Palmer Divide Quiltmakers - Thursday Night!

 I'll be speaking about appraising, how it's useful -- and what to look for, valuewise. Please join us!

The guild info is here.

We meet the first Thursday of each month from 6:30-8:30pm at Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce building. Our meeting location is 166 2nd St, Monument, CO 80132-7952

And if you'd like appraisals done, I'll be doing that on Friday for the guild -- at a discounted price. Contact them, or me: cindyjbrick@gmail.com, or 720-849-7105 (texting's best).

Now That's Dedication

 

Should have brought it flowers, too...

Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Our Crazy World, Politically and Olympically Speaking

     Normally I reserve my rants for Mondays. News lately is just nuts, though...and I can't stand much more. Up on the soapbox -- here we go.

WEIRDNESS #1:   The French Olympics committee (reluctantly) confirmed that the posed tableau of drag queens and others, centered on a Jesus-themed figure (sort of - with halo, no less), was meant to mimic DaVinci's Last Supper. Like we didn't know this. 

They originally denied it, claiming it was 'just a misunderstanding,' and couldn't figure out why Christians and religious figures everywhere were outraged. After all, the segment:

“depicts a great paean feast in which the gods of Olympus take part. In the foreground is the god of wine — father of Sequana, goddess of the Seine — portrayed in a comic way by the singer Philippe Katherine,” referring to the moment a nearly naked man painted blue from head to toe is “served” on an oversize platter on the table in front of the performers.

(Oops. Forgot to mention him.)

Thomas Jolly, the director (and originator, I assume) had an interesting defense: 'Everyone else uses it...so it's ok.' (The Last Supper wasn't even mentioned in his first message. Apparently he thought we were all too stupid to notice.)

Well, not posed with Dionysius and drag queens galore, Buddy. This was NOT Jesus's message, or DaVinci's...and you know it.

On with the fun.

* * * * * * * * *

WEIRDNESS #2:   According to Christopher Wray, the FBI Director, maybe Trump was just struck with a piece of glass or something:  

Wray had sat before Congress on Thursday and said: “With respect to former President Trump, there’s some question about whether or not it’s a bullet or shrapnel that hit his ear.”

                You have got to be kidding.

    I'm not clear here. Are you saying it was an accident? A bottle thrown by a bystander? A playful miss or love tap, instead of an assassination? Trump himself said he felt it go through his ear. And Rep. Ronny Jackson, his former White House physician, who examined him afterwards, said there is "absolutely no evidence" that it WASN'T a bullet.

Humph. What would they know.

    Fortunately, all was cleared up when the FBI issued an official statement:

  "What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, whether whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject's rifle." 

    The deputy FBI director cemented this during testimony in Congress:

FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate made the admission as he offered condolences to the victims of the shooting in Butler, Pa. – which also included the fatally shot firefighter Corey Comperatore and injured rally goers James Copenhaver and David Dutch.

“And to former president Trump, who was also struck by a bullet fired from the shooter’s rifle,” Abbate said, noting the agency is treating the assassination attempt as domestic terrorism.

Oh really.

Trump issued a statement, saying that he "fully accepted" Wray's "apology."  (The Director didn't apologize, by the way.)

* * * * * * * *

WEIRDNESS #3:  Acting Secret Service Director Rowe said, during testimony in Congress, that he was "ashamed" of the Secret Service's actions during the Butler, PA rally. 

Ya think?!?  (My dad's favorite expression for such matters.)

After hearing the former Secret Service director's feeble defense that the roof was 'too slanted,' among other inconsistencies... it's about time. (It also came out that snipers were on the roof that Crooks used -- but thought it was "too hot" and left. Apparently the other roof they used, also in full sun, was just fine.) 

“Based on what I know right now, neither the Secret Service counter-sniper teams nor members of the former president’s security detail had any knowledge that there was a man on the roof of the AGR building with a firearm,” Rowe revealed.

“It is my understanding those personnel were not aware the assailant had a firearm until they heard gunshots,” he said. “Prior to that, they were operating with the knowledge that local law enforcement was working an issue of a suspicious individual prior to the shots being fired.”

He added that he has since visited the Butler Farm Show grounds, where he “identified gaps in our security” and instituted “corrective actions” to prevent another shooter like Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from opening fire at Trump or any Secret Service protectee.

“I laid in a prone position to evaluate his line of sight,” Rowe told members of both committees in his opening remarks. “What I saw made me ashamed. As a career law enforcement officer, and a 25-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend why that roof was not better secured,” he confessed.

