The pool is still shut down thanks to superstorm Sandy. My whole exercise routine is shot to heck. I haven’t replaced the activity and now I am so stiff. Ah middle age!! Anyway my challenge is to find things to do until we can swim again. Strength training, walking, Zumba other exercise/dance classes will help. I can’t let this derail me.

Defeat is always around the corner if you aren’t careful. I intend to be as careful as I can! More to follow.

I don’t always have as much money as I want to spend but the basics are covered. I don’t always want to work but I generally have work to go to. I could always buy more yarn but I always have at least enough for the next project. I would like to hear from the kids and grandkids more often but I know that they are well. I have food in the fridge, a roof over my head and a running car. I’m blessed. Can’t do better than that.

This is not my favorite time of year. I need light. Sun light to be exact and now I awaken before light and before I know it darkness has descended again. Intellectually I know that it doesn’t last long but right now I don’t care. Having had my say I thought I would show some pictures from my yard taken in the past few weeks. Fall has its beauty.

My rose

Not sure what this is but it’s beautiful

Happy fall

The election is over. Now we begin four years of President Obama’s second term and I am worried.  Since I became eligible to vote I have voted for eight presidents. In five instances my candidate lost. Three times my candidate won. The day after each election I woke up realizing that life went on. I endured the presidency of the five I didn’t vote for and the three I did with pretty much the same philosophy. Its four years, not much can take place in that time frame. Certainly nothing I could not live through.

I was raised and educated to respect the office of President whether I personally voted for the person in the seat at that time. I hoped for the best and realized that it would take the support and/or compromise of both parties to get things done in Washington. I saw the country moving forward even if the forward motion was in some cases slow. After all we are all Americans right?

Well I must say that the last four years have shown me a country that is so polarized along racial and socio-economic lines that I fear for our future. I have never seen a President treated like President Obama. From simple things like the refusal to call him President to people actually getting on-line and threatening his life.

I have never seen Congress behave in the manner that it has behaved in the last four years. My impression is that many members of Congress would rather see the Country destroyed than compromise with what they see is the President’s agenda.

I, an African-American woman have received emails from people who I have considered friends that are racially offensive to me and anyone of color. I certainly didn’t pass such trash around when the last President Bush was in office. I didn’t vote for him and certainly didn’t agree with his handling of many things but he was President.

I am worried because I believe that our differences are far outweighing our similarities and I don’t see the desire to work on these things by many folks. We must appear weak and disorganized in the eyes of the world. We fall further and further behind educationally every year. Our once stellar health care system is out of reach for many working people. A sick nation is a weak nation.

I voted for President Obama and believe that he was the best candidate for me. Having said this I see a tough four years ahead and for the first time I can’t help but worry about where we’re going to be at the end.

We got our internet and  T V back today after eight days. A mixed blessing I think. During our time without, we actually played cards and listened to the radio. Our neighbors and friends (still without power) came over for dinner on Sunday and brought a great bottle of wine ( I don’t even drink anymore but it was really good) and we had a great time talking eating and laughing. No television or internet to interrupt. Hmn…. we used to live without the internet for sure and some (like my Mom remember when the radio was the only entertainment. Conversation was fun. We enjoyed each other. Is it gone forever? Well the stuff is back on and I’m afraid that it will only be hours until we are back to what we were. Only engaged with our stuff. I think I’m sad as well as grateful.

I talk to my students often about the consumerism that has overtaken the American psyche. We are crazy about the next best thing, IPhone 6, Kindle 3, 3D TV etc. We can’t wait for it. I just saw a commercial for a shampoo infused with the “berry” that was going to help us lose weight last year! For goodness sake is there anything it can’t do? I was swept up myself and couldn’t wait for several things that I knew I couldn’t live without. Well at some point I realized that I could live without them and the planet would continue to spin. I still like shiny new stuff but I don’t have to run  out get it right away. There are so many things more important than stuff. My grandkids for instance. A good wood fire in our family room when it’s chilly out. A day when I don’t have to do anything other than what I decide to do.

You can add to the list I’m sure. Slow down and enjoy what you have.