Those Cursed Legumes

 And here it is, Sunday, and the forecast is for rain.  It actually sounds ominous, however, the total rainfall predicted is less than an inch.  If there were calling for 2 inches or 3 inches then there would be a bit of a reason for concern.  That being said, the rain is supposed to continue on and off until Thursday, so by then flooding might be a bit of an issue.

Yesterday's sales were good at the orange home improvement retailer that I work for, easily enough to make plan.  Today is the last day of the fiscal quarter so they are pushing us to close as many sales as possible.  I am not on board that bandwagon.  If someone comes in and wants to purchase an installation, I'll sell it to them, but I'm not going to go out of my way to do so.  Today's Sunday, for some this is a Holy day, for that reason I don't make phone calls on Sunday, something we are expected to do.  I don't call on holidays, either.  One of our tenets is to have respect for all people, which includes their beliefs as well, Yet they do expect me to be disrespectful in order for them to make their sales' plan.

There's been a lot in the news about different diets and how healthy they are for your heart.  Not surprisingly, the Ketone, the Atkins, and the Paleo diets do not score well.  I have to laugh at the Paleo diet.  Hunter gatherers did not live long, healthy lives, mostly because they had to worry about being some predator's dinner.  It turns out the Mediterranean diet still figures to be one of the best.  I follow it, somewhat.  I'm not wild about having to eat a lot of legumes.

The Correspondents Dinner was last night.  I didn't pay much attention to it.  I did see some clips and it seems as though there were a lot of jokes made and Clarence Thomas's expense.  That was a good thing.  I suspect that buffoon is fuming at being the subject of such hilarity.  He's learning that money doesn't buy respect.  And, of course, there were a number of references to Dark Brandon.  I understand that's beginning to piss off a lot of the MAGA brains.  Originally meant to be a taunt, it's now being thrown back in their faces.  That's a very good thing.
 

Ghosted

 Rain is in the forecast for the next five days.  That's right.  The May showers have finally arrived.  It's not supposed to be steady soaking rains, but rather showers, here and there.  Spotty.  That's what they're calling for, spotty shower with the temps hovering constantly in the mid to upper 50s (F).  This is not the spring weather many were hoping for, however, if my memory serves me correctly, this is pretty much the same pattern we've had for the past 2 years.  Climate change is creeping upon us.

I changed the voice of my Alexa from female to male.  I didn't know you could do such a thing until yesterday.  Now when I ask Alexa something I get a baritone response.  That's nice.  

Apple + has a new Chris Evans movie that I watched the other night:  Ghosted.  It's bad.  If a movie gets produced and it goes right to Apple +, or Netflix, or Amazon Prime, or any one of the other streaming services, you can bet there are problems with it.  This movie had so many problems.  Evans comes across as a namby-pamby, rather spineless man who's a bit possessively toxic in relationships.   He has a one night stand with woman who turns out to be a spy.  There is zero chemistry between the characters which is terrible because this is supposed to be some sort of rom-com.  I'm so glad I didn't pay to rent this film, it would have been a waste of money.

As for yesterday?  I thought it was Saturday most of the day.  That's what happens when I don't work at least one day during the week.  Since it was raining, I didn't do any yardwork, and I'd already decided it was going to be a non--paint day which meant that I go bored.  What do I do when I'm bored?  Well, I did 2 miles on the treadmill in the morning and rode 8.5 miles 

There didn't seem to be a lot happening politically.  DeSantis is going to announce his candidacy for president sometime soon.  Asa Hutchinson (another old man) announced his.  Tim Scott, who announced his earlier, is making the rounds spitting out bullshit.  Let's see... Niki Haley criticized Ronnie D for his attack on Disney, saying governments should not try of control corporations.  A few more asswipes endorsed Trump rather than Meatball Ron.  That's not going to happen.  We will have to wait until the primaries to find out who's actually going to go against Biden.  This will be interesting.

Cover This

 The weekend has arrived, well, almost, and only for some people.  I don't really worry about the weekends, especially since the big orange retailer I work for tends to be scheduling me off most of the work week.  Not that I mind.  I'm getting so much done in the yard and around the house.

Weatherwise, they're calling for on and off showers for the next three days, so the showers are starting in April and will continue up into the start of May.  Forecasters are calling for the occasional shower next week and temperatures to remain in the mid 50s (F).  The following week we're supposed to pop back up into more seasonally warm temperatures.

Issues with Kindle Direct Publishing have been resolved, at least that's what the email says.  Beginning tomorrow I should be able to order author's copies of The Body Under Ice.  For some of you, this means you can start to feel excited.

Yesterday I signed up for Adobe, the regular version, not that Pro because I don't need that.  The idea is that I'm going to figure out how to convert a JPEG to a PDF cover I can size in order to publish paperbacks through Barnes & Noble.  So far the royalties I've been getting from them have been better than the ones I've been getting from Kindle.

And yesterday, the cover of The Body Under Ice took its place with the rest of my book covers on the wall.  The latest frame is a little more decorative than the others, but I think it looks just fine.

And, of course, Mikey Pence testified for the DOJ's January 6 investigation for at least 7 hours yesterday.  Supposedly a religious man, I'm sure Mikey has realized that in spite of all of his protestations his testimony was approved by God.  At least, one would think so.  This is always a problem for the publicly devout, the conflict between their ego and desire, and what the Lord wants them to do.  For the longest time Pence was refusing to go before the Grand Jury, was that because he wanted to protect Trump, or was his main goal safeguarding his own ego, and desire, and craving for power?  I'm sure he doesn't understand this at all, but Pence is one of the main reasons our forefathers wanted a separation of church and state.

It's about the benefits

 Yesterday was cool, today's supposed to be a bit warmer with the high climbing into the upper 60s (F).  That's just for today, however, temps are supposed to cool off and more rain is heading into the picture.  As I'd said before, last year we had May showers and it looks as though we're going to have more of the same this year.

I received an email from KDP, I can now order Author's copies.  Now, ain't that nice.

Yesterday saw me finish painting the kitchen ceiling.  Every day I come a bit closer to putting away the paint brushes and rollers for good.  That will be so nice.

And I finally went to see "Renfield" last evening.  I liked it, probably because it was odd, a horror comedy.  Nicholas Hoult was very good in the lead roll, and so was Nicholas Cage as Dracula, especially since Cage was swathed in make-up most of the time.  The gore was so over the top.  If you can't go see it in the theater, I'd recommend streaming it once it becomes available.  

Okay, and yesterday Don, the Orange Anus, Trump's rape trial began.  Mike Pence has run out of appeals to keep from testifying to the DOJ Jan 6 Grand Jury,  And, the Republicans have revealed their budget in order to raise the debt ceiling.  Wow, even for a small list that's a lot of shit.  

