3 STARS AND ABOVE (February 24/203)

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:  Business exists to make a profit. Government exists to provide service. Taxes paid in, help to all comes out-get it?  Instead of pushing to post the 10 commandments in schools try not to disparage, threaten and doge-douche pastors that ask you to follow them. 

WEATHERPROOF So, I guess we are getting our January thaw in February. Just in time as we clock one of the coldest Februarys on record. Saw a tip jar the other day that was labeled "Should we fire the groundhog?" Oddly enough there was folding stuff in the No jar and nada in the Yes. We are a funny people. I still say they juice up the little fellow and determine if more cold weather will help the cranberry crop or whatever, threaten his family, etc., to give the "right" reading. 

Wonderful timing as our lake house furnace is stumbling along on its final crippled proverbial legs. After the last repair we discovered she was more than 20 years old! Existing on borrowed time but of course new ones will never last that long. And why not replace the AC at the same time, argghh. Fortunately, we picked a mild week to execute the job. I was hoping to make it through the winter, but was warned prices and products were going to be more expensive/unavailable if we waited even a couple of months. And you thought what happens in Wash DC has nothing to do with you...

MAR/MUS LAND Isn't it odd that the two people let go from the Joint Chiefs of Staff were, wait for it, a woman and a black man. The highly decorated, experienced and extremely competent black man replaced by a totally unqualified white dude who had to be shoehorned in around the requirements.  Now doesn't that sound a lot like a violation of the DEI dealie?  Not to mention the woman was the second female admiral in command that was fired. These jobs are not filled by "newbies". These people have put in an entire career of accomplishments and command experience before being appointed. In other words, highly experienced professionals with a proven record. Fired by a talk show host (well actually a talk show host and failed businessman). Perhaps the two were scared of strong women used to command with more stars on their epaulets than in their eyes might see right through their particular forms of BS and cluelessness. I feel so much safer now. 

And the best solution for problems in the air as warned by Pete Buttigieg for years, is to fire a bunch of FAA and air traffic controllers which is already causing flight cancellations. A lot of chaos for 5% of the budget. Gotta find money to pay the muskie I guess. 

ON A LIGHTER NOTE Life with JP. We enjoyed an overnight with our buddy over the weekend, and he fills us in on all the crazy stuff in his life. I enjoy listening and we are able to give him all our attention with no responsibility-what a deal! He's all excited about being in a talent show at school and insists he wants to sing. Well, to be kind, that would not have been my first choice for him. His Mom and I think he should do jokes. He kills and his memory and timing are awesome. He even knows to wait on delivering the punchline. But somehow, I get the impression it would mess up his rep with his buds to do stand-up comedy. I do not get the non-coolness factor of all that, but his decision. 

Then he was all uptight about going through a "puberty" class. Yep, ye old sex ed we called it, or I think it was called "Growing Up & Liking It" in grammar school. He said he's been through it twice already in other years and they show pictures of EVERYTHING -both sexes. He says it's just gross. 😉 I told him the human body is beautiful, and God doesn't make junk. Though it is amazing how little men seem to know about female functions. "What you get a period every month?" and "Having a baby is no big deal" JP will probably die whenever he reads this-hopefully at a much more mature age. LOL

COOKKIIEESS! The GS cookies are out already. However, they do not go door to door and they do not deliver. Delivery costs $15.00 at least! I get that things are more dangerous these days, and I'll order online or whatever, but they won't even deliver the darn things with Mom or Dad in the car with them. You have to "catch" them at whatever location they choose to populate. We were told it was a chance to practice a little Entrepeneur stuff when we were in scouts with taking orders, counting money and making change, delivering orders correctly. Now it's all business...for the Girl Scout administration, I guess. It doesn't appear to be tied to any particular scout who used to have to hustle to get their camping money through their own initiative and enterprise. May just have to skip my delectable thin mints this year.

Speaking of cookies, I was trying to hear the television last night and kept telling the OH to turn it up. Turns out a couple of cookies were calling my name and were drowning out the dialog until I liberated them from the package. Such is life. I'm also partial to frozen white chocolate chip cookies left over from Christmas.   

