What’s wrong with us?

Since the hurricane in Texas we’ve seen people of all races,
religions, and political beliefs helping other people of
different races, religions, and political beliefs. And instead
of the media covering the fact that when the going gets tough
none of that matters.

Instead of covering stories that could lift the spirit of our
nation the media chooses to focus on our first ladys shoes. Who
cares if she wore high heels at first and later switched to
tennis shoes once there.

Friends, neighbors, and complete strangers answered the call
for help. Supplies are being sent from across the country and
around the world as another storm of the century goes in the
record books.

Of course the criminal element has also been seen and yet it
couldn’t be any other way. We’re human and not everyone is
going to react the same way.

And silence from the groups who claim everyone other than them
is either racist, sexist, homophobes, or whatever while trying
to destroy things. No claims they are owed something or well
wishes for the victims.

All this begs the question; why can’t it be like that all the
time? Why can’t we unite as Americans and get things done as
Americans? I can remember a time it felt that and would like to
see it return.

Enjoy our thursday as we’re almost to a long weekend for some.
All this thinking made me hungry so I’m going find some bacon
and eggs and keep them company until it’s gone.
Comments are always welcome.

Of tough shrubs and critters

I’ve put the chores on hold to get this out and stop the
bleeding since I look like I was in a bare knuckle brawl with a
bobcat. Who’d think bushes have tougher thorns than roses? Well
these did. And this happens every time I trim that same bush.
Makes one wonder if somebody makes work gloves with long Kevlar
arm pieces attached.

The moon last night looked like it needed a friend so while
spending time with that I missed out on some sleep. But the
moon said he felt better after our chat and so did I.

Although we haven’t seen the feral cat and her kittens in a
few days the bowl of food we set out gets empty by later in the
day so they must still stop by. If the chores ever get done I
spend a little time trying to figure it out.

At least the winged critters show up daily to roost in the
trees and eat the bird seed we put out for them while somehow
managing to look majestic in their poses.

And we had a new visitor today that I don’t remember seeing
around before. The antenna on this creature look like something
out of a sci-fi flick to me. Not sure if the critter is a moth,
a butterfly, or an alien who just landed, but it is different
from what usually spot.

It was pretty small but also looked mad about something.
Perhaps it should phone home. Enjoy our wednesday as in a few
more days the weekend will be here. Since I’ve had my pizza
it’s time to clean the wounds, smother them with iodine, and
find the band-aids.

Pleas keep Texas in your thoughts and prayers.
Comments are always welcome.

Thoughts on the storm

While the sky here on the east coast of Iowa was so blue it
looked like you could swim in it, Texas is still getting hit
hard. Friends down there are taking the brunt of the storm but
safe, and family are far enough north to be safe.

What always amazes us at times like these is the fact thieves
and thugs don’t take the day off. Stories of break ins and the
Cajun Navy getting shot at while trying to help are almost
beyond belief. It makes one wonder if these criminals are just
that greedy, think it’s just another wonderful day in the
neighborhood, or see the storm as a career opportunity.

Blame is already being aimed at anyone who made a error in
judgement while alligators swim in front yards. The media is
jumping on the wagon too. We learned a long time ago that
hindsight is 20/20, and you hope for the best but prepare for
the worst. Instead of pointing fingers and playing the name
game why not go out and help?

So please give a nod to your God to look over Texas, if you
don’t believe in God keep them in your thoughts. and give a
donation to one of the agencies waiting to help if you can.
God bless Texas.
Comments are always welcome.

Looking and seeing

It’s funny what you can see if you just look around. Some may
not even notice what’s going on around them, but we do. So here
are a few pictures of things we’ve noticed in the last few days.

Until recently we didn’t know that birds fed other birds. We
knew it happened in the nest but once the little ones started
flying we thought they were on their own.

We also noticed a problem with male cardinals this year. We
have some who seem to have lost the feathers on their head. It
makes one wonder that if that cardinals are a sign a loved one
in heaven is thinking of us, does this mean they’re having a
nightmare?

