Uhhhgggg. I’ve caught a cold

The day after Christmas I was feeling out of sorts. Thursday night, the wind was howling through the area. It calmed down a bit during the day Friday. With the house shaking Thursday night, I slept only fitfully.

It’s possible that this isn’t a cold and that it’s just sinus irritation. Either way, I’m uncomfortable and run down.

The wind is still blowing this morning but it’s not like it’s been. One or two reports I’ve seen claimed there were 32 -35 MPH gusts.

I’m very tired. There are things that I should do but I suspect they’re going to remain undone. Maybe I’ll just watch a movie or two, after walking the dog. Sure I could just put him in the back yard, but he really looks forward to our walks and honestly so do I.

That’s why there’s the good things tag on this post. Yeah I may be feeling like crap but even feeling like I do, I still enjoy the morning walk.

Brrrr! First snow of the season

We got a light dusting of snow last night. I suspect that the white fluffy hides a bunch of ice so I’ll be walking very carefully on manmade surfaces until it warms up a bit.

The temp is a balmy 29°F at the moment.

I wasn’t wanting to spend another winter here, but here I am. I’ll make the best of it as I always do. I probably wouldn’t mind so much if the county plowed our street, but they don’t, and I’m not looking forward to the winter workouts. 

I’ve replaced a bunch of threadbare socks with nice wool ones. I’ve replaced my worn out “goto” boots with a new pair. My various seasonal jackets will hold together for another year so I guess I’m mostly set. 

I’ll be stocking up on soups and lay in some other food supplies over the next few shopping trips to make sure there’s food in case I get snowed in.

It’s time to fill the overly complicated annoying “safer” gas can. I’m going to need it full of gas to fill the snow thrower soon.

Honestly the stupid thing seems to be a fill it once then toss it, because the vapor pressure caused by temperature changes has deformed the plastic permanently. It’s 1 year old. I had metal cans that were 20 years old before the house fire.

This new fangled complicated abomination has a ratcheted locking ring to keep the fill cap on. Due to the deformation of the plastic, it can’t be pressed down against the can, far enough to release. So I can’t get the top off to refill the POS.

God! I miss the old fashioned standard metal gas cans we grew up with. The flexible “snake” pour spout was the most complicated thing about ‘em. And all those metal cans, had a little plug in the top that you popped open when you filled them, or poured the gas. It equalized the pressure and prevented the glug glug that caused spills.

Hmmm. I’m thinking tin snips and a little brute force engineering will solve the problem on the current gas can. I don’t want to pay another $15 for a single use gas can. Besides, I thought these “improvements” were supposed to make things better & safer.

Because of the “Safety” features, I’m going to have a go at, a partially filled, pressurized, (pressure release? We don’t need no stinking pressure release,) gas can with a metal implement in an attempt to get the damn cap off. Yeah, that’s a lot safer!

I swear, the older I get the more I appreciate the KISS principal!

Speaking of which, I might treat myself and buy a new snow shovel. My favorite one, (we have several,) is a little tattered. It might make it through another Winter, but then again, It might not. I don’t really want to spend money on winter gear if I’m not going to be living someplace where it’s necessary.

I did treat myself to an un-necessary but convenient little device. While shopping for my nice wool socks, I bought one of those little headlamp deals. I used it a lot while I was cleaning the garage the other day. It was nice being able to peer into dark corners to see if something was peering back at me.

At one time we had two of these headlamp things. We’d received them as gifts, but Jerry used them more than I did. Now, I can only find one of the two, and it seems a little flakey. I’m thinking Jerry wore out one, switched to the other, and was well on his way to wearing out the second one. They were large, heavy, and clunky. I found them uncomfortable and they tended to have a lot of light shining back in my eyes, in addition to illuminating the area I was facing.

This new one is smaller, brighter, more directional, and I can change the brightness.

It wasn’t necessary, but I’m using it in the basement going through boxes of stuff and it was cheaper than some of the work lights I was looking to purchase.

I can also see using this one if I move someplace where Jesse & I take walks in the evening. That was a lesson learned while we were evacuated due to the fire. Jesse has a “Disco Light” that I use in the evenings to make him more visible, but if I’m not carrying a flashlight I’m invisible. Having a light is also helpful when I’m bagging his poo.

