Happy New Year 2021!

Today (12/18) is very cold. It got down into the low 30s last night as it will tonight. As I mentioned before, my house isn’t built to handle such low temps and I hate to hear the air handler labor all day knowing that it can only do so much. So, I’m bundled up and Rosie is still in bed here at 10:30 AM. I’ll leave her there until it’s warm enough to get out. Night before last I put the duvet on the bed so through the night we are warm and toasty. It’s only when we have to face the cold light of day that we shiver a bit.

Last night (12/17) I had Tippy and Kieran over to share the Christmas spirit. Another motive was that I wanted to try an appetizer and I knew if I made it, I would eat it all, so I was looking for guinea pigs!! Being true friends, they offered to help me out. As always, we had a fun evening enhanced by an evolving event. Before they came over, they had been visited by a stray/feral kitty. They had left it some food and milk but were concerned about it being outside through the cold night. Kieran texted their neighbors who have 6 cats and as we were chatting, they set up a box with towels, more food, etc. Kieran doesn’t want an indoor pet but I mentioned to Tippy that she could have an outside feral cat. Having worked with them and shown Tippy our feral cat village, I think the seed was planted. Over time, the feral cats grow to know and love you, while you learn to respect their freedom. One side effect of feeding feral cats is that the raccoons will find the food and show up to be fed also. I recommended that Tippy not mention that to Kieran!!

Can you guess who this is?

This has been a quiet Christmas but I feel very good about it. I have savored my few gatherings with friends and hearing from friends near and far.- even from Santa & Mrs. Claus!! As each week passes, I’ve valued our little pandemic bubble (Chris, Lynn, and Tom) that gets together weekly and brings normalcy to this surreal year. This week (12/18) we all donated to our local charity, Bluffton Self Help, in hopes of helping those in need in our community. I will also be donating to some of my longtime, favorite charities. I did not do cards this year but I’ve done an ecard for everyone (actually 3 eCards for three different groups of family and friends). If you didn’t receive one, please check your spam folder and let me know. I always feel that sending many at one time increases the odds of it being considered spam.

Yesterday (12/22) our little social bubble had a shock. Chris had an antibodies test, just out of curiosity, and it showed that she had been exposed to Covid-19. Luckily, she has no symptoms and we hope that continues. She let us know right away and was advised to quarantine for 7 days. She asked about her pandemic pals and was told that we were okay unless we experience symptoms. Of course, the three of us are wondering what we should do – nothing!? Get the test?  Could it even be that one of us infected Chris?? At the moment, we are touching base each day and hoping it is nothing. In the meantime, we all have been invited to gatherings in the neighborhood and decided to decline just to be on the safe side. It’s my turn to host everyone on Saturday. Chris will still be in quarantine, but Lynn, Tom, and Bogey plan to attend at this point.

For the first few days of Christmas week, we had magnificent weather, but on Christmas day it was cold and to be colder the day after. Today (12/27) I’m in my snuggly robe and plan to be in it all day as I know Rosie is not interested in going out. In fact, she got up once only long enough to decide to get back under the covers! Now that she is out of bed, she is following a spot of sunshine around the room. It is my job to keep her bed in the sunlight! I have to keep her happy because I credit my walks with her for preventing me from feeling isolated. We have a great neighborhood of dog owners and dog lovers, and we never know how who we will run into or how long our walk may take.

I did get it together to host Lynn & Tom.

Well, 2020 just keeps on giving. Yesterday when I went to the freezer for English muffins for breakfast, I picked them up and they were soft, not frozen! Then I opened the fridge and it, too, was warm. I was to have Lynn and Tom over in the afternoon and had also placed a pick-up order for groceries. Luckily, I have a very old, somewhat reliable fridge in the garage and a small box freezer, so it isn't as bad as it could be though it was a shock to go into a very cold garage this morning for milk for my coffee - definitely a waker-upper! The repairman is scheduled for Wednesday. Keep your fingers crossed.

In the meantime......

Happy New Year!

As someone said, I'm going to stay up until midnight this New Year. Not so much to see 2021 in but to make sure 2020 leaves!!

Merry Christmas 2020

I’ve been meaning to thank those who respond to my posts – some email, some reply to the notice that I’ve updated. Others text or leave a comment on the post. It’s always great to hear from you (in whatever form) and to keep up with your doings, too! It’s hard to believe that I’ve been doing this blog since 2006 in one form or another and I’m happy to share it with friends, whether or not you respond immediately. Some of you have been with me from the start and I’ve added new friends as time passed. The best part of doing it is knowing that those who read it know me and care enough to put up with my drivel! Thank you all.

I had to include this after my
episode with the Christmas tree!

Something really strange happened Sunday morning (12/6) when I reached for my phone to turn off the alarm. The phone started talking to me and identifying everything I touched, and it seemed that I had to tap everything twice. It also altered the capability to scroll and I never even figured out how to do that. I have no idea how it got that way which means I didn’t know how to turn it off. It was only through the use of Google on my tablet that I figured out how to do it, but even then, navigating to the setting was not easy. If I inadvertently caused it, I’d like to know what I did so as not to do it again! Pretty much the whole day was devoted to tech stuff after that. I spent several hours deleting emails, both folders, and individual emails. This is something I’ve been meaning to do since my last Liberal Ladies’ newsletter. There were hundreds if not thousands just related to that. If only it were that easy and fast to get rid of the clutter in my house!!

