So in These titles mean nothing.

So. So. So. It’s Saturday evening - 5:31 to be precise. It’s dark outside. It’s quiet in my kitchen except for a buzzing that comes from my new bright florescent light or from my own ears. I might hear a tractor coming closer. The furnace fan isn’t running. I should go look at the fire.

I went to caucus training this afternoon at the meeting room at the basement of the library. I’m not running the caucus any more but since we are a large precinct - 5 townships - the two people who are running it might like a little support. I thought I might like to have a refresher course in how things are done and feel a bit more like an insider than an outsider.

Our trainer is a ‘dreamer’ from Chicago. He came to the US with his family when he was three years old. He’s been nervous about getting deported to Mexico. He said he’s dropped out of college at some point thinking he would be deported. He only knew his sports coach and the Democratic central committee. They bought him a couple nights in a hotel, taught him to drive and sold him a car. a Chevy Malibu for $500. It had 190,000 miles and now has 230,000 miles and he is still driving it. He grew up in Chicago and I told him to say hi for me to the art at the Institute the next time he’s there. He’s working for the state party organization. He did a nice job.

Biggest change in this election’s caucuses is that there will be a paper trail - if results are questioned they can be checked. Each participant will be given a card, to a write their first choice on and sign. If their choice is not ‘viable’, meaning in our precinct has less than 15% of those attending, they can realign with a viable group. The cards of those in viable groups will be collected to provide a record of the number and then those from non-viable, less than 15% of total attendees groups, will be free to join viable groups. They will write their second choice on the back of their cards and those cards will be counted.

Then the 14 delegates my precinct has been allowed for the county convention will be distributed among the viable groups. There is math involved. I didn’t take a calculator or my glasses so I was at some kind of handicap.

New this year too is a test that all the caucus chairs, secretaries and ‘helpers’ must take and pass. Certificates will be issued. It all happens on line.

I am not as sure of myself as I used to be. I find it much easier to not do things than to do them. Example: at the end of today’s meeting the Chicagoan wanted to take a picture of the group. They lined us up. In the reorganization of the lineup, I suddenly had enough and I wanted to leave, and do I did. As I left I wondered how they could be sure I would not just pick up and leave the night of the caucus. I wondered myself at my commitment to actually doing anything ever.

My brother is dying. I need to call him. I need to go see him. he’s signed his body to University Hospitals so there won’t be a funeral. Unless of course there is.

My sisterinlaw is doing well. I saw her at the library after I escaped from caucus training. I bought more breakfast for her. We have moved on from bacon and egg sandwiches to grilled cheese, tuna and chicken salad sandwiches, perhaps peanut better occasionally. I bought her new Cliff bars and walnuts. and sliced cheese for the sandwiches. A new onion and celery for the salad sandwiches. I have a good supply of Instant Breakfasts. Cookies and orange juice.

I bought gas and postage stamps at the convenience store. I got books and two New Yorkers at the library.

Jim has the gravity boxes full of shelled corn and might just now be unloading them into the drying bit. John might be coming down tomorrow to help with the harvest, etc. Joana does not go back for chemo until a week from Monday.

One night this week JIm and I went to the Mexican restaurant in town to meet with an Amy Klobuchar operative. I’m glad we went because the only other people who came to the Klobuchar event were the chair - my lovely old friend Karen and her husband. The Klobuchar person as a young slightly Black man from southern California. He was very good. We ended feeling more friendly toward Klobuchar who is a US Senator from Minnesota who is a really good person - of course she has a good job now too.

I read an article in Atlantic. Jim found it. I should get a link to post but… here it is anyway.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/01/joe-biden-stutter-profile/602401/
I do not support Biden. I think he’s too old and white and he’s had chances in the past. This article explains his stutter and shows how he has worked his whole life to control it. It’s one of those ‘he did well with what he had’ things, but I’d still like it better if he’d quit. He and Warren and Bernie too. Oh hell. Politics is not as much fun as it used to be. If it weren’t for the young people with the stars in their eyes, I’d give up too.

I’ve been down to the basement to hang up laundry… and attempt to nurse the fire. There is a pretty good puddle in front of the furnace room door from a leaking water pressure tank that two, I repeat TWO, plumber guys have agreed to replace in the last few months. If they both show up on the same day with a tank each I am going to have a heart attack. Then I might miss the caucus.

Last updated November 23, 2019