Violating Guidelines

Yesterday was the 4th of July, so Hil and I broke the rules (“guidelines”) and went out to my sister’s house for a BBQ.  We know it’s poor form, but sometimes you risk more than you should to be with family (Gemutlichkeit) – if only because these moments will be fewer in the future than they’ve been in the past.  It doesn’t make it “right”, but we ate outdoors and, when inside, the rooms had the exterior doors and windows open.  Fortunately, it was a beautiful sunny and warm day with a steady, cooling breeze coming off the Bay.  Oh, yeah, and except for the time it took to take these photos, we were mostly socially distanced.  Anyway, here’s three photos commemorating our throwing caution to the wind…  (And one for history.)
Me in my “flag” cap…
With the hostess… (2020 version)
Kev & Carm at 4th of July 2016 BBQ
And with our mom (who now lives with my sister).
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On This Day In:
2019	I Walk Faster (Too)
2018	Modern Day Behaviour
2017	On Misogynist Tweets From #DumbDonald
2016	Cowboy Boots & Missing Teeth
	Or Electricity
2015	Oh, To Be Vulnerable
2014	Neglected Horror
2013	The Price Of Illusions
2012	Once Again
2011	And The “Market” Isn’t Always Right

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Why My Dentist Loves Me

You are looking at $1K+, folks!!  Still, I can’t complain too much.  The “gap” had a root canal and crown over 30 years ago, so there was no bleeding and no pain.  And my dentist squeezed me in this morning for a temporary until they can finish the job in a couple of weeks.  They’ve just re-opened after the COVID shutdown and are limited in scheduling procedures by the amount of PPE they can keep in stock for the procedures.  At the moment, they are only taking emergencies and beginning to add to the calendar a month plus out.
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On This Day In:
2019	You Really Don’t
	No One Can Imagine
2018	Until Integrity, Decency, Wisdom, And Humility Return
	Just Tell (And Re-tell) The Big Lie Often Enough On Fox News
2017	To Laws, Not Office Or Individuals
	Beast / General / Civil
2016	Patronage
2015	For Blogs, Too!
2014	Righteous Anger
2013	An Irish Blessing
2012	But Is It Worth It?
2011	Let Us Start

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#45: Time Is Ticking Away

[This image was found on the internet.  No claim to ownership is implied or intended.  —  KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2019	Belief Buffet
2018	Change Is Law
2017	A Dog Day Of Summer
2016	Chances Are
2015	Truer Spoken
2014	Not Quite There Yet (Either)
	Many Colors
2013	Distance, n.
	Less Can Be More
2012	Rise Up!
	The Gift
2011	Artful Courage
2010	A Handful of Lessons…

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Remembering…

Memorial Day
Monday 25 May 2020
Thank You, Veterans! Some give more than others… Some give all…
[All four images were found on the web.  No claim of ownership is intended or implied.  —  KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2019	Kingslanding
2018	I’d Bet On Taxes
	Ooops! I Spoke Too Soon
2017	A Cautionary Wish
2016	Slogging
	It’s About…
	Man / Man
2015	Memorial Day – 2015
	Content People Love To Share
2014	I Resemble That Remark
2013	Long Range Exploration
2012	UBI
2011	Opportunity

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Nearer My God To Thee, By George

Hil’s Mum and Dad with Big Smiles
Early this morning, my mother-in-law, Doreen Carter passed away from COVID-19 back in Liverpool, England.  She was predeceased by her husband, George Carter, by some twenty-years.  They are survived by their three children and five grand-children.  Below are some photos to remind us of her journey through life…
Hil’s mum (as a little girl) and her mum at the beach.
George and Doreen in their wedding limo…
The newlyweds with their parents…
Doreen and her three at the beach… (Hil on the left)
Grand-dad (Doreen’s father), Doreen and the three on picnic…
A (Brit-side) family portrait…
The American side…
George, Doreen and our Sarah (back when we lived in Liverpool)
And more recently…
“Nana” and Hil in Mike and Viv’s back garden…
A recent Facebook post…
Together again…
In our hearts, thoughts and prayers…
Way back in 2011, I posted a conversation I had with “Nana” Carter:  Things I’ve Learned From Life – Nana Carter
Her thoughts on “Life’s Lessons” may give you some insight into our loss…
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On This Day In:
2019	Laugh With Me
2018	Both Sides, Mr. President?
2017	Republicans Better Wake Up
2016	Truth Telling
2015	To Be Effective In The Modern World
2014	A Little Cover
2013	Binding
2012	Lift
2011	Another Good Movie, Another Excellent Book
	miSFits
	I’m Just Not Sure

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I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Plans

