Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Dec. 29th through Jan. 4th

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 (usually Saturday night with a Sunday date). 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?

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.

 

Page One of Comments is HERE!
 
Page Two of Comments is HERE!
 

 

27 Comments

  1. Good “morning”, Motley Meese! The week begins …

    Morning low of 48 degrees in Madison WI with an expected daytime high of 54. Isolated showers are in the forecast.

    Have a great day, all y’alls!!

  2. Sunday Meese. Was awakened by one of those TV weather alerts at around 4 AM. Apparently, we are facing an ice storm here in the NY Catskills starting this afternoon and it will continue thru Tuesday.

    Posting my last Sunday sermon of 2019 this morning at Dkos – rounding up over two years of focus on Puerto Rico.

    Sigh. I’m feeling pretty frustrated about the way PR gets pushed to the back of the line of things we need to address.

  3. Watching the news, eating breakfast. Next week is weird: work Monday, closed Tuesday & Wednesday, back to work Thursday & Friday. Made tea for the week yesterday, today I’ll make my dish for New Year’s. But right now, it’s tea, almond butter sandwich & the morning news.

  4. It’s 49 going up to 51 in Fay., AR and cloudy this last Sunday in 2019 (by the Xtian calendar forced on the world). Cloudy but enough light to be generating – with this morning’s driblet we’ve reached 160 for the month and have 3 production days left including the rest of today. We shall see what we shall see.

    I’ve got to get my end of month/year & beginning of month financial & other tracking stuff done this morning. Actually started on that and taking a break right now to check in. I’ve gotten all my Sunday chores except the floors (surprise) done. Next month is going to be tight. But I think I’m OK. Once I get my W-2 and 1099s in I can do my taxes. I’m pretty sure I’ll get a decent refund in February that will get me back into the comfortable range. And I’ll get to that point with the help I’ve already received from beloved friends. For which I am truly thankful – yes, the money but mostly the beloved friends.

    Health and money – either or both – are the issues of my friends in need. Usually both in that the health problems cause the money problems in most cases. sigh. But everyone is surviving – I keep Channeling the Energy that they (we actually – we’re a community and the health of one impacts the health of all) progress from just surviving to at least surviving comfortably. Bright Blessings on everyone this gray day. I need coffee and to get back to work. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}

  5. Good morning, 42 and mostly cloudy in Bellingham. I’m going to see Little Women with my grand girls, their mom and her mom today. The movie is playing at The Pickford as well as at the Regal Cinema, but I prefer the smaller venue and I love the old building.

    Best wishes to all on this last Sunday in December day.

  6. Good morning, meeses! Monday …

    It is 34 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 32. We had rain overnight, snow flurries this morning and it is expected to snow off and on all day. From my office window, the roads look shiny – I hope that is rain and not ice. I was looking at videos from Minneapolis over the weekend and YIKES! I can avoid driving today but I have some end-of-yearish errands to run that would be nice to get out of the way today.

    Fk cancer!! We can’t lose John Lewis when the voices of the long-time Democratic Party base are already being stifled by the New Democrats like Mayo Pete, for whom the civil rights struggle and the women’s rights struggle are just history text and an annoyance, and the kick-out-the-olds like AOC who want to upend everything. Dramatic change doesn’t happen overnight – dramatic events like the March on Washington and the passing of the Civil Rights Act are usually the culmination of years of activism and resistance and a lot of election cycles. We still don’t have full women’s rights.

    And I am not here for the faux condolences from people who wish John Lewis dead – and everything he stood for crushed.

    See all y’all later!

  7. Monday Meese – 34 and messy here in the NY Catskills cause it’s raining/sleeting

    Puerto Rico

  8. 1 day at work, 2 days off, then work Thurs. & Fri. Weird week. Then short weeks the next 2 because of time I’m taking off for my birthday, then MLK Day… I won’t work a 5-day week till the end of the month. But today, like Friday, we are seriously understaffed. So, I put extra tea in my tea, cocoa powder in my overnight oats…..going to do good things for myself to get through the day. Today’s song is one that’s good for either Christmas or New Year — Better Days. The first time I heard it. I was driving home from work & I had to pull over, because I was crying so hard I couldn’t see. Gorgeous song, beautiful words.

    So take these words and sing out loud
    ‘Cause everyone is forgiven now
    ‘Cause tonight’s the night the world begins again

    I wish everyone was loved tonight
    And somehow stop this endless fight
    Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days

  9. John Lewis’ speech at the March on Washington.

    Transcript

    We need to be reminded that the Party of John Lewis will likely have a nominee who embraced Eastland and thinks he can make common cause with the white supremacists in the current Senate. Let’s honor John Lewis’ legacy by holding Joe Biden’s feet to the fire on that. You cannot make common cause with racists, now or ever.

    My friends, let us not forget that we are involved in a serious social revolution. By and large, American politics is dominated by politicians who build their careers on immoral compromises and ally themselves with open forms of political, economic, and social exploitation. There are exceptions, of course. We salute those. But what political leader can stand up and say, “My party is the party of principles”? For the party of Kennedy is also the party of Eastland. The party of Javits is also the party of Goldwater. Where is our party? Where is the political party that will make it unnecessary to march on Washington?

