Patriot's Day

 

Stand your ground

Don't fire unless fired upon

But if they mean to have a war

Let it begin here. 

Concord Hymn 

 RALPH WALDO EMERSON

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

   Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

   And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;

   Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;

And Time the ruined bridge has swept

   Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,

   We set today a votive stone;

That memory may their deed redeem,

   When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

   To die, and leave their children free,

Bid Time and Nature gently spare

   The shaft we raise to them and thee.

1941

Advent will be posted below the remembrance. 

December 7, 1941

Tell it to your children, 

and let your children tell it to their children, 

and their children to the next generation.  --Joel 1:3

So that we may never forget.  

Today's advent figure is Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  Luke 1:30-31

Eighty Years

June 6, 1944

Eighty years ago today. 

In the misty gray light of early morning, landing craft approached the beaches of Normandy. Boats filled with frightened young men, many of them barely more than boys. 

Boys wishing they were still at home in bed. Shaking with fear. Praying. Maybe crying. Knowing that many of them would not survive the day.

 And yet, when those landing craft hit the beach, 

 when those ramps opened, 

without hesitation, they stood and charged into the hail of bullets that would claim nearly 10,000 of them before the sun set. 

Seeing their friends, their brothers in arms, cut down beside them. 

Still they ran. Still they fought. 

In spite of their fear, and knowing that the fate of the entire world rested on their shoulders, they claimed that beach and began the long, slow slog across Europe that would eventually lead to Hitler's demise.

That is why they truly were The Greatest Generation.

Most of those who stormed the beaches at Normandy that day are gone, and those who remain are well into their 90s and early 100s.  Soon, they'll all be gone. Soon there will be no one left who remembers that great and terrible day. 

That is why it is up to us.  It is up to us to remember them.  To guard their legacy.   To teach our children what they did for us -- for the world -- that day in 1944. It's our responsibility.  

Not the school's. Not the History Channel's. Ours. 

We must tell the story.  So that we may never forget. So that they will never be forgotten. 

 Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, 
and their children to the next generation. Joel 1:3  

Patriot's Day

 

Stand your ground

Don't fire unless fired upon

But if they mean to have a war

Let it begin here. 

Concord Hymn 

 RALPH WALDO EMERSON

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

   Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

   And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;

   Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;

And Time the ruined bridge has swept

   Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,

   We set today a votive stone;

That memory may their deed redeem,

   When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

   To die, and leave their children free,

Bid Time and Nature gently spare

   The shaft we raise to them and thee.

A Day Of Remembrance

* Blogmas and Advent will be posted below the remembrance. 

December 7, 1941

Tell it to your children, 

and let your children tell it to their children, 

and their children to the next generation.  --Joel 1:3

So that we may never forget.  

Normally, I'd only post about Pearl Harbor today, but since I had decided to do blogmas and advent, this will be a little different.  I know this may seem like a lot to put into a single post, but there is a lot going on.  I'd considered doing two posts, but since most of you don't click through on my history posts anyway, I decided to put it all into one.  

If you made it this far, congratulations.  Most people won't.  OK?  On we go...  

Today's advent figure is Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

And the scripture is:  The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  Luke 1:30-31

The nice thing about doing this advent again after not doing it for so long is that so many new songs have been written in the intervening years.  

This is one of them.  It is loosely based on the song Mary sang when she went to see her relative Elizabeth, which can be found in Luke's gospel, chapter one beginning with verse 46:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed, 

for the Mighty One has done great things for me—Holy is his name.

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; 

He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 

to Abraham and his descendants forever, 

just as he promised our ancestors.”

And finally, tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, 

So you know what I have to post.  Yep, my favorite Hanukkah song by the Maccabeats. 

 

Veteran's Day Observed

Thanksvember Tenth:  IT'S RAINING!!!!   It's been raining most of the night and almost all morning!  Rain we desperately need.  It won't be enough to relieve the drought conditions, but at this point, we'll take any raindrop we can get.  I almost wish I'd gotten another rain gauge to see how much we got here, but I didn't.  The last one I had cracked, and wouldn't hold water any more, and I never replaced it.   

