wanted to say: SO you support taking that right away from someone else but it's OK since it was YOU?  Call me what you will but I have standards of who I spend my time around...I didn't tell her to change, I didn't say anything I was very surprised, but when she told me I was wrong to take down my flag, and in public, knowing what she had told me in private, and I didn't put her down or tell her how she should have behaved....I knew I was not going to have that person in my life. 

I have not said one to word to her if she passes me on the road I do not look at her I don't look away I just treat her like anyone else who I don't know...I respect her right just to be who she is, but that doesn't mean she will be in my life. 

So I ate 2 pieces of my pie, the crust was to be honest the weak link,  poor but it worked...and

My condolences to the family of Hank Aaron.  He was 86  he was a fantastic player and yet got death threats back when he was playing,...why? Because he was Black.  

So not right.  He was worth $25 million.....$75 million less than Foxworthy...and Aaron was a Legend.

That hardly seems fair. 

Yesterday

AS AN OKAY DAY...
not a great day not a bad just an okay day...I was sitting here checking off in my mind what I got done today...

• Cut some wood
• fertilized my fruit trees
• took a few photos 
• worked on my old photos
• got some old blogs up again
• dinner done
• fire burning
• dogs fed
  
  

Not as busy as Biden, he was Super busy...and seems to be so on line for all the things that been bugging me,,.so Im relaxing more every day just knowing "he's got that" for me, for US.  What a huge relief.  He is getting serious about getting this virus under control.  

Masks on public transportation, buses, trains, planes, etc.  Federal properties and asked for a 100 day of mask wearing for everyone.  

Dr Fauci says in fall we make more progress with it.  BUT that depends on what we DO NOW 

Republicans are already squealing...let 'em squeal as we squealed for 4 yrs let 'em squeal. 

I don't care if it's delayed, the push on Impeachment in the Senate, as long as they are using the time to really Investigate and not cover up...and do hold him accountable. 

Trump's vaccine numbers were way OFF no surprise there...

Im still undecided but there is none on the horizon for me anyway since there is not enough shots to fill the appointments already made.  And meanwhile it Mutates..

People stay Away from each other...please...I think I will write Joe Biden, tell him my plan NO One crosses a county LINES, I know it would work...there is no way to contain it while people move around as we currently are. 

Once again if there is ANY bright side, it's a culling of the herd, and I could be next.

Friday Again!!

Four long years...

ELCOME BACK AMERICA

The lady is free again.  It sure feels good to get that goon out of our house, he soiled everything he touched...his parting speech was ridiculous...he said he'd be back in some form...hopefully its to go to Fed Prison. 

Joe's inauguration speech was a ray of light...he gave us all hope...and that's a huge first day.  Trump said if the economy picks up it's due to his hard work and we are not to forget that.  HUH?   The music of his send off was so not right...he had a DJ spinning tunes it sounded like a night club, they played Billy Jean and as he walked up to AF ONE to leave They played Village People  singing the YMCA....now tell me what does that have to do with HIM...or our COUNTRY?? It was as rude as he is. 

 The swearing in ceremony was lacking a civilian audience but that's a sign of the time we are in. Ms Harris, strong, and beautiful her family so proud and happy...life is on the way up.  It won't happen overnight but now we can sleep a little easier since Trumps nuke codes no longer work...whew.  

Joe has a huge National Security plate on his lap N Korea has more nukes, Iraq and Iran both more of a threat to us, and our allies have to warm back up to us, after the cold shoulder DT gave them. 

My life today was not a lot...I did some yard clean up it was warm and sunny, so I ran the mower over some leaves to start the spring clean up.  I had only a bit of gas so I need to get my jug filled.  Did a few other little chores, and that was about it...left overs for dinner, and no fire tonight, Im gonna relax and not have to get up and down feeding it.  It's not that cold tonight. Not sure if we are watching a movie, maybe...

