Leaf Curl

 After a number of days of being very productive, I have to admit that yesterday was not.  There were a number of things on my agenda, but few were completed.  Mostly, I blame the candy.  I never buy candy, however yesterday morning, while at the store, I picked up 2 bags to take to the store.  Big mistake.  I was fine for about hour after getting home, but then temptation reared its ugly head and I ripped open the bag of Payday candy bars.  It was all downhill from there.  I ended up chowing down on candy bars, watching the news, and taking naps. I have not stepped on the scale this morning as I am certain it will break.  

I did discover what's wrong with my nectarine tree.  I have leaf curl. And it's not only on my nectarine tree, my peach tree is infected, too.  Leaf curl is a fungus.  Normally, it's dormant until you have long, drizzly days when the rain lasts for more than 10 hours.  Well, we've had that.  We had that last year, as well.  The only treatment is a copper spray which needs to be applied in late winter, before spring rains arrive.  Well...it's a bit too late for that one.  I did mark my calendar to buy some in late February.

And, of course, a number of states held their primaries.  A lot of people are cheering that Madison Cawthorn lost is primary.  Me?  I'm thinking maybe he should have squeaked out victory and then let a Democrat take him out in the General Election.  Now the Democrats of North Carolina will have to deal with a candidate who comes across as more normal.

In Pennsylvania?  We have big John Fetterman as the Democratic candidate to replace Pat Twomey.  The Republicans race is too close to call, and there is a good possibility it may force a recount, which is never good for a candidate since breeds hostility.  Barnette, who lost, has already told the press she will not support another candidate, so the bloodletting continues.  This is what happens when you build a party of selfish individuals who refuse to compromise.

For Governor, the Democrats have Shapiro, who has handily won every campaign he has waged.  He'll be running against the Cracker Jack Crazy Doug Mastriano.  Doug is a radical MAGA, to say the least.  He was in Washington on January 6 and has pushed The Big Lie extensively.  Many in the GOP are of the opinion is too much of an extremist to win.  An example:  Last evening he claimed that Jesus was behind his victory.  No separation of Church and State in his playbook.    

The Power of Love

 Well, yesterday was quiet.  Today will hopefully be the same.  We had a bit of snow, easily shoveled.  My car was cleared off and ready to go... and I went no where.  No need.  Believe me, it's nice not to have a required destination point.  

The weather today is supposed to be cold.  If the forecasters are right, we should top off at around 29 (F) which is below 0 for all you people using Celsius. Tomorrow, we're not supposed to expect warmer temps.  It's not until Sunday that our thermometer is going to once again rise to 40 (F).

By the way, Sunday, the day I return to the Specialist grind, is Valentines Day.  Translation:  there will be boodles of candy waiting for me at the store.  Candy can be good.  I don't buy it, so the only time comes my way is when someone else buys, or provides.  

As for it being Valentines Day?  I am not now, nor have I ever been a romantic person.  For adults, valentines gifts between each other tend to be a prelude to a fun night between the sheets.  The need for some to celebrate that by having a 'special' day doesn't make sense, as if that were the only day in which you're allowed to show your feelings.

Anyway, the Kaiser Chiefs have released a cover of The Power of Love to celebrate this one day, which is, I suppose, their way of intimating they'd like to have sex with each and every one of you.

And I the Democrats wrapped up their Impeachment charges yesterday.  They warned the country our failed president might try again to steal an election, might incite a riot.  Their problem is that it wasn't just him, it's most of the Republican Party.  For them, Make America Great means Make America White.  They are trying to stop the forces of nature.  The world is changing.  America is changing.  They are desperately hanging on to the vestiges of a belief system which denies science.  They hate science.  They hate the fact that time will mute their voice eternally.  Even though many Republicans would love to screw you over, they, themselves, will never know The Power of Love.

Candy Day!

 Well, what can I say?  It's Candy Day!

