Shout Out to UK Friends!

There isn't a lot to report, but I couldn't let too much time pass without a big shout out for the appropriate welcome the UK gave to our supreme leader. It was absolutely amazing, and my thought was "the whole world can't  be wrong"! His interaction with the Queen summed up his character, and his intelligence (lack thereof) has never even been up for debate! The whole Putin thing has just been amazing. They are meeting PRIVATELY as I write and our Congress has said not one word to prevent it from happening - not one! Other than Russia's assistance with the election, I think Trump wanted the same thing as Kim Jong Un - a photo! Kim wanted it to add North Korea to the Big Boys' Club. Trump wanted it for his ego. Cheryl and I, Eileen and I, and Jenny, Jacqui and I traded some of the best signs and videos of the protest via Messenger and snide remarks on Facebook. I also received a frantic email from Jan asking me to apologize to all of you for the way trump treated Prime Minister May! So, your efforts were acknowledged far and wide! It was wonderful reinforcement for the Resistance and the great part is that it followed him to Scotland and Helsinki! We are also hopeful that the big balloon will come here. He would hate that! SO, from the reasonable people on this side of the pond, a big THANK YOU!! 

On the subject of politics, I have to confess that I have truly gone to the dark side! I'm now on Twitter. I avoided it for such a long time and whenever I checked it out, it never seemed to make sense. Then, one night last week I logged on  and it all came together. SO, my future is as a political hermit, totally consumed by MSNBC, FB, Twitter, phone calls and faxes to my reps!  It's a sad life!!

As I'm writing this note, I'm also working on my first newsletter for Liberal Ladies of the Lowcountry. This is the waiting part as people edit articles, niggle over details, etc. While it is not yet finalized, you can check out the first issue HERE.  I enjoy fiddling with this kind of thing and I hope it helps out the group. You might be surprised to read that we have 424 members here in this little corner of SC!!

No, we don't feed raccoons!
The raccoon is eating leftovers and George is drinking water.

Those of you who have visited have probably met George, one of the feral cats that I've been feeding for a long time. He lives right outside our back gate. Sadly, Georgie has not been doing well lately. He has lost lots of weight, does not eat well and has a cough. One of the other feeders has had him at her house over the weekend and will take him to the vet today. When I fed him on Friday, he didn't come out, but there was a car parked close by and I assumed that was the problem. So I ran an errand and came back when the car had gone. I tooted my horn several times (usually not required) and had almost given up when he finally came out. He got some loving, but didn't eat anything.....and once I leave, the food will not longer be available to him for obvious reasons! Georgie is much older that I realized. Joe, the organizer of our group, said that he has been feeding George for 9 years and he wasn't a kitten when he started, so he is old enough for bad things to happen. I'm waiting to hear from the vet report. My guess/fear is that if it is anything serious, he will be euthanized.  He is such a sweet, loving cat. If anything happens, I will really miss him.

Reyna and Chili Rellenos

My new friend and neighbor, Reyna, is a delightful, young woman who has a lot on her shoulders - four children, 2 live-in elderly people for whom she gives full time care, a live-in boyfriend, and works nights 2-3 times per week. Even so, she continues to check on me almost daily via text, phone or stopping in after her run (yes, she manages to run, too) or as she comes and goes in her daily life. Last week she invited me over for Chili Rellenos the way her mother taught her to make them. Wow, they were delicious - and she spent hours cooking the night before! As I said last time, she seems thrilled to have someone to talk to and socialize with a bit, and it is quite reassuring for someone to check on me. It isn't something I think about often, but you never know when something might happen. I also think she's lined me up to replace one of her tenants should anything happen to them, though I hope it's way too early for that!!  We're having brunch today. I'm taking over a salad and she's doing omelets!  She also likes tasting my vegetarian grub, which is not the case with everyone - though I have to say, most of my friends don't seem to mind and many of them are already vegetarian or almost.

Another bud of mine, Tippy, just had shoulder surgery on Monday. She's at home now and had several rough nights. I think she sees the doctor again today and finds out about physical therapy......OUCH!  I do hope things go wall as I like keeping my partners-in-crime fit and at the ready!

trump is making his statement after meeting with his hero. If there is anything worse that listening to him spout off, it is listening to him trying to read!!  His speech writers must be challenged to make someone with a 4th grade vocabulary sound even reasonably adult and intelligent. 

