good though not significant news

I hope today is a special day to all of you of the maternal persuasion. I wish the world was more in tune with your heightened sense of nurturing. Recent court decisions in the U.S. have certainly favoured the GOP, but I’m hoping that they will further fuel the rage and dedication of the Democrats. Even if the Repugs retain all the new gains, it shouldn’t be enough to staunch the swing in House seats generally expected this fall. I’ve seen predictions as much as 40+ for the Dems. Please bear in mind that Trump lost 42 seats in the House in his first mid-term vote.

And whereas he was just a bumbling rookie in first term, he’s a bellowing behemoth this time out. His mania for gold and fool’s gold reminds me of a poem I heard in the 60’s: “Like Midas I’ve a magic mitt//Except that mine turns all to shit.” I can’t tell if he’s intentionally or unknowingly wreaking havoc, but the damage is the same. I had drinks with another grey beard yesterday, and we couldn’t decide if Aging Orange was a delusional sociopath or a fucking idiot. Again, no difference.

But to the good news. Jude and I just bought an electric riding mower, and I’m happy to report that it was worth the shocking sticker price of $5000. We have half a hectare (@ 1.5 acres) of pasture to tend to, and our legs are in their 70’s. Besides being substantially quieter than our old Husqvarna, it’s more nimble. It has six large batteries that take a while to recharge, but it didn’t take near as much energy as I thought it would. We’re in a mini-drought, so we’ve had to shut down our micro-hydro pipes much earlier than usual. But a sunny afternoon of solar handled the mower no sweat.

NEWS FLASH! I do have some significant news: it’s raining. Not just raining, but pouring — after a very dry April and three weeks of not a drop. Thank Random Chance.

P.S. Does anyone else find it ironic that the U.S. preaches to the world about the dangers of nuclear power when it’s the only nation to ever use it militarily?