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, 40 and cloudy. My bedroom window is still open but the breeze is chilly so it’s time to close it, wash the screen, change to a flannel duvet cover and accept that fall is here and winter is coming. RonK is continuing to feel better but he’ll be glad to have the knarly stitches on the side of his face removed. He is continuing to write photo blogs but is posting them on Substack now. His are all free to read if you want to do so.
As I suspected arthritis is advancing so my coping and activity plan needs to change too. Reading Keith’s (PT) report from yesterday’s visit was a bit sobering but I’m glad to have his help again. So today I’ll edit my gardening list, do what I can, and try to do no more. As always, my best wishes to all.
Thursday Meese. Yesterday was a nightmare. My husbands’ computer was “locked” my a program called Microsoft Defender – which is a scam which unlocks you after telling you that your bank account has been seized by scammers and the Feds etc. are investigating- so go to the bank and take out all your cash and turn it over to a Treasury agent – sounds crazy? Well it’s not. Have been reading up. So his puter (and mine) were hacked – and I spent hours at the bank fixing the situation and then with Geek Squad who removed the crap the scammers installed on his puter.
Ack!
Puerto Rico
That’s awful about the hack! The mother of one of my clients had the same problem and it was a mess. They had her account and her password and with that you can do anything. Fortunately, as in your case, she could go to her bank in person and fix it. I can’t imagine the nightmare if you lived miles from your bank and did most of your banking online. I am glad you got it sorted out.
The problem is that there is a valid Microsoft service named “Microsoft Defender”, that is the name of the built-in anti-virus program that comes with Windows. The malware looks legitimate enough to trick a lot of people. The red flag for everyone is that anytime anyone asks for your bank account information, it is a hack. No legitimate company will ask for that over the Internet and certainly not in a pop-up window.
Yikes! on the hack. I’m so glad you were able to get it dealt with. Healing Energy. {{{HUGS}}}
Jeez, Denise! That’s awful! That’s exactly why I keep all my financial stuff on the Mac. Figure if it’s hard for me to get in, it must be hard for everyone else.
On my Lenovo PC, which has Microsoft Defender, I was hacked once. Luckily I got out of it unscathed, but a friend told me that if it happens again, to unplug the computer immediately.
Melissa
This is so awful. And of course, these are countries that Marco Rubio’s State Department won’t give a rats ass about helping. Even if the US government were open, it would not matter – all foreign humanitarian aid has been zeroed out in the MAGAt budget. :(
Good morning. Till yesterday, we were still having highs in the 90s. Front blew through and now it’s actually chilly, I wore a big warm fleece for my walk.
It’s 41 heading for 58, no windchill, and clearing off. We may actually get some sunshine today. Yesterday we generated 1.73 KWHs and the m-t-d at 193 lost more ground. Although if we get a truly sunny day today it is possible to reach 200. Not likely but possible. And still tomorrow to go. It’s not possible to reach 210 by end of tomorrow though. So 2023 will cede last place to 2025.
According to Suzanne/aashirs nani NM is stepping up for SNAP recipients. Only 1/3 of the usual funding but at least folks will be able to get groceries next week. And Aji can breathe. She was able to raise about $1700 for grocery store cards but that’s nowhere near what’s needed to replace SNAP for even the 20-and-counting people/families who’ve already applied to her mutual aid group for help. Being Aji she was really tearing herself up over that. If the fed doesn’t open up again, or at least use the emergency SNAP funds to actually, you know, fund SNAP, there’ll be another panic-fueled fundraiser in 2 weeks. So prayers up for the better possible outcome.
Natalia’s tired and stressed and I wish I could do more for her. But I can’t so I’ll just have to keep doing what I’m doing and pray – as I do for everybody else. And had best get to my boosting to do just that. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
I saw that Maine’s governor announced that she was going to help keep people from starving. Arizona’s governor said that they don’t have the money and the legislature, filled with MAGAt christianists who think that “feed the hungry” is just a suggestion not a command, don’t care. :(
I haven’t even looked to see what AR is doing. Because I pretty much already know.
