Hello

 Hello to all....

Does anyone read blogs anymore?

I'd like to get back to posting.

Currently....

 

Outside my window...

Outside my window, spring is trying to arrive. We have had a crazy winter here. As have most of you. Last week we had snow and ice and nighttime temperatures of -17 degrees. That is just too damn cold for me or for anyone else. Teddy didn't mind going out in the snow but he had to be de-iced every time we came back in. His long hair attracted the little bits of snow and turned his coat into a coat of tiny snowballs. This is NOT a picture of my Teddy, but this is exactly how he looked. So I had to use the blow dryer and a towel every time he had to pee. Now this week we have seen sunshine and blue skies with temperatures in the 60-70's. Crazy to say the least. I have lived in Kansas long enough to know not to trust that spring is here to stay. We are also starting to get all the updates on tornado sirens and text message alerts. Sigh!! If it's not one thing it is another.  

Pondering..

On my last post I was pondering if this year was going to be different. Doesn't look like it is stacking up to be much better. Maybe this is the new normal. Today is the day Trump was supposed to be inaugurated as president again. Well, if you believe in all the conspiracy theories!!! I have been listening to a few of those news channels and I just have to say one thing: THOSE PEOPLE ARE NUTS. I do not want to say that I am for everything Joe Biden is doing or going to do. I had one major reason that I voted for him and that was to rid the country of Trump as president. Mission accomplished. Now lets give Biden a chance. It's only been a short time. We can never allow January 6 to happen to America again. Breaking news right now is they are examining communications between U. S. lawmakers and Capitol rioters. How horribly sad it is to think elected officials could have helped those idiots riot and kill just because one man couldn't accept he lost. Sigh!! If it's not one thing it is another.   

Watching...

I haven't really been watching much of anything on TV. Do you have any good shows I should know about?? Drop them in the comments. 



Reading...

I listened to this book this past few weeks. It is really, really good. If you like psychological suspense novels you will love this one.

 

Creating...

I'd like to say my creative juices are once again flowing, but they aren't. Just can't get into the mood to do anything more than watch TV or listen to audio books. Oh, and I have some podcasts I have listened to that I really like. I am all about the true crime ones. That just seems to be my mojo. Are you into podcasts?


Learning...

Guess what I am teaching myself? How to be a dog groomer. I am just not ready to venture out into the world of Covid yet and Teddy has long, long hair. So I've watched a bunch of You Tube videos and ordered some dog clippers from Amazon and I think I am about ready to go. I have bathed him a couple of times. I have learned how to de-mat and de-tangle. And I even got brave and trimmed his very long toenails. (Is that what they call them?) I ordered some ear powder and am learning how to pluck the ears of all the hair.Who knew dogs grew that much hair in their ears. I wonder if this would have worked on Richard.  The one thing I am not going to do,that I understand a lot of groomers do, and that is express the anal glands. What the heck?? That is not in my wheelhouse. I'll let you know how the grooming goes. I did sit outside yesterday and cut a lot of the 'dead' hair from his coat. So I'm about ready to take the plunge. 


Planning....

Not a lot of planning going on here either. I am taking it one day at a time. I am still staying home for the most part. I did venture out this past weekend and had dinner at Harley and Isaiah's house. They have both had Covid and she swore she sanitized the whole house before I got there. It was nice to get out. I took Teddy with me. He isn't a fan of car rides but he got to play a little with her pug Olive. Below are pictures of Teddy's latest playmates. 

Danny's dog Walynn She's almost 2

Paige with Nova who just 
turned 2

Harley and Isaiah with Olive 
who just turned 3

Drinking....

I have a new juice I am loving. It is this: So tasty. They have a diet version. But I am all about the calories. 

What's in the kitchen...

I am still making a lot of soups. And I usually use the crockpot. Love soup. All year long. 

A quote to share

A final thought...

