Final Comment On The Political Landscape

Being retired I have had a greater opportunity than ever before to read, watch and listen to those much better educated than me concerning the coming election.  Unfortunately it doesn't appear that having more time to do diligence is going to make Ken anymore informed than he was when he was working twelve hours a day.  If you have been reading my posts here and over on Facebook, you realize that I have spent considerable time analyzing and studying the candidates, their character and positions.  My choice has no chance, so I am left with a dilemma.

After today the GOP committee is going to try to get those candidates who come in below third place to opt out of continuing to campaign.  I can see their point as the base is spread over too many candidates as is the contributions.  Narrowing the field would bring additional voters to the top three candidates as well as additional funding.  And funding is another issue altogether.  I am in shock and awe at the amount of monies in the candidates war chests and the amount spent so far during the primaries.  Think of the wonderful things that could be done with all the money that is being spent by lobbyist, special interest and contributors.  But that is another subject that I will not be commenting on.

I think character is important as well as their positions on different issues.  Most of the remaining five candidates follow their party line when it comes to the issues facing us in the near future.  So you can pretty much say that a vote for a Republican is a vote to the right and a vote for a Democrat leads you to a liberal interpretation.  All of the remaining five have character issues, some more than others.  Here is were the dilemma comes in for me.  I can't knowingly vote for any of the remaining five.

So here is my solution.  Take my absentee ballot and pin it to a dart board.  Close my eyes and toss a dart and where ever the dart lands, that is my candidate.  How's that for feeling great about yourself.

This is my last comment on the subject here or anywhere else.

Hope all is well and thanks for visiting.

Politics

Apparently I am too undereducated to understand the United States political process.  As I have said before, I really do not wish to vote for either Democratic possibility however it appears to be coming clearer to me that the Republican GOP has but three possible candidates that might win the nomination at this point in the process and my guy isn't one of them.

Trump scares me.  He continues to badmouth individuals and party members that he is going to need to successfully run the country if he actually wins the nomination.  His off handed remarks during moments of pressure lead one to believe he is in duck and cover mode.  Last night, during the CNN Town Meeting he was repeatedly asked questions that had him repeating soundbites several times while in the process of answering the question.  Sometimes the same soundbite was repeated three or more times.

Cruz scares me too.  He is using every method he can to win.  (Anyone reminded of House of Cards) Sometimes they aren't exactly ethical.  I think we need someone with integrity and ethics in the White House.  I am sure every President in our history has had to go against their ethics in the performance of the job but we need someone who can get things done and like Trump, Cruz appears to be upsetting the very people he needs to perform in the office.

I don't feel like Rubio is the guy either.  While he doesn't scare me as much as the other two, he has had his moments of failure.  He is being drowned out by the Trump and Cruz campaigns and a third place finish this Saturday will not help him.

So now what do I do?

That Moment When You Realize Your Doctor Appointment is Here

I was up early yesterday for an appointment with my doctor.  I have had a couple of issues recently, one that is a little too personal for the blog.  I haven't seen my doctor since she advised me about my knee back in August of 2015.  One of the issues that I can talk about involves pain in my big toes, both of them.  For some time now I have had severe pain at the end of the day when pressure is applied to the toenails.  For several years before I retired I had the fungus condition that a lot of Americans experience and had tried several different forms of medication, liquids, etc to try and alleviate the condition.  The only thing that actually seemed to work was an oral medication but it was pretty strong stuff and it made me feel very weird so I stopped taking it after a couple of weeks.  The condition did clear up for a period of time but it has since come raging back.  I thought perhaps the nails were ingrown but it turns out there is another answer to the mystery.

Onycholysis is what she calls it.  Apparently it is a condition that refers to the detachment of the nail (finger or toe) from the nail bed.  Who knew?   I had always thought that the nails were loose on your toes but apparently not.  Since I have a skin condition, psoriasis, I am apparently more likely to have this condition.  Since my doctor doesn't feel comfortable with prescribing treatment, she has referred be to a specialist in Podiatry.  I don't have an appointment yet but I suspect I will be getting a call or a letter very soon to set up and appointment.  After reading about this condition online, I am not so sure I really want to proceed but then there is that awful pain at the end of the day and sometimes when I am walking.  I guess it certainly could be worse.

The other condition I won't speak of is treatable and we hope that condition will be gone or at least relieved by the end of three weeks when I have to go back for what my doctor calls my wellness check up.  She enjoys that one....

Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.

Back Home

We are back home with 4.277 gigabytes of data still left on my phone.  Since we won't be going back to Gold Bar before March we should be okay.

The furnace issue we had last year has reared its ugly head again.  The noise is really bad as the unit tries to start and then upon shut down.  The last time it worked last night, Mia thought it was going through the side of the trailer so she pretty much shut it down.  Trusting her as I do, I didn't need to hear it to believe her.  We stopped at our local RV repair and they will be ordering us a new, replacement unit for this eleven year old furnace.  When it was repaired the first time, there was some thought that an animal had gotten into the furnace and caused problems.  I suspect the piece of metal he found loose and slapping against the fan cage wasn't installed correctly and vibrated loose.  Even after he adjusted and screwed it down, it didn't last.  Got to expect this kind of stuff when you buy something used.

