Travel Insurance

 Yesterday was beautiful.  We reached a high of 77 (F).  That was fine.  My lawn was mowed, leaves were raked, and pruning was completed on the rose bushes out front.  I've even weeded a bit.  Today, however, the overcast skies with their showers are back.  Tomorrow the forecast is simple:  rain.  That means next week I'll be mowing my lawn again.

The passport photo went well.  Maybe I'll scan one of the pictures and post it here.  Me without glasses.  I do look somber.  I suppose that's because most people don't smile, or at least not as much as we think we do.  That's something I was thinking about at work the other day, that I seem to be smiling less frequently.  But then I don't know.  I don't really spend a lot of time thinking about smiling.  So many things are running through my head, most of which are not happy, smiley thoughts, and I wonder if I've always been like this?  Probably.  Most people don't smile, unless they have a reason.

I need to get travel insurance for my trip to Greece, so I was shopping for options yesterday.  Simple coverage is not that expensive, it's when you add in the cost of getting a cancelation reimbursement that sends it through the roof.  It would be nice to be reimbursed should something happen and the trip would get canceled.  However, once I started looking at the exceptions that weren't covered, that I began to question if it truly was worth the cost.  My cousin and her husband were supposed to go to Israel and of course the war happened.  Now, the insurance company is making they jump through all sorts of hoops to get their refund, you see the insurance company still wants them to go.

The tulips at the side of the house.

Of course, Arizona's Supreme Court using an 1864 law to set a precedent on abortion in the state is roiling the Republican party big time.  I find it rather humorous.  For decades, the Republican party has catered to the the anti-abortion crowd because they saw this group as a constant, steady voting bloc.  Now that they're getting their way, the RNC has realized that all their catering is now cratering their candidates in local and state elections.  How smart is that?  But then, no one ever said the GOP was smart.  The truth is they never really thought about it.  Their only goal has been to get themselves into power.  To do that, they have turned, and twisted, and jerked themselves into all sort positions to satisfy fringe groups in order to get themselves elected.  Now... well, it seems as though they're starting to realize they've been shitting in their pants for years, and it's the American voters who are going to change their dirty diaper.  Republicans have always been more desperate than smart.

Excitement

 We have a bright sunny day scheduled here in Central PA.  Warm, too, with the temps predicted to climb as high as 78 (F).  That's really warm for this time of the year, and my lawn is going to go zoom, zoom, zoom, growing faster than you can believe.  Tomorrow, on the other hand, that temp is supposed to drop back into a more season 66 ish (F).

I have my passport appointment this morning.  It's going to take longer to drive to the Post Office than it will to have my pics taken and hand in the forms.  I am, however, going to kill 2 birds with one stone.  While I'm there, I'm going to drop of my Mail in Ballot.  One good thing is that I have my expired passport to use for my identification.  I'm going to take a birth certificate alone, too.

And, of course, yesterday was the Solar Eclipse.  I put CNN on the monitor at work so I and my fellow flooring specialists could watch.  My manager made one of those box viewers and was walking around with it.  Since I didn't buy any glasses, I hadn't planned on going outside... until they announced it over the store system. "Any associates wishing to see the eclipse can meet out in front of the building."  There were only 4 or 5 people in the store, so I went out front.  Here's blurry picture I took.  Not a big crowd, just employees passing around one pair of glasses and the box.  A few customers joined us.  I will admit I was surprised by all of the excitement.  It was neat to actually see it.  It was a dusky, not dark, and the light itself seemed to be coming through a filter... which it was, sort of, as the sunlight slipped past the moon.  I can't wait for to see the next one in 2045.

And, as expected, there were no biblical events, no Hand of God manifestations, no earthquakes, no tidal waves, just the government of Arkansas sitting tightly in their sate of emergency.  This is what happens when you choose mythology of science.  I wouldn't be surprised if there were quite a few social conservatives who were sorely disappointed that nothing did happen.  Many no doubt wished the eclipse would have been a sign, and it was, just not the one they were looking for.

Of course, yesterday the Orange Anus said he believed abortion rights should be left to the states, that was another sorely disappointing message for social conservatives.  You see, the Evangelicals want to desperately believe that he was sent by god to give them what they want, and his statement doesn't fall in line with their wants and desires.  You'd think they would have realized that everything he says has the taint of deceit, so nothing coming  out of his mouth can be trusted.

Rowing on Lake Mead

 So it's Thursday.  The spring-like temps continue.  Today we're predicted to hit the mid 50s (F), which is not bad for mid February.  Long range forecasts have our temps dropping back down into something considered more normal by next week, of course we all know how reliable long range forecasts are.

I finished playing Starfield last night by becoming Starborn.  As with most Role Playing Games, Bethesda is looking for replay value, the incentive for players to play the game again.  With Starfield, you can replay the main storyline again, or you can do other things, I chose other things.  While I did lose all of my weapons, I did retain all of my traits and abilities.  To make it interesting, as a Starborn, I've transitioned into a new universe (part of a multiverse scenario), so while they original characters are still there, they've changed.  In one universe, some of the good guys are now bad, so while the quests remain the same, you're dealing with an entirely new world.  How long will I continue to play?  Well, that all depends on when I get bored.  I might find a nice comfy planet and start building a settlement.