“I can assure you, we’re not going to make that mistake again,” he vowed. “When our counter snipers are up, their counter snipers are up and they’re on the roof as well.”

    When Sen. Josh Hawley on the committee asked Rowe who was senior agent in charge at Butler, Rowe refused to name him -- but said the officer was still in the Secret Service:

“I acknowledge this was a failure. This could have been our Texas School Book Depository,” the acting director lamented, comparing the near-assassination to the tragic killing of President John F. Kennedy. “I have lost sleep over that for the last 17 days.”

“Then fire somebody!” Hawley shouted.

“I will tell you, Senator, that I will not rush to judgment, that people will be held accountable, and I will do so with integrity,” Rowe shot back. 

Let's see if he keeps his word. The Brick is skeptical, but I prefer to hope.

* * * * * * * *

WEIRDNESS #4:  Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, came to the U.S. to plead his cause. He gave an incredibly stirring message to Congress:

We meet today at a crossroads of history. Our world is in upheaval. In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization. It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life.

For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens. We win. They lose.

...My friends, for more than nine months, Israel’s soldiers have shown boundless courage....these are the soldiers of Israel—unbowed, undaunted, unafraid.

As the Bible says, “עם כלביא יקום” —they shall rise like lions. They’ve risen like lions, the lions of Judah, the lions of Israel....

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The men and women of the IDF come from every corner of Israeli society, every ethnicity, every color, every creed, left and right, religious and secular. All are imbued with the indomitable spirit of the Maccabees, the legendary Jewish warriors of antiquity.

With us today is Yechiel Leiter, the father of one of those Mccabees. Yehiel’s father escaped the Holocaust and found refuge in America. As a young man, Yechiel moved to Israel and raised a family of eight children. He named his eldest son Moshe after his late father. Moshe became an exemplary officer in one of our elite commando units. He served with distinction for two decades while raising six beautiful children of his own.

On October 7th, Moshe volunteered to return to combat. Four weeks later, he was killed when a booby-trap mine exploded in a tunnel shaft right next to a Mosque. At his son’s funeral Yechiel said this: “If the State of Israel had not been established after the Holocaust, the image engraved in our collective memory would have been the photograph of that helpless Jewish boy in the Warsaw Ghetto holding his hands up in the air with Nazi riffles pointed at him. But because of the birth of Israel,” Yechiel continued, “because of the courage of soldiers like my son Moshe, the Jewish people are no longer helpless in the face of our enemies.”

My friends,
Defeating our brutal enemies requires both courage and clarity. Clarity begins by knowing the difference between good and evil. Yet incredibly many anti-Israel protesters, many choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers. They stand with people who came into the kibbutzim, into a home, the parents hid the children, the two babies, in the attic, in a secret attic. They murdered the family, the parents, they found the secret latch to the hidden attic and then they murdered the babies. These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves.

They refuse to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorists and those who target civilians, between the democratic State of Israel and the terrorist thugs of Hamas. We recently learned from the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, that Iran is funding and promoting anti-Israel protests in America. They want to disrupt America. So these protesters burned American flags even on the 4th of July. And I wish to salute the fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina who protected the American flag, protected the American flag against these anti-Israel protesters.

For all we know, Iran is funding the anti-Israel protests that are going on right now outside this building—not that many, but they’re there—and throughout the city. Well, I have a message for these protesters: When the Tyrants of Tehran, who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair, are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots.

It’s amazing, absolutely amazing. Some of these protesters hold up signs proclaiming “Gays for Gaza.” They might as well hold up signs saying “Chickens for KFC.” These protesters chant “From the river to the sea.” But many don’t have a clue what river and what sea they’re talking about. They not only get an F in geography, they get an F in history. They call Israel a colonialist state. Don’t they know that the Land of Israel is where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob prayed, where Isaiah and Jeremiah preached and where David and Solomon ruled?

For nearly four thousand years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of the Jewish people. It’s always been our home; it will always be our home.

It’s not only the campus protesters who get it wrong. It’s also the people who run those campuses. Eighty years after the Holocaust, the presidents of Harvard, Penn, and I’m ashamed to say my alma mater MIT couldn’t bring themselves to condemn the calls for the genocide of Jews. Remember what they said? They said, it depends on the context. Well, let me give these befuddled academics a little context.