The Republican's budget is pissing off everyone but rich, white conservatives.  Veterans, and there are a lot of us, are angry that they've taken aim at our benefits.  Some of us spent time in a war zone, and to have those benefits used as a bargaining chip for Mealy Mouthed McCarthy as part of his campaign in failure is aggravating.  

Oh, and in Montana the Republicans banned the only duly elected Transgender woman from their House Chamber because if they didn't have social issues filled with hatred, they would have nothing.  This is why they are losing so badly.

No title entry because I forgot one

 Well, we have rain here in Central PA.  According to the weather forecasters, it's only to supposed to be here this morning.  This afternoon it's supposed to go away and temps are predicted to climb into the mid 60s (F).  Tomorrow it's to be a bit more sunny and warmer, but on Friday the rain returns.  Remember that saying "April showers bring May flowers?"  Well, this year it appears as though we're going to have a replay of last year and the all those showers are going to be arriving in May.

I did get some painting done yesterday.  Because the weather's not supposed to be cool today, with showers possible, I'll get paint some more.  Hopefully, I'll get the kitchen ceiling knocked out and then I'll be able to call my drywaller to finish it off.

So, I still can't order author's copies of The Body Under Ice from Amazon.  I talked to a woman yesterday who told me their IT people were working around the clock to fix the problem.  If I were living in France, or Australia, or even Canada there would be no problem, it's only authors living in the United States who can't order copies.  She took the title of my book and put it on a list for their IT people to research and fix.  Even though she said this was a top priority, I'm thinking this is not the case.  I may have to struggle through the archaic process Barnes & Noble uses for their paperback books so I can order copies through them.

Chief Justice Roberts is not going to testify before the Senate on the tumultuous ethics complaints circling like hungry vultures around Clarence Thomas.  That would be tantamount to admitting there is a serious problem in the Supreme Court.  They will never admit that, no matter how terribly things spin out of control.  I'm betting that Clarence is spitting out bitter Oreo bricks because his belief that he was above the law is being questioned.  He's looking so much like a scumbag as the revelations continue to drop.  It turns out he is a greedy, selfish, and self-centered sack of shit, and I'm betting the Court doesn't quite know how to deal with him.

And as more dirt surfaces about Carlson, it turns out he is so much worse than a scumbag.  Evidently there are emails Dominion did not release to the public which show just how vile a human being he truly is.  Tucker's ego told him that he was the voice of authority, and his ratings reinforced his ego.  Now, he's unemployed and hoping to sue Fox.  Let's hope their attorney's are smart enough to force him back under the rock he crawled out from under.

Fired

 Well, now isn't this a most joyous Tuesday morning?  There is not a cloud in the clear blue sky.  The temps are a bit cool, but there's nothing wrong with that, we're still in the month of April.  Sure we've had a few warm days, but they were just a teaser for what's going to be coming this summer.  Here in Central PA we've manage to escape the 100 (F) degree days so far like they've been getting down south.  Anyone who's been paying attention to the weather knows that's going to change.

Work was slow yesterday.  A customer called in to set up a measure, so I snagged that, otherwise all I did was meander around the department restocking shelves and filling spaces with products for non-existent customers to buy.  I had to work paint for a bit because of scheduling issues.  They lost an associate, and it took a while to hire a new one in.  They're going to be losing another soon.

Because the temps outside are so cool, today I'm staying inside and painting.  Can you see the joy in my words? 

And, of course, yesterday there was this:

Fired!

I was quietly sitting at the flooring desk when the news flashes began.  As I glanced down at my watch to see the notification, my heart leapt with joy.  A laugh rose in my throat; a hearty HaHaHa that refused to stop.  Fox New dumped Tucker.  Don't worry about his job prospects though, I understand Russian media was after him like a dog after a ham bone.  

What I thought was truly amusing that no one came out and said he had been fired.  Instead, everybody was saying that Tuck and Fox had parted ways... very suddenly.  Even smoothed over, that news was delightful.  Tuck has been fired from 3 cable news networks.  

And conservatives are flummoxed. Who can they turn to for lies and deceit if not Tuck?  The fact that Fox actually "parted ways: (hahaha) with him was a nuclear blast in the head of every MAGA in this country.  Their beloved Orange Anus is facing increased legal action from every side and his court propogandist has been silenced.  And, whether they understand this or not, this is just the overture.  Symantec is next up in the docket and if Fox caved to Dominion, they're sure as hell going to fold for Symantec.  One can only wonder how many heads are going to roll. 

Branching Out

 We had a freeze warning last night, however the temps only dropped down to 38 (F) here.  There's another warning for tonight.  There are those who jump the gun when it comes to their spring planting here in Central Pa, so these are nights when they need to cover their seedlings.  The fact that they should have waited probably occurs to them, not that it's going to make any difference.  If they planted too early this year, they most likely did the same thing last year, and will do the same thing next year.

Being that tomorrow's temps are supposed to also be on the cool side and I'm not scheduled to work, I am planning on painting more of the trim in my house.  There is also a border in the bathroom that needs to be taken down prior to painting that room.  That's a chore I'm not looking forward to doing.  Standing on a ladder with a steamer is not something that I look forward to doing.

Remember that peach tree that was growing so crookedly?  I cut it back so there was only a thin stump sticking out of the ground for one reason:  New Growth.  I'm sure some thought that was a terrible thing to do, that the tree was not going to survive.  Well, I took this picture this morning.  Just look at all the new growth.  I will have to pick up a bag of topsoil to nestle around those new branches.

And, speaking of branching out, Ronnie DeSantis is in Japan because he's an undeclared candidate for president.  He truly represents the Republican heart: selfish through and through.  There are many problems in the Sunshine State.  Flooding in Fort Lauderdale for one, that dumb Ronnie believes his minions are taking care of... they aren't, at least not to the satisfaction of many of the residents.  What Ronnie's obsession is proving over and over again is that in the real world, he is dumber than a doornail.

And Nancy Mace, a GOP rep from South Carolina said the ugly truth out loud regarding abortion.  Republicans are not reading the room.  Not that any of us will find that surprising.  Republicans have never read the room, it has always been far easier for them to cater to the group they believe will hand them the most votes.  That's why they kiss the ass of the NRA.  It's never been about reading the room.  That would imply that there is some intelligence  there.  Case in point:  Marjorie Taylor Green, who makes Ronnie DeSantis look like a certified genius..

Worse Than Nothing

 So, it's Sunday and I'm wondering is this the last day of the week for you, or the first day of the week.  I ask this because work schedules for the giant home improvement retailer I work for start on Monday, however the "request off" calendar has Sunday as the first day of the week.  I suppose this is an example of religion influencing our lives since our founders, long since retired (one or two might even be dead) were Jewish.

