Thanks for all the birthday wishes yesterday! It was a very mellow day around here. I walked Bailey twice, watched a couple of movies, and finished off a New Yorker.
When I walked Bailey down the Black Path in the afternoon, we passed this beautiful cascade of Virginia creeper. I tried really hard to get Bailey to pose in front of it, but this dog will not stop moving. I basically just had to snap her in action.
Then she plunged her head into the vines, convinced she'd heard some critter in there. And maybe she did.
I watched the movie "Network" in the afternoon -- still so relevant and entertaining after all these years -- and to compound my sense of birthday dissipation I ate leftover Halloween candy while I watched. Then, in the evening, I made an extra large martini and watched "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" for approximately the 40,000th time.
Dave came home from work with a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers, which I'll photograph today.
All in all, it was a perfect day and I just let myself do whatever I wanted with no self-recriminations. I'm 60 years old, dammit. I don't need to please anyone but myself, right?!
Today is election day in the USA. I imagine we won't know anything until tomorrow, but I will be biting my nails to see how this turns out. I wish we could eject the Orange One from office, but alas, he is not on the ballot -- these are midterm elections for congressional and local races.
I'm most interested to see if Talarico can win in Texas -- he seems like a great candidate but a Democratic senator from the Lone Star State still seems like a long-shot to me -- and I want to see what happens to Ilhan Omar in Minnesota now that she's been targeted (but so far charged with nothing!) by Trump's justice department. The right-wingers are spreading a story that Omar married her brother in order to allow him to briefly immigrate to the USA. Even if it proves true -- and I'm not sure it will -- I wonder how significant it is, since evidence suggests it was a relationship only on paper. Not to excuse felonious behavior, but wouldn't the greater question be, why have we built an immigration system that pushes people toward such ridiculous extremes?
"I'm 60 years old, dammit. I don't need to please anyone but myself, right?!" Errr - not right! There are rules, laws and boundaries you must not cross. Besides, you should think of the sole breadwinner in your family - slaving away at the coalface of education to put food on your table.
ReplyDeleteI'm all with Neil here! You are a married man and responsible dog owner. That makes at least two other beings - one human and one canine - you need to please. At least occasionally.
DeleteWell, yes, I wasn't talking about pleasing only myself on issues regarding my marriage or anything that requires compromise. I was talking about allowing myself to eat candy in the afternoon and watch a movie. :)
DeleteWhy am I suddenly thinking of a tortoise retracting its reptilian head?
DeleteBeautiful colours - they make a delightful backdrop for Bailey.
ReplyDeleteOf course, to her they're just a hiding place for squirrels!
DeleteOur neighbours overgrown garden is full of Virginia creepers, they are beautiful at this time of year, I struggle the rest of the year keeping it out of our garden. Please yourself, I'm sure Dave would agree, when his time comes you can show him the rewards of retirement.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's called CREEPER for a reason! It can be quite aggressive in the garden.
DeleteVirginia Creeper is gorgeous but very messy.
ReplyDeleteBecause it sheds its leaves, you mean? Or because of its sprawling growth?
DeleteI'm hoping for enough wins that there is no one party control, but not enough that we spend the next two years doing nothing but investigations. I suspect that latter one is wishful thinking. I'll be surprised if Talarico wins and Omar loses. I'll go out on a limb and predict the Democrats will pick up three seats, leaving the Senate in a tie. I think it is a stretch to blame Omar on the right wingers since it was Obama's justice department that began the investigation on her. The Current Occupant is just dragging it out for no reason since the statute of limitations has passed regardless of what the truth is.
ReplyDeleteI share your apprehension about enduring two years of investigations. I hope whoever wins spends the bulk of their time helping people rather than beating up the opposing party. Probably naive of me, I know.
DeleteI don't know exactly how the Omar thing began, but there's no question the right-wingers have been keeping it alive all these years -- dragging it out, as you said.
