Covid Journal, Day 300: Home Front

25 and clear this morning, with a heavy frost.

I am listening to the impeachment debate as I work today. These politicians certainly like the sound of their own voices. The arguments will not, I think, sway anyone's opinion or vote. They are talking for the record, to be sure history has their name and what they thought and said, and to promote and protect their own careers. Cynical? Yes, I suppose I am. I think I have been more productive doing laundry and cleaning house today than these people have been with their long-winded speeches.

But enough. They will do what they will do, and I will continue to clean house and sort laundry and enjoy this bright but cold day.

Yesterday warmed up a little in the afternoon, and I finally got myself out there to plant the remaining spring bulbs. Why do I procrastinate like that?? Well, I know the answer to that: I don't like to be cold, and it hurts my knee to dig. Pushing down on the shovel, standing on uneven ground...am I whining? Anyway, the bulbs are planted and I hope they have time to establish themselves before Spring. I planted snow crocus, winter aconite, snowdrops, and a few others, all early bloomers that I have lacked in my gardens. I so want some Lenten lilies; maybe I can get some of those this year.

I cooked another turkey, and this time decided to can all of it except for 1/2 of the breast. 

It's handy to have canned meat in the cellar, ready to use in soups, casseroles, and the like. I can quickly fix a meal without having to thaw it out. I should have canned some of the deer meat but most years it seems to come at a time when I am so busy that I can't even think about taking the time to do it. And this year, we were out of jars too. I am happy to have this turkey meat done; now I am cooking a bone broth with the carcass and will can that as well.

Owl image from Wikipedia

While I was outside yesterday I heard a screech owl. I was so excited and surprised, because it has been a long time since we've had one around. Larry heard it too, a sweet, tremulous little voice from deep in the woods. I do hope he will stay around. 

According to the Book of Days, this was the date in 1752 that the British Parliament voted to change the start of the legal year from March 25 to January 1. And they "adjusted" the calendar by changing the day after September 3 to September 14. And just like that 11 days disappeared. Why the adjustment? This was the year that the old Julian Calendar was replaced by the calendar we now use, the Gregorian Calendar. Until this date, some countries used one calendar while others used the other, resulting in a great deal of confusion and "double-dating" on legal documents. Even now, scholars sometimes struggle with exactly what date an event might have occurred. The Gregorian calendar seems to be working pretty well, at least for the Western world, for the last 250+ years. But maybe one day someone will come up with a new system for counting time, and then where will we be? At least back in the 1700's they took a gradual approach to implementing the new calendar, so people had a little time to adjust. 

Would that we could make the next 7 days magically disappear from the political calendar so that this dark time in our history can be over and we can move on as a country.  But as my mother used to say, if wishes were horses we'd all be riding, so I'll just keep busy here, keep an ear on the news, and pray that this week will be peaceful and the inauguration uneventful. Keeping the home front on an even keel is about all any of us can do right now, so I will hope that all is calm wherever you and your family are.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

Note to President-Elect Obama

Bring us

understanding of the past

Bring us

hope for the present

Bring us

belief in the future

Bring us

peace for always

Bring us

together at last

Economically Speaking

Aren't we in a mess? I can't decide where to place my anger:

• at Wall Street bankers for their greed,
• at the mortgage companies for selling mortgages to people unable to pay them and then ducking out by bundling and selling these poor debts
• at the American public for their stupidity in taking out mortgages far beyond their ability to pay,
• at Congress for playing politics at such a crucial time,
• or at George Bush and his advisors for the wrong-headed, short-sided decisions that led to this moment.

Am I the only one who can't figure out where the anger should be directed? What are you feeling? What frustrates you most?

It's a mess that most of us had no part in, but we will be paying for it. I know life isn't fair, but for once I'd like it to be unfair to someone besides those of us who work and live in the expectation that those we put into positions of power and control are behaving ethically and prudently.

How to Repair a US Highway, Manchin Style

At least, this is how US Rte 33 between Ripley and Joe's Run Road is being repaired...patch on patch on patch.

My tax dollars at work. Thanks, Governor Manchin! Since you've been in office our roads have returned to the condition they were in 25 years ago.

'Open for Business' was your choice for the state motto. I'd say that any business that wants to open in my area needs to purchase some off-road vehicles, four-wheel-drives and maybe a few helicopters to avoid the roads entirely.

