Welcome to The Moose Pond! The Welcomings posts give the Moose, old and new, a place to visit and share words about the weather, life, the world at large and the small parts of Moosylvania that we each inhabit.
Welcomings will be posted at the start of each week (usually Saturday night with a Sunday date). To find the posts, just bookmark this link and Voila! (which is Moose for “I found everyone!!”).
The format is simple: each day, the first moose to arrive on-line will post a comment welcoming the new day and complaining (or bragging!) about their weather. Or mentioning an interesting or thought provoking news item. Or simply checking in.
So … what’s going on in your part of Moosylvania?
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NOTE: The comments page will split off after 20 or so left margin comments with the most recent comments on the current page. To see the older comments, scroll to the bottom of the page (right before “Leave A Reply”) and use the Pages Tool to view previous pages, shown here with 3 pages of comments available and Page 2 circled.
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Good “morning”, Motley Meese! The week begins …
Morning low of 72 degrees in the Desert Southwest 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 99. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
Have a great day, all y’alls!!
Good morning. When even Texas news stations are running stories about how to stay safe in the heat, you know it’s really hot. Last night’s music diary was lots of fun, there are so many breakup songs in the world. Today: cooking, church, more cooking. Hope everyone has a good day.
Good Sunday morning Meese.
Posted
It’s 73 heading for 90, sunny at the moment, and I just closed up the house. Yesterday we generated 15.24 KWHs and the m-t-d at 114.21 lost a little more ground.
Finished my Sunday housecleaning chores. My back is not happy. At least the tremors are no longer obvious. And it being warm, my hands don’t ache, which is a blessing right there. I expect my son this afternoon with, among other things, a whole pork loin he will cut into chops for me. So I’ll be grilling about a month’s worth of pork chops with the electric/clamshell/George Foreman grill later today. Meanwhile I need to be about my boosting day. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good Sunday morning, Moosekind! It’s overcast and muggy today, current temperature 74 F. Yesterday Dearly called General Services to turn on the air conditioning, for Goddess’ sake, so that happened. Now it’s TOO cold. We’ve been opening windows here and there. I’m going to reset the temp. to 78 F.
Had a freaky experience this morning. I went to the garden quite early to cut some parsley for the Great Sunday Breakfast Tease for Dearly. My Early Girl tomatoes had black edges on the lower edges of the plants! WHY? Have we had a little too much rain? I cut them off and disposed of them in the trash can nearby. Annoyingly, the tomato plant I bought by mistake and take no interest in is BOOMING, getting ready to burst out of its cage, with no black leaves, nothing! That’s the Roma tomato. I want nice, medium tomatoes so I can make tomato and lettuce sandwiches, never mind the bacon.
(While we’re on this subject, the chefs here use FAR TOO MUCH meat and too much feta cheese, putting both into dishes where they have no business being.)
Anyway, I came back to the apartment and was plating Dearly’s breakfast when I suddenly saw a THING on one of the parsley stems! I screamed and hastily threw it in the trash can. It was a small green THING with black spots. Who knew that parsley had predators? Anyway, needless to say, Dearly didn’t touch the parsley as usual, and even I didn’t feel like eating it today.
What an exciting life I lead…ha! I’m going to the gym in a minute to row. I’d like to see whether I can get up to 30 minutes. After lunch and nap I need to go out and buy a little dead chicken for dinner.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!
{{{Diana}}} You’re thing was probably a Monarch butterfly caterpillar. They prefer milkweed but will take parsley in a pinch. (And Roma tomatoes make fine BLTs in my opinion. They don’t get mushy like some of the “slicing” tomatoes do.) Hope your day gets better. Moar {{{HUGS}}}
OMG, have I murdered a Monarch butterfly caterpillar? I wish they came with labels. I’m just not a Nature Girl. It’s been a couple of years since I had a garden plot, but when I read that Orange was slapping a 35 percent tariff on Mexican products (apparently most tomatoes come from Mexico), I decided to grow my own. But my Early Girls are being assaulted. Sob!
