One more thing about the hurricane that just hit Mexico... It is probably a good thing for the citizens that it hit Acapulco-- a very touristy area. Money talks. The powers that be will want a recovery as soon as possible. The hurricane weakened significantly when it hit the mountainous areas just to the northeast.

I know!! It's insane.

Whoever the judge or judges were assigned to his case need to answer for not keeping him behind bars.

We have had an uncharacteristically calm tropical season this year. It has caused extremely dry conditions, and we are having wildfires. Nothing crazy like what they see out west or in Canada, but we are being warned not to burn. It's been 2 weeks since I took my daughter to riding lessons. We drive by the lake that supplies most of our drinking water. I noticed it was low a couple of weeks ago. This morning was startling. The southern end of the lake was gone. It was just a muddy bottom for acres and acres. It is a shallow part of the lake, but I don't think I have ever seen it that low. We haven't had but one hurricane make landfall on the Gulf coast. We were on the west side of that storm, so we didn't get any rain. We usually have a couple of tropical systems to break up the typical dry falls that we have. Nobody wants a hurricane, but the reality is they do bring beneficial rain. And most of the time these tropical systems make landfall as weaker tropical storms or depressions which are really welcome for that beneficial rainfall. ETA: this isn't unheard of around here. We have faced more protracted severe droughts. About 2/3 of our state is in moderate drought. A few counties are severe. Those counties have imposed water restrictions--AKA no irrigation/watering of lawns. A few counties are not in drought at all. I think the lake being so low is that because even in periods of drought, we get ((some)) rain. We have just been nearly bone dry for several weeks. It will end in November when tornado season starts back up. lol

It was Cat 5--catastrophic. There will be fatalities. I have not seen any numbers on that though. Power and cell service is out. Under the same circumstances in the Gulf of Mexico region here, it would take a couple of weeks for everyone's power to be restored. I don't know how well Mexico is equipped to restore those services. It hit an area that is very tourist driven. It will take years to recover from this--several years--based on what I am reading. I live in a Gulf of Mexico state in the SE US.

At least 22 are dead. Shooter is still at large. 😞 Horrifying.

Are you an artist? That’s beautiful. I could never pull that off.

What if your BIL and others just go in and make all the repairs and paint EVERYTHING a very pale neutral like Agreeable Gray or Gray Owl. Make it a calming blank slate. Then later—-you can add some color here and there. And the pale neutral won’t be hard to paint over. Eta—not cabinets, trim, or doors—I’m taking about walls. Doors trim etc can be repaired and painted white.

Would you consider hiring an interior designer for a one hour color consultation? I did that once, and it was very helpful. My thoughts on yellow—It is a difficult color. I have had 3 rooms in the past painted different shades of yellow. I like yellow, but some shades are harsh and irritating—to me at least. You can buy cheap foam boards and a sample pot of any colors you are considering. Paint the board and move it around the room in different light and at different times of day. I haven’t read all the comments, so I apologize if this has already been suggested.

I’m not denying that there are a few people in our country committing isolated violence due to being swayed by propaganda. So yes, I agree with that. Propagandists in this country would have us believe that these fringe psychopaths pose an existential threat to our entire country. Whereas in Palestine the propagandists are Hamas and the existential threat to Israel is real. I have to get back on the road. Long drive ahead.

We don’t use real trees anymore, but we never took any extra precautions. 😬 Maybe we should have, but it was never an issue. I would use a watering can with a long slim spout to add water to the base. Very little water splashed out. If a little splashed out, no biggie. Otherwise, I would just wipe up any excess water. The only trouble we’ve had with water and hardwood is the pets’ water bowl in the kitchen, but it takes years for those splashes to affect the floor. (We do have it sitting on a mat, but over time and large dogs visiting—it’s not enough protection.)

