What am I looking forward to? Bon Voyage this time next month.
What made me angry this week? We have a dear neighbor who recently retired with about 40 years of service in the Federal Government. She managed a major program, bringing honor to the country, doing really world-class work. She is receiving a lifetime achievement award for her work. Her father had received the same award about 20 years ago. It will be the first time the award has been given to father and daughter. The awards event was scheduled for early April, then delayed, then cancelled. They will mail her the award. Someone decided that honoring people in person who have spent a lifetime doing extraordinary work, is government waste. She deserves better. Acknowledging achievement and accomplishment shows the person the world cares, and sets a standard for others.
What saddened me this week? The actor Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead in their home a couple of weeks ago. Law enforcement and the medical examiner released this week, that she died first of a respiratory virus. She was about 30 years younger than he was. He died several days later. He had dementia, she was his caregiver, with no one else checking in on them. It is sad, that he lingered, lost in the fog of Alzheimer's. The point, establish a habit of communicating with someone outside your home. If that is missed, reach out. The quarterly security report for the condo association where we live, shows that security did 18 wellness checks in the last reporting period, 12 of those resulted in needing medical attention, and a couple of deaths (there are over 1000 apartments in the community.) I trade daily text messages with three people, good morning - we are still alive.
What am I watching? A lot of YouTube, Glen and Friends cooking, Escape to Rural France, the Pethericks and others that interest me. Entertaining and no American politics.
When will the weather start to get warmer? This week.
What do I want to say, but don't? A friend of mine posts everytime HWSNBN goes golfing for the weekend, which so far has been every weekend. What do I want to say and don't? I wish he would stay on the golf course for the next 4 years. I don't care what it costs to secure the golf course and haul his fat orange ass back and forth, he does less damage when he is cheating at golf.
What am I reading? The last couple of books were not worth mentioning. I have finished 21 so far this year.
What is on my calendar for this week? Whatever I want to do, no meetings or appointments.
What do I tire of? People whining about the price of eggs. I just picked up a dozen pasture raised brown eggs at Trader Joe's for less than $5. Ten years ago when I started frequenting the farmers market on King Street, I started buying eggs from a local farmer. The Chicken Man took very good care of his hens, and it showed in the quality of the product. I was paying $5 a dozen for large, $6 a dozen for jumbo or duck eggs ten years ago. Raising chickens is a lot of work, and fraught with many dangers that can wipe out the flock overnight. The birds require constant attention. It is time we pay the famers what they are worth. The Chicken Man dropped the market during covid, I miss him, and his silly chicken jokes. You are highly unlikely to go bankrupt paying a couple of dollars more per dozen for eggs. And feeding this conversation, just helps those who voted for HWSNBN justify their vote in the face of overwhelming chaos.
That is quite disgusting about the retired worker.
ReplyDeleteA dozen free range eggs here is about AU$7+, a couple of dollars more since the bird flu outbreak and the subsequent shortage, which was more of a supply disruption by people panic buying.
So Hackman's wife was in her 60s, perhaps too young to think about needing welfare checks. It is just very unfortunate.
The egg price is about the same adjusted for exchange rates, and prices have gone up and down here with bird flu losses.
DeleteI was saddened and surprised by the circumstances of the Hackmans’ deaths. My surprise was that nobody was doing check-ins. At minimum, that was a lot of responsibility for her to have only on her shoulders. I understand many Kennedy Center performances have been cancelled, such as the Gay Men’s Chorus, and others, like Hamilton, have pulled out as a result of Drumpf (making himself king) and his appointments, like Laura Ingraham.
ReplyDeleteI fear he feeds on making people angry. When we react, he sees it as a sign he is doing good things.
DeleteSo much injustice in this world, both large and small.
ReplyDeleteI will try to do something everyday to make the world a better place.
DeleteHonoring people in person who have spent a lifetime doing extraordinary work., is government waste, but paying $15M in taxpayer funds so a fat gelatinous bastard can go to a football game or be driven around a racetrack like a child is perfectly fine.
ReplyDeleteI don't want him wasting money on golf the next four years; I'd like him to fall into a sand trap never to be seen again.
It is said, he cheats when his balls go in a trap,
DeleteI hope your neighbor's colleagues will organize their own celebration of her. How petty and ridiculous can this administration be for goodness sake!
ReplyDeleteIt's good that the weather is getting more Spring-like so we can get out for more walks.
When I retired, my colleagues hosted a surprise party for me. I was blown away.
DeleteI feel for your neighbour friend. She deserved better than that. Do you think this has anything to do with The Thought Police (DOGE)? I wish they would bury your big-headed president in a sand bunker. He wastes a tremendous amount of expensive aviation fuel just to go golfing. Perhaps The Thought Police should be investigating that instead of cutting long-service award ceremonies for federal workers.
ReplyDeleteI think it was during the Carter administration, that someone had the idea that the President should travel by commercial airliner, like the rest of us. He did, and later found out that the security detail, bought every seat on the plane, and 80% of the seats were left empty for the flight. They only did that once.
DeleteI agree about creating a contact system so people know you are okay. It's a good idea. What happened to Hackman and his wife is so sad.
ReplyDeleteLexington had a volunteer program called Hello Dolly, where volunteers agreed to call once a day, just to say Hi, and assure that all was well.
DeleteI second Ellen D's comment above. Recognition from her colleagues or clients will perhaps be more meaningful since they were more familiar with her work and its impact.
ReplyDeleteWill Jay
Gene Hackman
ReplyDeleteAn actor who grew into his skill
Thanks for your good thoughts and great links to interesting sites.
ReplyDeleteDear me you have been a busy boy - but in a good way. Your life is jam-packed and fun-filled.
ReplyDeletePlease keep in mind, some people can’t afford the higher cost of eggs, even if the suppliers deserve more money.
ReplyDeleteFor some people scraping by, the difference between $5 and $6 is huge.
Sassybear
https://idleeyesandadormy.com/