First world problem, as usual. :)
If the food you are trying to grow is succumbing to a fungus (what it sounds like) that’s not a 1st world problem. I can’t help you with that. My entire vegetable garden AND my fruit trees all succumbed to a fungus carried by (invasive) honeysuckle. That’s the major reason I don’t garden any longer. If the Roma is growing great guns, I hope you are willing to eat the tomatoes. I like Romas. They’re firm and flavorful. But I’m about 1000 miles away from you so. . . Moar {{{HUGS}}}
Monday Meese. Glad there was no rain yesterday for the NYC Puerto Rican Day Parade.
Good morning. I’m not doing this from my phone, so I don’t have flower pictures to post. Just a rainy morning in Austin. Thinking about the people in LA, hope all stays peaceful (from the military side, I’m not worried about our people).
Ditto, another!
Good morning, meeses! Monday …
It is 73 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 100. Sunny skies are in the forecast. I saw the moonrise over the mountains in the clear evening sky and then high in the sky when I went to bed. I am not seeing her yet in the early morning (my favorite time) because she is setting before I get up. The good news is that tomorrow morning she will be visible in the WSW sky since she won’t set until close to 4:30am. If she is obscured by the buildings to the west I should at least be able to see the moonglow on the wash.
I am pretty sure that in no one’s scenario of a Trump 2.0 did “send the Marines in to take over California” show up on the list of things likely to happen. I am really not sure how we survive this. Even if the actuarial tables catch up to the Felon and his unhealthy habits, his VP is not much better. The only hope from a President Vance is that it would likely diminish the power of Stephen Miller which is where most of the brutal federal policies are originating. tRump is working to amass wealth, for him the cruelty is secondary. For Miller, the total destruction of everything good and decent about America is the goal.
I had a very productive weekend and reset a project I was working on and now have a time certain for implementation and a list of tasks. Hurray! I am hoping that I can get in for a haircut this week and my pharmacy wants me to schedule a COVID-19 booster. It seems early so I am going to verify that it is needed.
See all y’all later!
I’m a ditto head this morning. Completely agree!
BTW, Dearly has just gone to Kaiser for his Covid vax. I seem to think I had mine earlier this year.
I had my COVID vaccination last September so I am on a Fall booster schedule. I was thinking about getting one now but I read yesterday morning that there are some new variants that might be covered in a Fall booster. Now that RatFKjr has fired all the vaccination experts who decide what should be in the vaccines, I should probably at least get covered for the current variants now and not wait until there is literally no vaccination against COVID.
It’s 68 heading for 85 and sunny. Yesterday we generated 21 KWHs and the m-t-d at 134.9 gained a little ground. And may gain some more today.
The house is open for a bit. I actually got almost 8 hours of sleep so I don’t know why I’m so groggy today. But I am. My son and his wife are leaving/have left on a trip to Springfield today. He didn’t have time to cut up a pork loin for me so he just brought a 3-lb “family pack” of boneless loin chops. Dang things are so thick that even at double the time grilling (from what I do with the chops he slices for me) I’m not sure all of them are cooked all the way through. That’s OK. They’ll be sliced or cubed and cooked some more in other dishes, not just eaten as is. My friend is visiting/being company for a childhood friend who has cancer treatments today and tomorrow. She’s staying with her in the motel the Cancer Center sends its overflow to and will be home/here tomorrow after work. I’ll get the news from her then.
Meanwhile, groggy or not, I need to be about my boosting day. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good horrible Monday, Moosekind! It’s overcast and 72 F. in Ashboring this morning, going up to 80 F. The sun did try to appear a little while ago, but gave up in disgust. Happy to say we received 3/4 of an inch of rain yesterday.
Yesterday was blissful in the sense that I had NO ITCHING AT ALL! But then, last night, I took a shower, which I badly needed. Even though I used the most nonallergenic soap I could find (some variety of Dove), I itched horribly on my left side. I’ve slathered on Clobetasol, a strong cream, but I’m not supposed to use it more than twice a day. To hail with that! The left side of my face is swelling, the skin of my stomach is itchy and red, and my left shoulder as well.
I’m seeing the allergist on Wednesday. His office has tiresomely sent a link to a Portal. I hate this! They tried to get me to fill it out on the phone, but my fingertips are old and the skin has worn smooth, so it’s very difficult to do anything on the phone.
