Hello everyone!   I had some glitches for a week or so and was frustrated about not being able to write and post.  But, I think everything is fixed now – so…  I’m back!

While I have been away the world has certainly been turning and churning.  So much to write about… oh, where to start?

“Living in a CoVid World” – we are into a new month and the end is nowhere in sight.   Some days I handle it okay, but some days not so much.  Going through summertime in CoVid world is what it is, but come September when things are supposed to start back up we will all be greatly effected.    I continue to feel for everyone in the education field – and for all the parents and students.   Personally, I’m going to miss my music endeavors that used to fill many hours each week.  I will also miss a regular college football season.  Will there be football at all?

Today I am heading out to get my hair cut and colored.  It’s my first time to a salon since early March.   I have used some root color a couple of times, but I’m in desperate need again.  The young lady who does my hair has moved to a new salon where she has her own little room and she has promised me it will be cleaned well. She will wear a mask – and I will wear a mask.

So, did you see the Axios interview with President Trump From this past weekend?   Reporter Jonathon Swan was amazing, and I applaud him.   Yes he did a good job, but our president showed his stupidity on his own.   You must watch the whole thing.

So this fall will also bring lots of pre-election craziness.  Are you ready for it?   I don’t know how I will get through it all except to try and rise above it, and laugh.  I used to not be able to watch Trump at all without getting infuriated, but I have learned to watch and laugh.  ( Most of the time.)    I still have a really hard time with seeing people who blindly support him, those who follow him regardless of what is right in front of their faces.   I don’t get it.  I never will.

On a related subject, we lost another inspirational civil rights leader with the death of Rep. John Lewis.   The tributes poured in – except from one obvious person.   I have admired Mr. Lewis for as long as I can remember.   I read his book sometime back and loved it so much that I bought copies and sent them to family members.   Losing him is sad, but during this time of the Black Lives Matter movement, he again  struck a chord.  How long it takes for change!   One thing I remember in his book were his words about having patience.  Big change can take decades, or generations.   But, don’t give up – and don’t get discouraged.

The Black Lives Movement has gotten so twisted lately.   I went to the BLM official website the other day and I encourage everyone to go there and read about the movement – how it started, what they believe, and how it spread.   It’s important to know the truth because unfortunately there are those trying to attach it to violent groups, or to political radicals.   That’s not who they are.  I proudly walked with local black and white members of my community in a BLM march, in a peaceful way, with no thoughts of destruction.    The movement is about promoting equality,  and about looking at our history with a more accurate eye.    I feel I need to say:  anytime someone says “but all Lives Matter’ and ‘blue lives matter’ there is a diluting of the BLM message.   Of course ALL lives matter – but RIGHT NOW, in this time, the focus has to be on the Black Lives that are too often discarded, or considered less, or given less chance for being a part of the American Dream.

I’m for all lives.  I’m happy that we have police out there for me.  I know they will protect me.   But, seriously, people of the black community can not say that.   They have seen, and heard, and felt fear when it comes to cops for decades.   Why?   There is a reason.  It’s not unfounded.      Yes, most cops are good.  Most became part of the police department for the right reasons.   But, face it – there are some that have there own racial issues, and they like having ‘power’ through the job, and they get away with it.    It’s time now for it to be called out.

It’s who we are in general.   There are great physicians, but there are a few that go into the profession for creepy reasons.  There are wonderful bankers, but a few get caught stealing – or get caught up in fraud.  There are amazing firefighters, but I have heard about a few that are arsonists.    Anytime, anywhere, whatever profession, there are those who should not be there.

Wooo…   I told you I had lots to talk about.

It’s hurricane season!   We dodged a bullet two days ago – but there is still plenty of time in the season to have more come our way.  2020 is a crazy year so I’m not relaxing about it.      I’m sorry about the people in the Northeast who had storm damage.   I saw many pictures on the news this morning of the devastation.

Which, makes me think:   We have to realize that the news people show the worst spots always.   Which they should.   But, it’s not always the ‘whole picture’… be it a storm, or a protest.    Cameramen and reporters look for the violent spots – and the violent ones WANT to be on TV.    Want attention?  Throw rocks into a store window. Grab goods out of the store.     It’s terrible and they need to be caught and arrested.  But, they are instigators and they do not represent all the protesters.