This morning, I had a brief moment of panic when I got up and realized all the city offices would be closed today, and I hadn't yet paid my trash bill.  That was quickly relieved when I opened said bill and saw that they'd given us until Monday to pay before incurring late fees, because of the holiday.  Since I didn't feel the need to rush into town to pay a bill, I spent a leisurely morning savoring my coffee and watching Kitchen Nightmares reruns...and oh, yes, knitting a new hat. 

You knew I would be able to stay away from those needles very long.  Oh, and I checked the tracking number on the hats I mailed off Monday, and it shows they've been delivered.   That means it's time to start filling the next box!

Eventually I got dressed and ran into Walmart to do my weekly shopping.  It was still raining, but I didn't even flinch.  I picked up my mostly free turkey, and redeemed enough offers to unlock the free sides (mashed potatoes, gravy mix, corn muffin mix, and cranberry sauce).  I say the turkey was mostly free because they have a $15 limit, and the one I picked was $19.  I was trying to get the smallest one I could find, but even it was 12 lbs.  And also, I splurged and got a Butterball, when I normally get Jenny-O or one of the other cheap brands.  I'm not completely sure why I went for the high dollar brand, but I wanted a Butterball, so I got me a Butterball, dadgumit!

Now, I'm back home and enjoying Christmas Cookie Challenge -- and another seasonal splurge.  

I was good.  I only bought one bag.   I can neither confirm nor deny that half the bag has now been consumed...

I need to find out what Cody and Brennan want to do for Thanksgiving, but all in all, it doesn't really matter.  I'm still going to cook my full Thanksgiving meal, even if I have to eat it all by myself.  Which reminds me, I probably ought to start working out my menu and making that shopping list.  Because I like to plan ahead.  

So, yesterday at work, they had a little luncheon for the veterans, and gave us these little plaques.  

 Normally, I eschew these kinds of things, but it was free food, so I went.  It makes me feel quite awkward and uncomfortable when people thank me for my service, because I feel like I don't really deserve it.  All I did was maintain satellite communications equipment and frankly, I wasn't really very good at that.  

On the other hand, if you ask  me if I would do it all over again the short answer is yes, in a heartbeat.  And that brings us to Thanksvember Ninth:  I'm thankful I was given the honor of serving such a great country as this.  And if I were given the opportunity to do it all over again, I'd do a better job this time.  

No, that's not a typo, and I didn't forget where I was in the count.  It's the one I would have posted yesterday had I blogged.  I'd intended to, but by the time I got home from the difficult day I had at work, I was completely out of social energy and just didn't feel like it.  So you get it today.  

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go find a production of The Taming Of the Shrew to watch while I knit some more on that hat.  

Laters. 

Batesville Mounds

 Those of you who know me at all know that I don't like to leave the house.  If I've got something I need to do, I have to go straight from work, because once I go home, I'm home.  Even on the weekends, I say I'm going to get up and go do stuff, but I don't.  I sit in front of the TV thinking that I really should get up and go do stuff, but I don't get up and go do stuff.  

Then Monday comes and I go back to work thinking next weekend I'm going to get up and go do stuff.  

So, what did I do this weekend?  I got up and went and did stuff!

Well, one stuff at least.  After 29 years of driving by the signs and thinking I ought to stop, but not stopping, I finally made it up to the Batesville Mounds!

Unfortunately, there isn't really a lot of information about who built the mounds and why, but they are estimated to date to between 100-500 AD.  There were originally 5 mounds that they discovered, but only two are intact, and one has been completely destroyed.  

There isn't much left of Mound A, just a slight rise in this field.   If the sign weren't there, you probably wouldn't even notice it. 

Mound C is the most visible, being the tallest and conical. 

Mound C:

Next to it, you can see one of the borrow pits, where the people dug up the dirt to build the mounds.  It's kind of hard to see in this picture, but in person, it's quite obvious. 

All of these mounds are connected by nice, wide paved sidewalks big enough even a wheelchair bound person can enjoy the history and the beautiful scenery.  But there are also dirt trails through the woods. 

And if you know me at all, you know I had to walk these, too. 