Enough about that. When Dearly returns I am going to go to the gym OR ELSE! I have a Board meeting at 3:30, which is likely to be protracted as two outsiders with enormous egos will be speaking. Good thing I’ve thought of something easy to make for dinner!
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond and puleeze, Goddess, make the itching STOP! I’ve changed my bath soap, body lotion, laundry detergent, and dryer sheets. Don’t know what else to do.
{{{Diana}}}
Try the Grandpa Soap Company soaps. I can use the Pine Tar one in summer, mostly as a shampoo. I can use the Oatmeal one any time. Healing Energy. Moar {{{HUGS}}}
https://grandpasoap.com/bar-soap/
Thanks, bfitz! I love oatmeal. Some friends are suggesting that I may have developed an intolerance to gluten. Huh? At my age?
It’s possible. If you’ve always been sensitive to it but the symptoms were so minor you either didn’t notice or you attributed it to something else, those symptoms could easily become stronger, strong enough to identify, as you age and your body becomes more sensitive to everything. Healing Energy & {{{Diana}}}
Good morning, 62 and sunny outside my window today. Ava and Sophie both graduated on Saturday and thanks to photos and YouTube I watched their big day from the comfort of my garden. I wish I could have been with them but my old knees can’t manage stadium stairs and seating now. Oh well, thanks to modern devices I can follow along regardless. Best wishes to all.
When I went to my daughter’s college graduation, it was in a ginormous football stadium and I had issues with the pitch of the steps and exiting safely with the crowds. You were wise to stay home and watch it on a stream.
Yay, Ava and Sophie! So glad you were able to watch through YouTube. Did their parents take them out for a celebratory lunch?
Good morning. We had a protest here last night, the cops & DPS escalated things and there was tear gas & “less lethal” rounds used. News isn’t reporting injuries — they are talking about differences between local police & DPS response and how the governor would be allowed to call out the national guard. Anyway — hi. Getting ready for work.
{{{anotherdemocrat}}} Yikes! and stay safe. Your guv, like my guv, is already fascist and would love an excuse to call out the Guard on peaceful protesters. Stay as safe as you can.
Good morning, meeses! Tuesday …
It is 73 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 99. Sunny skies are in the forecast. Last night we watched the moon rise between the peaks on the mountains and it was spectacular. This morning I was up a little earlier than usual and was able to see the moon and have her looking over my left shoulder while I was working in my office for about 10 minutes before she went behind the buildings. She is at 99.2% illumination this morning and will be full in the early morning tomorrow at 12:43am so tonight will be max “waking time” fullness.
I am not sure I see how the deployment of troops in clear violation of the laws of the United States will end without a bloody civil war. The Supreme Court won’t weigh in because they know that the man they made king with their 2024 rulings will ignore them – because they made him king, for fks sake!! It is good to find out now that “escaping to California” is not a viable option given how easy it is for the federal government to push aside a governor. I should take time to map out a Mexico plan and calculate how long I could live there before I ran out of money.
See all y’all later!
Here is the view from my phone camera. The moonrise was during the alpenglow time which turns the mountains orange.
Ooh, how lovely! Thank you!
That’s gorgeous! Thank you. I had cloud cover when she was rising and actually slept through the night so didn’t get up to see her out my bedroom window as I usually do when it’s clear. (And I don’t have mountains to see her through anyway. LOL.)
Good Tuesday morning, Meese. I don’t think we have a hope of seeing Her Strawberry Moon Fullness tomorrow night, as clouds keep coming and going. Right now the blue is thinly veiled by white smears, but earlier there was a black, stormy-looking thang that moved merrily away, as usual. The current temp. is 74 F., with a projected high of about 84 F. Sniff.
I had a HORRIBLE night which involved being awake and scratching from 2:20 to 3:30 a.m. I gulped down breakfast and called the damn medical center as soon as it opened. Told the guy who answered the phone that I don’t know whether I have shingles, eczema, or leprosy, but whatever it is, it’s driving me mad. I can’t jump off the roof to end it all because I need to look after Dearly.
