Greetings Fellow Earthlings. Here in the SW desert it is raining pigs and chickens. Looking out the window I observe that it is raining sideways. Apparently this coming week will be one of extreme temperatures with snow, wind and the south east is looking like burnt toast once again. More on this can be found on the WAPO which unfortunately is pay-walled if you've reached your maximum on articles. The map looks like this.
The pink means they're going to be 33F below normal temperatures. I think Tucson is about 7F below normal. The dip in the jet stream is going to reach us here. I would truly like my snow bird rebate now.
During the previous weekend, over three days, there were 10 mass shootings, leaving 50 people injured. It's an amazing statistic. It's clear that the republicans are never going to care about this. A summary article on Newsbreak is here. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson is trying to portray the train derailment in Ohio as an attack on white people. Never mind the fact that the orange ectoplasm undid the regulations on electronic braking systems for trains, or the fact the Ohio governor DeWine would not call in FEMA or the EPA for help, possibly due to the fact that Norfolk Southern had just given $10M for DeWine's inauguration festivities. Oh and let us not forget that instead of doing track maintenance with their billions of dollars of revenue, Norfolk Southern chose to do stock buy-backs. Speaker of the House and Spineless Reptile Kevin McCarthy has given Tucker 41,000 hours of video of the January 6 insurrection, which includes camera locations and locations of safe rooms. What could go wrong? Murica!
Two days ago we had an amazing display of the sun going down and lighting up the Catalina mountains.
Since yesterday was the last good day for awhile, we decided to go back to the Dove Mountain resort and hike the other arm of the Lower Javelina trail. It's nice, it's more pleasant than the one on the other side of the wash. Photos were few and not so great due to the cloud cover, which persisted until five minutes after we left for home.
The lone peak out there in the middle of the photo and the remainder of what was Twin Peaks. The other peak was ground up to make concrete. I'm not sure what will happen to the surviving peak.
A brief sunbeam illuminated the Palo Verde.
.jpg)
Jim and I have bad feet. Mine have been bad for decades. So shoes are just a trial to obtain. We've been wearing Hoka Bondi 6's for a few years. Now Hoka is up to Bondi 8's. After realizing that our shoes were worn out, we went to REI and bought new shoes. Shouldn't be that difficult, right? Nope, they've changed the shoe last and we can't wear them anymore. For some reason they decided it would be a good idea to make them more narrow through the mid-sole. For people like me who pronate to the point where I barely have an arch, this is a show stopper. I am extremely despondent over this. Zappos (free shipping, free returns) had a few pair of men's Bondi 7's in stock, so I ordered those for Jim. Nothing for me, however. I have one pair of the 6's left in my shoe hoard, and then I guess I'll just have to get a wheel chair. Those of you with cursed feet understand how bad this is. Those of you who don't should count your blessings. It's always a crap shoot between mass hoarding of shoes and then having your feet decide they don't like them anymore (four pairs of La Sportiva trail runners went to Goodwill, unworn) vs. the manufacturer making changes that make the shoe unwearable. So, I am very unhappy about this. Both pairs of new shoes are going back. REI will take anything back for a year, for any reason, used or not. Good place to buy shoes for those with the accursed feet.
I mean, really, does this look like it should hurt?
Here is the local javelina squadron napping yesterday. They're so amusing to look at. There are five or six of them sleeping. The male had been around, licking them, or what ever he does, but they did not acknowledge his presence.
I was asked which I like more, the desert or eastern Washington. That's a tough question. The desert provides a lot of entertainment because there are many places to hike or ride the bike. Tucson has an extensive trail system which protects one from the bat shit crazy drivers here. Spokane has nice summers and fall. Winter and spring are not so great. Winter is cold and it snows, spring is aggravating because we're sick of winter, but spring can be foggy. Spokane does have the Centennial trail to ride, but parts of it are on the road, so not as good as Tucson. Both are visually pleasing for the most part. I can't really speak to restaurants, social events, museums, any form of culture, because we don't do those things because we're still masking and largely isolating. Based on what I am reading about the long term affects of Covid, even after a mild case, movies and restaurants are just not worth it to me. Overall it would be a tough choice, I need two houses.
That's it! I have nothing else to say.
bummer about HOKA, mine are so old, how will I ever find another pair of shoes that gives me zero grief? There is a shop in Fairhaven "called fairhaven Runners" they do a bang up job of getting the right shoe for the funky foot and make you walk down the street in them all the while judging where your step leans or wobbles. That is where I got my silly looking HOKA shoes. So, next time you are in town- hit them up.
ReplyDelete37 paddington:
ReplyDeleteI am in a constant state of disbelief at the news, and this releasing tapes to Tucker Carlson is insanity. What on earth is Kevin McCarthy thinking? He’s clearly compromised is some severe way. I wonder what he got in return for agreeing to this ? And where is the DOJ?
Interesting take on the desert versus the Pacific Northwest. Both have their charms so why choose? I know about bad feet, about wearing one pair of boots for going on ten winters now because they’re the only ones you can walk in and the company stopped making the style. I should have bought extra pairs when I found them. My summer shoes, I did that, bought an extra pair just in case, despite them being horrifically expensive. We do what we must. I hope you find the perfect replacement shoes soon.
I can certainly relate to bad feet after a year of pain. I hope I never take my feet for granted again. I have found online orthotics that support all the right places of my feet for $27, vs the $400 orthotics that caused me so much pain. I bought two pairs but I may buy more and stockpile them:)
ReplyDeleteThe Excited States of America has so many problems, it's overwhelming, not that Canada is perfect, far from it. Canada has three mass shootings in the last ten years, but there have also been two mass killings by vehicle and two by knives, in those ten years. I know, it pales in comparison to the US. Money truly does seem to be the root of all evil, it's ironic that the bible says that. Kind of flies in the face of all of those evangelical churches, raking in the big bucks.
Sometimes I wonder if the States will go the way of the Roman Empire. It certainly seems as if the politicians are determined to kill the democracy. Is it awful that I equate the burnt toast states with the presence of Abbott, Desantis, and IQ45?
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite issue with my feet, with a very high arch, that makes finding shoes a little difficult. Not nearly as bad as yours though, thank goodness. My favorites are Keens - I have a pair of sandals and a pair of hiking boots that are more comfortable than running shoes/sneakers.
Fortunately there are some pockets of sanity in the south, at least in NC, where we have a good Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, though still lots of bad repugs in the legislature overall. But living in a blue county, we are still somewhat insulated from the worst of it, thank the gods.
DeleteTwo houses is totally the answer!
ReplyDeleteI think when one lives in a relatively extreme climate, two residences are a great plan, even if one is owned and one is rented for part of the year. You're doing it right!
ReplyDelete