Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Apr. 9th through Apr. 15th

April 8, 2017 JanF Community 101

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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52 Comments

  1. Good morning, 41 and cloudy in Bellingham. Seems like spring is wet and cold this year. The plants in the garden are budding, but the soil is still to cold to plant the containers. I usually have the patios ready to use for Easter but we’ll be in the dining room this year. I’ve got a lot to do to get ready, but the tRump White House has a bigger challenge….

    The Latest Test for the White House? Pulling Off Its Easter Egg Roll

    “You don’t understand what a beast this thing is to plan until you go and plan your first one,” said Ellie Schafer, who organized Easter Egg Rolls for the Obamas as the director of the White House Visitors Office from 2009 to 2016. “Every administration tries to put its own stamp on it, but the stakes are high because it’s such a Washington tradition, and people just love it and have very strong feelings about it.”

    Ms. Bates, whose memoir “White House Story” documents the challenges of planning Clinton-era Easter Egg Rolls, said the event was a window — up to a point — into the competence of an administration.

    “If you can pull off an Easter Egg Roll,” she said, “you can do anything.”

    • There will never be another family in the White House as cool as the Obamas. Period. And it is gross to think about the orange shitgibbon and his demon spawn there. The next Democratic president will need an army of smudgers with a metric ton of sage to set things right.

      • And salt – it’s gonna need one heck of a purification ritual – actually it’s probably going to take a purification ritual from every group that does them, one after another.

        • I wouldn’t personally use salt for purification of something I wanted to continue to use – salt kills! But yes, we would need a lot of help from a lot of different types of people to cleanse. I think of the Obama family being living purifiers of the days when slaves built and worked in the White House. Maybe we will need a female president to purify the White House after it was lived in by a serial sexual assaulter and disgusting pig-like disrespecter of women.

          • Just like having to use anti-bacterials and antibiotics to deal with really nasty stuff, it’s going to take salt to purify the White House – and maybe the Capitol building – once this lot has left. I devoutly hope it doesn’t take a female president to do it because we’re not going to get one until we find some way to break up the media consortium that hounded the best, most qualified candidate ever for over 40 years and “truthified” the crap from both Extremes plus the Russians to keep her out.

    • Good morning, dear Meese.

      Weather forecast: High of 60 today. The snow from yesterday has already melted; grass is greening up; I’ve noticed some trees are starting to bud. Spring has established itself!

      • Hi, inks! We will be in your fair city today for a 2 hour layover. I am glad the weather is decent.

        I am still waiting for our daffs to bloom. We had some trees budding when we left – it will be interesting to see what a few warm days will have done.

  3. Good Wednesday Meese
    Well yesterday – we hit 86 degrees – and as a result the power went out here for about 7 hours – internet went down for about 4. Our backup generator kicked in – so had power. I think everyone had their air conditioning turned on at once and the poor elderly power frid up here just couldn’t take it.

    We have more normal spring weather today – and rain.

    Rev. Barber in TN

    Too many responses to the sheer stupid of Spicer

    Good piece here on Carter Page

    • Page was one of the first who the trump WH denied had anything to do with the campaign. They probably got a heads up from their NatSec moles. I hope he has some juicy stuff to tell the feds.

      Too early to be 86 in upstate NY, Dee!

      • Howdy travelling Lady :)

        All those denials about Page will not hold water. Let’s hope journos keep the pressure on this.

        • I hope he is not the ultimate target. Trump seems coated in Teflon when it comes to the Russia stuff (“he’s too stupid to have planned this”) but I wouldn’t mind seeing Bannon and his Brietbarts kicked out of the White House. They are really creepy.

          Today is travel home day. Thank goodness we are not flying United!

    • I saw that Tom Perez met with Rev. Barber at some Democratic confab in Arizona. It is good to see Tom listening and learning … and, I hope, putting together a winning coalition. He is not as blinded by the white as some who think that you can win with wwc and expect poc and women to go along. Now Martin O’Malley joined the Sanders and Biden white male whinefest saying he would have won. Bull. They hate us because we stand up for the rights of minorities and women and immigrants, not because daddy was not running for president. So they embraced the guy who promised to give voice to their hate. No Democrat will win elections running on that platform.

        • The so called Left – and poc/women split post totally lays it all out. Right now, Poc/women are leading the resistance, white males trying to negate that fact.

        • Already seen that post. I’ve had it up to here (top of head) with white males telling me how to think and what issues I believe in. They keep this up and they will be sorely disappointed in turnout in 2020.

        • {{{Denise}}} – just got a minute to actually read that – yeah. What The Village at DK said as well – and the response has been to ban most of the diary writers over there. Which is why there are now 2 other Villages (including the one here) – and I’m providing 2 hangout diaries a week (with lots of help from WYgalinCali) over there. sigh.

