Another frigid morning with snow expected later today. We won't get out of the deep freeze and into the 20s until a week from tomorrow if the weather people are right. Hibernation sounds like a real good idea.

David Kaiser's new post parallels many of the thoughts I have expressed over the last couple of years. I summed up the current situation by saying that Barack Obama was the last president of the United States while #45 is the first president of an entity that will bear the name but isn't the same.

We had a couple of inches of new snow from yesterday afternoon through last night. Our temperatures did get into the low double digits but the wind made it feel much colder. We are doing what the public safety experts on the news recommend: staying inside and warm. This cold weather is predicted to linger for at least another week. Not much worth commenting on and we have been busy getting caught up on chores which languished during the depths of our illnesses over the last two weeks. Now I am ready for a nap.

Another cold morning. At least the temps are above 0* though not by much. The shopping and errands yesterday wore us out. We are still a bit tired today wishing the last of these colds would go away--soon.

I will try to work my way through the seed catalogs but I feel so far behind. I had planned to have the orders in already but this crappy cold intervened. I started editing my "wish" list--all those seeds that sounded interesting but on closer look wouldn't do at all for my small space. But I hadn't received all of the catalogs at the point where I started the list so it is time for another whack at the project.


"The Elephant In Our Midst" is an excellent title for this piece. I won't bother getting the book. I have read a lot of similar information for a long time. Some years ago I dissected the promise of "globalization" and found it wanting. The key premise (that everyone would benefit from the process with more money and more goods at better prices) was false from the get-go. Middle class incomes stagnated, jobs paying middle class wages disappeared, and we got cheap quality goods at dear prices. Definitely not a good exchange. That the wages of the middle and even low percentile workers in Asia and Africa went up fantastically doesn't surprise me. Those were paid for with our lost wages and opportunities. Those in the West who benefitted "bigly" are the ones who have been telling us the economy is doing well--and for them, it is. For the rest of us the pie is shrinking and the knives are coming out as people try to defend their positions and, perhaps, carve a piece off someone else's share.

It is bitterly cold here only -3F so far. They have changed the weather forecast and lowered the expected highs for the next three days as well. The news weather used the term Chi-beria (smash up of Chicago and Siberia, for those not from the area) for the first time in a few years. We do have to go out: we need to pay rent, get groceries and get cat litter. Our two week recovery from the cold left us with spoiled milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Plus we need to replace other staples. But we will make the trips as quick as possible and bundle up.

We got started more than a bit late because the car wouldn't start. That was frustrating because much earlier Mom started it and let it run while she cleared the snow off. It took almost an hour and a half to get through to her insurance company and get them to send someone out to give us a jump. It was annoying but understandable considering the wallop this weather has caused over such a large part of the country.

This story is interesting in light of our shopping today. We were looking for Tidy Cat scoopable litter in the paper bag rather than the plastic container. We did get it in plastic first time around but don't really don't want to discard more plastic. We finally settled on a different brand that comes in a cardboard box. We don't use as much plastic as we once did but getting it down further is difficult given the amount of plastic packaging.

Hope you all had a good holiday. Ours was very quiet as we recovered (and are still recovering) from a damned nasty cold. We used to get over such maladies quickly in three or four days at most. This time we were miserable for almost two weeks. From what I have seen on line we weren't alone. A number of posters complained about suffering the symptoms for two full weeks. We are almost back to normal physically and beginning to reestablish our routines.

The other disruption is far more pleasant--two new cats we adopted from our local shelter. Our colds hit at the time we were supposed to pick them up after the shelter had has them spayed and chipped. Mom was already too sick to drive. I was just barely able to function. They have had almost free rein here. It has been about four years since the last of the old cats exited the scene at advanced old ages. Though we insisted at the time we wouldn't have pets again we found we missed the little devils. Every now and then one should have one's life shaken up a bit. Keeps you from getting stale and bored.

I hope this link works because Robert Reich has a perfect summation of the last year and why it has been so depressing on the political front. Last year, just after the election, I wondered if #45 would be the last president of the U.S. which seemed, and seems yet, intent on tearing itself apart. After nearly a year I adjusted that opinion: #45 is the first president of something called the United States of America (but which is anything but) while Barack Obama was the last president of the experiment started seven years shy of 250 years ago.

An interesting trip down a culinary memory lane. I recognize a lot of this--like using the various canned soups as a base for casseroles or incorporating various prepared, packaged, or frozen foods into meals. As I read the piece I was struck by how much our own food prep has changed over the last decade. We have no canned soups in our pantry--at all. Well, I have to amend that: we do have a selection of ramen noodle soups as an emergency. We actually used one over the last two weeks of our recovery from colds. We don't use Crisco any more but do use butter and lard. We do some of the oils (like olive oil) for salad dressing which we make from scratch now. We don't use any frozen or prepared foods. I have told Mom frequently we are going retro in a big way.

