Having Some Fun Sitting With Bernie

 The Inauguration shot of Bernie Sanders turned into a meme has been so much fun.

And Bernie Sanders turned it all into a good thing for Vermont:  "As seen on the Bernie campaign store, the Chairman Sanders Crewneck is emblazoned with the now-ubiquitous photo of Sanders in mittens and a Burton jacket. 100 percent of proceeds, in an admirably on-brand move for Sanders, will go toward Meals on Wheels Vermont."

With the help of some tech savvy folks, many of us have enjoyed Sitting with Bernie - here's a few I made with the Sit With Bernie Sanders meme generator.

This is Fun!  

More to Come!

RIP Hank Aaron

 

Nobody was a bigger Atlanta Braves fan than me.  

I spent a lot of evenings after work at Atlanta Stadium. 

Even during their losing years when the security guys would move a bunch of us from the cheap seats down to the unused corporate seats next to the dugout so the cameras could show that there were people there.  

But before those losing years there was Hank Aaron.

And I remember where I was when he made history.

Atlanta Stadium.

Standing, cheering, crying.

All this was before "The Strike."  Tommy Glavine couldn't keep his mouth shut.

 I've never felt the same way about baseball since.

But I will always remember that April night in 1974.

RIP Mr. Aaron.

Inauguration Day, 1/20/2021

 

My heart is full

 

Why our Christmas tree is still up

 

The short answer is "because we're still enjoying it."

But there is, of course, the long, longer, and longest version. 

 As my friend Michael used to say to me, "can't you please, for once, give us the Reader's Digest version of this story?!"  Lord A Mercy, I do miss Michael Dean.

So.

I like to read in bed.

Some days, I'll read all day (have I mentioned how much I love being retired?).

And no, I rarely feel guily about it.

I'm 72 years old.  I started working when I was 16.  

Feel Guilty?    Pfffftt.

Guilt is for other people - not me.  Certainly not for something as benign as spending a day reading in bed.

While I'm reading in bed, this is what I see when I look up - 

And it has brought me comfort.

This has been a very hard year for everyone.

Taking pleasure in small things has been life-saving.  And I do not say that lightly

And I have taken enormous pleasure in our small  pink tree.

There are dozens of symbols related to Christmas trees and every family has their own traditions when it comes to Christmas trees; some based on religious practices, some purely secular, and some based simply on when busy families find the right time for them to do whatever it is they feel like they want to do that particular year.

We would have normally taken it down and put it away by this time but this year.  And I did think about that every single day beginning on January 1, which is when we normally pull out the boxes and packing up.

The few Christmas sit-abouts we put out are back in their hiding places.

But this tree -   -   -   -

This tree has been a joy this year.  If I have to pick one word as the symbol it represents to me this year it would be "hope."

The plan to put it away on January 1 came and went.

It was still a comfort.

And then January 6th happened.

We watched with disbelief as people started streaming into The Capitol building.

The disbelief became fear and sadness and anger as it became clear this was not a normal legal protest.

These were criminals.

Thugs and punks.

Intent on doing harm.

As the days go on we learn just how intent they were.

As inconceivable as it sounds, it could have been so much worse.

This mob failed in that regard.

They didn't get to hang Mike Pence.

They didn't get to shoot Nancy Pelosi in the head.

Those were words heard, and recorded.  

Words spoken by American citizens in this mob invited to Washington, D.C. by donald trump.  Those damning words were also recorded; "the president invited us!"

Invited to do harm. 

While we were watching the violence on TV, so was the president of this United States.

They didn't do as much harm as they wanted.

They say they're coming back.

If they do and the havoc they plan on wreaking is still in our future.  It could all start playing out today and possibly last at least through Inauguration Day.  

But the sad age of trump isn't going to go away anytime soon. 

He spent years fomenting violence, turning over rocks to reveal the scum living under them, inviting that scum to show the world their worst selves.  They have no plans to go back under those rocks.

We can only hope that the good and decent overcome.

We can only hope for the safety of the good and decent.

So.

Our plan, right now, is to leave the tree in place until Joe Biden is safely in office.

Trump was impeached for inciting insurrection.  IF convicted (fingers crossed!), maybe we'll put up another tree and and cover it with our own symbols of hope and beauty and things we love.

We'll call it our Tree of Hope.

