Yep, Thumper ended up with a hole in his shoulder but I don't think immigrants were the cause of it. In other news, Nancy purchased this for $20 at a yard sale still in the box that no one could lift. Had to lever that puppy into the car. Took 3 hours to assemble. Now to get the right cut of meat to break it in with.
That's about 6.5 pounds worth of coinage identified so far from over 50 countries. My spreadsheet is up to 278 different coins as of this moment (I add daily).
Found out our fireplace insert isn't up to code and never was. Wonder how that slipped by during the house inspection. Guess they never entered the house or how else could they have missed it. Oh well, it will only cost us 8-9 thousand to set it right and prevent our house from burning down. Just sayin'.
No bad luck here. Up to nearly $50 in foreign currency so far from my $30 tray of coins. Starting to identify some Asian coins now with the Google search app. First up was a 5 Sen coin from Japan dated 1922. The dates were crazy to figure out on this coin that's only worth about 34 cents. The first items that come up in the search are usually from E-bay and priced outlandishly. One might think that one had found a treasure only to have those expectations dashed via reality. Just sayin'.
Still no cigarettes although the urge is still strong at times. Sometimes a doobie chases it away and other times it doesn't and that's when it sucks.
The time period pertaining to my cessation of smoking cigarettes has graduated from being described in "days" to "months". In 11 months the time descriptor will switch to years. That is all.
Meanwhile, I'm up to over 40 countries as I catalog the foreign coins. Over a pound and a quarter of them are in the database so far with at least several pounds to go. Fascinating stuff.
So done with cigarettes. Bought a box of coins and tokens for $30 at an estate sale today. About 8 pounds or so worth of them. I've started to go through them and am astonished at the variety of foreign coins I bought. Might have to start a spreadsheet on them as I look them up. Fascinating stuff. Entertaining for the $$ and I might even break even. Just sayin'.
Never saw his appeal, only his insufferable attitude of false superiority. This was decades before he hit the political grift. I mean, how many times can you go bankrupt and still be considered an astute businessman. Still. We hear folks proudly say that they will vote for this stupid fuck in 2024 and have to question our sanity. How in the great blue blazes can you vote for such a reprehensible human being? Nazis love him as do other racist and violent white males. If I'm in a crowd that consists of those folks I'm in the wrong fucking crowd. He said there were good people on both sides of that confrontation. That should be enough to eliminate him from serious consideration. Besides the fact that he's one dumb fuck and too stupid to know how fucking stupid he is (you know...the most dangerous kind of stupid). Whenever I begin to question my opinion of that degenerate serial grifter, I just remember the Nazis. I hate fucking Nazis. Just sayin'.
End of my 4th week without tobacco tomorrow.
Never much paid attention to women's basketball until I saw her go up against Steph Curry. Now I don't get to watch her games live but I do get the You Tube highlights and I'm seeing some 5 year old behavior coming from quite a few women who look to be adults. The flagrant fouls on Clark do not look good to this judgmental member of an older generation. Jealous anyone? Don't they realize that a rising tide floats all boats? Their income is going to increase due to increased interest in their sport. Don't turn off the fans you are beginning to see because of Caitlin Clark. Leave your bad behavior behind you. It's for your own good. Just sayin'.
26 days and counting. Damn I still want one.
So long that I'm starting to forget when I last had a cigarette. Good news on the political front for us fans of Democracy helps. Just sayin'.
Two weeks/14 days now and I'm still free of the evil weed. Cigarettes have reigned throughout my adult life but no more. My resting heart rate went down around 15-20 beats per minute and hangs in the low 70's to high 60's now despite several cups of coffee. It is a tangible health improvement that I am keeping front and center in my thoughts right now as I continue to fight the urge to smoke. I've also saved more than $100 in the last two weeks by not buying tobacco. Here's to the promise of a smoke free future.
Maybe this time I'll make it through and finally stop smoking. Cigarettes that is. Third day passed. It should get easier from here but I'm not expecting it to. That should do it for now.
