Sold Their Souls to the NRA

 Hello Sunday Morning.  I'd like to say the skies are clear and blue, though I can't because they are overcast... somewhat, meaning that there are breaks in them with the sun shines through.  Today and tomorrow are supposed to be nice, but showers are in the forecast for Tuesday.  

I checked the results of my bloodwork last evening, though didn't print them off.  My glucose is a bit high, but then it's always a bit high.  Everything else is ducky.  This means my doctor is going to tell me I'm borderline diabetic, after which I'll remind him that I'm borderline everything, so why not through diabetes into the mix.  

Lunch today is going to be salmon.  While I truly like the cheesy scalloped potatoes with ham, it is the sort of solid meal some people still enjoy.  For me to eat it 3 days in a row would be rather extreme.  I'd feel as though I had a spare tire hanging around my gut.  

Business was slow yesterday, except for the garden department.  We talking about our fiscal plan in flooring, wondering if there was a human being behind the process or if they simply left everything up to computers.  I suspect there's some peon who's told to press the button to initiate the process in order for blame to flow down hill.  

Here's a pic of my Itoh peony bushes.  This is the first year for the one to bloom.  It the one in the foreground of the picture.  I can't wait to take pictures of the yellow blooms.

And, of course, the coronation was yesterday.  I paid no attention, though this morning both the New York Times and The Washington Post, published several videos showing King Charles III looking very poufy in his white ermine cap and purply, jewel studded crown.  I, for one, would have no problem if the monarchy faded away entirely.

There was another mass shooting in Texas again.  Ten people dead, including the gunman.  The Guardian made a point on saying there have 198 mass shootings since the beginning of the year.  I don't know where they've all occurred, but I'm betting that a majority of them have been in Red States because the NRA pays Red State Republicans beaucoup buckos to vote pro-gun.  The shootings are only going to get worse.  For Republicans to change course on gun-control would mean they'd have to admit they'd sold their souls to the NRA.  That will never happen. 

Flagged

Today is my Hump Day and it also happens to be a Friday... as well as Payday.  Wow... I forgot what that's like.  I did a bit of a double take when I looked at my bank account this morning.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with making money, however, there is also the cost: working 40 hours a week as opposed to 25.  Things that I've noticed:  after walking 14,000 + steps at work, my legs are a bit more tired when I get on the bike.  I'm also riding later in the day which leaves less time later in the evening for writing, video games, and working on my Greek.  

The Idiot Jerk in the White House signed an Executive order yesterday pertaining to Social Media.  If it ever makes it through the courts, which is highly doubtful because of the laws already in place, individuals will have to sue.  As a tinfoil dictator wannabe, this is how he vents when he gets smacked back.  Twitter smacked him back again last night when it flagged one of his Tweets regarding Minneapolis.  You can't see it unless you click on the little warning flag.  Now, the rest of the media needs to show a little common sense in reporting this.  Noting he was flagged and then show the Tweet in it's entirety is a total failure.  There's a reason it was flagged, of course, they're seeing it as a way to grab the readers eye.  You see, there's a group of very stupid people out there who desperately need to know what he said.

I feel bad for the people of Minneapolis.  Do not worry, Derek Chauvin will be arrested for murder.  I suspect that's the reason he was terminated so quickly.  Cities are learning, when horrors like this happen, act fast and prosecute.  That's the only way to begin to cool down a bad situation.  Show that justice exists and the police force is not exempt.

The new earbuds worked well last evening.  The difference in sound quality between them and the Senso buds is quite distinct.  I should have invested in a better earbuds a long time ago.

Finally, a picture of my peonies.  They're nice.  The pink ones are out front, this bush is by the side of the house.

Pink Peonies... and other stuff

Well, I'm starting this a bit late this AM, I had the alarm set for 0430 but the dogs decided they needed to go 'potty outside' at around 0300, so I turned off the alarm and got up around 0530.  I'm thinking I may have to rethink my schedule again.
Yesterday we had storm warnings all day, and only one thunderstorm went through around mid-afternoon.  I was worried we'd have constant storms all night.
The pink peonies are in bloom.