Good things right now?    Lots of reading, and plenty of outdoor time.   Catching up on TV shows and watching more movies than usual.    Gardening.    Amazon Prime.  Connections via Facebook and Instagram.   Pets.  Lazy mornings.   No schedules.   Wine.    Adult children & grandboys.    And hubby.

What’s on your list?

See you back here soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Testing testing

What the heck is going on in Portland?    I watch various news sources and I still feel like I’m unsure of the whole picture there.

Let me see if I can sort it out, and if I have some of it right.

Protests started in Portland, as they did around the country, when the Black Lives Matter movement started speaking up and marching after George Floyd’s death.   Yes, there was some violence.  It was bad.

Then, an area of downtown Portland was ‘taken over’ by protestors because they wanted to make statements, and to live without police threatening them, and they tried to be peaceful – and they were for a while.   Portland’s mayor decided to let them stay, hoping that those there would get tired of the situation.  “Let them do their thing.”   Yet merchants on those blocks were upset.  Traffic was redirected.

Unfortunately, horribly, there was a killing inside the cordoned off area.  City leaders and the police were feeling pressure to ‘do something..’

In the meantime, other peaceful protests continued in the city.     Out of nowhere, military looking forces showed up and started grabbing protestors and putting them into unmarked vans, driving them away from the area.  They were not looters.  They were not being violent.   I’m not sure what happened with them all.  I know some (all?) were released.     These non-descript, unmarked, military police were sent in to Portland by our president.   He has taken credit for them.  He is now considering doing the same with protestors in other cities.

Women (moms, grandmas, suburbanites, and more) have joined together to make human lines to protect the peaceful protestors.    These women were tear gassed.

How am I doing?   Do I have the facts?    Can someone tell me if this is what is happening??

So – the big issues are 1. The right to peaceful protest.  2. What happens when protests take over areas (remember the ‘sit ins’ in the 60’s?) 3. How much power do mayors have in these situations?   Can the president over-ride the decisions made by the mayor?   4.  Who are these unidentified police? Where did they come from?    My understanding Is they are not from state units of the National Guard.  5. When can teargas be used on peaceful protests?

Are we on our way to a secret police group that can swoosh in and take over?

This is a big issue.  It reeks pretty bad if it is.   Other countries that do this are not democracies, led by the people, for the people.  So…   This is scary stuff.    Has Congress addressed  it – and can they stop the president from making decisions on where to send the secret police?

We are trying to promote the Black Lives Matter movement, and I feel like this is stamping it down.  It is muddying  the water when it comes to who is involved, and what rights they have – and what is being violated.

Seriously, can someone tell me what is happening in Portland?

 

I am not an intellectual.  I got okay grades in school.  I could have done better but I know I am no genius.  I like learning more now that I am older than I did as a kid.  I wasn’t driven back then.   I didn’t always see the purpose behind some of what I was taught and what I was told to memorize for tests.  Now – I wish I could have retained what I learned better than I do.  But, I like to think I have made it through life with common sense.   I think I can see a situation for what it is.   I think I can read a person pretty well too.   Why do I say this?

I’m just a regular person really.

I don’t have a unique or amazing talent.  I don’t say the right thing all the time.  I sometimes forget things – which is really frustrating.   I wish I was better in a lot of ways.

Yet – I’m an open book.

I don’t have any reason to hide anything.   So, I live without fear of people finding out about me.  In general, if anything, I think they would probably find me uninteresting.  I don’t spy – or steal – and I try not to lie.  I don’t have an alter-ego. I don’t live a double life.

I like being that way.   I really can’t imagine the amount of work it must take to have to cover-up, or purposely lie – and then always hope not to get caught.

So, when I say this, as this pretty normal person that I am,  I don’t get what all the fear and the making up of fake news is about.  It’s seems so complicated – when it shouldn’t be.  So unnecessary.  And, really, I think the dark theories and the undercover stories that seep out are usually made up.     We have become a people of disbelief. We have become a people of thinking others are always out to get us.   And in turn, we feel good sometimes when we get them first, and we get a better deal.

