Yep, I’m still here. Sometimes I wonder if I should even keep the doors open, given the number of posts I’ve done lately. I’m guilty of seriously underestimating how much time you can spend with grandchildren or picking up the slack around the house while Mrs. Freeholder is spending time with grandchildren. But it’s a pleasant dilemma to have.
While on the subject of grandchildren, they’re both doing fine. Both have grown out of size 0-3 far faster than mom had expected. She has to buy new Christmas outfits because the ones she bought are…0-3.
Thing 1 (female) has the chubbiest cheeks I’ve ever seen on a baby. She looks like one of those pictures of a chipmunk with its cheeks full of seeds. She’s also a cuddler. Grandma loves that. Thing 2 (male) is doing his darndest to sit up, but his muscle control isn’t quite there. But he grunts and tries just as hard as he can–especially if sportsball is on the TV. The way that head wobbles is somewhat alarming, even if it is normal. He can hold it up for a while, but then he goes all wobbly, worn out from the effort.
But enough of the “No one ever had cute grandkids but me” report. Onward to business.
I’m pretty well convinced that WW III is well underway at this time. We just haven’t gotten to the “immolate the planet” stage yet. I hope and pray that cooler heads prevail and settle things down. There are distinct signs that there are still some grownups in the room, but there are also certain bratty children on all sides who seem to think that a nuclear war would be a grand thing. I would ask “How did we get here?” but we all know the answers. The formation of a global elite that sees it as their right to rule. Vast corruption that uses entire nation-states to launder stolen money. Electorates who have flaked on their duty to their country to be educated, informed and moral voters, allowing crooks, charlatans and criminals to be voted into office in questionable elections. Courts, police forces and militaries who have flaked on their duties, allowing those questionable elections as well as obvious crimes to go unaddressed. A global media in service not to inquiry and truth, but to their elite masters. Corporations that have grown so large they are effectively immune to sanction as they do the elites’ bidding. Politicians who have sold their souls for the illusion of power.
I could rant longer, but my blood pressure says that it’s a bad idea. But you get the picture of where I stand on the subject. And greetings to my FBI observers! How y’all doin’?
As little as I like it, it does seem dark and hard times are coming. If you haven’t done anything to survive a winter with restricted or no power, a year with food “shortages”, the day the banks are bailed-in and your savings disappear or the forced incorporation of your 401(k) account into some government “guaranteed investment”, you’d best get to it.
Deep breaths. In through the nose, out through the mouth.
Let’s try for some…less tense…local news.
The Great More County Blackout is long over, and there’s no news to be heard. Several days ago law enforcement was “close to an arrest”, but that hasn’t happened. I’m betting it won’t. But stories of similar events during this period of time are coming out. Bet on a couple of things. They never catch the perps and these are practice runs. We’re being probed by someone. Could be Russia, China or the eco-freaks. I don’t think it’s Billy Bob with his thuty-thuty.
A new, large and well-paying employer is building a plant in Bittyburg and will be opening soon. Unfortunately, it appears all the best jobs will go to folks they bring in from out of the area. Locals can have the heavy, dirty and dangerous jobs. At least lake-front property sales will get a boost.
Gas and diesel prices are holding at $2.88-ish and $4.75-ish with excellent availability. I sort of expected those to go up with the Christmas travel season, but so far, it hasn’t happened. We may be seeing demand destruction in action.
I have noticed that some RVs that disappeared during the warmer months have returned to their winter quarters at a few local homes. These are RVs aren’t being stored for the winter. These have people living in them. At least they have somewhere to live.
Grocery stores continue to be relatively well-stocked if expensive. The local Lowes home improvement store is well stocked. I visited Saturday, and they are nearly out of Christmas decorations. Perhaps they’re finally improving their demand forecasting. Unfortunately, most areas of the store are subject to the sort of empty spaces and drastic fronting that I’m more used to seeing in grocery stores.
Local holiday events aren’t as well-attended as in years past. One or two events haven’t reappeared post-Wuflu, and we’ll probably never see them again. I hate it, the horse-drawn carriage rides were fun.
Word is a new restaurant is going into a location that closed early on during Wuflu. It’s supposed to be some sort of Tex-Mex place. Just what we need.
Not as many people have decorated for Christmas this year. This may be weather driven, as the early part of the month was pretty rainy. I got my stuff out, but it was a job to find dry days when I could work.
We’ll be having some very cold (for our area) temperatures later this week. Wood and generator are at the ready.
I’ve decided to part company with 2-3 guns that I don’t shoot any longer and use that money to finance a new rifle and some accessories for it. I want something that will reach out 500 yards with accuracy, and I don’t trust the gun currently I currently own for that distance. I’m not sure if I’ll consign them with a local shop or try my hand at a gun show or two. I’m leaning toward the consignment route. I’ve not had good luck with gun shows on the selling side.
There are several other things that I thought I’d want to include here, but they don’t seem so important now. Plus it’s getting late and I’m a bit shagged out following this prolonged squawk.
Out here.