January 2021 Newsletter

This newsletter will be a little different. Donald and I thank you all for your friendship and for your continued support. We couldn't be more pleased with how well "Carousels of Paris" has done, and continues to do. The American Library of Paris has decided to place it in its permanent collection - a real honor, and we couldn't be more pleased. I am,  however, going to ask that any of you who are still supporting the monster living in our White House for a few more short days to please unsubscribe from our newsletter. I honestly don't believe you'll find anything we have to say here to be of interest. 2020 was a tough one. Who knew that 2021 could start us off at such an important, and frightening, crossroad.  I believe democracy, and decency, will prevail, but it's going to take good people fighting hard. We wish you all peace and good health. Much love, Kaye and Don and Annabelle  info@kayewilkinsonbarley.com Kaye Wilkinson Barley P.O. Box 1274, Boone NC 28607 United States You received this email because you signed up on my website or have given me permission. Unsubscribe

It was not a protest.

 

It was a riot.

An insurgence.

New and increasingly horrible facts continue to be revealed.  

Scary.  

Threatening. 

 I think we need to be prepared to hear more about the extent of complicity.  

Those people who were dressed foolishly and talk with southern drawls? 

They were, unsurprisingly, underestimated in their desire to do murderous damage, not just leave a bit of shameful destruction.  

People just don't understand that because they believe they're using a group of people they believe they're superior to, that those people aren't, in return, using them. 

They're used to being underestimated and referred to as yahoos.  And, of course, many of them are.  

However,  IMO, as disgusting as those punks are, some of our very own congressmen dressed in their expensive suits are every bit as disgusting.  

Every bit as dangerous.  Just sneakier.  

Don't underestimate their ability to be the ones to attempt to pull the final switch on our democracy. 

The days to come will reveal the well-dressed as well as the foolishly and poorly dressed monsters under our bed.  

Some, sadly, might be wearing uniforms.  Leaving us to forever wonder who we search for when we need protection. 

However.  

Let's not forget that this is a demographic who, supposedly, believe in the philosophy behind Blue Lives Matter.  

That said, it should be hard for them (as it is me) to watch the video of the police officer being crushed in a door in The Capitol. I don't believe it is.  

Hard for them to live with the fact that they were part of a group causing the death of a police officer by beating with a fire hydrant.  i don't believe it is.  

They're heartless monsters.  

Time for Trump supporters to admit their loyalties have nothing to do with making this a better country.  

It's loyalty to nothing.  

Nothing.  

Self-serving bullshit.  

That's all it is.  

I think we need to be prepared for more riots of this sort.  And we need to remember Trump and his enablers have blood on their hands.

And they don't seem the least bit bothered.

Another day, another Republican/trump Drama

So.


In my humble opinion, the GOP splits apart and implodes as a few B-List attention whores show us they would rather lick trump's boots than honor their oaths of office.


They raise their fists and declare themselves the party of law and order.


With NO evidence they continue screeching about a stolen election, while some of these idiots won their seats on the same ballot trump lost on.


They support a cornered rat named trump as he calls on a bunch of ragtag ignorant rednecks who love their guns to come to DC for a "wild rally," i. e. A Riot against democracy.


They're supporting violence against the 81 million of us who voted for the man who legitimately won the election.


And when Jan 20 rolls around, trump will be just another punk facing charges that should land him in prison.


And these phony congressional "representatives" will still be B-List attention whores believing in nothing except their own brand of success; lining their pockets and reaching for power with no thought given to the people they're supposed to be working for.


Not a care for the American citizens who are, right now, suffering.


If COVID doesn't kill us, it can leave us with devastating after-effects, including financial situations leading to empty bank accounts and the loss of homes.


The lack of guidance or concern of our own government has led to unnecessary deaths from COVID and the loss of jobs and homes.


But hey, it's okay.


Not a single member of congress will ever have to worry about being homeless.


Or hungry.


Or feeding their kids.


Or their healthcare.


And they will actually be able to retire.


Comfortably.


The Republican party will still be around, but it won't be able to ever again refer to its self as the party of law and order, or the party of family values - WHAT a laugh!


They're gonna have to work real hard to even be seen as a party with an ounce of honest credibility rather than a bunch of jackleg clowns and crooks.

And, in regard to the tape released today. You know the one I'm talking about . . . You can listen here - 


 

I think Dan Rather has summed it up quite nicely -

January 20 cannot get here soon enough.

Cookies at Dawn

Sometimes when my mom can't sleep she'll read all night.

And I'll keep her company.

And sometimes we'll watch the sun come up.

And eat cookies.

Dad too.

My hoomans are . . . odd.

And sometimes they keep strange schedules.

But

I wouldn't live anywhere else in the whole wide world than right here with my two favorite peeps.

2020 was a tough year.

I'm glad the three of us made it through healthy and hope we continue being healthy.

And here's to a New Year, a new president, and some nights when we'll all be able to sleep again.

Here's to 2021,

love,

               Annabelle