We are both under the weather here so I don't know if I have the mental and physical stamina to comment much. You wouldn't think reading and commenting on what you have just read would take much of either but it can be exhausting.

David Kaiser has an interesting dissection of the Alabama special Senatorial election. Most of the pundits I have read follow the line Kaiser debunks: Jones (D) won because of a surge in Democrat voters especially black voters. Kaiser makes the case that there was no surge for either candidate. The vote tallies indicate a decline in actual voters but that the Republican's lost more than the Democrats did as a lot of voters simply stayed home. Kaiser's statistics seem to reflect something from the 2016 election which only one or two pundits have mentioned: Clinton lost because a very large portion of those who had been expected to vote for her simply stayed home or did as we did and left the presidential preference blank. Mid-term and off year elections as well as down ballot candidates have for years attracted fewer voters but this year's special elections have attracted even fewer. I am glad Jones won but I wish there was a clear indication the Republican voters are rejecting the bellicose, theocratic, misogynist, and racist wing of their party. I would also like to see a realignment away from the "business" factions of each party toward the mass of ordinary Americans.

This has been coming so it isn't a surprise. The NY AG is planning to join a multi-state lawsuit to overturn the FCC's 3-2 vote to abolish the net neutrality rules and no longer consider the internet a utility. Patheos has another article on the possible implications. About all I can do is vote with my feet and wallet. I love the internet but if it becomes too expensive I will do without it and I can. I can still use the library. I still know how to read books and my attention span hasn't been reduced to tweets and sound bites.

Contrary Perspective has a post that hits a couple of my buttons. I have been totally annoyed by two almost obligatory behaviors: the constant refrain of "thank you for your service" when ever a reporter interviews a veteran or someone currently serving and the ubiquitous flag pin. They are unthinking conditioned behavior somewhat like Pavlov's dogs slavering. Those are the cheapest expressions of "patriotism" that don't require any real sacrifice of time, money or thought. The author is probably quite right: it bodes no good at all for the future of this country. One could actually question whether there is a country to have a future.

On a bit of a lighter note, take a look at the jolly skeleton mosaic from the 3rd century BCE.

Another not so surprising set of statistics about which schools and degrees have the most defaults and, as the lead in says, it isn't the humanities.

Not much snow yesterday but plenty of wind. Only 21F so far. It may go lower before the sun comes up. The weather report says we may get into the high 30s with a good chance of some snow through today and tonight.

Well, they have to keep the prisons filled and petty marijuana laws do that job so well. Ronni Bennett has a post on AG Sessions' latest assault on legal marijuana.

The headline on this article is a bit of an understatement. I would say that American Capitalism isn't working for anyone under the 90th percentile of the economy. The economist interviewed for the article is careful to not tie the results to the economy generally but information is intriguing. The trend has been going on since at least 1999 so it isn't new. Also the statistics show increasing deaths from suicide, drugs and alcohol among both white working age men and, in a parallel though lower curve, white working age women. But that doesn't hold for black or hispanics of the same age and status or for Europeans. So, what gives?

I can relate to this article in a number of ways. My last academic interest (history) has been on the same path of extinction. But I have also loved some of the great writers of history, academic or otherwise. Unfortunately, those are becoming fewer and fewer. We get the celebrities but they aren't necessarily great writers. Some aren't even good writers. I don't know how many articles which should have been interesting I have started and then dropped because the writing was incomprehensible all the while wondering "what the hell are they teaching in English comp nowadays?" Will the loss of the "humanities" (including English, history, philosophy) make us somehow less human?

We expect wind and snow today with temps not getting out of the twenties. About all we did yesterday was shop. We got all the supplies for the new kittens when they come home--after they are spayed. Normally our shopping only takes about an hour--maybe and hour and a half. But we were out for almost four hours yesterday. Then we got everything put away before we collapsed for the rest of the day. We have been out of the loop on pet supplies for about the last four years so we had to find out what outlets were still here and what they had.

I found this long article which is confirming, maddening, and just plain sickening. It confirms what I have seen over the last several years: our governments are not working for "we the people" but for the corporations against us. We get nailed financially as rate payers and tax payers for service that is either unreliable, too expensive to use, or never delivered at all. The whole crony system is maddening with the total lack of accountability. The executives get paid even when the projects are never built, run up huge cost overruns, or are years beyond the promised completion date. And it is just plain sickening to think of the waste of money and resources that get the general population nothing but broken promises, bullying, and, often, the loss of land, homes, livelihoods, dreams.

It appears there are some problems with the wheat harvest this year. There is a lot less of it and it has a much reduced protein level which has bakers scrambling.