Please just don’t say “I’m 60 years old and I can say and do whatever I want.” A friend of ours said and DID that. Included were sharp elbow jabs into people if they were in her way on the street or in a shop. She’s 83 now and it’s frightening to be around her.
ReplyDeleteLOL! My great-grandmother got like that toward the end of her life, when she was in her 80s. I promise not to go to such extremes.
DeleteBeware of seasoned Grannies- they have no F's left to give!
DeleteI'm pretty sure that Omar story has been thoroughly debunked. I am hoping Talarico wins; who in their right mind would vote for trash like Paxton? Just a horrible person, ethically, politically, everything. But I'm in Ohio, so I can't really speak. If Vivek Ramaswamy wins, my head will explode.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was debunked too, but the Times story (which I linked to) was surprisingly equivocal. It seems they're staying open to the possibility. Yeah, please, no Ramaswamy.
DeleteThe US Mid Terms are keenly observed by us here in Germany, too. It's been a feature on our main TV news almost every night I've been watching in recent weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had a relaxed birthday, Steve! Looking forward to seeing the flowers.
It's interesting that it's been such big news in Germany! I guess the outcome could affect international relations in many ways, though.
DeleteRemember that we still have a significant US military presence in this country (mainly in my part of it as well as in Bavaria), although by no means as numerous as it used to be until the 1990s. What happens in the US affects Germany, too.
DeleteMainer here. It's been an exhausting year and I'm just numb today. Troy Jackson is a genuinely good guy, but Sue Collins is a nasty, aggressive campaigner who's fooled a lot of people for a lot of years. Not me; I went to high school with her and I know exactly who she is. I'm going to fill my day with physical work, not listen to news, and try to tire myself out so I don't stay up all night watching the returns.
ReplyDeleteWell, you'll be happy with the results today, I'm sure! Funny that you knew Collins in school.
DeleteIt feels like American elections never end. We have six weeks of campaigning here, once the writ is dropped, and that's long enough. It feels like elections and advertising has become an industry unto itself.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a good day. Maybe Bailey will slow down in a couple of years:)
That's such a sensible way to do it. It IS ridiculous how much energy Americans put toward campaigning, and how long it lasts.
DeleteThat Virginia Creeper is just beautiful. Maybe by next fall, Bailey will learn "sit" and "stay" (but I wouldn't bet the farm on it!) I'm so glad you had a wonderful, mellow birthday -- that's just the way they should be. (And Network is still so relevant!). We're on pins and needles here in Michigan, hoping Abdul can hold onto the Senate seat, especially after that snake in the grass, Haley Stevens, his primary opponent, endorsed the Republican two days before the election. The Tallerico thing is interesting. He's a great candidate -- but Texas? That would be a miracle! I don't think we'll know anything definitive overall for at least a week or so. Cali and Alaska take a long while with their counts and unless it's a landslide one way or another, I don't see it. Then Trump will challenge them all. It just does not stop. But fingers are crossed.
ReplyDeleteAs I wirte at the moment, it's looking very good for Abdul!
DeleteThe Virginia Creeper is beautiful. Talarico was mentioned on our 6pm news but I was too late getting away from the sink to catch the story. I have all fingers crossed for a mighty Blue Wave.
ReplyDeleteYour finger-crossing appears to have made a difference! :)
Delete💙💙💙💙
DeleteI will say, in that first image of Bailey she appears to be giving you major side-eye for making her stop.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yeah, she was trying to figure out what the heck I wanted.
DeleteThose vines look so lovely. Glad you enjoyed your day! How sweet of Dave to bring you flowers. I don't want to look at election coverage as I'm so worried about it all. Hoping for the best results, tho!
ReplyDeleteIt's looking good, Ellen! Uncover your eyes! :)
DeleteWe've got a bit of Virginia Creeper in our yard! I had to take a photo & let the plant app tell me what it is (then I remembered I did the same thing last year - ha!). It really is lovely. And I LOVE the photo with Bailey sticking her nose in there.