We took Honey for a walk before we left the park this morning.  We walked down to the creek that runs through the back side of the park.  Last year there was some water running but nothing like the mass of moisture we found this morning.

Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.

It Just Poured

We continued to get heavy rains all day yesterday with accumulations recorded of 1" to 3" in various parts of the Northwest.  Several rivers around us are under flood watch and there is water over the roadways as well.  It seems that folks cannot get themselves to turn around when they see water over the road and they continue to try and cross only to end up in trouble.  We are still safe at the trailer and won't be heading home before tomorrow morning.

Since there has been very little to do outside we have spent time binge watching episodes of the West Wing.  Unfortunately it uses up data pretty fast.  In fact, we have streamed away six gigabytes of our allotted twelve.  I am not too concerned since we are leaving tomorrow and even if I use another three I don't use very much when I am home.  Later this year when the weather is better it won't matter nearly as much because we will have lots of stuff to occupy us.

Hopefully everything is well.  Thanks for stopping by.

More Rain and We Got Away For a Couple of Hours

Last night the Gods unleashed a torrent of rain down upon our little slice of heaven.  Sometime early this morning the rain stopped and the winds picked up.  When I went out with Honey for her morning walk, I fully expected to see massive puddles of water but found very few.  Apparently the strong winds had dried up a lot of the moisture that fell.

Shortly after breakfast it started to pour again.  This time Mia and I loaded Honey into the car and headed east on Highway 2 towards the little town of Skykomish.  It was my hope to find something that resembled the white flaky stuff that falls when the temperature drops and it is raining.  Surprisingly it was very cold in Skykomish so we continued east on the highway up to Stevens Pass.

Those familiar with the route will know that the road crisscrosses and runs alongside a major river.  The river is flowing with a ferocity I have never seen.  Places where I stood to fish last year are now covered in water sometimes many feet up the bank from where I stood.

We finally found snow as we got close to Stevens Pass.  Honey was not amused when we took her into the parking lot at the ski hill.  I didn't get out so she stayed in the car but you could easily tell that she wasn't happy.  She doesn't like the rain but I think she despises the snow more.   Me, I don't care.

I seem to have forgotten my phone so I have no pictures of our experience.

We are home now having enjoyed a fantastic lunch using leftover meatloaf from Mia's Valentine dinner.  With the continuing downpour I suspect we will be staying inside today.

Hope all is well.

Valentine's Day and Cold Rain

Mia and I had made plans to visit our little vacation home in the woods for a few days.  Little did we realize that the weather Gods would release steady, cold rain about the area.  I love being at the trailer in the spring, summer and fall but in the dead of winter during the rainy seasons I absolutely hate it.  You can do nothing outside without being drowned.  We have a couple of televisions but don't have access to any programming because I am too cheap to spend money on a satellite connection.  I do have a wireless hot spot and I can watch Netflix but the data gets chewed up pretty quickly so I try not to use it much.

Everything seems to be working really well.  The heat is on and boy was it cold when we first got here.  I love my heat.  Upon arrival I wasn't even given the opportunity to turn on the water to the trailer.  Honey wanted to go for a walk in the cold, wet and muddy weather.  So I took her around a park block and came back nearly frozen.  She was happy as a clam.

I am hoping for an early, non rainy spring so I can spend some time here getting things cleaned up and redone.  We have a hole in the ground where our fire pit was and it needs to be filled along with many other tasks that will take time and acts of fun high up on ladders.  I probably shouldn't be on the tall ladders that will be required but I am too cheap to pay anyone to do it.

Yes, I did watch the GOP debate last night.  I have suggested that the WWE divide the candidates into tag teams and hold a event that would eliminate four of them.  Unfortunately, I think it would eliminate the person I would like to see get the nomination.

Hope all is well.

Democrats

While I am still not sure about the Republican side of the ledger, I am definitely considering not voting for either of the Democratic candidates.

Last night Mr. Sanders waved his finger at me like he was trying to scold me for something.  Scolding the American people probably isn't a good idea if you want to be elected to the Presidency.  Answers to direct questions posed to him often went unanswered as he dodged around the subject.

This woman comes with far too much baggage.  While she appears to have been the clear winner in last nights debate, it still appears that she is searching for a new strategy that will win her delegates.

Bing watching old episodes of the West Wing is far more fun than watching these two debate.

What? More Projects

Yesterday I began to waterproof the two sheets of 3/4" plywood that will form the floor to my new utility trailer.  I figure one or two coats of Thompson Water Sealer will not only allow the wood to last longer but it will make slippery as heck when wet and provide another opportunity for me to hurt myself.

