Trump Idolatry

Well, we have 53 (F) outside with rain on the way.  Possibly lots of rain.  And high winds, along with hail.  Today's high will only climb a few degrees.  Things are predicted to start warming up tomorrow.  I find that amusing when I think back to the daily highs of 15 (F) we were having back in February.    What a difference a few months make.

Yesterday was a good day.  Laundry was done.  Shopping was done.  I got a nice bicycle ride in on Majorca.  It's called the monastery ride because you cycle past a number of monasteries, however you're on a bike and you cycle past them so fast you're driving by monasteries.  I also bought 2 purpley flowers to plant next to my raised bed garden.  Flower draw buzzy bees that are necessary in pollination, which is essential for the growth of fruit and vegetables.

I thought Six's comment  yesterday on seeing a coconut that was older than many of the people he knows was amusing. I'd never actually thought of that.  In fact, I rarely think about being older or younger than people around me.  For some, this seems to be an issue with the aging process, the fact that they want to try and fit into a younger world.  Me?  I really don't care.  I talk to everyone. 

And yesterday this happened in Mar a Lago.  A group of MAGA Evangelical leaders gathered there to bless and pray for a golden statue of the Orange Anus.  There's something wrong with incorporating Old Testament idolatry into the Federal Government.  

One thing I've been seeing more frequently on the internet and social media is the idea that America might now be in the last stage of American Capitalism.  The association of capitalism to cancer is... intriguing.  This isn't to say that capitalism in in itself is bad, but that American capitalism is; we seem to be a country focused on selfishness and greed.  The last stage is in reference to stage 4 cancer, in which death is ready to start knocking on the door.  When members of Orangie's administration publicly state that it's a good thing for Americans to use credit to pay for their essentials, their food and their meds, that's last stage American capitalism.  We are in a state of financial feudalism.  At some point a break is going to happen.  Then billionaires will move into their compounds as the world's economy crashes around them.

Ain't That A Shame

Good morning, World.  Here in Central PA our temps are a chilly 52 (F).  The day was nice and sunnier when I sat down at my laptop,  but there is some serious cloudiness going on outside.  Drizzling showers are in the forecast.  The temps, however, will continue to rise in to the mid to upper 60s (F).  Our weather pattern is not going to change until Sunday, when our days will begin, once again, to get warmer.

Yesterday was fine.  I got a nice workout in before going to work.  Retail, however, was boring.  There was an unexpected and rather unwanted surprise, however, when I sat down at the flooring desk.  We've switched to a new software called Specialty Projects Tool, or SPT for short.  There were rumors this was going to happen, but no specific date was given, just as no specific training was assigned to any of the specialists.  Surprise!  Our kitchen designers have had this software for some time and they hate it.  When setting up a carpet measure we're now required to asked questions like, "What is the total budget for your project?  What 3 carpet styles are you interested in?  Which carpet style do you really love?  List them in preferred order, 1, 2, and 3."  All the questions are qualifying, the idea being that once the quote is finished the customer will automatically pull the trigger.  It doesn't work like this.  Most people don't want to give you their total budget.  Most people don't want to make a snap decision on purchasing an install.  Most people like to think about spending $4000 for new carpet.  This new software seeks to eliminate the thinking process.  Pushing this process through will, at least as far as I'm concerned, will lead to much buyer's remorse.  People who suffer from buyer's remorse are not return shoppers.

Anyway, I mentioned the fact that after I was born my grandparents, with my Aunt Lois in tow, traveled from Pine Grove, PA, down to Biloxi, MS.  I believe I mentioned that when the returned, they brought with them a coconut one of the picked up on the beach.  I still have it.  Here it is, my 73 year old coconut.  I put a coat of varnish on it to help preserve it.

I saw where the Department of Justice, with Orangie's personal attorney, Todd Blanche is going to be investigating Orangie's illegal habit of selling pardons.  The rumored understanding is that a pardon will cost you between $1 million and $6 million dollars.  Of course, with Blanche involved, this investigation is going to go nowhere.  Still, it will give the impression to those MAGA cultists sitting on the fence about whether or not to jump ship, that everything about Orangie is above board.  

And I understand that Orangie's blow bro Vlad is worried about the Victory Day parade that's to be held in Moscow.  Drones could be a real downer if they crash into it.  Vlad also has some serious concern about possibly being assassinated because... well, his little excursion in the Ukraine has taken a lot longer than 3 days.  And then there's the fact that Orbin, his henchie in Hungary is no longer in power.  In fact, so much seems to be going wrong for Vlad these days.  In fact, it seems as though Vlad's ready to throw himself a pity party.  Now, ain't that a shame.

