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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Week-long Welcomings from Moosylvania: Aug. 10 to Aug. 16

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Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings diary series give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.

In lieu of daily check-ins, which have gone on hiatus, Welcomings diaries will be posted at the start of each week (every Sunday morning) and then, if necessary due to a large number of comments, again on Wednesday or Thursday to close out the week. To find the diaries, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).

The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.

So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?

…


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 105 Comments

105 comments

  2. anotherdemocrat

    yesterday, when I went for groceries in the afternoon, my car said it was 106 (I have covered parking, btw) — and I got really overheated just doing a 1.5 mile walk in the morning

    Slept a good long time – interrupted, but I do feel rested. Eating breakfast, watching Up. Today: church & cooking. Quinoa with fruit & nuts for breakfast, black beans with spinach & vegan queso for lunch.

    Happy to be cool. If I have to wear compression socks, even with our workouts moving earlier, I’m going to have to use cool ties & similar things.

    For now, happy to relax on my couch.

  4. Diana in NoVa

    and are hoping to keep it turned off for the rest of the week. Busy today as usual, housework and errands in the morning, followed by blissful afternoon rest and then work, work, work again. Going to cut up the leftover chicken for Chicken Pot Pie tomorrow night, as well as try to bang out some writing. I just can’t write without music and at the moment I don’t have a means to play it.

    Will do a short-term fix for that problem. Being a Virginia resident, I am absolutely glued to the newspaper accounts of our ex-governor’s trial for corruption charges. His wife, who by all accounts is a thoroughly unpleasant woman, is charged as well. Ex-gov McDonnell always seems to have a little half-smile on his face, even though his dirty linen is being very publicly washed. Always did think he looked like a “Ken” doll and hold the impression even more strongly now. His expression never changes.

    A good Sunday to everyone in Mooseland!

  6. princesspat

    My mind seems to be on vacation this morning….sleepy and slow. I may find the energy to make a blackberry cobbler this afternoon though. The berries are very tasty this year.

  7. JanF

    64 degrees in Madison WI on its way up to 79. Late morning thunderstorms in the forecast.

    President Obama is being attacked from the left, right, and whatever-the-hell-Clintons-are-these-days. Right-wing pundits dusted off the columns they have been itching to write since January 20, 2009 about the “failed foreign policy of Barack Obama”. And John Freaking McCain!!! Sure, sure, we should have stayed in Iraq so that another generation of young Americans could be put through that meat grinder to satisfy his war lust even though it would be the very definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome). And yes, Lindsey Graham, the terrorists will now attack the U.S. because they are emboldened and none of our security works against emboldened terrorists!!! None of this is unexpected except for Laura Ingraham actually saying that Iraq is worse for us having gone in there. Yes, it is but how would you even know??? You and every other conservative pundit knew nothing zero zilch nada about Iraq before we went in except that William “Bloody” Kristol said it would be a great place to test out our war machine (in 1992!).

    I think it might be a good day to stay away from the minute-by-minute news.

    Have a great day, meesekins!

  8. DeniseVelez

    Sigh – the news.  First the young man Mike Brown – unarmed – shot and killed by police in St Louis – which resulted in community demos – then a riot – headlines focus on some “looting” rather than the shooting.

    Then a troll flamer spews about Obama’s new war and a another diarist at GOS posts that there has been a coup in Iraq…um…no.

    truce talks again – I/P (I won’t hold my breath)

    I had planned to have a peaceful Sunday.

    I’m going to take a break from the news for a few hours and go back to software installing.

    Hope your work week ahead goes well.

  9. anotherdemocrat

    but they say it’ll rain this afternoon, which I’ll believe when my shirt is wet

    Another crappy night’s sleep. And I don’t have time to exercise today. After work I need to finish the housework I should have done over the weekend. But I will tomorrow — it’s on the schedule for my training group.

    So, eating breakfast (quinoa with melon, mango, ground flax seed & hemp nuts) drinking strong tea. Monday. sigh.