Sometimes you pick up a stick and you can feel that it was made to smack someone with. That’s my gift. Just sayin’.
The rain is coming down fairly well today and we can expect an inch or so before it's over. Nice to see things returning to normal as far as our water situation goes. As far as the world goes it's not looking that good going into this year. Small wars that may escalate into larger wars. Climate Change. Fascism here in America. All things I can only comment on and try to inform others of their existence. I keep informed and rue major media for the damage they have done to America, twisting their narratives to please their viewers. Truth has no meaning and Fox News has been the worst at keeping viewers in their Right Wing Fascist Bubble. Daily outrage over nothing that fucking matters to the vast majority of Americans. That outrages me. Just sayin'.
Been working on a couple of pieces of Oak that I'm almost finished with. The top one was pretty much bark removal to reveal the swirling threads beneath. The second one was also mostly bark removal from the back part to reveal a moon-like surface. The part I'm showing is a cross section of the branch that this ball was growing on. There are around 100 rings visible meaning that this strange growth started around the 1920's.
I'm working on another piece of Oak that's also getting its bark removed. Unfortunately that piece was cut at the wrong time of the year for the bark to be easily removed (The two above were cut at the right time of the year for the bark to come off easily)(Bonus points for knowing what those cutting times are). This makes it a slow punishing process to expose the burl for viewing. I love these because once they're completed you can spend hours contemplating their complexity. The only problem used to be the amount of time I'd invest for a project that failed to launch and the only reason I worried about it was I had a limited amount of free time to invest in something that ended up being firewood. That reason is no longer valid so I'm enjoying rediscovering one of my favorite pass times. For me it's like meditation when I'm in the zone. Just sayin'.
Have I ever told you that I really dislike clowns? Dishonest painted faces covering whatever damage that particular human suffers from. They are basically faceless and that makes it hard to trust their behavior under any circumstances.
Stupid people chap my hide even more than clowns do. The amount of damage a stupid person with power can do is difficult to imagine but we're getting a good look at it now.
The Stupid MAGA Republican Clown Show is in town and America's bills are not getting paid because of it. Watching these pathetic losers doing their fearless leader's bidding would be hilarious if it wasn't so potentially damaging to some of our poorest citizens. Possibly the stupidest part of this train wreck is Trump saying/thinking that causing a government shutdown will stop the persecutions against him. Not so MAGA Don. Oh, and remember when MTG (the T actually stands for Taylor Trash) called Biden a liar after he said that certain Republicans wanted to cut Social Security? I'd say she owes Biden an apology but we know she'll never do the correct thing. Trailer Trash Women don't do correct.
In other news closer to home, I'd like to take this opportunity to share some sad news. Our two Blue Jay friends, Pete and Repete, have met a violent end due to one of our murderous cats. Thumper craves violence towards all living things that are substantially smaller than him and there's not much we can do about it. Nancy got a dove out of his mouth the other day though. The bird could still fly and it immediately made a beeline to the tallest Oak tree in the area. Hopefully it survived but from what our neighbors tell us, Thumper regularly climbs to the tops of those trees so I'm doubtful. We have a bell on him now but the lizards don't seem to hear it well enough or know whom it tolls for. Hopefully the surviving birds
Back to the other MAGA extravaganza, the Impeachment Inquiry. Not one piece of evidence do they fucking have. NOT ONE! This is The Stupid MAGA Republican Clown Show at it's best, dancing to their fearless leader's words. The fearless leader who's New York businesses have just been seized for his fantasy real estate games, one of his first grifts. How does it feel you sad excuse for a human being? Where's your daddy now? Sad. So sad. Just sayin'.
