Happy Halloween 2018

 had a total of 20 trick or treaters out last night.  a few really good costumes.  it warmed up slightly i think so the kids could show off their costumes...or they were just tough kids.

 Ivy started out as a pineapple but she wasn't too keen on the little hat, though she looked super cute.  we switched to the standard pumpkin...she is adorable in that as well. Tusker was dressed in this new fire dog costume...he looked rightly handsome i think.

 they love greeting all the kids and we got many compliments on them and the Skelly scene. 

 i only worked one night but was super tired.  always wonder if i am fighting off some bug when i just feel tired...went to bed fairly early.  nobody had come by for quite awhile so i turned off the lights.  no teens, which was unusual.

 thanks to KR for giving me a ride to work. the car had decided to stop working at the shop so i left it there.  i got a call it was done as i was waiting for KR so i then arranged with another friend at work for a ride to the shop in the morning...thanks K!  that is how life is though, one expense after another it seems.  not quite as devastating for me financially as it once was so that is a nice change from the old days.

 still a drag....

 need to finish off the floor this evening.  i head back to work for 2 tomorrow night.  my handyman will be back to working again tomorrow he says. i realized this morning i will be working the extra hour fall back shift on Saturday.  boo!! that extra hour bites big time!

 frustrated with the current climate of our nation where people believe the crap that is being pushed by the current administration.  divide and conquer works better than you think which is really depressing.

 the current iitoo has made it clear during his rallies that he considers himself a Nationalist...seems like most are willing to look past this fact and that he has just aligned with the "white nationalists".  what some politicians will do and say to get votes.  pandering to the most racist element of our society while the others in his party look away...they want to win as well and they know in their hearts their best chance is to pander to this deplorable....yes i will use that word...the deplorable elements of our society.

 if you truly believe that a bunch of migrant/refugees walking all the way from Hondorus are harboring terrorists and gang members, i really am growing more speechless.  why would they?  it makes no sense at all. why would a terrorist fly to Hondorus and join a group of migrants walking north when they could easily just fly to Canada and drive south or just fly in directly.

 none of us like to admit we have some feelings which may be deemed even mildly racist but i guess i will lay this out....

 you might be racist if....

 this birthright stuff is ridiculous.  fear that thousands of women are rushing the border to drop babies...it just doesn't happen.  there are also businesses where women in other nations are flown in from Russia to give birth here for the same reason.  these things do happen but at a very low rate, changing what is actually a rational constitutional right seems a bit overboard. besides...i have never heard anyone on the right complain about those who are white doing this...so if you have a double standard when it comes to white folks doing the same thing you get angry at Hispanics for doing...well you might have racist tendencies.

 when you hear your POTUS state unequivically that he is a proud Nationalist and you look the other way...you may have racist tendencies or you have just chosen an agenda over protecting your fellow citizens.  he does this at a rally and within a week we have a gunman enter a synagogue and kill Jews.  Jews also support refugees and immigrants because they were once in a position of needing help or dying.  if you can look the other way as your fellow human beings, who are in a desperate place, look to you for help...well you may be more deplorable than you care to admit. this is certainly not the message of Christ.

 no matter how much folks want to look away or just hide in their happy wealthy lives, we are one earth and we, who have much, are expected to help those who have less. we do not get to agree to be kind only to people who look like us or share our religious values.  choosing to look away from the suffering seems pretty heartless and cruel.  treating them all like they must be criminals, sending hoards of military to trample desperate families when we should send help and support.  they have the right to ask for help, they have the right to be heard and then they may be allowed support or denied support when their individual stories are heard. our nation first tried to prevent the Jews from entering before calmer heads prevailed.  lets not turn into a nation of asses when we are needed. 

 as i drove around doing errands after happily getting my car back i didn't notice i'm almost out of gas so i'll need to get gas.

 i have puppies that need walking as well.

 these are from last Mondays walk.

 i am far from perfect.  i have many failings.  i can be selfish, i don't do enough for others.  we can all, always do more.  i do believe as a nation we should strive to keep the most racist elements at bay. they need to be shamed, they need to be prevented from having power.  we need to keep this element of society from gaining confidence.  the opposite is happening.  they are empowered at this time.  at the very least i really wish those who support this President and his administration would speak out against the Nationalist movement and the support of racism that is so evident in this administration.

