Oh, please....

After weeks of "IMPEACH HIM,"  today's offering from Paypal (?)  is a meek "Should Trump Resign?"  My reply is of course he should resign...he should jump in a lake.  And of course, the questioners STILL want money.  I should PAY for Donald Trump to go away?  Ha.  I've been doing that for weeks, and he's still here, and whoever is sponsoring the latest outrage still wants money. 
If all of my $3 contributions haven't been enough, sorry.  Let's take firmer measures.  like stick an airhose in his chunky little butt and inflate him even further than what his ego can manage so that he floats up up and awaaaay. 

And I totally disapprove of anyone saying anything about his 11-year-old son, Baron.  It was nauseating and horrible when people made nasty cracks about Chelsea Clinton at that age, and young kids should be off-limits.  His older kids can provide enough fodder for outrage and nastiness.

Here we go....

My oldest niece, Susan, turns 70 today!  Happy birthday, Susan!  If you're 70, that means I'm 80...which is why your CARD  has not yet been mailed--the old girl just didn't make it to the place
where she wanted to buy the card.  Rain, don't you know, followed by heat, followed by political
protests.  Treasure your age, Susan.  70 is good--a fruitful age when you can still do most if not all of what you've always liked. You don't have to show up at the office, and there are no more aging 'rents to care for.  (They've all taken a hike on the rainbow bridge--at advanced ages, too, thanks to your
loving care.) 

Anyway, here's a heartfelt hug from one of your last surviving aunts.  You were the first baby I met, lo those many years ago.  So sweet, so bright--you're still all of that.  Still skinny, too.  God love ya,
Susan, and enjoy your cake!!!  xoxoxoxoxo, m.e.

Oh, Bleep!

One more "MUST READ" email at the top of my inbox today.  yes, I agree that we Progressives should do all we can to bollix the Republican juggernaut that's about to roll over our health care--eliminate it, I mean--and so I sign the petition, agree that the Abominable Orangeman & Henchpersons in the Congress are the pits, but then I get the stern warning that I "have not contributed" to this noble cause.  Contributed money, that is.  Well.  How bout that?  Having contributed $5s and $3s and other amounts for the past year or so to Democrats and their causes, I am busted.  I did see earlier today that Bernie Sanders did share some of his loot so somebody else could win his campaign, but I haven't seen any other sharing going on, have I?  Maybe I've missed it. 

I have done my duty by buying their T-shirts and buttons and wearing them in public here, and believe me, it hasn't been easy.  The only people who seem to be heartened by this are not the glowering Red State tourists crowing the metros and sidewalks here.  I got on the metro one day wearing my "Still she persisted" shirt and realized I was in a car with a whole bunch of Boy Scout leaders from a Red State.  I felt lucky not to be challenged, so I smiled at them. 

Heaven help us all.  God bless America.

favorite stuff at Trader Joe's

Chili Lime Chicken burgers (four patties per package)--yummy chicken,  with garlic, lime zest, cilantro (yes!!), and red pepper flakes. 

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups ( 9 or 10 per packet) 99c!!!

Asiago Cheese with Rosemary (in the cheese department)  great on crackers!!

big baking potatoes for 49c each!!

free little cups of coffee in the back of the store

The nice big restrooms near the entrance.

what's not to like? 

Citizen.....

about the only thing that seems to be available here is being a CITIZEN--a good one, working with local officials on improving our lives.  We have no representation in Congress, and depending
on the madman in the white house seems futeless, as Pogo would say.  So....we can gather together
anyway.  Onward!!

Gevalt!!

I was in a local convenience store this past week, and a young black man turned to me and asked, "Are you Jewish?"  "No," I said.  "You look Jewish," he said.  I said, "Well, my great-grandmother in Germany was Jewish."  And he nodded and said, "You've got Jewish blood in you."  I was about to ask him what exactly made him think I looked Jewish, but he had already turned and walked away. 

Now usually I would just describe that person as a "young man", nfs.  But upon reflection, perhaps this encounter was more significant than just odd banter.  In reading about the swastikas painted on venerable synagogues and temples, it seems most of the perpetrators are young and white--"Aryan Nation" types.  Guess in this case, anyway, it's more widespread than that.  Heaven help us.

Resolutions?

Trying to organize my New Year's Resolutions.  I've never made any in my 80+ years on the planet. But I've been inspired by Emilie Johnson's blog.  Her parents sat her and her 7 siblings down every year and helped them consider their lives in 5 areas:

1. spiritual
2. physical
3. academic
4. music/art
5. emotional

In her most recent post from France, she talks about what she'd like to do this year, and
I've adapted some of her suggestions to my own life:

1. spend time outside every day.
2. listen to music.
3. read actual magazines and newspapers in addition to print books (because of our wonderful library here, I can do this without having to buy these things).
4. work on my Spanish (She said her French, as she is already fluent in French.  I know a tiny bit, but I want to get more into Spanish, since there are so many people here who speak it--and there are
free Spanish newspapers at the metro stop).
5. eat less, but more really good food
6. formalize my creative projects (hoo boy)
7. call friends more often. (oy)
8. travel
9. be mindful and never let the local beauty go unremarked/unappreciated.

It's now 10 a.m. or so, and I started this just after 7 a.m.  so...there's work to do.....