I spent a good part of the afternoon, going thru the photo CD's putting them on thumb drives so it's easier for me to update those posts that have missing photos.  These are from 2008...so I have a lot of work to do, we expect some rain not sure when but that will give me a good indoor project to work  on. 

New Beginning for an entire nation...sure feels good.

Good Riddence to the Little Dictator

HO DID NOTHING GOOD...

Today I finally had to go for supplies,  son took me to Walmart, he drives way too fast and he ran one stop light because he was going to fast to stop!! It wasn't so bad in Walmart, not completely packed but a little busy.  I was able to find a self checkout, which I prefer, I bag in my won bags and put it in the way I want to take it out...Makes life simpler. 

My birds will he happy I got a citrus suet...hope I get some orioles.  Orchard Orioles come in spring but they never have come to my feeders, they will sometimes go for the hummingbird feeder, I hear Baltimore Oriole's are eating from jelly feeders in Charleston area...so I may try that this spring too...summer won't do because it will get too hot to feed jelly, it will melt and attract ants. 

I walked to the stop sign and back today it was mild this morning and it got up to 62 by 3 pm...now it's on the way down, but I think it's only going to 34.F 

So in the morning Trump will go to Andrews Air Base where he has sent  invites to "a select group of people" to come watch him take his last flight on Air Force One, I don't think any of the people who broke into the Capitol on his behalf received invites tho.   The Little Dictator wants a military send off. OMG what a grand stander...he wants a red carpet, a military band, and get this, A 21 gun salute...I hope they aim low...lol. 

He is leaving early so he would not need to "ask" Joe if he can borrow AF 1...can you believe that? He is not doing any of the polite traditional things, neither is the "first lady" who stayed hidden for basically 4 yrs.  I hear Mara Largo does not allow full time residency...he has signed a contract,  which of course we know he will not abide to as he had not kept his word on anything...meanwhile he is signing pardons by the hundreds and heaven only knows for whom. So far there have been very little RSVP' s to his invite returned. 

Im sure the pillow guy will be there...will he bring along his "how to overthrow the govt playbook", can you get over that news...fascism at work there, what has a pillow manufacturer have to say to a departing president?? Hell we have no idea what Trump has up his sleeve, but the military leaders have already said there is no reason for them to become involved in the transfer of power. 

Meanwhile we will all be watching Biden take his Oath,  Trump leaves at 10 and Joe's Inauguration  begins at 10...the SUN will come from behind the black cloud and now we have a decent man, and a decent woman leading us. We have a first lady who can relate to life as an American Woman who has worked in the job force, who has helped raise her step children with love and devotion...and by all appearance it's a normal American family that can relate to issues families face...and the VP Mrs, Harris, part of a blended family that reflects the diverse and changing face of America.  She knows how race relations can affect the life of many Americans and I hope she takes a lead on Police Reform and Equal Rights Battles. 

... right now Joe and VP Harris are at the Washington Mall presiding over a ceremony of respect to the 400,000 people lost to Covid, Trump never said ONE word about the deaths of so many in this nation, NOT ONE...he has no compassion for the dead, or the living who cry over them. Watching the Washington Mall peaceful and humble, makes me feel really good about our future. we now have a chance to be a better country.  

I am so glad to see Trump gone...AND I know the media will continue to cover his life, but it does me good to know he no longer welds that Golden Pen...

Good riddence to bad rubbish.
His parting address:  He said his constant concern was the American Family....really??? I didn't see him do anything but spend the last 3 months trying to overturn the election and bad mouth Democrats and State Election Boards...

Devil Lied right up to the end. 

SO many of us have been waiting for this day since Jan 20, 2016.  It's been a long and horrible four years for this country.  My stress level I hope will go down...because I am compassionate about my country and the bad leadership was such a threat to us, how could anyone relax and ignore it?  I can almost hear 300 million people giving the sigh of relief. 

It's going to be a nice day tomorrow so I plan to get my mower out if there is gas in it...I forgot to take my gas can with me, on the trip to town....I want to start bagging up the leaves on the yard, getting it ready for Spring, the daffodils are already breaking thru the ground. 

