CURRENT EVENTS

It has been a while since I wrote in this blog. Partly because I lost heart in it for a while, and partly because I have been processing world events and especially events closer to home. Shootings, Violence, Negativeness, HATE!!!

In trying to bury my head in films and music I came across a TV series I have repeatedly declined to watch. I decided that maybe I should at least visit 1 episode. From then I was hooked. The series ??? “13 Reasons Why”. Being a Psychosocial Rehabilitist (sp) by vocation I found the content really appealed to me. Have you watched it?

From the 1st of the school shootings last year, and I know that last year was not the 1st,  I remarked that the schools, family and neighbors were NOT doing their job. Bullying has to be stopped. And it starts with understanding the individual bully.

Why do they feel the need to cause hurt to make them selves feel better, bigger, more powerful. Why do they need it? Why are they not getting the esteem they need at home or school so they do not have to seek it elsewhere?

Then, at the same time, the people that have been bullied need to be addressed. They need to know that they have power as well.

Hey…. think this all textbook? NOT!! I was the one bullied all 12 years of school. I was a walking skeleton, nickname Birdlegs, 4 eyes, Niggerknot (I’m white btw), bag of bones. I used to walk more than an hour home from school to avoid the bully on the school bus for 6 years. No matter what my parents said, nor the school.

The violence is terrible, horrible!!! But hating the bully solves nothing. Understanding the signs, watching for them in those around you, both bully and bullied. Being there for them. Raise them up to more than they think they can be. Take away the bully’s need to bully, and show the bullied that they have worth, value, power. Talk to your own children that you assume are not participating in the activity. Let them tell you if they have GOOD friends or if they have to fit in. Have to do things they cannot tell you about so they can NOT be bullied.

If you think for one minute that this is confined to schools and gun owners …. look in your family and friends. You will see it live and in color. The husband/boyfriend that orders the girl around instead of loving her and encouraging her. The disrespected male in the pair. The Woman that shows up with bruises often, or hides at home until they are healed. The drinker that is always angry. The person that cannot hold a job long because of their attitude. Where you work, those that order instead of discuss.

Addressing it head on is the absolute wrong thing to do. If you are going to do anything at all it should be to encourage, raise them up make them whole so they have no need to bully, and the one bullied to think well of themselves and show that what is being said is not true or is out of context. etc. Raise them up. LISTEN!!! Find ways to engender TRUST. Some times they just want to be heard. To feel somebody cares enough to just listen. Above all DO NOT JUDGE. You have no idea what you would do if you were in their shoes. Do your part to head off disaster.

If you can save just one person this way, you may well have saved many times that for the future. It is up to US!!! Let’s not let it get to the point that law has to be brought into play.

An Impressive Email

I received this in my email this morning. Since I was impressed enough hat It keeps lurking in my toughts I decided to blog it.

SUBJECT: To special friends

Please take time to read this !!! WOW!!

THIS OLD AIR FORCE CHIEF HAS A FEW SOLID WORDS.

By: George Roof, Chief Master Sergeant (Retired), US Air Force,Taxidermist in Magnolia, Delaware (born in Lexington, SC).

Because I am a “lifer” in the military, I’ve seen the impact of a president more than many of you can imagine. I enlisted with LBJ and saw just what a Democrat clusterflock was all about. I went to Vietnam and saw how we were constantly and incessantly bombarded with micromanagement from Washington that got thousands of military people killed.

I wonder sometimes if I’ll get to heaven, but if I go to hell, I’m sure I’ll still be a few hundred floors above that bastard Robert McNamara, LBJ, John Kerry, Jane Fonda, and yes, even the “hero”, John McCain.

After Johnson “abdicated” rather than having his ass waxed, I lived through Nixon who was hawkish but allowed the generals (and there WERE a few real generals back then versus now) run the show. He was so out of touch that he never knew North Vietnam was about to surrender when the Paris Accord was presented.

Only God could help us after Gerald Ford was beaten by Jimmy Peanuts who’d been funded by Saudi money. The military was turned into Section 8 and even the White House suffered the austerity.

