Monday, June 22, 2020
I've had the green Ford Focus since November 2010. It is starting to have problems- I've had the AC worked on numerous times. The brakes squeak. It has 152,000 miles. Should I spend money to fix these things? Last week I decided that maybe the smart move was to get a new car. So on Saturday Matt drove me north to Scottsale and I test drove two cars. This one was comfortable, relatively affordable, and has AC and brakes functioning nicely. Also, only 24,000 miles. So now I have car payments for the next few years $241 a month.
Got home from Matt's house and there were two geckos hanging out on the door. The light attracts bugs and the geckos hang out having them for supper.
Beige Hyundai Accent.
Another puzzle. Old tins. A moment where I thought a piece was missing, but it turned out to be sitting in the box. Buddy Cat likes to sit in the box with the pieces inside, which makes putting puzzle together difficult.
Yet another puzzle.Another puzzle. Old tins. A moment where I thought a piece was missing, but it turned out to be sitting in the box. Buddy Cat likes to sit in the box with the pieces inside, which makes putting puzzle together difficult.
Got home from Matt's house and there were two geckos hanging out on the door. The light attracts bugs and the geckos hang out having them for supper.
Gecko.
The City of Tucson and Pima County have instituted a mask ordinance. Everyone is supposed to wear them in businesses, with a few exceptions. I predict that many middle-aged women will suddenly develop breathing conditions, based on the comments I read on several Facebook pages. So many excuses, the dumbing down of the United States is just ridiculous. Watch this Youtube video made by some random person to find out the latest conspiracy theory garbage about Covid-19.
You won't see me eating inside a restaurant, going to a movie theater, or just doing stupid things until there is a vaccine.
Friday, June 19, 2020
The water is flowing again in the Santa Cruz River. It is treated sewage water, cleaned up enough that you can almost drink it. Today the full flow was turned on. I walked up the river bed, which had recently had extra dirt removed and dumped next to it. They were spraying this green stuff over the dumped dirt today- it smelled like tree mark.
River.
I waded across the river and went up the west side. Ahead I could see a pair of egrets standing in the water. Nearby killdeer were running around, calling loudly.
Egret.
I went up onto the preserved marshy area. A young roadrunner was busy eating bugs, ignoring me. It stood a few feet away, I wish I had something better than my cell phone to take pictures.
Roadrunner.
In the small pool hundreds of toad tadpoles were swimming around. If you click on the picture, you can see them.
I waded across the river and went up the west side. Ahead I could see a pair of egrets standing in the water. Nearby killdeer were running around, calling loudly.
I went up onto the preserved marshy area. A young roadrunner was busy eating bugs, ignoring me. It stood a few feet away, I wish I had something better than my cell phone to take pictures.
In the small pool hundreds of toad tadpoles were swimming around. If you click on the picture, you can see them.
Tadpoles.
The Bighorn Fire continues to grow in the Catalina Mountains. I went up to the top of the Sentinel Peak and took this photo two days ago.
Fire.
Birdy has moved back to Cascabel. He had been staying at my house for almost a year. My yard looks very nice with all the work he did. In the backyard he made a garden plot with eggplants, beans, zinnias, melons, and zucchini. I picked one of the zucchini, put a little olive oil on and sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top and used my air dryer to cook it.
Zucchini.
I made a banana cake using Anna's Banana Cake recipe card from my grandmother.
Birdy has moved back to Cascabel. He had been staying at my house for almost a year. My yard looks very nice with all the work he did. In the backyard he made a garden plot with eggplants, beans, zinnias, melons, and zucchini. I picked one of the zucchini, put a little olive oil on and sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top and used my air dryer to cook it.
I made a banana cake using Anna's Banana Cake recipe card from my grandmother.
Out of the oven.
I made vanilla cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut. The cake was basically a light banana bread. It was very good.
Governor Ducey has been a Trump-appeaser from day 1 of the pandemic. Took forever to lock down and then almost every business was considered essential. Re-opened too early. Was not a role model regarding masks and social distancing. And so Arizona now leads the United States in infections. He finally allowed cities and counties to make their own rule. Mayor Romero is requiring masks to be worn on Saturday in public places, with some exceptions.
The ridiculous excuses of people why they cannot wear masks. CO2 poisoning. Masks will infect you. Lots of medical conditions that only appeared now. Masks are communist. Are Democratic. Trump doesn't wear a mask, why should I? Covid-19 is a hoax. And on and on and on. My favorite, "If I get it I won't go to the hospital." Yeah right.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
I have my Grandma's Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, published in the 1950s. Inside it are some of the recipe cards written by Grandma. Here's a photo of Grandma Feiger sitting on the low retaining wall with her flower garden. This was taken in the early 1960s I think.
Anna Mabel (Ransom) Feiger, 1910-1998.
I don't really remember by grandmother cooking, by the time I was old enough to pay attention she was mostly eating tv dinners and then microwave dinners. According to my sisters she was a great cook.
