TIRED OF WINNING YET? (February 22/152 or not)

EVER WONDER where the worst place is to find a handicap parking spot? Outside an orthopedic surgeon's office. (even the doc thought that was funny). As I merely use the sticker to get a nifty parking spot, it is annoying when the truly needy hog the spots. Ok, ok, if I fall, I'm toast so I take Kenny cane with me which looks pathetic. I have more trouble getting it in and out of the car with it and the grandson likes to waft it around like a sword much to my dismay and amusement. 

DEMENTIA IS NOW COOL Can't help it even as democracy is crumbling there were a few light moments.

1)  After a massive meltdown on Bad Bunny performing at the Super Bowl marmie hosted a massive Latin themed party at mar-i-goldie two days later with Latin entertainers-whaa?  Of course, tickets        (supposedly for Hispanic literacy programs) went from 15,000 to 250,000. Would that not indicate immigrants learning "ingles"? I'm confused. Also, considering their reputation of reneging on charity dealies one wonders if the money has disappeared down the trump empire rabbit hole. Are you listening Hispanic voters?

2) Trump family claiming trademark rights on any airports (for now) named after their fearful leader. Oh yes, they claim they will never charge-can I sell you a new bridge in Detroit?

3) The irony of the so-called "broad of pieces" made up of countries half of whom marmie does not allow into our country. And oddly enough, no Palestinian representation with the jelly man named chair for life. Was he afraid he'd be on unemployment after his latest gig? What am I missing here 😏?

NEW SHOWS Recording my last poddie tomorrow before the conference where I will attempt some live interviews. Hopefully not repeating last year's performance where I discussed employer drug liability with two attorneys for 30 minutes but forgot to hit record. Oops. Thank goodness they weren't charging me. 

"You know that feeling when someone tries to give you advice, but their birth years starts with 2?"

Well, that may not be far off. Sat through a meeting Wednesday where I agreed to talk to our executive director about something that totally escapes me now. Like I say dementia is cool. I think it had to do with the podcasts and some new software or app, but not sure. I wrote the person who ran the meeting if she can enlighten me, though actually she was probably born before 2000, thank goodness.  

Had the grandson overnight and took him bowling. He went through six games and was still feeling pretty good-decent scores too. We are working on new ball number three now. Conversations with him are fascinating and he is really a deep thinker. We have been discussing communism-friend or foe- and he has some interesting thoughts. He believes if all things were equal and people were fair-minded it is only fair that everyone has a piece of the good life. I do not disagree. I pointed out the inevitable trap of someone contributing more and others taking advantage is the problem, but all humans deserve a decent standard of living. I appreciate his empathy for people and his questioning what he has been taught in school. He's got a real rah-rah America first social studies teacher, and he likes to run what gets said by his Dad and me. We kind of agreed that a powerful country can afford to be benevolent and help raise others. 

I'll take it. USA took gold in both men and women's hockey!! (Suppose rumple thin skin will demand their medals?) Michigan State managed to hang on to their lead today. TSA said they were suspending pre-check, then rescinded it. 😂 I got my GS cookies in the freezer. The new snow is melting. Steak for dinner and no tylenol today. That is all. 

                           

Peace out/Stay strong/Love your neighbor....💚  💙💛

OVERLOAD (February 15/153 or not)

GROUNDHOG BE DAMNED! Michigan's first fake Spring has arrived, and we are dumping the Stormy Kromer hats and snow boots for shorts and flip-flops for a few days. As the mornings are still crispy, I am sticking to a leather jacket to cover my bases. The snow snerts stuck on the bottoms of cars are crashing to the ground for other cars to re-crush; car washes are overflowing (pun intended); sunglasses in full view. The kids are in sweatshirts in 20 degree mornings, but then they always are. Looked like fistfights were going to manifest as the pre-paid vs the just-stopping-in cars vied to be first through the car wash barrier. Who knows? I may have received an upgraded wash as determined folks cut the other line off. I keep hoping that happens at McD's but they seem to have the quadruple lines under control. Then again, what upgrade could I hope to get at a McD's notwithstanding their Shamrock shake. 