I will be taking it easy today. The muscle and joint aches I expected yesterday as a result of my fall finally kicked in. I am just glad it isn't anything worse. At my age (68) it could have been and probably would have been if I had fallen differently.

We have been watching the fires in California--thankful to be far away. But we can't quite believe what we read or see. But then we have seen so many record breaking environmental disasters this year.

So they have a study that shows exactly what I have thought all along: #45 is a big, fat, frequent liar. Not to mention self serving and cruel.

Very early right now--the sun is nowhere near ready to make an appearance. We have snow to clear from the patio and from the car. And it is cold--only 17*. I am debating which chores to tackle when. I have bookshelves that need to be dusted and books culled with all of the ones I will not (definitely, sort of) want to read again going in bags for the library. And I have the sewing/plant starting/storage room that needs sorting and cleaning. That last is going to be a long multi-day task so perhaps the bookshelves should go first.

The Archdruidess has a hilarious item: no nativity scene in D.C. this year. Can't find three wisemen, virgins are coming up short but plenty of asses for the stable.

Well, I got one of the book cases dusted and a bag of books for the library. However, in the middle of dusting the other I somehow (and I still haven't figured out how) I missed the step on the ladder. I bounced off the bed, kicked over the ladder, rolled onto the floor and bumped my head on the door. I am all right and not nearly as sore as I should be. But that ended my cleaning for the day.

Woke to a heavier dusting of snow than yesterday but still less than an inch. Most of what fell yesterday disappeared.

We had something of an adventure yesterday. It actually began two days ago when Mom was reading an article about the Humane Society of the U.S. and how much of the money collected goes to pay executive salaries and shareholders and how very little goes to actually supporting animal shelters. She gets solicitations every year for donations often with pretty calendars as "gifts." I suggested she send a donation to the local animal shelter instead--just call and ask how they wanted the check made out. She thought that a visit might be a better idea--oh, and we just might see if they had a little kitty we might bring home. Obviously I wasn't the only one who missed our little furry lap rug pests. We checked out the directions on the internet which gave two addresses and wound up at the wrong one after a long search that almost got us totally lost. The operation had moved last year but nothing indicated that on the internet listing. There are times when the 'net is wonderful and other times when it is something considerably less. To make this long story short we should have two new furry roommates sometime next week after they are spayed. In the interim we are looking around at what we should change for their safety and our peace of mind. And doing some general housecleaning in the process.

We also have to think about the things we need to get (litter, litter pan, food, scratching post, carriers) that we once had and gave to that same animal shelter four years ago when the last of the previous roomies died--of very old age. We had said "never again" and actually meant it--then. As the saying goes "never say never."

Weather update: snowing heavier and we have definitely gotten more than an inch so far.

A frigid 16F this morning. Ah, well--'tis the season and it will be with us for another three months. I am looking forward to days getting longer again. The days seem to start so much later and end so much earlier than I like. Though the time change is a part of my discontent it isn't by any means all of it.

I found this encouraging article. I have always had more books, on shelves or (now) on e-reader, than I have read. At times I could honestly say I actually read as many as 95% of them but never have I achieved 100%. I also keep lists of books I might want to read--someday. A long time ago I realized that there are far more books out there and mare published each year than I can ever hope to read--unless I achieve immortality and the publishing industry dies.

Nimue Brown has an acidic post on the current dysfunctional U.K. society that well describes ours as well. Basically our society expects us peons to work ourselves to death to not make a living. The labor force participation rate has been pegged at about 63% for the last couple of years meaning that more than one third of the potential labor force has checked out of the system. Our pundits, political leaders, financiers all think this is laziness and an unwillingness to work hard. I say it is simply realizing the truth of the inhumane society we are stuck in.

Woke to a dusting of snow and temps in the 20s. But the sky is clearing and we may have a mostly sunny day.

I am calling BS on this. Efficiency is one thing cruelty is another. But then 45's administration is short on the first and long on the second. And, if anyone really thinks our legislators are going to get off their collective duff and do something when a fair number are actually gleeful about a possible government shutdown, I know of a couple of bridges I would be happy to sell them.

I have read this kind of story for the last several years--but focused on India not the U.S. Take a look at the figures for the U.K., France and Australia as well.

Chilly today--drastic change from yesterday. Only the high winds are the same.

Remember what I said about promises being worth their weight in gold? Certain Senators are finding out the truth of that.

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Didn't get anything done except appointments and grocery shopping. I need to take the fall wreath apart and store away the decorations for next year. The winter wreath is on the door. I was looking at the plants and a couple need watering upstairs while I should transplant into larger pots.

I love Delancy Place. I don't always get the books they feature but the quotes from them are always entertaining or enlightening or both. Imagine being hung for mutiny because you were right.

