Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings posts give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.
Welcomings will be posted at the start of each week (every Sunday morning). To find the posts, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).
The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.
So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?
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NOTE: The comments page will now split off after 20 or so left margin comments with the most recent comments on the current page. To see the older comments, scroll to the bottom of the page and use the link.
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February 5th Welcomings – Page 1 Comments
February 5th Welcomings – Page 2 Comments
February 5th Welcomings – Page 3 Comments
February 5th Welcomings – Page 4 Comments
Hmmmm I just wrote a comment in Philly’s diary. I thought that was for today. Wrong?
No … that was right! It got held up in the moderation queue. Please see the note on my Monday morning check-in comment. There is a problem with your user account that we need to sort out. Sorry!
Hi Meese.
MNPL/St Paul forecast 19 with a high of 38. Wrote letters to our US House rep, Erik Paulsen (r) last night. He’s one of ‘hiding’ R’s. All three of the local TV stations reported on it a few days ago. It must have rattled him a bit, because he held a call-in town hall soon after. We’ll keep after him until he starts answering his phone, and holds a proper face-to-face town hall with his constituents.
Don’t let him get away with hiding!! I have to leave another phone message for Ron Freaking Johnson, our horrible Republican Senator. I want him to reject DeVos (he won’t) and Sessions (he better).
Do we need to put pressure on Amy Klobuchar about the Sessions vote in the full Senate? I like her, but over at the Orange place, there is concern that she might not filibuster….
I’m in MN-02, so mostly it’s trying to catch glimpses of Keith Ellison as he travels the country before the DNC vote.
I’m going on faith here; but I assume the Dems have A PLAN to mount as much resistance as possible against Sessions being confirmed – and that Klobuchar with stand fast with them.
Between Devos, the Supreme nominee, and Sessions I don’t know what their plan is to get the most bang for their buck.
I wish the Senate leadership would follow Nancy Pelosi’s lead. She’s being out there and fierce!
Record warm low this morning — left the house in capris & sandals. On Feb. 6. But global warming is totally a conspiracy made up by scientists. It’ll hit 90 on Wednesday. In February. But no, no — global warming isn’t a thing.
Drinking tea, eating oatmeal. Visited my friend yesterday. She can walk without a cane, which is a good thing, because her use of her left hand, which was limited before, is gone now. She has a caring website up, asking for friends to help her with food. We joked about how, even if I could afford to buy extra food, nothing I cook is anything she likes. She’s a big meat eater & I’m a vegetarian. She has lots of friends, I’m sure everyone else will do the food thing.
A science fiction writer I follow has this amazing twitter thread… just wow: https://twitter.com/ChuckWendig/status/828583778511618048
Earworm report: U2’s cover of Everlasting Love, which is followed in my playlist by my Scottish friend’s band’s song about Ali (Mrs. Hewson) — Alison Stewart
Good morning, Moosekind! Lovely sunny morning here in NoVa, with frost decorating the tops of cars. Current temp. is 29 F., going up to 54 F. later. (Yes, we are having a weird February.) Seems as if the West Coast is getting the snow we should have had.
Woke up later than usual owing to staying up late to watch the Super Bore, which turned out not to be boring at all during the last quarter. “Hell froze over,” etc., etc. During the third quarter Dearly Beloved suggested that we retire for the night, but I said no. Good thing we didn’t!
As today is yet another day off school for Miss Pink Cheeks, we don’t have to pick her up this afternoon or let her dog out—DIL is taking vacation time to stay home. Our tenants went somewhere yesterday and still aren’t back. They took Monty Beagle for a walk yesterday, which was nice for all concerned.
Today will be another day of personal tasks; politics will have to wait. Must go to Costco to see whether my hearing aid can be mended and investigate new hearing aids. Also, I have to print out my tax returns and put them together. What a relief! They have been accepted by both the state and the feds.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond and Beyond!
Well, that was interesting. I was at work, eating breakfast & checking in, when my stomach said “hope you’re already in the bathroom! nope? too bad”. It really was that fast. I’m home, nibbling crackers…. gonna take a nap. Thing is, I feel fine. I felt fine at the time. I haven’t eaten anything weird. Sigh.
{{{anotherdemocrat}}} – Healing Energy. Glad you feel fine – hope your tummy decides to cooperate.
