Homer'sWorld

Tuesday, September 01, 2026

We flew to Michigan to visit family. Stayed at a cute BnB (2nd story of a house) near Lake Ann, a village my Ransom ancestors lived near in the 1860s-1880s. Elijah Leland Ransom and his brother Benjamin Samuel Ransom moved north from Branch County, Michigan around 1864 or 1866. They purchased a grist mill, where grain was ground, and later added the ability to saw timber. There are the remnants of two dams and you can still see timbers from the mill in Ransom Creek.

The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy purchased the mill and dam site for the Ransom Lake Natural Area. There is a trail around Ransom Lake and Matt and I walked it the first night we were there.

Homer and Matt.

We spent a lot of time visiting with my family. Matt loves Lee's Amish farm, with all the animals.

Matt holding Tina, with Jean and Ginger in the background.

I took the family to Olive Garden for supper. Matt is astounded at how quickly members of my family eat. Amish brother Lee is taking the photo.

Elizabeth, Jeff, Matt, Susan, Homer, and Aunt Harriet.

I took Matt north and drove across the Mackinaw Bridge. Matt does not like bridges. We went to a diner (Clyde's) and I watched as they fried my grilled cheese in a puddle of hamburger juice. I did eat it. Then we drove back across the bridge. Had to drive on the grill, Matt does like bridges.

Then we went to Fort Michilimackinac. A partially reconstructed 1700s French and then British military fort. There were archaeologists working on a cellar and I chatted with two of them. For the most part, Matt did not care for the interesting artifacts and room exhibits on display. I enjoyed the experience, I was last there in 1987.

Matt is happy to leave the fort, Mackinaw Bridge is background.

The weather was lovely in Michigan- 70s and maybe into the 80s. Lots of fresh produce, we purchased things at Lee's Amish produce store he works at.

And back in Arizona the weather has been horribly hot. I was out visiting a site last week and this barrel cactus was blooming.

Barrel cactus.

I was also out for a few days digging Early Agricultural Period pits. One morning a nice large wolf spider visited and I put him in a safe place.

Wolf spider.

And then some bad things happened. Dolly Parton died. I remember watching her syndicated show in the early 1970s, Dolly on a swing singing "Love is like a butterfly, as soft and silky as a sigh..." in the show's intro. She was perhaps the best good person I have ever shared the earth with.

Then little Rowan dog got into a car and the door got shut and he died in the hear. Just horrible. Doug was heartbroken. I had to dig his grave and bury him, sobbing.

And then yesterday morning very early two young men were murdered outside the Venture Inn, one of two gay bars here in Tucson. The maniac who did it had a list of LGBTQ+ businesses to target. I had not met either men, but had followed Cameron on Instagram. He was a courageous public journalist, covering the protests in support of Gaza and against the stupid AI center being built here in town. What a horrible world we live in where evil people have access to firearms.

# posted by Homer : 10:50 AM

Friday, August 07, 2026

Well my friend Craig committed suicide on Thursday July 30. I found out the following Sunday. He was a good friend for a few years. I was in love with him and wanted to be his partner. That didn't happen, but we continued to be friends. I last saw him in person during my 2017 road trip, when I stayed with him and Chris in Denver.

We had some really good times together, this picture was taken on a road trip to New Mexico. We traded messages four days before he died and he said that this was a special time.

Craig.

I don't know why he did what he did. I wish he hadn't. We had talked about me coming to visit with Matt next summer. I am sad but also angry, I keep asking myself "Why did he do it?" I don't know if he knew how much he meant to me.

# posted by Homer : 4:19 PM

Thursday, July 30, 2026

It is monsoon season. We have had some goods rains, but need more.

Clyde kitty got in a fight and had an infected neck. He lost some weight. Likes to be inside when it is so hot.

Clyde.

Smokey is not friendly with Matt (and Puff Jr. is mostly the same). Every night she comes and sleeps near me though.

Matt and Smokey the Bear.

Matt and I went to a Gay West event at Old Tucson. I called Patrick and he drove us there. We met up with Paul and David. Had a good time.

Homer, Patrick, and David.

New murals popping up everywhere downtown. This one is across the street from the Presidio Museum. If features Native and Mexican women.

Homer and Matt.

The Brandylion is a fun bar on the Presidio Museum property. I dragged Matt there for a date night and he had a good time.

Brandylion bar.

One Saturday we went to the Habitat for Humanity store and I saw this pie safe ($249). Have always wanted one (Mother have hers to Uncle David, wonder what happened to it). Went back and bought it. The former tv stand ended up in the alley and soon disappeared. Matt helped load it into his truck and carry it into the house.

Pie safe.

July 4th Matt, Caleb, and I went to a pool party way up in Oro Valley. We had a good time and I get to pet some donkeys. The fireworks were horrible that night but I gave Ruby half a benadryl and she didn't get so frightened.

Caleb and Homer.

Matt's nephew Max came to town with his girlfriend from Louisiana. Scouting out the town because he is thinking about going to University of Arizona for graduate degree. We had dinner at El Torrero. The cauliflower tacos are delicious and messy.