Thunderstorms did roll through yesterday and as a result, we are cooler today.  I woke up this morning thinking that perhaps I shouldn't have packed away my winter blankets yet, that maybe they could have lain on the bed for another 2 or 3 weeks.  

Work was so slow.  I did have a carpet installation go through.  The customer was incredibly cheap, and we've switched to new software so doing the changes he was requesting to save $20 lor $30 dollars are very cumbersome.  His total cost was less than $1000 for a staircase, a hallway/ landing and a bedroom.  After all of the changes had been done, he ended up going back to his original selections.  Then when he went to pay, he didn't know which of his 2 debit cards to use; he'd thought he'd lost one, had it replaced, and instead of destroying the first card still carried it around in his wallet.

And, for those who haven't been paying attention, the justices of the Supreme Court punted on the use of Mifepristone rather than rule.  Instead of the punting, many are focused on Alito's dissent.  He was not too kind to the female justices for not agreeing with him.  No surprise there.  He's an asswipe, always has been.  For those who haven't realized it yet, he does believe women are subservient, and I'm certain to have to treat three of them as equals galls the hell out of him.  Now, isn't that nice?

And evidently quite a few people don't want Trump to run for president.  An AP poll, which is somewhat reliable, noted that almost half of the Republican part understood his running for president was a bad idea.  About 60% of Republicans want him to run.  Without him they are nothing.  What they don't realize is that with him they are worse than nothing.

The Duffer of all Duffers

 It looks as though the warm weather we've been having for the past several days is going to come to a thundery crash this afternoon as storms roll through the Central PA, though to be perfectly honest, I don't believe storms roll at all.  Anyway, the temps are supposed to drop into the mid 60s (F), which still isn't bad.

I'd like to say that yesterday, being the 4th day off this week was filled with exciting adventure... well, it wasn't.  More yardwork was accomplished.  I mowed the lawn.  More English ivy was pulled up by the roots.  I did get out that week killer and sprayed the ivy in the front hedge (that isn't mine) because it's constantly trying to spread over into my lawn.  I have a Burning Bush at the front of my porch that's going to be cut out.  They are a predatory plant, just like the wisteria I've been getting rid of for what seems to be years.  

I did watch the last few episodes of Picard.  I had heard that Jeri Ryan might be getting a spin-off show and the series finale sort of enforced those rumors.  In fact, that whole segment with her and Jack Crusher was a set up for a new show more than anything else.  Let's be honest, if Paramount believes they can make money on a new series there will be a new series.  Seven of Nine was so popular they made her a regular, and she was just as popular in Picard.  And, of course, many fans would like to see a lot more of Jack (Ed Speleers) Crusher.

It turns out that when Elon shot off his pocket rocket, he damaged his launching pad, now, tell me, doesn't that sound painful?  Some damage is always done whenever a rocket gets launched, but this was no ordinary rocket (Elon needed to go big).  As Kris pointed out in yesterday's blog, there are videos with pieces of the pad hitting vehicles that were parked a "safe" distance away.  There are also videos of of large chunks hitting the Gulf of Mexico, and those had to be very large chunks to be seen making a splash from so great a distance.  How bad was the destruction?  One thing that is being reported is that the road up to the pad is closed.  Reporters who had remote cameras have not been allowed to go their equipment.  Supposedly they will be allowed in today.  I don't think any of this should surprise you.  We are dealing with the duffer of all duffers, Elon Musk.

Elon's Premature Ejaculation

 Well, here we are again, at Friday.  Who'd have thunk the days could fly by so fast.  It seems like yesterday we were also enjoying the end of the work week.  Well, I guess I should clarify that, work week for some, not me.  I'm scheduled to work tomorrow and Sunday.  This is how it goes.

My movie buddy Patty and I were supposed to go see Renfield last evening.  We did... and we didn't.  When we got to the theater we found out that they changed the start time.  On Sunday when I looked it started at 8 p.m., however at some point in the week they changed the start time to 7:15 p.m. so we arrived at our local AMC too late.  I was a little irate, since I want to see that movie in the theater.  

I was out doing yardwork again.  Today I'll be out again to mow the lawn.  The joys of being a homeowner.  I'm also working on getting rid of the English ivy.  I bought a spray that's supposed to kill it.  I will probably use it this afternoon on the ivy that is growing in the front yard hedge.  

Yesterday, I also installed a retractable hose outside.  It will still need to be taken down in the winter, but no longer will I be coiling it up on the sidewalk in front of the faucet.  Yippee for me!

And for those who didn't know, yesterday Elon Musk had a very public premature ejaculation so to speak.  His very large rocket lifted off and then exploded.  Everybody in the world is talking about this because... well, he's turning out to be such a dimwit.  The town where he located his launch site is not happy with him.  The dust cloud kicked up was immense, lots of clean-up to be done.  

Yesterday was also the day he took away the Blue checks on Twitter... sort of.  They disappeared from so many names and groups, but not all.  Stephen King still has one, though he says that he isn't paying for it.  I believe him.  And, evidently, Twitter can take away the Blue check, but they can't take away the verification they originally did.  Searching with certain filters shows even without the checks people are still verified.  Elon's turning out to be a real dolt.

The Body Under Ice

 The Body Under Ice is now available to be purchased at both Barnes & Nobel and Amazon.  I've been told that this one sucks you in, which is nice to hear.  

The Synopsis:

Winter bike races are rare, so Eli and Max were excited to watch the Pee Paw, a fat tire bike race across the ice and through the snow surrounding Mackinac Island.  The discovery of four fingers poking through the ice of frozen Lake Huron abruptly ended their plans.  Assembling their team, they were not prepared for the web of gossip, lies, and deceit hindering their investigation.  Finding out that everything they are told needs to be questioned, they wonder just who among the townspeople can they trust as they work to solve the mystery of The Body Under Ice.

The Cover:

Change

 So, is everybody ready for Hump Day?  There are readers out there who still feel that there is some importance in noting that they are halfway through the work week.  Thanks to Covid, those who work at home no longer see much purpose in having Hump Day, and those in retail have always though it rather absurd.  Things change and adapting to those changes is essential for good mental health.  

While I didn't work yesterday, I did pay a visit to the store, and not to make a purchase.  They're having a Silent Auction which starts tomorrow.  For me, Silent Auctions are a way to eliminate those household possession no one wants to be gifted.  This time, I've donated my PS4 Pro.  It was one of those "mistake" buys that I thought I would play more; well I didn't.  I was not impressed with the games offered, so the console took up space and gathered dust.  I did offer it to people.  There was little interest because the PS5 has been out for some time now.  No gamer wants an old console.  However, at a Silent Auction, there's a good possibility someone will take interest because... well, people do like to bid on things.  They think they're getting a deal and a there are quite a few who simply cannot turn down a deal.