And, of course, the wall of roses in my front yard is prepping for their first display of the season.

This is the top of one of 3 bushes

And, on the political scene - things are not just too peachy for the Idiot Jerk.  He's shrieking, and moaning, and Tweeting.  North Korea's blaming the administration for the failed summit.  The Pentagon is asking to send 5000 - 10,000 troops to the mid-east.  We just gave another $16 billion to America's farmers - tariffs, you know.  Oh, and he just signed an Executive Order instructing "all" intelligence agencies to give his henchie, Billy Barr, all info, classified and non-classified, on Russian interference in the 2016 election.  And all that happened in about 20 minutes, yesterday.  

For those who didn't know, Merrick Garland is the judge of the hour... the week... the month... and the year.  The Idiot Jerk's taxes... you know?  This is what you call Karma, or, if you're religious, Justice.  I'm sure that when Mitchy McTurtle heard this knews he turned his head slightly to the side and mutter and quiet "Oh, shit."

Finally... Theresa May is resigning.  Is this the end of Brexit?  Nope.  It just means the divorce is just going to get messier.  And all those bobble-headed voters who thought this was going to be an easy process are rethinking their votes.  Maybe I should try sending them all a picture of my pink peonies... that might brighten their day.

Impatience

Holy crap!  I was mistaken!  Instead of having to work 4 days before my next days off, I only work 3!  Today's my hump day!  Now, that's a nice surprise.  It isn't that I don't like working, honestly, I don't really mind going to the store.  There is, however, that desire to do other more constructive things hours with that 40 hours per week, like spend time putzing around my yard.  Growing things is fun and prettiness is the reward.  Here's a shot of this year's first rose.

The individual doing the edit on The Body in the Tower is working ever so slowly.  I'm be honest.  My patience is beginning to wear thin.  If I'd known dawdling was going to be involved I'd have never offered the job.  When I start a project, I finish a project.  Chop Chop!  Pardon my French, but I don't 'dick' around (and that's not really French, but I thought I should give a warning for my more sensitive readers).
Evidently China is not going to back down when it comes to tariffs, and that means we most likely have a problem.  It's not so much that their going to teach the Idiot Jerk a lessons, he's unteachable, so instead they will teach America a lesson:  There's a price for electing a dumb shit.
Oh, and I guess Theresa May's on her way out.
Here's a shot of one of my red peonies.

It will be completely open sometime later today.
I want to pick up some hostas tomorrow before leaving work to plant in between the tulips along side the house.  I want something to get big and green which doesn't require a lot of care.
And my impatience may get the better of me.  I may do another quick read through and publish.  Believe it or not, it's been 9 months and I'm ready to give birth.  I really am itching to get started with The Body in the Well...  shit!  that was supposed to be a secret!

All about my Peonies

Okay, so it's Thursday and I slept in.  I stayed up late watching TV.  I was looking through Amazon movie listings and saw "Fiddler on the Roof."  I hadn't seen it in about... oh... forty some odd years and remembered the songs.  There are some really good dance numbers.  So, I paid my little rental fee and sat back preparing to enjoy a little trip down memory lane.  While the songs and dances (done my some very talented male dancers) were everything I expected, I was surprised by the humor, and not in a good way.  I was quite disappointed by all of the bad Jewish stereotypes.  Times have changed.  It's kind of odd to think someone thought a musical-comedy about the breakdown of tradition, anti-Semitic racism, and forced immigration was a good idea.  If someone decided to do a Spanish update using Guatemalans rather than Russian Jews, do you think it would get off the ground?
And Alabama passed the most restrictive anti-abortion legislation in history.  Their old, fat, white female governor signed it into law.  They're hoping it will go to the Supreme Court.  Dumb shits.  It will never get that far because it is so blatantly unconstitutional.  Dumb shits.
Finally, let's get to the meat of today's blog.  My peonies.  Now, I'm sure there are some of you out there who think I just need to fix my spelling.  Well, you're wrong.  You see, I have some of the largest peonies around.  In size, no one can even come close.  On one bush alone I have over 60 buds.