To attract business, you need to pay attention to the infrastructure of the whole state, not just the corridor between Morgantown and Clarksburg (your home territory, is it not?). I understand that area is thriving and needs improvements to handle the influx of industry and people. But the rest of the state absolutely will not thrive without more funds being spent to upkeep our roads, bridges, and buildings. Or do we not count?

We pay the same taxes as the people in Marion and Monongalia counties. We deserve better than what you seem willing to give us.

A New Political Party Comes to WV

News Release:


McCain Criticized for Stealing Attention from Small-party Candidates
August 29th


Only one day after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention, the media has accused John McCain of not only stealing fellow- presidential-candidate Barack Obama’s thunder, but also of snatching the spotlight from yet another first in this political campaign: the first ever Monster Party ticket.



Today, Mothman, the Monster Party presidential nominee, announced his choice of running mate–an event which was sadly neglected by the media, owing to the excitement over McCain’s announcement this afternoon.


Candidate Mothman, of Point Pleasant, Mason County




In a stunning move, Mothman bypassed such hopefuls as Bigfoot, the Jersey Devil, and Hillary Clinton, and surprised his party by selecting a running mate from his own state of West Virginia: the Braxton County Monster.



Although this decision does not fall on the anniversary of any historic occasion relevant to the candidates, both Mothman and the Braxton County Monster assured reporters that they are confident the Monster Party ticket itself should draw in plenty of attention from voters.

Braxton County Monster, courtesy of www.wvculture.org

8/29/08 Source: B.I.A.S. Media



Many thanks to my friend Rachel Maynard for allowing me to post her hilarious email message. Rachel's poetry is stunning; obviously she has a quirky sense of humor as well!

Election Rant

Everyone is tired of hearing about the presidential election. I know I am. But I am frustrated too, for several reasons.


1. Once again, the media has stereotyped West Virginia as backwoods people with little education, low income, and oh let's not forget to mention, predominantly white. When did it become a problem to be a predominantly white state? I would bet Mississippians of both races feel the same about being noted as a predominantly African American state. Why does it matter what color we are? We're voters, plain and simple, and we have the right to make a choice.


The implication seems to be that since we're a mostly white state (94.9%), we must all be racist. Yet I didn't hear comments about the whiteness of Vermont (96.7% according to the US Census Office QuickFacts), or Maine (96.7%), or Idaho (95.2%). Why was race considered as a factor by the media in West Virginia (and North Carolina and probably a few others), but not in all states with skewed demographics?



And why is it okay for the media to make remarks like this? To me, it's discriminatory. Our votes were apparently unimportant because, well after all they're all dumb hillbillies who aren't educated and probably don't know to vote for the "right" candidate.



2. Who, in the media's opinion, is obviously Obama. He's a good man, and he's run a fantastic race. I may end up voting for him if he wins the party nomination. But the slant in his favor in the media is flagrant. The constant drone of "Hillary must drop out" that we hear day after day is meant to influence voters. When did the media stop reporting the news and begin trying to determine what the news will be? I find this trend alarming in the extreme.



The not-so-subtle message for West Virginians was "you might as well vote for Obama since Hillary is going to drop out anyway." When did the press take on the role of telling us who was going to win? Sure, poll after poll might indicate a candidate is in the lead; a candidate may move ahead in the voting in the primaries and become the obvious candidate. But the process, I thought, was that the actual candidate is selected at the convention. Which is still some time off.

3. And the rush to judgment is making West Virginians (and those in states who have not yet held primaries) feel that our votes are insignificant, that we don't count. "Oh well," analysts say, "Hillary won West Virginia but it doesn't matter."



Yes, it does. It matters to me and to everyone else who voted. We want our voice heard. Those still waiting to vote want their vote heard. Pundits decry the decline in voter turnout. Is it any wonder that people feel disenfranchised when we're told that the candidate is already chosen and our votes won't matter?



Amidst the cacophony of talking heads, West Virginians turned out in droves to cast votes. This even though we've heard for weeks that the Democratic candidate is really already chosen. We voted for the candidate we like, not the one we have been assured will be the one. We voted, even though the media repeated over and over that in the end our vote won't matter.



Maybe it's because we're stubborn mountaineers that we naively believe that our votes count, that we have a voice in this country. A small voice it might be, but it echoed loudly in these hills yesterday.