Too Old For This

We had a storm a couple of nights ago here on the farm with rain and strong wind.  One casualty was a large branch in one of the tree lines.

     

  

   

We like having the tree lines, however they sure are bugger to clean up after a storm.

Fact of the matter is, I'm getting too old for this.

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What Happened?

A couple of posts back (here) I commented about my great-uncle Pete who was killed in WWII  (my mother's uncle) and that some of his military awards had been passed on to me.  I'm in the process of replacing items that are missing and plan to assemble them into a shadow box for display.

Today my mom, who will be 88 in July, gave me two thick binders of family history.  Included was a photo taken in 1919 of my great grandparents after they arrived in America from Austria-Hungary and settled in Western North Dakota.  Peter is the baby in the photo.



My great grandfather died in 1935 and his wife lived until 1950. They had 16 children, three which died in infancy.  Three of their sons served in WWII liberating France and Germany. Throughout their lives German was the language spoken in the home, until English was mandatory in school.

As I look through the binders I am reminded of the contribution immigrants made to this country.  I am reminded of the tolerance of immigrants who spoke a different language.  I am reminded of the hard scrabble life they had, but that they didn't consider it that.

I am reminded that today we have transitioned into a nation that is less tolerant of immigrants.  I am reminded that our nation has evolved into an "us vs. them" mentality.

What happened?

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Seriously?!

After continually lying about his abhorrent policy separating immigrant mothers and children, including blaming everyone else for the policy, not-my-president trump rescinded the policy (which he claimed he couldn't do).  However his blame game hasn't ended.

"We must maintain a Strong Southern Border. We cannot allow our Country to be overrun by illegal immigrants as the Democrats tell their phony stories of sadness and grief, hoping it will help them in the elections. Obama and others had the same pictures, and did nothing about it!"

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2018

"Phony stories of sadness and grief." 

Seriously?!

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Is Your Head Cold?

My Mom:  "Is your head cold?"

Me:  "Huh?"

My Mom:  "I asked if your head is cold."

Me:  "Uh ...  no."

My Mom:  "Then take your cap off."

More often than not this conversation took place when I was a kid.  Almost as frequent as, "were you born in a barn," when the door was left open to the outside.  One thing was certain - under no circumstances did I or my two brothers ever go into a restaurant, store or any building with our caps on.

Lately, seeing more and more men wearing caps indoors, I've wondered if this basic rule of etiquette is a thing of the past.  And it isn't limited to young guys.  Even old geezers my age think nothing of sitting in a restaurant wearing a cap. Sometimes I feel like going over and asking them if their head is cold and why not show some etiquette.

And while we're on the subject of hats... what's up with wearing a cap backwards?  Isn't the main purpose of a cap for the function of the visor?  Or is it fashionable to look like a sap?

What exactly is the thinking (or lack thereof) of wearing the cap backwards?  Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the visor?

Come on guys, don't make me send my mother over asking if your head is cold.  Take your damn hat off indoors.

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An Ardent Bond

I have used this blog to comment about our life on the farm and RV travels.  I have also used this blog to comment on politics, a topic most avoid when blogging.  My thinking is that as Americans we have an obligation to have a discourse of how we are being governed.  My politics are clear and likely alienate some readers, but I have always tried to provide a deliberative forum.  Sometimes this overshadows the mundane of our life on the farm and RV travels.

I am a father and a grandfather.  It tears me up what this president has done and continues to do separating innocent children - CHILDREN! - from their mothers.



Some will assert that if and when this policy is reversed that all is well again.  But, that time has past.  The fact remains that this horrific and immoral policy was instituted out of spite and bigotry.  Spite that this narcissistic man cannot get his wall.  Bigotry as exemplified in his most recent tweet:

"Democrats are the problem. They don’t care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our Country, like MS-13. They can’t win on their terrible policies, so they view them as potential voters!"  (emphasis added)

I have tried to be rational in expressing my anxiety over the way this country is headed.  I had hoped to wait until the Mueller investigation to learn exactly how this megalomaniac was elected. Heretofore I have advocated just "resist Trump."  No longer.