I tried a combo workout yesterday, rowing and then cycling.  The result was interesting.  It was the first time I'd used the laptop on the new stand, and it didn't roll as easily as I had been expecting.  I'm ambidextrous with a lot of things, working a mouse isn't one... yet, all I have to do is practice.  I did get to row with a gentleman named Kevin Scott, who has decent videos on that Kinomap I signed up for.  Yesterday he and I were rowing in Lake Mead.  What makes his videos interesting is that he changes the direction of the camera, so for a while you're seeing where you're going, and then for a short time you're watching him row.  Here's a teaser of him rowing in Tahiti.  As you might expect, it's a teaser to get you to sign up for Kinomap.

And the Supreme Court get's to hear arguments today on whether states can kick Trump off of the ballot.  This is not the same as when they have to decide if he has immunity, if they even take that hot potato.  I find the entire thing fascinating.  Conservatives so desperately want the court to give them a pat on the head (that's why they loaded it), however they are a minority.  While they did backflips of joy when Rove v Wade was overturned, it has cost them elections, which shows just how shortsighted they are.  Ballot initiatives enshrining abortion rights in state constitutions are easily passing, ripping their joy from their dark, tiny hearts.  Even in Florida, that Cracker Jack Crazy land of DeSantis, the state Supreme Court look dubiously at Republicans efforts to keep on such initiative off of the ballot.  Florida conservatives are going to fail.  Can you hear me laughing?

The Very Good Thing

 Let the Weekend Begin!  Well, I suppose that for some people the weekend began at some point yesterday afternoon, but not me.  But then I always work on those days people like to designate as the weekend, which means that this afternoon I'll be going to work.  Yippee! (Well, maybe not so much yip as EE).  The weather's supposed to be nice, with temps reaching the mid 50s (F) with full on sunshine.  In fact every day for the rest of the week, the forecast is the same, no changes.  

Now that the birthday is over, it's time to start working out again.  I don't know, but for some reason, last week I was... well, rather lethargic.  Perhaps that was the result of some undisclosed depression about being another year older... or, and more likely, I was just feeling very lazy.  That happens, more often than not.  

I made cream of cauliflower soup yesterday since the temps were on the chilly side.  It's quite tasty.  It's one of the recipes that came with that Mediterranean Diet thing I signed up for that turned out to be a bit of a scam as their focus was to basically sell you as many supplementals as possible.  Believe me, I have no problem taking well researched supplementals, however the vast majority of them are crapola.  If you do choose to supplement you diet, keep in mind this will be a long term regime, at least 3 - 4 months before they even start to do what they're supposed to do.  They are not magic bullets!

And here's another picture of my white roses that I took yesterday.  With this warm weather, I have no idea how long they're going to be lasting.

And what about those yak head Republicans in Ohio?  Wait, I probably shouldn't say that, it's insulting to yaks, and as far as I know they're quite friendly beasts, so maybe I should just call them scumbag Republicans.  For those who don't know, this past election the citizens of Ohio overwhelmingly voted to enshrine abortion protections in their state constitution.  Republicans in the state, however, have come out and said they're are not going to abide with this decision.  That's right.  They don't give a shit about what the majority of people think.  This is what authoritarianism look like.  Thanks to this election, however, they cannot enact and restrictive legislation without it going to the Supreme Court who, thanks to Alito, said this is the state's responsibility.  This is a lose, lose situation for Ohio Republicans because if they try anything they're going to be voted out of office.  That would be a very good thing.

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.

Ian

 Well, if you're living in Florida, today is going to be Wet Wednesday.  Tomorrow, too.  Up here in Central Pa, this morning was the briskest so far.  A chilly 47 (F).  Our high today might reach 66 (F).  And, right now, the dogs are still sleeping.  Not me, of course.  I already have a load of laundry in the washer.  

Later this morning, I have a dental appointment.  There was a time when I had my teeth cleaned professionally twice a year.  As I get older, that's dropped down to one single visit.  I have no problem with that.  My dentist will, as usual, talk to me about having two crowns and a bridge installed in my mouth.  At my age?  That ain't gonna happen.

And, even later this morning I will call and make an appointment for someone to put in a washer hook-up in what used to be a walk-in closet.  Not that it isn't going to be a walk-in anymore.  Things are just going to be re-arranged.

Yesterday, Ronnie DeSantis had an excuse of a presser to tell the world things were moving well ahead of Ian, making sure to emphasize that Biden hadn't talked to him.  At that time, Ian was expected to weaken.  That smarmy assed loser should have realized Ian had something else in mind.  Overnight Ian has strengthen to a very strong Category 4 (nearly a Category 5) hurricane.  The current forecast has him smashing into the state south of low lying Tampa and then slowly heading north through the center of the state.  Suddenly, this morning Ronnie had praise for the White House.  The fact that Ian might possibly tear Florida in half probably has a lot to do with his change of attitude.  Three hours ago, he had a sustained wind speed of 155 mph.  There go the mobile home parks.

For those who didn't catch it, Frankie Graham had a meltdown regarding one of his beloved anti-abortion protestors.  You see, this loser was arrested for breaking the law, and Frankie believes Christians are allowed to do that.  The Cracker Jack Crazies are blowing this way up and out of proportion because they believe they are special.  Can you even begin to imagine how frenzied they'll be in November if the Democrats win enough seats in the Senate to bypass the filibuster and pass a women's health care law?  Frankie's brain might just implode.

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