Hello , everyone . Another bright , brisk winter's day , on this last day of 2013 . I hope that in the New Year to come we can all be healthy , comfortable , and loved . That we can also help heal the sick , provide for the needy , and love one another universally . In what began as a superstition , I think , and has now become tradition , white beans and cornbread to attract prosperity in the coming year . And speaking of prosperity , and God's blessings , he just sent an Angel to visit us , who bought the car we've been trying to sell for a couple of months . Now we can catch up bills , make a couple mortgage payments , and maybe bless someone else with God's bounty . I am writing this with tears of joy in my eyes , and thanking our Lord for his loving generosity . Have faith , trust God , and praise Him daily , for he is great and kind . Now I can save money on car insurance , because the former classmate who services that account treats me very fairly , and he doesn't need a CGI lizard . I can also renew the tag on my old van , which gets poor mileage but is very useful and enjoyable to drive . The car we sold , a 2001 , we bought in March of 2004 , when it had 31,000 miles , and was still under warranty . We put 107,000 miles under it's wheels , and many good memories . It never let us down , or stranded us anywhere , and I only had to change a flat once in that 9 3/4 years . Of course , we still have it's slightly less gaudy and accessorized twin sister , dressed in her housecoat rather than her party dress , but still attractive and functional . And after these holidays I can renew my search for a job . Thank you all for still reading me even though I sometimes shortchange you on content for various real and imaginary reasons . May God bless all of you as he has blessed us , take care , good night .

  Been here for hours , just now starting . Had a good day , got birthday gifts for the two grandkids with year-end birthdays . Saw our oldest grandson at the farm supply store , and again at the Chinese buffet . Our youngest son is leaving this week to a job in Minnesota . We've been trying to make sure he has enough warm clothes to get by . Snow isn't really fun if you have to work in it . The accent alone would drive me buggy . Cause that's what it's all aboot . Watch the movie " Fargo " if you're not sure what I mean . Regardless , I'm sneaking out of here early today , but at least I didn't just play hookey . So be kind , and thoughtful , and generous , and remember that Jesus loves not just you , but everyone . Good day .

  Logged in here a few hours ago , at 3:30P I'm just starting to write . The chili is good , so is the store brand peanut butter . While I ate we were watching some "reality television" programs , and it reminded me why I don't do so too often . "Cops" and "Jail" may be reality before editing , but other than that  , it's all scripted and staged . Especially any that involve a business , a family , or a group of "competitors" . Absolutely nothing is left to chance , down to the last detail . They are all an attempt to attract a certain demographic to the jaws of the advertisers , who don't care about veracity and originality , just revenue . So when a character on one of these shows says something witty or profound , or performs an act so stupid as to be ridiculous  , don't think it's spontaneous . A team of over paid , over educated , under intelligent writers spent 3 weeks thinking that stuff up . Remember , folks , it's ALL about marketing and revenue . Especially revenue , because that's the bottom line , get it ? Well , enough negativity for today , let's switch gears and think positive  . If every person treated every other person in the way they they themselves would like to be treated , our collective existence would be more enjoyable for everyone . If we lived as one big family , with compassion and empathy for everyone , what a beautiful , happy place our world could be .
  Once again , I would like to hear from some of you all through the comments . Whether you agree with me or not , I will review every comment , and publish all that are factual and in good taste . So once more I say to you , may God bless your endeavors , and your lives , and your loved ones . Good night .

  Not a bad day out today , sunny , high forties , not too breezy . Still eating leftover ham , it's so good I usually don't even put cheese on a sandwich . Wife made pork loin roast for dinner , good stuff considering it's still pork . The weather should turn cold tomorrow , so we'll have chili .
  I had the opportunity to talk to my neighbor this afternoon , he just got to come home last week . He was badly injured a couple months ago in a car accident . He has a long recovery ahead , learning to live with one arm , but he's a positive person and I'm sure he'll succeed . Visited our youngest grandson for a bit , so he could show me his new game characters . He is already quite technology literate at age 5 . Very advanced for his years . So , once again I leave you with only a short post , no excuses , just good night and God bless .

  Another long late day , extra tired , extra lazy . Good day and God bless .