UPDATE Tried to go "cold turkey" on the Tylenol today but couldn't make it past noon. Not bad, just annoyingly restrictive for someone who leaps to her feet and takes a lot of stairs. Just taking two pills a day but feels like failure. It is also my multiple trips downstairs to do laundry, so probably not a good day to try floating on strong will and guts. Doc scheduled a second recheck for Tuesday I had not anticipated, so don't know if that is good or bad. Normally he doesn't do the 2nd recheck for three months. A little swollen, but the scar is pretty well healed. I may need a new nickname however between my multiple markings on shoulder, breast, abdomen (from age 5), knee and hip. A life well-lived one might say. Not to mention my own baby tattoo on my right hip. Emphasis on "baby-sized". Those tramp stamps are going to look mighty bizarre on the elderly-lol. 

SAVE us from them. If the repub agenda is so good and popular, why do they keep trying to find ways to rig the elections and they think the other side is crooked? I believe the actual number of fake voters is .0000000001 after checking multiple sources. My birthplace, Detroit, has had a week with marmie trying to stop us from using the new bridge that Canada paid for, and we agreed to 10 years ago. Of course, that came after an 11th hour meeting with the morons (Mourouns) owners of that "other" bridge who have been fighting this since day One. Fortunately, our fearless leader is quite open to bribery. Though it appears the Michigan repubs may have grown a little spiney on this one.  Second, I can't wait to see beautiful downtown Detroit shrouded in its gown of gray like the 50's as they roll back the last of the environmental laws. 

Our fellow humans never fail to lower to the occasion. Upon visiting and seeing the horrendous conditions in an ICE facility -60 people crammed in one room with one toilet the 1st comment was congressmen have no right to enter a federal detention center. Yes, actually they do, but that was the very first comment-what have we become? There is a reckoning awaiting many of these quisling-patriots. 

GOODIE TIMES The unholy trinity has occurred this week-the clash of Valentine's, Paczki, and Girl Scout cookies all vied for equal billing. Sugar overload on tap. Since I have disavowed the sweet call of sugar most of the time, I am literally dying here. Thin mints will end up in the freezer to be enjoyed over the course of a year. Paczkis have to be devoured immediately for the maximum "Fat Tuesday" tradition" of using up all your good stuff (lard) before Lent. I only eat the middle anyway as I hate the wasted donuty part. Straight candy is strictly regulated unless I crave a wine exchange. Being healthy is a drag. Peace out/stay strong/love your neighbor 💚  💙💛

THE OTHER SIDE OF ICE (February 9/154)

PROGRESS REPORT Ok after 4 weeks post-op I am now navigating stairs as they were always meant to be. One leg at a time each bending and taking the load - ouch ouch ouch. Amazing how quickly your muscles atrophy if you do not force them to work. I tossed the cane and am climbing like a human and I feel like I need to go back to crawling. In honor of black history month-we shall overcome. Though I am a lot quicker making my seven trips to the basement doing laundry. 

First solo trip. Now I understand why disabled people bitch so much. Yes, there were handicapped spaces, and they were plowed-just not enough. Did not realize a few inches make a difference when you're trying to maneuver your Kenny Cane out the door before you disembark (as I promised the doc I would always use the cane when I'm out of the house). Might not look like much to the "normals", but every piece of ice or snow is a gaping maw waiting to trip me onto my precious new hip socket. Sigh. Just parked in a nearby space that was ice-free. 

BORDER CLASHES Have to say it. Our repub officials keep saying if we just obey the laws, no problem with ICE. No, the truth, thank God for phone cameras and internet, is they are illegally detaining, breaking into cars and houses, throwing people on the ground, handcuffing them and sending them to faraway detention centers with the inability to contact anyone, no due process or legal warrants based on the COLOR OF THEIR SKIN! If Jesus were alive today, some ass--t would say if he only obeyed the law as you notice the cross prominently displayed behind him. There is still right and wrong and treating people/human beings like garbage is something to get mad about. May we never stop calling it out.

News flash. After riding with the po-po, believe me they know exactly who the real criminal illegals are, just ask them. Heck, they'll even happily assist in their removal. When I rode, we actually stopped and "gently" harassed some known problem folks just to let them know we knew where they were.  However, the popsicles find it easier to round up black/brown people who won't shoot back. Word is your border boss (ho ho man) now wants you to return your $50,000 signing bonus to him in a plain paper bag. You know the bonus you have to work five years to even have a hope of receiving? Meanwhile enjoy your constant overtime, low morale and general feeling that "nobody likes me". 

MIOSHA NEWS  MIOSHA reported the year's first work-related fatality. A man was killed when he was trapped between the carriage and cab of a truck. As an ex-safety skate, I never want to be proven right. I recall many moons ago when I cautioned a seasoned, grizzled employee not to walk between the bucket and the cab on a small excavator. Of course, I was pooed-pooed as overly uptight about a 2 second shortcut-sigh. It's in our DNA.