THEN Interesting to learn that although Ukraine started the war and perhaps bombed themselves, they were not invited to initial peace talks. Does anyone get it that if Russia stops it's over? History is written by the winners as they say. Hopefully not in this case. Peace out....💚   💙💛

HEARTS AND SOULS AND SO ON (February 17/204)

NOT SO SUPER? Super Bowl, Super Sunday, Super Build-Up - super sleeper. But it is an excuse to eat nachos and chicken wings. You know wine doesn't quite go with it, but as I had some in the fridge...  Am I losing my sense of humor or are the commercials trying way too hard, at least humor -wise. Though I truly enjoyed the Mic Ultra seniors hustling pickle Ballers. The seal played by Seal was creepy-he must be hard up for cash. Maybe the times are too dark right now for us to forget the world for a couple of hours and be entertained. Though the Chiefs certainly tried their best with six, was it, pratfalls by the QB and dropped passes by, well everyone on the team which were eventually captured by the opponent's constant interceptions.  

SO ON AND SO ON MIOSHA interview completed last week, the same week that the muskie went after OSHA which we knew he would like every other Repugnant administration. Question. Will people do the right thing without laws and rules? Well, the pres doesn't so guess not. Insurance companies are going to have to work awfully hard to avoid paying claims by pushing safety programs. Just a bit easier with OSHA. 

Though there is not much in DC to be happy about couple of humorous thoughts. After laying off the folks guarding our nuclear stockpile and realizing what a boneheaded move that was (among many) now they can't seem to get in touch with the laid-off (and pissed) workers. The tea party arose when we elected a black man who they claim was born in Africa. Now we are being ripped off by a white guy who was actually born in Africa. Considering the howling, phone calls, letters overwhelming the Congress I think they might just find out what revolution is all about. There is more of us than them you know. muskie's 4-year-old told the "supposed" pres to shush he wasn't the president. We know little pitchers have big ears and repeat everything...Meanwhile tesla's crashing (deliberate pun) all over the world and the Pentagon has withdrawn the 400 million? billion? they were going to spend on "guess who's" electric vehicles. Don't worry musk isn't working for free, I think it's up to 14 million so far.

On the hmmm ide, RFK has rescinded the layoffs of 950 Indian Health Services employees hours after they were told they were being laid off. Should we be tentatively optimistic that RFK ran a con on the Don? 15,000 IRS employees have been laid off. Good news/bad news as the layoff, when they already had too few employees, could cut down on being audited but maybe not receive your refund. And finally, good to know I didn't misread it, but JD is as big an ass as orange julius. Pissing off and insulting all of Europe now. 

VALENTINE ARROWS How much do you trust me?" Well apparently, not much. When I told the OH he needed a weekly shot for his anemia and I would be the dispenser he was, shall we say, not a fan. I trotted to his first stabbing to learn the technique armed with my usual inappropriate yet witty remarks. Hell, I didn't want to do it either. After we played around with the syringes (not self-sheaving I might add which is so wrong with my shaky hands) the nurse commented she could continue to do them. Obviously, we signed up immediately. Would have been a good skill to learn I suppose. It's the initial stabbing that is the tricky part. He keeps telling people I would be oblivious to the bubble in the tube, and I say he's just being a baby. 

A good friend passed away last week. Although we knew she was battling the ravages of cancer for the third time, we had our hopes. She was a main player in our second family of close friends who raised our children together, appreciated plays, music, dining together, partying at each other's houses including our now infamous wine tastings, celebrated each other's achievements as we grew from young adulthood to our current senior status. It was supposed to go on forever. We will remember the wonderful foods prepared at her house and her strong yet loving opinions and the fact that I always chose a sweeter wine that I would call a "Donna wine" to please her at every gathering. Rest in Peace my friend. We'll see you again. To grieve is to have loved. 💔💖

THE BAND PLAYED ON -205 TO GO (February 10)

😷Took a sick day week as it turns out. Between appointments and massive virus attacks to us both, I needed a break. Still not feeling 100%, but oh well, perks of getting older I suppose is to just say F it and take five or seven. Not feeling well helped me rain some bad juju on my next interview as I told him I refused to do 11th hour script changes so meet the deadline or I move on. He met the deadline.

