Was still awake when K’s alarm went off at five. Ugh. From studying maps of LA and Oroville (to track the progress of the fires), to dispiriting ongoing voter suppression news (it is just the GOP norm now), to the firing of Sessions, I found myself spacing out about appointments and social engagements this week and wondering what overwhelm morphs into. Not despair, I hope.
(Not despair, I hope?)
And what of Mueller? Was he strategic enough to withstand this level of obstruction? Will we be denied? Reading the first linked article below constituted a highlight this week because it credibly outlines why Mueller is likely poised to finish his investigation.
And who thinks our depraved President only went to Paris to meet with Putin? The international shame of him provides a whole other order of gloom.
So I went to a protest. The “red line” one. Not the one in Boston because I was tired. Too much trouble for democracy? Well, maybe. The Needham gathering, though small, offered a shared sense of outrage and worry and could be reached by car without hassle. Get well cards to Ruth Bader Ginsburg were circulated.
Tuesday I worked the polls. Our very civilized polls. It was busy — I gather from old timers, busier than normal.
A pleasant (for a change) visit to Salem came at the end of the week — very little traffic and a cleaner apartment than usual helped (PCA Maria #1 is back, to our shared relief). Doing the Times puzzle together was good, too (the sharing of it. Not this week’s puzzle!)
The North Shore visit came a week after one to K’s father in the nursing home where he is safe and well cared for and nevertheless restless and lonely.
Raking leaves provides ballast. Sanity. Tidying a closet, I can handle. Deciding which project to finish, not so much.
Here’s what I am looking forward to (and then I want to hear what YOU are looking forward to):
News that Grace and family are safe and their property untouched by fire;
The kids coming home for Christmas;
The first snowfall;
The indictments of Trump’s family and Sean Hannity;
The lentil soup I’m gonna make tonight;
Reading the next four hours and 28 minutes (gotta love kindle!) of “A Gentleman in Moscow,” which I am really enjoying.
Reading three articles about the use of dialogue in fiction;
A time when politics does not enter the dialogue here.
How about you?
Article by Ben Wittes: It’s Probably Too Late to Stop Mueller.
P.S. because of the overwhelm, I didn’t finish the draft post entitled “Savor a Little” in which I intended to lay out the impressive Democratic wins from the midterms — all there is to celebrate and feel terrific about. So, I’ll just leave you with this Washington Post article.
Great post! I’d love to play “I’m looking forward to …”
– an injection on Thursday to counter the herniated disc in my degenerating spine
– rotisserie chicken and homemade muffins for dinner
– seeing if my letter to the editor is published in the Austin American Statesman tomorrow
– news that all is well on Grace’s hill and that Deb Sposa’s son and kin are safe, too
– positive, progressive political news (including Beto’s future plans)
– Thanksgiving (the simplest and most wonderful holiday on the calendar)
– finishing Moon Myth
– stitching, blogging, and occasionally kvetching (always)
Will you share your letter online? And, I hope the injection provides the hoped for relief. Thanks for throwing your anticipations into the pot!
Woo Hoo! I made the cut!!
http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2018/11/speaking-out.html
Just went over to read it. Congrats. Leading by example, as you so often do! Thanks, Liz.
Looking forward to my new grandson arriving , maybe next week.
– my 5 year old granddaughters reaction to him
– having both children, spouses and 2 grandchildren here for Christmas Day
– decluttering some more
-my husbands hearing aid…. Yeah, took a lot of persuading!
-stitching instead of making up kits for other people to stitch
Note: it all sounds very selfish but maybe I am just now.
It all sounds wonderfully family driven.
what a great post, love your “Not despair, I hope?”
I spun out yesterday about the President of the United States climate change denial statement re the wild fires in California, the good news is Neil Young wrote an excellent letter to The Guardian;
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/nov/12/neil-young-donald-trump-california-fires-climate-change
and here in Australia the government is kowtowing to the fossil fuel industry which is hell bent on digging out as much coal, fracking as much gas, and pulling out as much oil out the Great Australian Bight as it possibly can before the shit hits the fan… insanity… the good news is solar power is being taken up by the people at a terrific rate, this gives me hope
we were given just 24 hours notice of a house inspection in 2 hours with the new real estate agent … so as of now the house is clean, the windows are sparkling, the garden is swept and trimmed, Old Man Crow is doing the vacuuming (I really don’t like vacuuming) when he’s finished we can just bask in the glow of the cleanliness. These biannual inspections are invasive but do keep us a bit civilized!
dreaming of moving to the Blue Mountains in 2 years 3 months and 2 weeks when I am old enough to get the Age Pension and can work as a full time artist
thanks for the opportunity to write this out & feel a bit more hopeful than I did
There are so many levels of indignities and crises being made manifest in the California fires — the new normal. Of course climate change is involved. Because trump and the party of death (aka the GOP) are so pernicious and anti-science (or really, pro-corporation), it seems getting them out of power is the first order of business. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of time. States have stepped up to the plate in interesting ways (again, California refusing to institute relaxed emission standards, which in turn makes the auto industry against the relaxed standards bc they don’t want two standards to produce for).
