Cold and rainy - familiar? in These titles mean nothing.

/205. 999,796 til 1,000,001. Cold today. And rainy. I am still inside the house and it’s almost 4 pm. I took a bath to get warm - while I was cooking lunch. I fully intended to shut off the fire under the pan before I got in the tub. But I must not have because the house filled up with smoke and the bottom side of whatever I was cooking got extremely overdone. The top part was salvageable and the pan itself is still ok. And the house didn’t burn down. So I guess all semi-right with the world. I’m wearing socks.

/206. I skipped yesterday which was a moderately busy day. Early morning walk and talk with Joana and Gracie. Pork chops, dressing and corn without burning the house down. Toted the deck plants out and planted two more tomatoes and did some general digging. I haven’t been out to look at anything. Cold and rain are probably better than heat and sunshine for plant adjustment. I guess I’ll just hope for the best. Even though it feels cold it’s way above freezing.

/207. Last night I went to the Dems Central Committee meeting. I hadn’t been to one in a long long time, but last night they had a congressional candidate speaking and a forum for our two local state legislative candidates. I was undecided about going. And then I decided to go in memory of my dad. He would have been so proud and happy to have a black man running to represent us in Congress. My dad was sympathizer for the underdog and he admired the efforts of those with odds stacked against them. George Ramsey is a 31 yr Army veteran with a BA and an MA and he is very good at what he does. I had heard him speak at out fund raiser the day of the worst snow storm in April of this year. He’s very good. The young woman running against him - she was in the abortion clip I posted a few entries ago, is also very good. I plan to vote in the primary next week when I get my drivers license. I think I will vote for Mr. Ramsey.

/208. The forum for our local candidates was interesting. It got long and the chairs were strangely high and got uncomfortable after an hour and a half. The candidates are a woman Jim’s age who is a nurse and is putting on a good campaign. She is expected to win. Her opponent is a young man who is sincere and speaks well but doesn’t quite seem competitive. The questions in the forum were good, our lawyer moderated - he has a good voice. The answers were pretty much what one would expect. Both candidates were polite and seemed capable, though it was much easier to imagine the woman in office than the man. Before the last question, the moderator asked if there were any more questions from the audience - we had written questions on cards before hand. Someone asked if you lose, will you support the other candidate. Not an unusual question, usually easily answered. The young man went first - he said he wasn’t sure. He would have to see who the Republicans put up before deciding. The Republican incumbent is not running and no one has taken her place - though after the Primary, it’s expected they will come up with a candidate, making the whole election a bit of a pins and needles affair. The woman rolled her eyes a bit and said she would support the Democratic candidate, whether it was her or not.

/209. I read the noon delivered Gazette today and it was full of negative stuff. I planned to tell you all about it but I’ve lost momentum. There was an article about the number of concealed guns that had been brought into the state Capitol since the first of the year. Not counting law enforcement who have a separate entrance, or legislators and staff and other capitol staff who have swipe cards and go through different entrances, more than 144,000 visitors, lobbyists and others entered the Capitol. All was kosher because they had concealed carry permits. A total of 270 some permits. They many entered more than once. Still that would be more than 500 entrances per permit. I’m sure there are other answers. Other than the question of why we aren’t shooting even more of out citizens.

/210. Another half page article was about changes in deer hunting rules. There is such a thing as a AR handgun now. It is like the AR rifles but it’s shorter and it clamps onto the shooters arm and requires both hands to operate. It also uses high capacity magazines - in other words it can shoot a lot of big bullets in a short time. It’s being allowed for deer hunting. The question is what happens if other than the deer get shot? Other hunters, livestock, road signs, you get it. And of course it’s all supported by the gun industry. Bigger and better bang for your buck.

/211. And Iowa’s senior US Senator Charles Grassley who through seniority and perseverance has become Chairman of the Judiciary Committee is encouraging judges in Supreme Court and otherwise who have plans to resign to do it soon so they can be replaced while the Republicans have their big majorities.

/212. Funny math thing about the US Senate is that one third of its 100 members are elected every two years to 6 year terms. That makes 33-ish seats up each two year election. The Republicans have a bare majority now. But of the 33 up for election this year, only 8 are Democrats, 25 are Republicans. They would all have been elected in 2012 which was the year Obama was re-elected – which proves just about nothing. We put Obama back in but did not give him Senators to work with. We will see how all this plays out.

/213. Oh I guess I got some politics out of the paper and elsewhere anyway. My governor candidate doesn’t look like he’s going to make it but the one who does look like he’ll make it is good too.

/214. I realize this is plain as mud, but to explain a little, the primary election in which the parties choose their candidates (if more than one person wants the job) is June 5 with early voting already begun. The general election in which the parties’ candidates run against each other (and any independents or minor party candidates) is November 6.

/215. My political rant is over.

/216. Gladiola bulbs came in the mail today. No real place to put them, but that won’t entirely stop me. Glads beg to be planted. They are like potatoes, they guarantee return.

/217. I need to buy groceries. Not a lot of enthusiasm. I think I turned down an opportunity to go to Lacrosse, so I guess I’ll be shopping locally. Liability insurance bill came today. I need to buy stamps. I have no library books out. I haven’t done anything concrete to Paper Cuts. I’m thinking of canceling my public radio contribution. I no longer even change the radio in the car to public when I drive. I listen to Jim’s station.

/218. I guess this is it. 999,783 left. Not sure how long the weather is going to be like this. I suppose I could put on even more clothes and shoes and see how things are outside. Maybe not. Have a good weekend, everyone. Mother’s Day is coming. Let’s all be prepared.

Last updated May 15, 2018