          • Goddess forbid we should challenge Whitey McWhiteGuy. /snark with a tinge of bitterness

  4. I have a diary set to post tomorrow at DK at 11:45, because the matching challenge starts at noon. I’ll do one here in the morning. There is, of course, a U2 song. I woke up at least 4 times last night, ugh. One good thing about having a training today — that room is an ice box, so that will keep me awake. Every time I woke up, my brain was playing Yahweh:

    Take these hands
    Teach them what to carry
    Take these hands
    Don’t make a fist
    Take this mouth
    So quick to criticise
    Take this mouth
    Give it a kiss

    Link to full lyrics. Love my boys. Do wonder why my brain picked that one — and on repeat all night? Was it part of my dreams?

    People are saying the loss in Kansas is hopeful not heartbreaking. But last night Rachel was saying the Dem couldn’t even get $20K from the DNC for a mailer. So — no, not a heartbreaker, but a pisser-off-er. Fifty. State. Strategy. It worked, let’s use it again.

  5. Good morning, 46 and raining in Bellingham. The sky, horizon and water are all the same shade of grey, quite a contrast to yesterday’s few hours sunshine.

    I’ve simplified our Easter/birthday plans so it all seems more manageable now. I’ll mail cards to the family who won’t be here, and plan an easy meal for the Bellingham contingent. I hesitated to do so, but the sense of relief I feel tells me it was the right decision.

    It’s a pool morning for me so it’s time to find my suit and get ready to go. Have a good day everyone!

  6. 49 at dawn 66 now and heading for 77 – mostly clear. Got 18.4 KWHs yesterday and have just reached 170 for the month to date as of 30 minutes ago. Focusing a whole lot on “I’m alright right now” and enjoying as best I can the natural world (as in everything is beautiful and smells divine but the pollen overload messes with my sinuses and I very apparently managed to touch something I react to last night – small crusty and slightly itchy patch on my face this morning) since the past is unchangeable and the future is very truly uncertain.

    Can’t say much good – or really anything good – about the currently political situation much of anywhere. Yes, we’re gaining on them. But gaining doesn’t change one vote in Congress. About the best I can say is that gaining scares the Rs into spending money where they didn’t used to have to. On the other hand, my community needs list is shortened by two and we’re closer to our goals for several other folks thanks to some overnight donations. I need to scare up enough time to edit today’s Street Prophets at DK before 3 central when it posts. And that makes me very happy. Many blessing on the donor’s head.

    Work is interrupting my internet life as you can see by how late I am checking in. LOL. I need to get back to it but I’ll visit the Village first. Bright the day and wind to thy wings, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}

  7. It’s 65 degrees under a cloudless sky here in Costa Mesa, CA. I like the results of the Kansas election. Would of liked to have won but a nearly 20 point swing towards the Democrats isn’t chopped liver either. We’re moving in the right direction.

    • I haven’t had time to read much commentary on KS yet but the early buzz is that this might lead to a few R retirements. For a Republican to only win by 6 points in a tRump+27 district is not a good sign for the Republicans. It might be a Brownbacklash … it might just be folks sick of tRumpism. But Kansas has elected Democrats and 2018 will be an open governor’s race. The RNC won’t be able to protect all the governors and all the close seats.

      The Kansas race would have been nice to win but the Georgia one is actually a part of a long term strategy in Georgia to turn the state blue. Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams has been working hard in what they call the “Black Belt”, fighting for voting rights, helping organize people. GA-06 is the kind of district we can start winning with the right candidates and message.

  8. From C&L

    “JAMES THOMPSON: I’m probably not supposed to say this, but Mr. Estes did not beat us. It took a President of the United States, the Vice-President, a Speaker of the House, a Senator [Ted Cruz, yeah] coming into our state — and a bunch of lies — trying to drum up a vote.

    Audience cheering — “2018!”

    THOMPSON: Mr. Estes may have won this battle, but he has not won the war, and I am going to announce my candidacy for 2018.”

    [James Thompson Vows To Run Again For Congress In 2018 | Crooks and Liars]
    http://crooksandliars.com/2017/04/james-thompson-vows-run-again-congress

  9. Dee, will New York’s free tuition help your college? Will they maybe need to call some adjuncts back?

    • No. It won’t. The tuition losses are from international students.
      Even if my school increases enrollment – they will simply increase class sizes and make full timers teach more classes – rather than take on more staff.

  10. Good morning, meeses! Thursday …

    It is 41 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 55. It is raining now and will be mostly cloudy this afternoon and into the evening. April showers bringing May flowers!!