Antisemitism is the world’s oldest hatred. For centuries, the massacre of Jews was always preceded by wild accusations. We were accused of everything from poisoning wells to spreading plagues to using the blood of slaughtered children to bake Passover matzos. These preposterous antisemitic lies led to persecution, mass murder and ultimately to history’s worst genocide, the Holocaust.

Now, just as malicious lies were levelled for centuries at the Jewish people, malicious lies are now being levelled at the Jewish state. No, no. Don’t applaud. Listen. The outrageous slanders that paint Israel as racist and genocidal are meant to delegitimize Israel, to demonize the Jewish State and to demonize Jews everywhere. And no wonder, no wonder we’ve witnessed an appalling rise of antisemitism in America and around the world.

My friends,
Whenever and wherever we see the scourge of antisemitism, we must unequivocally condemn it and resolutely fight it, without exception.

And don’t be fooled when the blood libels against the Jewish State come from people who wear fancy silk robes and speak in lofty tones about law and Justice.

 President Biden was there to show U.S. support while Netanyahu was speaking...right? Nope, although he did meet with him 'hours earlier,' to talk with hostage families.

    How about Vice President Harris? Nope, addressing a group of college sorority girls. That was much more important than honoring one of our important allies with our presence. P.S. the Vice President is expected to preside over combined sessions of Congress. Obviously that didn't happen this time.

    And where was Blinken, our Secretary of State? Persona non grata, as well.

     Sigh. I guess I should be grateful that Harris found time in her busy schedule to meet briefly with Netanyahu behind closed doors.  So what did she say, about the attacks on Israel, including the one that started all this?

“What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating,” Harris told reporters after the meeting. “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.”

Harris said she would "always" ensure Israel's ability to defend itself and pointed to what she described as a "hopeful movement" in talks to secure a cease-fire. She said she told Netanyahu that “it is time to get this deal done.”

“Let’s get the deal done so we can get a cease-fire to end the war. Let’s bring the hostages home, and let’s provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people. And ultimately, I remain committed to a path forward that can lead to a two-state solution," Harris said.

 Soon after, Netanyahu had to leave suddenly. Why? Because Hezbollah decided to aim a rocket at a playing field in the Golan Heights, and kill twelve kids. (Surely, as integral parts of Israel's war effort, they needed to be neutralized.)

 Do I hear protests from the usual politicians and celebrities? Naaah... crickets.

* * * * * * * *

Then finally, to complete the Department of 'Tell me what to believe, and I'll do it:'

WEIRDNESS #5:

President Biden landed at 1:30 a.m., and was met by reporters, who, I'm sure, he'd hoped to avoid. (After all, it was way past his bedtime.) One reporter asked what he wanted to be remembered for. Biden's response:

"That I’ve cured the economy and the environment and a few other small things,” he replied.

Mr. President, consumer costs are up more than 20% since you came into the office. In fact, I'd say we've noticed many 50-100% jumps, especially in groceries. Do you ever shop at a grocery store? For that matter, does VP Harris??

     Credit card interest rates have nearly doubled, and mortgage rates are similarly terrible. Many of the added jobs you like to boast about seem to have more to do with Covid restrictions ending, than your many executive orders. And don't even mention the exploding national debt...

     Yep, the environment is doing soooo much better, thanks to an insistence on things like electric cars, busses and trucks (which can't handle the cold very well) and only two of the promised charging stations built, in spite of a boatload of money thrown at them.

Don't let VP Harris meet (ornot) with all the visiting bigshots. You still have work to do!

And that mercifully ends today's rant. I think I'll go lie down.

I keep reminding myself this is a broken world -- why would I expect anything different? Fellow Christians, read Proverbs 16 -- it is both encouraging and damning. I have to believe that God is allowing this, for His reasons. 

Do I believe He is still in control? Oh yes. But still...

Frugal Hits & Misses: July Report

 What a July -- a huge amount of credit card bills, thanks to truck repairs and  the letters. Hot weather: on one trip north, we experienced 101 degrees in the Springs, and 103 in Pueblo. (Thankfully, when we got home to Fort Garland, it was in the low 80s.)

     And fatigue. That's been the worst part. I have felt very, very tired all month. 

     Thankfully, the plant bins on the deck are growing nicely -- we've eaten several tomatoes, and I expect beans to begin forming any day now (The first blossom just showed up!) Even the pots I planted with herb seeds are finally sprouting. And no pesky grasshoppers, like last year.

