Some Snow

It tested the mettle of every snow-moving device in the stable.

IMG_7377.jpeg
IMG_7382.jpeg

The big snowblower seemed incapable of punching through the sticky, easily compacted stuff, so our morning clearing effort was a long and arduous mix of machine and manual labor. (The new shovel performed admirably, btw.) Troubleshooting later, I discovered that the front rotor on the blower had thrown a bolt, and was thus barely functioning. (But that’s all fixed and we are ready for the next bit of weather.)

This evening, a two-hour Zoom chat with the Spaldings in Colorado. They are hunkered down on their mountain top, and are being even more careful than we are. They, like us, are hoping to make it through to vaccine time, but are somewhat chapfallen by the incompetent rollout.

Structures

Theme in blue and white.

IMG_7367.jpeg
IMG_7366.jpeg
IMG_7359.jpeg

Bought a snow shovel today, bringing the total poised in the garage to five. No excuse for such extravagance really, but for years I have been admiring the device welded by my neighbor across the street—and now I have one just like it. “A shovel for every situation,” has long been my motto—and, by gum, snow is in the forecast.

Some Of Us…

…went ice boating. Some of us wimped out.

Photo by Brian

Photo by Brian

Bri joined a fleet of about 18 other Nites for racing on Puckaway. I walked along the shore of unfrozen Lake Geneva with Steve, the Chair of the Walworth County Democratic Party, recently resigned. Pax came with us as we tried to figure out what to do next.

Good walk and good talk, but not quite the same as rounding the windward mark on two runners.

It’s a Cold One

Low single digits last night, low double digits tonight.

Enlight95.jpeg

A few more Christmas-related things today, followed by naps. And for dinner tonight—prime rib and Yorkshire pudding.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At last the dinner was all done, the cloth was cleared, the hearth swept, and the fire made up. The compound in the jug being tasted, and considered perfect, apples and oranges were put upon the table, and a shovel-full of chestnuts on the fire. Then all the Cratchit family drew round the hearth, in what Bob Cratchit called a circle, meaning half a one; and at Bob Cratchit’s elbow stood the family display of glass. Two tumblers, and a custard-cup without a handle.
These held the hot stuff from the jug, however, as well as golden goblets would have done; and Bob served it out with beaming looks, while the chestnuts on the fire sputtered and cracked noisily. Then Bob proposed:
‘A Merry Christmas to us all, my dears. God bless us!’ Which all the family re-echoed.
‘God bless us every one!’ said Tiny Tim, the last of all.

Light…

…at the end of the tunnel, but not much considering the time of year.

Enlight94.jpeg

The day started out sunny, but got progressively cloudier until, by our late afternoon walk, conditions were dim and damp, with a windy chill. Now that daylight is in such short supply, we were actually driven to leave home for our occasional grocery shop before sunrise.

Muddling Along…

…doing mostly Elf work.

IMG_7298.jpeg

Slightly above freezing most of the day.

Reading the book Life on a Young Planet, about what things were like 3.5 to 4.5 billion years ago. Nowadays we have oxygen, and supposedly some form of intelligence, so I suppose things are somewhat improved from the Archean period. The plot is a little rocky, but who cares in the the time of covid?

Chicken Soup…

…with barley and dumplings.

Enlight93.jpeg

This locally grown bird (from the farmer’s market) had a tare weight of 4.5 lbs., and, and as of tonight, will have provided 6 individual dinners, along with lots and lots of tasty tidbits for Pax.

And, speaking of Pax, he accompanied us over to campus this morning for our every-other-week virus test. Since he didn’t have a mask, he was denied access, and had to walk around with one of us while the other went in—but he didn’t seem to mind. By the time we got home we were notified that almost all of us had tested negative .

And, negative tests, along with several vaccines, along with chicken soup = Hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
—Emily D.

Boring TV…

…but reassuring outcome.

IMG_7294.jpeg

Using WisconsinEye, I watched the Wisconsin delegation of the Electoral College cast their ballots this morning. Ten or more minutes of nothing but a dozen or so people sitting spaced out and barely moving, along with an audio track of an occasional piece of paper being shuffled. Boring stuff for sure, but the result of the exercise, when it was finally announced by Governor Evers, was reassuring. It looked like nothing happened, but actually, democracy did.

Close To Home

All transportation on foot, and never more than a quarter mile from base camp.

IMG_7286.jpeg

Sue sewed bears, while I crafted cards. Among other things. Quiet, covid Sunday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ask Wally
Walworth County’s Certified Wiseass


Dear Wally,

I heard that Tom Tiffany, the Rep from some place in northern Wisconsin, joined with Texas in trying to get  the Wisconsin vote thrown out. Does Tiffany own oil wells in Texas or something?
—Lonely Star

~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Lonely,

As far as I know Tiffany does not own oil wells in Texas, though he is or was in the oil business. I’m with you—thinking Longhorns are smarter than us Cheeseheads is like being for the Vikings.

No doubt Tiffany hitched a ride with the cowboys because he didn’t like the results of the last election. Also, because the legislature hasn’t met since April and hasn’t helped us with any Covid relief, he probably thought he had to do something to earn his pay.

Tiffany no doubt figures the votes he got in some election qualify him to be a state representative. But now that’s he’s in there, he’s had enough of Wisconsin voting nonsense. And who needs democracy when we’ve got Tiffany?

I kinda wish he’d move to Texas though. Or better yet, maybe we could try to vote him out. What do you think?

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

—Wally

Winter?

Maybe just a preview, maybe the real thing. In any case, about 3 inches needing the attention of a shovel (after quite a bit of rain).

Enlight89.jpeg

On the Covid front, it appears that the vaccine is in delivery. Unfortunately, just a small quantity. But then, the Moderna version should be along soon. Considering all the factors, I am going to predict a personal vaccination on Valentine’s Day. (And then a quick trip to the Minocqua Brewing Company for a beer and a burger in a pub [to celebrate vaccines and an anniversary].)

On the Star Spangled Banner front, the more than 100 Republicans who signed on to the the suit attempting to dissolve our democracy need to be pilloried, tarred-and-feathered, and removed from office at the earliest possible opportunity. Although these ( turds, scumballs, douche bags, Quizlings, ???) hold their position of power as a result of votes, they now think voters don’t matter. They think that a tiny group of them—old, white, rural men should have the power to decide who is president of the US—instead of us.
I highly recommend this article in which Senator Chris Murphy explains: Chris Murphy’s floor speech.