Saturday.

One of the weather reports this morning said the low temperature we achieved overnight was the lowest in 120 or so years.  We are debating when we should ask the maintenance crew to help us put the storm windows in.  Those windows are too much for us to handle.  The report said our temperature got up to 62 yesterday, very cool for this time of year--but my thermometer on the patio only read 55.  If we get sun I will get some more of the gardens cleared.

"We're living in a third world country now."  Some of us.  Others of us are still in the consumer driven world where retailers are trying to reignite the spending orgy of the past.

Charles Hugh Smith on the flaw in capitalism--it doesn't value what it can't put a price on.

Sunday.

Didn't get much in the way of sun yesterday so all I did was look out there window at the gardens.  Temperatures are still cooler than normal but should be a bit warmer than yesterday.

Monday.

We did get sun yesterday but I had no ambition at all--as you can probably tell.  I don't know what I will get written for the first half of this week because we have a busier schedule than usual.

This makes me very glad that I have never, do not, and will never live in Detroit.

If this Grist post is accurate the California bill to ban plastic bags has passed and is awaiting the governor's signature.  What I found interesting is the comment the author made that the only way a shift to paper bags would truly better than the plastic is if customers reuse the paper.  I wonder how many will do so.  Consider the conversation we have had several times at the stores that still have baggers.  Bagger: Paper or Plastic?  Me: Neither. Canvas.  Bagger: HUH!! as I had over my own canvas bags.  We do go to one store that gives paper bags and I keep the one we get and reuse it until the risk that it will break is unacceptable.  Then I put books I intend to give to the local library in it--so it serves one last time.

Gore Vidal has a very sensible take on the so-called "War on Terror."  I would add that WoT is also a fraud.