Since I last posted I had to have some major plumbing work done here at my house. I had over 30 feet of balled up tree roots in the sewer pipe right outside my house. So two of the three bathrooms had issues. They were unable to cut them up and remove them through the inside pipes and I did not have an outside sewer clean out pipe. I do now. And a lot less money in my bank account. Sigh!! If it's not one thing it's another. 

Hope everyone is doing well! We are all in this together. 

Will Things Really Get Better

 We are on the cusp of new leadership in America. And I, for one, am glad. These last four years have been so chaotic. I know there will be people who will want to remind me of the booming economy we USED to have. I didn't get any benefits at all from the economy. Did you? I live entirely on a fixed income so I didn't get any boosts. I did, however, tighten my belt because I feared what may come. And these past couple of weeks have born that out.

No one could have seen a pandemic coming. But we should have been prepared for it. We had a pandemic office at the federal government but something happened to it. And we were just simply not ready to help Americans get through it. We didn't have enough masks. We didn't have enough hospital beds. We didn't have enough healthcare workers. And we have lost almost 400,000 Americans. My heart goes out to those 400,000 families and friends. I have (so far) been lucky that I have not lost a loved one to this horrible virus.

How has your town or city handled the pandemic? Mine hasn't taken it seriously at all. And we appeared on a list of the 10 worst cities in America back in December. (worst for the number of cases we had) We are a pretty small community compared to New York City but we have been devastated by the virus. Our small (<100 bed) hospital was overwhelmed for a bit. Our health care workers are exhausted and many have had to suffer with the virus too. Our county commission had a temporary member (an anesthesiologist, no less) on the board that just didn't believe the virus was real. So he refused to get on board with encouraging simple things like mask wearing, social distancing, etc. He went as far as to suggest we use essential oils to ward of the virus he didn't believe existed. Oh my! No wonder we were a hot spot. And I love my essential oils!!

I will hold my breath as this new administration gets started. I pray they will get partisan help. I want to see the United States of America to really be the great country it can be. We will all need to do our part. It is time to become UNITED. Because if we remain divided I am afraid our democracy will fail and fall. On you onboard? 

Currently....

 

Outside my window...Today is January 11, 2021. That feels strange to even type. 2021. Can you remember when we were getting ready for 2000? Y2K and all that jazz? Seems like just yesterday and it was 21 (TWENTY-ONE) years ago. An entire generation of kids have been born and reached full adulthood. I have two granddaughters who will both become 21 years old this year. This is evidence that time certainly slips away in the most rapid way. Anyway....the sun was shining today and it was in the low 50's. No snow. A crazy weather day for January in Kansas. How is the weather in your neck of the woods?

Pondering..I can't help but continue to ponder the current state of affairs for country.  The news is filled with people who tried to destroy the democracy of America. I always took for granted that I would live in a democracy. Not so much anymore. We can never, again, let our guards down. And, through no fault of our own (well, maybe there are some that we can blame) a horrible pandemic continues to rage through our country. It has finally reached my family. Harley, my granddaughter, tested positive last Monday. Just three days after being at my house. Her case is mild and she has continued to work. She works at a nursing home and that is their rules. Unless you are running a fever you must report to work. She did miss one day. She has exclusively worked the Covid unit since testing positive. I do not understand the rationale behind having people continue to work except there would be no one to take care of the elders if they sent them all home. Many of the workers at our local nursing homes and hospital have tested positive. We are a hotspot in the nation. But we are also a town who refuses to wear masks and scream about our rights!!! So there is that.


Watching...I have watched too much news. I need to turn the channel. I do enjoy You Tube videos of home decorating, DIY's, cooking, etc. But I feel like it is my duty to keep up with the current news. 

Reading/Listening...I am currently listening to A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. It is good. Hard to listen to at times. But a very 'real' story of four guys lives who were friends through and beyond college. 

 




Creating...I have not been creating anything. I gave up on my bullet journal last year. I hope to get back to it this year. I don't decorate my mantle for the seasons anymore. My Christmas tree is still in the corner, partially decorated. I will get to it. Maybe. Soon. Or later. 


