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, meeses! Wednesday …
It is 50 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 66. It is cloudy right now but the clouds are expected to clear by mid morning giving us a sunny day. We might get some of the rain from California but not until Sunday at the earliest.
I will enjoy the day when Letitia James puts a lien on Trump Tower and sells it to pay tRumps accumulated fines. I hope the new owners rip down all the signage and rename it. I still hold out hope that enough Americans who identify as Republican will take a good hard look at their candidate and either stay home or vote for Biden. The cult members are hopeless but the “I just want the tax breaks” crowd needs to wake the hell up. In Arizona, Kari Lake, show is running for Senate, is now trying to clean up her past comments, saying that her attacks on John McCain were “just jokes” and toning down her “my election was stolen” rhetoric. Yesterday was the last day to register to vote in the primary and today ballots will be sent out to mail-in voters. Part of me hopes that Republicans choose Lake as the worst possible candidate but the other part of me doesn’t want “batsh*t crazy” that close to being elected. I think the other candidates range from “crazier than Lake” to “ordinary hateful Republican”. We have a closed primary here so I will get a Democratic ballot and will vote for Ruben Gallego.
I got the last 1099-NECs in the mail so I can file my taxes. I will try to do that later this morning after I finish an accounting project. It sounds like the House Republicans are planning to shut down government to “see if it will really be that bad.” Yes, shut down government when people are filing tax returns and making plans for their refunds and Spring Break air travel is due to begin. They are so freaking ignorant.
See all y’all later!
Good morning. Slept in, will go to the gym when I go to vote this afternoon. It’s shocking that the FBI didn’t vet the information from their informant — I guess he was telling them stuff they wanted to hear. Sigh. I’ll just watch astronomy and ignore the chaos.
Good gorgeous Wednesday morning from Ashburn, where our precipitation levels have already exceeded the normal level for the year to date. That makes a pleasant change. We have flawless blue skies and sunshine, a current temperature of 31 F., and an expected high of 50 F.
Wildly happy to have my phone back (Goddess bless Dearly), although I did discover with interest yesterday that I can see iMessages on my Mac, even though I turned off the preview. That Mac is 10 years old and still boots up faster and works faster than the Lenovo PC I bought 2 years ago. Of course, the Mac doesn’t have to deal with stupid, unwanted landscape scenes and stupid offers to turn me into a robot by offering me AI. Nor does it give me ridiculous news stories about diets, Harry and Meghan, and why every bite we put in our mouths is bringing on Death.
I like having two laptops, though. It’s like having two heads!
Today I have a free day except for rehearsal tonight. This role I’m filling is like the first six months on a new job: one doesn’t know anything, one doesn’t satisfy all the requirements expected of one, and I find the whole thing such a strain that yesterday I was too tired even to go to the gym. Just couldn’t hack it. The resident who was supposed to be the Music Director is back in the hospital, which is not good news. The guy who’s playing the music for us is suffering from heart palpitations and vertigo. Lawks! Old people should not, in my opinion, try to enact complicated, noisy musicals.
Before I flit off, I would like to ask one question: WHY IS AN ORANGED-FACED, DEMENTED old man who’s under CRIMINAL INDICTMENT being allowed to run for president? Is this a third world country? You know, I think it must be. He didn’t win the last election, yet he’s running the country! I don’t understand it, I’m horrified by it, and I absolutely hate what’s happening. Our friend and fellow Moose Bfitz, who is a much nicer person than I, has one wish: “Render them harmless.” C’mon, Goddess, let’s see a little action here.
Wishing everyone a great day without listening to the media or reading the newspooper. Ansi-soit-il.
It’s 62 heading for 75 and more sunny than not. Next Wednesday it’s not supposed to get to 60 at all. April in February. We generated 13.84 KWHs yesterday and at 185 the m-t-d is definitely on track.
I gave USPS until yesterday to get me my TIAA 1099-R before I started an online account at TIAA & USPS came through! LOL. And so did OLT (online tax service that’s free for those whose AGI is $45K and under, which mine most certainly is) – within an hour of getting that 1099-R in the mail my taxes were done, filed, and accepted by the fed. The state accepted an hour later. So YAY! Hopefully before the Rs shut down govt I’ll have my refund. Hopefully.
As far as I know, nothing new going on. Being Social Security pay day for me, I’ve got a lot of errands to run this afternoon. Walmart as much as I hate it for kibble and HVAC filters definitely and possibly LED lightbulbs & a new George Foreman electric grill. Credit union for cash. Co-op for cleaning supplies I can’t get anywhere else. Anyway, I’d best be about my boosting day. Holding the Good Thoughts for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
YAY for getting your taxes done! Hope you get your refund soon!