And, of course, everyone knows Dominion settled with Fox News out of court.

Many were upset Dominion chose this path rather than follow through with their lawsuit.  Even if they had won, Fox would never have to publicly admit to lying.  That wasn't what this lawsuit was about.  Dominion wanted Fox to pay, and they did.  What the settlement did deprive Americans was the daily reports of how badly Fox lied.  Of course, Dominion did release a lot of examples of that before the trial actually commenced.  There's no doubt in most minds that Fox is a cancer on the skin of cable news.  What we don't know is what type of internal changes will take place at Fox to avoid further lawsuits... oh, wait, there are still a number of lawsuits waiting to go to court.  Now, isn't that nice.  The more pressure that gets put on the Murdochs, the better things will be in the world.  This isn't saying they'll change, however they might modify.

Running into Rocks

 Tuesday, and the weather is chilly.  Temperatures cool.  Ain't gettin' too warm today.  Overcast.  Yeah the clouds are low hangin'.  Oh, but soon... those clouds... will be rollin' away.

Tomorrow the temps are back up in the 70's (F).  That will be nice.  When I got home from work it was 68 (F) in the house and overnight outside they dropped into the 40s (F).  Since today's high is only supposed to reach the mid 50s, the heat is on... again, at least until tomorrow.

Work was boring yesterday.  Nothing happened.  Again, our garden business was hopping.  Paint was busy, too, so I helped out there for a while.  Towards the end of my shift I designed a $7000 order of shades and blinds for a couple.  Yeah, you read that number correctly.  They asked about the installation cost, which for them is going to be $180 which is nothing compared to what they're paying for shades.

Some unknown individual got artistic with our carpet samples.  I don't know if the pig drawing is supposed to be sending us a message or not.  Embiggen for clarity.

As one might have expected, Musk's big rocket failed to launch.  He is a man who has relied on the ideas of others to get where he is, however, as usual, once he puts his finger in the pudding pot things begin to curdle.

Fox evidently hoped that they'd be able to get out of Dominions lawsuit with a plea bargain.  I'm betting it must have been a really tabloid offer because it fell apart.  The Murdochs, like the Republicans, will never learn.  To do so would mean they were wrong.  That is something they will never publicly admit to... ever.

Ronnie DeSantis is throwing a real hissy fit down in Florida.  He's a whiny, little authoritarian wannabe and it's looking more and more that his wannas are going to be.  He's threatening to possibly build a prison next to Disney World, now how funny is that.  The hardcore Republicans in that state are fuming.  Their tiny dictator ship is running into all kinds of rocks.

The Physical Therpist

Well, a happy Monday to one and all.  

Weatherwise, Central PA is in a cooldown phase.  Today's temps will only reach the mid 60s (F) and tomorrow our high is predicted to top off at 55 (F).  Less then seasonal temps are in the forecast for the next few days.  Fret now, the warmth will return.

Work was so, so.  I got a measure.  Supposedly my sales went through the roof, but there was no way we could find what jobs actually sold, so I'm expecting a $26,000 adjustment down today.  Rats.  While flooring was snoozing along, our Garden department was popping.  They were constantly calling over the walkies for assistance in the mulch pit.  The mulch pit is a 200 foot driveway between pallets of mulch.  The customer makes his purchase and then drives down this driveway so our associates can load his car, truck, or trailer with the bags of mulch he bought.  Working in the mulch pit is strenuous.

I don't usually look at the reviews my books get on Amazon since I know some people will like what I write, others will not.  However, 2 years ago, several months after The Body in the Well was published, I was putzing around on the computer and let my curiosity get the better of me and found a review for that book that was almost malicious.  In one paragraph in the first chapter of that book, Max Sullivan, one my 2 main protagonists changed careers.  He went from being an RN working with a heart team to becoming a Physical Therapist.  Someone didn't like that.  I was told to "make friends with a Physical Therapist."  Since I was about to hold open auditions for a PT who wanted to be friends, I blew it off.  Well, a year and a half later a PT has entered the picture and we are actually becoming friends.  His name is Jon, and thanks to him Max Sullivan is becoming a more 3 dimensional character in The Body in Motion.  Oh, and here's that review.  Click to embiggen the hostility. 

Finally, something interesting made it into The Hill yesterday, a Republican warning other Republicans they need to be extremely cautious when pushing their priorities regarding women's health care.  This is one of the strongest warnings I've ever seen coming from a Republican.  Will they listen?  Absolutely not.  This is a party destined for death and destruction.

Blue Check Failure

 Because we had rain yesterday... a heavy downpour from a thunderstorm, little yardwork was done.  This morning we're under a dense fog advisory, but only until 0830.  Temps today are supposed to climb into the lower 80s (F), but then they're supposed top drop.  Tomorrow, our outside temp is going to crater in the mid 50s (F), to the dismay of those who love warm, sunny weather.

Since working outside was a no, no yesterday, I stayed inside and painted trim.  The hallway is finally finished and I began working on the bathroom.  The new door to the new laundry room got a coat of oil primer and the beadboard along one of the walls got its first coat.  

I do get to go to work today.  6 hours.  We're in the middle of our Spring Black Friday (it ends today) which is geared around our garden department.  This is the time of year when people mulch their lawns.  A long drive-thru is created so that after people pay for the many, many bags of mulch, all they have to do drive down an aisle in between the pallets of mulch and we'll load it right into their vehicle.  We call it the mulch pit and it is heavy work.

My black tulips, at least they're supposed to be black, are coming along nicely.  Such a shame they only last a few days.

As far as I know, yesterday was a political non-news day.  I usually scan through Twitter to catch the headlines and... well, let's be honest here, Twitter has changed for the worst.  Those people and news platforms I follow are infrequent visitors under my Following tab, though there are lots of people there whom I don't follow, people I don't want to follow, like Republicans.  The For You tab no includes Tweets from Fox News and its propogandists, as well as a number of insurrectionist Republicans.  Where as I used to flick down through to see tidbits and headlines, now I rarely open the app.  According to the Washington Post its value is decreasing daily.  And starting tomorrow, Twitter will officially become a paid subscription app, that Blue Check is going to coast you $15 a month.  I didn't pay for that Blue Check when it was cheap, I'm sure as hell not going to pay a higher price.  In reality, it now proves nothing.

The Branch

 We have rain.  The temps are supposed to hover in the lower to mid 70s (F) today.  That will be nice after the early spring heat wave we've been going through.  If the forecasters are correct, however, Tuesday our temps should only climb into the mid 50s (F).  That's a little too cool, if you get my drift.  