These are really nice, too, and take you Mound D, which is almost gone, and to a site where they believe the village once stood.  Unfortunately, there aren't any signs, so unless you printed out the map, you won't even know where it was.  

I didn't print out the map, by the way.  I had to use the map in my Pokémon Go game because I didn't have sense enough to print the real map.  Alas, it didn't have the historical sites marked, but I got to spin quite a few Pokestops.  Yay!  I can send my friends different postcards than the Grenada Airfield Hanger one!

On the other side of the park is a trail -- a paved one -- that takes you to this overlook of the Tallahatchie river. 

I could have stood here all day and watched the water flow....But eventually, I had to return to the real world.  

Overall, it's a nice little park, and great if you live in Batesville.  It's a little too far to drive from here regularly just to walk the trails, but seeing the history and the ancient mounds was way cool.  I only wish we knew more about the people who lived there.  Who they were.  What their lives were like...What happened to them. 

I took more photos while I was there, too many to post here, so I'll post them on my Facebook and MeWe pages.  

One last thing before I go.  I finished another hat last night. 

I bought some card stock while I was in town, so I can print out the labels and start getting them ready to ship. 

I guess I'd better get on that...

Freedom

I don't know, little girl. 

We have not been truly free in this country since long before I was born. Don't believe me? Think about this, who owns the fruits of your labors?  Who owns your paycheck?  You?  Think again.

Who decides how much income tax you have to pay? In other words, who decides how much of your paycheck you are required to hand over to the government?  You?  No, the government does.  

And what happens if you decide you want to keep what you've worked so hard for?  That's right.  If you don't pay your taxes, you go to prison.  Now, why would you go to prison for keeping your own property?  Why would you go to prison if your paycheck were really yours?  What this mean is, the government owns all of our wages, and they just give us an allowance to live on.  . 

Who owns your houses and properties? You? No. Even if you've paid off the mortgage, you still have to pay property taxes. What happens if you don't pay? The government seizes your property. What that means is, the government owns all property, and you just rent it from them.

By the same token, who owns all the businesses in this country? Yep, the government. Because the government sets the rules by which you can operate a business. And they set the taxes those businesses have to pay. If a business doesn't comply, what happens? The government shuts them down at best, and at worst, seizes all their assets.

But you think you still have freedom of speech?  No, only speech the government deems is acceptable is still free.  Don't believe me?  Then ask yourself why a man is sitting in prison right now for making a YouTube video, or a 14 year old boy was arrested for wearing a t-shirt.  Better yet, try mentioning God in a public place.  Try putting a Nativity scene in a public park, and see how free your speech still is.
  

Or your religion.  You think you still have freedom of religion?  Think again.  Only the religions the government deems acceptable are allowed.  Even churches must meet strict government standards, or they will lose their tax exempt status, and without being tax exempt, most churches would be taxed out of existence. 

And the government decides which light bulbs you can buy, and the government decides how energy efficient your appliances have to be, and the government decides how much gas mileage your car must get -- or if you can even drive a gas powered car --, and the government decides what kind of health insurance is acceptable, and the government decides how much salt you can put on your food, and what kind of stove you can cook that food on, or how much soda you can drink, and the government decides pretty much every miniscule jot and tittle of your life. Heck, you even have to ask the government's permission to get married.

Free?  No we're not free, and haven't been for quite some time.

 Or as Harriet Tubman once allegedly said, "I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more IF ONLY THEY HAD KNOWN THEY WERE SLAVES."

We are slaves, and most of us don't even realize it.

But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.   -- The Declaration of Independence

June 6, 1944

Seventy nine years ago today. June 6, 1944, in the misty gray light of early morning, landing craft approached the beaches of Normandy. Boats filled with frightened young men, many of them barely more than boys. 

Boys wishing they were still at home in bed. Shaking with fear. Praying. Maybe crying. Knowing that many of them would not survive the day.

 And yet, when those landing craft hit the beach, 

 when those ramps opened, 

without hesitation, they stood and charged into the hail of bullets that would claim nearly 10,000 of them before the sun set. 

Seeing their friends, their brothers in arms, cut down beside them. 

