Good Manners

Well, it appears from the complete lack of comments on my previous post that it is true. Etiquette mavens always say to avoid the three subjects of politics, religion, and money. We'll get back to garden photos and the like but first, let me say this. Regardless of the fall out from Senator Reid's comments, mostly accusing him of demoralizing the troops, I believe Senator Reid is saying what many, many of us are thinking and to polite to shout out loud: "Get our guys/gals home." I tire of the daily death count heard on my local news each morning. I am flabbergasted that after sending our troops in to this quagmire that they return home to less than adequate health care. I mourn with the families and children of the wounded and the dead. I do not think it is unsupportive to our troops to want them out of a civil war situation. I am in awe of our troops, individuals of courage and duty and responsibility who are willing to go and fight for us. Still in my heart I do not want this war to go on ad nauseum simply to satisfy our current president's need to wield power without thought of the consequences. There. Done.

Now, on to the Pansy report.

As you can see, the are flourishing. Quite pretty.

A new development in the back yard. I have these:

Doing This!

It started last weekend when I noticed a ladybug traversing the lawn. This morning I spotted 5 ladybugs. This was just the fascinating bit of nature I needed to go with my coffee. Later I spotted two in the throws of ladybug love. I noticed the bottom ladybug seemed to tire of these shenanigans and tried to escape but the top ladybug (?) held on for dear life and pumped away regardless of her attempts to escape. Has he no manners? Sheesh.

Yesterday, while enjoying the early evening I heard a bird chirping that sounded, strangely, like a telephone ringing but at a lower octave. I have no doubt this was a bird impersonating a telephone. I have heard this kind of thing before. While living in SF I became aware of a bird in my neighborhood who was mimicking the sound of a dial up modem. I thought, No - that's ridiculous....until I read a column by Scott Ostler from the SF Chronicle that there were, indeed, reports of this bird chirping like a modem. Interesting. A strange side effect of technological advances.

Yesterday I was confronted with the march of age rearing it's unwelcomed head. First, I had an appointment with a periodontist for a consult on a tooth that has been bothering me. Those who have their dentistry done at the periodontist's office are often those who have gum problems, active gum disease, or are maintaining a previously active state of gum disease. I completely and utterly blame two rounds of orthodontics in my youth for this current problem. Periodontal patients tend to be older individuals, shall I say older than ME. But there I was sitting in the midst of a waiting room filled with Seniors and ME. Same thing at the dermatologists appointment I had later that morning. A room full of Seniors and ME. For this I blame my fair skin and freckles. I am being pro-active. When I returned home from my medical forays, having not actually paid much attention to these above related incidents I was confronted by an application for the AARP!!! Addressed to ME, in my mailbox. WTF! I am not of eligible AARP age, yet! Jeez, the nerve! So, I did what any young woman in that situation would do. I shredded that application immediately and laughed wickedly and proclaimed they would have to take me kicking and screaming.