Yesterday was filled accomplishments.  The yardwork I completed was par excellence.   The only thing I didn't get done was some work on the fish tanks.  Being that for most of this morning we're going to have rain, I'm not worried. 

And, speaking of yardwork, I did cut down a big branch from one of the maple trees on the hill behind the house.  It 8 inches in diameter.  That thickness is bigger than my sword on a stick is supposed to tackle, still, I didn't see why I couldn't give it a go since gravity was hanging heavily on the branch.  Five minutes after I began sawing, the branch came down.  It has now been cut into many smaller pieces.  And stacked halfway up the hill.  Tuesday, once things dry out from today's rain, I be moving it to the top of the hill where it can slow recycle back into the ground from which it came.

And the NRA is having a convention in Indiana.  Donald, the Orange Anus, spoke, outlining his fascist agenda and the crowd loved him.  They cheered.  They like to call themselves Conservatives, but they're not, baby fascists is more like it.

Mike, is my slip showing, Pence also spoke... and was booed.  Does anyone think he learned anything?  Probably not.  That would mean he was able to learn, something he is incapable of doing.  He no doubt gathered with his advisors afterward for one of those Holy Shit discussions.  

Finally, Mike Pompeo told the nation he was not going to be running for president.  He actually muttered some inanity about hating to disappoint certain people...  You'll notice, he didn't say what country those people lived in.

No Beef in Meatball Ron

 According to Accuweather, our heat wave will end tomorrow with thunderstorms.  Yesterday our peak temp was 88 (F), which is way too hot for this time of year.  Monday they're predicting us to drop down into the mid 50s (F).  That's a bit too cool.  But then we head back up into the 70s (F).  When I got home from work last evening, the temp downstairs was 76 (F), upstairs it was 80 (F), so I did turn on the Central Air and put the window unit in the bedroom.

Since the temps are still supposed to be nice today, more yardwork is planned.  That's right, more branches are going to be cut down in an effort to bring more sunshine into my back yard.  The few veggies I planted last year did zilch, and I'm fairly certain it was because they were under shade so many hours of the day.  This year, hopefully, things are going to be different.  

My little Greek statue arrived from Crete yesterday.  He's a little cutie.  I'm still balancing out the water in the big tank, so he'll be staying nice and dry on the sideboard until he's ready to take a dive to stand among the aquarium plants.

So, quietly overnight, Ronnie DeSantis signed state legislation that will satisfy anti-abortion advocates in spite of the fact that 70% of Americans want the government to stay out of their personal lives.  Oh, and Ronnie has yet to announce that he's running for president.  Interestingly enough, I see a number of pundits wondering if he understands that Florida is a state unto itself, that like Las Vegas, what happens in Florida stays in Florida.  He thought he was making a name for himself taking on Disney, wrong.  Disney turned around, squatted down, and shit a big turd on Ronnie D.  Did he learn anything?  Absolutely not.  There is very little beef in Meatball Ron, just a lot of filler.  Of course, being a Republican, he will never learn.

 

School's Out

 Well, our temps hit 84 (F) yesterday and our forecast high for today is 88 (F).  There is a heatwave moving across the country.  I think we should all enjoy it for now, because temps are going to fall back into the normal range within a few days.  By Monday, the 15th our temps are predicted to be back in the mid 60 (F) range.

I'm going to invest some money in one of those wheely things you wind your hose around. (not the kinky type).  In fact, I did the bold thing and just ordered one.  It's a garden hose reel with 124 feet of hose that will need to be attached to the side of my house.  It should be arriving Saturday.

And I did cut a branch or two down using my saw on a stick.  I'm off tomorrow and a bigger bough on the maple tree on top of the hill behind my house will be coming down.  I will have to get out my chainsaw to cut it up once finished.  This is fine.  My yard is darkened and in shadow by way to many leaves.

I was surprised this morning when I woke up to get a text from my brother letting me know I was getting a belated birthday present:  Tickets to see Alice Cooper in concert at the Hershey Theater.  I've always like Cooper, even owned a few of his albums, but was surprised to see his tour was stopping at Hershey.  Tickets were very pricey and while I didn't mind paying that cost to see Paul McCartney or Elton on his farewell tour, for Cooper I thought they were a bitt to exorbitant.  Well, surprise, surprise, I'm going to see Alice Cooper on April 30.

A brief comment on the Dianne Feinstein issue:  she needs to resign.  She's 89.  She needs to put her ego aside.  I've seen people her age and older who are extremely functional, however, I do not believe they should be put in charge of helping out country run.

Ronnie DeSantis is running directly into the brick wall known as Donald, the Orange Anus, Trump and not loving it.  Tough.  DeSantis has never seemed to be an intelligent man, his only smarts being in that he thinks the MAGAs are destined to rule the United States.  His war with Disney show full fledged idiocy.  Lucky for America he's a Republican.  He will never stand down or back away, that would mean he'd made a mistake and Republicans never make mistakes.

Lying To Tim Scott

 So, is anybody going through a mid-week crisis?  It is Wednesday after all, or as some like to call it Hump Day.  Let's be honest here, there are days when a a humpy day might not be the best thing in the world since most humps might also be designated bumps, and going over the hump might mean you're heading downhill into a dip.

Anyway, the temps here are glorious.  Mid 70s (F) yesterday.  They'll be in the low 80s  (F) today, and warmer tomorrow.  Friday we might possibly pop into the 90s (F), which is a bit too warm for this time of year, though since we had a warm winter this just might be a preview into the summer.

Lots of yardwork was done yesterday.  No branches were cut, but the stone wall is clear.  I bought a weed killer for the English ivy, though instead of spraying directly on it, I've been shoving the ivy into an old garbage can and spraying it there.  I want to kills as much of it as possibly withy contaminating the ground.  I also mowed my lawn yesterday.  It was great to be outside.

I stepped outside this morning and snapped a picture of my tulips.  I'll probably do the same thing this afternoon since many should be blooming by then.

And now for the funny, ha ha moment of the day.  Tim Scott, a black Republican, has announced his candidacy for president in 2024.  Let me know when you stop laughing.  I mean, does has this man not listened to Trump?  Has he not seen what's been happening in Tennessee?  Does he not know what the MAGA mind wants in their leaders?  Perhaps he's just dumb as a brick.  Or, perhaps he doesn't know the word 'token' has many definitions, one of which is an adjective that describes what many white Republicans know him to be.  Keep in mind, Scott has surrounded himself with people who constantly tell him that he represents diversity in the Republican party.  What Scott doesn't understand is that they're lying to him.