The microwave issue has turned into a saga. On Monday (12/7) I called American Home Shield first thing and had to wait so long (58 minutes) to speak to a representation that I literally made a soup in my instant pot!! The repairman came a week after I placed the initial repair request (11/23). The microwave is discontinued and parts are not available, so he suggested a replacement and told me I would hear from AHS within 48 hours. Well, I didn’t and when I checked online it only said: “under evaluation.” When I finally got to a person, I was told that an email had been sent to me offering various options for replacing my unit. Well, I never received it or it got lost in the numerous emails I receive, or whatever. So, the rep sent it to me again and I spent the morning trying to figure out what to order (I really thought they should find the closest replacement and just do it!). Anyway, they sent a selection of about 10 or 12 microwaves that they would provide and install at no cost to me. There was one recommended…..but it was not available in white! So, now I’m on my own….and if I order something that doesn’t work, I pay for shipping back and restocking. So, I called GE appliances and got a delightful, sweet young lady who compared the microwave I have to the one I was considering. I had pretty much determined that the dimensions were compatible, but I was concerned about the venting. The unit I had selected could be vented in three different ways, so that should work. Needless to say, this took me most of the day but I submitted my order that same day. On Monday, December 14 the new microwave was installed.Whew!

Who knew pecans were so complicated? After we gathered them, Tippy went about finding someone to crack hers and he turned out to be an expert. He checked the moisture content of ours and they were a 7. He said they should not be over 5 and we should store them in the fridge or freezer, or we could bake them in the oven to dry them out. After cleaning them, I put them in a sunny spot in the sunroom until I could dry them out in the oven. It seemed easy enough and hope I haven’t ruined them! 

I continue to enjoy my ear pods and subscription to Fairfax County Library. My first book was Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro, which I’ve been chasing for a while. It’s autobiographical and the title alone piqued my curiosity. I was not disappointed!  She’s an excellent writer and narrates the audiobook which made it even more enjoyable. After that, I read Untamed as recommended by Mary B. It, too, was compelling and read by the author, Glennon Doyle. It is recommended reading for every woman! I have about 6 books on hold, all of which will not get to me for a while, so please let me know what you’ve enjoyed reading recently. The Thursday Murder Club has been recommended on both sides of the Atlantic but I couldn't find it on audiobook, so Chris has kindly loaned me the book. And, yes, the Libby App is so much easier to navigate than Overdrive and the customer service at the library is fantastic!. 

On Sunday, Tippy invited Sally, Rosie, and me for a walk on the beach. It was a gorgeous day (low 70s and sunny) and she picked up falafel wraps from a new restaurant (Casablanca) in town (very tasty!) and we had them at the park at Dolphin Head. It was a bit chilly in the shade under the trees, but as soon as we got in the sun on the beach, it was perfect! When we got to a secluded section, Rosie was let off the leash and she ran like crazy. It’s wonderful to see her run like that and I wish she could do it more often. Something funny did happen as we were walking back. As Rosie was sniffing around, I noticed a medicine bottle. It looked like a fresh prescription with the name and all of the info clearly written. My first thought was that I should turn it in at the front gate and let them set about contacting the person. But, when I looked inside, there were two joints!! Initially, The more we thought about it, we decided to just flush them down the toilet. It seemed like that would cause less trouble all the way around. Anyway, that’s our story and we’re sticking to it! 

I hadn’t planned to show my Christmas decorations again as you “old-timers” have seen enough of it. It’s just the same items recycled in one form or another. However, there are new friends on-board and even the oldie-goldies may not know the history of some of my doodads. So, I’m showing them again with more information. Hopefully, you will know why I decorate even when I may not be filled with the Christmas spirit; however, once I do it, it does feel more festive! I always enjoy seeing the decorations and remembering the people and events attached to them.

Merry Christmas

One and All!

The Holidays are Upon Us!

The Sunday after Thanksgiving, I only had the Christmas tree in the sunroom to complete. The day before I had put out all of the easy stuff hoping to work my way into the holiday spirit. Putting the pre-lit tree up sounded easy but it was very difficult to get all of the lights to work – almost as bad as putting up stringed lights! I fiddled with it for about an hour before giving up. I was determined not to become frustrated, so I stopped!

As aggravating as it was, it was made somewhat more enjoyable by my new ear-pods! They feel comfortable and music sounds fantastic on them. I wasn’t enough in the spirit for Christmas songs, but I did like the relaxing holiday instrumental music on Spotify. I also think the mobility will make it easier to listen to podcasts and audiobooks. When my phone is left on the kitchen bar, I can move all around the house with them, so I can do whatever I want to as I listen.

Tippy’s Nutty Idea! On Sunday (11/29) Tippy called to ask if I wanted to go pecan picking with her on Monday at a secret, not-to-be-named, location. This is something that she and her mother enjoyed doing together as she was growing up. She had found this wonderful place where pecans were abundant. She was absolutely right. I’ve never seen so many pecans! You could pick up 2 handfuls, move a few steps, and do the same again, as well as feel them being crushed under your feet as you walked. We were able to fill two large bags in no time flat. All of the stooping was rough of the back so we decided to meet up and relax over lunch at Olive and Fig – for the F-word (Falafel). We discussed earlier to check it out before considering whether we would eat there or order to go. We were happily surprised to see there were three tables outside. Though it was a very blustery day (as you can see from our hair!), the building shielded us from the wind and the sun was warm. It gave us a chance to catch up and was a fun morning.