Plans For Today, Tomorrow, The Next Day…
[The above image was found at (and “borrowed” from) one of the blogs I visit regularly:  Pacific Paratrooper
Please visit the site if you have a free moment or two…  —  KMAB]
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On This Day In:
2019	Beautiful Rules
2018	Skepticism
2017	WWGD?
2016	Growing Greatness
2015	When It Is Darkest
2014	Knowledge And Doubt
2013	Three Thoughts
2012	Gentle Reader
2011	Leave The Light On For Me Anyway

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Front Update

If any readers share my need for the occasional lighter post, here’s an update on my front yard…
An angled view…
From the front door…
Angled view up the path…
Snapdragons and stones…
Snapdragons and frogs…
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On This Day In:
2019	The Ones Worth Remembering, Anyway
	Boot Edge Edge (My New T)
2018	To Reach The Next Threshold
2017	Streaking Tales
2016	Singular Reality
2015	He Says It’s Hard To Get There From Here
2014	Question From A Founding Father
2013	Make Heroes
2012	See And Hold
2011	Am Not, Are So

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I’m Tired Of “Winning”

Corona Virus Data as of 26 April 2020 (from Bing)
In 2016, candidate Trump said America was going to win so much some of us will get tired of it and beg him to:  “Please, stop all this winning.”
It turns out, America has almost one out of every three known cases of Corona Virus (COVID-19).  FAR more than any other country in the world.  America also has almost one out of every four deaths related to the Corona Virus.  Again, FAR more than any other country in the world.  We’re so far ahead that every other country could double there numbers and still not catch us.  How’s that for “winning” and being “in first place”?
#LyingDonald told us we only had 15 cases and soon that number would drop to zero (26 Feb 22020 press conference).  How’s that working out so far?
#IncompetentTrump told us by April the change of season and increased temperature would kill the virus.  (“There’s a theory that, in April, when it gets warm — historically, that has been able to kill the virus.  So we don’t know yet; we’re not sure yet. But that’s around the corner.”)  I think we’ve turned that corner…
COVID-19 Deaths in the U.S. thru 21 April 2020
The U.S. started April with just under 5,000 deaths from the virus.  We are now just over 55,000!  A ten-fold increase!
We don’t know if the anti-bodies from recovered folks protects them from future re-infection, if the anti-bodies last indefinitely or if they stop working after “some” period of time.  A vaccine is probably still a year (or more) away…  But #IdiotTrump wants to re-open the economy and get us all back to work.
Ok!!  He was right!!  I’ll say it:  Please Mr. President, can we stop all this winning?  Let some other country be first in getting the virus.  Let some other country be first in deaths from the virus.  Let some other country be the first to go back to work and have the first “second wave” of pandemic.
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On This Day In:
2019	Impeach #45 – (#TraitorInTheWhiteHouse)
	Time For Loving
2018	No Pride There
	London To The Hague
2017	At Least Twenty To Go
2016	A Sweet Smelling Blog Post
	Pre-Reacher
2015	Getting The Story Right
2014	Like Shells On The Shore
2013	More And Why
2012	How To Gain Effective Fire
2011	Patriot Act

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Stand Up!

The Speaker Leads the Way
As important as it is to turn #IncompetentDonald out of Office, it is equally important to do everything possible to retain Democratic control in the House of Representatives and to gain a Democratic majority in the Senate.
Today I made a donation to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (dccc.org).  I would propose you do the same.  It doesn’t matter how much you are able to donate, but more is better.  My own was a small donation, but it was what I could afford.  Every penny will count.
Republican donors will spend hundreds of MILLIONS of dollars to keep Trump in office, retain the Senate and flip the House back to their control.  The party which controls the Senate, controls who gets approved (“confirmed”) to the Supreme Court.  The party which controls the House, controls the country’s purse strings AND whether or not a President should be impeached.
You also need to educate yourself about your Governor and State government.  2020 is when we (as a country) conduct our census and then the House seats are apportioned based on that count and your state government decides how those seats are voted on (“gerrymandering”) within a state.
Stand up!  Make a difference!  Donate and then vote!
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On This Day In:
2019	Only One Direction
2018	Respect Is Long Gone
2017	Dream Of Dreamers
2016	Dear Automakers
2015	And Some Not So Brave Too
2014	In My Lifetime…
2013	Democracy
2012	Borrowed Expectations
2011	Not Necessarily True

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Thank You (To Those Who Serve)

