In a rather revoltin’ development, the NYS Fair opens today – a day early with a “preview” day, that I think they added in order to help pay for some of the money they’ve spent renovating the facilities. This is the beginning of the end of a summer that was a really shitty summer on multiple levels. I think I was in the pool maybe five times total this year, and when you spend nine months waiting for warm weather (as we do around here), it really kind of sucks when the season doesn’t live up to expectations. It’s kind of like Winterfell around here – winter is always coming. All we can hope for at this point is a warm fall that lasts until New Years or so (and maybe more than 4 wins from the football team, though that’s kind of doubtful). I’ve seen plenty of white Christmases in my time (and Halloweens, Election Days, Thanksgivings, etc.), and I don’t need to see any more.
Today is also 12th anniversary of the day (I think) that what would soon become known as Hurricane Katrina formed in the Atlantic. Ah, those were the days. Whatever happened to Ray Nagin, anyway? Oh, that’s right, he’s doing a 10-year stretch in a Federal prison. Just minimum security, though, so you probably don’t need to worry too much about him. Pretty sure no white folks went to prison for anything.
So, your President went to the land of the loonies (sorry, KP, wherever you are) and gave one of his patented, unhinged and full of shit speeches out there in the desert last night. I don’t have the intestinal fortitude to listen to him, but from what I’ve read, he was in good form.
Cheer up, folks, just another 7 or so years to go.
Hey, you didn’t think I’d leave you without a look at the butter sculpture, did you? Not sure what this one’s about, but I think these creepy guys are getting ready to make veal cutlets or something.
Summer is windig down here, too. Labor Day is Monday and the day after is Tumbleweed Tuesday, a day marked by quiet. My bank is closing in November. That means I either change banks, there a Chase on the island, or take the ferry to Greenport when I need to do some banking. This is going to be a pain.
Last night I managed to last through about an hour of Trump. I am convinced the man is either high or crazy. Probably both. He said he is liberating towns on Long Island that have seen gang violence by MS13, which is supposed to be a gang of illegal South Americans Though there has been gang trouble in some towns, it is a police matter. Noone wants or needs liberating. That, however, did not stop me from giving thanks for living on a separate island NEAR Long Island. Sometimes being reachable only by ferry is a good thing, though not when it comes to banking.
Oh, that sucks. I don’t actually find myself having to actually go into a bank very often these days, but it’s enough of a hassle to go to one nearby w/o having to make a day trip out of it.
Glad to hear Trump is on top of things down there on the Island. Not a lot of gang activity in my town of 6,000 or so people. Not that I know of, anyway. Haven’t heard any complaints from Andy and Barney, at least. I think maybe Trump should stay close to the border until everything’s all cleared up down there. I imagine they have some fantastic golf courses, and you can probably get a caddy pretty cheap (though Trump looks like a guy who takes a cart while the caddy walks).
Looks like God has lifted His veil of protection from Texas, with Harvey expected to drop upwards of 2 feet of rain.
Oh, wait, I forgot. God’s hated Texas for a long time now, unleashing droughts followed by flooding with the odd tornado or two thrown in for good measure.
You wouldn’t think that kind of thing would be an issue down there in the Bible Belt.
I’ve noticed that God, as interpreted by Pat Robbertson etc, does not have good aim. If he’s mad at Trump how about a tornado at Maralago? Mad about gays? Rain on a gay pride parade. Perhaps it’s voter surpression. Then Texas might be a target though they have had a number of setbacks in court. I guess we’ll have to wait for God’s buddy Pat to explain it.
Back in my day, we just used blankets and furniture. And I think our forts were better.
Not only did we make our own forts but we played outside. We rode bikes, skated, jumped rope, etc. We played with other kids. We were told not to talk to strangers, but I don’t remember any other warnings. I lived in Brooklyn before Brooklyn was Yuppie land. There were gangs and bad drivers . But we got a chance to explore and to work things out among ourselves. My kids, also brought up in Brooklyn, did the same. My grandchildren did not spent an adult free moment until they were teens.
I was told to never accept a ride from a stranger. Other than that, I don’t recall any other admonitions. I mostly hung out in the woods with the dog. When we went from one place to another (on foot), we did what we called “taking the backs,” which meant we walked through everybody’s back yards. I believe that’s an executable offense these days.
There were no leash laws back then – at least, none that anybody paid any attention to. My dog would walk me to school and magically appear to walk me home in the afternoon. In between, she made her way around the neighborhood, accepting table scraps from the neighbors and leftover food from a couple of nearby restaurants. Everybody knew her, even if they didn’t know her humans.
I also grew up without a phone surgically implanted into the side of my head. Back then, a portable phone meant you had a really long cord.
Oh, and the President, whoever he might have been, and whether you liked him or not, was relatively intelligent and at least somewhat competent.
Ah, those were the days.
Meanwhile, in Asia…