Distractions

 Ever notice that when those who actually tell the truth, as opposed to the media in general, start questioning the actions of the current administration - especially the actions of the Biden Crime Family - stuff happens.  

Even those in Washington who might be considered the 'good guys,' seem to have trouble with the truth.  They like to hold hearing after hearing, pontificate at the drop of a hat and never really do anything to the advantage of 'we the people.'  

Perhaps it is time for a complete do-over.

Time To Remember And Enjoy

 My last post started with a description of children playing near the Duluth Harbor Canal.  Yesterday my son sent me these pictures of my Granddaughters at the same canal.  

These pictures were taken a number of years ago.  Both girls are now college age.  But the pictures remind me that even while we prepare for an uncertain future, we need to take time to enjoy family, friends and the world around us.  

I have been busy dehydrating food.  My last grocery order included 6 bags of frozen corn and 6 bags of frozen broccoli.  I like dehydrating frozen vegetables as the necessary blanching has been done before the veggies were frozen and all I need to do is spread them out on the dehydrator trays and dry them.

Dehydrating 10 lbs. of potatoes are a different story.  Those I peeled, diced, blanched for 3 minutes and then dehydrated.  I use these mostly in soups or stews I make in a crockpot.

I have some canning of whatever I find in my freezer to do, but since the temps here in Minnesota are predicted to be in the 90's for a while, that will have to wait until the next cool down.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our preparations that we forget to live our best lives.  My Granddaughter's pictures remind me that it is equally important to enjoy our time on this earth as well.

The Way it Should Be

For some reason known only to the computer gods, when I click on the YouTube icon, the first thing that pops up is the live feed from the Duluth, Minnesota canal that the cargo ships use to go from Lake Superior into the Duluth harbor to load or unload whatever they are hauling.  I have no idea why this happens, but as I enjoy looking at the scene, I just left it alone.

If you would like to take a look, here is the link.  Duluth Canal Cam - YouTube

The scene can be peaceful on a sunny day, or it can be full of the violence of waves crashing over the barriers or onto the shores.  In the spring there are huge slabs of ice floating in the canal.  In the winter, the snow piles up on the walkway.  But in the summertime, people line up the entire length of the canal walkway to watch the ships and to wave at the crew members. 

It is interesting to get a close-up look at the massive ships entering and leaving the canal.  And to hear the horn salute between a ship and the lift bridge at the entrance of the harbor.  It is fun to watch the people.  I didn't know that some scooters have headlights and taillights.  Now I know.  

But what I saw today made my heart glad.  There is a fairly large patch of lawn near the canal.  I watched two children - maybe toddler age or a bit older - running in circles, chasing one another.  Their pure joy was obvious.  After a while an adult - probably their Dad - joined them in a game of Tag.

It crossed my mind that this is exactly what the lives of kids should be.  Running.  Playing.  Happiness.  

But how many kids are deprived of that joy.  How many are being groomed by drag queens.  By those who want to convince them that boys are not boys and girls are not girls.  By those who think it is OK to mutilate children who are not old enough to understand what that means for the rest of their lives.

If adults want to cut themselves up or pretend to change their gender, they can do so.  They are grown-ups.  Kids are not.  I pray that we can return to some sort of sanity that allows kids to just be kids.

There has got to be a special place in hell for those who hurt children.  Has to be.

Just Done With the Foolishness

 I have come to the conclusion that I simply don't give a rodent's behind about the 'feelings' of the left.

I do not care about their pronouns.  More often than not, I am hearing about medical facilities, school administrators and others who are requesting a listing of pronouns on the official paperwork.  Others are having hissy fits over the fact that someone 'misgendered' them.  I.  Don't.  Care.  Live in your fantasy world if you want, but don't expect me to go there with you. 

I just saw a couple of articles reporting that the resident of the White House is planning to outlaw gas appliances.  Kiss your gas furnace, your gas kitchen range and any other gas appliances you own, goodbye.  I have lived in the same building for over 25 years.  The building runs on gas.  My kitchen stove always works.  I am always warm in the middle of a Minnesota winter.  I don't think I could say that in an all-electric building.  And considering the cost of electricity these days, I can guarantee that the rent increase to cover the costs of an all-electric building would put me out on the street. 

Target stores got themselves in trouble for assuming all customers would be just fine with the 'gay pride' onesies they want to sell for infants.  Or with the women's swimsuits designed for men.  Target lost me some time back when they allowed men wearing skirts to enter the same bathrooms my granddaughters would use.

According to the man who claims to be President of the United States, I am a huge threat to democracy.  After all, I am precisely what he has warned us about, time after time.  According to this moron, because I am Caucasian, Christian and Right thinking, it is inevitable that I will do something drastic.  Like maybe burn down a city.  Or riot in the streets.  Or stop traffic on the freeways to protest 'climate change' or the use of fossil fuels.  Oh, wait.  That is BLM.  And Antifa.  Both terroristic organizations funded by the Left.