“Interesting’ is one way to describe it. I hope you feel better, even though you already feel fine :)
55 at what passed for dawn heading for 70 – cloudy but not as bad as a few hours ago. Then I was generating in double-digit watts, now I’m generating in low-triple-digit watts. We’ll have highs in the 70s today and tomorrow. 50s for the rest of the 10-day forecast except 70s on Sunday, and lows only dropping below freezing early Thursday morning. Yeah sure, global warming is a Chinese hoax. (Why Chinese? I’d go for a Russian hoax – so they can steal the Arctic oil once the ice is gone and we won’t even notice. heh, sort of.) Something in the air is burning the heck out of my eyes – making it difficult to focus – hope whatever it is goes away soon!
Ran over to DK long enough to check on fundraisers and put my community lynx comments in the Village Morning Edition. Got meetings for a chunk of today – I hate meetings, especially Monday morning ones – so not sure how much time I’ll be online at all – but I’ll be hanging out in the Village by the Moose Pond as much as I can.
Just about to leave for another meeting. Bright the day and wind to thy wings, Meeses New and Old. :)
Good morning, 27 and between snow storms in Bellingham. We have about three inches, but that’s enough to make the hills slippery so we won’t drive unless we have to. The schools are closed so our grand girls will have fun playing in the snow today.
Crosscut has some fun with the PNW’s snow challenges……
Snowmageddon brings Seattle to its knees
Inkaudley snuck in first with the Twin Cities weather. I meant to post earlier, but got distracted getting some organizing done at home. My headache is much better today – don’t know what happened yesterday.
Warm today (for us, 39°F), but we have a chance of snow tomorrow.
I need to get some cleaning and paperwork done. I am still trying to apply for health insurance through MNSURE. There has been an extension until Feb. 8th, but this year I’m having trouble online, and last week, the MNSURE number rang and rang…. I have one month stop gap insurance (cheap, hit by the bus insurance) until I can figure this out. They do have “navigators”, so I could try in person.
Sigh. I take medication that is somewhat expensive and not always covered – this is the third time I’ve changed insurers in four years. But this the first time I’ve had problems. I have to do the special call because my insurer from last year dropped out (Blue Cross).
This is really on me – I should have dealt with it mid December, but I haven’t had too much trouble in the past (and in mid-December I was still in shock and paralysis mode).
But, the coffee is hot. The Moose pond is tranquil, and I have the afternoon to work on this.
Hi Bluesophie,
I get up very early in the morning (referred to as ‘the middle of the night’ by my wife)!
Good luck with the MNSURE sign up. Maybe in person would be the most sure fire way, though the most pain-in-the-arse way.
Holding the Good Thought for your MNSURE.
I’m at work in Costa Mesa, CA It’s 55 degrees and raining. Yuck. But So. Ca really really needs the rain.
Are you folks finally getting enough rain? Are the reservoirs and lakes filling up again?
We’re getting there.
Slowly but surely we’re getting there.
I took a long nap, then had quinoa & veggies for lunch. So far, so good. I went to the grocery store & splurged on rice & steamed veggies and a couple of bottles of real gingerale & a ginger tummy drink. So, we’ll see if things work out. Oh – and I remembered that I have some candied ginger here.
Good – ginger in danged-near any form is good for the tummy. more Healing Energy.
Good morning, meeses! Tuesday …
It is 34 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 36. Rain this morning and mixed precipitation this afternoon. North of us is having ice storms.
Last night, Senate Democrats ran an all-night talkathon against Betsy DeVos’ confirmation vote. The vote is scheduled for noon Eastern today. The vote count is now 50 to 50 but Mike Pence is the tie-breaker so we would need to peel off one more Republican vote to reject her confirmation. I contacted my Republican Senator and tried really really hard to not call him Ron Freaking Johnson, as that is his name. As awful as losing the presidency was, it was a double blow for Democrats in Wisconsin who now have to deal with him for another 6 years. Elections Matter – and that election result gives me frequent indigestion.
See all y’all later!
Here is the CSPAN live camera for what they are calling a Senate Floor Night:
You can also view the recorded part via that link.
Thanks for this, Jan. It’s good that our Democratic senators are putting up a fight, even if ultimately doesn’t succeed.
Sigh. I have no great hopes that the DeVos nomination will fail. That family is even more sinister than the Kochs.
