UNDER CONSTRUCTION (July 20/131 or not)

 

Ok. I didn't lie. I did see the cabinets last week in that beautiful subtle light green I chose. Only issue is they are in boxes in the garage! Wallboard, mudding and sanding took all freakn' week. Monday starts paint and trim and, fingers crossed, Friday for install. Then a lonnggg wait after measuring to get the countertops cut. I do apologize for those (you know who you are-Kristen, Marcie) for that shower you had to use in the other bathroom. That is one tight squeeze. Living through a remodel is much like living out of a suitcase for a couple of months. My clothes are scattered in several places, and I need to get underwear out of the bedroom bureau and be Shit-showered and shaved (well relatively) before 8:00 most mornings. Not a problem as I am usually up before 5 to walk. Then added to my morning ritual is encouraging my fledging grass patch with their own little gentle shower every morning. Meanwhile the rest of our lawn looks like a war was fought and lost resulting in that distinctive scorched earth motif.

VIVA THE DIFFERENCE Someone made a very astute comment. The difference between the two political parties is the dems threw out a popular, viable candidate who was "accused" of sexual assault; the repugs celebrate the guy who just paid 5 million to a woman of whom he was convicted of sexual assault. People either have integrity or they follow the orange king. That's all you need to know. 

Speaking of people getting their rewards. A woman I've known for many years in the construction business just got promoted to Deputy Director of MIOSHA. She came from outside MIOSHA similar to me, and took over as the Head of the CET Division a few years ago and has moved up the ladder. The MIOSHA Director has no qualms picking leaders regardless of gender, race or national origin. The same man who invited me to try out for the head of Construction Enforcement trying to keep me from retiring. How DEI of him-LOL. 

Makes you leery when you see the nutcases running for governor who think it can be run like a business. Snyder and Musk found out, but only after damaging the entire structure during their tenures. Does anybody else have a problem with multi-millionaires donning a vest and saying they're for the regular people? Nope, me either. 

BIRD POWER When is a finch like a pig? When they empty the birdfeeder every other day. I was letting it ride for a day or so on empty when they started approaching the glass with little birdie pleas on their beaks whenever I sit at my laptop in front of the picture window. Geez. Meanwhile the lone hummer only shows up right before dark and takes several sips on the wing before settling down for the night. Apparently, the perch on my feeder is not big enough for their dainty little feet to rest and take their time. Or maybe all the yellow action on the feeder beside them freaks them out. Though I also wonder if the six trees that disappeared across the street affected their preferred habitat.

                                                     

Now I need to get back to the laundry and prepping for the podcast tomorrow morning. Hopefully, the painter doesn't drop any buckets, etc. while I'm recording. Things are so chaotic and there is so much plastic down on the walkway and stairs that I had to cancel the housekeeper meaning I had to wash the floors and am constantly dusting, bummer. It's work zone frenzy time for a while. So, Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/Salute a Vet/Respect Flannel 💚  💙💛

MELLOW YELLOWING (July 12/132 or not)

AYE AYE CAP'N Learned a new nautical term this weekend. Apparently dropping anchor is relieving oneself and if you're already in the lake so be it.  With great anguish on my part, I chose to wait and drop anchor back at the lake house, properly. LOL.  Or maybe it's because I was wearing pink underwear which would have no way looked like the bikini bottom of a swimsuit and I didn't want to sit in a wet pair of shorts. Oh yes, I suffered. 

Wind was up so trying to anchor to swim proved an interesting challenge and the s-i-l had to push us out at one point as the waves kept pushing us back on shore. We ended up at a 30-foot-deep spot but only put out one anchor which of course kept the boat swirling a 360 every few minutes. All and all a perfect day weather and humidity-wise for our annual family party. JP also caught a decent-sized bass when he and Grandpa went out for a couple of hours Friday night. He had to bring it back in the live well so he could show me, of course, for the inevitable pictures of course. He named him Derrick, of course and he let him go, of course. 