 as they say if you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything.  be careful who you align yourself with...it does reflect on you.  do not tie yourself to those who wish to harm others solely based on their race or religion or ethnicity...or in these days who use political differences as an excuse to cause harm.

 i get tired of hearing these falsely held views that both sides are totally equal.  that both lie just as much as they other, that both are just as hate filled.  Obama did not step out week after week tearing down those who opposed him.  he did not hold rallies from the first week he was in office where he showed support for racists.  every other POTUS i have seen in my life time has at least made a show of wishing to support all Americans. this one only cares about his base, the most extreme on the right.  the rest of us do not matter at all to this administration.  we have all been deemed of no value, we could all be shot down tomorrow and he would carry on.  those on the right are coming to hate those who think differently so much that it is becoming more and more clear they would be happier without us in their nation.

 i think of a co-worker who said that he is armed and ready for civil war... clearly he must realize that means he is ready to kill me or anyone else who thinks differently in order to get his way in this nation.  the right no longer seems to have any interest in having any discussions.  they do not wish to waste time with compromise. they only want their own agenda to be pushed through no matter who is harmed or even killed. they feel they have become the victims...which is funny as these particular victims are living well, have not had any element of their own lives altered....it's just a believe that they have decided to hold up as a mantle of their truth...but it isn't their truth.

 their truth is that they live in lovely houses, they have heat and water and electric.  they practice their religions freely.  their lives are relatively safe...despite shootings and terrorists we do not live under constant danger... fear is a dangerous emotion.  often people are terrified of things that will never happen....that are not real.

 those who are really living in suffering are being ignored as those who live the fat life fear.  those who are really living with constant threat and fear are being left to struggle more and to possibly die because those of us who have also have the priviledge of being able to look away as we live our peace filled lives.  we do not seem to realize how good we have it.  that others suffer so we may live our peace.  we want to pretend it is us and them when it is all of us....in this together.  some of us just have more power to rise above because we were lucky...not because we deserve more though many seem to want to believe that is the truth.  none of us deserve more....those of us who have are mostly just lucky

 lucky to have been born in a nation of opportunities, lucky to have been born in a peaceful place, lucky to have had parents who supported us. i realize we can't help everyone, we can't fix the problems across the globe.  we cant save them all....but we can realize the advantages we have, we can take the wealth we have and attempt to help others rise....why can't we see that bringing up others can help us all. that those who live in the most desperate of situations tend to also become angry and lash out.

 got a few shots with the kids.

 am getting hungry.  it is getting late and Ivy keeps coming over to me. 

 eating without a kitchen is a bit of a bother.  i will be so excited to get it back on line.  was watching a British cooking show on Netflix last night. crazy what people can do with food. 

 these are from yesterdays walk at Campbell Airstrip.  may just return there again. it's close and easy and i should run a few errands. 

 i was actually really sure i was working tonight and Friday, but i've looked several times and it's Friday and Saturday.  we should be able to enjoy a nice long walk once i get myself out there.

 crazy how quickly the temperatures have dropped this week.  the other day it was mild and there was no signs of winter it seemed.  now there is ice and the lakes and creeks are starting to freeze up.

 the sun was melting some little icicles....and there was frost about.

 welcoming back winter and all it's glory. 

 i do hope our nation finds a way to come together.  that those who are so angry right now will let go of that anger.  that this administration, who seems to be embracing racism, will cease this assault on others. 

 today, i do not feel hopeful though.  i am tired of this rollar coaster that this iitoo is taking us all on.  he is chaos and he has a lot of support...he is terrible for our nation.  he is doing irreparable harm to the fabric of our nation. today, i fear we will never recover from the message of hate he has blanketed America with.

 off to the woods to try and fill my soul.  to try and find some peace. 

 should look at the issues and head out to early vote....it's all we have, lets at least make that happen

 delicate icicles....peace is fragile as well.  a storm is blowing over our nation...we must weather it and carry on. 

 thankful for: A.  rainbows and butterflies, reminders of peace and beauty  B. health to be able to walk in the woods C.  the many gifts that give me the peaceful and spoiled life i have