A Typical Week

Our winter activities were typical this week. Pam worked inside the house. I completed a few projects in the garage. Frosty weather created a few photo opportunities.

Last week I mentioned that Pam had started an upgrade on the main floor. This week she completed more painting of the ceiling trim, plus hung some new curtains. She also began the task of sorting and packing Christmas decorations. A busy girl.

I continued an upgrade of my garage work space, adding another storage rack and more shelving. A trip to the Rochester, Minnesota, Menard’s lumber yard yielded the storage rack, shelf brackets, more insulation to be installed, and new wheels for my table saw stand.

The frosty weather, mostly freezing fog that created rime ice, gave rise to a few photo opportunities.

And there were other odds and ends: my sharpened saw blades came back from the lumber yard, Pam measured a stretched-out Elmo at 31 1/2 inches long, and we received our stimulus checks via direct deposit into our bank account. Life goes on even if not documented in any particular way.

While I try not to get into politics in these posts, the events of last Wednesday concern me. Those Capitol rioters tried to interfere with the peaceful transition of power from one administration to another. That transfer is, perhaps, the greatest strength of democracy. To interfere is illegal, un-American, and un-democratic.

One candidate lost and another won. There is no evidence of anyone “stealing” the election. The 60+ lawsuits filed in the courts all found “no merit” in the claims of ballot irregularities. The election was fair and clean. Biden and Harris won.

There is much the Biden – Harris administration will have to clean up before they can begin to move this country forward. However, if Trump supporters refuse to believe in evidence and refuse to accept election results, America as a democracy can not survive.

I could go on (as I am quite angry), but better leave with these comments. As I write this, over 360,000 people have died of COVID-19 which Trump called a hoax. The National Guard had delegated 6,000 men to keep order at the Inauguration, an event which is supposed to be a celebration of the democratic process. The nation is deeper in debt and politically divided as never before.

I would encourage anyone reading this to reconsider the words of the Pledge of Allegiance we have all uttered over the years. “..to the United States of America…” Allegiance not to a person or political party, but to the country. To democratic processes. That is the glue that holds democracy together, and without it, democracy will fail.

Photo Archive

From a trip to Vancouver, British Columbia in 2004:

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Penny

Himself and I have worked VERY hard our whole lives, frequently performing tasks we didn’t really enjoy at all. We anticipated enjoyment in retirement, livin’ the life, setting our own schedules. The continued refurbishment of 702 Main in Elma, IA is our transition project between the work hassle of the past, into the leisure zone. We deserve to enjoy “the fruits of our labors,” as the saying goes.

Then “Bam!” – a virulent worldwide pandemic hit hard, followed by the Big Orange Liar fermenting political violence. Events certainly not on our original retirement radar. My range of emotions in reaction to horrible numbers of COVID deaths and POTUS-directed insurrection is wide – anger, disgust, fear, extreme sadness, a tumult of many more. The political fallout penetrates even rural Iowa.

As a result, be forewarned, family/friends – I am no longer conciliatory in the least toward political idiocy.

Be Safe. Happy Trails.