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Healthy and Balanced for All or It's All Just Hogwash

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With all that has gone on over the past almost two years it's small wonder that so many people are wondering about how things will finally shake themselves out. The crazy dragged out close of the Donald Trump administration and the reckless behavior of the Republican Party leadership continues to keep us teetering on the brink of social ruin. The strange and careless regard they showed for human life with with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic makes one wonder whether there truly is a parallel, and equally communicable, disease very properly labeled "evil". With the loss of over 700,000 US citizens from this virus there are still people that think the seriousness of the virus is a dramatic hoax concocted by some odd left wing conspiracy group and the Democratic Party.

Lamenting Resistance to Change While Social Distancing

If there is one thing that the current national crisis has made abundantly clear it is that the United States is long over due for some forward looking visionary leadership. Both of the major political parties in the US are deeply rooted, and myopically invested, in visions of the past. What is also clear is that what might have been the Democratic Party's best moment to break free of this static state has all but passed. In spite of fielding its best and most diverse slate of progressive minded candidates, perhaps in history, Democratics have retreated to the familiar.

Fear of change is a common establishment paralytic so, while disappointing, it's hardly surprising. …

March: The Transition Month 2

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March has arrived in our parts like a lion this new year.  As I sit writing 4 to 6 inches of powdery snow is on the ground on top of a thin sheet of ice thanks to the rain and sleet from last evening. We could get another 2 to 4 additional inches of snow before precipitation ends this afternoon. The temperature which has been gradually falling over night from the 50’s has now slipped into the teens and is predicted to continue falling perhaps to a single digit. Work for all but a few hardy souls who “must show,” and those adventurers that can’t bring themselves not to show, has been cancelled. Having been awake until after three in the morning I slept until past ten and at eleven-thirty am just finishing my first cup of coffee. …

Fall Again

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So, fall 2014 is fully upon us and already signs of the holidays are beginning to sprout.  I was in Wal Mart early today and there are already Christmas trees on display.  Not just kind of off to the side but in blazing glory at the entrance of the store.

I think it a bit soon for that.

Please, let’s not push aside Halloween and Thanksgiving so cavalierly.  They are important parts of the holiday season.  I’ve always felt like the three, together, are vital parts of a continuous celebration climaxing with the celebration of Christmas with the annual circle of life events then being brought fully closed by the epilogue/prelude events of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Christmas: I Love This Time of Year!

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I love this time of year. There are of course the gifts, but there are all those other things as well; the sights, the sounds, the bright and festive nature of almost everything, and oh my, the many smells of things cooked and baked. On the home page of this edition I mentioned that I’m excited about baking cakes for the holidays. If you’ve got a particular recipe that your like, the more exotic the better, I’d like to give it a try.

Speaking of cake, the mysterious fruit cake has made its appearance from dark pantries and onto tables and store shelves once again. What’s up with that? Why is fruit cake only available once a year? Is there a rule? …

Zipping Along

Wow, it's just amazing that the summer is already nearing its end. Seems like it just started. I guess a part of that feeling comes from the fact that so many of the days of June were spent inside out of the never ending rain, followed by cowering in the air conditioning from the crazy humid heat for the first week of July.  But, I won't complain too much. All of that was survived pretty easily. We had no major flooding or leaks, no power outage during the oppressive heat and the past few weeks have been bright and sunny with practically no humidity.

Who says guys don't have fun at weddings? We had a ball. Well, we did at the reception.  Congratulations to Maxine and her new husband Reggie.  …

Thanks and "Heir Property"

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THANKS     What a whirlwind the month of March has been.  Just when I thought I was finally getting on top of things I find a gazillion other things to do. But that's life isn't it. The act of getting up everyday and meeting the challenges that present themselves is the very definition of meaningful life – living. So, how sweet it is! (Smile)

Maxine and Vicki - Sharing Candy - National Harbor

Vicki, Maxine and I spent some time at the National Harbor this past weekend just walking around. What a beautiful place it's becoming. For those of you that don't live in the area, make a point of getting over that way when you're in town. The National Mall and Georgetown are not all there is.  Walking was nice but a visit to Peeps candy store for Easter goodies and candy munchies was the real motivation for being there.

Welcome and Some Grist For The Mill

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Hi everybody, this is officially my first blog entry for this new site. Some of you have been taking a peek at the site for a few weeks now and seen some, I guess I would call it, "plug" stuff here as I've been testing and revising the site. For those of you that gave feedback I thank you. Hope you will continue to do that. I know your input will make the site more interesting.

So, welcome to you all.  Let me see; Where should I start?

WEATHER: March has roared in like a cowardly lion around these parts.  The snow storm that was supposed to blanket the area with no less than a half a foot of snow howled dumping buckets of wet show but quickly quieted to a whimpering, reluctant rain.  …

Time

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Looking forward to the new year and hoping our new US President will demonstrate the vision and leadership so many of us think him capable of providing.  It remains only potential to date.  Yes, he inherited a very difficult economic and political challenge but I would rather have he begin making bold moves going forward rather than the cautious steps he has taken thus far.

Memories of Fall

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The winter came and went so quickly that I found little time to enjoy the loveliness of fall.  Here we are already rounding the corner into spring and it seems like only weeks ago that I finally raked up the final droppings of autumn. I'm sure part of that perception is because the winter has been so mild.  I'm thankful that we have at least  a few deeply cold days. They will probably suffice in doing the service of putting a real dent in the bug population that was undoubtedly going to be formidable come summer.


© LEE BETTON 2019