Below are five of the recipe cards.
I've made the carrot brownies, that is a good recipe. Tonight I'm going to try the banana cake, which I suspect is really a kind of banana bread.
I don't really remember by grandmother cooking, by the time I was old enough to pay attention she was mostly eating tv dinners and then microwave dinners. According to my sisters she was a great cook.
Below are five of the recipe cards.
I've made the carrot brownies, that is a good recipe. Tonight I'm going to try the banana cake, which I suspect is really a kind of banana bread.
Monday, June 15, 2020
Pima County flood control people were worried about the soil buildup in the Santa Cruz River channel, so they removed a lot of dirt recently. Water had been flowing in the river bed since June 2019, so I was sad to see it turned off and all of the vegetation that had sprung up removed. Luckily they had left a small area and a local biologist had worked to get a small pool and a channel built, so that when the water was turned back on, some of the old vegetation could revive.
Matt and I walked down on Sunday morning to see that area and to look at the thousands of toad tadpoles swimming in the water. The cattails and other vegetation is starting to revive. The water flow is being increased and soon the river will run again.
Pool.
We walked back along the bike path, but too many unmasked people, so we went along the road and then across the old landfill instead.
Masc Matt.
Last night as I was driving down Granada I saw what I thought was a chicken in the road. Instead it was a baby hawk hopping about, I stopped, took off my shirt, and collected it off the road. It must have jumped out of its nest in a nearby tree.
Sort of mad.
I checked to make sure it wasn't injured and left it on the lawn, somewhat conflicted, worried that a cat would get it.
At home my house is warm. I sleep on the couch in front of the little AC unit, which is running better since I cleaned it.
For once Ruby wanted some cuddles.
Snowball is 11 now, left eye has developed a cataract. Biologically a male, but acts like a female. She still only loves me. She likes to sleep with her head on my shoulder.
Snowball.
And today the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ people could not be fired for being LGBTQ. A big surprise, especially since Trump-appointee Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion.
And in other news, Covid-19 is infecting and killing people in large numbers in Arizona. And on Facebook, Trump cult members are busy boasting that they will not wear masks. Some claim "health conditions." Such bullshit. At this point, the people who are getting infected (outside of nursing homes) in Arizona are doing stupid things like the people I saw hanging out at bars and restaurants on Congress Street on Saturday night- no social distancing, no masks, young people going to catch Covid-19 and infect their older family members and they may or may not feel guilty afterward.
Matt and I walked down on Sunday morning to see that area and to look at the thousands of toad tadpoles swimming in the water. The cattails and other vegetation is starting to revive. The water flow is being increased and soon the river will run again.
We walked back along the bike path, but too many unmasked people, so we went along the road and then across the old landfill instead.
Last night as I was driving down Granada I saw what I thought was a chicken in the road. Instead it was a baby hawk hopping about, I stopped, took off my shirt, and collected it off the road. It must have jumped out of its nest in a nearby tree.
Homer and hawk.
The Tucson Wildlife Center website said that its parents would probably coax it back into the nest. I hope so, it was a cute thing.
I checked to make sure it wasn't injured and left it on the lawn, somewhat conflicted, worried that a cat would get it.
At home my house is warm. I sleep on the couch in front of the little AC unit, which is running better since I cleaned it.
Snowball is 11 now, left eye has developed a cataract. Biologically a male, but acts like a female. She still only loves me. She likes to sleep with her head on my shoulder.
And today the Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ people could not be fired for being LGBTQ. A big surprise, especially since Trump-appointee Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion.
And in other news, Covid-19 is infecting and killing people in large numbers in Arizona. And on Facebook, Trump cult members are busy boasting that they will not wear masks. Some claim "health conditions." Such bullshit. At this point, the people who are getting infected (outside of nursing homes) in Arizona are doing stupid things like the people I saw hanging out at bars and restaurants on Congress Street on Saturday night- no social distancing, no masks, young people going to catch Covid-19 and infect their older family members and they may or may not feel guilty afterward.
Thursday, June 11, 2020
The bobcat walked by my office window, less than four feet from where I am sitting. I went out the door and it stared at me from the end of the walkway before going to the fence and climbing over it.
Bobcat.
A lightning strike started a fire in the Catalina's last Friday. The last few days it has spread eastward. Today large planes were dumping huge amounts of red fire retardant over the sides of the mountains. Up in the foothills people are being told to leave their homes.
Smoke.
Last two nights I could sit on my porch and watch the fires, at least a dozen miles away.
Meanwhile, because people are so stupid and not wearing masks and visiting each other, the number of Covid-19 cases is skyrocketing here in Arizona. I am still very careful- my hands are sore from washing and sanitizing them. I had to go to Target today so I made a list and went quickly and methodically through the store to but a new bike helmet, pump, dress socks, and spoons. I also ended up with new sheets, a puzzle, and sugar free chocolate pudding (how did that happen?). All of the store employees had their masks on and many were cleaning. All but three of the customers had masks on, so I did not freak out.