Other winged critters have been abundant this year also. Not
sure what kind of butterfly this is, but he kept busy.

There are times when a picture is better. How could you
explain what these two looked like? I knew mere words wouldn’t
do them justice.

The bees have busy although these we give a wide berth as
we’re both allergic to stings. Yet somehow when you get a bit
closer they are magnificent creatures.

We also have some feral cats that live somewhere on the lot
behind ours. Mama had kittens and the look on the first face
is the reason we set out food and water at the end of the
driveway.

Even the sky has been a work of art. The clouds that
surrounded the church steeple 3 blocks south of our back door
were a sight to behold.

Now that we’ve bored you to tears, we’ll finish this as I have
things to do and sights to see. Enjoy our monday. It’s here so
we may as well enjoy it.
Comments are always welcome.

Three problems

While the rain has put a damper on outdoor activities on the
east coast of Iowa news of all sorts has been filtering through
our daily lives. The storms in Texas, the nut job with the bowl
haircut firing a few missiles, and the Navy not being to
navigate friendly waters come to mind.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in Texas, we can only
imagine the grief caused. We know the fact that help is on the
way is of little consequence to those hardest hit but there is
not much more to be said at this point.

North Korea fired off three missiles yesterday and a thinking
man has to wonder where the threat is. The first missile failed,
the second blew up shortly after being launched, and the third
missile failed. This means only one of two things.

Either they are dumber than bricks for trying the same thing
over and over, are they are intentionally firing off the duds
so others get complacent. I don’t like either of those options.

As I perused the Navy Times a story caught my eye and had me
staring at the monitor in disbelief. The headline was ‘Maybe
today’s Navy is just not very good at driving ships’. Huh?
Isn’t a Navy supposed to involve ships?

As I read the article I was concerned as the statement came
from a retired Navy Captain. First off, you don’t drive a ship.
A helmsman pilots the ship. Surface Warfare Officers don’t even
know the terminology? According to the retired captain ‘the
current generation of officers rising into command level
billets lacks the skills, training, education and experience
needed to operate effectively and safely at sea’.

This begs the question, who on the ship does have the skill to
operate the ship safely? 17 dead sailors this summer because
the ability to operate a ship in open seas is unknown to those
doing so? I’m glad my hitch occurred when we knew how to do it
safely and bring all hands back to port.

It may just be time to bring God back to the public. Enjoy
our Sunday, I’ll still be shaking my head tomorrow.
Comments are always welcome.

Sunday snicker

Here’s two, they’re short.

A priest and a pastor are standing by the side of a road holding up a sign that reads “The end is near! Turn around now before it’s too late!”

A passing driver yells, “You guys are nuts!” and speeds past them. From around the curve, they hear screeching tires—then a big splash.

The priest turns to the pastor and says, “Do you think we should just put up a sign that says ‘Bridge Out’ instead?”
———————————————————-

During an ice storm I went to check the mailbox, carefully shuffling down the driveway. When I reached for the mail, my feet went straight up in the air, and I landed on my back. More embarrassed than hurt, I looked to see if anyone witnessed my fall and spied a fire truck passing by. The crew had seen the whole thing.

Firefighters climbed out of the truck to assist me. “It’s the preacher,” one said. “Are you okay?”

“I just got the wind knocked out of me,” I replied.

“Wow,” said another firefighter. “It takes a lot to knock the wind out of a preacher!”

Choices

This weekend on the east coast of Iowa we have Farm Days in
the Village, the Corvette Rally in LeClaire, and the World
Series of Drag Racing across the river. We couldn’t make them
all and had to choose one. Here is what we chose.

And just a short walk away is a spot on the bluff overlooking
the Mississippi river that I like to go to and see what’s going
on below.

Not as exciting as drag racing or as flashy as the Corvettes,
but just as enjoyable. The tractors and exhibits will be in
the Village until 4 pm tomorrow if you want to take a look.

We will post a snicker later today as time allows. Enjoy our
saturday.
Comments are always welcome.