  Well , everyone , I put this off until after 10PM , as I was paying attention to other chores , but here I am . I did some small repairs around the house , nearly ate myself sick on leftovers , talked to my Mother on the phone , did a little maintenance on one of the cars . The temperature wasn't too bad , and it's supposed to be a little warmer tomorrow . Maybe I'll try to do a little outdoor work then . I need to get my Flag down and replace the rope , the recent storms really took a toll . Anyhow , I have to make sure our son is up at 4:30 , so regretfully this post is truncated . Good night , God bless , and be careful out there .

 Merry Christmas to one and all as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ , the King of Kings . May God's blessings follow you wherever you may be , and have a wonderful Christmas Day .
  I just wanted to put this up early for those of you who might not be visiting later , and I intend to post more later today .

  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/20/1264354/-Duck-Dynasty-is-a-Fake-Yuppies-in-Red-Neck-Drag-Con-Job? 
  Christmas Eve , back from our little family gathering and settled in trying to stay warm . I came in second in the ugly sweater contest , my nephew didn't wear a sweater but dressed as Cousin Eddie from the Christmas Vacation movie . Blue leisure suit , yellow shirt with holiday motif , pink and white narrow suspenders , and white patent leather shoes , he was the winner . Voting was by our facebook family and friends . Tons of food and desserts , so everyone left with full stomachs . Quite a pleasant way to kill a few hours on a cold winter day . Tomorrow we will be here at home , having a simple ham dinner with our signature sweet glaze , which makes amazing gravy . We only do this twice a year so we really look forward to it . The ham gravy , that is . I will eat ham for a week or two , but this is waaayyy better than deli or lunchmeat ham . Anyway , it is 10:30PM now , it's been a long but good day , and I'm tired and lazy . Buenos noches y via con Dios , amigos .

  Funny how when creativity and imagination slump , we can always revert to talking about the weather , as it occurs everywhere and always . Today is cold here , sunny and breezy . 2 days 'til Christmas , advance cooking pretty much finished , home made chicken soup for supper . We always have Christmas Eve day at our oldest daughter's house , with my wife's family . This year we are doing ugly sweaters , should be fun .

Studies that back up my theories are always interesting .

  Good afternoon , everyone . This is a holy day in many religions , Sunday , set aside for worship . In my thinking , every day can be a day of worship , and anywhere on Earth a Temple . Had a good day , wife baked and made candies all day , had visitors this evening , overall very pleasant . I'm going to cut this very short , good night , God bless .

Well here we are , the winter solstice , the shortest day of the year , and I'm still up at 7:30AM . I just made myself breakfast of potato and ham scrambled with eggs , diced tomatoes and chilies , and cheese . Served in tortillas , the only thing I was missing was picante sauce . I decided to try sriracha for the first time ever , and it was great . Then my wife says it's good for my heart too . I think I will be employing this on more than just breakfast . Slept a few hours , helped a friend with a government application , been reorganizing my office still . We have our 5 year old grandson tonight so his parents can attend a company Christmas party . At this moment he and my wife are returning from WalMart and getting him a happy happy happy meal . There's the thing with Duck Dynasty , McDonald's wouldn't ink a deal for Phil to endorse kid's meals , so the alternative marketing strategy was to stir up a controversy where there was none . They sell lots of branded merchandise , made in China , all get a little richer , e'r'body happy , happy , happy . Except conservatives who don't understand the Constitution or our country's laws regarding workplace behavior . As far as the interview and the "firing" , explain to Phil what he said that was a problem , come to an agreement about future statement's content , go on with your business and your lives . As I have said already , much ado about nothing , take advice from the GOP playbook , stir up the sheep , reap profit from the added attention . The only ones doing wrong here are the folks judging anyone involved without knowing the facts , or the insignificance of the whole controversy . What's really happening while you are distracted by this manufactured legal and spiritual crisis ? On an unrelated note , a court in Utah declared the ban on same sex marriage unconstitutional , and a Congressman from Utah promptly married his long time boyfriend . This makes many people unhappy , but they are in the minority , as far as the general population .
  So enough kvetching about intolerant folks rising up to attempt to perpetuate intolerance . Outspoken bigots are just another form of bully , so combat the bullying with patience , tolerance , statements of fact , and if unavoidable , a smack upside the head . Not really , violence is not the answer , and will probably obscure the original issue . Remember , peace on Earth , and goodwill toward men isn't just for the holidays , it should be for always . Be excellent to one another , good day , God bless .