WEATHERLY Speaking of weather, maybe firing half the NOA staff and dismantling all the weather balloons may have an impact on all the interesting weather, damage, flooding and injuries we've been experiencing as "surprise", another storm rolls in quicker than predicted, if predicted at all. Which was especially apparent in the open-air eggs-stravaganza planned by the orange one. CBS who had the exclusive is definitely run by idiots as they scrambled for content for two hours leaving their "folks on the scene" in a lightening-filled storm for two hours. Insult to injury they still had to cover marmie's 11:00 hate speech. Kids had given up on fireworks at that point and went to sleep.

This debacle was followed the next day with an environmental warning for folks to stay inside because no one realized setting off fireworks in 10 hot humid locations around Washington DC would fill the air with smoke for days. Not to mention the trash. Never get tired of winning right and who needs science? When you have a trillionaire who exists on tax breaks and government contracts and a top health dude who swims in sewage running things, what do you expect?

 CANNERY ROW Helping one's neighbor is alive and well. At least at the Grand Ledge Meijer. As we were wheeling our cart full of "a couple of things we actually needed" and everything else, I noticed a young woman with a lot of black plastic bags heading into the store. By gum she almost made it too. While adjusting one of the bags a mass of pop and beer cans and water bottles started pouring out like Niagara. It was fascinating as I kept thinking it'll stop. Nope-they kept coming and coming and coming. Then other bags joined in. Adding to the mass chaos of plastic/aluminum flooding was the fact that it was downhill towards the road from where the explosion occurred. I hesitated, looked at the OH and we both dropped our cart and started chasing the flotsam and jetsam rolling and blocking traffic in the parking lot. I mean it was overwhelming. She must have been collecting for years, ran a frat house or had the most awesome party ever seen. As the three of us were snagging returnable booty and laughing our as--es off, several other people stopped to help as well. Only lost one can as it rolled inevitably to the street. It was too hot and too far so we just wished it luck and waved it goodbye. After thanking everyone the lady made the immortal statement "I guess I should have tied the bags"   You think? 

UPDATE Not much to report. Drywall done, mudding taking three frickn'g days then painting starts this week. So, we may see the much-anticipated cabinets finally making an appearance. Meanwhile a broken window at the lake may require an entirely new window, not just a glass replacement as it is all one unit-sigh.

GARDEN GLORIES We have to admit, the fence "crows" did their job. The OH says there are so many tomatoes coming on we may have to open a roadside stand. Bumper crop this year so a lot of people will be getting little red gifts. He has been waiting for a year like this. Lanscaper came back and reseeded my crop of weeds at no charge, so fingers crossed it works this time. Then a little yellow miracle. I bought some Meijer tulips around Mother's Day, but they looked so crappy we ended up digging the bulbs up and planting them for next year. However, these long green shoots would not be denied. It couldn't be tulips they don't rebloom. So, either there was a stowaway in the tulip patch or it flew into our garden from parts unknown (no it's a bulb so it can't). At any rate I ended up getting the most beautiful yellow lily-like flowers. Sometimes accidents are happy surprises. 

                                                                  

As always:  Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/Salute a Vet/Respect Flannel/Believe in Miracles

WINDOWS (July 5/133 or not)

Let me think. Comparing a very popular and generous singing star's wedding against a grumpy old man who forces people to listen to lies, complaints and cruelties in 105-degree heat. What gets my attention? Hmmm. A little MSG flavors the broth-perfect. Small crowds, few attractions, no air conditioning, arc coming apart and a thunderstorm warning to scatter everyone. If he who would be king was a religious man, he should wonder if he is having a good old-fashioned "smite-down".  LOL.

UPDATE Plumber doing his thing last week. 6'5" and the gentle personality that guys that big usually have if they're not a total douche. Not to mention what they can do to your WC and other piping. Considering how much crawling around in low places plumbers need to get into to perform their job he must be very agile. We exchanged a bit of toilet humor. He said if I could make him blush, he'd give me $20. Aha a challenge. We discovered a possible leak issue with our other upstairs toilet tank-not bad-but needs attention. As the saying goes when it rains it pours or leaks in this instance. Challenges of a 60's vintage house. Just add it to the bill....

Meanwhile work across the street goes on. Today, before our plumber arrived who is bringing a ton of stuff including the shower unit, they parked two trucks, an SUV, a woodchipper, an excavator and dropped a trailer (in front of the mailboxes). All of this of course taking up all the space in the street which makes me wonder how skillful our plumber will be backing a trailer up into our driveway. But he says he's a farm boy and will enjoy the Tetris-like challenge.