I came home (from picking pecans) and tackled the Christmas tree again!  When I left it yesterday, there were two female plugs not plugged into anything, and not all lights were on. So, I took the three tiers apart and tried to figure out where the plugs were and correct them before going to the next level. It was a miserable failure! I’m sure there is a simple solution, but I don’t know what it is. If anyone has the secret, let me know. In years past, I have not had this problem! There has to be an easier way (like one plug connecting all lights in those of the next tiers!!). In any case, I’m going with what I have and decorated the tree the next day.

A week later and the microwave man finally came. This week has shown me how dependent on the microwave I am. I was opening the door to pop popcorn before I remembered it didn’t work. No warming up that second cup of coffee or leftovers. In any case, the repairman wasn’t here long and I think he helped my cause as much as possible, so American Home Shield is replacing my microwave – which means it will still be days before I’m functional again, BUT I will be happy and appreciative when it is replaced.

Winter has arrived with a vengeance. We’ve had temps dipping down into the low 30s at night for about three nights and only getting up to the high 40s or 50s during the day. My house doesn’t accommodate those temperatures and it takes a long time to warm up. So, I’ve learned to alter my routine to conform to Rosie’s schedule. She is NOT interested in going out in the cold or rain! One day she wasn’t willing until about 11:15 AM!! We did have one delightful morning when it was raining and we both slept in, listening to the gentle rain, until about 8:15! Now that my light sleep is more peaceful, I thorough;y enjoyed it.

In the meantime, I’m listening to The Nantucket Inn (a summer read kind of thing that I don't recommend!) with my new ear-pods, mostly as an experiment. I’m listening to it via “hoopla,” available through our local library. It’s a great service; however, it doesn’t offer some of the things I’d like to read/listen to via audiobook. Now that I’m familiar with the ear-pods, I’m going to rejoin the Fairfax (VA) County Library, which has a much broader selection of audiobooks of interest to me, and I’ve already searched for specific books I’d like to read. They offer a non-resident library card for something like $25 that allows you to use their digital library. I’ve joined in the past using the Overdrive app and found it difficult to manage, so I contacted the library and they suggested I check out Libby, Overdrive’s newest app, as it is easier to maneuver. I have done so and am going to rejoin using Libby. Thanks to Rhonda T for turning me on to all of this!

Enjoy the holidays!

Thanksgiving 2020! Food Galore.

I’ve been trying a new process that seems to work well. I leave a Word document titled Next Post that I leave on my laptop desktop.  When something happens or I think of something I want to mention, I write it up while it is fresh in my feeble mind! By the time I’m ready to post, it is all practically complete. There may be some changes or additions but it seems to come together much more easily and in less time. It is then just a matter of deciding which photos to bore you with!! 

As I write this, just after publishing my last post, I was warming my lunch in the microwave and it blew again! This is the third time and I’m going to request that they replace it. When it blows there is a pop sound and an electrical burning smell, as well as a humming sound and in this case, the plate kept slowly spinning and a light remained on! It has to be turned off at the switch box to make all of that stop! I’m not happy with this happening so frequently and the possibility of fire.

Sandra & Howard, Thank you!

 Imagine my surprise when the mailman rang my doorbell and delivered a large box. I had not ordered anything and even when I saw the return address, I still didn’t have a clue. I ripped into the box to find 10 jigsaw puzzles for Sandra and Howard in the Upstate. I didn’t even know they were into puzzles, but like all puzzle addicts, they must have collected quite a few and decided to share them with me. What a nice thing to do – thank you so much!! This should keep me out of trouble for the remainder of the pandemic (being optimistic!!).

Thanksgiving Day was glorious (reaching about 80 degrees, sunny, with a cloudless, Carolina blue sky) and I’ve never seen so many people out in the neighborhood. So much so that when I took Rosie for her walk, one neighbor whom I didn’t know commented on it. It really was amazing- walkers, joggers, cyclists, dog walkers. As I was doing my little bit of cooking for our get-together, I watched the traditional Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and the National Dog Show. Rosie and I went over to Lynn and Tom’s for an early dinner. They ordered in and Chris picked up our lentil loaf. She added green beans to our meal and I did mashed potatoes, as well as a sweet potato pie (ginger snap crust and coconut milk added to sweet potatoes – my favorite SP dessert!). It was all delicious and it was great to be able to share it with friends…and feel safe about being together. We also agreed that this was an easy way to do it so that all could enjoy our time together I’m concerned about all of the people traveling and ignoring CDC recommendations. I feel like there will be an explosion of positive cases in about 2-3 weeks, and then we’re into Christmas! In any case, I was thankful to have a safe and enjoyable group to share Thanksgiving.

I didn’t have one additional bite to eat after getting home and slept like a baby. Friday was overcast in the morning, still warm, with a light drizzle. So, I prepped for a recipe I wanted to make until Rosie was ready for our walk. It was a layered vegetable dish with a polenta base and two layers of leeks, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and Gruyere cheese. The first time I made it, my pan only held one layer. It was tasty but I was convinced that the second layer would definitely make it better. After acquiring the appropriate pan, I tried again. Even this pan almost overflowed but the two layers of veggies better balanced the polenta. 

Yum!! Delicious.

To make the day even better, Reyna called and asked me to come over to pick up Chili Rellenos as a thank you for small favors I’d helped with. Hers are really delicious and I eagerly accepted and took her a sample of my veggie dish. Authentic Chilis Rellenos are so involved to make that I felt guilty to accept them for the small favors I had done for her (picking her up and delivering to car repair place….simply things like that!)  Even so, I didn't refuse!! It was after having all this food on hand that I was reminded that the microwave was out of order! After reheating in the toaster oven, I finally tried and settled on reheating in the Instant Pot, which worked very well without drying out the food in the process. 