Some will say it’s the media who has made us so fearful, so into making sure we are not found out.   Of course it’s the times we  live in.  Crazy times.  And, there is no doubt that today’s instant, lightening fast, speed of disseminating news is a part of it.   But, what if it was all truthful news?   How fast we got it wouldn’t really matter.

This post is about how so many people out there, normal people like me in many respects, seem to have this ‘bogeyman’s gonna get me’ view all the time.   They live to    Try and hide themselves and their info, because they constantly think someone is out to get them.    I never knew so many people were out there With this mindset but I see them all the time now – thanks to social media.  They are so scared of getting stomped on.  So worried that personal freedom will be taken away.  So annoyed by the fact that they can’t hide what they want to hide.

Hey – don’t live that way!!

Be open and be honest.  Then you don’t have anything to worry about.

Freedom isn’t freedom if you worry about things being taken away all the time.  Freedom isn’t freedom is you don’t trust people.   Freedom isn’t freedom if you can’t be yourself and not have to hide a part of you.

You know I’m going to make this political.  Remember when I said I’m not that smart, but I think I see things?     Why was I able to see 3 1/2 years ago what would happen to this country?   It made common sense to me back then:  a man who had failed in business many times, who used people for his benefit, who openly lied, and who never saw the real good in people.   It was there – right in front of us.  He called people names, he even ‘stalked’ his opponent in a weird way on the debate stage.   You didn’t have to look hard at all.   He showed himself before ever being elected.

I admit I don’t get why citizens want to be fearful… why they want to believe that poor people want to take away their jobs, and their freedoms.  Why walls need to be built and children need to be caged.   Why being a country on it’s own is better than living together in good relationships with other countries.   I mean, why?    Can’t we stop worrying about tit for tat?   Stop thinking every other country is stealing from us.   Stop thinking that we need more.  We deserve more.

Just be content.  Be honest.  Be real.  Still believe in truth.      Look to be fair.   Want equality.

That’s what matters.      You don’t have to be a genius to see that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These days are certainly up and down.   I have to admit that there are some days where I think humanity is so, so sad, and that we don’t have a chance.  The CoVid pandemic and the BLM movement has brought out some really disappointing  responses. I continue to shake my head and think God must be looking at us and He is wondering why His message hasn’t gotten through.    And, I know I am responsible for that.

I scratch my head and wonder what more I can do.  I live my life best I can trying to follow God’s message of love and peace. I try to be an example.  I use social media to try and pass it on.  I write here too.    I safe distance. I wear a mask in public.  I try to do what I can to keep others safe.

Thankfully not every single day depresses me.  I have some days where I like my slower lifestyle and I like to think I have been given a gift of time.  My hubby passed around a list of positive things that have come from Covid life.  There are plenty:   More reading, gardening, some upticks for companies -like on-line shopping, swimming pool sales, food delivery, and more time with pets, and close family.   I have always had an appreciation of nature and I think we all look around and enjoy it more now.

Back in March when this all started I don’t think any of us realized how long we would be living in a “Covid world.”   Now, though, I realize that it’s not going away anytime soon.  It’s scary.   Living with Covid around during summer is one thing, but to have to live with it in the Fall will be extra tough.   I can not even imagine what  anyone involved in our schools and our children must be going through.    There is NO easy answer.    I do know though that our lax-ness during summer is not helping.   I also know our government is not doing enough to prepare for what is to come.

We here in the US will be struggling a lot longer than other countries because we have not cracked down hard to slow the spread.   And, I find it sad that those who tote their love of freedom in America are the very ones who will take away so many freedoms as we move forward.

Remember the Alanis Morrisette song “Isn’t it Ironic?”   Well, a new verse could be about Americans who oppose being told what to do being the very ones who will make it worse – who ARE making it worse.   Isn’t it ironic?     Freedom lovers are keeping us from being free.

So – up and down we go.     Up go our positive numbers of infections. Up go the death numbers.   Up in the air is our hopes for the Fall.      Down the road we travel without a unified plan.  Down go so many business and companies that can’t stay afloat during this time. The longer it goes on the more that will go down.    With it      Emotions continue to go up and down, up and down.