  Well , here I am and suddenly it's past 11:30 PM , been trying to decide what tonight's topic might be for about 4 hours . Seeing my news feed literally swarming with posts about Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty , I'll state the facts here . Phil made some statements in an interview , that his Bible doesn't condone homosexuality , but he doesn't judge . Whatever he said , that statement was protected speech under the 1st amendment of the U.S. Constitution . That's where that part of the controversy ends , he can say anything he wishes , it's the law . As to his issues with the A&E network , they are his employers , and have every right to treat him as such . They have a binding legal contract that details the Robertson family's duties and responsibilities , which I would assume to have some clauses concerning their actions and speech in the public eye , as representatives of the network and the show . I seriously doubt Phil thought his statements were anything other than an honest profession of his personal beliefs . If the network has an issue with Phil's deportment in a radio interview , that's between those 2 parties and their legal representatives . If the people in charge have decided the contract was broken , the consequences should be up to the parties involved , or the Dept. of Labor . If they caved to special interests , then they are more concerned with profit than people . In my personal opinion , the whole kerfuffle is a marketing tool , they'll sell a buttload more Chinese sweatshop t-shirts and gee-gaws over the holidays , and everyone concerned will have a new summer house and boat , or whatever it is the very wealthy buy to demonstrate their skill at acquiring more than any ordinary sinner could ever use . And I really think attitudes will change at Duck Kommander when they learn that one of the grandkids is differently oriented . Regardless of the justifications for either side , it's a rigged game . Why didn't they send Dog the racist murdering coward , and his homely hateful sugar mama packing ? In every case , it comes down to marketing and money .
  Again , these are my own opinions , protected by the same laws that make Phil innocent of everything except maybe poor judgement . Once more , i say good night to you all , and may God's blessings follow you wherever you may go .

I don't know if it counts as a milestone or not , but this is my one hundredth post from the Porous Canoe . Today I received my Certificate of Ordination as a minister , so it was an all around good vibe today . We got an early gift of cash so I paid a couple bills , and got fried chicken from the deli , served with side dishes left over from the past week here at home . Trying to get my sleep schedule under control , it's 10:45PM , I'm calling time out , good night , God bless .

  I may be late , but here I am . To continue on the subject of racism , as long as uncontrolled greed rules the hearts of men , they will try to maximize their income by limiting the power of others . Racism is generally denied these days , because of occasional repercussions . However , in practice , the limitation of the power and voice of "colored" peoples is quite effective in maintaining the racist's status quo . When we assert , whether openly or covertly , that the "other" is evil , or lazy , or dull , we expand and increase fear and anxiety in ourselves as well as in others . This process , fueled by greed and abetted by a desire to control the "others" , becomes self fulfilling if not decried by those of us who know right from wrong . As I have observed in my own life , racism springs from neither nature or nurture , but from lack of courage and compassion of the soul . In other words , once you know the facts and observe the action , to continue to be bigoted is a character flaw of a high order . I still occasionally am surprised by racist thoughts of my own , and I chastise myself after , as I know and believe all are created equal in God's eyes . None greater or lesser than another , unless they strive to make themselves less .
  Now , down off the spiritual soapbox and into my own mundane universe , where chicken helper is a nutritious meal we all eat and enjoy . A can of corn on the side , wheat bread and butter , very "comfort" . For a late snack , hawiian sub rolls cubed and toasted under the broiler , with dill dip from the deli . Quite tasty if you like that sort of thing . Any way , don't be a hater or a destroyer , treat each other well , buenos noches , and trust in the Lord our God .