Learning...I am learning the same lessons we are all learning right now. Do we really know our neighbors? I have lost family and friends over the past year because of differing political beliefs. I know many of my neighbors supported the opposite candidate from me. Now I wonder...are they safe? Or do they want to kill those of us who don't agree with them. I know that sounds cynical. But, did you watch TV last Wednesday. 


Planning....I really do have plans for the new year. I am going to get all of these rooms gone through and down-sized. Come hell or high water. Have I said that before? 


Eating...I love soup. And I eat a lot of it. Right now, in the crock-pot, is Mexican Chicken soup. And a lot of it. I will be eating it all week. But I don't mind that.


Drinking....Water and coffee. And an occasional coke or gingerale.


Thankful for...I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for both of my sons. Both have their own struggles and I will support them through everything. I am thankful for my grandkids. The ones who I know where they are and the one I haven't a clue. 


A quote to share...

How is the new year going for you?

Just Let Trump be Trump

 How many times did I hear just that when listening to the news during the last four years. Well, they let Trump be Trump and see what happened yesterday. I wish I could say I was shocked and surprised. But, I wasn't. Not even a little bit. For the past four years I have watched this president "just be Trump." You watched too. But did you see it the same way I saw it?

This is not the first time I have written about Donald Trump on my blog. But I hope it will be the last time. I hope something is now done about him. At least he did not win the election. I have been speaking out about this president since he was elected. Actually, before he was elected. I have lost family and friends because of him. They bought into his bullshit. And I just can't let things go. I knew he would not be good for America. I knew he would bring us more problems than he brought us any good. In my opinion, he is not a good man. Good men have a completely different DNA than Donald Trump. 

One of the main reasons I did not like him is that he is a LIAR. He lied and he lied and he lied. And there were very few people who could stand up to him. I would hear things like: "but the economy is good", or "the Stock Market is better than it has ever been". America sold her soul for money. It's as simple as that. I would rather die poor tomorrow than die thinking I did not speak out about this man.

What I watched yesterday on TV was disgusting. It was terrifying. It was abnormal. It was amoral. And it was incited by the president of the United States of America. And that should give all of us pause. I listened to his entire speech yesterday. The one where he stood behind a bullet proof screen and told his crazed supporters that "we will never give up." "YOU'LL NEVER TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY WITH WEAKNESS. YOU HAVE TO SHOW STRENGTH AND YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG". Those were his words. Then they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol Building and overtook it with anger and violence. FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED. Four of his supporters. But nevertheless, KILLED. His own attorney, Rudy Giuliani, told the supporters, at the same rally, that we needed to have "trial by combat". 

I am appalled.  But, more than 7 million people voted for him in 2020. 7 million!!! Did those people believe what he has fed to them for four years? Or are there that many people who are just in it for the fight? If he just gave them the best economy and the greatest stock markets of all time, what are they so angry about?? That he lost?? Maybe some of them should have worked harder to get him re-elected. I know how hard I worked to see that he not be re-elected. 

He will be gone in two weeks. But in the meantime what more harm will come to America? What can be done to prevent this in the future? I am going to do everything I can to make sure those who supported him in Washington D.C.will not get to continue with their dream to become president. I'm looking at you Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. I hold you both responsible for the part you played in this. But there are many others. Their is a long, long list of those who enabled him and just turned their heads. 

A lot of people said, "just let Trump be Trump."

 

Why I No Longer Read Books

 I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. I would read anything and everything I could get my hands on. My mom told me that she once found me hiding in the closet reading from the Better Homes and Garden Family Medical Guide.I was just 6. The one we owned looked just like the one over to the left. And it was well worn. I loved that book. It had pictures. Lots of pictures with over-lays. The ones that fascinated me the most were the ones of the pregnant lady and the baby.(Probably why I was hiding) I wish I still had that particular book. I have a newer copy from the 1970's. But it's not the same. Or else I just grew up. One or the other. 

Then I went on to other books. My favorites were the Nancy Drew Mystery series. These aren't mine either. I didn't own them. I got them from the library. But they looked like these, This would have been in the 1950-1960's. I still like  mysteries or thrillers. I just don't like to 'read' so much anymore. 