Nancy and I were driving back from a long overdue visit to her trailer that sits on her property outside of Willits. It was a mess as a bear had broken in and generally trashed the place. That along with several other issues resulted in us pushing pretty hard to get it done while we were there. Sadly it wasn't to be and we'll be returning next week to finish up. So as we hit the pavement and headed down the hill a vulture flew in front of us then stayed there for at least a quarter mile. Since vultures are about cleaning up some dead waste I thought it was an appropriate sign to be given at that time. It should indicate that we're on the right track (finally) when it comes to the trailer. Just sayin'.
Way too busy lately. Watching the cats play last night while carving on a new piece of cedar. Wondering at the fact that I was there and happy along with my sweetie after the long strange trip we've both been on. Then I contemplated some possible future removals from that same piece of cedar, all the while checking out the current color of the sky. Once I decided what to remove from that piece of wood I prepared a piece of 80 grit sandpaper to make some more sawdust. While I was sanding, the current state of our planet invaded my thoughts and temporarily brought me down. Then I focused on my piece of wood and everything became calm again. So when you see me carving, don't think that's all that's going on in my head. Sometimes I'm self medicating with whatever piece of wood takes my fancy. Just sayin'.
So I was sitting on our front porch when movement on the pavement in front of me caught my attention. It was a Bumblebee crawling across the driveway with intention. It was going somewhere. It had someplace to be. I wondered why it was crawling rather than flying and surmised that it was reaching old age, soon to die. I wondered if I should intervene but quickly rejected the idea that there was anything positive that I could accomplish towards rehabilitating this Bumblebee. Still, all sorts of possibilities presented themselves as I continued to watch it progress across the pavement. I though that it was headed towards some shade but it continued past those cooler areas towards the morning sun. Just as I gave up all thoughts of rescue and contemplated ending it's obvious suffering it flew away. So much for my astute observations. Just sayin'.
Armageddon's Haiku Samurai is where I post a Haiku a day and have since April 1st of this year. They are intended to point out some of the factors involved with the eventual failure of our current civilization. Stupidity at alarming levels is already infecting all levels of our society, in particular the top 1%. You know, those folks who own nearly all there is to own and continue to take what they want from the rest of us. How much power do they fucking need to sooth their fear of facing any consequences for what they did to get it? Everyday I keep my eyes open for the next atrocity to hit social media in one form or another. There are signs everyday that I acknowledge and keep to myself. Signs of some bad shit to come in our near future. Just sayin'.
We hit 109 degrees today. Just another Summer day here in Northern California. Lately Summers have been too long and too hot for us to get much done around here. At least this Summer was preceded by unusually wet and cool weather until nearly the end of June. Needless to say I've been watching the weather disaster videos which show us the 500 to 1,000 year floods and other unreasonable weather chaos that has been brought to us by Climate Change. We have it pretty good where we're at (so far) so moving isn't on our minds. If we lived in any of the Southern states we'd be either working on moving elsewhere or moved by now. All things considered we live in a place that may survive some of the coming problems associated with Climate Change. Then again we may not. Just sayin.
Thankful as usual for all the good things in my life. I have everything I could ask for except possibly winning the Powerball jackpot but I'd have to buy tickets to have a shot at that. There are two cats in the yard and yes, life used to be so hard but now it's peaches and cream. Stay happy world. Enjoy the time we have left before we destroy our civilization or some asteroid does. Just sayin'.
It was unseasonably cool before it became Summer suddenly. Last year we were usually 5-6 degrees above whatever temps were reported for Nice, California. Now we hit about 10 degrees above whatever it reports for our area. What's that all about?
At least Trump is gradually feeling the consequences of his illegal choices. Looks like justice is slowly grinding away at that pile of shit and as all the cockroaches hidden underneath scurry away they're dropping dimes on their formerly fearless leader. Like rats leaving a ship, they provide a sign of things to come. Karma is a bitch best left alone. Just sayin'.
So five people were killed when their submarine imploded while taking a scenic cruise to view the Titanic. Some of those folks paid $250,000 for a quick ticket to oblivion. For some it was a very bad day at work that more than likely ended with a bang. Am I feeling sorry for these adventurous fools and their tragic demise or am I faintly amused at their choices? Let's explore the latter.