ELEPHANT IN ROOM TIME Couple of things stood out the last couple of weeks. Hard to pick the wheat from the chaff lately, am I right? Anyway:

  * Press secretary with a big ass cross around her neck claims we worry more about the color of our pilot than if we will land safely. What church does she attend "The Racist, KKK, Precious White Lady Church of Perpetual Bigotry"? For anyone's information, only a third of air traffic controller applicants get through the first day after rigorous mental, physical, etc., testing so I rather believe they don't care if you come rolling in on your wheelchair covered with scales and seething sores. 

* The qualified, career officer Coast Guard Commander was fired from her job for not being aggressive enough with the Southern border. Last I knew we were not being attacked, and few refugees take a boat across. Two weeks later, the three hours to vacate her residence was just icing on the mud pie. Contrasted of course with that totally competent alcoholic, womanizing, sticky fingered Secretary of the DOD (who just ordered $130,000 to remodel his government issued house). Oh yeah, white male.  

* A non-vetted or background checked South African foreign agent and his band of high schoolers (one of the teenagers is nicknamed "Big Balls") is privy to the personal data and bank accounts of every American. To what end? So many answers to that. Big bear and panda are waiting nearby for the crumbs.

   -- Odd coincidences - the muskie was successfully sued by a black employee for a racially intimidating hostile workplace and was facing a class action suit from possibly another 6,000 black workers. The FAA had assessed penalties for failure to follow its license requirements for two space launches. Funny that the FAA and DEI were demolished immediately-birds of a feather and all that.

* If (marmie) continues to malign, insult, threaten trade wars and mislabel our allies in Europe and Canada a big bear is waiting to be "their friend". If we stop rendering medical and humanitarian aid to folks who need it in Africa a giant panda will be happy to fill the gap. Both know how to wait and swoop in when the time is right, just saying.

* Using DEI and transgender (the 10 trans who actually play school sports) as a rallying cry to the red hats really distracts from the rising costs of food, the chill on hiring, the stock market drop and destruction of the government. Then there is the prohibition on paper straw promotion and turning Gaza into a resort area (ethnic cleansing) while important information on health and weather websites disappears. The shocked look on his Chief of Staff's face was priceless though Netanyahu kept his cool (Gaza surprise).

 I'm not saying DEI was the perfect answer and it was pushing people away but I'm not ready to go back to the 50's & 60's when one either never get the chance or had to remain in the background doing the work but not getting the credit. Equal opportunity by merit is great, but we're not there yet until we truly become gender and color-blind. If you don't want single moms in poverty and welfare or minority crime, let "everyone" have a chance at education, decent jobs, promotional opportunities and homes outside of the "red"zone. But why do we always default into more racist?

One positive note. The American public is certainly receiving an advanced course on Civics live and in person....

ABRUBT SHIFT On a lighter note, I confess. I am a huge proponent of porn. Can't get enough. Every twist and turn, spiked heel, velvety shiny texture and color. Shoe porn that is. What did you think I was talking about? Valentine's Day is a perfect time to peruse all those cute little numbers in shades of pink and red. When the question came up on Family Feud of the average number of shoes a man owns-four was the number one answer - pptthh. Sneakers, dress shoes, all-terrain boots and another pair of athletic shoes. Women are just getting started. Though I probably enjoy shopping for shoes more than owning as they never seem to fit once you get them home. I was used to heels when I was working and could go all day. Not so practical when I got an emergency call and no time to change-hence my mud-caked dressy shoes adventure on a construction site after an incident and dress coat and heels on television at the sewer entrance of a near-double fatality.

CHECK THE BIRDS We have a built-in bad weather alarm due to our well-stocked bird feeder. It is absolute pandemonium as 17 birds try to squat where 3 or 4 comfortably fit as their avian radar warns of fun times to come. Unfortunately, English sparrows have invaded driving the biggies-cardinal and bluejay- to the ground pickings. They swarm in mass and knock everyone out. The squirrels are good with it though as they are ground feeders. So far no dead birds as the a-flu picks up steam along with cross-contamination worries. Super Bowl (commercial) time. Don't care who wins. Peace out.💚💙💛