Yesterday I spent a dreary, rainy morning putting out Christmas decorations. Since I’m not in the spirit, I started with the easy things and everything is out except the large tree. This part has not been difficult and I took my time and enjoyed it. Now is the tree! Even though I’ve invested in a pre-lit tree, it is still daunting. Today, I've spent the morning putting this post together and watching my morning shows. After lunch, I think I'll be able to tackle the tree. Watch this space!

via GIPHY

The Craziness Continues

Somehow, we all knew trump wouldn’t go quietly, honorably! After the dancing in the streets ended, the shenanigans began with the republican senators upholding him! I find it hard to believe those grown men can be that afraid of him, enough so to sacrifice their self-respect! Most decent conservatives have already left the trump cult and I guess we shouldn’t expect anything more for those who remain. In any case, I am feeling lighter each day. I almost feel that I can breathe better/easier, that a weight has been lifted from my chest. I’m getting more done around the house and am getting hooked on Silent Witness on Prime.

Earlier I mentioned my watch/step counter/sleep register gadget. Well, this is what the sleep register looks like. You get to see when and how long you are in deep sleep, which I find very interesting. I thought it was a progressive process and you would go into a deep sleep, it would last a while, and then you would come out of it - not that it was in fits and starts!! It isn’t the deep sleep so much as the light sleep that has tormented me for the last years. When I would go into a light sleep, my mind would race - and I was aware of it; however, since the election, my light sleep has been calm, quiet, almost meditative! I’m aware that I’m not in deep sleep, but my mind is quiet, no thoughts, no worries. No doubt you will think I’m bonkers, but it is what it is and this is how it has affected me. I’m thankful to be able to be rejuvenated by my sleep.

We are having great weather at the moment. Last week we had one really rainy day but otherwise, we have had light showers at night or early morning. So, Rosie and I have really enjoyed those fresh mornings. By afternoon we are in the 70s with some days almost reach 80. One walk this week lasted 2 hours – Lynn and Tom invited us in for coffee and we ran into loads of other people, dogs, and fellow liberals. We got home so late that I skipped breakfast because it was too close to lunchtime!  We never know what to expect. Two days ago on our afternoon walk, we ran into one neighbor whose husband likes to pet Rosie. She called ahead to let him know Rosie was on the way. Then, the mailman stopped and gave her a treat. Then, on the way home, a new neighbor saw us, came out of the house, and called to us. Both she and her husband came out and played with her in the grass!! Two other neighbors with dogs stopped by to visit. We really do live in a great neighborhood for doggies. 

You all know how I don’t give a hoot about shopping but my favorite handbag is shot. I got it for $6 at the thrift shop (half-price sale!) and it has been one of the best ever – small, lots of pockets, a handy credit card section. I really love it. It’s by Multi Sac, so I searched Amazon and they have a whole range of handbags (all coming in a variety of colors). There was one very similar to mine (but a bit larger), which I ordered. If anything, it has too many pockets. The thing that really impressed me was that it is vegan leather, which I didn’t know! That made me love it even more! A cow didn’t have to die for me to have my favorite handbag! I still like the old one better than the new one but I think I’ll just have to get used to it.

Friday the 13^th was our Liberal Ladies Zoom event with Chris Matthews. He is a much better speaker than TV host (always interrupting guests!) because he has a wealth of political knowledge and experience and really connected thoughts and issues well. Someone asked if anyone was going to challenge Nancy Pelosi for Speaker. He didn’t think so AND then said that she was the best politician he’s ever met. She is very strict with her caucus but manages to do it without being hated! That takes real talent and skill. Well, my first thought was that it is because she is a woman (and mother of 5!)…..but  I liked his observation. He got rave reviews from all in attendance. Our next speaker will be Larry Kramer, a former reporter, and editor at The Washington Post and President and Publisher of USA Today.

Last weekend marked the end of my 2 years of working on the Liberal Ladies newsletter. The last one for the year has been published. I’ve really enjoyed it as diddling on the computer is my thing and I always learn something new. I will also miss the great group of ladies on the Steering Committee, especially when we were able to socialize in person. Since we can’t do that at the moment, our last meeting of the year will be at 5 PM, glass in hand; so, I doubt much will be accomplished – but I do expect lots of laughs! Anyway, if you're interested, you can see my last edition HERE. Now that we aren't meeting regularly and the election is over, this issue is shorter and less involved than most, but it gives you an idea of our group.

Because I knew you missed Rosie!

This month also marks the 10^th Anniversary of Liberal Ladies and a special newsletter was done by my co-partner (Mary Ann) and the lady who will take my place (Ann). They did a beautiful job. You can find it HERE and might enjoy the read.

Well, In addition to politics being nuts here so is Covid-19!  After going to Kroger one afternoon and seeing three people without masks, I’m back to ordering my groceries for pickup. I confess to becoming slack and almost back to going to Kroger (right out my back door!) every other day, but that experience pulled me up short. Then, yesterday I made a late trip to Sam’s thinking it would be quiet, and it was a zoo! I mentioned that to one of the assistants and he said I had actually come at a good time – that it had been worse through most of the day! That tells me that it is likely to be this way throughout the holidays, so I’m staying home and ordering everything! It has also touched closer to home. My neighbor across the street who owns and operates a restaurant got it. I was told that the staff at her restaurant were not wearing masks, etc. I also heard from Rhonda T in Albuquerque that her work had to close down for a week when someone got it. They closed to sanitize the place before bringing in a skeleton staff to keep things going. That would definitely put a new slant on going to work each day.