First bad choice was trusting your life to someone trying to make bank (see per seat cost above) with a sub that wasn't certified for the depth it needed to be at to view the wreck of the Titanic.
Second bad choice was wanting to see the wreck in person in the first place when there are plenty of YouTube videos that will give you an even better view of one of humanity's more instructional disasters.
The third bad choice was convincing yourselves that this adventure would be something that could better your lives in some manner and leave you with fond memories you could share with your friends.
What I'm saying is that they made some bad choices trying to jazz up their travel resume. Possibly a tropical cruise would have had a similar effect for some but that wasn't out there enough for these folks. Being terrified of being trapped in small spaces makes their choices even more removed from anything I would even consider as a choice. What the fuck were these morons thinking? Wild horses couldn't make me get in a sub of any sort. I have issues about the one at Disneyland let alone a real one. Anyway I guess I'm not as advanced a human being as I'd like to think because I'm feeling no connection to these folks biting the dust the way they did. Seems like they made some pretty bad choices and Darwin took care of the rest. Just sayin'.
Forbes had an article recently that detailed an interviewers interaction with Trump in one of his offices (their October/November 2022 issue). It was filled with memorabilia that included Brady's signed football helmet and Super Bowl footballs which he was showing off to his interviewer. I got the impression of a young boy bragging about his treasures. Much like what's described in the indictments that were released yesterday. MAGA folks be mad that their cult leader is facing the consequences of his illegal and harmful actions. Fuck them. They'll get their day in court too. Just sayin'.
Nearly everyone in the following tale is dead and have nothing to say for themselves about their actions. I should be clear from the start that I am not distressed by most of these deaths and view them as the proper consequence for their poor behavior. A few close relatives I miss terribly despite their lack of understanding about who I was. Knowing them intimately over time has taught me that they had my best interests at heart but were ignorant of just what those interests were.
Back in the 50's and 60's this ignorance was overwhelming In 55 when I was born the doctor told my mother that she couldn't nurse because of her inverted nipples. WTF? This piece of shit doctor obviously didn't do his fucking homework because millions of mothers with inverted nipples have successfully nursed their babies for at least 100,000 years. That's how you fix inverted nipples you ignorant fuck! So I get denied my rightful place at my mother's breast and all the benefits that would have provided. Do you know what that shit does to a newborn baby? I sure fucking do. So fuck you doc, just fuck you.
Babies don't feel pain. That's what doctors told themselves back in 55. Later it was amended to babies won't remember the experience, however fucked up it was. Babies, after all, don't remember anything previous to turning 3 years old. So I was told but of course I'm here to tell you otherwise. I was in an incubator for a week before they circumcised me and I was fully aware of what they were doing to me. When I first accessed that memory it was something that no one should ever experience. Emotional with a Capital "E" accompanied by out of this world visuals. Faces with huge eyes and no mouths staring down at me, making comments and laughing at my anger. The lights were unbelievably bright to my new eyes and there were 5 of them in a V formation over my head. My anger at them was overwhelming. Only one word escaped my lips while I experienced this memory. Butchers. After that, UFO abduction claims take on a new light. Those faces looked inhuman to my eyes at a week old and the lights looked like a fleet of UFOs flying overhead. No wonder some folks believe that they were abducted by aliens. Until I actually found the memory (with someone's help) I had questions about what had happened to me as a child that was still causing me anxiety. Finding the answer has helped me back that anxiety off. Time heals all wounds once the poison is leached out of them. Ignorance was the poison. Knowledge was the cure. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to figure it out. Curiosity has been my trusted companion in all things that have moved me forward. That and a little help from The Big Guy. Just sayin'.
