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?
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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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– Page One of Comments is HERE!
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On the work call today, they talked about when we go back (tentatively on 5/8), they want everyone who “can” use the stairs to use them; reserve the elevator for people who can’t. I’m going to assume that extreme acrophobia makes me someone who “can’t” use the stairs. I tried to use the stairs when we first moved in after the remodel, but I had nightmares. The old stairs had short flights, and walls so you can’t see all the way down. The new one….. doesn’t. The mask-like thing I ordered on Amazon (yes, I know they’re evil) is supposed to arrive tomorrow. It’ll be easy to wear at work, and as it gets hotter & hotter, it will be good because the real purpose is to cool you off, so yay. And I like the fabric: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B086W63JHT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I don’t consider Amazon “evil” – unscrupulous at times but an essential part of my business because of their extensive product catalog. When I use them, it is mainly because I can get the already-known product in a few days and often have it drop shipped free to a client. It is easier than dealing with multiple vendors which is what I had been doing in the past. I am coming to understand, though, that the “vendor network” they work with is not very reliable and that ordering something from “Amazon” does not guarantee you will ever see the product or that the product will arrive as advertised. I find that alarming and now do my shopping with a little more care.
Wednesday Meese. 38 going up to 62 in Saugerties NY.
Puerto Rico
Good morning, Moosekind! Looks as if a clear day is shaping up outside. Have been awake for an hour and up since 5:30. Today we are to have a treat, with temperatures in the low 70s. Currently in Ashburn it’s 42 F. Last night after the rain moved off I saw a fuzzy crescent moon, which seemed like a good omen.
There’s not much to discuss except the horror of the disease and the awfulness of the administration. I’m not prepared to ease up on social distancing by going out to get a haircut or my nails done, even if there are any places open. It’s simply not worth it.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!
They can open up but they can’t force us to go. I suppose at some point they will shut down all the conveniences that have been added to make it easy to stay home and we will be forced out. Until then, most sensible people will be cautious. I would really like a haircut; I am laughing at people who want to Zoom or Facetime – why?? Who wants to see an old lady with scraggly hair that has been cut in a mirror to keep it off her face??? I shall type my words and lay low until I can find out when my hairdresser will be back cutting hair. I suppose she will also have an appointment backlog. :(
I hear you, girlfriend. I look more like Struwwelpeter than ever.
Good morning, meeses! Wednesday …
It is 46 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 50. Light drizzle now, showers later. We are taking the “April Showers” part of “April Showers Bring May Flowers” quite seriously. Our flowers have been slow to appear – I see that other parts of the country have beautiful stands of flowering crabs. Soon!
Another day, another horror as good government is dismantled by the Republicans. Now it is the right to a safe workplace where tRump is ordering meat packing workers back to work in unsafe conditions where they are literally dying. The governor of Iowa announced that any worker who doesn’t show up to any business that chooses to open will be considered having quit and will not get unemployment benefits. So if you are sick or if you have an at-risk family member who you don’t want to bring a deadly virus home to, tough. You have no choice but to go to work. All the labor protections from the New Deal, and good governments since then, shredded gleefully by the Republicans and their death cult, with the Labor Department now being run by the evil spawn of the soulless Antonin Scalia. Goddess help us. And don’t get me started on the latest Republican-planned horror – protection from lawsuits for businesses who choose to put their workers and their customers at risk to please their MAGAt leader.
Wisconsin is going to re-open the state parks with rules and with strict limits on how many can be in each park, especially the parks near urban areas. What will deter most people is that the parks will only be open to those organized enough to have already purchased their 2020 park sticker, something I don’t usually get around to until the weather gets nice and reminds me. When I tried to call to get mine, the lines were busy as I expect they will be for days. The in-person DNR locations are shut down and the parks won’t be selling them so the phone system is it. I guess a web site option is too hard to develop, better to have a person on a phone who will enter your address wrong and transpose digits on your credit card number. :::sigh::: I don’t want to be one of the first to go to the parks this weekend, anyway, but my daughter is anxious to get out into nature again so I will need to get on the phone and keep dialing so we are ready when it seems safe.
I have a couple of projects percolating that I don’t want to lose track of so I better get back to it.
See all y’all later!
I was going to walk this morning — had everything set out, but there were thunderstorms. So I actually slept in, just listening to that. I set my basil out for some free water. Yesterday’s weekly work call was interesting. The agency directors are being very cautious about re-opening; the earliest my section might go back is the 8th.