Okay, now I have to hassle around, unplug, plug, jiggle things as the TV reception took a proverbial timeout on Olympic/ Super Bowl day. Could the timing be any better? This is the second time so need to get the Xfin techs in here who are not available until tomorrow. Maybe we'll get lucky. But speaking about the Olympics, I'm one of those crazies that watches the whole opening and closing ceremonies-   3 1/2 hours this time. I even love the whole Parade of Nations even the small countries-one athlete, seventeen coaches and keepers. The joy on those young (and not so-young) faces who spent a lifetime in early morning, late evening practice sessions working on their craft. Their utter amazement that they are in this moment of time walking in a stadium to represent their country. It never gets old. Except for Mariah Carey of course. Love the figure skating and downhill skiing where we got our first medal but sorry Lindsey.

Even enjoyed watching little old "sold my soul" jd get booed when they flashed a picture of him-sorry Usha. Our athletes were cheered, the government, not so much. Oh yeah, they didn't let us hear it, but we have our ways-the internet don't you know. Peace out/Stay strong/Love your neighbor 💖  💙

                                                                     

  

ONWARD AND UPWARDS (February 2/155)

BONE NEWS I believe I am improving and sleeping better though I am finding 10,000 steps may be going a tad too far. Also realized I step out on my left foot first no matter how much I try not to. That's the surgery leg and often after sitting one does not know if that first step is a good idea or not. Certainly, strong enough, just not pain-free. I read there should be a miraculous decrease in pain and less Tylenol needed after four weeks so we shall see. Still better than knee replacement though. I asked the OH how old one has to be before you feel like a bum wanting a nap during the day. He said 76 (his age of course). 

TROUBLING MIDNIGHT THOUGHT I pondered another reason that vaccinations are being rolled back. Who is most impacted? The poor and uninsured. It becomes eviler and more insidious when you look at it through that particular lens. Especially when the magots extol the virtue of the VP's 4th child as the perfect family dynamic. Obviously, these folks cannot equate fully paid government insurance and other financial perks making it feasible when many people can't afford one child. 

RANDOM THOUGHTS The older you get (or more retired) the more you look out your windows. It is our solemn duty to monitor the neighborhood activities. Which is also why, though they may be a great construction company, I would not want a truck emblazoned with the company name ROACH sitting in my driveway. Some things are better left private. Rotor rooter is another, but we all have been there, right? Anyway, the empty house across the street (10 years or more) had a massive AMAZON dump on their front porch this weekend. I enlisted another neighbor to pop over there and see if they were delivered to the wrong house. Nope, definitely has the name of the "now deceased" homeowner on the packages. Mystery deepens as our Agatha Christy group continues to monitor. The former occupant left for the UP with daughter's family years ago and have never done anything with the house since, even during the massive housing mark-up craze. To add to the mystery, the whole family has been indicted up there, so we wonder if they're hiding evidence or something worse in Amazon boxes. See how this snooping/spying gets out of control?

And how can they advertise permanent marker remover. Does not the name imply its inability to be erased? If so, what other myths have we been innocently believing? That the melon-eater documentary launched this week is the highest grossing documentary ever? As I understand it, as there is no reference to her early Epstein-building years, how accurate can it be? To quote the gal, I don't care, do you? I assume her husband will fire the academy award panel so he can collect more trophies... Meanwhile the doco-crazy was funded by Amazon to secure their "tax break" to the tune of 40 million plus 35 mill for advertising. Humorously, the doco hits the same week amazon laid off another 16,000 amazon workers. As my s-i-l points out at some point they're going to realize AI workers "don't buy no stuff". 

As staying/sitting in one spot is tiring this week, I may not be as rambunctiously verbose as usual. Just getting through my emails takes an hour. Then it's up for a walkie followed by icing. I could just go out and lay in the snow I suppose. I broke the rules and trotted up and down the basement stairs (well trotting is a strong word) to do laundry. More like Kenny Cane and I gingerly making our way up and down with a death grip on the handrail. 

As we await the mighty ground hog's prediction of a six more horrendous weeks of winter or a mere month and a half...I'm thinking I should get one in every hue to match my outfit or my mood as its now a part of my day to day. Peace out/Stay Strong/Love your Neighbor 💚    💙💛