AZ Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs found $1.5 million that the state can give to Food Pantries and provide vouchers for Farmers Markets. It is a drop in the bucket but Arizona Republicans are like JD Vance “yes, people will suffer and possibly die but we have to remind them who is in charge – our donors.”
Good morning, meeses! Thursday …
It is 63 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 86. Sunny skies are in the forecast. I finally saw the moon yesterday afternoon, rising in the clear blue skies to the ESE at about 2:30pm. It is out of my sight before it gets dark. I think we will see her in the dark skies on the 31st, just in time for Halloween and the Día de los Muertos celebrations. It is, as you can imagine, a big deal here with our vibrant Mexican American community. I wish it weren’t so difficult to get around, I would like to see some of the parades.
My car spent the night in the shop and will be finished today. It turned out to be a bigger job than expected and there were additional parts that needed to be ordered to complete it. I got a ride home and will get a friend to take me to the shop later today to pick up the car. The good news is that the additional repairs will take care of an issue that was going to be a problem and addressing it now will give me peace of mind.
I have been watching the World Series this year and rooting for the Canadians to take home the trophy. It would tick off the MAGAt King and it would be satisfying to see that a team, the Los Angeles Dodger$, that has a billion dollar payroll can be beaten by a gritty team with a bunch of guys who show real emotion when they hit home runs, make great plays and win games. The LA celebrations look choreographed and wooden just as one would expect from a group of millionaires playing for the big bucks.
Next week Women’s College Basketball starts playing regular season games. I have watched a few of the Exhibition Games and they are not really telling me a lot about the teams. The Wisconsin Badgers look like they have a lot of enthusiasm, the Arizona Wildcats, I am afraid, are not going to be very successful this year. It is difficult to start with a whole new set of players with no ties to Arizona or Tucson – not a single player from last year is there – and try to turn it into a team. The Big 12 pegged them to finish 12th out of 14 teams, I think that is generous.
I have been working on setting up projects for the end of year push. I can’t believe that it is almost November! October and really, September too, have been blurs.
See all y’all later!
Good Thursday morning, Meese, from Ash-no-longer-quite-so-burned. We had steady rain all night long, so blissful. It must have been heavy at times because the floor of the porch is wet all the way up to the middle. Slept beautifully all night long. The current temp. is 56 F. under cloudy skies, going up to 62 F. later.
Now the porch is drying although the sky is still cloudy. I hope the rain has put a dent in our severe drought.
This morning I have to interview someone at 11 about how a diabetic fares (literally!) in the restaurants here. I will try to get hold of the social worker after that. She’s always in meetings! I need someone to come over and help Dearly sort out his meds.
My outrage organ is so flabby at this point I just don’t know where to look. All I can do is contribute money and vote for Democrats.
Hope Dee and her hubby will recover from their freakout. What a horrible thing to happen!
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond.
I was reading a hopeful article that the Virginia and New Jersey elections, as well as the California special election to offset the Republican illegal redistricting moves, look like they may become landslide referenda on The Felon. I am not sure if it is a good idea to scare the Republicans that they may lose their majorities – it will possibly just accelerate their moves to abolish Congress and have the MAGAt king rule by fiat.
Good morning, 43 and cloudy in Bellingham today. RonK got carried away moving leaves around yesterday so he needs to rest today. He gets his stitches out tomorrow. I go to the lab this morning and then I have a stack of table linens to iron and put away so I’ll be in my sewing room this afternoon. Best wishes to all.
I am sure that you were “delighted” to hear that the US will start nuclear testing again. People have such a short memory of how awful that was. I hope that the Republicans running Nevada will draw a line in the literal sand that they will not let their state be used to fluff up the Armageddon aspirations of the MAGAt’s king. Goddess help us all.