Glad you had the reason to tidy up! It always feels good after. I though company as coming Saturday when it was a week from Saturday but K and I got to enjoy a picked up house for the weekend.
PS And don’t forget another mass shooting (or did I read right over that in all that is news for a week?)
Amazing how a mass shooting can become a footnote. Probably only still in the news because Thousand Oaks now ravaged by fire.
I have read several very good pieces in the Guardian of late and finally made a contribution. We are nothing without the free press, wherever they may be in the world.
Is this the letter you mentioned before? I hope you’ll post it on your blog. Would love to read.
Unfortunately my letter didn’t make the cut on the Austin American Statesman’s editorial page. I’ll try to remember to post it on the blog …
Looking forward to Thanksgiving with friends and vacation with just J.
Thanksgiving includes finally meeting the latest in the tribe, now 5 months old and vacation includes our favorite Morro bay.
Looking forward to a break.
Looking forward to both shoes being on the ground, or me returning to my non-listening for that state. I may be looking forward for a long time.
A new member of the tribe! How exciting! We are having a quiet and small thanksgiving this year.
Sorry you are so down in the dumps. Hope you find happiness in life soon. I am looking forward to:-
>Three days without having to charge around the place
>Starting a new library book
> The Sewing and Knitting show next week
>Finishing the baby jumper for youngest grand son
>Planning the next walk for my walking group
> New Year with my family
You seem to keep yourself inspiringly busy, so I can imagine three days off is a real treat. Most people I know in the US are sorely affected by the state of things right now — disruption of sleep, anxiety, suspicion of people with trump paraphernalia, and some just plain not feeling safe. It’s a terrible time to be an American. Too bad my worry doesn’t show up as weight loss!
I’ll have to wait to read the comment thread because it’s nearly my 2nd bedtime (first at 11-woke at 2ish)–I just want to say I love the crisp candor and directness of your text here and the gentleness of telling about the two kindness visits. The photographs are really fine. SO…I’m Looking Forward to:
My next sleeping relief
Breakfast
Threading needles to sew cloth rose petals on lace streamers for the pennant I’ve finally begun (Mo’s project for “I Dream of a World Where Love is the Answer” https://itscrowtime.wordpress.com/
More News from Grace (Dare not speculate but I wish for the best for them all and for the fire fighters and just everyone and thing battling these awful fires.)
Looking forward to seeing another sunset over the Hudson River.
Looking way forward to a Massachusetts visit with friends in January
Enough to keep me going awhile.
I should’ve included breakfast too! I always look forward to breakfast. The mention of sunset over the Hudson tickles me too. You remind me that some wondrous aspects of life happen almost every day!
What a perfect post as we approach Thanksgiving!
I’m looking forward to (in rough chronological order):
The safe return of Grace and her multi-species family to the Hill
Thanksgiving with my family, which will include some cousins I have not seen for many years
A trip to Coeur d’Alene in early December to celebrate my mother’s eighty-sixth birthday (hooray
for her continued good health)
Mueller’s next indictments
The installation of a Democratic House of Representatives and the investigations that will ensue
The birth of my first grandchild
The opening of Mo’s art show
I, too, participated in my local Protect Mueller demonstration. It is hard to know if it made any difference in the large scheme of things, but it did help me feel better….so, okay.
That’s a nice list — wow the coming of a grandchild! Is the bday celebration in Idaho? I would’ve thought France but maybe not.
Ha ha. I never thought for a minute about Coeur d’Alene confusion. So parochial. Yes, the one in Idaho. My brother lives there. Maybe we’ll go to France some day.
i’m just spaced out.
I missed two appts. So unlike me.
Dee I follow you and feel with you. Today I decided not to read the newspaper or online news before breakfast. You have to be stronger to bear all this.
My list: I´m looking forward to
some quiet time for me after a summer filled with family
rain and fog after a long hot and dry summer
taking out my projects from the closet and continuing to work.
short list but so important for me.
Doris
Hi Doris. The time I need to start avoiding the news is right before bed. It doesn’t help sleep. Your short list is jam packed. I like to picture you pulling projects out of the closet!