We received a post card from Chaplin's Subaru that our license plates had arrived.  I got up early this morning and drove up to the dealership.  I washed our Forester, visited with some friends, bought a new hat, got my plates and some coffee and headed for home.  I was back in the house by 6:30 a.m.

My new hat

All clean and back in the garage

 I put another coat of waterproof sealer on my sheets of plywood this morning.  Looks like I might be down in the shop until tomorrow when everything is finally dry.

Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.

Super Bowl 50

I, like millions of other folks worldwide, spent yesterday afternoon drinking (root beer), eating junk food (wings, nachos) while watching the annual Super Bowl.  And  I have a couple of thoughts.

First of all, just about every commercial but three or four sucked.  Not only where they bad productions but they take away from the flow of the game with their awfulness.  There was just too many of them.  I cannot believe that ad managers for successful companies would approve paying the exorbitant fees to produce and show us this junk.  Five million dollars for a 30 second commercial and that doesn't include the production costs.

Before the game on Saturday evening the National Football League (NFL) announced the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the year, Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers, who was a participant in Sunday's Super Bowl.  Initially I had no issues with the choice of Mr. Newton as the MVP because his record for the year was exemplary.  Sure, he had his detractors, critics who felt his brash attitude was kind of cocky.  Secretly, I must admit to being one of them.  His cockiness was present in every one Carolina's 17.  It is not an easy feat to win that many games and he did it with an under-rated supporting cast.  So I wasn't surprised when he was the MVP of the year.

Fast forward to the game on Sunday.  Trying to pass in the fourth quarter, Mr. Newton fumbled the ball and it fell to the ground to be recovered by Denver, setting up their "nail in the coffin" touchdown.  Instead of jumping into the pile trying to retrieve his fumble (it seems he may have been able to get to it) he instead chose to dodge to his left and finally just walk away.  There was no MVP effort made by the MVP.  The ball was retrieved by Denver and the rest is history.

After the game, Mr Newton attended the press conference staring off into the distance like he was in a hypnotic state.  After a couple of minutes, during which time he said very little, Mr. Newton got up and became the only player (so I read) to walk out of the Super Bowl press conference.  I have to ask.  Where is the NFL MVP in that?  

On the other hand, Payton Manning was very composed and pleasant to watch both after the game and on the morning talk show circuit.  Granted he won the game but I suspect had he found himself on the loosing side he would have been just as forthcoming and available.  He is your NFL MVP. 

And in case you are wondering, I thought the half time show was amazing. 

So I got all that off my chest.  I am sure there are those who agree and many who don't.  It is just one old man's opinion.

First Trip For The Forester

On the return trip from the ocean our new Subaru Forester rolled over it's first 1,000 miles.  With the electronic display, it wasn't as much fun as watching the numbers roll over on the old conventional odometer.  I was pretty happy with the mileage we got on our first trip out.  We averaged 31.28 miles to the gallon and enjoyed the whole trip on three quarters of a tank of gas.  When we returned, gas was $189.9 so it continues to cost under $25.00 ($21.44) to fill it up.

My only problem with the car so far is the optional three months of Siriusxm radio service.  Who pays extra for this supposedly commercial free radio that doesn't work much better than direct TV.  If you don't have a direct line to the signal or it is overcast the radio disappears.  It is very upsetting when you are listening to an old radio program.

Trip With No RV

We left home Wednesday morning and headed down Interstate 5 to Olympia and then west on Highway 12 to Aberdeen.  Our destination was a vacation home community call Seabrook just a few miles up Highway 109 near the Quinault Indian Reservation.  Folks who own homes in this community often rent them when they are not in the area.  It is not much different from spending time in a motel room with the exception that you get a fully equipped home with utensils and linens allowing you the opportunity to prepare meals.

We had visited this area once before with our family.  Actually we had our entire local family join us for the weekend.  We rented one of the larger units in the community.  Each family was responsible for one meal.  We walked the beaches and the community and spread my mother in-laws ashes on a small steam of water headed to the ocean.  This visit was for my 69th birthday and some quiet time for Mia, Honey and I.

We had a very nice time with heavy winds and rain at times during our stay.  What would the ocean be without a storm.  Dinners were at the local pub 109 Mill and the Quinault Resort and Casino.  Both dinners were excellent.  After dinner at the Quinault Resort we went into the Casino.  They gave us $5.00 towards free play on the slot machines which we both quickly lost.  While Mia visited their gift shop, I went to a $1.00 machine, inserted a $20.00 bill and promptly won a $100.00.  I sat looking at the machine wondering if I should continue to play.  I cashed out and left the building.

On the way home we found a family owned restaurant in Elma for a late breakfast.  Chickens in pens on the wall above our seat were of some concern.

We got home in time for me to watch another GOP debate that didn't do anymore to help make a choice.  I cannot bring myself to like any of the front-runners on either side of the aisle.

Today is Super Bowl Sunday and I have made pico-de-gio and teriyaki wings for our snacks.

Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.