Wednesday, May 25, 2022

When the Columbine shooting happened in 1999, everyone was so shocked and dismayed. I thought for sure that strict gun laws would be passed, not just around background checks but around the types of guns allowed and the need for anyone to have a gun. It never happened!!! And now when Mass shootings occur the media reports them for a few days, then poof it is as if it never happened. What is wrong with this country???

Eating was mixed yesterday - some good, some not so good. I am making that deconstructed pizza tonight. I got the ingredients yesterday because I thought I would be without a car while DS borrowed mine today and Mike went golfing. But Mike had to cancel as we found out we were exposed to COVID via a friend we spent time with on Friday night and Sunday afternoon. Though the CDC says we don't have to quarantine unless we have symptoms, the friend is the father of the young man who was so severely injured in the motorcycle accident so all agreed better safe than sorry. And we will both do a COVID test on Friday morning per CDC recommendations. So far we both feel fine.

Here is a cake very like what we will have only ours will be 2 layers and no Mr/Mrs sign on top. The other picture is similar to what I plan to make for the centerpieces. I got the glass holders for them yesterday:

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Lots going on in the last 48 hours. Much to process.

Personal level: more puppies, frustration, another c section, exhaustion, raw emotions. Puppies home and healthy - 4 boys, 1 girl ( a breeder's nightmare.... We generally prefer more girls than boys so we have some choices to continue our breeding programs).

I was greeted at school this morning by two huge Sheriff Cruisers in our drop off circle. We will have a Sheriff presence each day for the rest of the week it seems. I can't talk about what happened in Texas in a reasonable fashion yet. One thing that is bothering me, too, is the lack of questioning how an 18 year old high school BOY gets his hands on firearms. I also feel deeply for the shooter. That boy had to be all sorts of messed up and was let to slip through the cracks (whether it was by his family, friends or the system). I have a student who had to see a counselor this morning. She is moving and having lots of anxiety around that and the shooting just broke her. Hard to see a 9 year old girl coming apart at the seams because of something so real and yet so removed from her own real life. It sickens me.

Liz, the cake is lovely! I kind of like the Mr. Mrs. thing, but I understand at our age.... it is a little different. Ceci, fingers crossed for the showings today. I hope for you sake that it's a smooth and FAST sale and escrow. DD, I share your despair, but haven't fully processed my feelings yet. As for Gun Control in the USA.... Yeah, good luck with that. That is a topic of debate for another platform. Let's just say that academically, "The right to bear arms" meant something rather different in the 1770s as it does today. In the 1770s the right to bear arms was meant as a collective right as compared to today's interpretation of a personal constitutional right.

Enough, enough of my pontification......

Happy Hump Day to one and all!

I can only imagine as teachers and parents how these situations affect you. It's bad enough as someone without kids.

I know the guns and access are an enormous problems. But strip away the weapons part for a moment and it exposes this enormous question of how as a country are we churning out such a high number of young men capable of so much heartless murder? What are we missing or doing that is creating people filled with so much anger and hate for others and themselves? And how on earth do we fix it when it likely took a lifetime to twist them into that?

The problem is so much bigger than the just the guns.

I wrote about that side of things on another page I frequent. Unless we are willing to look at that issue, too, which is probably more important, we won't solve the problem.

All spruced up for my open house. There are two private showings after the open house and one tomorrow. So I'm going to see the new Downton Abbey movie. An escape from the messed up turmoil of our world and the minor by any comparison turmoil of my little piece of it.

As I was leaving, there were three agents walking in. Felt weird! Every step makes it feel more real. My agent seems to think we will have several offers to choose from by Wednesday.

Liz, I love the cake and the centerpieces. It feels very mu*****eeping with your style and the story of the adventures of Mike and Liz.

The kids were actually less shook than I expected. Another teacher and I cried while we talked. I don't see a way out. Our district spent big, big amounts on new security measures. I have ballistic panels in my room I can pull out so we can hide behind them if there is a shooter. They tried to make them fit in by putting white boards on them, but I know what they are. A daily reminder the world has gone mad.

CC, I don't know either what has happened to some of our young people. I lived in a rural community, and kids had guns in their cars in the school parking lot because they were going hunting after school. I never once ever thought one of classmates would shoot me or anyone else. Now, wherever I go in public, I know where the exits are. I don't obsess over it, but years of safety drills at school just make it automatic. Sad world.

Greetings all

Its hard to not be majorly impacted by the recent school shooting. Its the most horrific thing imaginable. I thought about i****ching a bunch of middle school kids walking out today as its next to my grocery store. All seemed lively and well (except no****ching for cars while they looked at their phones). How can young people develop so much anger and hatred at such a young age? I realize the hate is self directed but how does it get that way and what can be done about it? I do think an 18 year old should not be able to buy an assault weapon any sooner than one can buy a nuclear submarine. But our society is clearly failing on many levels. So sad. And yeah DD, we all thing about exit routes in public places. Not cool or fun.

CC hope the house sells soon. The house we have is one I bought as the first person to look at it. Met the touring agents on the way out. Someone will snap it up.

Peps I can't imagine what the last 24 hours have been like for you. Emergency c section, up all hours and then the need for the sheriff to provide a feeling of safety at your school. And its only wednesday.

All this stuff makes weight and eating seem trivial. I did make the roasted veggies last night and it was great. Its guilt free eating even if I did put some parmesan cheese on it.

Liz the cake and table items look great. Love it. You two are indeed beachy people (autocorrect says peachy) so its a good theme. Maybe everyone should come dressed in hawaiian shirts!

I did the studio today and a grocery visit. I have been wearing a little ankle brace and it really helps. It was getting hard for me to walk.

Some friends took a train trip up to vancouver and then some train across canada. Its sounds wonderful. But when they went to get on the plane to come back to the USA they tested positive for covid, had to quarantine, and then had to take a bus to cross the border and come back by train to sacramento. That part sounds horrible. I was ready to sign up for the train trip until I heard this.

And my guests for later in June may not come at all. Hip replacement wound started oozing so more surgery. Same routine as my SIL had who was in a nursing home for months. Not cool. Take care of your joints everyone! Not easily replaced.

Peps hug those pups. Especially the girl with four brothers. We had the opposite - one male and 4 girls. They really kept him in line!!LOL Walter the prince of San Francisco.

Cheers. Diane S

They were giving away cruises last March during spring break, but having to Covid test to return to the U.S. was just too daunting. A positive test could turn a bargain vacation into a money pit!

My friend's son tested positive for COVID in Sweden and had to quarantine there. He was still testing positive after quarantine so he had to have several doctors attest to the fact that some people test positive for quite a while after having it and that he was "safe" to enter the US because he had fulfilled quarantine requirements.

BTW, Mike is going to wear what is essentially a Hawaiian shirt (as he did for our wedding). This one is turquoise and he has some beachy linen pants to wear.