  Today's topic is racism , why it is still extant but mostly unacknowledged in today's America . I'm sure it exists in all races and societies to some extent , but it is a serious problem in our country . Regardless of the denials , almost every restriction and limitation presented by the Republicans and extreme "conservatives" has it's basis in racism and greed . Greed is the dominating factor in most racist laws and policies , because so many have fallen under the thrall of "more" . First , more money enables all the other "more"s demanded by greedy people . The "more" ideal always seeks more of everything , except the sharing of Christian , or any peaceful doctrine's , tenets of how to treat your fellow man . Now , I must freely admit , I was raised in a racist environment , meaning pretty much the world in the 1950s and 60s . At least in the Midwest where I was brought up . There were many derogatory titles for people of skin color other than "pink" lily-white folks of mostly Anglo-Saxon origin . There was a time when Indiana was a hotbed of Klan activity . It's not like the community was extreme or too vocal in their bigotry , they were mostly church going , upright citizens . I wasn't exposed to any black people , or much black culture other than what we picked up from mainstream media . When I was a freshman in high school , we moved to a town with some industry and mining , that had a black community in it's population . Interacting with people of color on a daily basis , it wasn't hard to learn that people are just people , no matter what the prejudiced say or do . At that time , the little town was flushed with the prestige of being the location of a major motion picture a couple years before . Jim Crow hadn't completely flown the coop , but the "colored" part of town was generally nicer than the railroad shacks where some of my peers lived . And many people didn't realize the cultural debt they owed to Sidney Portier and Rod Steiger . When we moved to the country again , our rural , consolidated high school and jr. high had a few black students , and most students had no problem with that . When I joined the Navy , the mix of races was pretty much a cross section of the nation . And , over the intervening years I became more sure of the fact that people are just that , people , and with no real differences in the wants and needs regardless of race . We are all one species , with no plausible  reason to hate or fear "the other" , regardless of skin color or other physical attributes . That " dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal " idea wasn't original to Pres. Lincoln , it is a basic philosophy ingrained in the human soul , the desire to see beyond peoples outsides , and understand their souls , and know that we are all children of one God , or whatever Deity you respect . So in summary of today's lesson , " Why can't we all just get along ? " , there is nothing to hate or fear in the color of a person's skin . We are all the same in God's eyes . Believe it , live it .
  Tomorrow I will try to continue this thread , as I have more to say , if I can remember any of it by then . So good night , remember the Golden Rule , And may God bless you all .

  It warmed up quite nicely today , and a large portion of the snow has melted . The city is working on a water main break by my house , took about 3 hours , in a state highway . They have it repaired at 8PM , now refilling the excavation . At a few minutes after 9 they are done and gone . These guys can get it done day or night , and have earned all the overtime they'll have for this month . And they do it with traffic "hot" so as not to inconvenience too many .
  So enough babble about what's happening in my immediate vicinity , I must lead a truly boring life if this is the best narrative I can come up with . To expand on an item from a previous post , I talked about wanting to solemnize weddings . I intend to offer this service to all adults who request it , regardless of race , color , sexual orientation , or any other characteristics . You must have a license , for a legal union , and I will be happy to perform spiritual or religious ceremonies as long as they are in agreement with the teachings of Christ . I'm sure I will happen across some who for one reason or another I am not comfortable with blessing , I pray for wisdom to deal with this if it occurs . Anyway , I have many friends who are "differently oriented" than most hetero people . If I can help them become as one spirit in God's eyes , that will satisfy me . And not just friends and people I know , but anyone who wishes to participate in the sacrament .
  So , suddenly it's midnite , and I am tired , and I have to make sure my youngest is up at 4AM . Good night , and God bless .

  Just went to the laundramat in my pajamas and slippers . Can't decide if I'm a hipster or a housewife . Have both boys home for tonight , so it's work clothes in the commercial machines . Gonna go check them soon , then try for early bed as I need to do job hunting tasks tomorrow . So , good night and go with God .

  Good morning , one and all , even though it's nearly 2PM here . Trying to keep up with everything sometimes just feeds the whirlwind in my mind . I always have dozens of projects and ideas turning in my head , and there are times I can't seem to start anything . I've just settled back into my desk chair after an electronics installation project . I was gone from the keyboard maybe 7 hours . I put in a post to hold a wall mount tv bracket at the corner of my office area . With this I will be able to actively monitor news and weather , and my surveillance system from my desk , or turn it toward my sitting area to watch local channels simultaneously with cable channels .
  Now for something slightly different , that I have been thinking about and researching for a while now . Yesterday , I became an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church , no , I don't need a tax dodge , I just wanted to be able to perform marriages for friends and family . It will be about 3 weeks before I receive my actual credentials , then I can register with the county clerk as a wedding officiant , and legally sign marriage licenses and perform services . You all know I preach a little on here , but I want to be thought of as a minister , not a preacher . This is the first public announcement I have made of this , as this is where I express my faith and my philosophies . I have to guess that a lot of you know that I believe in Jesus Christ and His teachings , and that He is the Son of the One God . I try to apply this to my words and deeds , but freely admit that I am imperfect , a sinner , and an ordinary human being . I don't subscribe to the hate and negativity that many so-called religious folks use to justify their fear of the unfamiliar . We need to be positive in our thoughts and actions , and trust our Lord to lead us in the right direction . Now I'll wish you all a pleasant good night , and may our loving God bless you richly .