I've been hanging in the mid 230's until a 3 day trip to Oregon. When I got back I was below 230 for the first time since I was 20 years old. It was a shock but I know what I missed for those 3 days that did it. Yet I bemoan correcting it at this time. There's so much chaos in the world these days and certain foods or beverages can help one cope. Too many of my favorite eats have bitten the dust in order to lose weight but it seems one more is soon to hit the dust. Took an interesting pic of Mount Shasta on the way home. Enjoy.
Our first cat, Blaxter, basically came with the house almost 10 years ago. Thumper moved in the beginning of last Winter and Blaxter promptly began hanging out at our neighbors. Then Mr. Blue showed up. He hangs around the food dish on the front porch at all hours. At times we'll have all three of them hanging around in front of our house. Mr. Blue on the porch, Thumper just off the porch on the driveway and Blaxter on the driveway closer to the road. Those are really good times. Just sayin'.
That seems to be the theme lately. Coyotes in the street. Hawks on the wire. Five Buzzards on the fence with their wings spread to catch the morning Sun. Three cats in the front yard along with a Chihuahua, enjoying the warm Spring day. In other words, life is good. We be grateful for what we have and what we will do with it once we get around to it. Happy Mother's Day Mom. Miss you in my life. You always did your best, even if it was a tad twisted to your own needs. No son could ask any better of their mother. Just sayin'.
Tucker is set free by Fox News and who knows where he'll land if he does. Trump continues on his slow descent into irrelevance. Don Lemmon was a little too black for CNN and was also set free.
Oh, and I started a new blog dedicated to producing a daily Haiku. Armageddon and Judgement Day are the main topics. Check out Armageddon's Haiku Samurai. It's my take of our future on this planet. Obviously it ends badly sometime in our future but when and how that happens is not known. I started it April 1st and I'm posting one a day.
Armageddon's tool
Poetic prophesy fool
Samurai with words
Across the street from our house is a seasonal wetland that comes alive after a few days of rain. The chorus of frogs would start once it was wet and they filled the night with their calls. Not any more. Between the drought, the sheep and the Roundup, the frogs are no more. One neighbor put sheep in her pasture and they eliminated whatever plants were associated with this vernal pool. The other neighbor hired some help and they sprayed their area with Roundup, killing everything native to the area. Both of these things along with the drought killed every last frog across road and who knows what else that lived with them in that area. It's a Sign.
Yes it's true. We bought a new Cross-Cut Shredder that cost a nearly $100 delivered and it's been the been the best deal we've gotten in quite a while. Decided to get a heavy duty home unit that didn't just turn your private documents into 1/4 inch strips that anyone with time on their hands could easily reconstruct. This one turns your paper into confetti and it's been invaluable to our clean-up-our-life program. We're getting our cool stuff under control as we haven't driven by many yard or estate sales without indulging our penchant for acquiring same cool stuff. A big part of this process is dealing with a mountain of old paperwork that goes back for over a decade. We've saved every bill and receipt over that time period and it was time to turn that paper into something useful so we just ordered a Newspaper Briquette Maker to help fuel our woodstove. All in all we're having a great time working our way through our old crap. Our record collection is now on a spreadsheet (nearly 600 albums) and our CD collection is next (600+) after we finish the big shred. We'll be tackling the Purple room next where several walls of books and VHS tapes face an elimination event aimed at returning it to useful status. First editions only when it comes to the books. I have read a ton of fantasy and science fiction paperbacks that I'm soon to be returning to the public sphere. We're accepting any ideas for where their new home might be. Who would have thought that a shredder could bring so much fun into one's life? Not I. Just sayin'.
Woke up this morning feeling thankful for my partner in life. She's beyond description. She loves and cares for me like there's no one else in her world. She corrects my course at times and does it with my best interest in mind. She's usually right and she puts up with me until I get my head out of my ass long enough to admit it. I am blessed to be loved by such a woman and I look forward to spending the rest of our days together in love. Always remember baby that I love you more than anything. Just sayin'.