Max and Matt.

So went to the Girl's Estate Store on Wilmot on a Sunday. Not expecting to see much. A girl working there pushed out a cart and I spotted a bag of Lego on the bottom shelf. I grabbed it, paid $17. The bag was filled with sets from 1989-1991, Pirate and Castle themed. I was able to put together four sets. The one sells for $180 and the others total another couple hundred. That was fun.

Lego sets in the pie safe.

Going to Michigan August 12 to 18. I hope it is cooler there, the heat is miserable right now here (high this week expected to be 111).

# posted by Homer : 1:36 PM

Sunday, May 31, 2026

What a time to be alive. Every day some fresh bullshit to comprehend. Many times I am so filled with rage about Israeli genocide, corruption, Arch, Reflecting Pool, Ballroom, Garden of Heroes, War with Iran, a planned War with Cuba, etc., etc.

Anyways, the new Ford Bronco gets about 25 miles per gallon. With gasoline over $4.50 a gallon here in Tucson, it costs between $58 and $62 to fill the tank. Thanks Orange Child Raper! There have been a couple of times in the last month when I just felt depressed over the whole situation.

You can see how excited I am.

Matt and I, along with Paul and David, decided to go down to Bisbee last Saturday. We enjoyed the drive down to Fairbank, where we visited the schoolhouse museum.

Paul, Homer, David, and Matt.

We had lunch at Bisbee Breakfast Club in Warren. There is an antique store there and I purchased a nice 1950s platter with a bull on it.

# posted by Homer : 7:01 PM

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Matt and I went to the Ford dealership to test drive a Ford Bronco. The cursed 2019 Hyundai Accent had been repaired for the second attempted steering wheel break in, and I had had enough.

Very cute salesman Alex showed us some Broncos. One was a loaner (the dealership loans out cars while repairs are being done) with 3,300 miles on it. It was 10,000 off. My car was valued at $5,000 trade in. I had taken out money from my 401k (right before the stock market tanked) and could pay cash. I drove it home that night.

Bronco.

It has some amazing things. My phone rings through the screen. It has the map function giving directions. Lovely AC.

Still can't believe I have a super nice vehicle.

# posted by Homer : 1:43 PM

Monday, March 30, 2026

Another month of fascism. Every day I wake hoping it will be the day. The Orange Pedophile started a war to distract from the revelations in the Epstein File.

I remembered when we lived at Buckley and their was a man named Pete who lived up the road and we were warned to stay away from him because he was raping family members. And no one did anything.

Anyways... I monitored downtown and found layers of trash, Territorial period on top, then Presidio, and then Hohokam at the bottom.

AD 1000-1100 sherds.

I had to drive to Tempe to attend a First Aid class. Drove back. Then drove Matt and I north to Glendale to attend the Nine Inch Nails concert. Then drove back. Then the following weekend we went to the Trampled by Turtles concert in Tucson at the old nunnery. Acoustics were not the greatest there. But both concerts were good.

La Rosa.

The next morning I drove to Yuma to do a survey. What a horrible place to live. It was along the highway and about half of the survey area was impossibly steep slopes. I refused to climb on those, I was not going to kill myself.

Yuma.

I got back and made Matt his requested birthday cake (store bought yellow mix and store bought chocolate frosting, yuck). He liked it. He got some Legos, some church cookbooks, two shirts, and two handkerchiefs.

Matt is 49.

This last weekend I attended the No Kings Protest. There were numerous locations in Tucson so not so many people at Reid Park. Still ran into Corky, Maxwell, and Philip. I did my part. Afterward I gave a tour at Fort Lowell, also doing my part.

Trump Raped Kids.

My car is not fixed and I cannot get rid of it. Well it was fixed but Farmers Insurance made them put a brand new steering column in. So an extra week in a rental car (Nissan Altime) which I really hate driving. I will be looking at a Ford Bronco. I took money out of my 401K and like every other time, the stock market dropped so it actually was a good thing.

# posted by Homer : 2:28 PM

Thursday, February 26, 2026

It feels like summer already here in Tucson. Temperatures in the 80s. Flowers and citrus trees blooming. It smells nice sitting on my porch except the many, many times the neighbor to the north smokes pot and the fumes drift towards me.

So last Sunday morning Matt saw that my rear passenger window was broken on the cursed car. And then I found that the steering column had been torn up. Again. Last time was in October 2024. So the cursed car is now at an auto repair place. Once fixed it is going away. No Hyundais for me EVER. I'm going to take money out of my 401K and purchase an SUV.

They draped a safety vest over the window to climb in.

The other night the French door was left open and Puff got out. After frantically searching I heard him crying and opened the door and he ran in. I was very upset. Smokey wants to go outside too so I have to be careful when I open and close the doors.

Puff.

Ruby.

Clyde.

Smokey.

Matt and I stopped by Habitat for Humanity and I purchased this painting for three dollars. I really like the skiers, bright and cheerful.

I go on the White House Facebook page and call Trump a FUCKING PEDOPHILE. Or other things. Last week Bette Midler liked my comment.