I wish everyone here a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you’ve found a way to celebrate safely. Our little Pandemic Pals group will be celebrating on Thursday/Thanksgiving Day rather than our usual Friday get-together. We’re also making it easy by picking up and bringing our own food. Lynn and Tom will have the traditional turkey dinner and Chris and I will have a lentil, mushroom, and chickpea loaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes. This sounds very easy and may become a tradition!!

Happy Thanksgiving

One and All!

via GIPHY

It's Over! We Won!

Well, we kept up our political efforts to the very end. Lynn, David, and I held signs on Bluffton Parkway the afternoon before election day. The weather had turned cold and by the end of it, we had numb hands and ears. On election day, I did a shift of phone banking for Jaime Harrison. At that point, I called it quits! It was then only a matter of waiting.

One positive result of organizing in our neighborhood is that you get to meet more neighbors. As Rosie and I take our walks, we are frequently stopped by liberal neighbors wanting to talk politics – that includes walkers, runners, cyclists, and folks in cars. Last week, one man pulled over and said how anxious he was about the whole thing. What would we do if trump wins again? What if he pulls some shenanigan on election night? Yikes! On election day morning, he called and said, “We’re going to win this thing! I feel it in my gut”. I was glad he was feeling better and said I was calmer than I expected. Then he thanked me for all we had done, which was totally unexpected and very much appreciated. It made my day, which I told him. Even with our sign-holding, we were cheered on with yells, applause, honks – one young woman tooted at us while holding her own Jaime Harrison sign! One man, while stopped by a light, rolled down his window and thanked us. Another said, “It isn’t often that you see Democrats in the wild in SC”. That made me laugh and I assured him there were more of us here than he might think. I love moments like that and they made our time and effort worthwhile.

With the little bit I have done, I’ve made connections to various groups – Precinct leaders, Democrat clubs, candidates, etc. One that I’ve really enjoyed is being included in the texting group called the Bluffton Roadside Crew. This is a group of much younger people who have hung door hangers, posted signs, taken in signs at night, replaced signs, etc. I have done a minimal part but I have certainly enjoyed their texting chatter. They are very dedicated, knowledgeable, and hard-working. They really have restored my faith in young people and educated me in their outlook, parlance, and references. It was fun!

Ana

Another uplifting moment was when I received this photo from Ana, whom I helped register to vote. She was so happy to be able to vote and I’m glad she thought of me when she did!

Then Wednesday, the day after the election, arrived. In addition to Joe Biden not looking good at that point, Democrats got slaughtered in SC. Jaime Harrison lost to Graham. Joe Cunningham lost his seat and all of our local candidates lost! It was a nightmare! That was pretty much rock bottom, especially after how hard we worked. Then, by Thursday morning we realized that all was not so bleak for Biden and it was a matter of waiting it out. As his numbers climbed, I could literally, physically feel the tension and stress leaving my body. 

As if the tension of the election were not enough, Tippy and I had scheduled our next Africa Zoom class for November 5! What were we thinking? Then Friday was my day to host our Pandemic Pals. My fridge was bare and I didn’t even have time to cook! I lived off Amy’s soup for two days. For our social gathering, I took the easy way out and ordered food from Truffles which was probably better than anything I could have done anyway!

Saturday was to be a quiet day at home and I was finally going to have time to cook. Then suddenly midmorning, Biden was declared president!! The phone started ringing, emails and texts coming in…..locally, as well as from the UK, Spain, France, and Thailand! There was one glass of wine left in a bottle from the night before, so I poured it to celebrate as I cooked. Pauline texted first and suggested it must be wine-o’clock! A photo followed! 

Lynn hosted the Pandemic Pals for an impromptu celebration. It was one of the few times we kept the TV on just to see the joyous people in the streets. Seeing the people celebrating in the streets – diverse, jubilant, peaceful – was so heartwarming. You talk about a schizophrenic nation? It has been like night and day and makes me wonder why some people would prefer the night? I think it may have to do with their general worldview (positive or negative) and I’m not sure how to change that. At least we will have a reprieve from the negativity. What a relief!

It was all so inspiring that I wore my 4^th of July shirt this morning when I walked Rosie. It had just rained and it felt like a crisp, new day, literally and figuratively. Hope springs eternal!

What will I do now that the election is over and I'm not compelled to focus on politics all the time? 

November Here We Come!

 After a very hot summer, we are now experiencing our best weather. The mornings are cool, sometimes even brisk, but by the afternoon a lighter change of clothes is needed. And so far, it has been sunny, which is such a positive factor for me. As I write we are getting wind from Zeta and possibly thunderstorms in the afternoon. 

We are creeping closer and closer to the election and my friends and I feel like the guy to the left! I have moments of optimism when I see the number of people voting, but then something slithers in and I panic! I have waited until this week to vote, waiting for the lines to go down. Even so, someone just posted online that it took them 2 hours this morning at my nearest location. I took Reyna with me and it took 1-1/2 hours. Thank goodness it was overcast with a little breeze, so it wasn't too bad.