Still they ran. Still they fought. 

In spite of their fear, and knowing that the fate of the entire world rested on their shoulders, they claimed that beach and began the long, slow slog across Europe that would eventually lead to Hitler's demise.

Now, that is courage. 

 And that is why they truly were The Greatest Generation.

Most of those who stormed the beaches at Normandy that day are gone, and those who remain are well into their 90s. They'll be gone soon, too. 

 It is up to us to teach our children what they did for us -- for the world -- that day in 1944. It's our responsibility.  

Not the school's. Not the History Channel's. Ours. 

 We must tell the story.  So that we may never forget. 

 Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, 
and their children to the next generation. Joel 1:3  

Patriot's Day 2023

 

Stand your ground

Don't fire unless fired upon

But if they mean to have a war

Let it begin here. 

Concord Hymn 

 RALPH WALDO EMERSON

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,

   Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,

Here once the embattled farmers stood

   And fired the shot heard round the world.

The foe long since in silence slept;

   Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;

And Time the ruined bridge has swept

   Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.

On this green bank, by this soft stream,

   We set today a votive stone;

That memory may their deed redeem,

   When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Spirit, that made those heroes dare

   To die, and leave their children free,

Bid Time and Nature gently spare

   The shaft we raise to them and thee.

Don't Skip This One

So many do, you know. Skip these kinds of posts. 

The memorials.  The observances.  The remembrances.

The boring posts that are the same old thing as last year...

But it's important that we don't skip the posts.  

And thus forget.  

It's important that we remember.  And tell it to our children.  

Don't skip this one.  

December 7, 1941

Tell it to your children, 

and let your children tell it to their children, 

and their children to the next generation.  --Joel 1:3

So that we may never forget.  

The Right To Vote

 Today I am thankful I live in a country where I have the right to vote.  

There are many countries where women aren't allowed to vote, but I live in America where I can make my voice heard.  

I'm even more thankful I live in a state that takes voter integrity seriously.  There is no early voting here, nor is there mail in voting.  However, we do have absentee voting, but you still have to go to the county clerk and show your ID to get an absentee ballot.  Not only that, my county recently switched back to paper ballots, which was cool.  At least there will be a paper trail if needs be. 

We didn't have a whole lot on the ballot this time around, just our congressman and a few judges -- most of whom ran unopposed.  I was in and out in about five minutes.  But hey, I got a sticker!  And I posted it on social media -- because everybody knows your vote doesn't count until you post your sticker on social media.

(That's a joke.  Because apparently some people don't know what humor is.)

In other news, the plant announced last week that we will be off all of Thanksgiving week.  We're only getting paid for two days of it, though, so unless you saved your vacation days, well, you're getting a two day paycheck.  This is why I work all the overtime I possibly can, so I can put some by into savings for this type of thing.  They didn't say why, but I'm pretty sure it's because the housing market is softening.  

On the other hand, they put the sub brazers back on 9 hour shifts because we're so far behind.  We keep trying to tell them we can braze if we don't have parts, but they can't seem to wrap their heads around that.  I guess they think we're supposed to pull parts out of our behinds to braze.  Oh well, since I didn't blog yesterday, and this started yesterday, then yesterday's moment of thankfulness is for the overtime.  

The reason I didn't blog yesterday was because right after work, I went to the vet to pay Jesse's final bill.  I just didn't have it in me to settle up the day I'd taken him in.  I told the vet I'd be back Monday to do it, and he said it was OK.  

So I got there and after I'd paid, the receptionist asked me if I wanted my receip.  I said yes, because  I was thinking I could get one last thing with his name on it.  Alas, when she printed it out...it was blank.  All it had on it was my information and the amount paid.  Nothing about Jesse...or even what I was being billed for.  

They'd already deleted his records from their computer.  It was almost as if he'd never even existed.  That was just one more punch in the gut.  

I promise I'm going to stop moaning about this dog.  But not just yet. 

And finally, even though I' m not Catholic, I've decided to choose for myself a patron saint.  I chose Saint Nicholas -- the patron saint of sailors and unmarried people -- for many reasons, not the least of which is that he had no problem slapping the bajeebers out of a heretic.  