Good morning, 45 and raining in Bellingham today. Doing the PT exercises have made my knees even more unhappy so ice and coffee to the rescue. Ron is cleaning up the frozen ivy leaves so good that is getting done. I’m avoiding the news, the garden, the laundry and life in general so I’ll see what happens when boredom overcomes pain avoidance 😏
Good Thursday Meese. 27 here in Kingston going up to 34. Can’t get over this insanity
Every day this place gets less sane.
Men. Big ol’ hairy stupid men. When they can’t think of anything else to legislate, they concentrate on making life more difficult for women.
More news from Puerto Rico than usual
Perhaps if respect for women was taught in all grades K-12, and religion downplayed, there wouldn’t be so much femicide.
Good morning. Got my walk in this morning, just a walk. Yesterday I made 2 ½ rounds of the 4 minute run, 2 walk — I dropped down to walking halfway through number 3, it was just too long. will try again tomorrow. Lawrence O’Donnell was awesome last night, dismantling the “replace Biden” meme. Love him.
Posted:
Good Thursday morning, Meese! It’s cloudy and 38 F. in Ashburn, heading for a high of 51 F. this afternoon. “They” have predicted showers this afternoon and rain tonight.
I’m going to a lecture on “Women, Islam, and Family Life” at 10:00 a.m. The sweet man who arranged the lecture series told me he had received death threats by telephone from some of the residents. No doubt the threats were from the Conservative Club here. On election days it seems to be about half Dems and half Rethugs, but that doesn’t include the Dems who vote early and the people who mail in their ballots.
I’m due at a UU dinner at 5 p.m., but I’m starting to wonder whether I’ll actually make it. I’m not feeling well at all: sneezing, headache, etc. Dearly says I’m doing too much and not resting enough.
Finally finished the taxes, filed electronically, and both were accepted by the Feds and the state yesterday. TurboTax told me it took 2 hours and 40 minutes to do my taxes. We did get a discount by going through the T. Rowe Price website. Every little bit helps.
Hope everyone at the Pond will have a good day!
It’s 63 heading for 70 and overcast today. No rain of course, just clouds. They started moving in just before sundown yesterday so while they decreased production they didn’t decrease it much and we generated 11.7 KWHs. And with the m-t-d already at 196.7 we’ll definitely reach 200 – maybe even today, if the clouds thin out a bit. With a full week of February left to go, we’ve got the potential to beat our 2nd highest of 261 in 2017!
Yesterday I did all my running around and got everything except the kibble (Walmart was out) so Aashirs Nani very kindly used her Walmart membership to order some for me. (I sent her the money via PayPal to buy it but her membership means no added delivery fee.) I did get the Great Value LED lightbulbs because they’re Energy Star rated but only the small 4-pack just in case. They work just dandy. And really, I don’t have 20 light fixtures and lamps in my whole house so getting the 20-pack would be a bit much anyway.
Everybody seems to be doing the same/hanging in there. I’d best get to my boosting day. It’s taking me longer to do Bluesky & get to Xitter as more & more folks find me. Holding the Good Thoughts for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good morning, meeses! Thursday …
It is 53 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 68. Sunny skies are in the forecast. This morning a 96.8% illuminated moon threw light into my office! She will be full on Saturday at 5:30am MST.
I got what I needed for federal taxes, got them done, filed and accepted. Now I can breathe easier knowing that the likelihood of them getting lost during the impending shutdown is reduced. NOW I can do productive things – or take the day off!
See all y’all later!
Good morning, meeses! Friday …
It is 46 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 73. Mostly sunny skies are in the forecast. There were a few light clouds over the mountains but stars were visible. My almost full moon is shining brightly into my office window.
It appears as the though literally “trumped up” impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden is falling apart because not only is there no evidence but the MAGAt congressmen doing their bosses bidding have built their entire “case” on the testimony of a lying Russian. I hope people are told what the Republican House of Representatives was doing instead of passing budgets and avoiding the government shutdown. Maybe standing for hours in undermanned TSA lines over spring break and having their tax refunds frozen as the IRS is furloughed will make them realize how foolish it is to elect people to run the government who can’t govern.
Yesterday’s good news is that the New York State judge overseeing the Trump Org fraud verdict will not allow tRump to delay paying the fine while he appeals. It will be interesting to see how he comes up with the money for the $450 million he owes the State of New York.
If anyone needs to understand what is at stake in 2024, look no further than the IVF Justice in Alabama who declared his support for the Seven Mountains Mandate, a philosophy that calls on evangelical Christians to reshape American law and society based on their beliefs. That lines up with Speaker Johnson’s world view and the world view of the people who are running the Republican Party. Goddess help us if they are ever in power.
I need to finish a few accounting projects and then I can work on a good to-do list for the weekend.
See all y’all later!
