A couple of things are on my mind today

 First, who the heck is the scammer who's been commenting on so many blogs, mine included, about hacking ATMs?  Talk about a sorry SOB.

Secondly, I'm watching the Presidential Debate tonight just because I want to see Joe sucker punch Trumpito, metaphorically of course! I'm hoping that Biden doesn't react to any of the grifter-in-charge tricks and just states his plan for getting us out of the pit we're in now. Chris Wallace has already stated that he's not going to fact check anything said during the debate and I'm guessing he isn't going to insist that Donny stay behind his own podium and not try to roam the stage as he did during the debate with Clinton. Anyway, The Kid and I are going to watch and use our MACs to monitor real-time fact-checking on different sites. We're team BidenHarris around here and we all have our plan for voting in place. I hope that all registered voters do the same because we can't sit this one out. Vote as if your life depends on it because it does!

******

I'm back with Captain Chaos, Stretch, The Kid, and BigBoyChaos, while the MITM is with super nana, Mr Matrix and BigGirlMatrix. The Cap't is going back to work soon and Stretch is still working from home while BBC and The Kid are both distance learning. At the Matrix house, they're both working from home and BGM is distance learning. So, the MITM and I are picking up the slack where and when needed. The good thing is that both households are in our pandemic bubble, so there's no quarantine issue. We've been under elder lockdown, so periodic change of scenery is good for everyone, especially the children! 

***************

It's almost time for the debate. As much as I hate listening to Trumpito, I really want to see him fail tonight. The reality of this event is that sides have been chosen and minds have been made up, so this is theater that we all have a ticket for tonight.

Today is Saturday and here's my contribution to the weekend!

 Yesterday I received a DM (direct message) on Facebook from a good friend in New Zealand. She asked if I was on Twitter because she was leaving that other social media site, as it was far too toxic and bottomline too corrupt for her. I gave her my Twitter handle (@savmarshmama) and now we're connected there.

Her comment got me thinking about my own love/hate relationship with that other social media site and what I should do. Lately, I've been just a conduit for political information based on my own support for the Biden/Harris ticket and all things supporting the Democratic Party. I've also succumbed to the whole "Doom-scrolling" scenario, so that has certainly elevated my blood pressure and surely made me angrier than I should be. My friend used to live in Georgia, so she understands the political process here and is deeply saddened by how we've devolved as a Nation. I share that opinion, but I'm guessing that doesn't surprise any of you! As I read somewhere that the only reason to stay is to share how one feels to avoid becoming that which we despise or to be even clearer, Trumpito and his venal cabal of grifters!

I am staying away from to some extent, but using the platform does give me a way to stay connected to many of you who've stopped blogging but post on FB. I did sign up to "Liker" but not as many folks have made that leap yet, so I'm not following anyone there yet. If you make that leap, let me know, please. 

When the Biden/Harris ticket is successful in November, I'm guessing the armchair warriors supporting Trumpito will use FB as a platform for their seditious rhetoric and posturing since there seems to be no serious attempt to stop them, as far as I can see. Miss Daisy (the MITM's mama) used to call people like them lowlife, mouthbreathing scum. I'm prone to agree with her assessment. 

To be clear and not to be accused of denigrating anyone, I'm reminding all y'all of my favorite Southern saying, only the hit dog howls. I'll just leave it at that.

Enjoy your weekend, darlings, and remember to wear your mask, wash your hands frequently, and practice physical distancing! 

quiet, please

 That's it.

That's all I want.

September 11, 2020

Big Girl Matrix asked what the Twin Towers were because her teacher talked about it today.  She's in 3rd Grade and they are doing remote learning via online teaching. super nana, the MITM, and I related our experiences from that day after she saw pictures of the towers before the attack.  

Some things never leave you is even truer as the years pass. 

Happy Birthday, Mr Matrix

 Today is Mr Matrix's birthday! He's somewhere between 45 and 48. He's not sure, or at least he wasn't this morning. The pandemic has put a damper on festivities, but there was an ice cream cake his request, pancakes for breakfast, also at his request, and tonight will be shrimp and grits! No pictures yet.

************

It's hotter than I can ever remember in Lalaland, but what do I know? I spent YEARS in the south where high temps were expected in the summer and everyone LOVED their air conditioners. Fortunately, super nana and Mr Matrix have one, so staying inside is pleasant. There are huge fires blazing in California and a couple are close enough to have prompted air quality alerts, so that's just another reason to stay inside.

****************

Sadly, even with COVID-19 still plaguing Southern California, too many idiots are massing at local beaches, unmasked, and not practicing social distancing. To those fools I say, 

GO THE FUCK HOME AND STAY THERE! 

We will never get past this if folks don't start thinking about others and less about themselves and their own inconvenience! If everyone just followed the CDC guidelines, we just might get past this horrible pandemic!