Heaven in your Mouth

I slept in the morning.   At 0500 my alarm started chirping "good morning, the time is 0500," and I turned it off.  I've a lot planned for today, but I didn't want to get an early start... if that makes any sense.  Neither did the dogs.
Mrs. Puff's house, across the street from mine, has been sold.  And yes, her name was Mrs. Puff.  A U-Haul pulled up in front last night and a couple pieces of furniture were carried in by two men.  The streetlight up around the bend was out, so they didn't have a lot of light.  Of course, the dogs were out barking.  I suspect the truck will return, probably this later this morning or this afternoon.
Sundays are always quiet days for politics, unless the Idiot Jerk in the White House begins Tweeting some sort of bullshit.  I think an interesting thing about this impeachment is the Republicans desperately want to compare it to Clinton's.  Main differences:  they kicked a dead horse for a very long time; Clinton was fairly popular, except among a minority group called Republicans; The 'dot.coms' hit and everybody in the country was making lots & lots of money.  None of those are going to happen. 
And I've been craving coconut custard.  I love coconut.  However, I didn't really feel like putting the effort into baking one.  Instead, I opted for making something akin to a custard / pudding with real whole milk, real eggs, and real butter... and a lot of sugar.  Yum!  I should write this recipe down because this is heaven in your mouth.  In other words, this is calorie Hell.

The chocolate sauce on top (Hershey's, of course) gives it a Mounds Bar flavor.

Credit This

Well what do you know?  It's Saturday, and I'm not working.  Any weekend day off in retail is a rarity because these are the busiest days - people have off from work.  While we have been selling installations, the number of of customers getting measured in anticipation for new flooring  has dropped off.  This is always a slow period for us - the month before school begins.  Families go on vacations.  We will have to see if things pick up as we head into fall.
About 2 years ago I bought a recliner sofa and chair from Wolf's Furniture.  They offered a deal - an extra 5% off and interest free financing for 18 months if I applied for a new credit card.  Well, I liked that 5% so I signed up.  I paid the bill off when I got my first statement.  They sent me an email sometime last night informing me that the interest rate on that credit card was now 29.9%.  Of course, I don't own anything so that interest increase doesn't phase me... but Holy Mother Of God!  When I think of all those people who have balances on their cards...  my gut turns over.  The interest rate on the card we off is at 26.9%.  They are constantly at us to sign up new people.  We are told "you are not responsible for that person's finances."  This is one of the things wrong with America.  In the last 5 years credit card debt in the United States has gone from $854 million to $1.04 trillion.  This is what they call a 'bubble,' and at some time in the future it is going to burst.  And, of course, there are fools out there who believe every time the Fed drops its interest rate that drop is going to show up on their credit card statement.  These are the same bungalunga heads who voted for the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  That's why they wear those little red MAGA hats... to keep their stupidity from exploding out of their heads.
On the positive side, the Governor of North Carolina has signed in to law a ban in Conversion Therapy for that state.  That must really piss off the Crazy Christians who believe prayer cures everything... well, except for sexual orientation... and, of course that nagging credit card debt.  They simply don't understand that Crazy Christian Conservative bankers are responsible for the latter.
Finally, the Shea butter for Lily's nose arrived yesterday.  It has an interesting odor, not bad mind you, but.. unusual.  Since I have no idea what Sheas smell like, I'm going on the premise that it's normal.  I'm going to mix it with some cold pressed coconut oil that I have (that's also good for moisturizing).  This means her nose is going to smell like a little coconut drop.

My Special Nut

Well, it's Friday and the 5th day of my vacation and I... slept in... until 0630.  Yesterday was busy.  Lots of accomplishments:  weight training in the AM, 11 + mile ride in the afternoon, lawn got mowed, grass around shrubs was trimmed, and one of my wisteria vines was cut down almost to the ground.  The one in front of the house was spared because of.... a bird's nest, with 3 little blue eggs.  Hopefully today will be just as fulfilling.
One of the things done yesterday that I'd been planning to do for some time was to put a coat of Helmsman on my special nut.  Now, I don't know about you, but I have a nut which is really dear to my heart. You see, a long, long time ago, in a state far, far away, I was born.  Florida.  My dad's parents were delighted.  I was their first male grandchild.  I would carry their genes forward... oops.  Anyway, because they could afford to do so, and because they wanted to see their true heir, they took vacation and drove all the way down to the land of Florida to meet me.  I don't remember any of this, now, so am forced to go on physical evidence alone.  But one day my grandmother picked up a coconut on the beach, sometime in mid-December, 1952.  She packed it into their car and brought that nut back to Pennsylvania.  And I still have it.  My Special Nut is going to be 66 years old this fall.  Amazing, the things we pick up in life.

And wasn't yesterday a shit storm for the Idiot Jerk in the White House.  New York is suing to close the family Foundation - turns out the most favored charity on it's books is DDI (Donald, Donny Jr, and Ivanka).  Of course he freaked out.

There was also the video of the Idiot Jerk saluting a North Korean Major General (or whatever he's called).  The video I saw included a North Korean announcer shrieking his excitement in a brittle falsetto.

Oh, and the Idiot Jerk said that Kim had to do all of those brutal executions because he needed to be a strong leader and.... what the fuck?  That's right.  The Idiot Jerk said 'Kim's a tough guy, but he needed to be tough."  Translation:  if the Idiot Jerk ever gets the chance, he will start executing.  

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find a special place to put my special nut, a place where anybody and everybody can see it.