  10. Diana in NoVa

    Actually, I feel as if this should be Moan-Day. It was the early morning from Hell, with Pink Cheeks not wanting to get out of bed, not wanting to eat breakfast, and not wanting to get dressed for camp. Then Mr. Baby got upset about something, so I changed him and put him in his sling. He’s fast asleep in it now.

    We did not get to see the SuperMoan because as usual it was too cloudy. I get so tired of the weather here in DC, where I never get to see the moon. But that’s enough griping! Think I’ll do what everyone else is doing and take a news break.

    Here’s to a peaceful Moon Day for all in Moosylvania!

  11. bfitzinAR

    We get cool nights for the next 3 days but if the humidity stays up they won’t actually cool down enough for me to shut off the A/C and open the house until long after I go to bed.  sigh.  QC Personnel Committee tonight.  (Jails isn’t meeting “for lack of an agenda”.)  I may get home early enough to eat a real dinner instead of a piece of fruit and some cookies before I head to bed. 🙂  Have no idea how involved today will be at work as I first have to sort the piles of papers sitting on my desk to see.  At least there’s coffee!  {{{HUGS}}}  

  12. princesspat

    A cool breeze from Bellingham Bay usually cools the house but the fans seem to be just moving warm air around this morning.

    My grand daughter’s garage sale was a success. All the baby blankets she made sold, she managed the sale herself (her parents were sanding by) and she earned next month’s payment for her trip so she is very pleased.

  13. Portlaw

    busy morning and am gearing up for a busy rest of day after a news check. So far, the news has not been good. Hope it’s good in your part of the world.

  14. JanF

    That would be Madison WI … where it is also 62 degrees on its way up to 74. Very windy.

    The world is a less funny place this morning. I am culturally illiterate but apparently I had time for movies that made me laugh. When people were reeling off the names of their favorite Robin Williams movies, I had seen most of them. Eventually, my Twitter stream made me too sad and I had to shut it down. I hope he is in a better place, he left our world a better place for having made us laugh together.

    Later, all y’alls. Busy day here.

  15. Portlaw

    lightning kind of day.

    Tonight, I have to clear off all my surfaces. Tomorrow, a very energetic cat who loves to see things break (and helps them break) is coming to stay with me for his vacation. He ‘s a great and smart cat but very determined. So, have to spend tonight packing things away. Of course, if I didn’t have so many things it wouldn’t be such a job. There’s a lesson there that I am not interested in learning.

    Philip Seymour Hoffman and now Robin Williams. The news is not good.

    Will check in later. Am off to start my day.  Hope it’s a good day for all, including cute babies  and four legged friends.

  16. anotherdemocrat

    just enough to make the car extra dirty, but it’s supposed to rain again today

    Eating breakfast, drinking really string tea. I didn’t get any of the stuff done last night that I meant to. Couldn’t move from the couch. Just too sad. And a little angry. I have had 2 people in my life commit suicide. One was a substitute father figure, and it devastated me – it was at least 2 years before I found a new normal. And Williams’ daughter is just about the age I was when that happened. Suicide doesn’t end pain, it spreads it around.

    Today after work, I need to head home again and do the stuff I didn’t do yesterday. Maybe I’ll walk in place or do calastenics while I cook. I just couldn’t bear to be around food last night, only ate enough dinner to take my meds.

    Here’s a link to some of RW’s comedy specials: http://mic.com/articles/95986/…

  17. DeniseVelez

    Have too much to write about today – trying to decide what I’ll select – currently have 4 different drafts.  Sigh.

  18. bfitzinAR

    turned the A/C off overnight.  Wish I could leave it off and the house open but I don’t trust that high of 80 in August.  Last night’s Personnel Committee mtg was not as quiet as I’d hoped.  One of our judges – the one who does the diversion programs (Drug Court and Vet Court) – asked to have a position re-rated with an increased salary as it has grown since originally set up 8 years ago.  She had been told – very erroneously – that it was just a formality so she came in all cheerful about the wonderful person she’d found to fill the newly re-rated position and had already hired based on the promise of the new salary.  So we spent 2 hours arguing about the position, the rating, the re-rating, the salary, etc.  We’re going to spend time tonight – hopefully less than 2 hours but I’m not going to bet on it – arguing about it some more in the Finance Committee meeting which was already going to be, well, the Finance Committee meeting.  Sigh.  {{{HUGS}}} to the Meeses.