Bounced down to 233 then leveled off at 234 for several days. Thumper hasn't decided what to do with the treadmill yet. Attempted to get him walking on it but that went over like a lead balloon. Over 4 minutes for 3 times a day. The improvements are gratifying to say the least.
In other news, how about that State of the Union. Republicans reply was a pile of excrement that had nothing to do with everyday Americans. It was Fox Fucking News Propaganda on steroids. She spread that poisonous bullshit with a fucking dump truck. Look at that face people. Is that a face that you can trust? Check those eyes out. See that sparkle of evil lying within? That fear mongering bitch was definitely in her element last night. Just sayin'.
Yes, it's true. We have a treadmill and last week I cleared the various items adorning same to start using it. I've been at 240 pounds for well over a month now and it was time to take the next step in my weight loss program. Hence the treadmill. I figured that I had gone about as far as I could go without more physical activity so I added it to the mix. I started out at a minute 3 times a day. It didn't seem like much but I've added time every day and suddenly I'm at 235.5 pounds. I haven't been at this weight since my twenties. I'm asking myself what my regular weight might end up being now and I still have no answer.
Retirement has been such a blessing. I had no idea at how much of myself I gave to work. It's been almost 18 months since I left that part of my life in the past and I'm finally bringing the energy that made me successful there back where it belongs. Just sayin'.
It had been about a week since Ginger last took a dump when we gave her a suppository in an effort to pass whatever was holding up the works. Two days later she made her first deposit in over a week. No more fever. Her appetite returned and now she's back to her usual screwed up behavior. Almost glad to have her back. Even with the recent rains our ground is still difficult to penetrate to any depth so I wasn't looking forward to digging her a proper grave anyway. That being said, anyone want a little dog?
In other signs, 11 votes and still no Speaker of the House. Members of the Insurrectionist Party are holding Congress hostage for whatever bullshit they want now. They already got him to agree to trash the Ethics Committee so that they can continue their illegal activities but that's not enough for those pieces of shit. It's rare to see Republicans not on the same page but there is a very simple solution that will unite them again. They need to purge themselves of their unconstitutional members. Aren't they insurrectionists? Why are these pieces of shit still in office? Don't their recent actions disqualify them from holding office? Just sayin'. There are laws on the books that can be used to remove them from public office. Use them.
Thumper is starting to mellow out somewhat. He's still playful as hell but no longer has an issue with Blaxter, our outdoor kitty. He does like his time outside but stays close to the house and is usually back in after a short period of time. He's also starting to bond with me like Felix, my previous Manx did. He retrieves his toy when you toss it and follows me around like a little dog. Pure Manx behavior.
Speaking of little dogs, Ginger is feeling poorly and getting worse. A visit to the vets is not in the cards due to personal and financial reasons so we take care of her the best we can. She isn't in pain but she's out of it somewhat and is unsteady on her feet. She drinks but won't eat and hasn't vacated her bowels recently. Hopefully she will recover but it doesn't look good. If she shows signs that she's in pain we'll have to take her in and have the dirty deed done properly. We're not looking forward to that eventuality.
Just received a cord of wood yesterday afternoon and will be stacking it later this afternoon. It beats paying Pacific Graft & Extortion $500-$700 a month to keep warm. Our central heating/cooling unit is on the fritz anyway so it's really our only workable option.
Happy New Year everyone! Hope it keeps you smiling like this last one has for us. Just sayin'.
Thumper survived his castration and is now a different kitty yet still the same. The thing that got me about the whole process is that we all talk about neutering our pets but we never use the "C" word. When we picked him up from the vets we got a "Certificate of Castration" for Thumper. It actually surprised me because when we use the word "Neuter" we avoid speaking the truth of what happens. The truth is we're having him castrated. If we used the "C" word from the start of the process there would be fewer castrations as castration has a greater negative connotation that travels with it, especially for men. Fewer castrations would not be a good thing so lets keep using "Neuter" when speaking of our beloved pets. Just sayin'.