     August will bring a gig early on -- and both Daughters' birthdays, on 8/3 and 8/8. We will celebrate them later, since Daughter #2 has a booth for Phenomenal Gems on her birthday...and Daughter #1 usually goes out of town on hers. We'll see. 

     Lots of work still to do. Hopefully the weather will moderate some -- and that should help. Otherwise, we're in big trouble.

FRUGAL HITS

(Some of these are from late June)

*Bought out the Fort Garland post office's first class stamps -- literally. It was the last day before the rate hike -- and all they had left was just under $60. Another reminder we live near a small town. 

*Fewer credit card bills due in August -- in great part because we held back this month, or made minimal purchases. (Including visiting places -- grocery stores, etc. -- that we needed to use the cards.) We had enough to keep the bills paid, and put a triple payment on the house loan, as well...God's grace.

*The deer head under the wheelbarrow is no more --  we gave it to our neighbors for their daughter, who enjoys decorating deer skulls with paint and embellishments. (Lest you think that weird, I should mention that we -- and a number of our neighbors -- decorate with rocks and bones outside. Think of it as an O'Keefe touch.) 

*A steadily growing number of giftcards, thanks to our medicare insurance benefits. I've held back on using the pharmacy allowances, as well: up to $375, so far!

*Solar powered deck lights -- a $20.99 Warehouse Deal and free shipping on Amazon. Totally unplanned, they fit our needed space EXACTLY. And boy, do they look nice at night. 

*More appraisals. These have been holding steady through the summer months, which is unusual.

*Some 'get-well' presents sent to family in Michigan.

*Baby herb and greens seedlings from a friend's garden, along with bunching green onion bulbs. She's promised some perennials in the fall, which will be wonderful. The parsley seeds have finally germinated, too.

*A $30 topper (from the thrift shop) made the guestroom bed much more comfortable. We really need one more mattress for guests -- 

*Took care of our granddog Freya for several days.  Ruby not only tolerates her, but looks for her now...which is nice.

*Schwanky meals: A $5 luxury lunch at Mickey D's...Sam's rotisserie chicken and salad for supper at Daughter #1's. (They gave us a bed for the night, too.) Daughter #2 and Son #1 treated us to a Chili's meal, complete with frozen margaritas. (Thank you for all of it, Dears!)

*An elk hunting license for the Brick!   Either-sex...for our area. (This came from Costilla County via a drawing for leftover licenses. One of our friends got one, too.) Fresh meat in the fall...I hope. (Daughter #2 and Son #1 gave us a big package of venison, plus two of antelope, to get us in the mood.)

*Saved 50 cents a gallon when having our propane tank filled. When you're dealing with hundreds of gallons, this really adds up. The final price per gallon: even cheaper than when we lived in Sedalia.

*Generally came home and ate meals here - thanks to items I could fix quickly, from both storage and the freezer. We also had leftovers from meals eaten out. I found some Totiino's pizza on sale, so made chicken sub rosa, too.

*Supper and games with friends; had Chili's '3-for-You' special with other friends. (Your choice of chips n' salsa/soup/side salad, plus a burger and drink for $10.99. Yum.) Supper with a third set of friends, including several rousing rounds of Rummikub.

*Another $37 bill for electricity! If you don't count the house loan, we are actually paying less in utilities/internet to live here, than we were paying in Sedalia. It helps that we're very careful about turning lights off, and keeping the woodstove supplied when it's chilly. But weird, nonetheless. 

*Found money: it's been sparse this month. One dime found at Daughter #1's place -- I left it on her table. A nickel found by the Brick while vacuuming, and a crisp dollar bill in the mail from the Neilsens, hoping we'll fill out a survey. (I did.)

*The Brick's monthly pension got a raise, much to our surprise: $121.99. Note: if you're due to get a pension, and are married or have a long-term partner, consider arranging it so the pension continues for your partner even when you're gone. It will most probably mean a lower $$, but will be worth it to your partner. The Brick did this years ago...and I am sooo grateful.

*I dried our clothes outside on the drying rack. Really saves on propane.

*A baby shower invite. I took something from the present box, plus beans we already had. (It was a shared taco bar.) Yes, we had the leftover beans for supper that night.

*Worked on emptying the freezer a little. Also stocked up some on coffee beans, as well as items for the winter -- particularly flour, sugar, canned chili and canned fruit/vegetable juices.  Could we be having worse cold this time around, rather than 2023/2024's mild winter? Hmmm....better be prepared.