Joe just called and Georgie is gone. He had advanced feline leukemia, the same thing that killed Zorro a few years back.  I often felt that George wanted the loving and petting as much as the food, and the last day I was with him, he proved that. He was such a loving and pretty kitty - reminded me a lot of Gabby!. Many people in our community will miss seeing him as they drive out our back gate. So sad!!

I've been trying to incorporate a Comment Box that is easy to use and this is the best I've found. However, it seems to come with some fairly disgusting ads, with which I'm not so happy. I have tested it, but sometimes things work because I'me signed in to the blog. So, I hope you will give it a try so that I know whether or not it works AND so that I hear from you!

It's Summer in the South!

Yes, it's been hot...and humid. Stay in the house kind of weather. Even with her cooling jacket, Rosie has been cutting our afternoon walk short and on most days I take her to an area in the community that has a shaded walkway. This morning, however, was wonderful. It was cooler, not humidity and with a nice breeze. Such a welcomed change!

I'm sure you know about our terrible political situation that just seems to go from bad to worse....every single day!!  On June 30th there was a nationwide rally in support of the

immigrants who are being treated so shamefully at our border. Our little town of Bluffton in a deep, red state had a great turnout. Rose, the organizer and my neighbor, was fearful that there would be a small turnout based on responses she had gotten. Needless to say, she was pleased with the result. I went over the day before and loaded my car with various items needed for the rally and took it over around 8AM the next day, before the rally began at 9:30. I also took Rosie and gave her a walk while I waited for others to arrive. Then I dropped off Rosie and picked up Rhonda and Chris for the rally. It was a fun morning and we were surprised to get some positive reactions.

The rally was a nice diversion from all of the calling, faxing, letter writing, etc. that we've been doing on a daily basis. Last week was so brutal - the travel ban upheld AND the possibility of trump appointing another Supreme Court judge (and something else that is escaping me at the moment)!!  I had to take some time off and get away from it, so I spent a few days reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which was excellent and a page turner.  I have the second in the trilogy ready to go but had to use it as a bribe to get caught up on some things, including this blog. Once I've completed my "To Do" list I will take a few days for reading.....unless something abominable happens!!

I have to say I am surprised that the Queen has agreed to see trump! I love the story of the giant balloon of baby trump and it looks like it has scared him away from London. Feel free to get out there and protest him. The Resister Sisters will be glad to offer any advice needed.

My friend Tippy is back in town and we met for brunch last Tuesday. About 6-8 weeks ago she went to be with her sister, who was going into the hospital. She went for 3 days and stayed until last weekend.  Her sister was found to have stage 4 cancer and Tippy stayed with her from that point on, only coming home twice for a couple of days. Her sister passed away surrounded by family and Tippy was there until the end. She's one of our Resister Sisters and it's good to have her home.

Melodee and I went to see Becoming Harriet Tubman, a one-person play by Natalie Daise. Natalie and her husband did the children's program 20+ years ago on Nickelodeon called Gullah Gullah Island. They now live in Beaufort and she is obviously a very talented and creative person on many levels. They raffled two of her prints, which I had seen online and liked. This one is called The Collard Queen.  Well, Melodee won it and gave it to me!  Melodee will be selling her house soon and moving back to St. Louis, where her daughter lives. So, she is downsizing rather than adding-to, which was my good fortune.

My only other news is that last week I did something to my back. At first I thought it might be a UTI since that is the only time I've had pain in my lower back. I went to the doctor right away and that was ruled out. She prescribed Tylenol and ice packs. Slowly but surely it has almost gone away. I have absolutely no idea how or when I injured it but am just glad it's almost gone. Getting old is not for the weak!! 

This is Miss Rosie rather immodestly cooling off after our evening walk. She is directly under the fan. She also does this when she wants to play. Her toy basket is nearby and, if I get up to play, she will hop up and pick a squeaky toy to be tossed!  She has also acquired a new nighttime activity. For a long time she was not allowed in the sun-room because it was dedicated to Mama Mia (and seeing that she got her medication in her water without Rosie drinking it.) Mama has gotten so good at taking her meds that the sun-room can be open again. Rosie has discovered that if she sits out there at night, something with come up for her to bark at. I've seen deer, but most of the time whatever it is has vanished before I get there. I usually go in, point my finger at her and shoo her to bed. She sheepishly puts her ears back and trots off.....so funny!