Like animals on a Merry-go-Round we go up and down, and around and around.   It seems like we are stuck on the ride.  Unable to stop it. Unwilling to change.

Until we come together for the common cause to wipe out the virus we will be living this Covid life.    It’s depressing to think we probably won’t be able to do it.

 

 

 

 

I’m not a teacher – but I know a few.  I know how dedicated they are to children and to the pursuit of a good education.   The ones I know, who have taught me and who I have befriended as an adult, are very hard working, and compassionate, and go way beyond the Call of Duty.    They are loving people.

Teachers do what they do without needing applause. They certainly don’t get paid tons of money, and sometimes they use their own money to buy items for the students.   Teachers are required to do ‘continual education’ themselves.

In recent years, teachers have been required to attend classes about how to handle an active shooter in the school.  They have to look out for unstable students, and keep straight which parent has custody rights, and more.

Now, today, our president has threatened to withhold federal funding to a school system that does not open on time this year, this strange, crazy, scary year of CoVid 19.   Our president in a 6 line tweet has added stress to already Very concerned teachers,  most who had to flip quickly to e-learning this past spring.    Our president is dangling needed money in front of school boards and administrators.   Without the money, schools will not have enough funding to run properly and to pay teachers.

Already our teachers and students have had to change, and adjust, and keep going – without being in the classrooms, and without some of the daily learning Structure.

Now this.

It is unbelievable to me that our top leader has the gaul to ‘nonchalantly’ toss out the threat of holding back money.

Everyone – teachers, Administrators, boards, students, parents, and everyone else – wants our country to offer the very best public school system possible.   It’s for all of our advantage.   Educated children will become adults that contribute.  School is  NOT just fun and games.

So….  hey.  How about a country–wide mandate that everyone wears masks in public?  We need to shut this virus down!   Require quarantining – with consequences when abused.    Bring it all on NOW!  If not, we will never keep our schools running.  We will get positively affected People – and spreading it through a building.

It’s not fair.   It’s  not humane – to know you can do something to stop the virus,  but just don’t feel like wearing masks and distancing.    Summer will be over and tough decisions will have to be made.  Our president once again showed his ignorance, and his lack of compassion, and his lack of seeing the whole picture.    His tweet today  effects millions of people.

Teachers:  I love what you do. I feel for you.    We NEED you!    I support you.   I pray for you.

Hi everyone.  Some of my family is arriving today and I know I will not be online as much over the holiday weekend.   The grandboys will be here, and they are my first priority.

So, let me say now:  Happy Independence Day!   Happy birthday America!

I hope you all have a safe holiday weekend – and that you enjoy what you can during these unusual times.   Most towns have cancelled the fireworks displays and parades.   Depending where you live you will not have access to restaurants and beaches.   Around here, in South Carolina, most of the places are open again.   It’s rather scary that this might be a weekend of partying people, uncaring about safe distancing, masks, and such.    So, please be careful.

I love America!    We are SO BLESSED to live in this country.   We should celebrate who we are – and do our best to be united in the love of this land.

I’m going to spend this weekend thinking of ALL that’s good. I’m going to focus on the amazing positives: the beauty from sea to shining sea.  The shores, and the mountains.  I’m going to think about how we are the only country in this world that is  truly considered a melting pot – and that our founders wrote of equality and fairness to all.  From the beginning hope was instilled into the country.  People flocked here from Europe – and Asia.  Africans were brought here.   America then, and now, is a place that has offered so much – that people from around the world have wanted to be a part of this American Dream.

We are a country in progress.  We are changing. We muster our way through rough times.  We disagree – and we debate.      We go through natural disasters.  We don’t just survive – we jump in and help each other.  We live together.   We watch out for our neighbor.

We are good.  We are caring.  We love our freedoms.

We must never forget, at least once a year, that yes, the United States of America is a huge, diverse, blend of people who want to live in peace.   July 5th can be about going back to look at issues to make us better – but this holiday weekend is all about celebrating our founders, and celebrating all that’s wonderful about our way of life in America.