*$15 off Safeway groceries -- an unexpected bonus coupon. I had to get my 'free' items credited, though -- it seems like Safeway messes this up every other time.

*Thrift store bargains:  Shirts for ONE DOLLAR EACH (we got 16!), books for $1-2 (including a history of the Spanish Peaks), tan jeans ($7), a pasta-making machine ($8) -- and 5% discount because we paid cash (Nazarene Thrift Store/Monte Vista).

*Estate sale bargains:  $50 (via Marketplace) for a beautiful leather chair. (It's comfortable, too.) While we were there, we noticed the ladies setting up for an estate sale...so we bought a large coffee table and two bookshelves for $100, and a variety of 'hand vases.' (More on these later.) One of the bookshelves had a plant water stain, so they threw in a flow blue cup and saucer ($30). Beautiful stuff.

*Grocery bargains:  More goodies from the Amish grocery, including Jimmy Dean sausage patties (79 cents, 9 oz.), 99-cent taco kits and Japanese steakhouse sauce (79 cents); I am amazed at what this store offers now and then (SLV Country Store). Butter ($2.27/lb), milk ($2.27/gallon), ice cream ($1.97/quart), boneless chicken breast ($2.27/lb), more ribeye steak ($5.37/lb), dozen eggs ($1.77), BOGO cans of chili and Bush baked beans, $2 off bakery goods (on BOGO blueberry muffins), and free jars of spaghetti and dipping sauce (Safeway). Marked-down mushrooms and artichokes, $1 off coupon, and free Poptarts. (King Soopers)  Italian coffee beans, approx. $7/lb, Larabars and V-8 pomegranate blueberry juice for approx. 40% off. (Amazon Warehouse Deals).

*Finished paying off a beautiful quilt I committed to buy a few years ago -- $100 a month. I also did not buy anything at Bobbie Aug's textile auction -- prices went a big higher, for the most part, than I wanted to pay. (Hollander, Hollander.)

Lori DeVries photo

FRUGAL MISSES

*Extra driving hours, dropping off a car part and dropping off/picking up Freya the dog. But for the kids. We'd do anything for our kids.

*Two 11-cent Google claim checks from the class action suit - one for each of us. It cost more to mail them in postage!

*STILL no news on the wheel claim. I would love for this to be resolved.

*A frustrating 'clunk' still exists on the truck.  This, in spite of extensive repairs. Some leftover bills on truck parts bumped this month's credit card bills higher than we'd like. (sigh)

*Renewed the fifth-wheel license. Not too bad.

*Lots of sneezing and aching eyes. Partly allergies, I'm sure -- but we're also getting a lot of smoke in the air from Canada's and Southwestern fires.

*Behind some on work... fatigue is a major factor here. Hoping to catch up on all this.

It's been an unusual summer, due in part to politics and uncertainty about what's going to happen. It's also our first here in southern Colorado. Dorothy, we are definitely not in Sedalia -- or Castle Rock -- anymore. And in some ways, that's good.

Last month's report is here.  And here's 2023's July report, as well as 2022's version. 

August is looming -- here we go!

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Percolating

 Still here. Still working. Still tired, and still hot. (Most of the time - we get some heavenly rain now and then.)

 Still puzzled by all the political shenanigans -- and the abrupt turnabouts from people who were Sure of This -- and now deny it, even though their previous words belie it. Do they really think we're that stupid, not to notice?!?

But still here. That counts for something.

Meanwhile:

A UFO... with a cloaking device??.

The very strange story of a briefcase of gold bars -- and the couple who was arrested for holding them for a friend.

The Ring Finders of Maine -- who use their metal detectors to help out frustrated 'losers.' (Thanks for mentioning it, Mavis of One Hundred Dollars A Month)

A wonderful video of animals being freed:

The backside of a stone slab leaning casually against a wall -- for centuries -- may be the original 1149 altar of the Church of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The world's oldest message in a bottle? 

Eight text or e-mail messages you should NOT open -- but delete immediately.

'New' ancient Egyptians carvings discovered -- at the bottom of the Nile.

Did the Alcatraz Three not only escape -- but two lived in Brazil through at least the 90s? It sure seems possible.

The 'saddest things' casino workers have noticed.

Test your lighting before hanging your art! Great practical advice here, from the writer's dad.

Matthew Macfayden didn't like playing Mr. Darcy of Pride & Prejudice... because he felt he wasn't sexy enough. Are you kidding??? My little heart pitter-patted when he strode through the misty dawn to come to Elizabeth...