Grrrr Alabama
Good morning. I didn’t run this morning — or rather, I started to and stopped. I did walk 1.25 mi, though. Well, I’m in the office, eating breakfast, getting ready for work. Glad they re-arrested that guy who was feeding the FBI disinfo. Are the agents who couldn’t be bothered to vet him at least going to get training on confirmation bias?
Friday Meese. Raining here tho the weather says it’s snowing. 35 degrees going up to 45.
Puerto Rico
Good for Biden nominating Judge Nancy Maldonado for the 7th Circuit. I hope there is time to get her confirmed while we still have a Senate majority. His team needs to speed up the process of confirming judges to counteract the ghastly Aileen Cannons and Matthew Kacsmaryks installed by TFG and his literal confederates in the Republican Party. The Obama Administration, blinded by the “no red state” fools gold, dropped the ball and we left hundreds of judicial openings for the Federalist Society to fill with their hacks. It is how Mrs. Jesse Barrett got the job in the Seventh Circuit that led to her SCOTUS seat.
It’s 47 heading for 66 and sunny. We only got 6.7 KWHs yesterday but the m-t-d is over 200 (203.5 to be exact) so minimum goal met and we’ve a full week of production left in February.
I woke up twice before I got up – the first time the moon was just barely far enough west to see out my bedroom window. The second time she was maybe an hour from dropping below the hill. Lovely to see her. I don’t get to all that often. I can definitely tell I need to get back to the eye doctor though. The stigmatism is worse. I’ve never liked going to any doctor including the eye doctor but I’m down right scared to these days. Covid seems to be regarded as a treat, like the lollipops they used to hand out to kids when we went in for our shots.
My gas bill came & this mid-Jan to mid-Feb I used 60% more than I did last year. In fact, this year was the 3rd highest usage for this time period since I’ve owned this house. With it being as warm as it is, it’s hard to remember just how cold it was a month ago. And my electric statement came in. I’m back to generating more than I use. So that’s good.
My younger son was sick yesterday (his 50th birthday) so the celebration is put off until this weekend. He doesn’t know what they’re doing because his wife wants it to be a surprise. LOL. OK, I’m off to start my boosting day. Holding the Good Thoughts for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good Friday morning, all you unfrozen embryos walking around, drinking coffee, and voicing opinions! Do people have to work at being that stupid, or do they simply take idiocy pills every morning with their orange juice?
Never mind, they’ve discovered ice and water on the Moon, so we can all go there after Luna City is built. As the Big Bang isn’t quite over, and the Moon is still receding from the Earth, after about 2100 C.E., we need never hear from or see the Stupids again.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it rained a little this morning but it’s on its way out now. Yesterday afternoon we actually had thunderstorms! Right now in Ashburn it’s 43 F. under gray skies. The high today will be 51 F., or so one hears. Next week we’ll all be wearing capris, since it’s going to be the high 60s and even up to 70 F.!
A charming couple from New York came here to deliver a series of lectures on Islam. I went to the one yesterday morning and noted that every liberal in this community was there, including three of the writers in my group. They were a nice couple, but I didn’t learn anything I hadn’t known before. The obit section of the newspaper reported the death of a woman named Marnia Lazreg, a well-known feminist from Tunisia. She refused from childhood to wear the dreary hijab and concealing outer garments imposed by the elders around her. (The Holy Quran says nothing about women concealing their faces and bodies: the only requirement is that women dress modestly.)
It’s no skin off our teeth if Muslim women wear hijab for whatever reason (their father told them to, or they just feel like it), but I do draw the line at niqab. The picture on the driver’s license should show the woman’s face. If people want to live in a free country, they should follow the laws of that country.
My mouse is misbehaving, what a bore. I have a meeting in an hour, so I’d better start getting ready. Yesterday I felt so unwell I skipped the UU dinner. However, there is NO getting out of the Play Selection Committee meeting at 11 or the rehearsal tonight. Pleased to say I saw Her lovely Self, three-quarters full, in the sky Wednesday night as I left rehearsal. It will probably be ugly tomorrow night, so I won’t get to see Her.
Wishing a good day to all you unfrozen embryos at the Pond, and may you develop fully!
Good morning, 46 and cloudy in Bellingham today. I have a hair appointment this morning and PT this afternoon so that will be my day. Knee pain has been difficult this week so I hope the PT can help me sort it out. Time for coffee and a quick read of the news. As always my best wishes to all.
Saturday Meese. 32 here in Kingston NY, going up to 34.
I didn’t see this presser on my news:
Puerto Rico
Good morning. It is way too warm for February. I worry about our 6-month summer being hotter and longer. Going to try running at the gym this afternoon, but I have to get some cooking in, too.
I have a bit of concern about the current heat wave as well but predicting weather far out in this day and age is impossible. We are going to have 84 to 88 degrees on Sunday – 84 is okay but I do not want to see 90s until June.