Then the light began to shine and Ronald Reagan swept into the fray. He not only loved the country and the military, they loved him back. Esprit d’corps was off the scale during his presidency. The Liberals were slowly turning into socialists, however, and about this time all the draft dodgers of the 1960’s who’d been given amnesty by Jimmy Peanuts were turning out college graduates with degrees in socialism.

Bush 1 was an enigma from the CIA and though he never did much either way, he NEVER DID MUCH EITHER WAY.

Welcome to Bill Clinton. Clinton spent most of his two terms wagging the dog and creating the Oral Office, sending a bomber to blow up Quaddafi’s tent and killing a goat or two, while allowing the UN to set up the infamous Black Hawk Down situation. He made history by becoming only the second president to be impeached.

I actually felt sorry for Bush 2. He was doomed to infamy from the start. He thought most of America was still the ‘rah’ patriots of WWII when they were simply socialists waiting to feed him to the sharks.

Then there came the Manchurian Candidate with a faked (OK Democrats, let’s say _“of questionable origin” _to assuage your PC brains) birth certificate, who’d gotten a free ride through college under a foreign student exemption, and whose college records and complete life history had been sealed. (We know more about Thomas Jefferson’s bastard children than we do about Obama, Michelle, OR their two kids.) From his inaugural address, he slandered America and within days had begun to encourage dissension of the races as well as slandering police who “acted stupidly.” That was mild to the crap that would come in doubling the national debt from what had been built by ALL THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS COMBINED, feeding us bullshit about how Muslims built this country, and nationalizing American industries. Fueled by George Soros’ money and using the Air Force fleet as his personal charters, he appointed malcontents, muslims and traitors into positions of authority. He trashed the Constitution by installing “czars” (interesting he chose a title like that) to bypass Congressional authority. By that time, Congress was completely corrupt on both sides of the aisle. No one had balls to impeach this charlatan.

Mysteriously, the lone outspoken conservative Supreme Court Justice suddenly dies in his sleep at an Obama pal’s hunting lodge and the Supreme Court is evenly split.

Finally, Congress shows some balls and rejects Obama’s nomination. The Libtards aren’t worried because the fix is in.

Soros has paid demonstrators to cause turmoil at all the Republican gatherings, Obama concedes that illegal aliens should vote as they won’t be prosecuted, and Soros-manufactured voting machines are caught switching votes in certain precincts.

Hillary has cheated her way to the nomination and her lies are completely ignored by the brainwashed minions of sycophants who follow her.

But a shocking thing happened on the way to the forum. Middle America has had enough and although the pollsters and the pipers tried to convince them not even to bother to vote, they were fed up with the denizens of the swamp. It was time. Florida was designated a_“swing”_ state ignoring that all those old retirees living in St. Petersburg, and the fed up Cuban Americans of Miami weren’t interested in their platform. Ohio and Pennsylvania, where coal production was blacklisted and where Obama had ridiculed them for_“clinging to their _Bibles and their guns,” _lay awaiting this supposed _“landslide”_ Hillary vote and creamed it.

The Socialist world of the Democratic Party disintegrated. An American who expressed unbridled love of country and respect for police, firemen, and military steam rolled across the heartland and the liberals realized their scheme was trashed. A CONSTITUTIONALIST would be nominated to the Supreme Court and if the hag who’d claimed to retire if Trump were elected would actually leave, the Supreme Court would have a massive majority of CONSTITUTIONALISTS for the next 40-50 years.

Now, the same party who had ridiculed Trump on his comments about the election being rigged, started screaming that the election was rigged. They even advocated having the election repeated. They created mobs that burned and pillaged, stopped traffic, threatened murder, battery and rape of Trump supporters, and became the anarchists that the socialist dream thrives upon. They run like castrated pigs for safe zones and use diaper pins as their national symbol. This is exactly what happens when political correctness takes over, and participation trophies are awarded to everyone. They can’t conceive how disgusting and subservient they have become.