“Delighted” indeed…..doesn’t take much to trigger memories of my bombs away childhood.
Friday/Halloween Meese.
Melissa
Puerto Rico
I wondered how long the NFL would be able to withstand the pummeling from the right-wing. I am sure that the Republican commissioner and the Republican owners were getting an earful.
So there will be a special concert for christian white nationalists and then a half-time concert for the rest of America. Bastids.
Good morning. Happy Halloween, Blessed Samhain, and Happy New Year. I’m a Book Fairy again. It’s easy, and work-appropriate. Figuring out how to use my phone as home internet because the complex is ending Spectrum tomorrow and I don’t believe Google Fiber will just seamlessly take over.
It’s 36 heading for 64 and sunny at the moment. We actually got 7.18 KWHs yesterday and the m-t-d is 200.23 – not possible to reach 210 today but we could get a lot closer to 2023’s 209. And it is more than I use in a month when we’re not running A/C. At least I hope it is. This has been a 1-person household for all but the last 5 months of the life of the system thus far.
Natalia and I got haircuts last night. Sort of between birthdays (mine was Oct 20, hers is Nov 4) gift to ourselves. I took a spare mask in case they didn’t have any (as they haven’t the last 2 times I’ve been there) and somehow magically they have masks. Actually I think they have a new manager and she is concerned about cold & flu season. The other birthday celebration thing but not on the actual birthday we’re doing is going to a local concert next Thursday evening and possibly even for a drink afterwards. LOL.
Meanwhile – Happy All Hallow’s E’en &/or Samhain. I’d best be about my boosting day. (Aji’s still CFing for grocery store gift cards b/c 30% funding is only 30% funding even if a whole lot better than no funding.) Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good morning, meeses! Friday and Blessed Samhain 💀…
It is 63 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 82. Sunny skies are in the forecast.
My car is still in the shop due to a mistake over the parts order. I am promised it will be ready today. I have a doctor’s appointment that a friend will get me to this morning and then I will have her drop me off at the repair shop where I can stare at them until the work is done. I have finally found the limits of this particular repair shop’s ability to maintain my old vehicle and will start taking my car to the dealer again. The repair shop has to order the parts from the dealer anyway and I need to cut out the middleman – the dealer will know exactly which parts are needed and also has loaner cars available when repairs go over one day. I found that I can’t be without a vehicle. Sometimes it takes an expensive and painful jolt to get right-tracked.
I shall celebrate the New Year tonight and tomorrow. I wish there were a way to have a fire to focus my intentions – I will conjure up (!) memories of Samhains past for the visuals. I have a lot of things to talk to my ancestors about tonight, life changes, hopes and dreams – and a chat with my recently departed brother who was a master auto mechanic. :)
See all y’all later!
Good Friday morning, Moosekind! Wishing a blessed Samhain to all who celebrate it. Let us toast the New Year in cider tonight and hope that 2026 will be better than 2025!
I kinda miss handing out candy on Halloween to little ghosts and goblins. My little boys used to call this holiday “Hallow-Leen.”
This morning I made cranberry muffins and delivered them to my neighbors while wearing my Witch hat. I’ll wear it later this morning as well, when I hand out fortune cookies with my fellow Witch, Tamara. We do this every year and it’s great fun. The weather is VERY windy this morning but sunny.
Right now it’s 49 F. in Ashburn, going up to 56 F. We received 1.16 inches when it rained, which is a nice little gift.
This afternoon they’re going to have cider and doughnuts and award prizes for Best Costume in one of the parking lots. I might dress up as Princess Diana (I have a little tiara and a short blonde wig) and go along to see what I can see.
Jan, I like your idea of communing with those who have gone Beyond. I wish I could receive messages from my parents, whom I miss every day of my life. Alas.
Wishing a good day to all at the Pond, and healing for Ron K.