And that's just on one bush... I have several... bushes, that is.  What is nice is that they don't require any special care.... no special handling.  And the blooms are big, easily the size of a dinner plate.  Every year I post pictures.  You see I'm really quite proud and like to boast about the size of my peonies.

LESSONS

What a difference a day can make.  Yesterday the temp hit 86 (F) and I turned on the ceiling fans, every one in the house.  We had a balmy, summer day right in the middle of spring.  I'm sure the mulch pit at the store was freaking busy.  Just about everybody buys mulch this time of year.  Today, however, the temp is going to hover around 48 (F) and there is a fine, misty rain which worsen until we have downpours later this evening.  In fact, the next 3 days are supposed to be shitty.  Wednesday, though, is forecast to be nice.  If this happens to be the case, I may take my new bike out on the road!
The Itoh peonies were planted south of Little Stonehenge (my description) and have been properly caged.  Never let your peonies run free!

I saw an interesting opinion this AM on Democrats using "impeachment" of the Idiot Jerk as a means of getting elected in the coming Blue Wave.  While author illustrated well the difficulties of impeachment, there is a greater lesson to be learned:  Don't Beat a Dead Horse.  The Republicans have never, ever learned this lesson which is why the Benghazi hearings seemed to run for an eternity.  The only people that waste of American tax dollars connected with were those already going voting for the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  They changed no opinions, yet those crazies on the right could not stop beating that dead horse.  The same thing with the Clinton email scandal.  The only ones angered about that were the ones who would vote Republican even if Stalin were on the ballot.  The only way to get this loser out of the White House is to make his life difficult.  Don't threaten him with impeachment... go after his finances.  Making his attorneys squirm is the key.  The loyalty the Idiot Jerk demands has always been purchased.  Put a better offer on the table and that loyalty will disappear.  This needs to be the difference between Democrats, Centrists, and Independents when dealing with Republicans.  They see an opportunity and pick up a club, when we see an opportunity we need to make a better offer.  We need to learn our lessons well.

Lack of substance

Well, it looks like the weekend is here.  How do I know?  The Idiot Jerk in the White House flew down to Florida for a game or two of golf.  I, myself, have to work today, of course I do have tomorrow off.  For the next three weeks they have me scheduled 40 hours each week.  Sorry, but this is spring and there's things I need to do, so I've started requesting one vacation day per week; 32 hours per week is fine for me.
I have this new bike, you know, that I want to ride outside, in the sunshine, over hill and Dale...  well, maybe not Dale, I don't know anyone by that name.
One of the many things I need to do is plant the new Itoh peonies I bought.

That's right, they're yellow.  My garden seems to be filling up with roses and peonies, which is fine with me.  Oh, and tulips and daffodils - I've got a boat load of each blooming every year.  There's also wisteria around the front porch which I'm probably going to rip out, and a holly bush down at the end of the sidewalk in need of some very serious trimming. 
And didn't the Stock Market like... well, tank yesterday?  Bloomberg has called it a horror week.  Oops.  But then what more could you expect from the Idiot Jerk.  He has lost several fortunes because of his flawed business principles.  His ethics are geared towards his personal greed.  For whom will a Trade War be most beneficial?  The country... or the Idiot Jerk.  What you really need to do is examine who's going to come out better financially.  Oh, and also keep in mind the Idiot Jerk has no sincere concern for the average American.  They are little more than fodder.
Time is running out and that Crazy Conservative group of minorities is totally clueless.  They've fudged the numbers so many times their fiction is now their preference.  Fiction is not solid.  Flexible words are easy to spin when they have little weight, or substance to ground them.