    Goddess help us if we reject his words and deny what our party stands for.

  10. Welp, it’s 30-feels-like-21 in Fay., AR and for some reason the PV system hasn’t updated since 7:23 am – so it’s actually on but not showing anything on the “dashboard”. I can go – have gone – out to the inverter itself to check production (156 watts thus far this morning) so I know the system is OK. Not sure what’s going on with the data updates. Obviously the internet is working. Sigh. And I really don’t feel like being mansplained about it right now. If it hasn’t righted itself in a few hours, I’ll report it anyway.

    Everybody who’s got any spare energy, please send some to Amelia/earicicle – she’s got to deal with getting the next lot of motel fees paid before 11 pacific time which is going to require dealing with the bank, the new social worker, the on-site office people, and the national office people. Any one of which would be stressful for her and require a day’s rest afterwards. All of them together…well, prayers, invocations, or any other way to send her some energy would be good.

    Everybody else is hanging in there as best I know. Aji’s recovering from food poisoning but at least she is recovering. And fairly quickly. She’s lost a patron – I don’t know at what level – and needs to make up the revenue somewhere. Plumber and doctors next week. Hoping for a decent to large sale to cover that.

    I need to take my son to work so I can have the car today. Blood drive at the hospital. I’ve missed 2 this year and I don’t want to miss the last one. My blood goes to the neo-nates – the ones we used to call preemies – so all the more reason for me not to miss just in case the baby new year needs it. Healing/Helping Energy to all who need and accept it, to their shaping. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}

  11. Good morning, 44 and cloudy in Bellingham. The pain and swelling in my knees is slowly getting better, and I/m very relieved. Is it because I’ve done very little but stay off them since Christmas, or is this just another mysterious arthritis flare finally easing? I dunno, but thank goodness it’s happening!

    I loved seeing Little Women yesterday. The theatre was full of women, but I think it’s a movie men would enjoy as well. Part of me wants to read the book again, but another part cautions to just let my childhood memories be. Some reading experiences can’t be revisited.

    I hope to do a bit more than stay off my legs today, but less pain is very rewarding so I may just sit around for another day. Best wishes to all on this Monday morning.

    • {{{princesspat}}} less pain is very rewarding so do what you need to for that. And I think the cautious part of you is very wise. You cannot see the characters or the situation with your child’s eyes again and seeing them with your not just adult but grandmother’s eyes will change how you feel about them. If that’s what you wish to do, go for it. But if you enjoy those memories maybe best to not. Healing Energy and moar {{{HUGS}}}

  12. Good morning, meeses! Tuesday, December 31, 2019 …

    It is 23 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 28. Cloudy this morning and clearing this evening as the deep freeze returns! We got what looks like a couple of inches of snow overnight.

    Is there any way for Joe Biden to limit his appearances and just read a stock speech? No, Joe, a 77 year old guy does not get to pick a Republican running mate and put us a heartbeat away from turning the White House back over to the Republican Party. The enemy is not Trump per se, the enemy is the Republican Party, men who were fine nominating him knowing exactly who he is – would you fking wake the hell up??!!? We don’t need the three people in America who were stroking their beards saying “this Joe Biden guy is someone I can vote for instead of tRump!” after seeing your comment.

    I need to make a last pass through my to-do lists to make sure that I am not missing anything and then get end-of-month accounting projects prepped to the point where I can click and go next year. I can back date some things but other things really need a December 2019 date.

    See all y’all next year!!

  13. Tuesday Meese. 35 degrees here in the Catskills going up to 44 – thankfully the ice storm that was predicted here was very mild – only got a dusting of frozen sleet pellets.

    John Lewis

    • John Lewis is the greatest living American. I hope he can beat this – for at least another year and 20 days. I don’t want another of our Democratic Party icons to leave the mortal plane under the shadow of a Trump presidency. After seeing how he treated Debbie Dingell and trashed Elijah Cummings, any governmental honor acceded to by the pile of excrement in the White House would be gross and would definitely need a do-over.

  14. I was watching the news but it’s too depressing, flipped over to Dr. Who. 36 now, headed to a high of 61, and sunny. We were hoping for rain tomorrow but it looks like the storm will go too far south. Today: cooking & an end-of-year walk. And have a tab for an Earth cam of the Dublin New celebration. I’m seeing the Sydney one everywhere, along with pictures of people forced literally into the ocean fleeing the fires. Time to watch more Dr. Who.

  15. It’s 28-feels-like-20 in Fay., AR and sunny for the last day of the calendar year. The inverter started updating sometime around noon yesterday (we got 7.25 KWHs and are at 169.6 with today still to go) but it’s doing the same thing this morning – hasn’t updated since before the sun came up. Looks like I’m gonna have to report this. sigh. The good part is we’ve generated more for Dec 2019 than any except 2015 when the 4K system upgrade went in.