  19. Diana in NoVa

    It’s coming down in torrents. Can’t imagine how they’re having summer  camp in this weather, but there you are. It’s almost 10 a.m. and I have finally managed to have some toast and coffee. Pink Cheeks picked an impressive two cups of raspberries and strawberries yesterday so she had some of those with vanilla yogurt for breakfast.

    Mr. Baby, having had a two-ounce “snack,” is kicking in his little porta-crib as I write. That won’t last long. He’s the kind of baby that doesn’t like sitting and rocking–he has to be carried and walked. Perhaps Nanny-Granny will lose some weight!

    So sad about Robin Williams. Sometimes we envy movie stars for their fame and success and forget that they too have their devils. He was a very funny man. May he walk in peace in the Otherworld.

    Denise, hope your writing goes well today. Portlaw, hope your visiting moggy doesn’t damage anything! I’m reading about a cat now in Mr. Churchill’s Secret Agent. He’s got a mind of his own!

    Bfitz, hope your meeting goes well today–how discomfiting for you and the judge to have such opposition. Anotherdemocrat, hope you can get some rest and cool down. JanF, good luck with all your projects!  As I mentioned, I’m not getting free evenings this week but I do look forward to the weekend and having time to write. A good day to Moosylvanians everywhere!

  20. princesspat

    I should follow Jan’s lead and work in the study today, but I may take another vacation day. Even though we are at home we both seem to need some quiet relaxing time…..and naps!

  21. JanF

    57 degrees right now in Madison on its way up to 79, partly sunny.

    Yesterday was primary election day in Wisconsin. Statewide, Democrats selected a candidate for attorney general and the largely ceremonial post of State Treasurer. Mary Burke handily dispatched the strange guy who primaried her. Now the general election campaign to defeat Gov. Scott “I’d rather be president than governor … vote for me!” Walker (R) begins in earnest. She will win if we can GOTV.

    A strong candidate won the primary to face Rep. Sean Duffy (R) in the 7th Congressional District. Duffy was the guy who whined that his $174,000 salary (for working 122 days a year) was not enough to live on. The median income in his district is about $24,000. I think it would be a kindness to retire him so that he could pursue a better job, or jobs plural, like most of his constituents need to live on.

    Rep. Gwen Moore (D) from Milwaukee won her 4th CD primary against an ethically challenged guy who was trying to make a comeback after being convicted of felony corruption while in the state senate. I suspect that right-wing talkers put him up to it. There is always a person willing to do the bidding of those who would do our election process harm.

    In the 6th CD, Rep. Tom Petri (R) is retiring after a gajillion terms because he knew he was going to be teabagged out of office. Four guys ranging from batguano crazy to Louie-Gohmert crazy were in the primary. The winner was declared to be state senator Glenn Grothman, the Louie-Gohmert crazy guy until they needed to recount some votes in Sheboygan County. Now it is an effective tie of about 250 votes with Grothman in the lead slightly. Our candidate in the general election is the county executive of Winnebago County and that race might be a pickup opportunity. If Petri kept winning reelection because his slightly moderate votes reflected a moderation in his constituents, they will not want to vote for Grothman. Normally, I don’t hope for the craziest person to win a primary because, really, we don’t need more crazy people in the House. But in this case, it makes no difference. If he wins and the Republicans hold the House, it simply strengthens the teaparty caucus and may encourage moderate Republicans to become part of a governing coalition. If his extreme positions make it impossible for the people in his R+ district to vote for him, then we gain a seat.

    Busy day here … again! See all y’alls later!

  23. anotherdemocrat

    Lousy night’s sleep, blah, blah, blah. Hot, muggy (& repeat, this is Texas in August). No thoughts in my head. Earworm: INXS – The One Thing. My internet radio station plays a lot of them, and Simple Minds & other music from that era. Very little U2. Hmmmm.