Yep, Thumper is still a member of the family and will have his nuts removed tomorrow. He probably won't like his late Christmas present but it will extend his utility as a house kitty by quite a few years. He let us know earlier this week that he was not about to spend anymore time inside without visiting outside so we were forced to let him out. He explored the neighborhood for a while and returned promptly for food a short time later. No more accidents since his release and I've watched his reactions to vehicles enough to know that he's well versed in the dangers of automobiles. All and all it's another groovy Christmas. Have a merry one everyone!
Between getting ready for Christmas and figuring out our new kitty we've been fairly busy since my last entry. Thumper is a puzzle for sure as his behavior plays itself out. I'm beginning to believe that he's quite young and has had very little experience with humans. That being said, he's quite the love bug. It's just that he's awkward about it; like he has no experience at it. We're enjoying his antics as he's playful as hell. He's starting to lose the food fixation and relax a little more as he acclimates to his new situation. We're glad he's come into our lives. Just sayin'.
Couldn't make Butters work for him so we're on to Thumper now, after Bambi's rabbit buddy. He sounds like a thumper when he's racing down the hallway. He's still not happy with Blaxter and continues to growl from a distance when he's in the room. Something tells me he was a single kitty where ever he came from and he's not into tolerating other cats. Blaxter on the other hand has plenty of experience living in a multiple cat household and is no where near as upset about our new boarder. Fortunately, Blaxter is an outdoor cat and spends the majority of his time outdoors. He's quite independent while maintaining a close bond with us and only needs lap time on a daily basis. Just enough to insure that the food keeps coming. Speaking of food, it's still a issue for Thumper but he's calming down in that department. Time will cure whatever's bothering him and meanwhile he's entertaining as hell. He's a very playful and loving kitty and we're already in love with him. Thank you Big Guy for the major score. Just sayin'.
Day two and it's becoming clear that he had a good home previously and did not take well to being homeless. I don't know how long he was out in the real world but it was long enough to give him some food issues. In general, Manx cats have a fairly delicate digestive situation so his time alone was traumatic for him. He left a bowel movement in his crate when we were bringing him home that nearly forced us to abandon the car. Fortunately Blaxter's food is in his wheelhouse so that's starting to improve his bowels as he settles down.
He met Blaxter, our Black Cat and grumbled and growled for a while after Blaxter left the house. They both know the other is in the area and I'm keeping them apart until attitudes improve. All and all Butters is turning out to be one awesome cat and we're enjoying his antics as we get to know him. I'm thinking his balls need removing soon so I'm on the lookout for an inexpensive clinic to get it done. I'd love to let him be a daddy first as he's quite the dandy and his kittens would be wonderful to behold I'm sure. But then, all kittens are wonderful to behold so who am I fooling? As usual, I'm just enjoying the ride.
More of a cat actually but a young one, not quite a kitten. Been keeping an eye out for a Manx of any age and color for several years now. A former co-worker had this little fellow show up at her doorstep last week, looking to move in. As she already has two cats, she posted him on fb and several hours after reading the post we were the proud parents of a new nameless cat. This pic is after about 24 hours of habitation with us.
Hit 239 this morning, breaking into the 230's for the first time in about 45 years. Everything is changing. Just moving around feels totally different as my large pot belly has nearly disappeared. Had to go through my wardrobe stash to find clothes that I had previously rejected as too small. Great shirts in there but just about every pair of pants I own fit loosely now. My lower denture is even loose. That part is not so great but at least it's repairable. Now I'm wondering how far I should go? My body tells me to keep going until I level out somewhere. Now that food isn't the issue it used to be, I'm expecting to achieve some sort of balance again. With my frame I'll most likely feel best in the 200 to 220 range. My doctor will be freaked when he sees me in late December and I'm looking forward to it. Just sayin'.
I'm not much for holidays or the family gatherings they inspire. Went to my dad and sister's compound for Thanksgiving and had to admit it was a good time. Mostly we enjoyed our rescue Chihuahua's good behavior while hanging out with a group of people. Ginger conquered many a lap while we were there and found doggie miracles throughout her stay. Dad found out that she really likes Salmon. All in all a good time was had by all. Happy Black Friday!
