Just Another Tuesday in the USA

This is not my painting. It is called "Walk on a Blustery Day" by Barry Hulme. But it has the feel of what is happening outside my window. Winters in western Washington seem to be one day like this after another until well into the spring. 

It was like this on New Year's Eve. But that didn't stop my neighbors from shooting off fireworks that were premium enough that I'm sure they must have gone to the reservation and spent their whole stimulus check on them, not that it would have been hard to spend that measly amount. Karen and I watched the light show at the Needle on TV. It was pretty spectacular and we didn't miss the fireworks at all. We were getting our own private showing. Right at mid-night, when the fireworks were all bursting into their crescendo the power for the whole town went down for about half a minute. It was probably a coincidence, but it was a weird way to start the year. What wasn't bad was receiving my stimulus check in my bank account a few minutes later. Yes, if that is what I brought into the New Year, receiving a little extra money was an acceptable way to begin 2021.

In other good news, I woke up on Christmas Eve with a head cold. It was welcome a little as it made my excuse to stay in my room and away from Nora and her father who had come for Christmas. Being away from my kids had me in a bit of a funk and I just wasn't feeling festive. On New Years Eve, I was still feeling under the weather, so on New Years day I went to the local testing center and was tested for Covid. I got my results back yesterday. I am negative for Covid, I have a head cold. Now I worry that I could have been exposed to it at the testing center. My mind can squirrel cage over anything.

I have the blinds open on the window near my desk. I have been watching the birds all day. There was a huge flock of Steller Jays when I first woke up, but they were chased away by the largest swarm of Robins I think I have ever seen. They covered our backyard, and our yard isn't small. They stayed there feasting on earthworms and bugs for a few hours. Then suddenly, they all swarmed and flew away. A few minutes later there was a mild shaking of the ground. It happens quite often here, but when I check to see if there was seismic activity in the area I almost never find this area mentioned.  

I am watching the Georgia run-offs today as I suppose most Americans are. Right now and throughout the day they have been showing Cherokee county. I recognize the polling place. It is at a church where I used to walk. They have a walking path that was nice. I wonder why they are using the church. Usually they vote in the elementary schools. Maybe the republicans who are in charge there have decided to keep the super spreader event away from the children. No, unfortunately Cherokee County schools are braving the pandemic in favor of children not falling behind. I have to wonder behind what are they falling.  

If today is a cliff hanger, tomorrow is promising to be the kind of shit show that only theRump, Inc. can deliver. The mayor of D.C. has called in the National Guard. I think it was a power-play to keep them out of the hands of tRumpublicans.