The forestry workers dropped a 30-foot tree today aimed directly at our house. Having a front row seat is not always desirable when the possibility of running for our lives is involved. Thank goodness most roads are 22-30 feet across. They actually dropped it precisely where they wanted with a couple of ropes and notching (plus a scattering of the workers below). Masterful. They asked our HVAC dude to move his truck as it was directly in the drop zone, and it WAS! I have never enjoyed watching a construction site in such comfort. Rather than sucking dust and weighted down with ppe we were relaxed seated in front of our picture window enjoying the AC while documenting the whole procedure in case we needed legal assistance later, just saying, but nope-they nailed it.  

                              The tree is actually a lot closer than it looks, just saying.

The HVAC dude was the opposite of the plumber being small and compact. He installed the new duct on our roof because in our last episode I revealed the old fan was never vented to the outside. However, I was worried about him on the roof as he asked if there was a gate he could get through with his ladder, the kicker being we DON'T have a fence. I don't think he was high, but possibly the beginnings of heat stroke as opposite of "Pigpen" from Peanuts a little puddle of sweat poured off him wherever he stood. His hair was so wet, I almost handed him some shampoo and a hair dryer. Baby it was hot last week!

SCATTER-GORIES Speaking of construction, there is a cockroach effect I experienced when I worked at MIOSHA. A couple of my consultants were construction specialists, and it never failed. Show up in a State vehicle with a big M plastered across your hardhat and vest and it is both cockroaches and crickets. Once a bustling worksite becomes the dusty street of an old deserted western town, complete with tumble weeds. No workers, nobody at risk. One of my folks was a substantial black woman, not fat just tall and well-built, an electrician by trade. Can you imagine the consternation when a little white chick with her too-big hard hat and this black goddess show up. They didn't know whether to run or stand in awe. Too funny. 

ANOTHER BALL IN THE AIR Also made a "relaxing" trip to the Lake this week to oversee a new patio door install. We have to plan our other activities between workers and permit people in Grand Ledge. Originally planned for Sunday, they had an opening Friday. Of course, the power went out Thursday night at midnight, so we all enjoyed 99% humidity while they did the job. Our generator runs everything but the AC so fans were frantically located. Consequently, the workers kept popping in to get out of the sun. Giving the generator a rest, we sneaked over to a local to grab some lunch as we heard they had power. However, they were on generator life support and as they are also an ice cream shop and bakery their cooling, understandably, went to the freezers rather than AC. As we were finishing our burgers, their generator went out. People kept coming in and getting sent away as they didn't dare open their freezers. They had a gold mine if only they could have kept the generators going. People don't carry cash anymore, so everyone had to write down all their credit card info to cash out. One could also judge our educational system as we watched the young employees trying to figure out bills and relying on their cell phone calculators to run the totals, taxes, credit fee. I think we made out as I paid cash. 

As if that wasn't enough, I was trying to find a window to open as we were giving the generator a rest (why I ask) and found a broken window in JP's room. Thank goodness we have heavy blinds, so no glass was on the bed, though when and how it got broken I have no idea. No blame attached at this point if someone was jumping on the bed. Unfortunately, this was after the "window" guys has left. Next appt next Sunday of course. 

Finally got power back about 4 pm Friday so sleeping was comfortable and I didn't have to sacrifice the rest of the ice cream for my dinner-I did anyway, I just didn't need to. This weekend family party - Yah. My usual mantra as follows:        Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/Salute a Vet/Respect Flannel  💚  💙💛

CIRCLE THAT (June 29/134 or not)

 

BIRD WARS You have to love summer where the endless sunshine exposes that animals are just as aggressive and selfish as their human counterparts. As usual there is enough delectable seed to feed entire families of finches, not to mention the myriads of options throughout the neighborhood gardens and flowers. However, one bird will commandeer the entire hoard and challenge any who approach. I will, however, advocate for finch feed for finches so I don't care what they do to the sneaky sparrows. I imagine the high-pitched chirps and burps are a version of trash talking accompanied by the wings flapped forward in a "can't touch this" mode. How they stay airborne in that position though I don't understand. Mostly blazing yellow coats and the females a little dimmer and grayer, the finches are easy to spot. A red-headed one showed up but he had equal disdain for the seed-robbing sparrows as his/her  more colorful brethren. Meanwhile the lone hummer swoops in and drinks quickly but doesn't perch. OH thinks the perch is too small for his itty-bitty feet. My goodness-hummers are no bigger than my thumb. 