  24. anotherdemocrat

    actually from yesterday

    Hey Media? Maybe instead of sending cameras to Robin Williams’ house to be ghoulish, you could send cameras to #Ferguson to be journalists.

  25. bfitzinAR

    instead of “post-Spring” weather 🙂  Actually it IS Fall since it’s passed Lammas.

    The only reason last night wasn’t worse than Monday is the Rs immediately tabled the issue of the law clerk (after the Judge in question, the County Judge’s office, and our personnel consultant as a favor because this isn’t a “j-sap” position busted their buns to get everything the Rs asked for Monday night ready for last night’s meeting).  So instead they spent half an hour arguing that we don’t need early voting sites because “anybody can vote who wants to” – bastards.  But then Rs don’t want people voting.  When people vote, they lose.  (We passed the issue to full QC 8/21 but we’ll need to pick up some R votes to actually do it. And the 1 renegade Dem.  I think we can if we take out the County Fair Ground site.  The location is problematic anyway as it’s easy to see from the freeway but actually hard to get to and would require more than usual signage.  Hold the good thought.)  

    Anyway, the weather is pleasant – I’ve dared to leave the A/C off and the window to the (enclosed) porch open so the kitties can go in and out.  I’ll see if that was a mistake when I get home this evening.  I may even walk home – haven’t had my walk home in over a week.  Hope things are going well for the Meeses.  {{{HUGS}}}

  26. princesspat

    I know I’m going to the pool this morning but the rest of the day will happen as it happens….summer laziness continues.

    A bit of good news…. I am wearing my old Birkenstocks now instead of the boot, and even though my toe is still tender it is so much easier to walk than it was. Progress!

  27. JanF

    It is 55 degrees in Madison on its way up to 74. We have been opening windows when the sun goes down but having to put the air conditioning on in the afternoon. Today, if it stays the PROMISED 74 degrees, we shouldn’t have to do that.

    Still way too busy. My office cleaning is nearly done. The last box of stuff was shredded and now I am (still!) waiting for the OfficeMax delivery. I think I remember this from last time I ordered something for delivery. When they merged with OfficeDepot, they must have fired their delivery service because now “next day” delivery means “when we get around to it”. I guess they figure if it is free, I can just deal with bad service. What I really think is happening is that they want me to choose “in-store delivery” so that I have to go to the store and possibly buy something else (and spend my own money on fuel). If they make “free delivery for orders over $50” useless because it isn’t timely, I may look into the prices at Staples. I don’t have time for stupid. I feel like everything I need to do is on hold waiting to get the last bunch of stuff into the right organizers.

    Do I sound irritated? It is because I am. The images out of Ferguson MO are bothering me a great deal. The militarization of our police forces is frightening and the sight of guns in the hands of scared bullies, aimed at children, is more frightening. I was having Kent State flashbacks yesterday. The Ohio governor sent the National Guard, with rifles, to quell a demonstration. Men with rifles shot their rifles at the people who scared them … because that is what scared people with rifles do!!

    I think I will wander over to Dee’s post and see if anyone has a solution for this. I don’t see how this ends without bloodshed because the politicians in Missouri are afraid to do anything. 🙁

    See you all later!

  28. Diana in NoVa

    are going for a high of just 83 F., it’s bound to be in the lower sixties at the moment. They say tomorrow it will be downright chilly.

    I really missed reading the Moose yesterday! But Woden’s Day was Dearly Beloved’s birthday so I had to use my Moose time to make a cake before Mr. Baby was delivered by his papa. I made three little 5-inch diameter cakes, frosted two of the layers after lunch. The cake seemed to be lurching drunkenly to one side, but it tasted OK. We’ll have a proper cake on Sunday when we have the Birthday Barbecue.

    It was a really tiring day yesterday because the baby does not like whoever holds him to sit down–one has to walk, walk, walk around the house. Yes, bfitz, we actually do use a sling, thanks for the suggestion–however, we constantly have to take it off in order to do diaper changes and so forth. However, the week is on the downward slope to the weekend, so all is well.