It’s 53 going to 66 and a beautiful sunny day so far. The rain didn’t start until almost sundown yesterday and the sun managed to get through the clouds enough to generate 13.8 KWHs. So the m-t-d starting this morning’s 352 – not possible to reach 400 but if today and tomorrow gives us their “best” so to speak we’ll definitely get over the 375 and out of last place for the 4K system. We shall see what we shall see. Meanwhile I’ve pulled the grow tubs back out into the sun. (I’d put them on the carport for safety just before the storm hit.) Life goes on, mostly.
Evil Ones being evil. Yes, more people will die. More people have already died than would have if…But that didn’t happen so we’re stuck with the Evil Ones until we can get them out of power again. And we’re stuck with the death and damage they have done, are doing, will do. But Nature spirals – the Wheel turns – and good people will ultimately get it back. I have no idea whether I or any of my personal “beloved others” will survive but I know good people will. And so I – all of us – will do what we can and keep on keepin’ on until we get there. That’s all I got. Short-term is bad. I can only work and hope for a longer term that is good. And worry about all those personal “beloved others” in my life. Channeling Healing/Helping Energy to everybody to your shaping. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 52 and cloudy in Bellingham. Heide is with us today while son #1 is in Seattle for the Covid study, and in Edmunds seeing Ryan and delivering another set of masks. I hope to finish sewing the masks for son# 2’s family today, then on to friends and neighbors, and then I’ll be done, yay! It’s good to finally have a focus but the familiar to much time at the sewing machine back ache is annoying.
Best wishes to all.
Good morning, meeses! Thursday …
It is 46 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 63. Sunny skies are in the forecast. On Saturday, we may see the 70s!
I sampled the news this morning and the Trump Virus’ reported death toll went past 60,000 yesterday. That it is probably about 50% higher is very likely based on analysis. He and his team are literally whistling past the graveyard as they are encouraging the country to end lockdowns to save the economy and his presidency. An Atlantic article has this headline: “Georgia’s Experiment in Human Sacrifice”. Indeed. Someone pointed out that many businesses run with very tight margins – if they get 50% to 60% of their business back – while the rest of Sane America continues sheltering – they are not going to survive. Instead, they will simply be putting themselves and their employees (and their employees’ families) at risk for nothing.
Speaking of Georgia, I am increasingly put off by the Stacey Abrams VP Tour. She was interviewed by the local paper – she was born in Madison when her parents were going to school here (not sure which school) – and her campaigning for the job is rather unseemly. I recall how Julián Castro’s very public chase of the VP in 2016 turned off a lot of people and eventually the Clintons. It is okay to be ambitious but Abrams seems to be pushing it a bit. She is not qualified to be president and never having won a statewide race (yes, I know the election was ratfked) is concerning. She should have run for U.S. Senate – there are two seats on the ballot this fall – to show her electability. Joe Biden is 180 years old and his VP may very well become president: we need someone who understands the federal government and who has run something, you know, something like the California Department of Justice. Anyway, they are saying that the DNC convention may still be an in-person but scaled down convention in Milwaukee. I am not sure that is wise but it is a couple of months down the road.
Last day of April! If my plan to wipe the slate clean and start over with a new to-do list and a new set of priorities is to have any chance of success, I need to get everything sorted out today – so I better get to it.
See all y’all later!
p.s. I did not have time to run the site WordPress update and will do it on the weekend when I have time to do the appropriate pre-update backups. Probably Saturday late morning.
Thursday Meese. 49 going up to 59 here in the Catskills
Chris Hayes – ugh
Holy moley, one guy called you “Karen” and then later in that thread someone called you a rape apologist! If Tara Reade had not flown her Russian freak flag – and thrown in her lot with Glenn Greenwald – she would be more credible. It makes no sense to me that this allegation survived vetting for 40 years including for Vice President under Barack Obama. As the USA Today article said, for #MeToo to survive as a movement, it needs to not blindly accept every allegation. That Hayes is a tool for Bernie – and helped elect tRump with his 2016 Hillary hate – is all you need to know. His pal, Ari Melber, is just trying to make a name for himself. I have a name for him: shithead.
I saw your tweets, Dee! I think someone needs to find Chris a new job, such as cleaning out the Porta-Potties at Thing rallies for $7.49 an hour (that wage will rise to $8 at the end of a year), but someone else said he’s a Russian asset and should be locked in a windowless cell with no Internet.
Just another Putie cutie, eh?
Puerto Rico
May the Triple Goddesses of Death blast the Rethug withholders to hell.