Sometimes, people just piss me off!

BUT, not all y'all! I love you! xoxo

62 days

I don't know about you, but I'm becoming more and more frightened that Trumpito is going to try and stay in the White House and continue to totally flaunt the Constitution. Where is the Senate? The House? Surely, not all Republican members are beholden to the grifter-in-charge? 

I can't anymore. Even when I try to be optimistic it doesn't work. All I see and read is depressing. I will vote and thankfully, here in California we have mail-in ballots, so I can maintain my elder lockdown status. It is good to see that a number of businesses are giving their employees the day or time off to vote without loss of pay. So, there are bright spots, I just hope there are enough to save our country!

Like the lost sheep, she returns to the fold

 I've been away from this place for too long! At this point in my life, I'm barely making it through the day after reading the news/Facebook comments/twitter/Instagram, much less trying to organize my thoughts to share here. Perhaps, that's a good thing because I think I'm far too angry these days. Or I'm crying because I see a future without hope for my family and friends.

I am at a loss trying to understand what's going on here in my country, much less the world! We have science PROVING that we're in the midst of a pandemic. We have science PROVING that climate change is a real phenomenon. We have PROVEN evidence that Black people are being killed for no other reason than the color of their skin. And yet, what we see is being denied. What we can hear from the liar-in-chief's mouth is being denied. And we are asked, no told, that all of that is "FAKE NEWS!" American institutions are being destroyed slowly, but surely and it seems all we can do is demonstrate, petition, and sadly, instead of knowing, we can only hope that our vote on November 3rd will be counted and rid us of this troublesome man!

WTF, right? As the MITM keeps reminding me, he's the cynic and I'm the optimist! 

It's getting more and more difficult every day to be that person.

Follow-up on BGM's birthday party or It's Sunday not in Savannah

 The party was exceptional.

Isn't that the truth during these times? We're all trying to find a way to bring some sort of normalcy to special occasions without putting anyone in jeopardy. So, there was a quick driveby by some friends and family that surprised BGM (and also her parents who didn't expect as many to be part of it) with horn honking, balloons, signs, and birthday gifts! Social distancing and masks were worn and all presents carefully wiped down as an accepted procedure. Love and friendship in the time of COVID-19.

With every sweet moment, there's a story that just makes me cry. Stretch told us, as we sat outside, that Big Boy Chaos had cried the other night because "he hated COVID because he couldn't see his BGM!" The two cousins are 6 months apart in age and are best friends. This morning at breakfast, BGM asked when she'd see BBC again because she missed him already. We're our own pod, but it has been difficult to get together. Children are resilient, but this isolation is difficult for all of them in ways we'll probably not understand for quite a while.

The MITM and I will be back at the Captain's house the week after BGM starts her online/remote learning. As it stands now if super nana and Mr Matrix need help, one of us will stay here to supervise BGM. Big Boy Chaos starts remote schooling at the end of August. We'll see how this all progresses.

*************

Here's the birthday girl!

Now she's 8!

It's AUGUST!! Holy Moley!

You may have noticed or not, which is OK, but anyway, I've been absent from Blogville since my last post because my computer decided that I was a bitch and it didn't want to work anymore. Today it decided that it was tired of doing nothing and here we are! This pandemic is affecting everyone and everything it seems. 

We're still with super nana & Mr Matrix and of course, Big Girl Matrix! Her birthday is this weekend (she's going to be 8), but with social distancing still necessary out here (and around the world) there will be no friends and family party. Even the plans that had been made in anticipation of the date have been changed to stay in line with the Governor's directives. This is a birthday no one will forget, that's for sure!

That's it for today, sweetpeas! My mind has been blown away by (at this point, you can fill in the blank because whatever you think is probably right)!

xoxoxo

How the hell is it already Thursday?

Here's the deal, as you already know the MITM and I are currently on the other side of the hills out here in Lalaland. BGM has a summer schedule that we are closely adhering to because super nana used to be a teacher and prefers that BGM spends some time learning and not just watching tv! This is fine with me, but at my age teaching or rather providing guidance on 2nd-grade math skills is beyond my ability. I mean, listen, sweetpeas, all the terminology is different! We aren't borrowing or carrying anymore. We are re-grouping and other terms I've already forgotten! BGM senses I don't know WTF I'm doing, so she prefers that the MITM help her. I'm good with that! I get the fun part of story writing, spelling, word recognition, you know all the stuff I know. *Jesus wept*

We're also doing a countdown to BGM's birthday! Yep, she's going to be 8! I'll remind you. This year having a party is out, so friends and family are going to do a drive-by birthday celebration which seems to have taken the place of kids parties thanks to the pandemic. Presents are arriving in the mail, but won't be delivered to the birthday girl until that day. It's pretty hard not to over-indulge a bit because things are so off-center for children these days! So, that's what's happening here. We were hoping that her cousin, BBC could be here, but at this point who knows if we'll be back under mandatory stay-at-home orders by August. All I am absolutely sure of is that the cake will be delicious and is exactly what she wanted!

