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 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 (right before “Leave A Reply”) and use the Pages Tool to view previous pages, shown here with 3 pages of comments available and Page 2 circled.
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Good morning, 38 and cloudy outside my window today. I woke up with a rare feeling of energy yesterday so I spent 4 hours at my desk and actually got lots done, yay! Then Ron and I enjoyed a nice anniversary lunch (55 yrs!) followed my some Christmas errands and then, with our son’s help, getting a Christmas tree into the dry garage. It was snowing lightly, just enough to be pretty, so we were feeling quite content. But in the evening a wind and rain storm developed and a large yew tree growing in a pot by the back porch blew over. It was too dark and wet to do much so we just laid it down and today’s task will be to prune and secure it. I’ll need to work on a ladder and Ron isn’t feeling well so our son will help me. It’s a pruning challenge so I hope I can do a proper job. The tree screens the utility wires coming into the house so it needs to be tall, just not as tall and less dense so it won’t be a sail in the wind. I worried all night so I’m already tired but hopefully all will go well and I’ll sleep tonight. Best wishes to all.
Belated Happy Anniversary 🎶🎊🎉✨💕🎶 & good luck with your pruning job. Healing Energy & {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, meeses! Thursday …
It is 46 degrees in Tucson with an expected daytime high of 70. Partly cloudy skies are in the forecast with a slight chance for rain.
Surprise! Gas prices go down after Republicans win Congressional seats based on economic anxiety – such a coincidence, :::cough cough::: such blatant market tampering from the fossil fuel industry. We need to pick up that Georgia Senate seat to give us the power in the Senate to investigate – without needing permission from Mitch McChinless. Speaking of the Senate, 18 judicial nominations were released from the Senate Judiciary committee and are ready to be voted on. Thank goodness we retained the Senate, there is hope that an inflow of decent and intelligent judges will one day dilute the damage done by the Federalist Society’s blatant corruption of our courts. I don’t have much hope for actual laws requiring the Supreme Court to be ethical but I hope that the investigation into Alito’s corruption and his literal selling of court rulings might embarrass the other Republicans on the court enough to force changes.
It is December – 31 days and counting until the calendar not only flips but comes off wall to be replaced with a new one.
See all y’all later!
Thursday Meese. 35 here in Kingston, going up to 41.
Puerto Rico
The new Republican House majority means less hope but it was very disappointing that Puerto Rico’s concerns were not addressed in the last Congress. Colonialist prerogatives die hard. :(
Sadly, Puerto Rico will always get short shrift. The plight of colonial subjects everywhere.
Another cold morning. Coat-and-gloves cold. We have a education/team-building thing this afternoon. It might be fun. Certainly better than sitting in my cubicle. And this evening, there’s a party for the AIDS Ride. Since there wasn’t a Walk this fall, I’m kind of surprised. I’m going to go, and talk to them about my situation. Will be kinda weird seeking donations for the Ride and help for me at the same time. But I can feel my unconscious already working on that.
Posted:
It’s 34 heading for 52 and sunny at the moment. According to the widget it won’t stay sunny. I hope the widget’s wrong. We wrapped up November with 167.58 KWHs. Not in last place but close. The best we’ve ever done in December is 202 in 2015, the year I upgraded to 4K. The next best was 176.7 in 2019, maybe to make up for the 165 in November that year. So that makes 177 my target this year. That’s not as much as I use in a month, but it’s close enough to not use up everything I’ve left in the sock.
My son’s last bonus covered the car repairs. He’ll need it back, of course, but not urgently. I’m hoping my TIAA will recover a bit now the Market manipulators have gotten their R Congress back so I’m waiting until January, if possible, before I tap it.
Off to Twitter and DK. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 28 and sunny outside my window today. The yew tree is still down because it was just too much to manage yesterday. But it’s secure as is and we can address it when RonK feels better and out son can take some time from work. He was sick and off work for so long that rebuilding his finances has to be his priority so yew trees in pots can wait their turn :)
Lisa’s garden, in Edmonds, is in a storm damaged mess. They had snow, ice and high winds so trees and branches are down in their garden and all around them. Fortunately Marcus answered my worried text and will meet with her today to access the damage and make a plan to help her deal with the cleanup. He has a large chipper truck and all the tools and skill they need and based on my experience with him will work with them as best he can. Feeling very grateful.
December 1st, so time for the Christmas Spode to migrate out of the cupboard and for me to get serious re the seasonal chores. Best wishes to all.
Friday Meese, and it’s only 25 degrees here in Kingston, going up to 44.
Was glad to see POTUS Obama going all out for Sen. Warnock in GA yesterday
Barack Obama is amazing and wonderful. I am glad that he is still involved in promoting our candidates – an entire generation of young people love him and respect his opinions. We need him to remind them to vote.
Puerto Rico
“This is how Puerto Rico is mocked”, Mario Hurtado, Executive of LUMA, before the (illegal) decision to extend their contract by the Board of Public-Private Alliances.