Tinkering around

ENT IN SEARCH OF MEMORIES

And found some...

I think I mentioned I have been trying to replace the missing photos in my old blog posts, from my storage discs, thumb drives and anywhere else I've stashed them...ONE huge mistake I made was not downloading all the photos before I told Flickr to go **&^

So I thought I had them but no and my external hard drive will not boot up and shows basically that it is empty.  

I found a smattering of the photos on my Facebook..unfortunately not all and none from Mt St Helen's...IF I could get my pc tower to boot again...and Im going to try that soon  boot in safe mode possibly...there is only so many hours in a day.

So I downloaded 1600+ photos from facebook today. 

So I will be able to fill in a few blanks...it is going to take a little organization prior because they didn't download with my titles on them they have this lonnnnggggg string of numbers and letters senseless title, so I have to group them together and then get at it.

 

So the mechanic said $750 omg...and this is the exact same thing I paid  him $550 to do 4 yrs ago.  IT better be the fix....so it will be done end of week if Im lucky. He had no explanation as to why it went bad again but I know he didn't replace all the gears in there last time, Im speaking of the differential...so I guess he should have, he told me than it would cost $1200 to do all of them and if the big one was okay only $550.  I went for the low price.

I have to say today I felt really tired and not well...just the slightest exertion made my heart race, and made me feel like I may just fall over...so if I disappear, then you know why..my heart feels like it's doing back flips every so often all day long. 

The wind was cold again so I was only out doing chores for about 2 hours in the yard got the wood in for the fire, swept off the porch, filled the bird feeders and filled up their water baths, and not much else.  Ive eaten left overs from yesterday just need to feed the dogs then call it a day.

I forgot the mail won't run it's MLK day and a federal holiday....so my present to sis may not arrive on time, the card I sent brother in law took 5 days prior to Trump's slowing of the US Mail it would take only 3 days for a first class letter to go to Colorado from my mailbox.  I've already paid for and printed my label, did that online.  I've had a USPS account since I was an ebay seller for several years, and I still have it.  It comes in handy I can print my label and place it in the maibox. 

I had lots of ideas to share but for some reason cant think of another thing currently...so hope your Monday was  peaceful and good to you.  

Chinks in the Armor, fill with Justice or...

ILL FEAR SHUT US DOWN?

We allow fear to control us to the point that it is shutting us down.  The few voices raised do not represent the majority.  The Silent majority in this case is a dangerous one.  If a tree falls in the forest and some one lies and said no it didn't, did it still fall. 

Ladies and Gentlemen yes it did...

We have to speak out but it has to be with the true facts...we may not like it, but our job is go about changing our reality not denying it. 

Lies are at the root of unrest in this country.  The cops lie and say they don't single out blacks, the politicians lie and say there was vote fraud, in fact Trump said this will be the most rigged election in history a year before the voters went to the polls.. Does he have a crystal ball or was he simply getting a jump on his BIG Lie. 

The Right Wing news is more to blame for the hatred and lies than anything out there...how do you silence that?  While watching my favorite news I saw a guy, who has written a couple books about democracy, he reminded me it was in fact General/President US GRANT who squashed  and broke up the KKK, and put them on trial...he sent federal troops to SC and declared this:

|Grant did not view the Confederates as heroes. He did not embolden them or stoke their resentment about the Confederacy’s defeat. Instead, after the Enforcement Acts were passed, he sent federal troops to the South and stated categorically that “insurgents were in rebellion against the authority of the United States”.

By 1872, the Klan had been defeated. The weight of the federal government broke the back of the organization and reduced racial violence throughout the South. Frederick Douglass declared that without Grant’s actions, black Americans likely would have been trapped in a condition similar to slavery. The violence did not end altogether, but the Klan was no longer a formidable player in American politics. Nor would it be until 50 years later, when the second Klan rose in the 1920s.|

So now the white supremacists hatred has returned stoked by the right wing media...This whole movement helped to destroy my marriage....let me explain.  So in the 1990's the whole Iraq war thing really sparked hate for Islamics' and Newt Gingrich was speaker of the House from 1995-98 he resigned after having an affair with a 23 yr younger employee of his and resigned his seat entirely in 1999. He ran for president in 2012 against Obama.