I am not sure when I stopped liking to read. Now I prefer to listen to audio books. I didn't use to like them, but once I trained my mind not to wander from the story, it is the only way to go. I can turn off the lights. I can set the book to play for 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or whatever. And if I fall asleep it is okay. There isn't a light to turn off. I don't still have my glasses on my face. And the book hasn't fallen to the floor, with my place lost, and pages often creased. And when it comes to finding myself waiting somewhere my book is always with me. I have the app on my phone. And I always have my phone.

Some books aren't ideal to listen to. But those are the ones that are stacked on my coffee table. The ones I flip through. Like the Martha Stewart Organizing Book. Or that Better Homes and Garden Medical Book. Those are books made for browsing. Not reading!

So I just don't read books anymore. I listen. And I like it. What about you? Do you like to read a book? Hold it in your hands. Sniff the pages. Or have you made the switch to audio books? Or do you do both? Curious minds like to know. 

The End of a Miserable Year

 Finally, we are coming to the end of this very odd and horrible year. It wasn't all bad but what was bad was very, very bad. Wouldn't you agree with that? 

I am over this damn virus crap. What about you? I have stayed home, almost entirely, since the beginning of March. I order groceries online and go pick them up or have them delivered. Depends on my mood. I have not missed grocery shopping because it wasn't something I liked to do anyway. But, I do miss Dollar Tree and Hobby Lobby. And an occasional trip to Wichita to Target and Michael's. I don't miss restaurants because I don't like to eat out alone. But I do miss the occasional dinner out with my son or my grandkids. I don't miss going out to visit other people. Because I am really a loner and a homebody. But I do miss having people come to my house. I miss going out to see my little brother. (He is more of a homebody than me). I miss rational people. You know those times before people became so angry at being asked to wear a simple piece of cloth over their mouth and nose to prevent infecting others or themselves. So much ignorance and selfishness in this world. Other countries have been so much smarter than the United States. And we are supposed to be the 'greatest' country in the world. I am wondering if 'our rights' have really made us dumber and sicker. We have certainly had more deaths than anyone else.

Can you believe it is almost Christmas? Once again we will have a very small gathering of just the immediate family. Paige came over and decorated my tree. I don't know that I would have even bothered this year. Here is a short video she took after she was finished with it.  

Thanksgiving was interesting this year. I got up early to put the turkey in the oven and soon noticed that my oven was really, really hot. I have a little oven temp guage so I put it in the oven and the current temp registered at 500 degrees. Jerked out that turkey and fiddled with the knob. No luck in lowering the temp so I turned the oven off. No problem. I have double ovens. Same thing happened in that over. My turkey cooked in under 2 hours. But it was still good and with careful monitoring I managed to complete the meal. The bad news is I am being told the ovens cannot be fixed. They were put in this house when it was built back in the early 70's. The repairman told me they can no longer get the needed thermostat to fix this brand. It is a GE. He attempted to sell me new ovens. To the tune of a starting price of $1200. I am not one to make rash decisions and decided to call another repairman to give me a second opinion. This is the only other repairman for wall ovens in our area. AND HE HAS COVID. So I guess I will just wait until after the new year. New Year, better news. Cross your fingers.I just won't be doing any baking. We are having soups for Christmas. YAY.

Looks innocent

Teddy is doing good and brings me lots of joy. I got up to let him out in the middle of the night and right at the end of my driveway stood, not one, but two big deer. Teddy took off after them. Just like a good hunting dog. With his nose to the ground and flying as fast as he could. I didn't even have shoes on. I put on my shoes and took off after them. What a sight this would have been for my neighbors. But, thankfully, it was 3 a.m. Eventually, he stopped chasing them and came to find me. He was full of burrs, twigs, dead leaves...took me 30 minutes to pick it all off him. Needless to say he only goes out now on the end of a tether. No more chasing the wildlife in the middle of the night. 

I want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let's pray for some semblance of normal in 2021.

See you next year!