    Really hope I can come back during a quiet period today to read the new diaries Jan and Denise have posted. Feel that I am missing a lot because of lack of time to keep up.

    The situation in Ferguson is really heartbreaking. It’s saddening to realize the police in this country are so racist they think it’s okay to shoot someone walking while black. And all these self-described “religious” haters–what color do they think Jesus was? White with a blond beard and blue eyes? I really hope Anonymous finds out who the shooter is and blasts his name all over the universe. That officer deserves to be publicly shamed and prosecuted.

    In the meantime, will try to enjoy this beautiful day. Hope it’s a good one for everyone in Moosylvania!

    P.S. Apologies for the all-italic post the other day. You touch one wrong key on the iPad and that’s all she wrote, kids.

  30. anotherdemocrat

    Crappy sleep, blah, blah blah. Super hot, blah, blah blah.

    I still can’t believe what I saw last night in Ferguson. Peaceful (angry, yes – but justifiably so — and peaceful) people teargassed, reporters arrested for not leaving a freaking McDonalds fast enough, and snipers on top of tanks aiming big freaking guns at American citizens. That whole police force — city and county — needs to be fired.

    And on that note, back to frivolity. Happy Friday Eve. I did put my gym bag in the car, but I just realized the lock is at home. So I can buy another one I guess. Or just walk after I get home.

    Earworm – Snow Patrol, Wow (“If it looks like it works and it feels like it works, then it works”)

  31. DeniseVelez

    in about 45 minutes.

    Sunny and bright here in Saugerties, 66 going up to only 73 – weird weather for August.

     

  32. bfitzinAR

    which means low enough humidity to make that comfortable – leaving the A/C off for one more day as the temps will be dropping by the time I get home.  Got a meeting to run off to but will check back when I get back.  {{{HUGS}}}

  33. princesspat

    The grand girls arrived early and went straight to the study to sleep some more…..one on the sofa, one curled up in the chair. Summer is winding down for them too!

    The news of the day continues to feel overwhelming to me, so I read, listen, and then escape to my garden. I wish I could do more than just cope.

  34. JanF

    It is 53 degrees here in Madison … on its way up to 80. Sunrise is 6:02pm, sunset is 8pm.

    Incredible images from Ferguson last night after Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol took charge of the police response. For those who missed them, I will post them in Dee’s open thread diary.

    Last work day to get done the things promised for this week so I have to get to it.

    See you later!

  35. DeniseVelez

    Have to take Chica puppy to the vet this morning for her next round of shots.

    Woke up to find she has destroyed (eaten) two more of my shoes. Sigh.

    Am highly annoyed that once again the TM is going after President Obama. This time because he “hasn’t done enough about Ferguson”.

    If he flew into Ferguson there would be an uproar of poutrage – about him “interfering” and not caring about poor cops (I remember the Gates tizzy).  

    Frankly – I trust AG Holder to do his job, and think that POTUS did some arm-twisting on the phone with Missouri’s Gov.

  36. Diana in NoVa

    This weather is more like September than September! My niece, who is half-Cuban, has been complaining on FB that this summer has been too cold for her. Well, all I can say is, it’s been highly agreeable to us and we enjoy turning off the a.c. for a week at a time.

    Had the night from h*ll, unable to sleep for some reason. Tried three different beds in the house, like Goldilocks or something, and found the third was just right. That was at 1 a.m. No doubt I will crash later today!

    Feeling relieved this morning that the State Highway Patrol has taken over in Ferguson. Wonder why that couldn’t have been done earlier. The lousy police dept. should release the autopsy report for Michael Brown, but no, they’re too cowardly since it’s a case of outright murder. It will be interesting to see the cover-up and the disregard of people’s cell phone videos of the tragedy. I’m sure the police will say, “Who ya gonna believe, me or those lying videos?”

    Hope justice will be done, although no justice is possible for young Mr. Brown,   shot down just on the threshold of his adult life. May he rest in peace.

    Hope all in Moosylvania have a good weekend!