Relevance relies on Change

 Temps are  beginning to rise again.  We'll hit the upper 60s (F) today, lower 70s (F) tomorrow, and by Friday we'll be toasting in the upper 80s (F).   Nice, eh?

They've been pulling down all of the window air conditioning units at work, prepping for the demand those warmer temps is going to bring.  April is still too soon to turn on the Central Air, so I'll be relying on the ceiling fan in the bedroom if it gets too warm.  This is also the time of the year that I take the woolie blankets from the bed, wash them, and pack them away until the fall.  I always look forward to this time of year!

Yesterday I spent the day in the paint department.  Time went fast.  I mixed paint and down-stocked product.  The last hour I spent back in the flooring department checking the numbers I should have checked yesterday morning.  I did the get a measure, which was nice.  

For those interested, it's looking like I will begin the publishing process of The Body Under Ice next Thursday.  As such, I will begin to drop hints of the book cover.  What can I say but that I think it's one of the most striking covers so far, possibly almost visceral.  I like it.  Here's a backwards shot of it.  😎😎😎

And didn't it seem as though this past weekend was politically very quiet?  Perhaps because last week was filled with the Clarence Thomas bombs bursting in air all over the place, and the Tennessee Republicans kicking out 2 black Democrats, and the Trump judge in Texas trying to ban mifepristone.  Is it me, or does it seem that every time a Republican turns around he's getting smacked up the side of his head by a  2 X 4 of reality?  And the Cracker Jack Crazies are having the same problem.  Frankie Graham telling his base that he believes all buildings should be adorned with a Cross is... well, shall we say his comment smacks of religious authoritarianism.  He believes his beliefs are being attacked and that's simply wrong; their inability to evolve is simply making them less and less important to daily life.  Relevance relies on change, something he is incapable of doing.

Derision

 Well, here we are heading into a new week.  The temps outside are a cool 38 (F).  We were sitting under a freeze warning.  That didn't happen.  What is going to happen is a mini-heat wave.  Our temps might climb as high as 88 (F) on Wednesday.  That's way too warm for April.  It's too early to break out the air conditioner.  I am scheduled off though, which means I'll get to enjoy it.

Yesterday was slow at the store.  I did get a lead for blinds and hit both my sales and measure goals.  Management will be proud.  

I work 8 hours today... in the paint department.  I like mixing paint.  Thanks to a computerized measuring system, it easy.  After the early morning rush of contractors, business is what I call a slow steady.  

My next book, The Body in Motion is coming along fine.  No characters have been dropped yet because they've become unnecessary and two have been added, include Doorman Phil who will be giving the team advice.

FedEx sent me an update on that little statue I bought for the big aquarium, it's shipped last night from Crete.  Now, isn't that exciting?

My tulips are beginning to bloom.

And now that Easter is past, I'm sure the political scene will return to normal.  I will tell you, I got a little sick of Republicans posting their phony religious comments on Twitter.  We know exactly what's in their dirty little hearts and Christianity has nothing to do with it.  They do point out the gullibility of Christians in that all some of them need to see or hear is a statement of Praise for them to believe Republicans are divinely inspired.  Again, we know that's not true, but they are very good at manipulation.  Their Faithless slight of hand snockers true Believers every time.

Finally, shall we celebrate the shit show that is swirling around Clarence Thomas.  Every time he opens his mouth he proves how selfish and self-centered he is, and the more dirt that comes out about his white, neo-Nazi billionaire owner the worse Clarence looks.  Isn't it nice to know that he's fuming because people are calling him every name he derides in not only People of Color but people in general.   He is trash boiled over.

Happy Easter

 It got cold last night!  32 (F)  Freezing.  At least that was the temp when I checked my phone this AM.  Outside, there was not a hint of frost, so what the actual temps were here in Enola is anybody's guess.  Perhaps I should invest in an outside thermometer. 

Yesterday was slow at work.  Today is going to be even slower.  Except for the non-Christian crowd.  There are quite a number of Asians living in the area and very few of them are part of the Peter, Paul, and Matthew crowd.  Some will undoubtedly show up and ask what's on sale.  

Evidently our blue competitor is closed today.  We have some associates who don't understand they're not treating it as a paid holiday, they're just closed.  These same associates fail to realize that store is closed in order to appeal to a specific group of individuals.  Blue management realizes sales are going to be low and they understand that the Peter, Paul, and Matthew crowd will approve and, hopefully, spend their hard earned dollars there, rather then come to our secular orange store.  Of course, that does mean they will disappoint the large non-Christian Asian crowd who has no problem spending money on Christian holidays.

To be honest, I have some good friends who are deeply religious.  They're good friends because they don't push their beliefs on me, by the same token, I don't push my beliefs upon them.  Because of this we are constantly learning tolerance and understanding from each other.  I think this is how it's supposed to be. 

Anyway, here's a picture of an Easter Bunny.  Happy Easter, y'all.

Apollo

 And the weekend, Holy for some, begins with cold temps.  There is a freeze warning in Central PA for tonight, though the temps are only supposed to drop into the mid 30s (F), nothing that's going to doom any of the blooms in my garden.  

I saw where Instagram now wants to charge a $15 monthly verification charge.  Supposedly this is so that your followers know it's the real you and not some bozo masquerading as you.  In reality, this is nothing more than dippy doo Mark Zuckerberg trying to suck the money out of your bank account.  Pure greed manifests itself in so many different ways, for more and more social media accounts it shows its ugly head in the form of verification services.  Musk's doing the same thing, or at least trying to do the same thing at Twitter.  Will Zuckerberg be successful?  Well, not with me, though I know there are those out there who will pay the charge in order to boast that they have been verified by Instagram as... well, I guess that will prove your not a deep fake.

A number of hours were spent yesterday afternoon on the big tank, cleaning it out, vacuuming the gravel, scrubbing down the sides.  Right now it's empty of decorations and plants.  I can't tell if having all of that swim space pleases the fish or not.  New decorations have been order.  I'm going smaller this time, though still sticking with the Greek / Roman imagery.  There will be statuary.  And a clam shell that will open up.  I ordered the first statue yesterday.  It's Apollo, naked of course.  I don't know for certain, but I'm thinking there is some unwritten law which states Greek and Roman statuary needs to be naked.  It's shipped this morning and to my super duper surprise it's not coming from China.  Nope.  My statue is coming from Greece.  Now, ain't that nice.

And down in Tennessee the Republicans kicked two black Democrats out of the legislature because they attended an anti-gun rally.  Three Democrats actually attended the gun-control event, but they Republicans let the white Democrat stay.  Those two men have now stepped onto the National stage.  Those stupid Republicans?  Well, they since they don't make mistakes they're going to be eating shit sandwiches until they get voted out of office.