  Got up about 5 hours ago , just now starting here . Today is our 29th wedding anniversary , but we have no special plans as we are both inclined to stay home for enjoyment . I calculate that by the time my next birthday rolls around , I will have been with her longer than without .
  More snow , atop fresh ice and sleet . The police scanner is going steadily , collisions and slide offs , and it really just began an hour ago . I guess these folks don't remember last week's weather , or didn't learn anything from it . And really , the time to stock up on staple goods is not after the storm starts . For our romantic dinner we had grilled sandwiches , and I had a juicebox of black bean soup . I don't remember the brand , it came from a discount store , but it was good . The snow didn't last long or leave much , but tv atmospheric prognosticators say more is coming overnight . When I was younger it was not too unusual to have snow on the ground continuously from December 'til March . It seemed much more pleasant then than now . Again I bid you all adieu , treat others well , follow Christ's teachings , God bless .

  Got up a little later than I would have liked , about 10:30 . I was hoping to have a reasonably quiet day at home , as the youngest child was in and out yesterday for a Dr.'s appointment , and got up at 3:30 to go back to work . I always set an alarm as a back up for the kids when any are here , so I got up at 4 to check , and back to sleep around 5 . At 11:30 or so , my wife called to say the clinic will be faxing a page here , turn on the machine . We use our voice landline as our fax number , so the machine stays off until we need it . Somewhere shortly after , I was thinking , for reasons I'm not now sure of , of the " noon whistle " in Hutsonville , on the Wabash River . As a child we heard this signal for lunch hundreds of times , but I can't recall if it blew on Sundays or not . So , today at noon , the clinic's fax tried to call mine , but the answering machine picked up . I got up to take the 3 steps to turn that machine off , but before I could reach it , it was ringing again on the redial from the incoming fax . I called my wife back , to tell her to ask the clinic to resend , when the phone rang again , my cardiologist's nurse , to give me test results from my last fasting labs . While I'm acknowledging her , the call waiting beep starts . Sudden sensory overload , not sure if that's an actual term but it is descriptive of the sensation of losing control of the situation you're in . In other words , I very nearly lost it , my wife on one phone , a nurse on the other , I maintained until I got off line with the VA , and my wife suggested I take an anti-psychotic to calm down . These do a wonderful job , but the " hangover " from these is terrible and long lasting , at least it doesn't include nausea . So I didn't take one , I twisted things back to my usual semi-normal state , and after maybe 10 minutes I was all right , fairly calm , and had the fax ready to receive . I called my wife back and let her know the fax could be sent , but she said she would just pick up the page later , in person . The problem with the fax ? A button inadvertently pushed , probably by me . I think I'm going to finally call my medication professional , yes , I have someone just to oversee my pharmaceuticals , and increase my daily antidepressant . The results call ? My liver function is good , my various cholesterol numbers have improved but not met goal , same medicine , same dose , until the next 90 day labs . I thank the Lord that my state of physical health is improving , and control of my mental functions should be reasonably easy to regain .
  Our youngest came in again tonight to facilitate the transfer of an extra company truck . So I will be up again at 4AM to make sure he is up . I fried cheeseburgers and baked steak fries for supper , one of my favorite meals even if I have to cook it myself . So , please don't assume from posts like this one that I am batshit bughouse crazy , I'm just learning to deal with issues that I blame mostly on a traumatic brain injury , or TBI , that I suffered in 1997 . Some days are better than others , obviously , but suddenly being assailed from multiple fronts can be disturbing , at the very least . Anyhow , I'm publishing this and getting some rest while I can . Good night , God bless .

  Took a lazy day today . Two days of running halfway across the state has me a little frazzled . I don't feel bad , per se , just fatigued . Had leftovers for lunch , hamburger helper for supper . No coffee today , I think I over did it yesterday . Our friends and their son stopped over while doing laundry , and we had an hour's pleasant visit . I am chopping this off short again , and assure you I will return . God bless , good night .