So now I have an 11 a.m. appointment with a woman doctor I’ve never seen before and whose name I have no idea how to pronounce. I’ll take some Boredom Insurance with me, so if they keep me waiting I can accomplish something. All this is ruining my unending quest to be the most boring elderly female in America.
We are being advised by our precinct captain to wear hats and a mask, to keep our hands free, and to go with a “buddy.” I’ll certainly do that for the demonstration in Leesburg Saturday afternoon. I’m going with Betsy.
The Board meeting did last until 5 p.m., so it was just as well I was able to put dinner together in minutes.
My niece in Burbank hasn’t responded to my text as to whether she and her family are all right. She periodically suffers from fits of depression and migraines, so I’m used to the “no reply” mode. I wish she’d let me know they’re all right, though.
That’s enough of my ramblings. Y’all behave and play naicely, y’hear? Wishing a good day to all at the Pond.
It’s 68 heading for 90 and sunny at the moment. Yesterday we generated 21.9 KWHs and the m-t-d at 156.8 gained a little more.
We got cloud cover for a very short period of time on either side of sundown – just enough to cover the moon so I didn’t see her last night. Oh well. We’ll see if I can view Her Luminousness tonight. Went grocery shopping yesterday and discovered cocoa is starting to disappear from the shelves. My son thinks climate change but Suzanne thinks tariffs. They’re probably both right. The weather this year did kill a lot of fruiting buds across the spectrum of tree fruit. Including cocoa trees. So that would reduce the amount of cocoa to be had. But it’s all imported so the tariffs would do the rest. Sigh. I’ve ordered enough online to get me through the year. We’ll see what next year brings. Or doesn’t bring. Anyway, so far the other things I buy – cheese, frozen OJ & veggies, oatmeal, popcorn, that sort of thing – are all there and about the same price as it’s been since the Covid price gouging set in.
Off to start my boosting day. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good morning, 55 and sunny today. Lisa and John are hosting a family party for Sophie on
Saturday and my part is to arrange some flowers so I’ll start collecting greens today. I’ve got the garden ready for summer but I’m very relieved Lisa and Erica are doing this event because my knees are not stable right now. I’m relatively ok when using my cane or walker but if I try to carry things and walk with out assistance I’m at risk of falling. I hope this is another flare and not the way it’s going to be but time will tell. Best wishes to all.
Good morning. We’re getting much-needed rain, and it’s keeping our temperatures below 100. I hear it’s supposed to rain in DC on Saturday, terrible shame that. Getting ready for work.
It’s 70 heading for 87 and sunny. At the moment anyway. Yesterday we generated 21.59 KWHs and the m-t-d at 178 gained enough more to be on track. We’ll see how long that lasts.
I sort of saw the moon sometime early this morning – as in before the sun came up but I didn’t check the time – when I got up to use the facilities and decided to open the windows in my room while I was up. I haven’t been able to see her because her path this month is so low in the southern sky the trees hide her. But there’s one spot just far enough west to be seen from my bedroom window where the tree cover is sparse. So I saw her through the branches of a tree. Still beautiful, of course.
Not much else going on. My friend is spending her time working, sleeping, or dealing with getting enough clothing together so she can continue working and sleeping. She’s discovered her current tier of health insurance doesn’t cover mental health except through the company’s urgent care hotline. Which she needs a PCP referral to. (Some “urgent”. snort.) Wise enough to know she should check out more than one lawyer before posting a retainer and getting started. Too tired to do it. She’d hoped to get a counselor first. Well, obviously that’s not going to happen. (I hate insurance companies.)
Anyway, she’s off to work and I’d best be about my own. Or at least get a start before taking a break to close up the house. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good Wednesday morning, Moosekind. It’s 73 F. with hazy sunshine (Canadian wildfire smoke), going up to 85 F. later.
I’m off to see the allergy doctor in 3 minutes. Last night I woke up twice to scratch. This morning my left mammary gland is swollen to twice its natural size and the whole area of my abdomen is pink and swollen. If I don’t get a prescription for prednisone THIS DAY, I’m going to sit on the floor of the doctor’s office and bitch until I do.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond. I’ve been in agony from the itching and swelling since Sunday night. See you all later!
{{{Diana}}} Healing Energy. Moar {{{HUGS}}}