And the Clarence Thomas shit?  He's now saying those 20 years for free vacations to expensive places were a personal gift, that they had nothing to do with the fact they were given to him by a white, ultra-conservative billionaire.  I'm thinking Thomas is going to end up eating more shit sandwiches than those Tennessee lawmakers.

Biggie's Movie Break

 Can say hello to the Easter weekend.  They're predicting the weather to be cool.  I think that tends to be the case.  I work so it doesn't really matter to me, not that I'm overly religious.  I don't mind getting the hours in if someone feels they need to have off to celebrate their beliefs what ever their religion.

Yesterday was boring at work.  I did have a sale go through but didn't get a measure.  I also had a discussion with the Specialty Assistant Manager about calling customers who have been measured for installations.  These customers are color coded: green because they've been called, yellow indicates they need to be called, and red meaning they're overdue.  There was a time when you had a day after the customer was measured when they'd be yellow.  Now, the instant they've been measured, they go red.  I told him I thought we should give the customer the courtesy of thinking about their quote for a day or so rather than shove that sale down their throat as soon as possible.  He disagreed.

A friend recommended I watch the old Ari Aster film Hereditary.  So I did, with Biggie.  In case you didn't know, Aster's films tend to be arthouse horror... sort of.  I think he wants to be seen as being profound.  He isn't.  His films never come close to being box office hits because of this.  Anyway, I took a picture of Biggie before he decided Hereditary was boring and lay down to go to sleep.

Of course, the buzz in the media is all about Clarence Thomas taking very expensive vacations paid for a white conservative businessman.  Yeah, I don't think anyone should be surprised by this, Clarence has always wanted to be a rich white guy, and we all know that he shit away his ethics a long time ago.  For him, this is as natural as placing one of his pubic hairs on a Coca Cola can.  He doesn't even understand that this makes him look bad, probably because in his mind he is owed, or possibly because he's a faux Christian he may believe this is just one of many blessings flowing his way.  In reality, this makes both him and the Supreme Court look even worse then they already did, if you even thought that was possible.

The Wall

 Yesterday we were supposed to have rain... well, that didn't happen so more lawn work was done.  The temps were nice, upper 70s (F).  We did get some rain overnight and more is predicted for this afternoon.  Again, temps are predicted to fall, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

Much yardwork was completed yesterday.  A lot of work we put into the aquarium as well.  The ruins are gone and can now be found sitting in the trash.  The more I think about it, the more inclined I am to just go with plants.  While it was nice watching my big angels swimming in and out of Doric (?) columns, it's also rather relaxing just watching them traverse the full length of the tank.

I do get to work today.  Can you see the excitement in my words?  

As I rip away the ivy and clean up the fallen sticks and branches on the hill behind my house, the stone wall is once again showing his rugged face.  The wall was, in fact, one of the selling points for me.  How many people have a stone wall in their backyard.  My property extends another 30 feet beyond the wall.  Who knows, I may end up putting a garden at the top of the hill.

And after the flush of the indictment, yesterday seem rather calm with relatively few surprises.  I don't doubt that the reason Ms. Pence changed his mind about testifying before the Fed Grand Jury looking into the Jan 6 insurrection is directly related to the indictment.  Maybe he's finally seen the writing on the wall.  Or perhaps Mother told him to get into the lifeboat because the ship's going down by the bow fast.

In Wisconsin gerrymandered Wisconsin voters rejected Dan Kelly, the Conservative candidate, for the state supreme court and voted in a Liberal Janet Protasiewicz.  Kelly bitterly accepted his loss, but would not concede the election to someone he called unworthy.  I find it amusing that conservatives are being sent the same message over and over again and they refuse to listen.  Of course, that would mean they're wrong, that Americans don't want a restrictive authoritarian government.  They will never learn no matter how many lessons they lose.

Stop Dancing

 The weather yesterday was fine.  Warm.  The high hit around 79 (F), though some areas were reporting it to have reached 80 (F).  Today is supposed to be the same, except for extensive cloud cover.  Originally they were predicting rain, now it appears as though it will only be arriving in the area later this afternoon or early evening, and then all day tomorrow.  Since I work tomorrow, I don't really care.

I will need to get out the little lawn mower soon.

And yesterday was really rather quiet here.  I spent a little over 2 hours out in the yard cleaning away leave, moving some branches that had dropped over the winter.  I started cleaning out the area behind the fence leading up to the stone wall.  I'm planning on putting grass in there to give the yard a bit more green.  Oh, and I think I'm going to eradicate the ivy.  I don't know where it came from, but it's desperately trying to take over the neighborhood.  

The angelfish tank's going to get redo today.  Right now I've got Roman ruins in it.  I'm going to take those out.  What will go in next?  I have no idea, maybe just lots of plants... and possibly an erupting volcano.

Of course, Donald (the Orange Anus) Trump was charged with breaking the law 34 times yesterday.  (Stop Dancing!).  The look on his face as he walked into the courtroom has been described as grim.  For possibly the first time in his life he was on a stage that was not of his own design, but one on which he was being displayed like a common criminal.  (Stop Dancing!)  Be honest, wasn't there so much joy in seeing his ego brutalized in such a glorious manner?

And Marjorie (I'm dumber than an inflatable bimbo) T. G. failed horrifically to start a pro-Trump protest.  She did manage to initiate a 2 man chant, that survived for 6 seconds.  There was no one there to support her, but there were thousands literally blowing whistles and shouting her down.  (Stop Dancing!)  She did not look happy heading back to her vehicle.  I think she should be glad no one hit her with a rotten tomato. 

Security is High

 If the weather forecasters are correct, our temps today are going to top off around 78 (F).  That's warm for this time of year.  Tomorrow they're telling us we're going to be a full degree higher, but storms are on the way which will drop our temps back down into the 50s (F).  If we hit the upper 70s I will turn on the ceiling fan.  It's too early in the season for the central air conditioning.  

Work was quite boring yesterday.  No measures.  No sales.  For most the the day I was alone at the flooring desk.  The district is down as far as flooring installations, so they're pushing measures.  One thing they've done in an attempt to increase our business is drop the cost of a flooring measure.  Normally it's $35, for the time being it's been lowered to $25.  This is a nonrefundable charge after the measure has taken place, however if the customer goes ahead with the install, that fee is deducted from their installation.  This is not really an incentive since most customers who get measured go through with the installation.  

Yardwork is in the plans for today.  Flower beds need to be cleared, branches need to be cut down, and planting needs to be done.  I picked up 4 dahlias yesterday, that I want to put into the front bed. They're all red.  I don't know if any of those from last year survived the winter, though that's a distinct possibility since this past winter was so warm.  We shall have to wait land see.

And, of course, Trump is going to be arrested today.  Security is high.