The mid-terms are nearly here and I'm anticipating some disappointment is possible. How that could be considering the factual evidence that many if not most in the current Republican Party give not one fuck for Democracy and will destroy it if it gets in their way. That is terrifyingly easy to do when so many idiots believe the bullshit they're fed by reprehensible Republican politicians along with whatever right wing news outlet they're addicted to. I don't see a solution other than voting every last Republican out of office and we all know that ain't happening soon. Just sayin'.
Hit 245 this morning. That's 50 pounds less than when I retired. Thinking about shaving the beard to see if my extra chin has taken a vacation. Looking forward to the look on my doctor's face when I see him next. I'm grateful for the lighter load and wondering how much more I should lose. Getting a handle on my food issues has been game changer and that's pretty much what got me here. Looking forward to removing a few more pounds then keeping them off. Who knows? Smoking may be next.
My posts become infrequent when I'm gone but you should know that "gone" can have several different meanings for me sometimes they add up.
There's gone as in "vacation" gone. Maybe to go fishing somewhere else for a week or so or visit the grandkids, leaving the computer behind.
Then there's the gone that happens when your brain has too much input and stalls out for a while. Floods, fires, car accidents, hospitalizations and other natural/unnatural acts of God can bring this on quite rapidly. This debilitating type of gone can last days, weeks or even months depending on what type of "disaster", personal or otherwise, you've experienced.
Lastly there's the gone that happens when a relationship ends or the "last straw" has been reached. Trust has died a senseless death and lovers/friends part causing more time away.
Sorry folks. Recent events have soured the well and my keyboard needs a bath. Later.
It's really chapping my hide that Trump is still an unresolved issue in America. Put that piece of human excrement where he belongs, in prison. Along with all his loyal followers who showed that loyalty January 6th. He's STILL lying about the 2020 election outcome. Worlds worst loser by any metric you wish to use.
In other news, it's about time to hit the coast again. The temperatures have finally come down to the 80s & 90s but we're still headed for cooler pastures soon. That's all for now.
Next thing I know it's nearly 10 days since my last entry. Not much has changed on the political front. Trump is still trying to hold off the indictments but they keep moving in his direction. He's threatening civil war or some such bullshit if he's indicted. You know, the usual when it comes to that criminal. Hopefully we'll cream the Republicans in the mid-terms. Vote people. We need every vote we have to save our Democracy. Just sayin'.
How can you take a vacation when you're retired? Pretty damn easy. Make arrangements then drive to Holly's Ocean Meadow in Fort Bragg to spend 5 days and nights there during the hottest days of the year inland. It reached a blazing 75 the last day we stayed. Great music for the Labor Day weekend from some Dead Heads who've been buddies for 20+ years and rented the place out. There was even a hot tub and great food. Jill and Weezer are the property managers and long time friends. We really appreciated their invitation and look forward to visiting them again very soon. All and all it was our first foray into the outside world since we went to Georgia last November. A good time was had by all.
Yep, I'm another year older and deeper in debt. I've also lost over 30 pounds since the beginning of this year and am currently under 260 pounds. Don't know which to celebrate more so I'm going for both of them. Just sayin'.
It's not looking good people. We're divided as a nation thanks to years of Right Wing propaganda brought to you by Fox News. I've tried to watch that shit but I am allergic to manipulation and I break out in hives whenever I try. Stupid people watch Fox News. Remember that my definition of stupid includes the fact that really stupid people's actions not only harm others around them but also cause self harm. You know the deal. They be cutting off their noses to spite their face. I say that because they end up voting Republican which is as anti-democratic as it gets. These stupid people also get violent which is increasingly on display. I hate fucking stupid people with a passion and there are a ton of stupid people in this country. Like I said, it's not looking good people.