Donald Trump may NOT be the best person for the job, but he’s such a welcome respite from the candy-assed wimps who’ve been running the swamp that it’s refreshing to see. At the very least, Donald Trump derailed the Socialist train and bought us precious time. If he only does half of what he’s promised, we’ll still be legions ahead of where Obama has dragged us. Already countries who held us in contempt are lining up to be found in the favor of America.

Pass this on if you agree!

So, for you liberal lurkers and you half-assed fence-sitters, kiss off. You had your big hurrah and now your party is over. For you staunch Republicans in office, don’t gloat so much yourselves. You’ve been put on notice by the American people that we’re fed up with ALL YOU BASTARDS, and if you don’t start putting America first, you do so at your own peril. You might want to buy a copy of George McGovern’s autobiography and see how shocking and humbling it can be for a professional politician to have to try to find legitimate work once he falls from grace.

This election was pure, unadulterated AMERICAN. Hillary got beaten and AMERICA WON THE ELECTION. You can claim he’s not _“your president” _all you want, but unless you forfeit your American citizenship, YES HE IS! Go cry a river some place where they need water!

My Friday morning random thoughts

Today is garbage pick-up day; recycle and non-recycle. Since I have been re-organizing and cleaning the out-buildings, I had a lot of non-recycle. It makes me sad that our area does not re-cycle Styrofoam. Most of my pick-up consists of recycle. I compost everything that can be composted. I have to thank my brother, again, for helping me to set up my compost station. At any rate my non-recycle, non-compost, consists of so little that if I don’t close the can lid with the strings hanging out the men think the can is empty.

I have cleaned and organized the larger of my out-buildings for the 1st time in over 3 years. This building has my spare fridge and the small deep freeze plus a lot of work counters that were here before me. it is now clean again and ready for a project I have yet to dream up.

Attached to the backyard side of that building is a covered slab with another work counter. I have the defunct upright freezer out there serving as a pantry. Needless to say …. I have had to empty, clean, and spray it before putting everything back in it. Wow! did I ever find a load of stuff in there that was severely out of date and will be sent to the compost bin today.

So after I open and empty all of it to compost I will have containers to wash and put away or throw away as needed. . After that I will clean and reorganize the area for future use again.

The menagerie hangs about with tongues hanging and tails wagging … waiting for something to drop … either to eat or to play with, …. making a mess of the yard. The new rescue, Bella, is settling in quite well. She is still a little skittish but is calming a little more each day. It is probably a good thing that I rarely know what previous owners have done to these little ones … I might be blogging from prison. I don’t turn a hair at justice done, … but traumatizing defenseless humans and animals is NOT JUSTICE!! ……….and violence to either teaches them nothing but fear … thus NOT changing the behavior.

Have made calls to try to work on the issue of no medical 1st responders in our area. Have been told to attend county commission meetings and tackle it there. So will see when the next one is and how to get a turn to present an issue. I’ve been told that our State turned down federal funding for whatever reason and so now we operate emergency stuff n State funding alone. I won’t argue with the State’s decision except if it is going to curtail our ability to be safe …….. then I take issue with that.

The feeling I get from all these home organization issues getting done is not easy for me to put into words. The closest I can come so far is “I am taking back my life”. This little CLEAN/Organized corner is mine. …. and on to the next one.

To this end my sis-in-law and I have scheduled 6 hour scrabble play every Sunday. It is free, (cheaper than therapy), and gets us together for catch-up from the week. My brother brings their dogs so they have an outing and a free run in my yard with all new smells each week. My dogs love having visitors of their own.

I have 37 broccoli plants growing strong and well in varying stages of maturity. Hopefully this will mean they don’t all need harvesting at once. The Kale is doing as well in the same stages. BTW am still picking on last years Kale. It is leggy and either today or tomorrow will stake them. Have also several successful slips of sweet potato of a Georgia variety that grows the size I like. Have them putting on roots in water for planting in a few more days, and several other pieces putting out growth to make more slips. By this time next month I will have started the tomatoes to be ready to pot out by the end of March.

Random Thoughts This Thursday

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day. Hope it all goes smoothly. Among all those remarks about Pres. Elect Trump, it cannot be said that he is slow of the mark. Approve or not, he has been a busy beaver since the election.