We're kindred spirits, me and him, because I also frequently feel the need to slap people. 

I just hope he's not also the patron saint of bad grammar...

Independence Day

 *This post was originally published July 4, 2009.  I've gained many new readers since then, and felt it was time for a rerun.  Ignore the green background.  I didn't feel like going through all the trouble of reformatting it. 

The Declaration Of Independence

WHEN in the Course blah blah blah

WE hold these Truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal blah blah Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah (lots of blahs)

pledge our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

John Hancock.



So what the heck is that? I'll tell you. That is the version of The Declaration Of Independence that most Americans know. Those are just about the only parts they remember. That's too bad, because there amongst all those blahs are some true gems--our real National Treasure.

Let me share with you some of my favorite parts of The Declaration that most people don't know are there, hidden among the blahs.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them to another, and to assume among the powers of the Earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them,

The laws of Nature, and of Nature's God. From the very beginning, America seems to have been ordained by God. Even before the founding fathers appealed to him, even before the pilgrims came seeking the freedom to worship as they saw fit. All the way back to Cristobol Colombus, who took the name Christopher, which means Christ Bearer, later in life--when he decided to sail West instead of East, because he believed that is the direction God wanted him to go, God has had his hand on this country. Our forefathers believed it. Benjamin Franklin said, "I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an entire empire can rise without His aid?"

A decent respect to the opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impell them to the separation.

I like this line. I just do. Our forefathers believed in the utmost courtesy. That is something that has been lost in the whiny, selfish, perpetual teenage American citizen of today. It's something we need to get back to. Courtesy. If it was good enough for Thomas Jefferson, it ought to be good enough for the rest of us.

We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.

Rights don't come from government. They come from God. Governments are there to secure them, not grant them and certainly not to take them away.

That when any government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness.

It is a God given right for a people to set up the government that best keeps their safety and happiness secure. If it isn't working, it is their right to change it.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, persuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government, and provide new guards for their future security.

It is the duty of the citizen to be involved. It is the duty of the citizen to keep the government in check. It is the duty of every American to be responsible for himself and his family, and not allow the government control over every aspect of his life--even if it means he has to work to rpovide for his family, and buy his own health insurance.

A Prince, whose Character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Now, this doesn't limit itself to royalty. There are certain people in this country who may think themselves American Royalty, and want to rule with an iron hand. These people are unfit to lead a free people.

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

See, this is the thing. Fifty six men signed the Declaration of Independence, but it was nothing more than a piece of paper until they backed it up with their blood. And it wasn't just them. Every man who fought. Every woman who watched her husband, her son, go off to fight, knowing that they might not come home again. Patrick Henry summed up their feelings best when he said, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" Our forefathers believed in liberty enough to die for it. Do we?

Do we?

Lazy Day

Today has been an absolutely lazy day -- or as we said back in the day, a day of rest. 

All I did was watch TV and eat.  Oh, yeah, and knit.  I did knit.  I knit quite a bit at that. 

I got this far on my third attempt and final attempt at this scarf, 

when I had to set it aside for a bit.  I'd gotten so involved in the TV shows I was watching that I kept messing up, so I switched to this hat for a while. 

This is Mainstay acrylic yarn from Walmart.  It's very soft, but the twist is so inconsistent it's not worth how cheap it is.  I'd bought it to knit charity hats with a while back, and it's been marinating in my stash ever since.  Well, I'd knit one hat from it, but that's it.  I've got enough yarn for two or three more hats, but once I've used it up, I won't buy it again.  

By the way, I found one of my Independence Day movies on Disney + -- which I still have because I haven't figured out how to unbundle it from my Hulu Live -- so I watched that one.  I've spent most of the day watching Chicago PD and Chicago Fire.  I'm trying to watch them in order of release date because they all overlap a bit.  When I get to it, I'll bring Chicago Med into the mix as well.  They'd all been in my watch list for ages, and now that I've started, I can see why they're so popular.  

And finally, the America moment for today.  Normally, I don't like too much styling of our national anthem, but this one...this one rocks.   