Here in SC he won the Rep Primary...over Romney. 
HE is the first domino in the downfall of the GOP.  He helped stoke the Tea Party movement...  His hate seemed to spark something in my x husband...who had always had a bias toward Islamic people...because he resented immigration to his native Britain by Muslims. 

He began to listen to Rush Limbaugh in his car as he went about his day he changed after that...he would put Fox News on in the house but when I walked in he would swiftly change the channel...I would have no part of his new political fever, he was NOT a citizen and could not vote and when he finally did become a citizen he never voted to my knowledge.  But he repeated the lies...and that was a huge part of why we grew apart.  His view on the people around him changed.   He was an immigrant, but he disagreed with immigration, what he really meant was anything other than white immigration.  

Finally the divide was so big in 2001, I left.  I did love him but he changed, this media ruined his mind and who he was, which was slipping as he was a victim of early dementia.  We had no clue there was an organic problem going on...but Looking back NOW I see that. 

TO me freedom of speech is important but like Grant saw back in 1872, sometimes the dividing words of one group causes loss of life to another group.  The so called "election fraud" was pointed at counties that are heavily inhabited by black voters.  These are the counties that the GOP and Trump were contesting.  They have gerrymandered, they have tried to change the voting laws to discourage black participation, they closed down polling locations, they tried to squash efforts to make voting easier for all, during the pandemic, because that will include making it easier for black voters...this is the same shit of the south 150 yrs later...I LIVE here I KNOW HOW IT IS...people used to wear T-shirts here as recent as 1990's that said:
 "IF I had known it would turn out like this I'd of picked my own damned cotton." 
"GO Back to Africa, we don't need you anymore"
"Its heritage not hate" with big confederate flags behind the words....

It is HATE. 

there is a long and ugly history of SC trying to suppress black voters...This is what they did  in SC over the past few years, to try and stop the black vote:

•  Everyone has to have a valid State Issued ID to vote
• Mail in Voting was, expect for this election, only for the elderly, or  disabled, 
• Ballots had to be signed by a Witness
  ...and then this year due to Covid they said OK anyone who wants to vote early can  using the pandemic as a reason, and you MAY do mail in voting but you had to ASK for the ballot, to be mailed to you,  then they said it did not have to be Witnessed...After mail in voting had begun the GOP sued and it went to the Supreme Court they reinstated the witness signature...THOSE received within 2 days would be counted, but what about the ones that came in after the 2 days? They closed some polling places and combined some and if people needed a long car ride to get to the poll how are they going to do that? Some poor people have no car no state issued ID, this is how they try to suppress voters in high black populated areas.  
  I dont think the Supreme Court should have gotten involved in that...it was a state's issue.  Democrats want to expand mail in voting and Republicans do not...because it's easier for the black voter simple as that....And Im certain Jamie Harrison would have won if every vote was counted in SC and we would have been rid of the cancerous Lindsey Graham. 

This hatred can not die until the mouth repeating it is dead...if we can't tell them to shut up do we have to force them like Grant did?   If I tell you a lie with the purpose of getting your irk up so you will do my bidding that is wrong, and it should be stopped how can we stop the lies, without harming the liar?????

First off we have laws on the books, NOW it  has come to light just HOW important the Justice Dept is at getting Justice, I do think the US  Attorney General should be elected NOT named its obvious they stand between US and the Executive Branch to protect us from the Executive Branch...the entire dept was decimated by Trump and his cronies. 

