No Tresspassing

Today's temps should be climbing into the mid 80s  (F) today, before another cold front moves through the area and drops our temps back into the 60s (F).  We do know, however, that forecasts can be whimsical as hell.  According to last week's forecast, yesterday and today were supposed to be overcast with drizzles, and we had sunshine and warm temps.

The funeral went well.  There was an open casket viewing and my cousin Robin and I agreed that my aunt Lois looked very waxy.  That's one good reason to be cremated, no one's going to critique the mortician's talent at trying to make you look lifelike.  After the service there was a reception at my cousin Holly's home.  It was small, maybe 20 people or so, most of whom I didn't know.  Many anecdotes were told.  Panera catered, which meant tasty sandwiches.  Everything went well until the conversation turned to sports, and teams, and well... subjects I am totally unfamiliar with, which was my cue to make my exit.  

I also got a nice workout in yesterday morning.

I'm off today because it's Tuesday. so I have some chores that need to be done this morning before I get a bike ride in this afternoon.  I'm thinking of planting some flowers around my raised garden.  There's nothing wrong with a little color.

And the Strait of Hormuz is still closed.

Iran said that it damaged 2 ships, one a South Korean tanker, and the administration says it didn't happen.  Unfortunately, the South Koreans have put out a statement noting that they are going to be reconsidering sending ship through the strait after one of their tankers was damaged.  Why does the administration lie so much?  Well, if you've ever worked for a large corporation, you know that the CEO is never wrong, and never makes a mistake.  We have one of the dumbest, dementiated CEOs in the world destroying this country, so should we expect anything else?

There are primaries today in several states and the GOP is looking for just the slightest ray of light, a small morsel of hope indicating that the midterms are not going to be as disastrous for them because of the Orange Anus.  As a side note, evidently the administration staff is being tutored with power point presentations on how to deal with a Democratic run House and Senate.  Somehow, I don't think they've told Orangie this is taking place.

Tunnel Vision

Outside the sun is shining brightly on Central PA.  The temps are a bit cool, sitting at a chilly 52 (F), but this afternoon things are going to be warming up.  Forecasters are telling us that we should be hitting the mid 60s (F).  This is Spring.  It's May day.  Summer is only a month and a half away.  I can't wait.

Retail was very slow yesterday.  We might have missed our plan by $100,000.  Wow!  That's a very serious dollar amount to be off.  Is it the economy?  I'd say yes.  One of my tile installs came in to go over her quote.  Some things were cut out to bring the price down.  She did not buy.  She told me that she's waiting on one more quote to come in.  She also asked if we were going to be lower than that quote.  If she thinks we're going to price match, she's wrong.  She did seem pleased when I told her that even though product prices might go up, the quote was good for a year.  I got the idea that she's planning on waiting about a month to make a decision.  

Otherwise, yesterday was pretty meh. 

My aunt's funeral is on Monday, so this morning I put in a bereavement request.  I can't remember if we get bereavement pay for aunts and uncles, though for some reason I think you do.  I think the Orange retailer I work for considers them part of your immediate family.

My friend Chris, from Greece, is in the Himalayas.  He sent this picture with a comment about it being more than 999 steps.  This is in reference to the staircase up the side of a cliff in Palamidi, Greece.

Evidently Scott Jennings, a cultist on CNN is taking a short break.  He announced this on Monday, and then last evening dropped the F bomb against Adam Mockler, a young, outspoken Liberal on TV.  People are calling for his break to be made permanent.  We shall see.

And in their haste to destroy the Voting Rights Act, the conservatives on the Supreme Court failed to look at how easily Democrats might turn it into an advantage.  This is because conservatives live for tunnel vision.  There is no big picture for them, just that tiny pinprick of reality at the end of the tunnel.  The fact that Blue states could do exactly what they want the Red states to do never occurred to them.  But then this has always been a problem with Conservatives.  They're only interested in how the policies they live for will effect themselves.  The fact that those same policies might be weaponized against them never reaches the state of a cohesive thought.  I don't doubt that it bumbles around in their brains like some nebulous incredulity, as they scratch their heads curiously saying, "what?"

Crush This

 So, this is hump day for some of you.  Wednesday is always one of my days off, meaning this will never, ever again be a hump day for me.  I'm okay with that.

Tomorrow is my aunt's funeral.  There's a viewing at 1000 I had planned on attending but...  There is Omicron.  One of our associates died from Covid last week and quite a number are out sick.  Should I or shouldn't I?  I don't mind going into work because the store is huge.  Tomorrow, however, will be in a funeral parlor where the ceilings are not high, and there will be a long line of people waiting to give my four cousins condolences.  And since my aunt was elderly, mostly there will be a lot of old people there, old Republicans, to be precise.  As I type, I'm rapidly talking myself out of attending.

And yesterday Microsoft dropped some big news!  They're buying Activision / Blizzard for $67.8 billion and paying in Cash.  Now, I know some will shrug this off with a "I have no interesting in gaming," however this is bigger than gaming.  This involves the Metaverse: AI, Cloud Services, Virtual Services, as well as gaming.  This company owns one of the most popular mobile games in the world.  People waste their lunch time at the store playing this game, and I'm sure everybody out there knows its name:  Candy Crush.  By the way, I hate this mindless, little game.

Finally, yesterday court papers were filed by the New York AG claiming there was 'significant' evidence that Ivanka Danka and Donny Jr lied about their property, inflating and then deflating values to either get a better loan or to pay less taxes, thereby defrauding banks, and investors, and the Federal Government.  Why doesn't this surprise me?  This is what we should expect from a crime family.