In addition to taking Reyna to vote, I got my cleaning lady's niece registered and printed out a sample ballot for her. I also requested a mail-in ballot for Nancy, the lady that Reyna looks after. I've also signed up to take people to the polls if they need a ride, something I've signed up for before but never been called upon to do. Our last effort, due to repugs stealing every sign we put out, will be to hold signs on major routes of those going to and from work. We did it yesterday and will do it again on Friday and Monday. Some of you may remember that we did this 4 years ago for the same reason, but this year the response has been different. Many more people showed up to hold signs and this year we have received many more honks, waves, thumbs-up, and smiles, as well as the usual thumbs down and birds....but we know what to expect from them. In any case, that will keep me busy through Monday, and then it is a matter of getting through election night, and however long it takes beyond that! I'm hoping we find some relief and hope when it is all over.

 

Everybody is Zooming and Liberal Ladies is no exception. Our speaker at our October meeting was Jaime Harrison who is running against Lindsey Graham. He was outstanding. He spoke for about 15-20 minutes and then answered questions.....yes, he actually answered them rather than dancing around. It was very refreshing. It just so happened that he surprised us by dropping into our Executive Committee and Precinct Leaders meeting that night. That same day he was on Morning Joe and the Reidout with Joy Reid.  I guess that is campaigning during the pandemic. Our November speaker is going to be Chris Matthews, formerly of MSNBC fame! It will be on Nov. 11 and he will give us an election analysis. Of course, I'm still wondering what got him booted so suddenly. I doubt that will be mentioned. In any case, he was a coup for our program planners and that will be a hard act to follow.

Funny Story: This is my new neighbor, the adorable Felix, whom I described last time. You can see for yourself how cute he is. His white hair is long and scruffy and his black hair is short and close, so he really does look like he has a white mane. The remainder of his body that you can't see is black punctuated by a white tip on his tail. He really is handsome! One day I was on my way out the back gate to Kroger when I saw Mark and Felix walking. I rolled down my window and mentioned tha they were a long way from home. Mark said they were just exploring. I also told him that Felix had gotten a mention in my blog and I'd like a photo sometime. When I got home, Mark brought his card over and said he'd like to check out the blog. As much as I talk about politics on here, I thought this could be a make or break it time with my new neighbors! So I emailed a short note with the blog link saying that I hoped my politics would not be off-putting and that my blog was for friends who knew my leanings. Sure thing, I ran into them the next day on their morning walk and Mark said that when he read my note he thought, "Oh, no! Is that nice lady a republican"? He said he was so relieved when he read my blog and found that I am liberal. I told him about our efforts to identify and unify liberals in the Crescent. From where we were standing, I could point out a few close neighbors who are Democrats. He said that the neighbors were all "very nice" but even so, he wondered if they were "his people". Our encounter certainly made me feel better and I hope it did the same for Mark, Maria, and Felix, too.

I am happy to report that Rosie seems to be feeling better - her ears and tail are up, she plays with her toys more, and she comes to me more often for attention. She is definitely enjoying the cooler weather and has decided to explore the other side of the street and a nearby street that we have never gone down in all these years! And, of course, she loves meeting the new doggies in the neighborhood and EVERYONE she meets. I'm trying to be careful with the leash not to pull her, but she sometimes pulls against it. She definitely has a mind of her own and will pull the leash to get her way. I'm not sure what to do about that, but I do try to control the things I can!!  

She got on the rug to play and fell asleep!

Moving Toward the Election!

I forgot to tell you about our conversation on the way home from the GOP protest shown in my last entry. David and I road together and on the way home, David said he was going to have to decompress when he got home. Needless to say, I agreed, and simultaneously we both said…..and take a hot shower!! After walking Rosie, that is just what I did. And I took an OTC sleeping med to be sure I would sleep. It took a while to get all of that hatefulness out of my head.

I wanted to tell you about a new gadget. My Fitbit (don’t laugh!) died and I was looking at a Samsung watch that would sync with my phone ($150+) which price-wise was comparable to the Fitbit that only lasted a year. Anyway, I got on Amazon and found one that sounded good. I bought it and set it up and it’s great. In addition to having an easily readable face (except in bright sun and I don’t think there are any that show up well), it counts steps/ mileage/calories burned, it tracks sleep, and it records heartbeat. It also notifies me of incoming cell calls and texts, as well as reminding me of tasks on my calendar. If I have been sitting too long, it will remind me to move my body – sometimes I listen, other times I don’t! It is also easy and fast to charge and holds the charge for a week. I love it…..and it costs $25!! It s such a fun product and seems to do everything a Fitbit or Apple watch would do….and I wondered how their sales were doing. It is not a famous brand name and it is amazing how we are so influenced by brand names.

On Saturday (10/3), I volunteered to "speed canvass” an area of Bluffton. Needless to say, we were not knocking on doors and talking to people due to COVID. We had a very nice door hanger and we just split up into teams of 2 and covered a community (The Farm). There were six of us and I was the oldest by far, with the others literally being 1/3 my age. Even so, they were very welcoming and helpful. Justin drew the short straw (joking) and became my partner and he was great. I had met him at the infamous protest we did when Lindsey Graham didn’t show up at the opening of the GOP headquarters, so we did have that connection. Each team covered about 150 homes in about a little over an hour. On that day I did 13,000+ steps, and very few of them were made once I got home! It is definitely something I will do again, probably next Saturday!

On that note, I have to say that our newly formed Bluffton Democratic Club and county groups have done a great job of getting out the word/vote. No one wants to make phone calls (and people don’t answer anyway!), but we have done lots of postcards, door hangers, texting, etc. I actually think it may be more effective than phone calls when all is said and done. I hope all of our hard work pays off!! On Sunday I did about 115 postcards to send to likely Dems in the Crescent. Lynn and Chris did some GOTV postcards for people who have not voted in some time. We are all doing our bit!