Trump highlighted all the chinks in the armor of Democracy we need to fill those chinks in with Justice and Accountability...NOW the most conservative Democrat in the senate, Joe Manchin, said we should hold off 3 or 4 months on sending the Impeachment Trial to the Senate until a complete investigation can be done...At first I was outraged...but I listened to him he is right...He said "Let us go in knowing we will win...as more evidence that is indisputable comes in then we have a better chance of getting 19 republicans to vote for the Impeachment and therefore all the justice that will come with it, like the 2 Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley would also be removed from office...so I say YES if we jump into the pot before all the ingredients of the soup are mixed it could be ruined...In other words Revenge, like Justice is better served cold. Even soup is allowed to cool before served. 

SO we set up our snares, and we wait...I hope Pelosi sees the importance of this.  She wants Justice We all want JUSTICE.. Wouldn't it be better served with a more trustworthy Justice Department at the helm and in place?  The GOP is going to ride their wave of  hate as long as possible, maybe some of them will suddenly come out from under the spell of hate Trump dragged out into the open, now we see it lets' do something about it, I hope they will see the light of Justice.

wonder...

HEN Things will return to normal...

Oh that is not gonna happen, there will be a new normal...you can never go back remember?

You can't make up for lost time, you can not change the past, and you can't undo what you didn't do then now..

So normal may return but it wont be "Back" to normal...normal meaning we go where we want when we want, that we don't have to wear a mask, that we don't have to wonder if we get a sniffle if its Covid, actually it could BE and could get MUCH worse than what we have experienced. One day the hospitals may have normal bed capacity..but Im sure they have adopted new rules and taken so many shortcuts that may never be undone...medical care has suffered due to covid and it probably won't return to what we had a year ago...

New Order is what we will get, better probably not, and different yes..

So it's Friday...again.  

I have to figure out how to get my photos out of my old computer and old external hard drive...there has to be a way.  So Im researching how to do that...

Hope your Saturday is good,..its getting cold here. 

Rain and all that jazz..

HILST WE SLEPT...

That dang fog and rain returned...I swear I am checking my sides to see if gills are forming..

And it's cold and about as dreary as anything you can think of.  Im listening to my CD collection today it's Nora Jones, her soft sultry jazz is about as close as I get to jazz. Im trying to find my Sarah McLachhlan collection, this one was labeled that..so obviously I have shuffled the jackets around...I will find it...just look for the one that says Nora Jones?

(YES, found it now I have Sarah's sad voice to set my mood all the way down to fetal ball...lol.) My Son, when  he was young and I would be driving him someplace, would ask "can we not listen to depressing Sarah"? OK, how about "Back Street Boys."

"no, Sarah is fine in that case."  we agreed on some artists, his collection was Roy Orbison...so way off the needle. 

So Im tweeting again now Trump is off Twitter.  I was never a fan of Twitter...but I can use it to keep in touch with Politicians maybe? 
MY Senate choice of Jamie Harrison is taking over as the chairman of the Nat. Democratic Convention.  He is a good guy, not a pansy and not a tough guy just a good guy.  

So far one twit on twitter asked me if I could pass a drug test...obviously he is clueless, he said "and you believe Joe Biden won 80 Million votes" when I said the Trump riot was only 8 thousand present while Trump said it was 250K aahhhhh, not even close...so he is the ONLY one saying 250K the news media's I checked said 8 K...and honestly I think it was even smaller.  

Apples to Apples:

Of course the Right is trying to lay blame at the feet of the left for the riots, strange how that is...they want to compare this to BLM. OK, that is not a political leader assembled protest..it was citizens led and citizen groups.  Different animal lets compare apples to apples...did a Biden speech incite a riot? NO, did any Democrat stand in back of a pick up truck and shout to incite anger in the crowd? NO.  Did anyone from Antifa tweet, post or otherwise ask for any one associated with it to assembly on Jan 6th? NO. Did Hunter Biden get up on a podium and shout at the crowd to STOP THE STEAL...NO!