Thank You!!
My thanks go out to all the healthcare workers, first-responders, supermarket staff, delivery staff (U.S. Mail, FedEx, UPS, Amazon, etc.) and to all the other folks across the country providing “essential” services.  (You know who you are, because you’re still working everyday.)
We are all in this together.  We will ALL get through this!  Together!
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On This Day In:
2019	Her Job, Too
2018	Just Another Song I Like
	Earlier Still
2017	Ten To Go
2016	Unstable Emergence
2015	88
2014	Some One-Liners Are Too Easy
2013	Greatness
2012	Memories Of Arlington
2011	Wake Up

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Burst Buds

Last week I posted images of some of the roses we have starting to bud / blossom out in our front yard.  Here’s the updated images….
The Red Bloom
The Two Yellow Blooms
Our Snapdragons and a single Red…
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On This Day In:
2019	Tomorrow’s Bread
2018	Impeach 45: Make America Great Again
2017	Training Shoulders
2016	You Just Have To Care
	Day 4 – Blending
2015	My Slow Education
2014	Great Service
2013	You Really Should Wear More Sweaters
	Here I Am God
2012	The Serenity Prayer
2011	The Victory Of Life

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First Buds

Last Monday I was out in the front yard cutting the grass.  We have a number of miniature rose bushes on either side of our front path.  I noticed two of the bushes have buds which are starting to bloom.
Our first “red” bud.
Two yellow (with pinkish tinge) buds.
Once these get going, they will continue to bud and bloom through late-September / early October.
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On This Day In:
2019	What If Nobody Believes Them Either
2018	It’s About Heart Not Skill
2017	Winning So Much I’m Already Tired Of It (Not)
2016	Punishing Red Binge
2015	Bits In The Soup
2014	More Beef, Less Bull
2013	Where Are Your Mountains
2012	Spherical Knowledge Of Hamsters
2011	Taking Stock Over Time

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The Sun Came Out

We have been having a few days of overcast weather lately.  Yesterday, I was putting the bins out for the weekly pickup and the sun broke out.  Next to me was a flash of color.
I paused to see what had caught my attention…  Snapdragons, some garden frogs and two pots of mini-roses (budding, but not yet blooming).  Our daffodils are gone, but it looks like spring is sprung.  The three frogs are “Hear no evil”, “Speak no evil” and “Falling asleep” – which I guess is supposed to be “See no evil”.
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On This Day In:
2019	The Importance Of A Deadline
	Chaos Is Not Really A New Remedy
2018	History Will Judge Harshly
	Father Time, Perhaps?
2017	Odds Are
2016	Prayer, Too
2015	History, n.
2014	See It Sometime
2013	Precious Friend
2012	It Couldn’t Be Done
	Feeling Surrounded?
2011	Surprise!

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Not A Wink On Guard

This is Teddy (the one-eyed bear)…
Hil’s Teddy
Teddy has been with my wife for as long as she can remember.  Originally, “saved” to be passed down to one of our own, Teddy was reclaimed by my Hil for want of “proper” attention.   For most of the last 15 (or so) years Teddy has been the proud daytime resident of our bed – tucked to the waist under our sheets and propped up against the pillows on Hil’s side of the bed.  Occasionally, slipping between both sets of pillows with an arm extended on either set.  Our ever vigilant guard bear…
Teddy is a fierce survivor!  As you can see (if you click on the image to see the larger version), Teddy has lost his left eye, had major reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder and has worn a fair bit of fur off of both arms and feet and under his chinny-chin-chin.
All things said, he’s a good little bear who doesn’t demand much by way of food or drink.  He gets by on lots of love and the occasional snuggle.
And each day he performs his duties:  by daylight he guards our bedroom and by night he watches over us as we sleep.
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On This Day In:
2019	The Importance Of A Deadline
	Chaos Is Not Really A New Remedy
2018	History Will Judge Harshly
	Father Time, Perhaps?
2017	Odds Are
2016	Prayer, Too
2015	History, n.
2014	See It Sometime
2013	Precious Friend
2012	It Couldn’t Be Done
	Feeling Surrounded?
2011	Surprise!

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One Person’s Roses…

Are another person’s weeds…
In Our Garden…
My wife (Hil) likes to add whimsy to our backyard by inserting (fairly) random articles here and there.  Most are “life” forms (ducks, rabbits, turtles, frogs, angels and saints, etc.), but some are just bits and bobs (wind chimes, bird feeders) to catch your eye.  And, some are just for philosophy…
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On This Day In:
2019	In The Long-Run
2018	#NeverAgain
	Doss II
	Doesn’t / Does
2017	Talent Hates To Move
2016	Looking To November
2015	It Isn’t The End
	Prospero’s Precepts
2014	Friends
2013	Learning Bitter
2012	Remembrance, Minstrels & Going Off To War
	May I Have More Happiness, Please?
2011	There Is No God, But God
2010	Another Running Book…

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