    Urgent stuff is being met for the folks I’m personally concerned about/helping. That’s a good way to end 2019 and start 2020. Surviving is always a good thing. Progress for 2020 is surviving comfortably! Holding that Good Thought. My friend is coming over – should be here in a few minutes – to start getting stuff out of my house so this is just a drive by. But Healing/Helping Energy to all who need and accept it, to their shaping. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}} and if I don’t make it back today, see you in 2020. 👍😁✨🎉🌞

  16. Neil Gaiman’s New Year post

    the ending:

    “And may your New Year be happy, and may you be happy in it. I hope you make something in the year to come you’ve always dreamed of making, and didn’t know if you could or not. But I bet you can. And I’m sure you will.”

    • Thanks another……

      I hope that, for all of us, in the year ahead, kindness will prevail and that gentleness and humanity and forgiveness will be there for us if and when we need them.

  17. Good Tuesday moaning, Meese. Yes, literally moaning: too much partying, too much conversation with family members, too much scrambling to make sure our flat looks as if humans inhabit it rather than gorillas. Yesterday I was so exhausted I simply sat and stared. Oh, I did some cooking and laundry, but basically I stared at a novel I was reading.

    So here we are on a cloudy but gradually clearing day, with a current temp. of 42 F., on its way up to 51 F.

    Have missed being here with you all. I love hearing about everyone’s day and everyone’s weather. I’m busy making New Year’s resolutions. From now on I will pick four or five candidates to support for the House and at least one for the Senate. My own senator, Mark Warner, is up for reelection this year and I’ll support him, of course. I won’t send him money because he’s already a multimillionaire, which I assuredly am not.

    It was lovely seeing my daughter and son-in-law from Austin and Political Granddaughter, who now works for Emily’s List and actually gets vacation time. She’s in Ohio at the moment, visiting a friend. However, I find being with lots of people very draining.

    Elder Son and Mr. Preschooler have been expected to arrive momentarily. We have Miss Pink Cheeks staying with us for several days too. She’s a delightful child who is able to entertain herself very well. She also takes Monty out for his business meetings in the courtyard, which gives us a break.

    Sigh. I suppose I’ll have to unplug from all devices an hour before bedtime. I hate the idea of reading dead tree books, but there it is. If I don’t start getting some sleep I’ll be in big trouble.

    Haven’t missed the news about Thing. It’s been like a mini-vacation! This evening we are going to a New Year’s Eve party given by the residents of our building. I may have mentioned before that Birch Point is Party Central. We won’t stay until the end, though, I can’t be bothered.

    Wishing you all a jolly New Year’s Eve and a wonderful New Year! Let’s get rid of Thing!

    • It is difficult to know where to put money this year for Senate campaigns. Wisconsin has no Senate seats up – Ron Freaking Johnson’s will be up in 2022 and although he said a few years ago that he would only “serve” for two terms, he will probably change his mind. He is completely unqualified for any job except working for his father-in-law but found a place where incompetence is not only rewarded but admired – in the Senate Republican Caucus. If we take back the Senate this year, he may change his mind – being a minority in the Senate is not as much fun. I would love to help defeat Susan Collins, but I would also like to see the 2014 freshman class of Thom Tillis, Joni Ernst, and Cory Gardner retired. That Senate was the one that stole the Supreme Court seat from President Obama – and from the people who elected him – and they deserve to have their political careers burned to the ground. But alas, I am not wealthy so I will probably just watch from the cheap seats.

  18. Good morning, 47 and raining in Bellingham. Earlier this morning I got the dreaded 404 message when trying to sign in but thanks to computer magic all’s well again. Thanks Jan!

    I’m so ready for 2019 to be gone, because one was or another this may be the last year of tRump as well. My late night look at to years of photos the other night makes me even more concerned about what the next 10 years will be like for our kids and grand kids. RonK and I will muddle through, but the rest of my family needs a functioning government and a cleaner environment.

    We have our annual group New Years gathering this evening, starting with hor d’s. We help with that course and are bringing a smoked salmon/bagel/cream cheese tray and our favorite olive crostini. RonK will go on to the dinner and dessert courses but I’ll come home after the first stop. My mind would enjoy being with everyone, but I’m feeling very protective of my hard earned progress re my knees.

    Thanks to all for this year of support and friendship. May 2020 be a better year!

    • Well, technically, this year (2020) will be the last year of tRump. But at the end of 2020, the specter of a second term will not be hovering over us. I really wonder how his delicate psyche will handle the thumping loss he will be handed on November 3rd and if Mike Pence will have to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from the Oval Office after his psychotic break? Wouldn’t that be an interesting plot twist to the most bizarre presidency in history? I am sure that our new president would prefer Mike Pence on the inaugural stand over the vulgar talking yam and his demon spawn. We are 1 year and 19 days from the new Democratic presidency – I already feel better knowing how close it is.

      I didn’t have any 404 glitches but that is a good reminder to clear cache again.

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