Trump did, the GOP did, the GOP senators did, the Leaders of the GOP did...Trump Jr did, so  like I said NOT EVEN close...now they are saying how does Impeachment Unite us? It's a tool that was used to show our unity against the movement, the unity we will be trying to  spread once the mouth of Trump is completely silenced, and the real facts come out about what he is doing with the money he has collected from them and the lie of the election steal, that same guy asked me Why I believe that Biden got 80 million votes, I said because the Election Returns reported by 50 states counted up to that...

Trump has not lied about the number of votes he got because he can't... he is saying
Yes I got 74K as  you have said but he did not get 80K as you have said...

OK how does that work?? You counted right for me, wrong for him...OH I turst you counted right for me, not but lied for him, all 50 states. 

 And this was a 50 state conspiracy. Heck we cant even get 50 states to unite on how to roll out the covid vaccine, but somehow we managed to unite all 50 election committees in all 50 states. 

Im as gullible as the next gal, I believe in Aliens for Pete's sake, but I don't believe in Trumpism.  There is more evidence that  GOD is real than there is of the vote steal conspiracy. 

5 more sleeps and Trumpism is officially DONE, and then we breath a sigh of relief...and hope the right can find their brain again some where right down around their a-hole, and they stop circling the drain.  As long as the evil right wing media keeps playing on their minds they have little chance, its sad to see half the population of this country turned into Hate Zombies. I wish there was a way to help them. If only they would turn off Fox, Brietbart, Sky News, Rush Limbaugh, and lots more that I am not aware of because I stay clear of intentional liars.  

Now they are angry because their message of  hate in not on privately owned social media...they are getting blocked, they are being removed, they are being silenced...so they say...Fine by me.  Let the Zombies so silent and consume themselves. 

I got the calendars that I ordered via Facebook, they take your photos and make a collage of based on the month you uploaded it,   I got 2, one for my son who has a birthday swiftly approaching,.

 

Im giving my sis the Mr Mercedes dvd's I ordered she is a fan, since we streamed it on Bflix son doesn't need them. Great series although not for the faint of heart must be a fan of thrillers to enjoy it.  She is, so she will. My youngest sis can't even watch Old Yeller..but I understand completely.  

So the van is in the shop and I wait...no expectations right away as there is not one mechanic in this town who is not over worked..so Im patient.  Yesterday was glorious so I birded the yard, did a little wood cutting for the fire and then last evening we watched Fast n Furious 5, a bit noisy but I made it thru,  I did like the Tokyo Drift movie. And I  know the leading actor of the F & F movies was killed in an accident so this is the culmination of his life's work, so very sad.

Im supposed to go Walmart shopping with my son but I don't really want to it's so nasty this cold rain is not what we need to be out in he has a head cold and I had a couple days of unwell feelings.. and I think he has my umbrella, I can wait till tomorrow personally...I don't really need anything. 

Arms of an Angel 

Sarah McLachlan 

Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it okay
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh a beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty
Oh and weightless and maybe

I'll find some peace tonight..

But one of my favs of hers is
Blue

Blue, songs are like tattoos
You know I've been to sea before
Crown and anchor me
Or let me sail away
Blue, here is a song for you
Ink of a pin
Underneath the skin
An empty space to fill in

A poet could say it best...

E MUST LEARN FROM THE PAST...

Grass

BY CARL SANDBURG

Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.

Shovel them under and let me work—

                                          I am the grass; I cover all.

And pile them high at Gettysburg

And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.

Shovel them under and let me work.

Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:

                                          What place is this?

                                          Where are we now?

                                          I am the grass.

                                          Let me work.

Yes in time we won't recall, just like we won't recall the Planes hitting the towers, some have already forgotten, not me.  I was an eye witness and involved in the hopeless recovery...I have PTSD, when I saw that riot on Jan 6th, it brought back a lot of unpleasant memories to me.  

So tomorrow Im to bring my van to the mechanic and leave it so he can check the noise...he asked me to bring it Friday morning at 7:30 am, NO can do, I can't get a ride that early so I will drop off Thursday afternoon, son will follow me at 2 pm-ish. 