I have to wonder when the Left will drag the next pandemic out of the closet.  I suppose it depends on a couple of things.  If we are close enough to the next election, pandemic restrictions are useful to those wanting mail-in ballots.  Cheating is much easier using mail-in ballots.  On the other hand, if anyone starts looking fairly closely at the business dealings of the Biden Crime Family, another pandemic might be a good distraction, although it seems that those on the Right are the ones punished, even if they have done nothing wrong.  Those on the Left skate.

I am done.  I am aware that nobody in power cares about my opinion.  But maybe - just maybe, if enough of us refuse to play the game, we might just have a fighting chance to live reasonably normal lives in the country we love and are fast losing.

Water, water everywhere...

I have to wonder how many equate loss of power with no water when we turn on the tap at the kitchen sink.  Most of the younger set look at me like I just grew another eye in the middle of my forehead if they see me filling bottles with water to store.

My grandparents didn't worry about this happening.  They had an outhouse.  They had a hand water pump a few feet outside the back door.  Just inside the kitchen door was a small stool that held a bucket of water and a dipper for drinking.  Can you imagine the horrified shrieking from those germaphobes who would be forced to drink that water?  Funny thing.  None of Grandma's 9 kids died from sharing a drinking dipper.  And that was the best tasting water I have ever had.

Living in a city apartment as I do, there is no outhouse.  There is no pump outside my door.  Many people fill large water barrels and store them in the garage.  Here there is no garage nor is there room for large water barrels.  And since we are told that three days without water could be fatal, other arrangements are necessary.

There are several empty 5-gallon buckets that can be filled with water at the last minute if necessary.  I have tested the theory and found I can fill 3 or 4 buckets when the lights go out and before water pressure is lost.  This water can be used for bathing and for flushing the toilet.

My method of storing water is to fill 2-liter soda bottles and large juice bottles with water.  The bottles are washed well, and the last rinse has a few drops of bleach included.  The full bottles are stored behind my couch that has been pulled away from the wall enough to accommodate two rows of bottles.  Heavy cardboard covers the first two rows and a second two rows go on top of the cardboard.

Bottles of water are stored on the bottom shelf of a unit that holds my dehydrated foods.  And more bottles are behind the bedroom door.  And more are stashed wherever I can find room - mostly behind furniture.

I do have some cases of commercially packaged water bottles, but they are somewhat expensive, and I live on a fixed income.  I also cannot afford an expensive water filtering system.  Sometimes we just have to make do.  I have a gas kitchen range that I can light with a match when the power is out.  And a small propane camp stove can be used to boil water if necessary.

It would be lovely to have one of those systems for catching and storing rainwater, but unless something can be rigged on a balcony, that's not going to work in an apartment setting.  And this being a very old building, there are no balconies.

We live in a time where we just don't know what tomorrow will bring.  I hope I never have to rely on water in bottles.  But what if I do.....

I don't understand...

 why the gay comunity needs an entire month to celebrate their sexual preferences.

I have absolutely nothing against anyone in the gay community.  I have gay friends and family members.  Their preferences have nothing to do with my love for them.  

What I fail to understand is why anyone would discuss in public the things they do in the privacy of their bedrooms.  Or hold a parade dedicated to their sexual wants and needs.

Thing is...I simply do not care what someone else does as long as it does not involve hurting others.

I would expect that grown-ups might find a better use of their time.

Stack It High

 We're talking about food here.  Since the debt ceiling bill passed and no doubt will be signed, reports indicate that we ain't seen nuthin' yet as far as food inflation is concerned.  We have always said, "Stack it to the rafters."  Now might be the time to go beyond.

Due to physical restraints and just plain old age, I have my groceries delivered.  This service makes life much easier for me as well as many others of my vintage who find mobility to be a problem.  But once in a while they get it wrong.  Just a minor thing. 

Right now I am concentrating on dehydrating food.  Four bags of frozen hash browns dried overnght and are cooling down so I can package them for storage.  Hash browns are really handy to have.  I just soak enough for a meal in water for about 20 minutes, drain and fry.

I had ordered 6 bags of frozen corn to dehydrate.  What I got was 6 cans of corn.  Sigh.  The corn is still food and the cans will go on the shelf.  The corn to dehydrate will be ordered for the next devery.  

Frozen veggies are my favorite for dehydrating.  They have already been blanched for freezing, so all I need to do is spread them out on dehydrator trays and dry them.  Many vegetables do not rehydrate well enough to use as a side dish.  I mostly add them to soups I make in the crockpot where they do rehydrate over time or I turn them into powders to add as flavor to many dishes.

Corn, however rehydrates well  But mostly I grind it up in my mini food processor and add it to my cornbread recipe.  Adding the corn gives cornbread a wonderful corn flavor.

And now I am off to my kitchen where I wil cry for a time.  No, I am not sad.  But I do have onions to peel and chop for drying.

A question before I go.  Has anyone ever dehydrated meat?  I have seen videos on the subject, but still am not sure about trying it.  I am thinking mostly chicken or hamburger, as I use those two more often.  If anyone has any thoughts on this, please share.

Please, my friends, do not slack off on your preparations.  The current administration will gladly provide illegales with cell phones, housing, food stamps, medical care and anything else they need.  However, you - American citizen - are on your own.  Do whatever you can to make it through hard times.

And by all means - pray!