This man must be impeached.  The list of justification is long, so I am including credible links that provide facts and clickable links in the sidebar of this blog.

https://impeachdonaldtrumpnow.org/

https://www.needtoimpeach.com/

No amount of specious rationalization can or should justify the immoral act of separating mothers from their children, an ardent bond from birth.

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Women Get It Right

Not-my-president Trump is digging in his heals on his administration's policy separating detainee immigrant children from their parents and sending his minions out to perpetuate the lie that it is "the law."



The only glimmer of responsibility and compassion in this injustice is the response of presidential spouses, including Melania Trump.

In a statement, albeit carefully worded, her spokesperson said, "Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform."

Former presidential spouses have also commented.

"I live in a border state. I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart."   

Laura Bush

"Sometimes truth transcends party."  

Michelle Obama, retweet of Bush's comments

"What’s happening to families at the border right now is a humanitarian crisis. Every parent who has ever held a child in their arms, every human being with a sense of compassion and decency, should be outraged."  

Hillary Clinton

"The practice and policy today of removing children from their parents’ care at our border with Mexico is disgraceful and a shame to our country.”  

Rosalynn Carter

Who knows better the anguish of being separated from a child than a mother.  

As the men in Congress stumble around and sit on their hands, the women get it right. 

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You Must Stop This

Immigrant children are still be separated from their parents and, once again, Americans have gone to the streets to protest this egregious policy of the administration.

Not-my-president Trump has said, “I hate the children being taken away. The Democrats have to change their law. That's their law. … That's the Democrats’ law. We can change it tonight. … The Democrats forced that law upon our nation.”

The fact is that there is no such law.  The fact is that not-my-president Trump is obfuscating the truth to retaliate for not getting his border wall.

There is no such law — it is a policy. And the Democrats don’t own that policy.

Whenever parents are charged with a federal misdemeanor (entry without inspection in this case), or awaiting trial, they are placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Children cannot go to jail, so they are transferred to the custody of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement. They are then placed with relatives, juvenile detention centers or foster care. That’s a longstanding Homeland Security policy.

The Trump administration has introduced a "zero-tolerance" policy calling for the prosecution of all individuals who illegally enter the United States. Families were rarely prosecuted under previous administrations.

On June 15, federal officials announced that 1,995 children have been separated from 1,940 adults at the border between April 19 and May 31. Parents were referred for prosecution.

The Trump administration may believe that Democrats are responsible for policies that encourage illegal border crossing, but we found no law mandating that children be separated from their parents.  (Politifact)

This heinous policy separating children from their parents is NOT the law.  It is an administration policy.  

A singular directed vote of Congress would end this policy.  

One phone call from not-my-president Trump to HHS or INS or DOJ would end this policy.  

America’s fundamental principle of compassion for others has been extruded by this administration.  Americans, it is up to you.  YOU must stop this.

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Uncle Pete

My great-uncle Peter, whom I never knew, was known as a soft-spoken and gentle man.  He also distinguished himself in World War II. 

Peter, also known as “Uncle Pete,” was born in 1918 in Germany and immigrated to the United States with his parents.  He spoke German until the age of fourteen, as English became mandatory in school.  

As with three of his brothers, when Hitler came to power in Germany, Pete enlisted in the Army, eventually attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant.  No doubt his German heritage and language was useful to the Army.  It is ironic that Pete returned to his native country, only to be killed in battle there. 

   

Pete was buried in France and in 1947 his remains were returned to the United States to be buried where he grew up in Lefor, North Dakota. 

As one of the remaining living relatives of Pete, his military items that haven’t been lost to time have been passed on to me this past week to be memorialized in a display.  My plan is to augment what may be missing and have everything professionally placed in a display case.