Cannot wait for the day, you know what...

Every day seems like hell. Three more years? Hopefully he will be dead before then.

# posted by Homer : 12:30 PM

Monday, January 26, 2026

During the staff meeting I watched three coyotes playing in the field south of my office window. They all peed on the tree and scratched the dirt to cover it up. They seemed well fed and happy.

Coyotes.

In the last few weeks the ICE NAZIs have murdered two people in Minneapolis. It is so depressing to know that our country is being run by racist White Nationalists. Every day I hope Trump dies. Not sure if Vance would be any better. I cannot say what I wish would happen to other people, especially Noem and Miller.

I work on my latest book, a taboo subject- SLAVERY. Meanwhile the National Park Service is taking down exhibits that mention the topic, like that will somehow make history prettier and nicer.

Matt and I went to the Northwest Bricks and Minifigs store and I traded in a bin of Lego bricks I had accumulated for $132. I then got a castle set for $9 with the trade in value.

We then stopped at Lee Lee's Chinese grocery store. So many strange groceries. I purchased some durian-flavored cookies. Matt said that durian smelled like diesel fuel. I confess, I did not believe it.

At home I opened the cookies. The smell, so strongly of fuel. I made the mistake of tasting one. SO GROSS. I threw the whole package in the garbage and then had to take it to the outside garbage can. Then I kept burping up the nastiness.

# posted by Homer : 12:20 PM

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Two months.

November

In November Matt and I hosted our All Souls Procession Cocktail Party. I had made an Ofrenda for the Presidio Museum- theme Thrift Store Ancestors and a similar one for my dining room.

Presidio Ofrenda.

I was set up north to Kayenta to work on a survey. I had not been to that part of the state since 1989. Kayenta is on the Navajo Nation and it really is a different place. There was a stray dog that I really wanted to adopt, so friendly and sweet.

Kayenta Doggy.

Monument Valley is nearby and I drove out toward it and sent Matt a selfie.

He wanted to come see it. So the next week we drove to Flagstaff for the night and then to Kayenta the next day. We had an open-truck tour led by a Navajo woman named Helen. She would point out things, insisting we see various rock formations, "Sleeping E.T." Sometimes I could not see them.

Monument Valley, the Left Mitten and the Right Mitten.

The next morning we had a horse ride in Monument Valley. The last time I was on a horse was in 1988. Halfway through the ride I had to find a bush. Getting back on took four attempts. Embarrassing.

Monument Valley horse ride.

I returned the following week to finish documenting sites. I could not find the sweet dog on the last day.

Thanksgiving was me, Matt, and I. I got a Tofurkey. It was tasty.

December

Elaborate decorations ensued.

Animal tree.

Bedroom tree.

Former tv stand scenes.

Secretary scene.

I have been working on a very elaborate Holiday Lego Village. I had so much stuff I couldn't put all of it out.

Lego Holiday Village (click to enlarge!).

Matt, me, and Gandalf AKA Buddy-Boo went to Ace and has our picture taken with Santa. That Ace store is my favorite, so many things!

Homer, Santa, Matt, and Gandalf.

Doug bought a table saw (I told him not to pay rent) and managed to saw through most of his left thumb. I took him to the emergency room. He was in the hospital for three days. They sewed it back together, but I have to take him on the 2nd to have the end removed. Worst Holiday present ever.

Our Cookie Decorating Party was on the 13th and about 30 or 40 people came. I had a contest, How Many Holiday Trees? With Lego prizes. Wally got first place and was super happy about the Christmas Lego set.

Cookie decorating: Sean, Monica, Kirsten, Mina, and Grazi.

Decorated cookies.

Chris L. and I went to New Mexico to do a survey near Socorro. The project was on the Bosque de Apache Wildlife Refuge and there were interesting sites with pretty decorated ceramics. We also saw some of the sandhill cranes that winter there, ducks, and javelinas.

New Mexico ceramics.

The last night Chris and I made Holiday Cards- he has a great time being creative.

Chris and his cards.

Homer's cards.

Holiday we opened presents. I got some nice Lego sets, a blanket, and some cooking items. I got Matt some Lego sets, cookbooks, and cheese-making kits. Doug came for lunch and I made macaroni and cheese, peas, green bean casserole (store bought), rolls, and a Nilla wafer, vanilla pudding, and banana trifle.

Holiday Tree with presents.

New Year's Eve

I stayed home from work, my back has been acting up again. United Healthcare decided I did not need the MRI my doctor ordered. Luckily we are changing insurance at work. Matt is in the kitchen making a fancy dinner. I turned all the Holiday lights on and decided I better update this blog.

Let's hope 2026 is an improvement over 2025. I used to be a nice person. Not any more. I want bad things to happen to bad people.

Anyways, here is a cute picture of us.

# posted by Homer : 5:25 PM

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

I gave a talk at Whiskey del Bac. It was on the Saloons of Territorial Tucson, based on the book I wrote. Now that I am skinnier I was able to squeeze into one of my Victorian outfits.