August 9, 10

 Well, my plans for today got shot down by a quick trip to the bank. I had an e-mail alert for a withdrawal I didn't remember for an amount I didn't remember. The matter was resolved quickly and my memory was at fault abetted by my sloppy record keeping. But I think an easy not-doing-much day is in order. I don't know what I will find to comment on but let's see what else is in my e-mail.

10***********************************************

Another hot day. I got out early and watered my few plants. I won't be clearing any more pots til the temperature drops to real fall levels. The local news has been focused on the back-to-school precursor to fall. The gradual closure of beaches and pools, the fall events and music, and so forth. A couple of bloggers I read who are rural have, as one put it, "called fall." They see the small changes which indicate to them that things are changing. One of them are speeding up their winter preparations like getting in hay, feed and fire wood. They have a long standing rule that they will have at least a three month supply of everything they need to cover the very real possibility of being snowed in so thoroughly that they won't be able to go into town.

I haven't seen any of the local changes yet but I haven't been out as much as I used to be. We live in a moderate sized city where the roads are reliably cleared and our landlords have crews who take care of the shoveling. 

Is any one really surprised by this post from CROOKS & LIARS? Some of us are increasingly unable to recognize what  the country we used to claim is becoming. By the end of this presidential term I doubt any one will recognize it. Even if the Republican political machine is stymied in the next off year elections I don't thing we will get back to what used to be normal. The new normal will be very painful. Bette Davis delivered a line usually misquoted as "Buckle up. It's going to be a bumpy ride." Yeah but most of the jackasses giving us that bumpy ride feel entitled, sanctimonious, and won't feel the pain.