 

 

 

 

After the experience on Facebook where I had over 100 comments on a single post, I have felt so conflicted.  Here’s the thing: I use this blog, and Facebook, as a place to express myself.   I am not a public figure.  I am not an elected political person.   I said long ago that I liked using social media to put down my opinions, and to tell my story.   I am an open book.  I have nothing to hide.  I like living that way.  I show my faults.    I like knowing that this website is for me – to pass along my thoughts on issues important to me.

I truly try to bring up concerns to further a conversation.   You all who have been reading my musings for a pretty good while now  know the particular issues I write about – and you therefore know who I am.  I’m fine with you knowing me.  The good and the bad.

I care about:

better gun control and ways to lessen our country’s love of them.  I want to end senseless killing by guns.

BLM – I finally get it.  I’m still learning but I realize that diluting the topic with “All Lives Matter” and “Blue Lives Matter” is painful to the black community. They are trying to get equality (which they have never had) and we just keep changing the conversation.   I feel really bad about it.

Attributes of the president of the United States.    I do not believe in just ‘results’ of the office. I want a leader that can show what is good in America: respect, honor, honesty, equality.

Our other elected leaders.   We have many wonderful ones but also many that just keep getting re-elected til that’s all they know.   I worry about our voting system too.  It needs improvement.

I will always talk about …     Music.   Faith.  Hope.   God.

But, since Sunday (into Monday) I have held back.  I have wanted to repost a few things – but I didn’t. I have wanted to make a comment.  But,  I have been disheartened. I have this feeling that my writings are being scrutinized.   I don’t like it.  I’m being stifled.

I think about famous (and not so famous) writers who have been out-spoken.  They wrote anyway.   People had a choice whether to read or not to read.   Obviously, there is a limit if someone writes about an individual threat or violence.  It used to be that defaming a person and purposely writing lies was wrong.   It was called out.   It’s not that way anymore.  Welcome to the world of tweeting.

America has the Bill of Rights, and we have the freedom of speech.   There are some out there who love to remind us of it all the time.  (“Don’t tread on me – I can do what I want to do, say what I want to say.”)   It applies to everyone.    Even if you don’t like it.   We need to be responsible about it, and we need to accept the consequences of it.  Again, I do.   Some say to me to just talk about fluff.     I include fluff…    but I am more than that.

How long will it be before I feel I can freely express myself?  I don’t know.  We sure are all edgy. We are very divided.  People lash out.   I know, I know.   Some will say I have too.    Sincerely, I do NOT want to lash out – but I do want to talk and write to maybe open minds.   I want to debate respectfully.  I want to call out inequalities. I will try my best to do it without using bad language (actually I don’t curse – never have, never can. I think it lowers a conversation.)     But am I blunt?    Some say I am very blunt.

Let me end this with – I feel ‘stuck’ and maybe a bit unimportant if I can not speak out.  Right now I feel like people are telling me to shut up and stop being me.    it doesn’t feel good.     I’m sensitive about my heart and my writing.   I want to make a difference and I have used my writing For a long time.  Now I feel like I can’t.

Wait…    Here’s some irony.     I think I just did.

 

 

I gotta admit – I’m exhausted this morning.   Mentally and emotionally.

Yesterday I posted something on Facebook that lit a fire and before it was all over I had 92 comments on the post.   Some of the 92 were my comments trying to explain why I posted what I did.   But 2/3’s were friends who chimed in, some agreeing, some not.   I hope that at the end of it we somehow got better understanding.    Not sure.

I’m also tired this morning because I have on the morning news and the country is back where we were in mid-March with the Coronavirus.  Maybe worse.  We should know better by now.   Positive cases are way up.   It’s frustrating to know these months have gone by and yet we have not come together to help rid our country of it.    Too many are not complying to the  guidelines.  Now, I feel like there will be no end to this for a long time.  I was looking forward to Fall before – in hopes we could get back to life.   Now?   I’m not hopeful.   I can’t even imagine how schools can open.  I don’t know when churches will be Permanently open and worshipping.    Things I enjoy So much:  handbells, flute, book clubs – not gonna happen for awhile.  Getting together with friends will not happen either.

We are just days away from the 4th of July holiday weekend.   Even though fireworks and the usual parades are cancelled, people will be gathering in big numbers and it’s not going to be good.   The coronavirus will be silently amid everyone – and  there is a sizzling tension over our president, and over race relations.   I worry about it all.   I pray that nothing horrible happens over the weekend.