Today I barely needed the light jacket I wore. I brought it because we’re having a 2nd training day & I might be assigned to a room that’s cold. Or during the talk on purchasing I might decide I’m cold and flee to my cubicle to get my jacket. (Why does every person need training on purchasing??? I’ve been here nearly 23 years, never been involved in a purchase. Ugh.) I’m really angry about the railroad legislation. They’re not allowed sick leave. At. All. Embarrassing, infuriating, nauseating.
Good morning, meeses! Friday …
It is 50 degrees in Tucson with an expected daytime high of 66. Partly cloudy skies are in the forecast; it will cloud up quite a bit more later this afternoon. Rain expected tomorrow morning.
Arizona’s last remaining county has certified their votes. It took a court hearing and quite a bit of drama to get it done. In the end, one of the county supervisors skeedaddled rather than put his name to the certification and the supervisor who was at the January 6th insurrection was left to be the lone Republican vote to certify. Their last minute attorney, the only person left in Arizona who would represent them, tried to have the hearing moved to federal court and his filing specified that he wanted to move it to the Eastern District of Arizona. Oops, there is no such court! In any event, the certification is done, the cowardly supervisor (who is also in on the fake elector scheme and likely under investigation for that) got out of doing his job – and will pay NO price at the polls for throwing the election outcome into chaos. Election Insecurity is pure projection: Republicans gin up the controversies, act like complete fools and then spend taxpayer money to bail their bony asses out of trouble. Meh.
Democrats will be reworking the 2024 primary schedule today. I agree wholeheartedly that Iowa needs to be kicked to the curb – their opinion on who should be president is useless for Democrats. I also think that New Hampshire needs to be out of the mix, a 95% white state run by Republicans does not reflect Democratic Party values. I would be okay with South Carolina but not thrilled – they are not a Democratic state. I think Nevada needs to be early, especially now that they are a primary state and dumped their caucus. If the first round was Nevada, Michigan and Georgia I think that would be a very good reflection of Democratic Party sentiment – West, Midwest, South – diverse populations and union members. But they won’t ask me!
Regarding CNN newsroom cuts – they can elide the entire network and no one will care. I have not watched them (and avoid clicking on their links) since they let birther Chris Cuomo continue his broadcasts after his attacks on Kamala Harris back in 2016. There should be immediate repercussions for spreading disinformation – instead they kept him on the air until they discovered his ethics were questionable. Their newsroom is filled with other aholes who will not be missed.
I got a few things done and have a few more things I want to finish up before the work day begins.
See all y’all later!
It’s 50 heading for 59 and cloudy enough I’ve got the lights one. The PV system is also on, but that’s about it. It’s generating at 49 watts/hour at the moment. Yesterday we got 6.5 KWHs which was on track. Looking at the widget I don’t see us getting even that much in a day again any time soon. And I’m having no luck whatsoever managing to get through the newly convoluted customer service “portal” on the SolarEdge website nor getting my Ozark Solar installer to do anything about the fact that the panels that get the most sun are producing 75% or less than the panels that get the least sun. This time of year we get little enough sun/generation. I need all the panels producing as they should.
This the time of year when my hands are most uncooperative. Trouble unwrapping a new stick of butter or holding the scrubber tightly enough to wash the oatmeal pan type uncooperative. And typing of course. sigh. Oh well. I’ve lived through 71 and am starting on my 72nd winter. I’ll survive. Off to twitter. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Oh, bfitz, I’m sorry you have so many worries and sorry about your hands. Hope things will improve soon.
Good morning, 27 and cloudy outside my window today, but it’s warm and quiet inside so I’m lingering with my coffee. RonK is starting to feel better but I’ve got the sniffles so I won’t do as much as I want to do today. I did take a covid test, and it was negative so we must just have an annoying virus. It’s good I cancelled the family party that was going to happen on Sunday. Just hope I feel well enough to go to Ava’s dance performance on Sunday.
The yew tree is still waiting to be pruned and the Spode is still in the cupboard but oh well, I’ll do what I can. Best wishes to all.
Hello, Moosekind, I could not post this morning. For whatever reason, the site doesn’t like what I write. Well, what can’t be cured must be endured.
Wishing a good Friday to all.
When you look at the top of your Moose screen, does it show a white on black toolbar with your name as “Howdy, Diana in Nova” at the right end? Does it include a Delete Cache selection nearer to the other end of the toolbar?
Yes, I see the black on white toolbar and the Howdy, Diana greeting. Looking to the extreme left, I see the W inside a circle (presume that’s the WordPress icon), then the dashboard icon, then something that looks like a folder with a downward pointer, then a zero, then a plus sign, then the word New. Have no idea what a Delete Cache selection would look like. I started pointing and clicking around on the Lenovo laptop, got kicked out, then was told I hadn’t enabled cookies!
So now I’m on the Mac, which at least enables me to get around.
I wasn’t sure if the Delete Cache was an admin only tool – it sounds like one! It affords the opportunity to clean up browser cache left over from postings which interacts with cookies. I try to do it once a month.
Yes you need cookies to continue. Are you using Edge on the Lenovo or Chrome?
