How Did We Let This Happen?

 Global warming - a myth. That's why the year 2016 was the warmest in recorded history. We need to close off our borders. We need to build a wall. We need to start torturing people as a policy. Almost anyone can be made to confess to anything, whether they did it or not, if they are tortured enough.  

At this rate, there will be no country left for our children and grandchildren to inherit. Women, African Americans, gays, anyone who is not white skinned and does not speak English (American English at that) should be banned from the United States, or at least relegated to the bottom rung of society, and have no say in how this country is governed. They simply aren't good enough. This is the message the current administration is sending to the American people, and a lot of the population seems to agree.

Respect the office of the Presidency. That doesn't mean to not look at what the person holding that office is doing. Is he following the law? Is he keeping the promises he made? Or is he still lying  to us? is he respecting the office of the Presidency?

Take Mexico and "the wall." Mexico will pay for it, we were told. Funny how that has evolved into us, the U.S. citizens footing the bill. Now it is to be paid for by a consumer tax, which always hits the poorest people hardest. So you and I will be paying for this wall, although we have no say in whether or not it should be built. It should not. This wall is not creating opportunities for knowledge or friendship, but is increasing isolationism and the fear of the unknown., to say nothing of the cost of living.

Will there be a country left for my grandkids? Or yours? I'm beginning to doubt that. We are fouling the air and the water, making enemies of a great part of the globe, contributing to global warming, and ticking off most of the other people in the world.  This President terrifies me.

Ready for New Renters -- Scary

What a frustrating and seemingly endless job it is to get a house ready to rent, not to mention expensive. I still can't believe all the work that had to be done after the last renters left so we could rent it out again. The outside had to be neatened up and a walkway put in. New grass had to be planted. We never did get to work on the landscaping, which desperately needs weeding and pruning. It has been rainy and cold for the last several weeks, so the work has moved to the inside of the house.

The biggest job was putting in a new boiler and a ventilation system. I am continually amazed at what Den can do when he puts his mind to it. He did all the work on these two improvements, with help from son and grandson; and the house is now warm and cozy. I am sure it will be cool in the summer, with the ventilation system picking up the lake breezes. Then we needed to scrub and paint walls, clean cupboards and closets, repair door knobs and screens, wash windows and ceiling fans and make lists of missing door stops and light pulls.

Our son and daughter-in-law came over yesterday and painted and cleaned. I was amazed at how fast they worked and how slow I moved in comparison. Our grandson and his girlfriend painted one of the bedrooms and did a beautiful job. How fortunate we are to have such a wonderful family. Every night when we quit working, I think that we will make the November 1st deadline for the new tenants. Then, when I go over to the house the next day, I panic, and think that there is still so much to do before it will be livable.

We have a family ready to move in. They seem to be reliable and friendly, but, of course, we really won't know until they have lived in the house for a while. They also will not know how they will like living right next door to us until they have experienced it for a few months. That is the scary part -- we just don't know.