In Michigan, we’ve known this for a long time. The Republican electoral successes in our state, as well as the failure of public school education in Detroit, can be directly traced to the DeVos’ money and influence. This won’t help our country, but I’m holding on to the slim hope that now that the veil has been ripped away, more Michiganders are aware of their actions and be less complacent.
Hola Meese -it’s Tuesday.
30 degrees here in Saugerties NY with nasty weather on the way – ice and sleet. Glad I don’t have to drive.
My husband is home and sleeping – he had surgery yesterday for a cancerous growth.
The docs think they got it all – we’ll know next week.
Browsing Twitter: This was a good question
:
Sadly Rs don’t know the meaning of ethics.
Big hug to you and your husband, Denise. Here’s hoping you have excellent news next week.
good thoughts to you & your husband — I hope they did get it all
All the best, Denise, hope your husband will be okay! Mine had to give a tissue sample from his ear yesterday. He’s had skin cancer issues over the years. Monitoring and medication have kept them under control.
Glad you don’t have to drive today.
{{{Denise}}} – Healing Energy to your husband (and you) – and you are correct, the Rs don’t know the meaning of the word “Ethics”.
{{{Denise}}}, holding you and your husband in the Light.
My thoughts and prayers for you and your husband. Hope they got everything.
At work, eating oatmeal & drinking tea. We’ll see how this goes. I have a big bottle of ginger drink & some candied ginger to chew on. I missed donuts for the whole staff from a commissioner yesterday. which is probably just as well — sweet of him to do, though. Earworm is the pretty, meditative Song For Someone. Probably should switch it to something more energetic, but nah. A really lovely love song for people who’ve been together since high school.
And record-smashing high today of 90. Yep. 90.
{{{another}}} – more Healing Energy
Good morning.
46 degrees and showers in Chicago. I guess winter’s over here. No snow for 6 weeks.
Off to twitter to see what the idiots are doing.
Hi Jan,
What’s wrong with my account?
Thunder showers? In February? In Chicago? Morning! 44 degrees going up to the fifties in a winter where ive yet had to snowblow. Yes, climate change is not a hoax.
I agree with these sentiments – anyone siding with Assad (Putin, Trump etc.) are scumbags
Srsly and R-Amen
Good morning, Meese. Overcast here in NoVa this morning, but naturally, no rain. Current temp. is 52 F., going up to 67 F. In February! Duh.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the DeVos thing and, even more, the hearing in the federal court re the travel ban.
Today is the 42nd birthday of my “miracle baby,” the child they didn’t think would live through the night when he was born. The neonatologist and his team saved Younger Son’s life, to my everlasting gratitude. I blush to admit that I called him “Baby” until he was 30! (Well, he is the youngest of three.) He is a joy in himself, but as the father of Miss Pink Cheeks and Babylicious, even more so.
Okay, off to another busy day—was out all day yesterday and Sunday was the Super Bore, so I’m wayyyy behind on the laundry, not to mention my naughty novella, which keeps wanting me to work on it.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond and Beyond!
{{{Diana}}} – Happy Birthday to your miracle baby – he’s just a year younger than my youngest (who will be 43 on 2/22) – most miracles are small and pretty much not noticed, but every once in a while the Universe says, ‘YO! Miracles do happen.”
Joining the “It’s February dammit” group – started the day at 60 and will be mid 70s today. At least it’s sunny so far. Hoping for solid electricity generation today.
Sent my postcards yesterday. Trying to figure out a way I can go back to making phone calls without getting myself in trouble at work. Hope one more somebody on the R side develops a conscience. Not holding my breath.
Got to get over to DK and do my community needs stuff then get to work. I’ll be back here off and on throughout the day. Bright the day and wind to thy wings, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
34 now and heading up to 44 today in the apple country north of Detroit. The birds were in full chorus this morning, which was lovely but disconcerting in February. I’m making a mental note to get some birdseed from the feed store if we go back to our usual February temperatures.
Today is my day off, and I will be doing a lot of running around today: oil change for the car, a stop at the vets to get refills on the dogs’ heartworm medicine, and sitting down to do my taxes later. But for now, I’ll hang out here while I wait for the fog to lift and make driving less “adventurous.”
Morning, Meese.
Currently 26 and light rain/drizzle in MPLS/St Paul. I don’t know how it rains when it’s below freezing – but not to worry the rain freezes when it hits the ground. Driving and walking outside may get a bit interesting.