  Today was a long , drawn out day left here before 10AM and just got home at 7:30 PM . Our older son has been trying to get his unemployment started for almost a month now , with conflicting instructions from the 2 states involved . We dropped him off at IDES , 60 mile trip since our Governor closed many local offices . Then we went to Target to pick up a hard-to-find toy our daughter wanted for our grandson . Stopped at Goodwill looking for ugly sweaters , tons of $3 sweaters , no ugly ones . Back at the U.O. , his number is 49 , they are serving #32 . My widowed sister is there waiting on her friend , so we had a pleasant visit while sitting in the parking lot . They had been there longer than us , his number was 46 . We had gotten there about 11:30 , but there was only one person receiving and directing clients . At around 15 minutes between numbers being called , I didn't know if our son would be seen before they closed at 4 . He finally came out at 5 til 4 , and still doesn't know if Mo. will pay his benefits , or Il. . Closing offices , and laying off or encouraging early retirement (force reduction by attrition) has resulted in additional hardship for working people who already have it tough . When I went in to use the restroom , a wastecan  , and a spare , to catch waste from a leaking urinal drain trap . This Governor may not be tainted by corruption , but he is totally lacking in common sense , compassion , and communication skills . I hope someone who can make positive changes is being groomed to occupy the Mansion . Let's not have any delusions that the big issues are not settled behind closed doors , over whisky and cigars , or whatever has taken the place of those vices . Especially , who will be the next Golden Boy .
  After leaving , we had a nice buffet meal along the way . My plans to set a personal smorgasbord record were thrown off by not having eaten in 16 hours . The best I could manage was 4 plates , but to my credit I didn't skimp , and I don't leave scraps , excepting bone or husk . We then went a short bit out of the way to visit my aunt and cousin , her middle son , who has been my trusted companion on many an adventure , which I am sure will be covered in a future post . After this , it was back south to take our son to Nurse Ratched's , where he stays now when he's not working . Another tiny river town where I once whiled away a large part of my twenties . Back home , boots off , work station on , and back to babbling semi-contentedly to my readers .
  Speaking of readers , thank you all for taking time from your busy lives to consume the thoughts that survive the hurricane here in my head . I truly hope you find some thing here that entertains , or informs , or incites you . Sometimes I slack off on participating in this , but when it flows , as it has tonight , it can be very therapeutic . Again , thank you all , may good things happen in your lives , and may God bless you richly .

  Got up this morning , showered , then drove an hour to give one tube of blood to be tested for cholesterol levels . Came home and broke my 14 hour fast with bacon , eggs , and toast . (Breakfast , you see .) The highways were all reasonably clear , but most city streets were crappy . Some of the roads here in town are still pretty funky , but some business parking lots are ridiculously screwy . If these folks paid contractors to remove ice and snow from their lots , they got shafted . Especially when there are large grassy areas adjacent to the parking areas . Now , 8PM it is turning from flurries to light snow here , and a possible "real winter storm" is being predicted for later in the week . And less than an hour later , light to moderate , and accumulating . It's beautiful to watch , fun to play in , and a royal pain for most other activities . I pray the weight doesn't collapse anyone's roof as the build up continues .
  And while we're dealing with God's weather patterns , let's not forget the rapidly approaching celebration of the birth of His Son , Jesus Christ . I don't care if you say Merry Christmas , Happy Hanukkah , Happy Holidays , or whatever . If you are expressing to me the wish for a pleasant holiday season , I will return a greeting in the same spirit . Let's make one issue clear : there is no "War on Christmas" , no matter what some human manure spreader says . Most folks just want to make it through the holidays as best they can , no matter what you call the season . So say whatever you are comfortable saying , if some are offended in some way by your expression of peace and goodwill , it will be their loss . So now I feel good about today's productivity , taken as a whole , and I can log off here without guilt , and wish you all , my growing audience , Merry Christmas , and God's blessings .

  " Throw my brain in a hurricane " - John Prine .  Mine has been there for many years now , spinning around , barely touching the ground sometimes . Some days everything I hear , my brain twists things around until the result is comical , unrecognizable , or sexual . Maybe all three . Sometimes I enjoy this , other times not so much . I try to keep it muted except when I'm home and in a good mood .
  So , I have a fasting blood draw in the morning , 12 hour fast , so I have about 10 minutes to take my night meds and begin . My cardiologist wants to check my cholesterol since changing my statin . Good night , God bless all .

