DNA Results, and a Whole Lot More!

It's the last day of September, and I'm out on our deck with the pups, enjoying our lingering mild weather. Our hummingbirds have begun their migration southward. There's no chance of rain in the forecast, and we could use it. I don't think we had any measurable rainfall this month, and the 10-day precipitation outlook isn't looking so good either. 

Tammy and I got our latest Covid and seasonal influenza vaccine boosters Saturday afternoon. We were both in recovery mode all day yesterday. I never tolerate the Covid vaccine very well.

Tammy is in Rochester until tomorrow, babysitting Clifford. It's been nice that Cliff's grandmothers have been able to provide daycare while Rachel and Drew await an opening at the daycare provider they prefer. He's getting so much love this way. (The photo is from last week, courtesy of Rachel.) Cliff has such a sweet disposition and is becoming more mobile. He's beginning to crawl when an object he desires is placed just out of reach. His determination is cute to see. Rachel said he's starting to pull himself up and enjoys standing while being propped up. And he's beginning to find his voice! Tammy and I talked about child-proofing our home because he will soon be a certified walker on a mission to explore his surroundings. I cannot wait! (I think 🤷🏽‍♂️)

Tomorrow marks three weeks since I put a leg over one of my bikes. The patellar tendonitis I've been contending with appeared to not be improving, so I opted to give my knees a break from riding. The rest has been helpful, as my knees feel as good as they've felt since this ordeal began last December (brought on by Rosuvastatin, a cholesterol med). 

I've been giving Trishaw rides on Mondays for seniors, but I use an e-bike for that, and I'm not going far. It's tempting to begin riding again, but I plan to wait a couple more weeks, not wanting a setback in my recovery.

We got the results back from DNA testing for Oscar and Rudy. Oscar is 85% Bichon Frise, 8% Bolognese, 3% Havanese, 1% Toy Poodle, and 1% Affenpinscher. I was expecting to see more poodle in his makeup. Rudy is 43% Shih Tzu, 26% Bichon Frise, 12% Lhasa Apso, 9% Toy Poodle, and 8% Australian Shepherd. We officially have mutts! And we love them! They have been such a fun addition to our family. 

Charlie would have turned 16 today. I still think of him often.

If you want an uplifting Facebook page (my favorite), check out the Paws and Claws Humane Society of Rochester. They're continually posting photos of recently adopted pets with their new owners. It's so nice to see happy beginnings!

As I'm fond of saying, little kids and dogs are the best things about this world for me, and we've got both in our lives now. 

In this time of frequent severe weather, Project 2025 (the playbook for a future Trump administration - don't kid yourself) calls for the "break up" of the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) while halting studies on climate change. (Because it will go away?) And who needs the National Weather Service when you have an imbecile with a Sharpie to tell you where severe weather will strike?

Yesterday, Trump called for “one real rough, nasty” and “violent day” of police retaliation to eradicate crime “immediately.” I can't imagine listening to that nonsense and thinking, yeah, sounds reasonable—he has my vote! The man himself is one of the biggest criminals the country has ever seen! Make it make sense. 

Do we want a president who will withhold disaster relief aid for reasons of political vendettas? How is this okay?

I think Harris will win this election easily, but I'm concerned about the aftermath, the lengths Republicans will go to seize power despite losing, and what that could mean for our form of democracy and our peace. If conservatives feel what I and others are saying is hyperbolic, please know that there are many from your own party, or what used to be the Republican Party, who are saying the same thing—your own former VP, no less.

That's all I've got.