How can it have been 3 years already!!!
From this:
They just grow up so fast! It still boggles my mind when I realize my eldest is 30 now.
Working on the house today. Getting ready to have an indoor tag sale soon and
A.) Get rid of some stuff I don't want any more.
B.) Use the $$$ to pick up a few items that I REALLY want.
Exchanging stuff for stuff.
My re-decorating items arrived for the bath yesterday!!!
The Frog Bog is coming right along.
The bait shop is helping with mosquito minnows and the grands with frog eggs/tadpoles.
When the lilies bloom they will resemble this
Can't wait to see it bloomed.
So...missing my fuzz-buddy, Tucker, so much. The vet sent this last week...which I though was really thoughtful.
I can't say enough good things about this veterinary clinic and staff.
Shelby and I are adjusting to each other's idiosyncrasies well.
She is STILL poking me awake at 4:30...but I seemed to have located the SNOOZE button. I scratch her under her chin and then lay my hand flat beneath it and she will rest her head on my hand and doze for another 2 hours. Which is nice.
I have learned that (unlike Tucker) you must never ever ever put your hand beneath your pillow to sleep...because then any further movement must then be ATTACKED violently. No matter how late the hour or how deeply you might be asleep.
She also has a vocal GPS that she uses to help me locate her food dish early in the morning. You know, in case I have forgotten where it always sits...from the night before. Siri has NOTHING on her. The closer the food actually gets to the bowl the louder the frequency becomes. Saying "Shut UP" has absolutely no effect.
She is "chatty". Sometimes she will just come up and look you right in the eyes and "talk".
If you meow back she dismisses you as though you are an idiot.
If she can use one paw to POKE me awake...is it completely unreasonable to think she might be taught to use the POKE for good...and turn on The Keurig?
She likes...no...she demands...to be brushed.
It is okay because I have never SEEN a cat that sheds this much. You could card it and knit a sweater.
All and all, we are becoming good roomies.
The manuscript for my novella (too short for a full length novel...too long for a short story) is shaping up and the first draft is about 3/4 of the way through now. My goal is to finish the rough (or first) draft by December and then used next year to edit and the re-write.
Having a great time with Virtual Hawaii and selected this video-capture for my painting
Even found some powdered sulphur to mix in the black so there will be an olfactory twist to it. The volcanic smell...light but unmistakable.
Finished a newly released novel that was amazing, as well. The book?
The first novel ( 7 years in the making) non-fiction of the (then) 23 year old college graduate who took a year literally walking across America...meeting its people and documenting their stories, wisdom, words of advice.
30 now, he lives in Massachusetts and continues to write, teach writing seminars and self-help/enlightenment groups.
I think the most interesting aspect of this book was to witness the change that took place during the year's walk within its author.
And its message that may change us, as well.
Excellent and well worth the time.
Also saw
last night.
If you have not seem this yet...you MUST.
Outstanding film that twists and turns and helps you "feel" what PTSD/ or perhaps schizophrenia must surely be like.
No spoilers here...just go see for yourself.
So it has rained...and rained...and even more rain. At Heritage Lake, where we raised the boys, there are large houses literally collapsing (washing out) lake-front. Roads have been closed and low lying country areas appearing like large ponds.
Sometimes it is good to live on a small elevation.
My established Roses and Bayberry bushes are fine...The Frog Bog is loving it...the Herb basket well-drained and doing well (although they say frost for the weekend...so covering it is a must) and have held off on planting anything else until probably the last week of May.
Just to make sure.
Posted this on FB the other morning and Jill (Lennon's Bio-Mom) and I had a conversation and laughter concerning how perfect it would be as a Podcast sort of thing. Especially with Politics and the Current Administration...where glancing at the daily newsfeed prompts
" And Now WHAT?"
from both of us.
Since I don't Podcast...but do routinely engage in political commentary,I am taking her suggestion and am now calling the news/political portion of my blog:
"AND NOW WHAT???"
So here goes...
(...thanks, Jill...)
A.) Presidenting is a lot harder that he thought.
B.) He would get away with a LOT if it weren't for That PESKY Document...you know, The US Constitution.
(...to be fair...he probably hasn't read the whole thing...and there ARE a lot of big words...)
Like the E.O he just signed trying to enact the RFA across the entire nation.
(...will somebody please clue Mr. Trump in to the fact this country isn't a theocracy...and our US Constitution specifically addresses this fact...)
Ah...nevermind. The ACLU is all over this.
Unconstitutional.
Never going to happen.
(...Y you keep losin', Mr. Trump???")
The bill to repeal the ACA (aka Obamacare) has now made it past the House to The Senate...but take a deep breath folks (and call your US State Senators) we can help it die there...before it kills a lot of us.
If you had seen them glad-handing and patting themselves on the back when it finally slid past the House (...with what? 4 votes) You would have thought it was a done deal.
Not so fast.
And to be fair...I do like the idea of getting rid of the individual mandate. It was an add on late in the ACA and should have NEVER have happened.
But this new bill (if passed) stands to give enormous tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations/pharmaceuticals...lets insurance companies charge up to 5 times more for people over 50...and gives them free rein to charge the hell out of people with pre-existing conditions. And there are an amazing amount of things they consider "pre-existing conditions".
Yes, you can STILL keep your kid on your insurance, assuming you can afford it, up to 26.
All in all, however, this is a BAD bill. If they do manage to ram it through...expect major fall-out in the 2018 and 2020 elections.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1628/text
This is the full text of the GOP Healthcare Bill.
Another Bill which has been getting a lot of attention recently is
The Working Families Flexibility Act
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1180/text?format=tx
A much shorter bill and not the monstrosity the far-left had screamed and spread misinformation that it is/will be.
READ THE BILL.
My youngest son and I discussed this bill at some length yesterday.
I had not read the bill in its entirety.
If you read the bill you will see that either the Union (if you are represented) or YOU have to agree/ask for the flex time in lieu of over-time. No one can make you accept flex time instead of overtime. You cannot be fired if you choose not to use flex time. If you do not use your flex time you must be compensated for the over-time. If you change your mind and decide you do not want the flex time they must change you back to over-time.
In short, this appears to be a good bill for families and workers.
You would never know it by the knee-jerk reactions out there.
Mine included.
So keep informed. Know your US Congressmen. Keep their feet to the fire. Support your ACLU (...they really are looking out for us)
http://www.senate.gov/states/index.html
http://www.house.gov/representatives/
https://action.aclu.org/secure/sem-become-freedom-fighter-join-aclu?s_src=UNW170001SEM&alt_src=UNV170001SEM&ms=gad_SEM_Google_Search-Evergreen-ACLU%20Brand_ACLU%20Membership%20Terms_join%20aclu_e_169710879313
and join The Resistance.