Of course, I later found out he kept tripping because he didn't have his glasses on, and couldn't see where he was going. The feeling is mutual. I still do not know exactly what a blind date looked like in high school, because I was too vain to wear glasses to our meeting.

Very funny comics about Life Back Then -- and now.

Another Lake Michigan shipwreck found -- the Margaret Muir, lost in 1893. (Weirdly enough, she was in only 50 feet of water -- why wasn't she discovered earlier?) The Trinidad, lost nearby in 1881, was found a year earlier -- so intact that plates were still stacked on the cookstation shelves.

Have a good week. Watch where you're going, though...

Etsy Sellers Will Understand...

 

Maybe It's Yahootie...

 

...as in the Matrix.

The Mama always referred to the instigator of these mysterious disappearances as Yahootie. He was the 'blind' partner in games, and definitely the reason why doors didn't get shut. "Were you born in a barn?" my dad would say. Well, Pa, you know I wasn't... 

must have been You-know-hootie.

P.S. Yahootie (actually spelled 'Yehudi,' according to Wikipedia) was a real person! His first name became late 1930s slang for a 'mysteriously absent person.' When I mentioned this to the Brick (who is a bit Jewish himself), he mentioned Yehudi Mehuin, the violinist whose moniker started the whole thing. Here Menuhin is, in the flesh -- considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. ('Yehudi' means 'Jew' in Hebrew.) 

He played a Stradivarius...beautifully.

No doubt Menuhin, a very serious person, was NOT amused. I'm thinking this was not a slam at the Jewish nation -- in fact, I didn't even realize  there was a connection until the Wikipedia entry. It's more the unusual name - and Mehudin's appearance on a 1930s radio show. The announcer thought his name 'sounded funny.' Poor guy.

P.P.S. According to the Brick, Yahootie is also the person who turns off the light in the refrigerator when you shut the door -- and closes doors when you want them open. 

Word...

 My wife found out I was cheating on her after she found all the letters I was hiding... 

She got mad and said she's never playing Scrabble with me again.

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Keeping On

      Daughter #2 and Son #1 have been spending the past few days here...lots of talk and show & tell. (They just got back from digging dinosaur teeth and bones in Wyoming.) They're headed back on the circuit soon -- their Phenomenal Gems booth will be in Creede, CO next. 

More work on appraisal reports...tidying up... and getting ready for next week's visit to Palmer Lake -- and the guild there. More on this soon.

Want to see a bunch of pregnant Colorado rattlesnakes? Here's a live cam. (Shudder)

Another intriguing Quora question: "What's the most intelligent thing you've ever seen an animal do by its own choice?"  Like this one:

Quite a few years ago we had a cat Tommy who would turn the TV on when he was alone with his cat roommate could have been a fluke but it happened many times. He also would answer the phone and my family and friends could hear him meowing in the receiver.

Amazing Pulitzer Prize winning photographs.  Including this one of Coretta Scott King at her husband's funeral:

Four ways to make your own potting soil.

Want to buy Bernie Madoff's bed? How about the Madoffs' couches, books or other misc.? Here's your chance. (At considerably marked-up prices, of course.)

Documentaries being filmed -- that caught something unexpected.

"Has someone treated you poorly until they discovered you were wealthy and/or successful?" Quora people hold forth.

Captain Kirk's communicator and ray gun are up for auction! (They were thought lost.)

Ten strangest graves -- including one in the middle of the intersection!

Trump's Florida case is dimissed! And not because of the Supreme Court decision, either...

Buying a home for your family, at age 19 -- wow. 

The Picassos in the women's restroom of Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) -- are fakes! Actually, I find this amusing, considering that whoever wanders in there could run their hands all over the paintings. (Including me, probably.) And the curator (who's married to the museum's owner - go figure) admits it upfront. In fact, she says one painting was deliberately hung upside-down, to see if anyone would notice. Her blogpost about it is quite wonderful.

    Hmmmm...

This at a time when Picasso's painting of his mistress fetches $317 million at auction. Yep, definitely worth the bucks.

Have a good week...keep on dancin'.

Biden Pulls Out of the 2024 Race for President

And I Thought Coffee Was Bad...

 

Think About It...

 

Us ugly people aren't very smart, either...this one took me a while to figure out.

Be Careful What You Wish For...

 

It IS True...