Winter preparation chores are upon me. It’s time for me to shut down the external hose bibs, and trim the chocolate flower next to the walkway. I let it grow wild throughout the Spring & Summer because the honey bees like it. In Fall, I trim it back to almost the ground because it interferes with clearing snow. 

It’s strange, last year I was still reeling in reaction to Jerry’s passing. I wasn’t really feeling it. 

This year, I feel it very sharply.

This time of year, Jerry would be doing things for the church or the temple, he’d be laying in canned goods and doing the inside stuff to prepare for Winter. I’d be outside, trimming plants, and securing various items for the freezing temperatures, I’d be adding mulch to protect their roots, cleaning the dryer vent, moving things around to make snow clearing easier, and I’d be whistling the whole time. If it was cold while I was working, Jerry would call me in every couple of hours to drink something warm. It was the inverse of our Spring / Summer routine.

Doing the chores now, and being present, (to use an overused “woo woo” term,) makes the loss a bit sharper and yet not overwhelming as it seemed last year. I guess I’ll count that in the “Win” column. I suspect it means I’m healing and coming to some sense of peace. 

I miss him. I always will. Yes, I’m doing the stuff that needs to be done. Only now I realize I was doing that stuff for him, for Us, and it was about making us comfortable. Somehow, when I come in from the various chores, the house seems oppressively silent. This is the second winter without him, and it’s feeling a lot harder than the first. Harder isn’t the right word, poignant? That seems to be a better fit, but doesn’t really capture the breadth of it.

All that being said, it is a beautiful day outside. Yeah it’s cold, but the sun is bright and it’ll warm up while Jesse and I are on our walk. I think it’s time to get up from this desk and go enjoy nature. It will make Jesse happy, and most of the time I end up smiling or laughing at his antics.

We encountered a portable generator yesterday. He didn’t know what to make of it and didn’t like it. So, he decided it was appropriate to bark at the little red block.

The workmen and I were all laughing but Jesse was undeterred in telling the machine that it was on our walking path. I took a knee and told Jesse it was okay, then one of the workmen kindly turned the machine off until Jesse & I were well away from their work area.

I’m curious to see what today brings.

Carpe Diem!

For the first time in years I woke up cautiously optomistic.

I wasn’t going to watch the election results, but I turned the coverage on mid-afternoon. It was like watching an accident, I found that I couldn’t look away.

Then the numbers kept coming in that began to indicate the current administration was crippled and on its way to the trash bin of history. It was addictive, and I was hooked.

As the night wore on, I felt like the rug would be pulled out from under me. I was sure that somewhere in a dank basement in Washington D.C. a cabal of vile creatures that used to be human, in whom the corruption had finished its horrific work, were meeting to dash my hopes.

I was waiting for some last minute judicial maneuver, played out in grandiose fashion that disqualified not only Trump but somehow criminalized all Republicans and MAGA supporters. With anyone wearing Red being loaded up into cattle cars then shipped off to “Work Camps” or Re-Education camps.

I was expecting Kamala to take the stage cackling like a hyena announcing she won… by default… again…

As more states turned red I was dumbfounded. I poured myself another drink and waited for the inevitable crushing despair I knew had to come. Surely there was something that the slimy Democrats had up their sleeve.

I knew Harris & that strange troll of a man Walz, were destined to win, their job was to subject us to at least 8 more years of horrific policies, war, and poor governance. 

Their job was to finally and completely break the backs of the American Citizen.

AP24255498713961 640x480.Then Kamala blew off her “watch party” leaving her supporters exhausted, despondent, and unappreciated. She went to bed, without appearing. She sent a minion to make nice, and tell everyone the party was over and to go home.

Trump meanwhile, along with his family, Vice President elect, and many others appeared before the crowd and he was humble (relatively speaking for him). He thanked people, those who were on stage and those in the crowd for their support.

In short, he was Presidential. 

Donald_Trump_32758233090 768x512.jpg.optimal 3278148077.X lit up like a Christmas tree.

There was a fair amount of vitriol directed at the paid shills who’d been propping up the Biden / Harris administration for the past four years.

They’d been doing this often by misrepresenting the truth and never missed an opportunity to bash Trump, often touting previously debunked stories or flat out lies as evidence of Trump’s Hitlerian evil.

The general consensus of the messages directed at these people was a resounding “Fuck You!

As I was reading these streams of messages, I couldn’t help thinking that I’d rather have a strong convicted Felon, than a a weak duplicitous communist as the President.

