It is still pretty cold and sparse out, right now...but just wait.
Chunk was, reportedly, the first bear out/seen.
Several have mentioned a bunch of cubs this year...haven't seen them yet.
Excited!
The bears are back!!!!!
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Monday, June 22, 2026
Virtual Jamaica: Clarendon
Here we are...back in virtual Jamaica!
Our hotel for the week is The Dynasty.
The rooms are nicer than a guest-house but far beneath a Holiday Inn.
It is affordable...$71 USD per night...and clean.
Besides...there doesn't seem to be a lot to do in this Parish...so we will be moving on fairly quickly.
Attractions include The Milk River Mineral Spa and The Woodleigh Dirtbike Race Track.
Wednesday, we will check out the spa...
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Father's Day...John...and a Little Rant
What the fucking fuck???
I mean, seriously.
At first, when they drained the Reflection Pool...painted it dark blue...walked and drove on it...refilled it...ignored the professionals who told them the 90 degree heat and dark bottom, shallowness and still water would create a perfect environment for algae growth...and it did...and even when the Department of the Interior said the water was clear...even though it was Mountain Dew Green...I stayed quiet.
When they dumped gallons of hydrogen peroxide in...which was kind of like spitting in the wind because the pool is filled with 6.75 millions of gallons of water.
...you do the math...
I stayed quiet.
It wasn't going to kill the algae...much less the ducks/ducklings.
When the paint started peeling and floating up...I just nodded and said that obviously the "I KNOW A GUY" approach to contract work didn't work.
And assumed our litigious-happy inhabitant of the Oval Office would hold the contractor responsible and he would be forced to fix the mistake.
Boy, was I in for a surprise.
No...the Orange-Idiot took to TS to blame the usual suspects for vandalism...adding something corrosive to the pool...slashing the blue liner 250 feet...and posting the National Guard to guard The Algae????
Really???
And MAGA...well, they lapped it up like a dog eating its own vomit.
Now...instead of being able to litigate the original contractor for the shoddy job and peeling liner...he has given him an excuse...in writing.
Face it...he is an idiot.
Okay...I'm done.
Wished James and Chris Happy Father's Day!
John is improving every day!
Eating well...now weighs 168.2 pounds...walks and can climb stairs without assist...enjoying pool games with Jonathan and is winning again.
And all of this with no further collapsing or shortness of breath!
We're soooooooooooooooooo happy...and feel he has turned a corner!
Back to Jamaica, tomorrow!
Saturday, June 20, 2026
It's GREEN
And a quick note to the Department of the Interior...no...it is not clear...it is swamp green...with floating chunks of Flag Blue paint in it, now.
What a mess for the upcoming 250 Anniversary of our country.
So...let's look at the past month:
Noem...Gabbard and Bondi...all fired....Hog's Breath...er..Hegseth...surrounded by influenza breakout after insisting the enlisted did not have to take (checks notes) the flu vaccine...right....the war is over...no it is not...now it is over....or not...repeat 36 more times...okay...there is a cease-fire...uh...shit is still blowing up...well...cease fire doesn't actually mean they stop firing...(rolling eyes)...the strait is open...now it is closed...now it is open....oops...it's closed again...gas is up...inflation is up...prices are up...they had to remove Trump's name from the Kennedy Memorial...the tarp is STILL up...we had a freaking cage-fight on the WH Lawn...no...really...(breathe)...they painted the reflecting pool and refilled it...the algae took over and now it is green...so they dumped a bunch of hydrogen peroxide in to try to kill the algae...then the paint started peeling up and floating on top...
Idiocracy is a documentary.
It is temporary.
He is temporary.
MAGA is temporary.
We will get through this.
Only 31 more months!
;
Friday, June 19, 2026
Virtual Jamaica: Rasta~ Ital Cooking
Most Rastafari eat Ital.
The word is just vital without the V.
The meaning is a bit more complicated.
The closest dietary comparison is vegan...although some make exceptions for small fish...most don't.
Their proteins are consumed from nuts and beans.
Yams, rice, whole grains, nuts, beans and coconut/coconut milk are also used.
Since metal/aluminum pots are shunned...the ingredients are boiled together in clay cooking pots with water and covered.
The vegetables and spices/herbs are simmered until tender.
These are handmade in the Rasta community and can be in a wide variety of sizes...some are lumpy and bumpy and blackened from the carbon fire that finished them.
You can buy one new on Amazon or eBay for around $60 USD.
There is no set recipe...and The Rasta combine the fresh vegetables and herbs available. The combination is fresh, smells wonderful and is healthy.
The Ital Stew is usually served with a side of coconut rice.
Next week, we will leave St. Catherine Parish and check out Clarendon!
Monday, June 15, 2026
Virtual Jamaica: Rastafarianism
Today we will explore The Rastas...
https://youtu.be/OjvP08LYNtU?si=B-9rabR_IC1LHckt
A religion born in Ethiopia in the 1930's.
The beliefs are based on an interpretation of the Christian Bible.
Jah is the monotheistic "god" and Haile Selassie (Emperor of Ethiopia 1930-1974) is considered The Messiah...or among some merely a prophet.
24 Hours with Rasta People
https://youtu.be/UL7ctJwoVpU?si=0595uyzPtkOD1DYh
The Ital Diet is natural...very little sugar or salt...no additives...mostly vegetables and fruits...no pork or shellfish...
They do not partake of food prepared by non-rastas or by menstruating women.
Often, they gather their dreadlocks back in a Tam...or woven head covering.
Next time, we will have an adventure in Ital Cooking!
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Winning the Championship...Summer Vibes...John Update...Morning Glories
John and I were able to watch 3...4...and 5 together.
Last night was edge-of-your-seat stuff. Down to the last 8 seconds!
The Moment
https://youtu.be/ZLfOi0apAeg?si=EcMRlrKs7JA0NiZ_
The Locker Room
https://youtu.be/MwBmLp9GxMM?si=jaP8jVcSpYZaDKCF
NYC After the Win
https://youtu.be/Hes-us73xLE?si=vhlojePwqwBCzd_-
The last time The Knicks won an NBA championship I was 13 years old.
This is the good stuff!!!
After what seems like forever...John has turned a corner!
Gaining weight back...doing well with PT...can climb stairs again...shot 6 games of pool in the basement with Jonathan and WON 3 of them...shortness of breath is less...O2 SATS are staying good...no pain...oh...and best of all...no further cancer seen!!!
We are beyond happy!!!!
The hummingbirds will be thrilled.
The 90 degree heat, rain and humidity seem to have passed.
My fireflies are back and sparkling in the trees.
Summertime is near.
Time to take stock.
And it feels like it has been a year, already.
So much for less stress...maybe in a few months, okay?
The PT/OT is helping...but it is dreadfully slow.
I have made little progress on my handwriting and zero on relearning to operate my camera...still trying.
My small muscle weakness seems to be primarily on my left side...so...I use my right hand and fingers.
I work every day to keep the ability to transfer myself and use multiple grab bars to still be able to soak in a bubble bath/get out of the tub independently.
...so important to me...
I've started painting and planting again.
Also, sitting outside with the cat and tea, to read or enjoy sunrise/sunset.
It took a while but I seem to have thrown off the stuckness of last year...and there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel!
...hopefully, not a train...
My younger sister, Tina, and I watched as they removed the orange man's name from the Kennedy Memorial.
Removing the P
And to quote Josh Johnson
"There is a cage fight on the White House lawn."
Yeah...it's embarrassing.
This too...is temporary.
Next week, we will get back to Virtual Jamaica!
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