APROPOS OF NOTHING (political "cartoons") Already creepy, that Perry dude (candidate for governor) tries to be a "regular guy" and keeps saying he'll save you $4747 in taxes if elected. Golly, you think that number was carefully researched or symbolically plucked out of the air. Apparently, he feels it will resound with some maggots. I suppose business will step up and cover the shortfall of no money or perhaps the massive layoffs (like federal) effectively eliminating all services will suffice or wait for it, we will all be saddled with an 8 or 9% sales tax (you know like tariffs). Note: The so-called cost saving federal layoffs have cost the government 11 billion in payoffs so far. Not to mention the mad scramble to rehire as sycophants do not magically translate to competent and qualified. Talk about your DEI. Shrewd planning there. Everyone wins?

BATHROOM UPDATE First, great recommendation Dave/Sue. Our contractor is thorough, efficient, thoughtful and a perfectionist. He makes sure all subs do their job and clean up after themselves. Outside of the massive crashes and bangs during demo accompanied by maniacal laughter (he loves demo), and odd times of noisy equipment usage, it's been amazingly easy to endure. Though the hunts for missing items and crawling over stored furniture to reach things I did not know I might need has proven challenging. I had all the medical supplies, potions and tinctures in a crate except for the one thing we needed yesterday. That's kind of an everyday thing. 

First "surprise" was when the HVAC dude came through the ceiling in the living room with a couple of cuts. Crap. Not huge but new plaster in our future. I of course cut him a new one and said I would come to his house and dump plaster on his furniture. He was horrified at his mistake but mentioned he has little kids so his furniture was kind of crappy anyway. I called off the dogs as he was so apologetic I felt like I was kicking a puppy. 

He was followed by Kurt and Kenny the family electrical company. But alas, no Kassandra. I know because I asked. They unfortunately discovered another issue. If you do not understand contingency money, you are in for a rude surprise. In our 44 years at this address, we never realized the bathroom fan, whose motor has been replaced at least once by us and was installed during an earlier remodel before we bought the house, was NEVER vented to the outside. It just makes a pretty noise, well relatively. The only thing that saved us, apparently, was the fact that we never remember to turn it on and our penchant for short showers. Major moisture builds up if you're an avid bather. Sigh. 

THE STRAITS OF OOZE To be fair, Obama also spent millions trying to clean up the reflecting pond with pretty much the same results. It is a shallow pool exposed to full sun. Though he didn't try to paint it or want to prosecute people for touching the little blue striplings. Nor did he drive his 15,000 lb limo "the beast" and his entourage down the concrete when it was drained and freshly painted. But it got everybody mad at each other, so that checks. 

PODWORLD Rehearsed with my young professional this week. He is enthusiastic, excitable and emotional. Those traits in a woman would not get you a promotion. At any rate, I think he's ready if I can just rein him in a bit and catch when he is done with an answer or just thinking. I think it's an engineer thing. When they are done, they crash and burn-no segue or clue that they are done with the thought. Hilarious side note. He wanted to know if there is video-yes. He wanted to know if there is editing-no (hence the rehearsal, one take). He said. "Well, he was spinning around in his chair when he was describing how he was trying to determine which direction a noise source was coming from in a vacuum tube area." I said "don't do that". He also, bless his heart, was afraid he was dominating the conversation. Sigh. I said that's right, you're the one being interviewed you know? I'm getting dizzy. 

As always. Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/                        Salute A Vet/Respect Flannel    💚  💙💛     

OFFICIALLY SUMMER: CAN'T YOU FEEL IT? (June 21/135 or not)

                 
BEEP BEEP, crunch, grind, whirr, crash. In case it is not evident, de-construction starts this week. You cannot imagine the amount of paraphernalia one accumulates in a bathroom. I thought I had a lot moved out over the last month or so but still took several hours to finish off the rest while trying to decide what we need to keep handy for absolutely necessary ablutions over the next few weeks. 

There was a mad scavenger hunt for the shaving razor this am, which I finally located in a little nightstand drawer (I have a whole tray of razors and blades in a plastic container) in JP's bedroom. I have utilized the linen closet and two other bedrooms to contain the flotsam and jetsam from two bathrooms. It will take weeks to re-locate everything. Theory being, if we don't look for it, we probably didn't need it in the first place. I eliminated a lot that way. It took portions of three closets and an under-the-bed container to address my one closet of clothes located in the primary bathroom. OH was mildly surprised at the need for so much space for one wardrobe. I have a big closet. He has no idea.

SPECTACLES IN DC A cool million of taxpayer money to re-sod the south lawn. Good thing they laid off so many government workers to pay for octogenarian's birthday bash. Though it's not so much the naked spectacle-some people like the sport. It's the graft so blatantly exposed by advertising trump crypto and his huge stock buy-ins to UFC and Paramount (a deal he engineered) It is so obvious and nobody says boo. And the unspeakable savage who insulted Michele Obama for a laugh. These are the people our president and highly placed people want to hang with. Pardon the visual, but I taste vomit in my mouth.

Then the 13 mill no bid contract to destroy the reflecting pool. marmie is hysterically blaming provocateurs for poisoning the pool with corrosive chemicals which would have taken dudes slashing the painted granite floor for 250 feet and truckloads of chemicals and several hours without the park police noticing? Now I know they are vigilant as they promptly arrested and charged a man for destruction of government property when he reached in and touched one of the floating blue paint chips attached to some aggressive algae. Hell, tourists are taking pieces home as souvenirs! Same charge as the January 6 felons-oh yeah, they got pardoned for attacking the Capitol. Do you suppose the "pool contractor" knew to apply resin first? Or whoever poured hydrogen peroxide in to combat algae might just compromise the integrity of the sealant/paint? That's what happens when you don't believe in science, just saying....Happy 250th Anniversary. 

"Bitterness, much like revenge, is the enemy of compassion" (side 6/21/26)

TOMATO WARS Anyone who has been around the OH knows his passion for vine-ripened tomatoes, specifically, his vines. He eagerly anticipates the time of year when he gets to select the choicest baby plants, spending what I consider, a surprising amount of time picking out just the right plant at just the right moment of gestation. I am forced to, without complaint mind you, spend the time wandering aimlessly through the greenhouse perusing rows and rows of identical little greenies-sigh. Hey, everybody has their kink-who am I to judge.  

Next comes an elaborate planting routine, which includes digging deep enough to encase the fledging roots in containers of water and an origami folding of wire around each precious plant. After a thorough watering the war of the deer commences. He does everything but saran wrap those suckers to keep hungry little meadow cows from nipping his tomato plants to near extinction. Yields have varied depending on the OH's success with different strategies. This year, after consultation with a successful gardener at church, he is trying a new weapon in the battle. Fence-crows! OMG-in the dark you would think you were being stalked by a platoon of "good old boys" fixing to tilt your outhouse. But, so far, the deer have been puzzled-fingers crossed. 😂😆😯

Now I need a strategy to keep the critters from devouring my pretty little day lilies immediately upon their bashful emergence. I get possibly one day of mellow yellow flowers before they are murdered in the night. Maybe the flannel patrol can do double duty. So, speaking from the row of  "flannel boys" it's Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/Salute a Vet/          Respect Flannel  💚  💙💛

                                                  

CONTRACTOR FOLLIES (June 14/136 or not)

Not my original quote but too good not to pass on "You always know a toddler's birthday is coming up when you see the bounce house set up on the lawn". For all the adults who think they can handle the bounce house-think again...dementia and gladiator do not mix.                                                           

IF YOU SURVIVE THE STORMS Interesting week with Mother Nature taking care of my watering chores. Just enough rain in just the right spacing to cover my tender new garden children. I checked with our lawn care about his aerating service asking does it require a lot of watering? No, just 2 inches after they do the treatment then back to your usual 1 to 1 1/2 inches a week. Say wha? We have 3/4 quarters of an acre and a well, so we do not watere grass. (Except the new guys) What they get is what they get. So, the grass is brownish in some places but that's summer for you. Always looks nice in Fall and Spring so I'm good. We should all just let the lawns go natural.

 JP wanted to spend a couple days with us on the two hottest nights thus far. We had our room AC unit, but he had to gut it out in his room with two fans. He didn't even go upstairs the second night. Though he did sleep better on the couch.  We have central air, but when the house was built, they apparently took low bid on the HVAC expertise as the cold air registers were installed on the floors upstairs. You know the basics-hot air rises, cold air sinks which makes the floor very happy on a hot night. Normal inhabitants not so much. The dude that lived here originally was an engineer so you would have thought they covered that in class at some point. 

DOOR ME As I never have enough projects to juggle (always room for another chainsaw in the air) I thought I'd get some quotes on the lake house sliding doors. The gas between the panes has been blown since we bought the place and the screen door is hanging on by its proverbial fingers. I always thought the doors were shorter than normal, but that may have been a fig newton of my imagination. Anyway, the first contractor (a sweet young couple fastened at the hip) to pop at my ad, who would come on my schedule (like when we're out there) said no prob, standard door and really low amount to replace. However, they were not able to do anything until August. After five days I texted and said are you still interested as I did not receive the quote the same night as promised. Two days later I get the quote and its 700 dollars higher and no explanation besides - old door taken out, new door put in, cleanup and disposal. As I hate to wait and I've been ghosted by these laker handypeople before, I have already got two more companies coming to quote. So, I write the first one back and say can you give me a break-down of what your quote covers-cost of door, labor, etc. as I kind of thought I knew why it was higher, standard door my Aunt Fannie. Of course I have had nothing back yet.

Second dude shows up, hair coiffed and smelling strongly of after shave-maybe he thought he was meeting a merry widow as I only spring the OH on people when necessary. Amazing the snow jobs you get when unaccompanied. However, his house had been without power from the storm, and he was cutting a tree up in the front yard all morning so he might have thought he was a little funky from no shower. He gives me a quote even less than the first one. Hmmm.  Third dude shows up and gives a speech similar to Andersen window folks (half promo half expertise) and a price to match which is 5 or 6 times higher than the first two (even though the 1st two have not actually given a final quote). However, in our intentional chatting, getting to know you stuff he mentions they are booking out four months - which is actually a sign that the company is good and sought after. He also casually mentions that btw-those are not standard sized doors and custom costs two grand more. Finally, someone is actually knowledgeable or honest about the doors being shorter than standard as it's a modular home.

But bigger reveal as I say hell no on the cost, or words to that effect, he mentions a lot of people just get the glass fixed (I didn't know that was an option) and he could actually quote the glasswork and screen door for what these other two ?experts? were quoting for the whole job. Interesting n'est-ce pas? It would make sense to go with number 3 except....the quote he claims he sent as we stood there never showed up. Arrgghh. And I used to feel sorry for small businesses. 

FUSSY BIRDS I bought two new bird feeders-one for the hummers and one for the finches-of whom we had multitudes last year. Hummer floats in once in a while and doesn't stay long. Some large animal ate most of my finch food the first night, so I moved it and no one, including finches, have touched it since. Geez. I get feeders that are smaller and easier for me to clean and fill, and they turn their beaks up at them.

RANDOM THOUGHTS  1) If the Dems were that good at cheating, wouldn't they have picked the president and other pertinent posts? We were so clever, we even made 30 million stay home and not vote; and 2) At the lake Thursday night as the tornadoes were circling, we realized the only safe space we have is under the house where the water system is located. I told the OH considering that space is coffin-sized, only the thin will survive. We'll see how that goes in the future. Meanwhile, our aptly named CrocsAnn (JP's suggestion) says:                                                                                                Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/Salute a Vet 💚  💙💛

                                                                                 

P.S.  Bathroom remodel may finally be moving forward as cabinets are due to be completed by the 17, so work may start shortly thereafter (subdued yay). Guess I should order those drawer and cupboard handles that I completely forgot about post-haste

                                                                                               

HODGE PODGE (June 7/137 or not)

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCHERS We have been closely monitoring the happenings across the street. Hell, retired folks enjoy any change of routine-hence the binocs on the windowsill. Which reminds me, always be nice to the old fogies in the neighborhood. They are a better alarm system than your Doberman.  Two semi-truck sized trucks, one large trailer and two cars from across the street were loaded for the last time, we hope after 15 years of no activity. All headed north to Marquette at 5:00 pm. Hard to believe they were making that 5-6 hour trip in the wee hours though the bridge is less crowded at midnight I suppose. 

Equally fascinating is the roofing project over there. At this point it has been going on for ten days and no end in sight. On purpose? Or perhaps it's the geriatric roofers who tend to show up at about 9 and work until about 3 or so. Just guessing the age from the amount of snow of top of the two, sometimes three slow-moving workers. I know what it's like to slow down in the afternoon if I stop doing physical chores. After a couple days of power washing (mostly the OH, I just pitched when he needed a break) and painting at the lake and the usual Sunday housework, laundry, 8 to 9 miles of walking and my latest yoga session, I was done for the day at 3:30 myself. The fatal mistake is taking a break which then lasts well into the evening. At some point I will feel old enough not to feel guilty I suppose. As for the "mature" roofers I understand. I still believe I can climb the ladder to the roof, just not right now and that's ok. 

THE TRUTH So the judge says something like "So if he can bulldoze the Stature of Liberty before anyone files a suit he can get away with it. Is that your argument?" Which is pretty much what rumpiestilkin's lawyers admitted when they claimed the lawsuit filed against demolition of the east wing and rose garden and south lawn had no standing as it was already done. Like he needs any other stupid ideas. 

GARDEN KNOWNS As we water and burp the new landscaping, we are rewarded with budding roses and new grass growing in what can only be described as a typical male pattern baldness fashion. Little sprouts here and there in no particular order. My daily task is to ruthlessly pull any errant weeds that dare to sully my pristine mulch. Although the relentless chive forest is making some tentative forays into the backyard landscape. Some hiding under the prone drainpipe-crafty little buggers.  My lime marmalade (Heuchera) "lettuce" leaves are starting to grow into full heads. They looked so fragile but give them a little water and sun and a yellow explosion ensues. So red roses, pink salvia, merry little holly berries and my yellow limes are starting to look intentional. The backyard is finished with tomato plants thriving, deck washed and windchimes hung from the pergola with care. 

                                                                                            

                                                                

LATEST PODDIE I was able to get my July program recorded last week so all good. It was about violence in the workplace with a gentleman I have worked with for many years when at MIOSHA and the Safety Conference. He started this work in the '90's when the Dearborn Post Office massacre occurred and the phrase "going postal" was coined. We have all seen how that has escalated since then. I asked what the factors were, besides the shooter not getting the promotion he wanted. My brother worked there and mentioned the horrible working conditions and tone-deaf management. Management's M.O.  with Union complaints was to always escalate cases to arbitration which wiped out their budget pretty quickly-with no resolution but to give up. My brother was the "unknown" postal worker who was interviewed by the local news about their tactics. My interviewee explained that automation was becoming a big part of the USPS at the time and as usual, management was not great on explaining the impact. 

ON TRACK As if I don't have enough nagging in my life I wear one of those tracker watches. Every hour it recommends I get my ass in gear and take 100 to a million steps. This is a good thing for my bionic hip and gets me away from the laptop. Actually, I'm doing pretty good as I have just come from the eye doctor and my pupils are the size of saucers at the moment. We go through this routine every year where the Doc humorously gives me a prescription and then kills it by saying, "if I could see that well without contacts, I wouldn't bother either." Nailed it! Or was it a cognitive test? Which begs the question would one know if they had dementia if they had dementia?

Anyway, I had a point in the last paragraph when I started. When I get those move your butt messages sometimes, I am not in a position to jump and run-like on a plane, in a meeting, on the commode. The watch is so dumb any left arm movement will do so I start waving my arm like a windmill, demented bird or a spouting fountain. It doesn't know my feet ain't dancing at the same time so it is satisfied and shuts up. Peace Out/Stay Strong/Love Your Neighbor/Eat More Cake/Drive Efficiently/Salute a Vet 💚