I don’t like the cookie recipe I just made. I will make it again but next time instead of balls I will flatten them and cook them at a higher temp. I always use the recipe the 1st time out and if I make it again I make changes that I think will make it more to my taste.

New rescue dog is a go getter. She is a regular size long haired Chihuahua mix. Cute as a button but is definitely the boss and reminds us of watching the Australian sheep herding trials. She makes sure she is the last one in and rounds up the other 3, one a time, and sees them in the door. Going out and in play she races the Lurcher the length of the driveway … and most often wins the race.

Haven’t had the nerve to weigh myself yet, but have gone from size 14 to size 10 in 3 months, since the daughter moved out. Eating more but seems I hardly ever am still. Re-arranging things cleaning things up, organizing … have also had scattered, beautiful, days when I could do the same outside.

Don’t know what to do about an issue that has arisen in the neighborhood. It seems our area no longer has 1st responders or EMT’s. Closest crew is a good 20 minutes away. There are a lot of us sexy seniors in the area and that could be the difference in life or death or paralysis or brain damage. We have competent fire crews within 5-10 minutes, but not medical any more.

The cats are getting along with each other now. The one I have had the longest had a stroke a few weeks ago and I was afraid she might not recover well from it. She reecovered enough that she has spent the last 3 nights outside, climbs to the roof and jumps down in her usual fashion.

Had to change Rx plans again. It seems I have to do it every year. Have been swapping back and forth between 2. Just when I think I can just let the one I have been using ride for another year the company throws a wrench in the works, Went back to the year before last company yesterday. Yeesh!!!

Like I said … Random Thoughts ………..Am making headway in getting the German Roaches under control. It has been a battle.

The freezers and refrigerators are now full.

Cooked 10 days food for dogs and 12 for cats yesterday. All are looking much healthier than they used to.

Brain is tried now.

What In The World ……????

Well

I have been busy all morning … by choice.

Have been trying to stay away from a flood of tears.

Why tears? … I don’t know.

I’m a sexy senior citizen so it is NOT PMS.

I give up!!! I cannot out-busy them.
I’ll do it like I do my pity parties set a time limit. 

When the time is up I will paste a smile on my face, think of rainbows and sunshine,

   and make myself be done with this mess ……

….. I hope ………

 

Being Played

  I had not realized how much of my life became hers and/or the avoidance anything that she could pick a fight about. Now that my life is my own again and I look around at my clean kitchen, my almost organized again, enclosed, front porch and much else, I realize how much of my life I gave over to her because I was told she was dying.

I feel played, although I know that her illness is tearing her body apart cell by cell. Crohns disease is not always this terrible. Most of the time it can be managed. But in this case nothing manages it and it is a slow, drawn out, painful way to die. Meanwhile her world has to pay the price of her illness. She is nothing like other people in my life that have died, suddenly or slow. They are grateful for kindness, careful of others, giving and doing what they feel they need to so that others won’t have to do it afterward.

Meanwhile i am recovering from this codependency. With every new spot of cleanliness, organization, a visit or shopping trip with a friend, I am recovering.

Yesterday morning I weeded and propped about 10 feet of one fence garden … this morning I weeded and propped about about 15 feet of same garden and planted 4 blackberries that were fast outgrowing their pots. If you go read many of my earlier blogs you will see how much I relied on my garden for therapy and enjoyment. Getting back into it is beginning to lighten my emotional load. It is doing more than my clean kitchen has done.

I want to thank my readers for their patience with me and my friends and family for their support.

How many of you are blaming yourself for letting yourself be played? Please understand … you, like me, have done/are doing what you need(ed) to do. Nowhere have I read, Bible or other philosophy, does it say that doing what you need to do for others, will give you any other reward than satisfaction with yourself for doing it. We need to be able to sleep with our actions, and look at ourselves in the mirror without shame or embarrassment. I know I gave it my all, I will not regret doing that.

What are they thinking?

Both look so peaceful.  This pic gave me such a feeling, I just had to share it.