**************

Damn, I am rambling now. I think I have "shelter-in-place" brain and once I start writing or talking to people on the phone, I can't stop. It's the whole "OMG, it's someone other than the people I live with" thing. Or as Mr Matrix says the old pensioner talking to anyone who'll listen thing. I really would like to just run my own errands or just take a drive, but that ain't happening. I'll stop complaining now.

Take it easy, sweetpeas, seems we have a long way to slide before this is over.

So, wear your mask, wash your hands frequently, and for the love of all that's good, practice physical distancing when you're outside!

Friday music from a friend

Expectation: I'm going forward hopeful today.

Reality: The day will probably change my purpose dramatically

July the 5th because things have be crazeeee around here since June 15th

Oh yeah and I'm NOT EVEN talking about the USof A and all of the insanity that's going on here (Thanks to Trumpito and his minions)! We and The Krewe have expanded our bubble and now the MITM and I are in Burbank with super nana, Mr Matrix, and BGM (also including, Moxie and Tommy Lasorda,  aka the dogs) for a while since both of them are working from home! Mr Matrix has a big project that his taking more of his day than before, so we're here to help out and also spend more time with BGM!

super nana is maintaining her usual day that starts earlier because her boss is in another timezone but can end a little earlier than most, most of the time anyway.

 ***************

It's also a very big day for Stretch* because it's her  

*REDACTED* birthday!

We called and sang to her this morning and posted greetings on all the shared social media sites. In the past celebrations would have been yet another opportunity for a big family gathering, but 2020 has changed everyone's plans. BUT, we're just adding up all the missed parties and will have one or 20 huge parties when this is all over! That's my plan anyway! 

So, leave her a greeting if y'all are so inclined because she will see them!

*****************

We're good here and for that I am grateful. The MITM and I are still on elder lockdown, but we've traded locations for a while, so it is sort of a vacation. I mean, I had to pack a bag and travel with a destination in mind, so that qualifies as a trip in my mind!

So, there y'all go, so stay safe, wear your mask, practice physical distancing, and wash your damn hands!

I leave all y'all! xoxox

*Stretch, for those of you who might not know, is wife to Captain Chaos, mother to The Kid and Big Boy Chaos (BBC), sister-in-law to The Doc and The Dancing Lady, super nana and Mr Matrix, and auntie to Big Girl Matrix (BGM), and lovely daughter-in-law to me and the MITM!

Just a thought

Today I read that our pal, 63Mago*, has been blogging for 10 years! Congratulations to him that's for sure! Blogging is so much more fun than that other social media site! Huzzah for him and everyone else who's still blogging!

E@L** is also back blogging. At least, he did today. Drop by and encourage him, if you're so inclined!

Ok, that's pretty much it for me today. I started this to talk about how I started blogging in Nov. of 2006. Go figure, right?

Anyway, stay safe, wear a mask when you're outside, and wash your hands often!***

* check him out on my sidebar

**Expat At Large also on my sidebar

***I've forgotten how to do hyperlinks!

What a Week!

There isn't much to add to the news we've all read and seen about this past week! I am glad we have a chance to not only reconsider the past, but a very real opportunity to change our collective future.

I can only hope that every person who stood or walked in protest will remember to vote in November. 

VOTE as if your life depended on it because it DOES!

Today is his birthday!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the MITM aka Man In The Moon!

Celebrate with us as we raise a glass in his honor!

Hang in there, sweetpeas!

I had another post ready, but after today I figured we just needed to have each other's back and keep on keepin' on as the song said.

Times are tough right now for all of us here on this continent, and across the pond. Hell, everywhere on this planet! But, remember there is goodness and kindness in Blogville!

I love all y'all!
xoxo

I picked the right week to not watch the news

I stopped watching network news earlier this week and even with that small move, I was not untouched by the horrors that filled the screens around the country and probably the world. Between the rantings of Trumpito and his undisguised white supremacist views, there was, once again, the death of George Floyd, a black man, filmed and televised. There was the accusation by a white woman against Christian Cooper, a black man, once again filmed and shared over and over again. 

These are just two things that I know about that happened during my self imposed television withdrawal.

This morning I learned about the arrest of Omar Jimenez, a CNN reporter, and his crew by police in Minneapolis at a demonstration yesterday. This during a LIVE broadcast. You could hear the reporter and his crew cooperating with the police, in fact, asking what did the police want them to do. The reporter and his crew were all wearing CNN identification as journalists do when reporting on any demonstration. 