Keep the change

A local developer wanted to put up a five story building in the
Village of East Davenport, where zoning laws prohibit buildings
over 3 stories tall. He went before the board and was denied
so decided he’d try to sell the land the project was slated
for.

I do not know the developer yet wish him well in his future
endeaveors. I do know the Village quite well and didn’t think
his project a good fit. While it would have added more retail
space and apartments the design didn’t fit in a historic
neighborhood.

I remember saying that at one point I was a mechanic at a gas
station on that corner and years later the station was torn
down to put a bank in. This plan wanted to tear down the bank,
put up a 5 story building with the first floor dedicated to
commercial rental, including a bank.

People who live on the bluff above the Village treasure their
view of the river, and rightly so. Businesses already there
seemed split between ‘the more the merrier’ to ‘too much
competition’. At any rate, the historic little Village nestled
mere yards away from the river is staying as it was.

Time will tell what, if anything, will be erected on the site.
We have no crystal ball nor wish to venture a guess. The
Village has become gentrified and that’s ok. It’s looking
better every time we stop by.

We’ll leave it there for now. Soon it will be friday so enjoy it
while we can. The Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a harsh winter
for the east coast of Iowa and we’ll enjoy it while it’s warm.
Comments are always welcome.

Slowly going crazy

Well, another representative from the roofing company just
left so I’d thought it time to get this out. For no reason I
can think of here’s a picture of one the feral cats and her
kitten enjoying the snack we left for them.

That doesn’t have anything to do with this post, just thought
it was a good one to share. Mama looking leery and the kitten
like she could eat the bowl. But this one does concern animals
and we’ll explain.

Some of us oldfarts feel our world has gone crazy with the
active shooters, the rioters who riot on a principal based in
lies, and society in general. While over at Dads a story was
broadcast about a woman who was severely beaten, shoved into a
garbage can then the lid duct tapped on before being put in a
rental storage unit.

Thankfully the woman beat the odds and survived but I got
upset when the opinion giver stated that the man who did it
would probably get life in prison. Dad’s caregiver asked what
I thought he deserved so I replied “hang him!” Not sure of her
reply I relaxed when she said “he deserves worse.”

Oh yeah, the animal part. I like to read headlines online or
in the newspapers and yesterday I came across one that said:
‘Man sodomizes then throws acid on puppy’. I don’t remember where
this happened but it was here in the U.S.A.

And all these people who do things so strange to us, live
among us! You can’t usually just look at them to see if they’re
crazier than an outhouse rat either. Let’s leave it there with
a bonus a picture of cute little rabbit. Just to get the good
vibrations back.

Enjoy our thursday as I know we will. Now I hear a Snicker’s
bar calling for me and must respond.
Comments are always welcome.

The roof, the antique farmer, and a groundhog

Yesterday was the busiest day we’ve had in a long time and I
loved it! Yet since it felt like the days when I worked for a
living it will not be repeated often. If you bear with me I’ll
explain.

We need a couple roofs replaced on the back of the house and
had a gentleman come yesterday morning to look over what we
wanted. He arrived on time and we walked the entire perimeter
of the house before going inside and climbing into three
different attics. Turned out the roof we thought would last
another 10 years needed replacing also.

I discovered he was a vet and served in the 82nd Airborne so
we thanked each other for our service. By the time he left we
had the papers signed and will get 4 new roofs by the end of
the month. Since all this took over 4 hours I was late getting
over to Dads.

One of the first things he mentioned was his time in the Navy.
We talked of ships, planes, and the Navy in general. After a
good talk I checked his drain to see if my brother and myself
had fixed the problem and it appeared we did. After getting
thanked again for my service by his caregiver I headed back
home.

The groundhog? Well he was waiting for me when I got home
and his pose reminded of some old farmers in bib overalls
shooting the breeze. I could almost hear him saying ‘I
remember the summer of 36…’. I went to bed smiling.

Today won’t be as hectic but I can’t wait to see what unfolds.
Enjoy our wednesday as that means the working folks are halfway
to a few days off.
Comments are always welcome.