 I heard that President Trump's shooter was featured in a BlackRock commercial. I thought someone was making it up.

They weren't. 

At least Black Rock had the grace to pull the commercial. What a strange coincidence. (He was in the background, not the featured person....something for which, no doubt, Black Rock is thanking its lucky stars.)

 Crooks has been in more pictures than that -- including nearly 30 minutes before he started shooting. Police took them because he was a 'suspicious person,' but didn't stop or detain him.

 .' Huh?!? There are all sorts of odd 'incidents and accusations,' as Paul Simon would put it. Please, Gentle Readers, do some research -- including common sense -- before you go off on either 1) It's A Fake, or 2) It's a Conspiracy. I agree it's weird...but it may just have been a series of unfortunate actions by a well-meaning SS and police. 

I guess we should be grateful that Trump (and RFK Jr. too, thankfully) now has beefed-up security from the Secret Service and others. Hopefully President Biden does, too.

One of the Weirdest (but Delicious) Recipes Ever - Redux

 Want an easy fix for tonight's supper? I adapted this from the Phony Gourmets, on a dare. Ridiculous. No way this could taste good, I thought -- I was wrong. Quick, fast -- and good for an al fresco supper out on the deck. Or by the (hot) tub.

from the annual 'Chicken Daddies' calendar

CHICKEN SUB ROSA

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped chicken, cooked or not (or one large breast, cut up in chunks)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
small can mushrooms (or 3-4 fresh ones, sliced thinly)
1 1/2 cups water, plus a chicken bouillon cube (or 1 1/2 cups chicken broth)
Totino's pizza (I like the 'three meat' kind, but whatever floats your boat)

Saute the chicken and the onion in the olive oil a few minutes, then dump in the mushrooms and water/broth. Let simmer a few minutes; pour in the bottom of a pie pan or 9" square pan. Place the pizza upside down on the chicken mixture, then cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.; uncover and bake 10 min. more for a crunchy top. Serves 2; double for four.

What you get is a crunchy, savory sort-of potpie that does not taste like pizza. Veggies can be added to the chicken mixture...or serve them on the side. The Brick loved it! I am amazed to be saying this, but I'll be making this dish again. And again.

(P.S. The PGs used snapper, instead of chicken, but that sounded fishy to me. Smirk.)

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Another Assassination Attempt

    He survived, but only by God's grace -- and turning his head to look at an immigration poster.

    Four Presidents have been killed: Lincoln, McKinley, Garfield and Kennedy. But many other attempts have taken place at presidents and candidates alike, and nearly been successful.

You always hope that celebrities advocating "punching Trump in the face" and other violence (including Biden suggesting he'd take him behind the school "and beat the hell out of him")... really don't mean it. SO WHY SAY IT??

Could that have contributed to this? Could the same thing happen to President Biden? 

Words. Terrible words. Contributing to terrible actions. 

(And media headlines didn't help.) 

CNN's take: Trump had 'fallen.' And couldn't get up, I suppose. 

BREAKING NEWS:  Trump chose Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate. I read Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, and thought it wonderful. He is not from a privileged family, nor did he grow up wealthy. Our only complaint: he graduated from Ohio State. Boooooo...

Meanwhile:

A soldier who holds the record for a sniper kill comments on the Pennsylvania incident. He thinks there's something fishy about it all. (We're wondering too, quite frankly.)

Two ingredients -- and a way to turn cheap red wine into something better: a Spanish Kalimotxo. (Thanks, Thekitchn.)

Fabric from George Washington's dining tent -- auctioned off via Goodwill. (The 6-inch piece of fabric went for $1300.)

Napoleon's personal set of flintlock pistols sell at auction -- for $1.38 million.

Some Really Helpful household hacks. I didn't know a number of these...bet you haven't, either.

A very peaceful video -- of a swimming hippo.  Trust me on this.

Influencers are renting studio sets that look like private jet interiors -- so it looks like they're flying in style. More on this here.  (The company renting the sets says they're mostly used for rap video.)

The British royals -- and their haunting experiences.

Really good moneysaving hints.  We use many of these ourselves - except for having no kids. I'd never give up our kids...they are our treasures.

Lucky people - lucky photos. Including this one:

Insiders advice -- from employees, present and former. A lot of GREAT hacks here.

The back story on the 14-year-old who disappeared after getting off a cruise boat. There's a lot more to this than initially thought...

Ronald Reagan's classic "youth and inexperience" comment. 

