Veteran's Day Specials

 Wednesday, Nov. 11 is Veteran's Day -- a chance to honor those who have given their service for our country. 

And if you're a veteran, there are a number of free specials to express that thanks.

Like restaurant meals...

Many are different this year, due to Covid-19 restrictions. A number of restaurants are handing out coupons good for several months, instead of just that night. (Whew, no dealing with crowds!) But you do need to stop and pick up the coupons. Meanwhile, veterans can also take advantage of...

free haircuts, store discounts and more.

THANK YOU, Veterans and Military Service Members. 

Thank you so much.

Limbo

    I have never seen an election this strange.

So who's going to win, ultimately? The odds would say Biden, but given the other weird stuff that's happened -- who knows.

It's hard to wait.

The Moneylender

 Thought you'd like this 19th century print...not that this EVER happens nowadays!

God Is In Control

 ...no matter what happens.

PSALM 146

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. 

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them -- He remains faithful forever. 

He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free; the Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. 

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the father and the widow, but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.

                                         Praise the Lord.

Planetary Moves

 This week -- or at least for a few more days, until Mercury 'disappears' -- you can technically see all of the planets in the nighttime sky. You'll need binoculars or a telescope for Neptune, Uranus and possibly Pluto, but the others can be seen with the naked eye. Mercury, however, has a faster revolution around the sun, so won't be here long. 

Why? Because according to astronomers, the planets are currently all on the same side of the solar system -- with Earth in the middle of the cluster.

Here's where to look. Quick, before one or more 'go away,' so to speak.

Patricia Tokarz chart, via Pinterest - purchase it at her Redbubble shop.

Jupiter and Saturn are also lined up, and will generally stay that way until Christmastime, until they form the 'Great Conjunction' Dec. 21st. On that date, they will appear closer together than any time since JULY 16, 1623. (Yes, you read that right.)

What could this mean, astrologically-speaking? Let's put it this way: weird stuff. According to Astrology King:

"Jupiter conjunct Saturn is also known as the Great Conjunction that happens on average every 19 years. Throughout history, it has been closely observed by astrologers and been linked to the rise and fall of royalty, leaders and great people. Some believe that the biblical “Star of Bethlehem” was the great conjunction of 7 B.C. [1]

According to astrologer Daniel T. Ferrera, when a great conjunction occurs during an election or inauguration year, the president is likely to die in office,,, this has been the case since 1940, except for the last two great conjunctions. However, there were assassination attempts against both those presidents."

On the other hand:

"Jupiter conjunct Saturn transit is a time of opportunity, growth and good fortune...

"You may find barriers to your progress which you need to climb over or go around. But if you have planned well, are self-employed or have a lot of freedom, you could grow within the existing structures of your life,,,

"This is a time of greater self-awareness when you may realize you are not content with things as they are."

Darkstar Astrology calls the event "The Great Leveller" in the battle between good and evil. Jupiter represents the Great Leader, while Saturn is, you guessed it: Satan. Who gets helped -- and who doesn't -- is unclear, though according to Darkstar, the bad guy has the edge.

Also a bit wacky. But hey, it has been a very difficult year for the world, in general. At this point, anything could be possible.

'Celestrial' photo by wboland on Flickr - via Pinterest

Another Great One Is Gone

 Sean Connery, the great James Bond prototype, died on Oct. 31, peacefully in his sleep. He was 90.

After his death, several unusual articles popped up about Connery, including:

*Pictures from his career, which spanned several decades.

*Unusual facts about him -- he was a huge supporter of Scottish independence, yet accepted a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 2000. BUT he accepted it in full Scottish regalia, including MacLeod tartan. And of course, a kilt!

I have a soft spot in my heart for this man -- 
he looked a great deal like my much-loved dad.

*Establishing his residence in the Bahamas, rather than the U.K., where he paid 90% tax, let him pick and choose whatever projects he wanted to do. His final estate is said to be modest -- but will be enough to keep his widow comfortably, just as it was in his lifetime. Good for him!

*His last movie was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen -- a failure at the box office, but kind of fun for anyone with a literary bent. He made many others, but retired in 2000.

*His first acting experience was as one of the resident Navy guys in South Pacific -- the play, not the movie. (Actually, it wasn't acting -- he'd spent three years in the British Navy.)

*Yes, he'd been married more than once -- but his 'latest' marriage lasted more than 45 years. 

All photos from Listverse post mentioned earlier

Rest in peace, Sir Connery. 

November's A Whole New Month...

 

(It already happened at both the local dollar store and Wal-Mart -- before the end of September. Sigh.)