Edge. I’m a bit leery of Chrome or anything to do with Google.
Saturday Meese. 36 here in Kingston, going up to a rainy 55.
Puerto Rico
Good morning. Warm enough for short sleeves, but a cold front is coming. Today: groceries and cooking. And really getting on that 2nd job search. I set up a GoFundMe yesterday, and between that and friends from church, I have enough for the extra bills for December and January, so I can be calm and selective about which job, but I do need to find one. Should also enjoy leisurely Saturdays of groceries & cooking while I have them.
Where is your GoFundMe, another? Glad you have enough for December and January!
Here: Becky’s GFM
Good Saturday morning, Meese. It’s 51 F. in Ashburn and a delightful winter rain is falling. It won’t last. The high today will be 61 F., or so they say. Both the WaPo Metro Section and Jay’s Wintry Mix Page on Facebook are gleefully predicting SNOW the week after next, but I’ll believe it when I see it. It never snows nowadays.
I am still in such…discomfort…from my fall that I don’t feel up to making chicken soup today. The restaurants here are so awful I can’t bear the idea of getting carry-out from them, either. Well, I’ll think of something.
Last night I saw the waxing half-moon as clouds first revealed, then concealed Herself from view. I did manage to get some Christmas cards off yesterday. I have to do a huge shopping this morning, thereby missing the World Cup game, but Dearly will watch it for me.
Still have lots of filing to do, also correspondence, and reading this month’s assignment from my writers. I’ll be able to stay out of trouble this weekend!
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond.
{{{Diana}}} Healing Energy and seriously wish there was at least one good restaurant (or decent canned chicken soup you could get from a grocery store and keep for emergencies) where you are. moar {{{HUGS}}}
I’m so sorry you feel bad, sending all good thoughts your way!
Good morning, meeses! Saturday …
It is 54 degrees in Tucson with an expected daytime high of 63. The forecast suggests that we will get rain after 9am but I don’t see it on the radar. Lately my weather widget (Weather Network) has been off on its forecasts. I hope I don’t have to try to find a new one. :(
The destruction of Twitter by Elon Musty is fascinating to watch. It has never had a good business model: the only real source of revenue is ads, few people or organizations are going to pay for an account – many arrived there specifically because they needed or wanted “free”. Its value is as a Community Bulletin Board to post notices – from journalists, activists, governmental units, politicians, businesses, from people needing help, from people highlighting their achievements, celebrities connecting with fans, sports teams, broadcast organizations with schedule updates. Obviously no one told him that Social Media needed people in order to be of any value. To the extent that users can avoid the garbage accounts (the best way is to never follow a hashtag which will quickly be polluted – maybe never use one), it will continue to be usable. When he takes away the blocks and mutes, then it will be time to move on. I am checking my mastodon account and continuing to add Follows there and have requested a Post account. One of those will survive (my money is on mastodon but there are some challenges they will need to overcome). There is even a possibility that he will sell Twitter when he realizes that it is too expensive to maintain given what he wants to use it for (a way to stroke his ego and enhance his personal power). Eventually it will be just him and the nazis and it will simply be Musk Social with everyone else having moved on. Personally, I prefer that he sell Twitter to someone who wants to maintain it as what it was – the Community Bulletin Board. There is so much that is built-in on web sites and other social media, to try to recreate it would be difficult if not impossible. Plus I would hate to lose the embedded tweets that are now part of web sites and online articles.
Today the holiday cards must go out and the tree must go up so I better get to it.
See all y’all later!
It’s 30 heading for 48 and mostly sunny today. Which is good. Yesterday we only generated 2.1 KWHs and the m-t-d at 8.74 is definitely not on track. The Ozark Solar guy thinks that his predecessor, the guy he bought the company from, that I bought my system from, didn’t set up the layout properly. As in he didn’t code in the panel serial number with its actual location. Just bunged in the serial numbers in from the list of panels delivered. So that while my data indicates the panels located where the most sun is are doing the least generation, the panels with those serial numbers aren’t in the most sun. It’s actually a plausible idea. The overall system generation isn’t that off of what it should be. And as long I’m not looking at early warning signs of panel optimizer failure, I can live with it. I don’t like it, but I can live with it.
December is an expensive month with five weeks between November and December paydays. I’ll have to tap my tax/insurance savings account to get through it. But I have it. And really, I’m fine. Safe, secure housing. No danger of the utilities being shut off. Food. Heating and firewood for comfort. Retirement savings I’ll tap next month to pay my son back for car repairs. A working car. Even a bit to help friends with, if not as much as I’d like. I’m very blessed.
So. Off to twitter. Bright the day, Meeses. {{{HUGS}}}
Good morning, 33, partly cloudy and some overnight snow still on the ground. Well the yew tree is upright again and our quick pruning job is ok. I needed more help than I wanted to have and they do have opinions, but now I can finish/fine tune it myself :)
We’re both feeling better today so I hope we can get the tree out of the garage and into the house. Then it will look like Christmas and what ever else I do will be just fine.
Best wishes to all.