And then I saw my completely grey hair the palest shade of winter day and decided to do something about it...BAM, splatters on my wood floor wont come off, So I will try steel wool? 

I only wanted some streaks but it just doesnt work that way unless you have a professional do it.  Not quite GOTH but damn close...lol Its okay and this too shall fade. I think If I had a pair of Pink Glasses all would be perfect.  

I made from scratch chili for dinner, cooked the dried pintos and made my own chili seasoning mix and added some green & red  pepper, tomatoes, onion and it was very good.  Have enough for tomorrow too.  

And we had Fog again ....it came in on little Cats feet... It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. 

He is a clear and present danger...Maybe we can have a real Senate next week...that will be wonderful.  And today when the republicans had the floor open mic in the HOUSE, they did not one of them UTTER the "vote was stolen"...NOT ONE. so there you have it. 

McConnell will be a stooge as is his norm....if not then check for Pigs in the air. 

Three Blind Mice see how they run, they all ran after the farmers wife, who cut their tails off with carving knives have you ever seen such a sight in your life as three bind mice.  

She loved him more...

HEN HIS EYES WERE GREY

the palest shade of a winter day,,,

My x had grey blue eyes...depended on what he was wearing, mine are green and they change according to how much blue is in my shirt,,

Those words up there are from the song Sorrowful Angels, performed by Patti Lovelace.  I love her simple harmonic voice, it's fun to sing along with her...Im an alto harmonic.  

And you  know Vince Gill has been a favorite of mine since way back in the 70's when he was with Pure Prairie League, Amie was one of their early hits that I loved to play and sing.  I can't play guitar anymore since I broke both my wrists, sadly my left wrist does not work properly anymore and I cant hold it in the correct position to make the chords...I still have my guitar and started playing in 1974 and played up until 2013.  It is a very bittersweet feeling. 

Today has been a day of music for me, I do this occasionally when the soul sickness comes onto me hard.  It was the palest of winter days early today fog and damp hung around from overnight rains, the clouds  so low...and I slipped down with them.  My soul touched the ground, and the sadness crept in.  

Sorrowful angels wept into their wings.  

And I felt bad when I got up this morning,,,my right lower lung lobe has crackles...YES I could hear it in bed last night so listened with my stethoscope and yes I can hear crackle on expiration. Could be the beginnings of a pneumonia, so I put myself on Antibiotics that I happen to have.   A friend went to Mexico before the pandemic of course and she brought back bottles of antibiotic. And I got some.   So I hope to catch this early.  

I tried to get out of the funk with music and so I moved my CD changer and the soundbox onto the stand where my record player was...I love my record player but my records are getting old and skipping and can be annoying to listen to. So I moved it into the bedroom...switched places in other words. 

So the changer holds 6 CDs in a little pocket and you push it in and it plays till it's gone thru all 6.  You really don't have to touch it for hours,,,,It helped me.  Then the sun came out...I began to feel better and did some cleaning.  Mostly putting things away, picking up this and that and some light dusting, floor sweeping.  Then I felt tired so I sat with my laptop and worked on some more of my old blog posts with missing photos still in the 2015, and 2016 years.  It's a very slow process, but I got about 5 old posts done.  Slowly grasshopper. 

Then I sang along with Patti on that song, it's a soulful sorrowful ballad, and I hope you will give a listen.  

It's very possible that we can get Trump impeached again and that is better than nothing as he pretends he had nothing to do with what happened, he actually threaten US again by saying it will make some people very angry...
TOO F'Ning bad is my answer to that.  I got all the way to the H's in my list of telling the Representatives who voted YEA, what sacks of pure manure they are, and asking them to resign, and I see hundreds more comments saying the same.

Once I get thru the bad list then I plan to write the good list, the people in Congress who did their job.  I don't know if its gonna me movie night or not Son has not contacted me yet so if he doesn't Im not gonna bother him he may be tired an fell asleep on the  couch.  

IF not Im going to watch Finding Your Roots Nancy Pelosi is going to be on it. 

The fire is crackling and all is good.