He is black.

A block away his white colleague was not arrested.

This is not just a black-white issue.

It's not minority communities versus white communities.

It's more than the top 1% versus the rest of us.

This is a moment in time when we as Americans decide what type of a society we are going to be going forward. 

I don't have the answer. But, I think together we can figure this out.

At least, I hope so.

***********

I haven't forgotten COVID-19. I don't think any of us can right now. For every day we have fewer deaths, we still have people succumbing to this new virus with variations appearing in different groups in our society. It seems that there is no longer a demographic that's safe or excluded.

I miss seeing the rest of the Krewe. We are incredibly fortunate that we're with the Cap't, Stretch, The Kid, and Big Boy Chaos! To be in the middle of all of this, to be in the same city, and yet apart would have been heartbreaking. As it is now, I miss the ability we had to just hop in a car and see super nana, Mr Matrix, and Big Girl Matrix. I miss seeing The Doc and The Dancing Lady!

I know, we all miss the way things were.

We'll find a new way.

I know it.

I love all y'all!

xoxo

Holy Moly! I just blogged yesterday and here I am today!

I think I might be on to something here, loverlies! Blogging instead of posting on that other social media site Our pal, FirstNations, has cut the cord (after getting jailed far too many times) and has resumed blogging! I have forgotten how to do hyperlinks, so check her site out from the sidebar (Steve. Because 'Steve' is almost as nice a name as 'Paul' was.) and delight in her words!

So, where am I? Yes, blogging again and reading al y'all and trying to form coherent comments. (I say this because I just had a conversation with the MITM and we were both astounded that I could not remember something he had done just a week ago. Make sense?) Anyway, enough about me (too late) what the hell are y'all up to now? Safer At Home guidelines are being lifted in some areas and not in others, so tell how it is where you are!

The MITM and I have decided (after listening to his scientist brother) that we aren't going anywhere unit there's a vaccine. Cap't Chaos and Stretch, along with the rest of our krewe are in agreement with that plan, so that's the plan here. I'm going slowly crazy, but so is everyone else, I guess.

Memorial Day 2020

The news has called today a Memorial Day unlike any other. 

Personally, if it weren't for the pall of COVID-19 hanging over all of us, it's very much the same as every year. The majority of people see today as the "unofficial beginning of summer" and not a day of remembrance for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It has long bothered me that Memorial Day is seen as a great hook for sales of every sort, from sheets to cars to blenders! How crass we've become. But then again, I am not surprised by anything since November of 2016 and sadly, we've come to expect vulgarity and crassness from people. 

So, it was with gratitude that I watched Joe Biden and Dr. Biden lay a wreath at the memorial in Delaware today. Not only were they both wearing masks as the CDC has recommended, their security detail and staff were also masked. It is a sign of concern for the health and safety of those around them which, unfortunately, too many people fail to understand is the whole purpose of wearing a mask in public.

I hope all of you stay safe, stay healthy, and stay hopeful.

I love all y'all.

xoxo

64 days as of today here in Los Angeles

I counted from March 13, 2020, up to today how long we've been under a mandatory Stay-At-Home order from Mayor Eric Garcetti. Capt Chaos and Stretch have been our designated shoppers, so the MITM and I have only been outside in the garden. Walks around the block, always wearing a mask, of course, have been the extent of physical exercise. Physical distancing is being practiced by people who understand why it's still important, but sadly, the news seems to focus on the moronic halfwits who don't give a rats ass about anyone other than themselves! 

I've found it so difficult to understand why people protesting are carrying weapons, waving nazi or confederate flags (or both at times), threatening folks who are masked is patriotic and supportive of America? By what stretch of the imagination is personal freedom defined by putting others at risk? I've heard from the Captain that even though there are fewer drivers on the road, far too often drivers are taking insane risks by speeding, blowing through stop signs, and other dumb moves! Sadly, here in Lalaland, the stats for car crashes under the Stay-At-Home order is the same as last year for the same 64 days! I can't think of a better time to be even more cautious than now!

On a happier note, we've been doing a lot of cooking and baking here! The Kid is making a Cuban style pork roast tonight, the MITM will be making another Chicken and Sausage gumbo soon, and I'm going to roast a leg of lamb this weekend. It's been quite a gastronomic adventure living with folks who love to cook during this pandemic! (Hey, I have to make a few lame jokes to keep from crying - which I seem to have been doing a bit of lately!) 

I've also been doing a lot of reading. I'm in the middle of Erik Lawson's book "The Splendid and the Vile" and have a stack that will keep me busy for a few weeks. What about y'all? What's keeping you busy?

So, there it is, my loverlies, my sort of weekly update from behind the COVID Curtain here in L.A.!

How y'all doing?