Good morning, 40 and cloudy in Bellingham today. RonK gets his stitches out today so his Halloween looking face should look less alarming. The skin graft is under a large bandage that is stitched in place so it’s very visible and and has made wearing glasses difficult. Crossing all digits we have a reprieve from melanoma worries.
Looking at the falling leaves brings so many memories. Our kids loved Halloween, and the carpet of leaves added to the drama. We don’t have many trick or treaters now but I’ll make sure the sidewalks are free of wet slippery leaves. We’re going to our son’s house tonight for some Halloween fun with our grown up grand girls. Best wishes to all.
Good Saturday Meese. It’s 48 here going up to 53.
Puerto Rico
Goddess help us, they plan to launch the illegal invasion of Venezuela from Puerto Rico.
Good morning. Loving the newly chilly weather. I’m going to need a jacket going to kickboxing. Hey, these days we take the wins where we can.
It’s 46 heading for 54, overcast but less than 25% chance of rain. Yesterday we generated 5.58 KWHs and wrapped up October with 205.8 – at least it managed to get over 200. The closest we’ve ever gotten to 200 in November was 199 in 2015. The lowest we’ve done is 165.76 in 2019. I use ~180 in a month that doesn’t do A/C, which obviously I’m not doing in November (although if I still lived in TX I might have to), so 180 is my target. We’re off to a lousy start for that. sigh
I’ve got cinnamon raisin walnut bread in the oven and the house is beginning to smell lovely. And now I’d best be about my boosting day. Holding the Good/Healing/Protecting Thought for everybody. {{{Meeses}}}
Good morning, meeses! Saturday, the Dia de los Muertos celebrations continue …
It is 57 degrees in Tucson 🌵 with an expected daytime high of 82. Sunny skies are in the forecast. The moon was high in the sky yesterday afternoon as she heads to full on November 5th at 6:19am MST.
Prayers lifted for those harmed by the shortsightedness of those who voted for garbage people in 2024 because the price of eggs was too high – they literally put in power an administration determined to cull the weakest in order to amass obscene wealth for themselves and their donors. Our country will be forever be changed by those shorsighted people plus the selfishness (and ignorance) of Gen Z males who were told – and believed – that their jobs were taken by unqualified women and minorities and that a return to white male superiority was the solution. How can you undo what has been done, can we ever trust in the political process when it delivered what we are seeing now? How do we keep people believing that there is a way we survive as a nation? Maybe our ancestors, while the veil is thin, can inspire us to keep the flame of decency burning until we can get through this.
I woke up refreshed having survived a very trying week and have many things to do today to tie off loose ends and plan my November.
See all y’all later!
Good Saturday morning, Meese! Sunny, chilly, and windy again in Ashburn. Right now it’s 51 F., going up to 62 F. later. There’s a full moon on November 5th! I must try to get out and look at the moon at night.
Today Dearly plans to drive himself to McLean to get his sutures out, and since he doesn’t need me to go with him, I can go to the gym for the first time in weeks! My figure is awful from not going to the gym. Also, since I’m now the one who does the dishes, I’m losing my fake fingernails like mad. I do wear gloves to load the dishwasher, but hands can’t always avoid getting into water. Bummer. Still, if that’s the worst problem I ever have, I am fortunate indeed.
Election Day is Tuesday, of course. Tomorrow I have a Zoom training at 2, even though I have been doing this for years and already know what to do. It does not require a genius-level IQ to hand out sample ballots. Anyway, Tuesday will be tiring, since it involves standing and smiling. I hope to Goddess we win!
Need to get ready for Saturday. Wishing a good day to all at the Pond!
Posted:
Good afternoon from rainy Bellingham. The garden is full of wet leaves, thankful we can just let them be for the lawn service to collect. It was fun to be with family last night but one small dog is now gone, Emma was working, and Ava was busy with a friend. So we had a quiet dinner, reminisced about our busy Halloween memories, put a few snickers bars in our pockets for the drive home and then went to bed early. Best wishes to all.