    I am wondering when tRump’s flip-flops will cause his fans to turn on him. Yesterday, apparently he flip flopped on 4 major foreign policy “positions”. I put positions in quotes because, really, his campaign promises were simply a string of disconnected rants with the conjuring words “make America great again”. There was nothing specific, just a general NotTheOthering. What is a little alarming is that the flip-flops follow that same pattern: whoever has his ear last wins the day (hour? minute?). Talk to the NATO guy, like NATO. Talk to Chinese guy, no currency problem, no Korea problem. Talk to Ivanka, Syrian president is bad. World leaders seem to be accepting the fact that America has a giant toddler in charge and going their own way. Sad end to one of the great world powers – once a force for good, now a laughing stock. Make America Incoherent Again!

    Can’t stay – post-vacation to-do list is beckoning. I had hoped to get my tax returns done before I left but ran out of time. I hate waiting until the last minute (and, yes, I know I have until Tuesday, 4/18) and I need to get them out today.

    See all y’alls later!

  11. Thursday Morning Meese
    42 here in NYS heading to 60

    While we focus on Syria, Russia, Korea etc – don’t take your eyes off the shell game Republicans are playing with domestic issues – like Social Security. Got up this morning pissed off – my Social Security check is a significant part of my income, and hubby is preparing to get his. Reading the news on R plans – again has me snarling.

    • Starting January 2018 it will be ALL of my income. Already called Womack’s office – not that he’ll give a flying flip – and said “hands off my Social Security” – just don’t touch it, any part of it. Hopefully there are Rs in Congress who are more afraid of the AARP than they are of the R “leadership”. {{{DENISE}}}

  12. Good morning, Meese!

    Rainy, but pleasant here.

    What I want to know is when are they going to start indicting/arresting the crowd that has been colluding with Russia? The amount of damning information that’s been made public should be enough, let alone all the juicy bits we haven’t heard.

  13. I published my AIDS Ride diary. The orange one goes up just before noon. I sent out e-mails, hope I get lots of donations.

    Not-quite-rainy day here. There was severe flooding to our south Monday, but we barely got rain at all. Warm enough for sandals. Yay, Austin!

  14. Good morning, Moosylvania! Another gorgeous day in NoVa, cooler than yesterday. At present the temp. is 51 F., going for a high of 68 F. No rain is expected until Sunday night, which means I’ll have to water the new plantings. There are already little white flowers in the strawberry bed and this is not quite mid-April! The strawberries used to come in May.

    My oldest apple tree, Pomona, is covered with blossoms, as is the pear tree. The younger apple trees are coming out in blossom too. Where I live is simply terrible for growing apples if you don’t use pesticide. I refuse to, so our apples are the kind you have to cut open and inspect before you eat them.

    My head is spinning like a top because I don’t know where to look. Syria? China? North Korea? Europe? Chechnya? Assad, the chinless tyrant, is so evil he belongs in the same place as Idi Amin, Genghis Khan, Adolf Schicklgruber, and every other evil creature. Y’know, I’m glad I’m not bothered by testosterone. Seems to drive some into total ruthlessness.

    My sister-in-law in Australia wrote yesterday, inquiring anxiously about Thing’s plans to Get Ugly with North Korea. Her part of the world would get the windborne fallout from a nuke or nukes.

    I’m so busy weeding and planting that I just can’t focus on the international situation right now. I’ve got Easter eggs (plastic) to hide on Sunday in between roasting the lamb, glazing the carrots, and minting the peas. Easter is so late this year I can make my own mint sauce! Usually I have to buy it. Right now, though, when I go outside there is mint to the right of us and mint to the left of us.

    Wishing all at the Pond a good day. Jan, welcome back and I hope you and Daughter had a great vacation! Did you decide where to live when you retire?

    • Nothing firm yet, Diana. I have to wait and see what Daughter decides for college. She, of course, liked the most expensive and exclusive private school in the area we visited. Good taste – I will have to start buying lottery tickets, though. She has enough college money saved up for about 1/2 a semester, sans books. :)

      We had gorgeous weather and got to spend a lot of time in nature so the trip was a success.

      • That’s wonderful, Jan! Let’s hope she likes a college in New York State, where it’s going to be free for a four-year degree. Syracuse, anyone? :)

  15. Good morning, 45 and cloudy in Bellingham. This week is slipping away from me…..how can it be Thursday!

    I’ve got a day of errands ahead as even a simple Easter/Birthday lunch takes some doing. Fortunately my son looks forward to his annual gift of geraniums for the planters on his porches. Going to the garden shop is an errand I enjoy :)

  16. Started the day at 59 heading for 78, will probably get into the 80s actually, and sunny at the moment. Got 19.5 KWHs yesterday bringing us to 188 for the month to date. That and Spring time are about the only good things going on, so that’s what I’m trying to keep bringing my focus back to. yes, note whatever is happening and do whatever I can about it, then come back to sunshine and growing things.