  We went to eat in Missouri , and the road conditions were horrendous . The long hill on the highway was spotless , most of the other 15 miles was 6 inches of ice and hardpack snow . In the town , which has a huge tax base , there was not much improvement , unlike our little town where maintenance crews work day and night until the job is done . However , the restaurant was open , the food was fresh , and I ate 4 plates of delicious , MSG-laden chicken , beef , and imitation crab . Maybe some tabby or persian too , but who cares , it was good . Many thanks to our son who footed the bill .
  This is going to be a short post , as it is the second today , but I will return tomorrow to regale you with more hillbilly weather reports , rants , and/or some such . Good day , take care , and follow the Golden Rule . God Bless .

  A bright , sunny day here , 16 degrees at noon . The city finally got around to plowing my little street , and did a beautiful job . The business owner next door has plowed his lot , so it will be easier for us to get in and out now . I'm going to shovel some more this afternoon , no matter what my wife says . Shoveled the back walk , except around the stoop where it is packed down . The square nose shovel will take care of that . Have the car warming up for a trip to the store . Now , back from the store , it will take a while to normalize my blood pressure . People who don't know the rules , or understand common courtesy , shouldn't be allowed out of their homes , let alone put in control of a vehicle . And probably 80% of today's truck drivers shouldn't be operating pedal cars , much less calling themselves "professionals" . My wife now says if I can drive without screaming we will go to dinner at our favorite Chinese buffet . I'm all for that , so I'll try my best . I am closing this now so I can shut everything down , I may or may not post again tonight . God bless you all .

  Slept about 3 or 4 hours , woke up to more of the same . We have about a foot on the ground , and it's 22 degrees outdoors . The drifts I can see from home are 3 feet or more , all my vehicles are drifted to the tops of the tires , and the Chrysler sedan I have parked across the highway is drifted to hood level . Before I lay down this AM we had a good breakfast of sausages and home made waffles . For lunch we had broccoli and cheddar soup from scratch . Comfort food on a stay indoors snow day . It's still snowing steadily but is now finer , drier flakes . When this ends this evening we get a short respite until Sunday when it starts again . Of course it's forecast to drop to single digit temps tonight . 6PM and I went out to clean off the car windows so I can drive our friends home . They walked the 4 long blocks up here to buy cigarettes , which is difficult in knee deep snow . It stopped around 4PM , and removal crews are making progress on the main roads . Our son shoveled the front walk , and I did the back stoop , but I'll wait until morning to finish . My wife doesn't want me to shovel at all , but when I use common sense I don't have any problems . At 7:30 it is 16 degrees out front . About 10 I drove our visitors home , the rods were plowed but still pretty nasty , didn't have a problem till I got home , quickly resolved . Good night , God bless .

  Good morning , as I type this at 6AM , we have over 9 inches of snow , with no sign of letting up . Pretty much all schools are closed , and many businesses as well . Those who don't absolutely have to get out , shouldn't . The plows are not making a huge difference despite their best efforts . I have been up all night , doing maintenance and watching the snow . Now at 7:30AM I am going to lie down for a while , and publish this for the purpose of communicating my observances . Be careful in all you do , may God keep you all safe .

  Second post of today , it's been a while since I've done this . Going to do inside projects and enjoy the storm as much as is possible . It has gotten me into more of a Christmas season mood , but I don't need the music until about the 22nd of the month . It has been steady snow since about 5 , the state's plow trucks are out but it doesn't appear to be making much difference on the highway in front of my house . It's quarter after 8 and in the middle of this sentence I stepped out back and took readings . It's 21 degrees , and we have 3-1/2 in. of snow on top of 1/2" of sleet on .2" of ice . We will just continue to observe and relax , and pray all make it home safe from their travels . At 11:30 pm , it is still coming down steadily . We now have 5" on the ground , drifting in places to double that . My mercury thermometer , mounted to a post in the open yard , 20' from the house , still says 21 , both of the digitals say 23 , and the bimetal unit on the front (north) porch is on the low edge of the 20 mark . As this is predicted to continue until tomorrow evening , intensifying in the morning , it could get truly bad . As long as all I have to get out of the house for is to shovel sidewalks , and the lights stay on , I can't complain . Good night , stay safe , God bless , and we shall continue tomorrow .

