Granted I don’t know numbers of fact but what I saw was pretty dramatic.

She certainly was- a softball pitcher, traveling nurse, then in home health when I came on scene. She was my best friend. ❤️ she really loved beets.

I was raised in the Texas panhandle where it is often over 100 in the summer but it was a dry, brick oven heat. In the US Deep South they have moisture in the air and it feels like walking into a wall of hot vapors that has mass and form. We get a few days like this every year. I am happy that

As an American born historian of Britain, I love this BAAS post that looks at “Early America at 250” from a nation with 960 years of history since the Conquerer and much more besides of Celtic , Roman, Anglo-Saxon civilizations. In the US we think 250 is old and mature. The UK sees it as a baby.

I stand corrected!

Things are not great in the world, however today is my son Nico’s 13th Gotcha Day. I had finished my coursework for my PhD a couple weeks earlier but knew I wasn’t going to get into TT stuff then. He saved me and showed me there were other things in life besides academe. Live life now.

Video of Bella trying to get my fingers while playing under the yellow chair showing her many dance moves

Videos of Bella’s “Dance” though horizontal, she lets nothing hold her back from her art

My mom got me the best birthday card ever since we do have a pole dancing cat who looks much like this. Bella, our cat, is cross-eyed and does her dances laying on the floor around a choice pole.

Zomg y’all! I went to see Alison Krauss and Union Station on the Arcadia Tour tonight with my mom and wow, was it the most delightful musical experience. We were transfixed. It was a wonderful break from all the things.

6 years ago I used the Force especially bc my back was out that day, to pass my dissertation defense on zoom bc of COVID.

Lately got a couple of solar rechargeable trail cams for our backyard woods and deck. Neighbor said he had seen something on the deck. We have also been dealing with 3 new Tom cats and TNRed one. Last night we caught a coyote on the woods cam. 🙄

I got my cat son, Nico, a Kong™️ Rave Cave, for his 13th birthday this month, that is awesome 80s, it has flashing LED lights and beat box music circa early DJ style. My son is less impressed with the lights and music but it’s fabulous. Got it at Chewy on sale. Pawrty on!

Also in a couple of my classes where we discus the impact and consequences of technology; I feel like I’m becoming this guy.

It looks like it falls to regular people to denounce this speech, to deny that white supremacy will continue to have purchase here. The post is real- see truthout.org here: truthout.org/articles/why...

Indeed, Sir.

Hey friends- this just broke on BBC. Two national guardsmen are shot in DC. Please take care of yourselves and watch out for one another. I do not think this will go well for us.

Here is a playing Bella the cross-eyed cat hiding in the blue cube feather wand toy blind.

Adding in case anyone else will match.

No Kings Savannah

Many years ago, I went to Chicago for a conference and had never been there before. I rode the L from Midway to downtown by myself and checked in to my hotel. I went out for Giordano’s and to visit the sky deck of the Willis Tower. It was at dusk and the city was so pretty. Solidarity.

Guys go outside and enjoy a flower or a pet, or any nice good thing and stop obsessing over hoping TFG was dead and being sad he’s not. Seriously, dip into a hobby for everyone’s sanity and post on that. On Thursday, a mom deer and three fawns were in my yard. It was neat.

I just tried and it would not allow submissions to post.

So I resolved to get something for Emily to replace her place of bliss. And I found a doggy pop up shelter on Chewy and a bed at homegoods and here we are. Tricked out Cabana for one 7.5 lb cat.

Then cataclysm- a freak downpour did come within the same week I put the new canopy on, and broke the tent frame. :(

In happier times, the people sized pop up tent cabana was Emily’s back yard surveillance spot.

Challenge: Post your last photo taken in DC to show what a hellhole it is.

Lesser known fact of the westward migration of manifest destiny was - death

For Juneteenth, I have the WPA narrative of Minerva Bendy, freedwoman, who had been enslaved by a 4x great grandfather of mine, Lazarus Goolsbee, whose sons fought for Confederacy and may have taken an enslaved man with them. Mrs. Bendy recalls being walked from GA to Woodville, TX in the 1850s.

Celebrating 12 years since I adopted baby Nico. He was a tiny guy at 1.585 lbs, and he had an infection when I got him, but he survived and now he’s 23.8 lbs. He kept me through a lot of disappointments and difficult times.