  37. anotherdemocrat

    yesterday’s check in repeated – little sleep, it’s hot, blah, blah, blah

    different earworn – Snow Patrol, Weight of Love. Love the guitar. and the words – “the weight of love, so gentle in your arms”

  38. Portlaw

    August! Will check in later. Hope it’s a good day for all. Saw that Maliki has agreed to step down. One crisis averted.

  39. princesspat

    The garden is soggy from yesterday’s rain so some sunshine will be welcome today….hope the fog lifts, inside and out! My mind is still on vacation with thoughts coming and going like a twitter stream….here for the moment and then gone.

  40. JanF

    It is 62 degrees here in Madison WI with an expected high of 83 … partly cloudy skies in the forecast.

    Sunrise 6:03am, Sunset 7:58pm. We have already “lost” 79 minutes of daylight since Summer Solstice, 48 in the morning and 31 at night. Daylight is disappearing in pretty big chunks now: by the end of the month we will lose another 40 minutes. Time to start planning for the quiet time. I’m ready … it has been a hectic summer.

    I was following the news for a while yesterday after I stopped working. The Ferguson police chief is giving Kafka a run for his money. A teenager is gunned down by the police for “being in the street”, no information about the murder is shared for 6 days and during that time the shooter is allowed to leave the state: without writing up an incident report! In the meantime, the chief decides that if he can suggest that the dead teenager had shoplifted some cigars earlier in the day that his department can be forgiven for shooting him dead in the street because clearly he was a thug!! In fact, Kafka would look at this and say: too crazy!

    I will check shortly to see what the president has to share with us in his weekly address. I am hoping it is something easy to understand like the need for comprehensive immigration reform, addressing the student loan crisis, or increasing the minimum wage.

    Have a good day, all y’alls!

  41. DeniseVelez

    put up a diary on the fp for today’s Solidarity day – to use as an open thread to continue the discussion and share events that you know of.

    Hugs to all.

    I’m going to my annual women’s event today with my sister’s in struggle – most are veterans of the Young Lords, Black Panthers and SEIU union organizers – but they also bring their daughters and granddaughters – to pass on the message of struggle to the next generations.

    Leaving to go around noon.

  42. DeniseVelez

    same weather for tomorrow…and looking at the 10 day forecast, these temps will continue.

    This weather is very weird for NY in August.

    We completely skipped the “Dog Days”.  

  43. Portlaw

    morning would be in the 90s in August.

    Pleased to see an open thread for talking about the sorrows of our fellow Americans in Ferguson and everywhere else.

    Hope today is a better day for all.  

  44. Diana in NoVa

    It was so nice to get a full night’s sleep last night after the debacle of Thursday night. Just about to get dressed and leave the house to perform numerous errands and lunch out with a couple of Circle sisters. Hoping to get some writing done tonight. I’ll have to borrow Miss Pink Cheeks’ record player because I can’t write without music and at the moment I have no CD player.

    We had the breakfast this morning that we ought to have had on Wednesday morning, which was Dearly Beloved’s birthday–almond croissants with cappuccinos.

    Thankfully, the summer camps are over for Miss PC, so next week will be easier in that respect. Mr. Baby was very fussy yesterday, which was quite trying. Mommy arranged for us to have a new, improved sling but when we put the baby in it he seemed uncomfortable and it was very hot. So we went back to the old one.

    One more day of no air conditioning, then we’ll have to put it on tomorrow.  I’m SO looking forward to this mostly baby-free weekend–isn’t that an awful thing to say? But really, holding an infant all day is exhausting.

    Hope to come back later to catch up on the diaries I’ve missed reading all week–a good day to all in Moosylvania!

  45. princesspat

    The change to overcast moist air means plants in the garden are starting to develop mildew on the leaves so summer is officially ending.

    Our grandson will arrive today and stay through next week. And then he will be in school again…..8th grade! How can that be?

  46. anotherdemocrat

    got up ungodly early to be in the park by 7 for workout, now trying desperately to stay awake

    Need to get both shopping & cooking done today, my friend in the hospital isn’t up to visitors today but does want them tomorrow.

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