Politics aside for a moment, we have lots of new dogs (9) on our street – if Rhonda T were still here, she would never get any work done!! The new neighbors directly across the street have Felix, a totally adorable and friendly rescue. He has a black body with a real white mane and a white tip on his tail. Up from him is Enzo, some type of bulldog and cute as a button. One new family has four dogs and I had not met them because one is aggressive and whenever she (the mom) sees another dog approaching, she crosses the street. On Sunday I was taking Rosie for her walk by their house and 6 people come out the front door. Well, Rosie is pulling at the leash, whining, wagging her whole back end, etc. to cross the street and say hello – and she won’t move along with her walk. The new neighbor sees her and walks across the yard to see her. I loosen the leash and Rosie runs to her….as Rosie does, and before I know it, Rosie is surrounded by 6 adults cooing over her! This is life with Rosie. The next time we passed, the couple was working in the yard and called to her by name! She is the most spoiled dog in the neighborhood and it isn’t all my fault!!

Speaking of Rosie, she had gone quite some time without a shivery episode, but she has had two fairly recently. The second one was at 6 AM so there was no immediate activity involved. She was against my back and I thought I felt her shivering and when I checked, she was. Needless to say, it is unsettling to both of us and I hope they do not become more frequent.

Last Wednesday (9/30), I don’t remember what politically horrendous thing had happened (another day, another drama!), but I received a phone message from David about it and decided to take Rosie to Drinking Liberally to cheer David. When I arrived, I told them I had the therapy dog! Normally, that would be fertile ground for Rosie with everyone sitting around to pet her. Well, we meet on the porch of a community building and the porch was raised. It was unsettling for her and she didn’t want to walk around and work the crowd as she usually does, so she wound up sitting in my lap or in David’s. A few people succumbed to her cuteness and came over and petted her. Even so, I left early and gave her a good walk around the park before coming home.

As you know, Lynn, Tom, and I are organizing/informing the Dems in the Crescent and we have passed along via email any Democrat events that are happening in the county. Yesterday was the Blue Bash, which was an assembly at Eagles Field followed by a car parade through Bluffton. I had participated in one earlier and it was lots of fun. Well, yesterday was dark and rainy, which discourage a lot of people......but my partner in crime/Resista Sista Tippy attended with me.  Joe Cunningham, our Congressman, was there as were most of our local candidates. When it was time for the car parade, the sun came out, we put the top down on Tippy's car, and I held a huge Biden/Harris flag as we drove through old town Bluffton. We were really encouraged by the honks of support we received along the way. We aren't easily identifiable in any of these photos, but you can get a feel for it here:

 https://www.facebook.com/BlufftonDC/photos/pcb.381993223178018/381991556511518/

Okay! Just to prove that I'm not always politics all the time, I'm going to share our daily walk in our neighborhood. I don't often take my phone on our morning walk, but I wanted to get this photo of my neighbor's Halloween decorations. To me, the sign was the perfect touch! This was her third machination of her two human and two canine skeletons! The first time they were fishing. The second time they were bicycling! This time they look like they are just having a keg party! At this point, I'm expecting something new tomorrow!

Can you see this tiny, baby squirrel? The first day that I took my phone to take a photo of the revolving Halloween scene, Rosie decided not to go that way! So, we walked up the street across from me. As Rosie is sniffing everything, I noticed this tiny squirrel on the pavement. I touched it and it was alive, but it wasn't moving much. Not knowing what to do and not wanting to draw Rosie's attention to it, I just left it there. In the meantime, as we finished our walk, two cars passed by and I'm fearing it will be run over! Finally, we get back to it and it had not been run over. So, I picked it up and placeed it near a tree where we had seen an adult squirrel. I have read that they often take in orphan squirrels, and I hope that is the case. When we came by the second time, he had unfurled his tail and he responded to touch, but I couldn't figure out what happened. He was not under a tree, so if he fell out of a tree, he was moving in unsafe territory....and maybe the road, the cars, etc. had stunned him. In any case, I hope he is okay. I have a history with squirrels. My father ran a rural general store. There was always a lot of logging going on and sometime the loggers would bring baby squirrels to the store and we would raise them, feeding them with baby-doll bottles! My father even made a cage on our porch for them. One of the times I got into big trouble was when I opened the cage, let them out on the porch, and they chewed up our wooden porch furniture!!! Mama and Daddy were not happy with me!! That baby squirrel brought back heartwarming memories and I hope he survives.

Never a Dull Moment!

I’m trying something new to see if this post can be less boring than the last one! I really should have waited to make the last entry because I was definitely in a blah mood and found it difficult to put thoughts together as I would have liked. Anyway, we will see if you notice a difference…..or if life has just become blah!

First off, I'll share my political T-shirt collection. The Black Voter’s Matter was given to me by Tamika when we got the Black Voters Matter bus to come to town and to other parts of the county before the pandemic struck. It is very large so I use it as a nightshirt, and I often wonder what a neighbor would think if they came to my door in the middle of the night (or anytime after I walk Rosie!) and see the shirt! In any case, I am glad I was able to help with the voter issue and I just learned yesterday that they will be coming back to the county in October for a major event targeting young people. The VOTE shirt I ordered to make a statement and I have worn it in the neighborhood a few times, receiving no comments! The first one I ordered was too small so I gave it to my “Resista Sista” Tippy and ordered a larger one for me! The third one is a result of a comment on something of Facebook. I don't remember the post but my comment was, “Looking for the T-shirt.” Deborah B responded by asking that I let her know when I found a good T-shirt. The next day she texted to ask what I thought of this one. How could I not like it when she went to all that trouble? This, too, is large (or more long than large) and will be a nightshirt at some point.