P.S.  I think I'm going to delete the Grammarly app.  Unless they've seriously changed the rules of grammar since I was in school, Grammarly doesn't know them.  It keeps trying to correct things that are already correct.  

Whelp, I Did It

 Whelp, I did it.  

I ripped out that scarf -- again -- and cast it on ... um...again. 

I'd decided it was just too wide after all.  The first time, I'd cast on 56 stitches.  The second time, it was 76, so this time I split the difference and cast on 68.  I think I've finally got it right.   At least, it had better be right, because I don't think my yarn will hold up to yet another trip to the frog pond.  

But the good news is I finished the hat!

Into the gift drawer it will go, and I'll cast on another one here in a little bit.  

I wish I had something more exciting to tell you, but there really hasn't been much going on today, unless you want to hear about me shampooing the carpet or washing the bedding.  Jesse hates bedding washing day, by the way -- which is different from my normal weekly sheet change.  Bedding washing day is when I strip and wash everything, including the mattress pad and comforters.  It usually takes most of the day to get it all washed and dried, and during that time, Jesse isn't allowed in the bedroom.  

He doesn't like being kept out of the bedroom, even though when I'm home he lays by my chair most of the time anyway.  Even so, he's always glad when I tell him I'm done and he can go get back on the bed again.  

Other than that, I haven't done anything but sit inside watching it...RAIN!!!  Yes, we are getting rain!  So much rain, it left a puddle in my driveway!

We have a long way to go before we're out of drought conditions, but any rain is better than no rain.  

By the way, I was a bit bummed, I was going to start watching my 4th Of July movies today, but alas, none of them are on any of my streaming services, which means I'm going to have to get out of my chair, tromp all the way across my living room, and put the DVDs into the player one by one.  

First-world problems, eh?  

And finally, your America moment for today -- an oldie but a goodie:

(Ignore the fact that it is America-hating Stephen Colbert saying it.  Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.)

Day One

Day one of my long weekend is done.  I managed to get a few things marked off of my to-do list, and no, calling the plumber was not one of them.  But then, not everything on the list has to be done this weekend.  

Also because today was payday, and even though I didn't have to work, payday errands still needed to be run.  I don't know what I was thinking, going to Walmart on the first of the month, and the Friday before a holiday weekend at that.  I was considering buying myself a steak and grilling it, but by the time I got over to the meat department, the place was such a madhouse, I decided to just eat what I have at home. I got a chicken out of the freezer and will make chicken salad out of it, plus I have a pizza I bought last week and still haven't cooked. 

Once I'd gotten home from the store, I got some of the boxes from Cody's room and dragged them into the living room.  The idea was to start sorting through the stuff inside while binge-watching Chicago Fire -- which I recently started doing. However, when I opened the first two I found mostly shoes inside.  I'll have to ask Cody if he wants any of them, or if I can give them away. Honestly, they've been in that closet so long, he probably doesn't even remember that they're there. 

The other thing I did from my list was to dig the mud out of my water meter housing.  For some reason, it sits about an inch or two below the soil level, and every time it rains, mud runs down into the housing.  I have to dig it out every so often, or the entire thing will get covered with dirt and grass.  One time, I was out there digging the mud out, and my neighbor stopped by and said, "Why are you doing that?  They have those new meters that they just have to stick the wand out of the window and it reads them."  My response was, "What if I bust a pipe or something?  I need to be able to get to my shut-off valve."  So, that's why I dig the mud out periodically. 

Take heart, Gentle Reader, I did not spend the entire day working.  There were plenty of episodes of Chicago Fire and Master Chef Junior watched, and while they were being watched, knitting was also going on.  The hat has gotten long enough that I'm ready to start the crown decreases. 

I've put in a few more rows on this scarf, as well, only now I'm getting worried I won't have enough yarn to make it long enough. 

I know, I know...it's too early to tell that.  I'll just have to keep an eye on things, and if I don't think it's long enough by the time I've finished the first ball of yarn, I'll have to frog it and re-do it.  

I always say, if you don't rip and cast on at least three times, are you even knitting, bro?  

And finally, in honor of it being America week, here is your 'Murica moment for today: