ANNALS OF JOE In a deviation of sorts, the main activity this Spring break week was hanging with the grandson, the infamous JP. His 'bon mots" are always entertaining and his use of large words, correctly, always catches me by surprise. He was describing the "options" available for snack time at Adventure Time after school. As there was no accompanying chipper dip for the veggies, he ventured into new territory by trying an olive. A little suspect of the red thingee in the middle he chewed and swallowed only to be surprised by the red thingee, according to him, fighting to come back up. The rest of the story rather runs like you would expect, so that's a big NO on olives.
Apparently even nine-years old's understand a marketing scam when they hear one. He was discussing the Dominio's $3 tip when you carry out a pizza. He asked "don't you have to buy another pizza to get the money?" Yes. "Well what if you forgot (or in my case, never eat a Domino's again) for like 20 years, would they still have to give you the discount"? Umm no. So he totally understood the rip-off part of the scheme very well. He believed if you're going to give $3 off why not when you take out the original order...see even a child gets it.
JP is fascinated by the menagerie that shows up at the bird feeder everyday and cheerfully names all the various creatures. He especially enjoyed practicing his "hawk" call to the great fear and trepidation of the various feathered diners. Though actually it worked better on scattering the squirrels who literally stand in the window and complain about the lack of seed hitting the ground. After watching a news story he begged for a handful of seed and stood like a statue on the deck hoping the birds would come and eat out of his hand. That lasted about 2 minutes so the squirrels got their left-overs.
He told me his favorite cookie was white chocolate chip cookies like other Grandma makes. Well challenge accepted and I actually had white chocolate chips (though I am not above running to the store for him to make his favorite cookie). However we did have to run to the store for other essentials which means also shopping in the toy section. He agonized over two different cars he really loved until Grandpa and I literally walked away to leave-decision made. At any rate he helped with the cookie making by reading the instructions, relaying the proper measurement of each ingredient, cracking the eggs (he loves cracking the eggs) and of course, testing the product. It was a real struggle to get him to wait for the "cooked" cookies to emerge. No raw egg beater licking, though I suppose it wouldn't kill him.
Another challenge was trying to keep him to a two cookie max as dinner was within the hour. However, when I was out of the room on a phone call he convinced Grandpa to have a cookie which necessitated JP taking the one underneath to make sure my stacks were even! He was quite serious about the potential lopsided stacks, so crisis averted.
On the third day we went bowling where he showed off what he watches on television by hefting the ball high in the air on approach and lifting his leg behind his back on the follow-through. Dramatic, but not always successful. The real appeal is the arcade where he accumulates tickets for nickel items that cost $5 to obtain. We have convinced him to hold off and accumulate more tickets for the more exciting twenty-five cent items. But that evil giggle when he is blasting aliens in the space game-I just don't know who he is...
SWITCHEROO Meanwhile, can't finish without my usual political observation. As one put it "Mr. Garland (AG) the crimes are all sitting out there growing cobwebs due to no action". But we've never charged, prosecuted, jailed a past President. We never had a past Prez who was so blatant at committing federal crimes without even the decency to resign- duhh.
MEANWHILE ON THE LOCAL SCENE The tax decrease proposed by the Rs was vetoed by Governor Whitmer. Now before the proverbial "panties bunching" occurs; this was one time money due to a budget surplus THIS YEAR, not ongoing. It would have given a whopping $12 to those earning under $24,000, $90 for those in the middle and megabucks for those at the top (Surprise). However the Governor did ask for and receive $400 per car for each person holding car insurance last October. Unfortunately there was some break for retirees and child care in the bill, but again one time money.
Now I'm no math genius, but I think $400 buys a "hell" of lot more gas than $90 and... you get it all at once, not divvied out over 52 pays. This idea that the big mean old Left conspiracy keeps wanting to help the little guy is appalling. You know the liberal folks who abolished child labor, created the 40 hour work week, Social Security, Medicare, etc., etc. The horrible progressive agenda goes on and on. Hardly have time for our child eating cabals which is only surpassed by the R's cocaine sniffing orgies - LOL.(according to Rep Cawthorn)
There is no humor to report about Ukraine when there is apparently evidence of looting, raping and execution of civilians by the re-deploying (their word) running (my word) Russian army in previously occupied areas. Though you have to admire the intrepid helicopter pilots who crossed over the border and bombed a fuel depot; which the Kremlin condemned as striking a civilian target- really. Not to mention the ruskies had to gave up Chernobyl after all their ill-equipped soldiers were exposed to deadly radiation and an inability to control the site. Their lack of intel and general ignorance provides Ukraine with a formidable ally... 💙💛
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