I haven't written anything detailed about the racism crisis happening in the United States. I cannot stand racism. My mother raised me well and I was taught to judge people based upon their actions, not their skin color. As an adult, I continue doing this. I cannot stand racists, it is so ridiculous and foreign and a sign that you are not very bright.
So today an ad showed up in my Facebook feed- "Stand for the flag, Kneel for the cross." from a Christian company. So, yeah, a racist ad in my opinion. So I told them so, and told them to fuck off. Facebook decided that was hate speech and blocked me for 24 hours. So tired of Facebook bullshit. The President stirs up hate in this country and the company does nothing. I tell a racist Christian company to fuck off, and I get in trouble. Ridiculous.
A lightning strike started a fire in the Catalina's last Friday. The last few days it has spread eastward. Today large planes were dumping huge amounts of red fire retardant over the sides of the mountains. Up in the foothills people are being told to leave their homes.
Last two nights I could sit on my porch and watch the fires, at least a dozen miles away.
Meanwhile, because people are so stupid and not wearing masks and visiting each other, the number of Covid-19 cases is skyrocketing here in Arizona. I am still very careful- my hands are sore from washing and sanitizing them. I had to go to Target today so I made a list and went quickly and methodically through the store to but a new bike helmet, pump, dress socks, and spoons. I also ended up with new sheets, a puzzle, and sugar free chocolate pudding (how did that happen?). All of the store employees had their masks on and many were cleaning. All but three of the customers had masks on, so I did not freak out.
I haven't written anything detailed about the racism crisis happening in the United States. I cannot stand racism. My mother raised me well and I was taught to judge people based upon their actions, not their skin color. As an adult, I continue doing this. I cannot stand racists, it is so ridiculous and foreign and a sign that you are not very bright.
So today an ad showed up in my Facebook feed- "Stand for the flag, Kneel for the cross." from a Christian company. So, yeah, a racist ad in my opinion. So I told them so, and told them to fuck off. Facebook decided that was hate speech and blocked me for 24 hours. So tired of Facebook bullshit. The President stirs up hate in this country and the company does nothing. I tell a racist Christian company to fuck off, and I get in trouble. Ridiculous.
Saturday, June 06, 2020
We are living through troubled times. The police across the country are killing African-Americans and now they are attacking protesters. The so-called president is having protesters attacked so he can pose for a picture holding a book of fiction (bible). Meanwhile, Covid-19 is spreading like crazy here in Arizona.
Ever wondered what it would be like to live in truly historic times? Now you know.
Out front my zinnias are blooming. Sometimes they droop in the heat but a little water and they stand straight up.
Zinnias.
A cactus bloomed in the front yard yesterday. The flowers only last a day before they wither and fade.
Cactus.
Inside I run the little window AC and try to stay cool. The roommates all stay in the living room, to enjoy the coolness.
Ever wondered what it would be like to live in truly historic times? Now you know.
Out front my zinnias are blooming. Sometimes they droop in the heat but a little water and they stand straight up.
A cactus bloomed in the front yard yesterday. The flowers only last a day before they wither and fade.
Inside I run the little window AC and try to stay cool. The roommates all stay in the living room, to enjoy the coolness.
Ruby, Buddy Cat, and Snowball.
I did a puzzle, a map of the world with flags, and discovered at the end one of the pieces of Antartica was missing. I guess that puzzle gets thrown out.
I gave money to Black Lives Matter and to another justice group. Something has to be done, the USA cannot remain like this. Racism has to be overcome. I cannot believe it is 2020 and people are still judging people based on some skin color criteria.
Wednesday, June 03, 2020
I'm so tired of the police killing African-Americans.
I'm so tired of white women my age saying "All Lives Matter" and claiming that they have been discriminated because they are white.
I'm tired of Republicans. The Republican Party is evil. Donald Trump is evil. Disagree with me? Go to fucking hell.
I'm tired of seeing people doing stupid things in public. 40 people died from Covid-19 in Arizona yesterday.
I'm tired of many other things.
I gave money to Black Lives Matter and a justice group. I sent messages to three African-American friends letting them know I support them and care about them.
What happens next? I honestly don't know. I do know that I will fight for civil rights and denounce people for racism.
I'm so tired of white women my age saying "All Lives Matter" and claiming that they have been discriminated because they are white.
I'm tired of Republicans. The Republican Party is evil. Donald Trump is evil. Disagree with me? Go to fucking hell.
I'm tired of seeing people doing stupid things in public. 40 people died from Covid-19 in Arizona yesterday.
I'm tired of many other things.
I gave money to Black Lives Matter and a justice group. I sent messages to three African-American friends letting them know I support them and care about them.
What happens next? I honestly don't know. I do know that I will fight for civil rights and denounce people for racism.