At least a Felon can communicate with Putin and Zelensky on even footing…

I think the popular voting numbers also say “fuck you” to Democrats and their policies, only a bit more polite.

Some Senate seats flipped, it looks like the Republicans will control the Senate. Unfortunately, the scum Adam Schiff is projected to return to the senate. As is typical in California, the coastal areas screw over the farmers and ranchers in the interior of the state.

The House seats are still too close to call, maybe a majority will be held onto by the Republicans?

On a funnier note, some of the folks on X were saying, “I never thought I’d say this, but I am looking forward to watching The View tomorrow.”

Joy Reid is out of her damn mind and is calling Florida an “Extreme Right-Wing Fascist State”. Wow! She’s obviously never been there for any length of time. One thing I can say about Florida is you’re pretty much going to be left the hell alone to live your life so long as you don’t break the law or hurt someone else. Thats kind of the opposite of a Fascist State isn’t it?

Honestly, Joy Reid needs to retire. She seems to be interested only in fomenting anger and hatred with half truths and rage.

Oh isn’t that nice? George Gascón has been kicked out on his ass in a landslide. I guess the people of Los Angeles County are sick and tired of living in “Escape from Los Angeles” . Perhaps there will be a crackdown on lawlessness. 

Barbra Streisand, & Cher should be busy packing their bags. They’ve both said they’d leave the United States if Trump was elected. In fact a lot of Hollywood celebrities should be loading up the U-Hauls this morning.

Even the HAM Radio Net, I’m in most mornings (a regular communication of HAM operators, checking in with each other.) Normally, these Nets are apolitical but once in a while someone makes a comment. This morning was one of those mornings.

One operator commented to another, “Four years ago you said we were in for a rough ride. We made it through & It’s been a pleasure to ride along with you.” The comment was super innocuous and nothing more than what it said on the face of it. The two operators had even signed off.

But there was a KAREN who listens but never says anything on-air during the net except to complain, piped up telling everyone how important, experienced, and righteous he was and that political comments weren’t appropriate.

My response to that “Karen” out of California City was to turn my radio off. I’d have liked to yell into my microphone “Go Fuck Yourself!” But that really is inappropriate and against FCC Ham Rules. Perhaps I should coin “ESGFY” as a shorthand way of saying “Elon Says Go Fuck Yourself” I don’t think it would catch on though.

I’m tired of all the fucking busybodies! Look you joyless scolds, stay in your own lane, stay out of other peoples business or conversations and live your life. That’s a lot better than sucking the life out of everything and everyone around you. Not that any of you would have the introspection to see that.

CNN’s Van Jones is, of course, playing the race card. Jones is already making excuses yet ignoring the blatantly obvious facts. 

Jones stated that while you can’t really say what exactly determined the result of the 2024 election, President-Elect Donald Trump had leeway to behave poorly that his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t due to race and gender.

Uhhhh no you blithering idiot. It wasn’t about race or gender. Trumps win was about the American People rejecting the Democrat policies, and about Kamala Harris being so throughly unlikeable that she was forced out of the 2020 election because she had so few votes. She hasn’t changed or learned anything and the American People haven’t changed their opinion of her. End of story.

I think perhaps the way forward to healing the rifts between us, starts by telling the truth. The broadcast media oughta give that a try for a while and see where it takes us.

I woke up this morning actually feeling hopeful.

I did check the news feeds because I’m still waiting for the legal maneuvering that Jamie Raskin alluded to so that Trump can’t be President. I’m sure that will come out of New York, you know the source of the shittiest legal proceedings in the country. The place that killed a pet squirrel and a raccoon in what can only be described as an authoritarian like cluster fuck, while allowing rapes, murders, theft, and drugs to wash through the place like a fetid river of shit. The place that re-elected Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, the dumbest bimbo ever, (although AOC and Harris seem to be in a competition to reach bottom for that title.)

Today is still a good day, Trump is still the President Elect by number of votes cast. I was half expecting some “counting errors” to have occurred during the dark of night. Like last time.

For the moment, until New York does some other shitty legal wrangling, or BLM and ANTIFA, the dumb shit gays for Palestine, or the Frankenstein looking mob of Transgender mutilations, start burning shit down.

I’m going to enjoy feeling lighter, hopeful, and happier, than I’ve felt in years.

I think the military used to say something like “Smoke if ya got ‘em”

Have a great day.