I got in a good walk — 2.1 miles. And now I’m answering patron e-mails. We’re doing some experiments with calling with masked phone numbers today. But if we’re going back on the 8th, I don’t really see much point, there’s more than enough to keep us busy past then. Anyway, I’m appreciating these last days of being at home.
Another, the big question is, will it be safe for you and your colleagues to go back to work in the office?
t really seems like they they parsed his words to the literal exact line they can push. They’re keeping as many of us out for as long as they can. Only the public service area is opening — either tomorrow or Monday — and that at only 25% capacity, which means probably never more than 5 from the public. Most of us don’t have to go in till Austin’s stay-home order is up, on the 8th. We will wear masks, since our cubicles don’t give us 6 feet of distance. They want as many of us as possible to take breaks & eat lunch outside. There are no tables, so that’s….. And in the weekly staff calls, they’ve stressed that elevators are single-occupant now — and anyone who can take the stairs, please do. I’m really hoping that severe acrophobia qualifies, as our stairs literally give me nightmares.
{{{anotherdemocrat}}} – that’s a very good walk. Glad the weather cooperated. It’s good to experiment with calling with masked numbers. Even if you go back on the 8th there’s unfortunately a very good chance you’ll be working from home again later. Enjoy this last chunk of working from home days. Healing Energy and moar {{{HUGS}}}
It’s 48 heading for mid 70s and sunny. I like sunny. 🌞😁🌞 We got enough cloud cover yesterday to hold production down to 14.8 KWHs – seasons and all that, what’s not even possible in January is not particularly good in April – and the m-t-d is starting today at 366.5. So even getting only 10 today, and I hope we get 20, will take us out of last place in April generation for the 4K system.
I haven’t been able to reach the Computer Store at the university to be sure they’re open before I take the laptop in. At this point all I know is the laptop isn’t getting power even though the block is when I plug it in. That could be the laptop itself or it could be the cable between the block and the laptop. I really don’t want to go out but if it’s still under warranty (I don’t remember whether I did a 3-yr or a 4-yr warranty) it won’t be in a few weeks since I bought it in mid May 2016. In a sense it’s not that important. I only use it for traveling since I got the desktop and I don’t travel much. But it’s got a built-in mic and camera so I can Skype using it and it’s also got a built-in CD/DVD slot. (I’ve got an external player but I don’t like it for various “first-world” reasons.) So I’d like it to work when I want/need it to work. There’s always the possibility I’ll travel again in the not-too-distant future. But without knowing whether the store’s actually open I don’t want to go up there and break quarantine. Because whether or not I get the car back from my son or take the bus, open or not, I’d be breaking quarantine. I might be able to walk it in and then not break quarantine exactly – as in not see anybody close enough to count – if the store isn’t open but… Oh well. As Diana says “first-world problem”. (Although it wouldn’t be if that were my only computer and only means of communication/acquiring what I need to survive. Situations do make the difference.)
I don’t know how bad it’s gonna get before it starts getting better. We only can tell in hindsight. Nobody knew during WWII that Midway was the turning point in the PTO or the 2nd Battle at El Alamein the turning point in the ETO. Nobody in 1863 realized Gettysburg was the turning point of that war. But I do know it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. So prayers/invocations/Channeling Healing/Helping Energy to everybody to your shaping. And doing what else my hands/head finds to do. Even if that’s only boosting tweets. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 53 and cloudy in Bellingham. RonK is starting to like his on line meeting set up, and my sewing room is cozy so our stay at home life is doing fine. I’m not checking on our retirement account however. It will recover, or not, and we’ll cope regardless. So for now I’m trying to spare myself from more big worries.
The COVID study our son hopes to be part of is an immunity study. He met with a Dr. involved and gave blood yesterday, but won’t know until next week if he can continue due to taking coumadin. I hope he can continue to be part of the study.
My aching knees were in rebellion yesterday so I didn’t get as much sewing done as I had planned. But I got some done and will do some more today.
Best wishes to all on this last day of April.
Good morning, Meese, and happy Beltane Eve! It was more fun to celebrate 30 years ago, but I’ll say no more about that.
The weather is awful here, as in, we’re expecting two inches of rain today. We’ve just about hit our daytime high of 61 F. since it’s 60 F. as I write.
Was on Twitter while eating my breakfast muffins, spreading a little vitriol here and there. As there’s nothing I can do to help the situation, other than staying under lockdown and donating to food banks here and there, I’m going to concentrate on little worries. Moreover, I have a BIG worry this morning: Dearly tells me he’s lost 5 pounds despite all the rich homemade desserts I’ve been feeding him. As he’s chronically at least 30 pounds underweight, this is very worrisome. He’s called his doctor about it in the past and she’s worse than useless. This test, that test, and no recommendations. Also, his COPD and arthritis are really bad today. This may due to the horrible weather.