This is a Rosie story that I forgot to tell you…..and I know you’re wanting to hear more Rosie stories! One morning we’re out on our walk and I meet a neighbor whom I often run into. She asked if I knew who lived in the yellow house because she had just seen an armadillo go around to their back yard. I did know them (Norma and Kurt) so I rang their bell to tell them. They were aware there were two in their yard and were okay with it – my kind of people! Anyway, we just stepped inside the door for this exchange but Norma wasn’t visible. Well, Rosie did her half-bark, half-howl, which she had not done there before. We stopped for only a minute and were off again. Then, a few days later when we are passing their house, Rosie goes as far up their driveway as the leash will allow. Usually, I just stand and wait for her to decide that we aren’t going for a visit. Well, this time she just sat down looking longingly at their front door!! I tempted, cajoled, threatened, but nothing helped. Finally, I thought I’d just let her walk to the door and when no one answers, she would give up and go home. She does her little whine and suddenly the door opens. It’s Kurt who asked if I rang the doorbell. I say “no” and explain the situation and showed him the photo. He had a hearty laugh and said,’ Well, I’m sitting here with my coffee thinking that my stomach is growling…..then I realize the sound is coming from the door”. Sure enough, Norma is in the bedroom and Rosie doesn’t see her. She does her howl thing again. Norma calls her and she goes tearing to her. After that, all is well. I think she just wanted to check on Norma. What a silly (spoiled) girl!

Along with the political angst, I’ve been dealing with little fires around the house.

Ø  My icemaker had to be replaced and it wasn’t covered but my home warranty. Finding anyone locally was not productive, so I contacted GE online. Hundreds of dollars later, it was replaced and all seemed well. The next morning, the well in the door of the fridge was full of water and the rug in front of the fridge was soaking wet. Figuring out how to get the same guy to come and look at it was not easy. Eventually, he was able to work me in the next day and this time replaced the valve. I probably didn’t even need the icemaker replaced, but that’s how it turned out! $$$

Ø  Something has happened to my mailbox. I don’t know if it was hit by something or if there is rot. The arm on which the mailbox sits is pulling away from the post. My newly found handyman was able to patch it up and extend its life for a while longer. $$

Ø  My car was due for a service that required brake pads, shock absorbers, etc. $$$$ Anyway, it's done.

Over Labor Day weekend, I did some baking as a thank-you to neighbors. Some have loaned me jigsaw puzzles, my next-door neighbor mows a little strip of my yard that is missed by the yard workers and the golf course, others have invited me over or just been very tolerant of Rosie and me! I had gotten two delicious recipes from Chris (Toblerone Shortbread and Carmelites) that are so rich I would only make when I could give most of it away! I baked on Sunday and delivered them on Monday. I totally enjoyed the whole process and it was an unexpected surprise for them. We sometimes forget how a small gesture can make someone’s day.

While I was doing my baking, five neighbors dropped by to pick up postcards to write to voters on behalf of candidates running for office in  SC. This is part of the Crescent organizing that Lynn and I have been doing. We ran a little contest to name our group and we are now the Crescent Blue Wave. In our small neighborhood of 400 homes, we have identified 50+ liberals and we keep adding new people. I think everyone feels happy to know they are not alone in the neighborhood. If the pandemic is ever over, it will be fun to get together socially. For local readers, there are community groups in most areas of HHI and Bluffton. If you haven't found yours, let me know and I'll try to help.

This past Sunday the Beaufort Country GOP opened their headquarters and Lindsey Graham was to speak. The Bluffton Democratic Club thought it a good opportunity to remind Lindsey what he had said (and reneged on) about installing another Supreme Court judge in an election year. There was little time to prepare and when the event began there were only 5 of us with signs. Eventually, our group grew to about 14 - 15. To be honest, I didn't think their group was as large as I would have expected, but boy were they nasty! We were at the back of the crowd - with masks and socially distanced, neither of which made a difference to them, Behind us were two policemen and you can believe I knew them in my sight at all times!

Here is a link to local WJCL coverage. Sorry, there is an ad in the beginning.

https://www.wjcl.com/article/beaufort-county-republican-party-campaign-rally-met-by-peaceful-protesters/34090598#

What the news clip did NOT show. 

I wasn't holding my sign backward! The other side said Lying Leningrad Lindsey.

 

 Finally, a link to a Letter to the Editor again stating that we were peaceful.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZfriFl8jLxP7CGOpjnCe6jzgzIvjrxh5/view?usp=sharing

That was a frightening experience. There were several times I was aware that I was shaking! You wonder what makes these people so angry that they behave this way. It was like some kind of bullying frenzy!  WJCL was there filming and they didn't mind at all that their behavior was being filmed. At least now we have been informed to whom this country belongs - old, white men!  This should tell you why we feel this November election is probably the most important in my lifetime. Four more years of this and there won't be enough pieces to pick up and patch together. It's a very sad and anxiety-producing time.

I'm taking this weekend off but next weekend I plan to do speed canvassing for the Bluffton Dem Club. We won't actually be knocking on doors and talking to people but rather leaving printed materials on their doorknob or in the door jam. I figure with a mask (and I think they provide face shields) and hand sanitizer, it will be safe. Needless to say, I will be glad when this is over and just hope we can regain some semblance of sanity and humanity.