Nice and sunny today. We had frost all the way down to ground. Often we see frost on the roof tops but it doesn't reach the cars or ground. We are now in the season where it does. The temperature today and tomorrow should reach the high 50s and low 60s--not at all normal for early December. But after that nothing above the mid thirties for the next ten days which is very normal. Of course it all might change--and probably will.

I stuffed all the fallen leaves I could gather in the "wall o' water" and packed them around the pot. I think I will shred some news paper to fill it more before closing up the tube and wrapping the whole in bubble wrap.

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Yesterday was a lazy Sunday. I didn't do much more than water my hibiscus and large rosemary, read the news and blogs, and read a bit on a new book on weaving. And get another couple of rows done on a new doily. I don't think I will get much done today because my neck and shoulder are stiff and painful.

Nimue Brown makes some good points which echo some developments in my own life. I remember looking at jeans about three years ago grumbling out loud in the stores that "if I wanted "distressed" jeans I would by god distress the myself." That was all we could find and I was looking because my own had finally fallen apart. Fashion hasn't been a watchword here for just about ever. We generally ask if it is useful and needful then consider the esthetics. Of course, the commercial sector of the economy would be wailing and gnashing their teeth. If they had to depend on customers like us their bottom line would really pain them.

Ronni Bennett has a good summary of the Repthuglican tax bill passed on strictly party lines in the wee hours overnight Friday-Saturday.

Ouch!!!

Nice sunny morning and I got more done than I planned. I took last year's winter wreath apart and put the grapevine frame in the shed. It is way to big for the space and too heavy for the hooks. I will construct another on one of the smaller frames. As I fixed breakfast this morning (scrambled eggs with apple/cinnamon sausage and chives) the eggshells kept falling off the tray which was very full of other eggshells. I dry them, grind them and use them in the gardens. A gardener/blogger called them "slow release calcium." I separated all those not quite dry enough (or just plain wet) and ground the others.While putting the large wreath frame in the shed I saw a "wall o' water" and wondered if it was big enough to go completely over the clematis pot. I tried it out--yes, it does fit. So I started to fill the cells but I think it has a leak. I am waiting to see if the water level falls. If it does leak I will still use it but stuff leaves between it and the pot to insulate it. The information I found on overwintering clematis noted that they are generally hardy to a zone colder than mine but they don't like the freeze-thaw cycle so they should be protected against that. Hopefully what I am doing will work.

Well, the blithering idiots (a.k.a., Repthuglicans) added enough goodies for enough of their dissidents in the Senate to get that Tax Deform Reform bill passed. Of course, no one has read (actually read) the whole thing. And they screwed enough of the lower 95% to pretend that it won't add more than $1.5 trillion to the deficit. I think the reports (so far) project an increase of only $1 trillion. Craptastic.

When health care isn't really health care but a racket.

Promises, Promises--and considering #45's track record, those promises are worth their weight in gold.

Welcome to December. We spent a nice Thanksgiving with my brother and his family. Now the Christmas sales season gets into full swing. We didn't observe Black Friday heretical as that may seem. We are apostates in the American Church of Consumerism.

A couple of bloggers I read have, independently as far as I know, written about Socrates' "three sieves" lately. The first is the "sieve of truth"--is something you want to pass on is true or not? The second is the "sieve of utility"--do you really need to know it?. And the third sieve is the "sieve of the good"--is it good? I find, more frequently of late, that what I find on the internet I pass through something like those sieves. All too often the information fails at least one and usually all three of those tests. How much that is shoved at us is true? In the Age of #45, probably not a lot and you can bet that 80% or more of his verbal diarrhea is false. Much of what is see isn't good either though some of that might be useful or necessary--like knowing that you or a loved one has a dreaded disease isn't good but it is necessary. I often say that I follow the idiots in the House and Senate to know what the blithering idiots plan to do to screw up my life.  As a result I have less and less to post.

This is the slack time for the gardens. Everything outside is either cut back, pulled or waiting to be covered for the really hard weather which we haven't seen yet. Inside I check the inside plants for water and trim the ones that grow like the weeds they once were. The lemon verbena is the one that has shown the most growth. It has dropped quite a few leaves which, if the info I read is right, is pretty normal. As long a I see new growth I won't worry. I found some lavender sprouting from the seeds I started and I have several cuttings that need to be transplanted. The hibiscus cuttings are not among them though at least two of those cuttings are looking pretty good--so far. The rose seeds haven't sprouted yet but they are  very slow germinators.

Most of the garden work is now mental: evaluating last season and planning for the next. Several of the catalogs came in the mail including the Baker Creek, which is one of my favorites. I have a list of what I plan to order started and some plans in mind for how I will arrange things once the season starts. I have read blogs by gardeners who plan meticulously but my plans always change--sometimes before I even start planting. This and my needlework is so much more enjoyable than the antics of our political clowns.