I’m getting off to a very slow start this morning, but at least I was lucky enough to get some sleep. My little task for the day is to decide which story to upload to my website because tomorrow’s the first of May.
Can you believe that? I don’t think things are going to return to normal any time soon. Matter of fact, I don’t expect things to be normal—or nearly—until June 2021.
Wishing all a nice, quiet day of avoiding too much news.
{{{Diana}}} I’ll start with “I’m not a doctor, I don’t even play one on TV” and go on with – it sounds like your husband has the same kind of metabolism my Daddy did. Carbs and fats do not put weight on folks like that. They burn it off as fast as they eat it. Protein is the only thing that stabilizes them. Red meat more than anything else but red meat is always expensive so…do what you can with what you can get. Healing Energy and moar {{{HUGS}}}
Thanks, bfitz! As it happens we had beef tips in gravy last night along with mashed potatoes, his favorite. We’ll have barbecued pork on a bun for lunch today. I’ll do my best to keep him “proteined up.” Thanks!
You’re welcome. And it’s funny – guys with that kind of metabolism love their carbs. Apparently especially mashed potatoes. But they need the meat. Good luck. {{{HUGS}}}
June 2021 is a good date – it is the one I have been thinking about as well. The more I read about how they are pushing the vaccination – planning 300 million doses by December 2020! – the less comfortable I feel about getting in line for one. I hope that they don’t package it with the regular (vetted) seasonal flu shot because I want to take that but I am not willing to be a guinea pig for the Kushner COVID-19 shot. The Trump Administration will cut corners whenever and wherever they can and they already have the “scientists” at the NIH and CDC lying for them. I suspect the “by December 2020” is election year hype and that they are hoping that no one notices the 150,000 to 200,000 people they killed by their incompetence.
I hope your husband’s discomfort is from the weather. Send him our best wishes for continued good health!
Thank you! He does feel better this morning, although the arthritis is still there along with the COPD. If we could get some warmth and sunlight I think he’d feel happier.
I haven’t been paying attention, and there’s a match for the Ride so I real quick threw together a diary at the orange place: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/30/1941598/-Starting-at-noon-central-time-25-donations-to-the-Hill-Country-Ride-for-AIDS-will-be-matched?_=2020-04-30T09:55:20.054-07:00#comment_77194397
Good morning, meeses! Friday, the first of May …
It is 37 degrees in Madison with an expected daytime high of 63. Mostly sunny skies in the morning but then mostly cloudy skies later in the day. It might be more difficult to bake in the afternoon sun like I did yesterday!
I am going to go news-lite today as my May Day Resolution is to be productive! I did not get my to-do list built yesterday as I had to spend the morning on more pressing projects. I really need that list because every day I need to identify some bite-sized projects that I can complete and feel like I am making progress!
I was horrified to see the armed protesters in the Michigan state capitol building. I hope that Governor Whitmer is protected 24/7 – those people are insane! What a terrible country we have become that it is legal to carry assault weapons into our government buildings and threaten our elected officials. It is clear to anyone watching that the intent of the Republican Party (and their NRA) to set up a way to take back the country by force when they are voted out of power. And they could win that way – Democrats choose ballots over bullets because our ideas are popular and we outnumber them. We can just hope that they can’t kill us all and that karma catches up to them and makes their unsanitary protests deadly to themselves.
See all y’all later!
Gods, yes, it is depressing. The way their Swift-boating Biden is depressing too. The woman making the accusations is a former berner and Putie lover who doesn’t know the difference between “sensuous” and “sensual,” as evidenced by quotations from her writing. Also, she copied the description of the alleged assault from one of her father’s novels?
Duh. Of course the rightwing MSM will emailghazi this to death.
Blessed Beltane and all that. And we need that Beltane Energy – those “protesters” are one of the organized pseudo-militia groups who’ve been looking for the right opening to overthrow the government. Apparently they think this is it. And yes, they could be right since that’s exactly what the “vast right-wing conspiracy” (of which the Rs are the political arm) have been plotting for the last 60 years. But they could also be very wrong because yes, we Dems choose ballots over bullets when we are allowed to but also defend ourselves when forced to. And we do outnumber them. Viruses don’t play politics – they hit whoever they can get. So these yahoos “protesting” safety measure could possibly take their own movement down that way. Which would be Karma.