  11AM here , it's been "winter mix"ing all morning . When I walked next door half an hour ago , ice was forming on every surface . In a couple hours it will be too slick to walk . !2:30 everything is becoming coated and the temp is still dropping , about 26 now compared to 31.5 when I got up . We hope the dynamic load on the electric power lines doesn't cause any outages . Having "breakfast" for a late lunch . Biscuits , home made pepper gravy , and cayenne/brown sugar baked bacon . Meanwhile , at 2PM , the precipitation has changed to mostly sleet with flurries mixed in . I hope we don't get any more freezing rain . We can survive an electrical outage but I'd really rather not have one . I kind of enjoy being trapped at home occasionally , when it's warm inside and cold outside . As long as we have lights , heat , internet , and food , I'm all good . At 3:30 I just shoveled the back walk and the thermometer reads 26 , and my rain gauge has a 1/4 in. of sleet in it . At 5:30 almost completely snow , streets in town are treacherous even after plowing and cinder spreading . Our friends went to the store when she got off at 4 so they very kindly picked up a few items for us , saving us a trip so thank you J and J . I am looking forward to an uneventful evening , but just in case I will publish this now , go fix supper , and maybe post further later tonite . God bless and be cautious if you must venture out .

  Here at a more normal time today , got up earlier than I have been . Aaaanndd , suddenly it's 7 PM . Didn't do much today , brought up shovels and push broom in anticipation of a winter storm . And played FarmVille all afternoon . This game is designed to waste your time and wear out your mouse , but I still enjoy it . Even though they shove a new farm at you every few weeks . I now have seventeen , and have to have a whiteboard to keep track of everything . I refuse to spend money to speed things up , I just work at stuff a little at a time until it all works out . I've been playing this a few years and it is addictive , and annoying .
  I haven't written much about the larger spiritual world , and a phenomenon I call " the weight of moonlight . I occasionally have feelings and visual inputs that have no simple earthly explanation . I just had one when I got up to urinate , a very odd visual , but I don't think I will describe it right now , until I ruminate on it some . Besides , all but a very few of you would think me batshit insane . So once more I say good night , be good to each other , and God bless .

  Very busy day , no exertion really but mental challenges all day . That doesn't mean I'm mentally challenged , just busy . I'm still trying to eliminate drafts around the house , especially in the master suite area , which besides our bed has a sitting/tv area , my office , and our security monitoring . Our first 4 years here we paid insurance deductibles 5 times for vehicles that were burglarized or vandalized . I upgraded to better surveillance and alarm systems and haven't had any problems since . We've been here 10 years now so I think it has paid for itself . I'm waiting until our son goes back on the road to finish up the living room wall repair . Not real sure what to expect this week , weather-wise . Some forecasters say up to 8 inches of snow , others up to a quarter inch of ice . I would much rather have snow , even a small amount of ice makes travel treacherous . It's going to get cold starting tomorrow and stay that way at least a week . At least I have warm clothes .
  So now it's midnight and I'm tired , sleepy , and stiff in the joints . Good night , follow Christ , and may God bless you all .

  A nice day again , to lower our guard for when it snows later in the week . I haven't done much again today . We had our grandson this morning so our daughter could go to the dentist . Sometimes he can be a little hyper but is generally well behaved for a 5 year old . He is also extremely smart , so he is fun to converse with . And he can't be deceived by spelling out words , as he can read and spell , as well as add . He had lunch here before he left for preschool , because he really liked my turkey and stuffing . The kid has good taste , I suppose . I had leftovers myself , turkey sandwiches for lunch and turkey with sides for supper . This is one of those meals that I don't mind reheating , it's just as good the 3rd or 4th time around .
  Well , my blood pressure this morning was perfectly normal still , so in a couple days I'll probably rule that out as a cause of constant fatigue . If I can't resolve it in a few weeks I'll make an appointment with my primary M.D. to see what can be done . Yes , that means I'm cutting you short again tonight . Good night , God be with you .

  Just woke up after 4 hours napping in my chair . I had a late breakfast of scrambled eggs with mushrooms and cheese , and toast . Then I was freezing so I covered up and was out not long after . Started this , then fried hamburgers for supper . Our youngest had friends here so I cooked for all . Now , after eating 2 burgers and baked beans , I am just dragging . I wish I could get out of this phase and back into being active . I need to start monitoring my blood pressure again and see if I need adjustment . It's usually lower in the late evening , and tonight is no exception , I am right in the normal range , so I'll check again in the AM . Meanwhile , it has gotten late , and I still have daily maintenance to get done . So , good night , my readers , pleasant dreams and God bless .