In lieu of a Holiday Party, my store is celebrating the 6 days of Christmas, starting today, and we get Candy.  I love candy!  This is something I rarely buy for myself since I understand all it really represents is a really sweet sugar rush.  Most people don't understand, there is always a little bit of a crash after you eat candy.  The more you eat, the bigger the rush and the deeper the crash.  You run around like hell for a while and then you want to take a nap.  

Oh, and for those of you in warmer climes, it's a bitterly brisk 17 (F) degrees outside.  That's chilly.

And my Strava has posted my stats for the past year:  2079 miles on the bike, I climbed enough hills to reach a height of over 88,000 feet, and 188 days out of the past year I was on my bike.  I'm happy with these stats.  Also, I'm heading into my slowest month, which is January.  And an interesting tidbit:  I rode on more Tuesdays then any other day of the week.  Nifty, huh?

For those of you who haven't heard, the United States is suffering from the worst hack in history.  And the Idiot Jerk's blow bro Vlad is responsible.  This is what happens when you put loyalists and lackeys into positions of authority.  The Department of Defense has suddenly put a hold on their transition meetings until January 5.  They say it's a Holiday Break.  Right.  The truth is the Russkies have been prowling around the DOD's computers since March.  This is why they were so happy when the Idiot Jerk got elected, they knew this wannabe tinfoil dictator would leave the back door standing wide open.  The terrible thing is that this is exactly what the Conservatives voted for when they voted for the Idiot Jerk.  Ain't gonna be no sugar high with this one. 

Reese's candy catastrophe

Evidently there's this big to do going on about Reese's and their peanut butter Christmas trees and, since the Reese's factory is just down the road from me, I thought I might as well comment.  First of all, you have to remember that this is a piece of peanut butter candy dipped in milk chocolate.  Secondly, this is mostly to be eaten, not looked at.  I don't know anybody who unwraps a piece of candy just to look at it.  In fact, there is only one reason this candy tree even exists, and that is to be eaten.  You're not going to frame it and hang it over your mantle.  You're going to take a bite out of it.  It should not be about how it looks, but how it tastes.  Get over it people.  Still, there are those out there who want it to look a lot like this:

Gee, now ain't that cute.  Bet it's homemade.

What's actually inside the wrapper is something like this:

Now, I'll be one of the first to admit that this does not look a lot like a tree.  And I will also admit that perhaps Reese's went a little too far in calling it a tree.  Christmas lump might be more apropos.  But then I also have to admit it is just meant to be eaten.  In fact, the truth is most people will unwrap this bulk produced candy and shovel it into their mouths with out so much as a curios glance.  People, get over it!  There are more important things to think about in this world then they way a freaking piece of candy looks.  Like... will I be finding the new Fallout Four under the Christmas tree this year.

On men eating men

While at my local Giant Supermarket this morning, I saw they had set up their Valentine's Day candy display.  Since I plan on buying candy for my 81 year old mom, I strolled down the aisle expecting to see the standard chocolate chickens and bunnies and candy Easter eggs.  However, I was more then a little surprised to see "The Perfect Man" among the candies.  Of course, he was milk chocolate, but he was only wearing boxer shorts patterned with little red hearts.  That's cute, I thought, snapping a picture.  It wasn't until I got to their fresh meat section that it struck me as being a little off.  Besides straight women and gay men, who else out there would want to eat another man?  Where were the chocolate babes with big titties for all those straight men and lesbians who want a sweet treat?  Now I happen to work with a pretty boy named Troy who was, unfortunately, born with a voice that modulates up and down like a chicken's.  Were I to put a bowl of those chocolate men in the break room, you'd hear him squawking from one of the building to the other:  "Where the babes?  Where the Babes!?

And you do know that if they did have chocolate babes with big titties for sale, certain women would start cackling about sexism.  I'm surprised they only put out milk chocolate, because you know there are certain individuals who prefer dark chocolate and others who want their chocolate white.  Or maybe they tried to cover the white chocolate base with the boxers.  It sort of puts a new spin on the phrase "eat my shorts."  Truthfully, you don't even know what grade of chocolate was used.   Good?  Bad?  And it's just plain chocolate.  No nuts.