Have fun catching up. {{{HUGS}}}
Friday Meese. May Day.
Moving to the new house tomorrow – transferring internet there today. Fingers crossed that I’m not disconnected too long. I’m exhausted from packing. Diana – I know how you felt.
Puerto Rico
Thanks, Sis! Here’s wishing you all the luck in the world making the transition from the old house to the new. Sounds as if the new house will be more convenient to transportation and medical centers, so that may mitigate the emotional upset of leaving loved, familiar surroundings.
Yeah, those armed protesters at the Michigan State Capitol are so upset about the lockdown they’re all wearing face masks. Why, if they think it’s so safe they can go back to work? Logic appears not to be their ruling characteristic.
{{{Dee}}} – Holding the Good Thought and sending Helping Energy for your move. With crossed-fingers for a smooth internet transition. Healing Energy & moar {{{HUGS}}}
Dee, I hope your move in is as easy as it can be, and that unpacking will be easier than packing!
Good Friday morning, Moosekind! I’d wish you all a merry Beltane except that there’s nothing merry about the present.
We woke up to yet another ugly gray morning. It’s currently 50 F. in Ashburn on its way up to 62 F. later. If the clouds clear away later I hope to go for a walk. Since abandoning the Sugar Detox diet I’ve gained three pounds. A daily walk is the only thing counteracting my ongoing desire to eat chocolate.
Not much to report as the villainy of the Resident is covered sufficiently elsewhere. I made a horrible discovery yesterday: wishing to revisit some of my early novels, I saw, to my bone-dissolving horror, that they’re unreadable! WordPerfect used to be my word processor of choice. Well, now all the novels I wrote during the 90s seem to be “unexecutable binary files” in UNIX!
I’ve bought a WordPerfect interpreter that allows me to read WordPerfect files I created in the early 2000s, which is why I’m able to get to my historical novel about Roman Britain. Oh, well, I’ll put out an SOS on NextDoor and perhaps some brave soul can tell me what to do. I’d pay to get those files up and running again.
Wishing all at the Pond a good day.
{{{Diana}}} Yikes! on your older novels. Seriously Holding the Good Thought they can be retrieved. Healing Energy and moar {{{HUGS}}}
Got in a good walk, 2.17 miles. And I’ve spent an hour on my timesheet & still getting error messages. One good thing about going back to the office: regular 8-5 hours, no messy timekeeping.
{{{anotherdemocrat}}} Walks are good. & yes, being in the office makes timekeeping so much simpler. Hope you raised a bunch with the match yesterday. Healing Energy & moar {{{HUGS}}}
Blessed Beltane to all. My lettuce has decided it’s a good day to break ground. Just tiny little bits of green but big enough to tell that they’re plants and not just a bit of grass/leaf detritus blown into the box. So life and growth that started in the dark have now come to light. It’s 68 heading for low 80s today and mostly sunny at the moment. Yesterday we wrapped up April with 21.6 KWHs – the highest single day since last August – and 387.98 for the month. I’m hoping it stays sunny today to give May a good start. The “meet or beat” target for May is 516. Which will take a bunch of sunshine.
I’m trying a pumpkin loaf for a change. I haven’t had much luck with loaf pans rather than cake pans using the GF flour but it’s time to experiment again. I’ve got several cans of pumpkin stashed back from last year and I’d really prefer to eat pumpkin in bread rather than pie. As it is I cut the sugar in the recipe from 1-1/2 cups to 3 TBSP (and used blackstrap molasses instead). Anyway it’s out of the oven – smells great – and is cooling on a rack. Should be ready to cut in another 20 minutes.
Lawn guy is here. As usual he’s mowing so all the grass, dirt, seeds, and pollen are blown towards/onto the house. And of course in my growing boxes. Which I’d have moved onto the carport and covered if he’d let me know before he got here and started. sigh. I can’t do my own yard work any longer and he’s cheap enough for me to afford. double sigh. Old lady as well as first world problem. Sorta. I’m planning to eat the stuff I’m trying to grow in those boxes. I’m not depending on it for my food but I am depending on it for some food that I don’t get from the grocery store and this year won’t be getting from the Market.
I’m very concerned about Amelia and Aji. Definitely concerned about several others. To the extent I need to just go do stuff to keep busy and and not think about it or I’m gonna trigger a reflux episode. Fortunately or unfortunately the cats always make sure there’s cleaning to do. But first coffee. Channeling Healing/Helping Energy to everybody to your shaping. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}