I figured I would get a response similar to this. People getting into a “lather” over Starbucks cups or qanon—There is no comparison due to many factors that I won’t go into because it’s off topic. If you think that, then I can’t help but wonder what sort of propaganda you may have unknowingly internalized. to your last point…I hate that I feel like I’m being condescended to here, but I do. Some of your last point is stating the obvious—especially if you are a Jew or Christian. Although I disagree that that somehow both governments are equally full of hate. Elaborating further would be getting political.

Agree, but there is a difference in the propaganda that we see (vaccines will kill you) vs the propaganda that says that Jews are the equivalent of Satan and are the most despicable, contemptible nation to ever crawl upon the earth. We don’t have greater than 50% of our nation supporting the extermination of an entire people group—encouraged by very vocal groups from across the world celebrating the thought of it based on recent events.

All of this! 💕💕💕You said it better than I did.

I do too, but I think he did an excellent remake. Not only that—-he introduced (perhaps) that song and artist to an entirely different audience.

Aaah! Need to find away to binge watch this show! It was so good. 😭

We have 2 2005 model cars in our family “fleet”. Eta: that was the year my youngest was born lol. I’d never thought about that. So we have two 17 year old cars. My 17 year old is driving one of them. 🙂 I have never experienced a seatbelt wearing out. Can you elaborate?

What can be done? Is it too political to say that Hamas needs to be wiped off the face of the earth? Clearly, Palestinians have no options. There is no democratic process to effect change even though at least half of the population (according to the many surveys I read) is fed up with the lack of quality of life, the unemployment, poverty, lack of healthcare, etc, that they currently have. Even when I read stats that say 57% support Hamas. Well, they haven’t exactly been presented with any alternatives! They are highly susceptible to propaganda. Anyone living in such circumstances would be susceptible to that sort of human baseness that we all feel from time to time. Still, it is NO excuse for the atrocities of the attack by Hamas. I unequivocally support Israel. I am horrified at the unabashed displays of antisemitism I am seeing in the news—everywhere. 😞

CC/religion content: ETA a link to a prayer I read not long after I posted this. From @katecbowler “Blessed are we who allow ourselves to feel it—the impossibility of what was possible a second ago…This is the place where nothing makes sense. This is the place where tears show up without permission…God, you are an architect, and everything I have is in ruins. Promise me that someday something will stand after so much fell.” (Link to full prayer below) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cys7a4CNmCX/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Antisemitism is so incomprehensible to me. As a Christian, I have been grafted in. I just…it’s incomprehensible. I look at the maps. I see the tiny country of Israel, and I marvel…at what God has done and will continue to do through His people. I marvel (awe) at the prophetic scriptures. I lament the brokenness in this world. I grieve—for Israel and for the Palestinian people. But I do NOT feel conflicted about standing with Israel. The headlines may have shifted away from Hamas’ atrocities, but we haven’t forgotten. Another eta…we who feel helpless can go back to the Psalms. Delve into the Psalms and learn what it means to lament. Essentially a prayer that acknowledges that this isn’t the way it is supposed to be, and we cannot fix it. And “why”…”why” is a lament.

Oh absolutely agree. If I were working “outside the home”, I would not even entertain this. Currently, I’m chronically ill—not well enough (yet) for a “real” job. Nourishing my body back into health is my full time job these days. I don’t know if milling my own wheat will actually make a difference, but it makes me feel like I’m doing ((something)) to help myself.

Sometimes we need an “angry” reaction (emoji) to tap. God help us. 😞

My 2012 Highlander is just a baby with 109k. 🙂 I also plan to drive it forever. Those older Toyota V6s are practically bulletproof. What really blows my mind is that it gets almost as good of gas mileage as dh’s late model 4banger Subaru!

I didn’t realize until I bought a new bag of King Arthur all purpose recently that it is NOT enriched. It’s the organic though. I don’t know if the regular is enriched or not.

And the whole wheat berries don’t oxidize and lose nutritional value as fast—longer shelf life. 🙂

The Ankersrum has a different bowl with a 2 beater attachment, but I have had a little trouble incorporating ingredients when making a small batch of something. But man…it makes a perfect whipped cream cheese frosting.