There are a lot of pictures out there of him running, and crawling, and trying to evade the hands of justice and all of them are fake.  Still photos will be allowed, though I doubt very much if they will let him pose for the camera.  No phones, electronic equipment, or video equipment will be allowed.  There's talk about issuing a Gag Order.  I think that would be amusing, knowing how much the Orange Anus needs to spit turds of the untruth.  I didn't see it, but I understand he spewed out something terrible about Alvin Bragg's wife.  That doesn't surprise me.  I hope a Gag Order is put in place.  Believe me, a good time will be had by everyone except his MAGA base.

And the Nominee is....

Hello, Monday!  There was a snappy chill in the air this morning with the temps hovering at 35 (F).  A frost warning had been in effect, though it seems that in my neck of the neighborhood we avoided those freezing temps.  That's fine.  If the long range forecast is correct, that sort of cold might be gone until until shows his shaggy head.

Tomorrow, not only am I off, but the temps are supposed to climb into the mid 70s.  For those who don't know, that's the definition of lawn work.  There is so much that needs to be done.  Wednesday, the temps are to climb into the upper 70s (F), but rain is also in the forecast.  Yes, we're getting more rain.

Yesterday was busy at work, at least in the morning.  I ended up getting 4 measures and sold $4000 in shades.  You read that correctly, $4000.  That customer has far more disposable income than I do, though to be honest if I had that much money to waste I might spend it on shades... nah, I'd go to Paris instead.

Milky Chance released a new song.  This sort of an electro-ballad.  Very nice.  These 2 gents keep surprising me.

Asa Hutchinson, ex-governor of Arkansas has decided to seek the nomination of the Republican party for president in 2024.  He's older than I am and that's too old to be president.  That's 3 who have declared their candidacy and 1, Meatball Ron DeSantis, who hasn't.  That field is going to become quite crowded as more and more mini-Republicans begin to view Trump as wounded by the indictment (s).

While some faux conservative media outlets are implying that a large segment of the population is upset with Bragg indicting the Orange Anus, you have to look at where they're getting their source material; Newsweek relies on its own polls much of the time.  

And it's probable that the Democratic field will grow.  Manchin, another Democrat in his 70s, has dropped multiple hints about announcing his candidacy.  Dumb Ass.  There have also been whispers that he might run as a 3rd party candidate if he choses to run and doesn't get the nomination.  Dumb Ass.  This man makes a box of rocks look smart. Keep in mind, he has surrounded himself with people who tell him that when it comes to intelligence, he edge out that box of rocks... slightly.

 

Swinging in the Wind

 Well, we did have thunderstorms yesterday, for about 15 minutes.  Mostly the rain was nothing more than the occasional shower.  A high wind warning went into effect at 0800... and there was no wind.  We did have some 40 mile an hour gusts during that short-lived thunderstorm.  This doesn't mean we didn't get wind, we did, but it started last night around 9 PM when the actual cold front went through and this morning it's gone.  Forecasters are predicting today's temps to be in the mid 50s (F).  That's fine.

Tuesday the weather's supposed to be nice, so the yard work will commence.  My bulbs are coming up.  There are a lot of them.  Bazoom, bazoom.  

The threat of storms yesterday kept business down in the store.  As far as I know, no one in my department got either a measure or a lead.  I had some sales go through which put me over my goal, but all of my other numbers are zeros.  This is how it goes.  

There might be hope for my selling paperbacks through Barnes & Noble.   Since my covers are commissioned, hand painted mini-works of art, I need to convert the scanned JPEGs into PDFs, resize the size through the 'in flight' tab, and then import that file into Word to ensure colors are accurate.  Well, now there's a tab in Word that lets you convert and imported file to a  PDF, which means I might be able to skip the Adobe step.  I will have to play around with it.

Back covers need art too, so, if you buy the paperback version of The Body Under Ice from Amazon, it's quite likely this is what you'll see.  It's a shame we didn't have any snow this winter to give it a better background.  That's a Home Depot hat I'm wearing, and, of course, those ugly, yellow lensed glasses.

\

I have to tell you that every time I read Tucker Carlson's over the top rants I cannot stop myself from smiling.  There isn't a single doubt in my mind that Tuck is scared.  If Dominion triumphs over Fox, Tuck's career will be over, unless he wants to join Newsmax and much lower salary level.  Every time Trump gets indicted (and more are on the way), his career is going to take a body blow.  The man's ego has always put him on the wrong side of reality.  It's almost as if someone gave him a long skein of rope and asked him to make something, and in his infinite stupidity he decided to make a noose.  The idea that his career choices might hang him has never occurred to him, which, knowing how his ego works, is not surprising.  Is Tuck terrified that his career might soon be swinging in the wind?  I don't doubt it.

 

News of the World Redux

 If, unlike me, you're not working today in Central PA, you're going to be dealing with weather, thunderstorms and high wind.  If the forecasters are correct, especially the high wind.  We're under a high wind warning that begins at 0800 this morning and ends at 0800 tomorrow morning.  That means things are going to blowing all over my neighborhood.  Usually this means a stray garbage can will blow into my backyard.  

I went to my local Giant supermarket yesterday, and when I got I home I gave my lawn a really big look at and realized I'm going to need to get my little mower out.  This is what spring means, growing grass that needs to be mowed, and I don't mind.  I don't mind being outside.

And I painted more of my trim yesterday.  I only put in about an hour at time.  I should have much finished on Tuesday, the first day of my weekend.  And Wednesday I'm planning on finishing off my kitchen ceiling.  

Each day, publication for The Body Under Ice gets closer.  I'm excited.  Yesterday afternoon I finished the last of the corrections from editor #4.  Today the manuscript will go out to the fifth and final editor.  

I made shrimp Lo mein for dinner last night.  The noodles ended up getting overcooked because of printer issues.  Even though they're too soft, they're still edible.  Half was dinner and the other half is going to be lunch today.

 And yesterday was a sad day for Fox News.... so get out your party hats.  A judge has ruled that Dominion has produced enough evidence to send their lawsuit against the tabloid network to trial.  Old Rupert is going to court... again.  That old fool has been sued before and has usually settled out of court.  Not this time.  Rupert's luck with juries is bad.  The prime example is the lawsuit brought against News of the World, a now defunct newspaper owned by Murdoch.  A brief synopsis:  reporters for that paper hacked into the phone of girl who had been kidnapped and murdered, and wrote articles saying she was alive, and Rupert knew they were doing this.  Things went down badly for Rupert.  From the information that has so far been released, Rupert knew his on-air personalities were lying about election fraud in 2020 and did nothing to stop them.  News of the World was shut down.  Let's hope the same thing happens to Fox.