Have a better week. God bless America.

 ..."America goes on, we go forward, that we are strong.

"The energy coming from the people there in that moment, they just stood there; it's hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking. I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are OK,' 

                                                                                  --- Donald Trump

Five Things to Cook Fast - The Redux

BREAKING NEWS: Someone has tried to assassinate Trump in Pennsylvania - but didn't succeed. He's injured, but will be ok. Thank God. But two others were badly hurt; another person was killed. Please take some time to pray for these families...

    The shooter is dead. His family needs prayer, too.

Another redux... someone is STILL  trying to hijack my oldest posts. These are not only quick to make -- they won't heat up your kitchen too much. When temps are 101 (as they were in Colorado Springs yesterday) and 103 (Pueblo), that makes a real difference.

Here are 5 things to make FAST if you're not feeling that great -- but have to eat:

*A milkshake. Any kind, preferably with some kind of fruit. (Substitute 5 big teaspoons of jam, if you have to.) Around here, it's often more smoothie than milkshake: 1 cup fruit, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, a cup of yogurt (if I've got it), and approx. 3 cups ice cubes. Blend until frothy. If you haven't got any fruit, substitute 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Feels great on a sore throat.

*'Cheese guys' -- our name for a quesadilla. Keep corn tortillas in your fridge -- they're low-fat and add crunch when served instead of bread for any meal. Back to the dish -- peel off 6 tortillas, feed 2 to the dogs, and slap the rest in a pan. Gently drop grated or sliced cheese on board; add nothing or salsa or leftover whatever. Heat at 450 degrees until cheese is melted and the whole thing is crispy - about 5 min.
Also good with a hot dog rolled into the tortilla, or dolloped with canned chili. Nuke some scrambled eggs, top with salsa or chili, serve with the cheese guys, and you have huevos rancheros.

*Pasta primavera -- Start with a pound of your favorite pasta, dumped into a pot of boiling water. While it's cooking (about 10-15 min.), add whatever veggies you can find in the refrigerator, chopped up. Drain, then add 1 can of shrimp OR crab meat OR tuna plus four tablespoons of ranch or another kind of dressing. Angel hair pasta cooks faster (so you don't have to stand upright as long), and looks elegant. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (or 10 hard shakes) or a handful of grated cheese, mix and check for taste. (Add more dressing if it seems bland.)

A great variation -- Pasta carbonara -- Fry up some bacon (as little as 2 or as many as 8 slices per pound of pasta) when the pasta and veggies are about half-done. Drain the pasta and mix the bacon in, as well as one or two eggs. Stir until eggs are cooked. (You can also cook the eggs in the bacon pan.) Add the cheese and mix. A good shake of oregano and onion (or any kind of) seasoning salt are nice, or just salt and pepper.

*Chicken soup plus -- Heat up a can of chicken noodle soup, adding a couple tablespoons of salsa. When broth is bubbling, add an egg. Stir gently, then wait until egg is cooked.

*Chicken and Rice -- start a cup of rice to cooking. (Add veggies or not -- green beans are good in this.) Chop up a chicken breast, and throw into the rice, along with a bouillon cube. (A shake of garlic or celery salt is good here, as is a handful of chopped celery or celery leaves.) Turn heat down, let cook 20 min. Serve as-is, or mix in 1/3 cup sour cream. (Daughter #1 adds a can of kidney beans, then calls it Gordita rice.)

Why do I rely on salsa a lot when I'm sick? It's the chilies; they're jumping with Vitamin C. The chicken's supposed to be good for you, too. Something about the broth.

There. None of these dishes will take more than 5-10 min. of standing upright, and generally 10-20 min. to cook. Enjoy, and remember...you're supposed to be resting.

P.S. We watched Alien vs. Predator 2: Requiem this afternoon, wherein the Aliens (and one Predator) blast the heck out of Gunnison, Colorado. What a crock. Anyone who's been to the dry high plains desert of Gunnison is going to find the constant rain and fog-coated forest scenes hilarious, let alone all the houses. (Gunnison just isn't that big, and definitely not that developed.) That area is full of hunters who know what they're doing -- these people act like their favorite hobbies are freezing in terror or running away, screaming. A true Coloradoan would have turned around and blasted THEM, just to shut up all the racket.
For at least half the movie, the screen was so dark that we were trying to figure what was going on, let alone who was winning. Don't bother -- get out Alien vs. Predator, which is based in the Antarctic and far more amusing.