    It felt really good to take two people off my community needs list and reduce the amounts “to go” on several others. Aji and snoopydawg are the ones (on my list) I really worry about, but I’m doing what I can and that’s all I can do. AR decided to “review” my state income tax – more fool they as they owe me $50 more than what I submitted – but that means I haven’t gotten it yet. It’s only a couple of hundred, but when it gets here most of it’s going to Aji, next most to snoopydawg, and the rest split between whoever’s on my list at the time. This is basically “all the good” I can do right now, so I’m doing it.

    Gotta get back to work but will visit the Villages first. Bright the day and wind to thy wings, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}

  17. Good morning, meese! Friday …

    It is 45 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 59. The forecast calls for rain off and on all day. 70s tomorrow.

    I am sure the Stein and Johnson voters and the Sanders stay-at-homers are glad that they helped keep a warmonger out of the White House! It is a terrible thing that the press loves bombing more than diplomacy because it feeds tRump’s need for attention; I guess the visuals of guys sitting around a table working things out is not as click-baity as the pictures of multi-colored bombs raining down. Now Korea. For those who don’t remember history (which seems like a majority of Americans), the Korean “Conflict” resulted in the deaths of 2.5 million civilians. And you can’t just lob a few bombs into a country that doesn’t care about his citizens – North Korean can destroy Seoul in minutes if it is riled up, consequences be damned. The shitgibbon given the power over the largest military in the world doesn’t understand the consequences and doesn’t care to learn. He defunded State to beef up Defense so our only response to any situation is a show of force. Whoever had “85 days” in the pool of “when will electing Trump result in global war” will win if the attack comes on Sunday. Goddess help us.

    See all y’all later!

  18. Good Friday, Moosekind! Here in NoVa it’s partly cloudy and will stay that way. We have 47 F. now, heading for a high of 69 F.

    It’s awful to wake up every morning wondering whether we’re in a war yet. Shall I tell you what I was thinking when I was pulling up dandelions yesterday? “Here’s the root. Very thick. Wonder if one day I’ll have to wash dandelion roots, dry them, roast them, and grind them for coffee because Thing got us into a war and there’s no more coffee. The new tender dandelion leaves can be used in salads and stir-fries. The yellow heads can be picked, washed, patted dry and used to make wine. I can’t drink wine but I could trade it for something I do need.”

    If only the Fibbies and senators would hurry up and get rid of Thing! Not to mention the others.

    We’re still trying to get the house and garden ready for the Easter dinner. That’s going to be on my mind more than politics until Monday.

    In the meantime, hot cross buns for breakfast, along with cappuccinos. Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!

    • I would never survive as a survivalist. A lot of the deplorables who think that they can just hunker down with their AK-47 in their tract house are fooling themselves. It will suck for everyone.

      Easter is here and because I was out of town I do NOT have my Peeps yet!!! I will have to run to Target this afternoon. I hope they are not out of the yellow ones (I am a traditionalist).

      • Back when we were afraid of the Soviets, I was happy Austin/San Antonio was on their top ten list, because I didn’t want to survive a nuclear exchange. Now my fears of the world ending are that I might survive the initial thing, only to die later.

        • Same here – when I first read about and understood what nuclear war means, I said “Ground Zero Club, i’m in it” – that was Houston which had/has as good a chance as Austin to get a direct hit. my response to question in the poem/song “The Last Rose of Summer” – “Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone?” has always be a firm “not me”

          • we had Bergstrom AFB, and San Antonio had one – as well as the premiere burn unit for the military, so we were worth a couple of hits at the time

  19. Good Friday Meese

    32 here in the Catskills going up to 60. While The Trumpmonger sends the media into a feeding frenzy – to deflect from Russia probes and potentially pushing us into yet another war – #Resistance on the home front against Repubs continues.

    • Andy Slavitt, President Obama’s Medicare administrator, has been all over the ACA repeal story. Here is a GoogleDocs (with links to articles) he put together on the town hall blowback: GOP Recess Blowback.

      We can’t lose sight of what the Republican Congress is trying to do. Now that tRump has flip-flopped again and said that healthcare reform comes first, there will be another push to get the repeal done. In 14 days, the government will shut down unless the budget is passed or the Continuing Resolution extended. Ryan can’t do it without Democratic help and we need to extract some concessions. I am not sure if the electorate will have any patience with a Unified Republican Government that can’t even keep the government running.

  20. I got lots of donations yesterday — even before the matching funds are added, I’m just short of $1,000 raised. So — YAY!!! The news this morning said that “a lot of state agencies are closed” — I’d love to know who, ‘cause it ain’t us & the parking garage looked like it always does. Got church at 7 tonight. Probably healthy to take an evening off of watching the news. Brain is playing the very (very) un-Good Friday-like Miracle of Joey Ramone. I love the little acoustic break followed by BOOM.

    I woke up at the moment when the miracle occurred
    I get so many things I don’t deserve
    All the stolen voices will someday be returned
    The most beautiful sound I’d ever heard

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