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Forfeited Moral Compass

This country's immigration border policy separating children from their parents is abhorrent.



I'm not talking about a weak immigration system.  I'm talking about an immigration system that everyone concedes needs fixing.  A system that should include compassion.  Tearing kids away from their parents serves no purpose.



No child should suffer the anguish of being forcibly separated from a parent.  Under the current administration America has forfeited its moral compass and replaced it with inhumanity.

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Heat And Humidity

It is only June and it feels like we are in the dog days of summer already.  Hot and humid.

It is perfect weather for growing corn.  Back on May 18th I commented that the nice neighbor farmer had planted his corn and by the 4th of July it would be knee high.

Well, it has already surpassed that and is past knee high.

With this kind of heat and humidity so early, I wonder what it will be like in July and August.

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I'm Sorry Canada

I grew up in North Dakota, a mere two hour drive from Canada and made numerous vacation trips to Canada.  Since retiring I have also met Canadians while traveling in America’s Southwest during the winter months.  

Not only is Canada one of our staunchest allies, the Canadian people are our staunchest friends.

That is why I found the actions of our president at the G7 Summit in Quebec detestable.

Not-my-president Trump not only arrived to the summit late and left early, he kept everyone waiting at the sessions so he could be the last one to stroll in like an emperor.

While there, he alienated our European allies and hours after leaving insulted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in tweets, calling him dishonest and weak.

The barrage continued over the weekend with the Trump minions piling on.  

White House Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow said Trudeau “stabbed us in the back” and White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro accused Trudeau of “engaging in bad faith diplomacy,” saying "there is a special place in hell" for Trudeau.

French President Emmanuel Macron, responding to Trump’s actions at the summit said, “International cooperation cannot depend on fits of anger or little words. Let us be serious and worthy of our people.” 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told German broadcaster ARD on Sunday that Trump's "withdrawal via Twitter is of course sobering and a little depressing."

She added: "I believe in win-win situations. Sometimes I have the impression that the American president believes only one side can win and the other loses. That is maybe the difference.”

I have only one thing to say about our president’s actions at the G7 Summit:  I’m sincerely sorry to Canada and my Canadian friends. Our president is a petulant moron.

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A Mess Of Things

A just released poll shows that a majority of voters support more women in government.

Among registered voters of all political stripes, two-thirds (67 percent) say that the country would be better off if more women were elected to political office, while just a quarter of voters (24 percent) disagree.

There has been a surge in women running in the primaries leading up to the midterm elections.  A total of 431 women have filed to run for the House and 116 women are already set to be their party’s House nominee.

It's long overdue that we have more women in government.  After all, the men have certainly made a mess of things.

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What Should Have Been

Robert F. Kennedy   1925-1968

On this day 50 years ago, Robert F. Kennedy died after being shot by an assassin.  

He was a leader of honor and character.

He was what could have been.  He was what should have been.  He was what should be today.

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That's Just The Way It Is

We're planning a trip to Denver the end of the month and I know from experience that finding any place in Denver to park an RV is a nightmare.  Were it not for the likelihood of hot weather necessitating electricity for the A/C, boondocking or stealth camping would be an option.

I've spent some time researching the eight RV campground websites I've bookmarked on my computer and of the limited number of RV parks within a reasonable distance of Denver, none have good reviews.  There are some state parks in the area, however this time of the year all the sites are reserved - likely done months ago.

We will be taking our pickup camper, so I've done some maintenance work in preparation.

This past week I cleaned and waxed the camper. I also replaced one of the electric jacks to the tune of nearly $800.  One of those situations where it quit working only five months out of warranty.  And to make matters worse, the company that made the jacks went out of business / sold to another company.  That meant I had to pay a premium for an OEM jack.  It was either that or pay slightly less for a mismatched jack from another manufacturer.

Like Sheriff Poole said in the movie Open Range, "that's just the way it is."

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