ReplyDeleteYour birthday sounds perfect to me - I'm glad you enjoyed it.
As long as it's not poison ivy, which also turns brilliant colors in the fall!
DeleteMaybe you should try training Bailey to sit, so when you want her to pose, tell her to sit!
ReplyDeletelhan Omar's marriages:
Current and Past Spouses
• Tim Mynett (m. 2020–present): Her current husband, a political consultant.
• Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi (m. 2018–div. 2019): Her second husband (she was also in a prior religious/Islamic marriage with him starting around 2002 before they legally married and later divorced in 2019).
• Ahmed Nur Said Elmi (m. 2009–div. 2017): Her first legal husband, who has faced long-standing and renewed federal scrutiny regarding allegations surrounding their marriage and his relationship to her.
SHE denies having ever married her brother!
Yeah, it's Ahmed Nur Said Elmi that the right-wingers insist is related to her, despite her denials.
DeleteThe color on the Virginia Creeper is outstanding. It must hide many small critters that fascinate Bailey.
ReplyDeleteThe elections with attacks back and forth, 47 fueling the fire and EM donating big money adding more concern is all getting tiresome.
I do find broadcaster interviews in battleground states interesting. Most people/voters are stating they can no longer afford the ever-increasing prices on everything (fuel and food being top issues). Some mention the cost of war(s) with no end in sight. I would love to see TX flip.
I'm not sure there were really critters in there, but Bailey believed that there were! Elections really do come down to basic economics for many people -- gas and grocery prices.
DeletePerhaps we should take closer look at the immigrants that he married?
ReplyDeleteWho, Trump? By all means!
DeleteYou and I have very similar thoughts on how to celebrate birthdays. Yours sounds pretty perfect to me.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking you need to train Bailey to Strike a Pose! How cool would it be for you to give her that command and have her do exactly that? Very cool.
I used to be able to position Olga and tell her to "stay," and she would. Bailey has yet to understand that, but we're working on it!
DeleteHappy belated birthday Steve. Like you, I am watching the Texas race with great interest. If that Paxton guy wins, I will lose faith in humanity. He seems like such a creep. And Talarico seems genuine and honest.
ReplyDeleteYou will be pleasantly surprised! :)
DeleteI'm so glad you had a great day for your birthday. I think we will all be on pins and needles worrying about today's election results.
ReplyDeleteOne good thing about being in London -- I just went to bed, because the results weren't going to come in until the wee hours of the morning. By the time I awoke, almost everything had been decided.
DeleteThat is how I have spent every birthday and still do, it's my personal day off and I only do what I feel like doing or even nothing at all.
ReplyDeleteI know people up north and also apparently in the UK love Virginia creeper but I hate it. It's an invasive weed here and infiltrates everything and is impossible to get rid of.
I think it's the same here -- some people like it and some don't. It's pretty as an ornamental but it does need control!
DeleteI don't know if I dare watch the news and see what has happened in the election. Trumps speech was the most bizarre thing I have ever heard, surely that won't do him any favours in the long run. Let's hope sense prevails, it would make a nice change.
ReplyDeleteI think Trump is slowly losing his mind. He's always marched to a different drummer -- that's putting it kindly -- but some of his recent speeches have been VERY weird.
DeleteYour birthday sounds ideal to me!! I love the photos of Bailey with the creeper, too. They're both beautiful.
ReplyDeleteShe is a pretty girl!
DeleteHow nice to have a self indulgent day. You work so hard, you deserve the day off.
ReplyDeleteHonestly it wasn't that different from any other day now that I'm retired. LOL
DeletePerfect birthday with a mix of activities that you enjoy! That's a beautiful color creeper. I'm apprehensive about the election results and the aftermath. I'll be shocked if Talarico wins in Texas but pleased.
ReplyDeletePrepare to be shocked and pleased! :)
DeleteFirst picture: How graceful that paw ♥️ Like being royalty or dancing ballet.
ReplyDelete