Each day I remind myself to have patience.   We have gone through rough times before.   I also remind myself that adversity brings out the good in people.  But, I’m not so sure. We are so divided right now.

The future will bring more virus issues, more racial unrest, a presidential election, a hurricane season…

and who knows what else?       People already on edge.  People so divided.   Throw in guns.

Lord help us.  Give us strength to stay peaceful.  I pray that the Holy Spirit leads us and we do the right thing.   Let love win.

Today I’m exhausted.     But tomorrow is another day.

 

 

 

 

 

How’s it going where you live?  I’m checking in.   It’s so strange that people I used to see every week, day in and day out,  are now only social media friends.  Thank God for social media!  Yes, I mean that. I know not everyone is a fan but it’s given me a way to stay connected to those I miss, and who also use it.    I’d really be lost (and more lonely) without it.

It continues to look like we are going to be living ‘socially distanced’ for a lot longer.  I don’t need to report the news because we all know that positive cases are on the increase in many, many places.

So, I continue to pass the time by readIng a lot.   I just started a book about the time of the Great American Dust Bowl in the ‘dirty 30’s’ in the southern plains.   It’s a time and a situation that I had not known too much about before.   When we think we have it bad now, we just need to read about times in history when survival was even tougher.  This is one of t hose times.   It helps keep it in perspective.

I also re-read “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer because it’s our Riva Club book for the month.  I read it years ago, so long ago that rereading seemed like a first read through.  So much of it I did not remember.   It’s the true story of a group of people who climbed Mt. Everest in 1992.   Their story.   I won’t give particulars away, but let me just say “WHY?”   I am  not the type to put myself through unrequired physical and mental abuse.  Those who survive get bragging rights and that’s about it.  Maybe a book deal.

Speaking of book deals: we just ordered John Bolton’s book. Are you going to read it? Are you going to believe it?    I never liked the guy from what I could tell about him on the news, and I know he has a grudge now against Trump, but I think much that is in the book is true.   There have been too many other ‘insiders’ who have leaked how bad it is in the White House to doubt and think it’s all lies.  And, when it comes to lies, we know who the real expert on that is.

Stan and I have talked about trying to get back into golf again.  It seems like a good time to do it since it’s outdoors and away from others.  A good pandemic activity.  We went to the driving range on Sunday as a start.

4th of July is coming!   It’s going to be so different this year.   No fireworks or parades around here.  They have all been cancelled.  We still plan on having a family get-together here at the riva, and the two cutest grandsons ever will be here!  So, I’m excited about that!    We can go boating –  because it’s a safe distancing, outdoor activity BUT it is going to be pretty crowded out there on the rivers!   I have heard people say that on past weekends the Waccamaw (which is the Intracoastal Waterway) has been crazy busy!  We live on the Black River that feeds into the Waccamaw and Pee Dee Rivers and then into the Winyah Bay.   I have a feeling if the weather is good the weekend of the 4th of July, it will look like many major crowded highways out there.      PS:  We have already been stopped once this season by the DNR police checking that our boat has everything required:  fire extinguisher, lights for night, enough life jackets for everyone on board, etc.    I’m glad they are out there.   But,  being pulled over by the DNR is just as scary as being pulled over by the men in blue!      We passed.   Phew.

Hubby and I started watching “The Morning Show” on Apple Plus.  It’s the series with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Weatherspoon about a TV network morning show that has some ‘interesting’ things happen – similar to some real life issues on those shows.   Anybody else watching it?

I miss my music playing – flute and handbells. I miss my quilting group that met each Monday.  I miss Church. I miss the Willbrook book club.  I MISS COUNTRY MUSIC SUMMER CONCERTS !!!!

But, Stan and I sat yesterday evening on our screened porch with our books In hand, enjoying the breeze and view, and a glass of wine – and realized we could do this for a long long time if need be.  ( Okay, he’s able to as long as Amazon online ordering exists! Ha!!  )

Regardless tho…   I think this is a shout out muse to my friends out there who I am not seeing.   I miss you.  I miss a lot right now due to this pandemic – but I miss YOU!